If you get involved around town, you’ll know that some of our most valuable and abundant resources are volunteers. Local parents get involved at their kids’ school, service organizations are buzzing with activity and, at Town Hall, a veritable army of helpful hands pitch in on a constant basis.

Heading up that army for the past 14 years has been Heather Ware, who has finally decided it’s time to retire. If getting things done really does “take a village,” Ware has been the person organizing that village and pointing it in the direction of countless worthy causes.

How many people do you think have been aided by the Town’s volunteer efforts over the past 14 years? How many hours do you think have been poured into projects like Make a Difference Day and Home Delivered Meals, to name only a couple? How many volunteers do you think have themselves gained so much simply by taking part in these activities?

In short, Ware’s impact on Fountain Hills is incalculable, and we at The Times wish to thank her (and her army of volunteers) for giving so much to the community. Ware will continue to serve as a volunteer herself, but now it’s time for another conductor to take up the controls and keep this train rolling full steam ahead.