Fountain Hills is losing a pair of community staples soon, with Don Clark retiring from the Town of Fountain Hills and Val Stasik stepping away from her long-term position at the Fountain Hills Theater.

Clark will be riding off into the sunset at the end of this week, retiring from his position as Supervisor of Parks with the Parks and recreation department. He’s looked after the local fields and facilities since 1995; a task that has grown more demanding over the years as more parks were established.

Clark told The Times that he’ll be stepping away from his position a bit earlier than planned in order to help his mother through some health issues. He added that he’ll likely enter the workforce again, though likely a bit closer to home than the 40-mile drive he’s made to work over the past 20-plus years.

Also stepping away from an extensive career in Fountain Hills is Val Stasik, who announced she will be retiring later this year. Stasik helped get the Fountain Hills Theater off the ground in 1986 and, since then, has been instrumental in seeing the local theater grow from a small organization that put on a single performance a year to the mega-hit it is today; constantly offering new productions and programs on a variety of stages.

Stasik said she’ll be taking this opportunity to spend more time with her grandchildren and pursue some other life interests. She plans on staying involved in the theater but, after three decades of leading the way, she said it is time for somebody else to drive the wagon.

Congratulations to both Clark and Stasik on long and productive careers. They’ve both made tremendous contributions to the community of Fountain Hills.