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School benefit is Mellans’ anniversary toast

Eighteen years ago, Stuart Mellan and Nancy Etter, both widowed, single parents, met, fell in love and united their combined five children to create their new family.

Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona President and CEO Stuart Mellan and his wife, Nancy, will celebrate 18 years of marriage by hosting an open house anniversary party to benefit the Homer Davis Elementary School’s Friday food pack program on Sunday, Oct. 10, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the school, 4250 N. Romero Road.

“In the Jewish tradition of chai, meaning life, and having the numeric value of 18, we have chosen a service project in our community to honor and celebrate our own 18 years of chai,” says Mellan.

The party will include refreshments, the jazz sty­lings of Nick Stanley, and a dance presentation by Homer Davis students choreographed with the students by Nancy Mellan, co-founder of Zuzi, a Tucson-based modern dance company.

In 2009, the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council initiated an adopt-a-school program, “Making a Difference Every Day: The Homer Davis Project,” to help support underserved school children in our community. The project currently serves Homer Davis Elementary by providing after school homework help, school supplies, daily snacks for 65 kindergarten students and weekend meal packs for 40 students.

At Homer Davis Elementary, part of the Flowing Wells School District, approximately 90 percent of students receive free or reduced price lunches based on the United States poverty limits. Nevertheless, it is an Arizona A+ and National Blue Ribbon Award winning school.

RSVP to Jane Scott, 577-9393, ext. 114. Donations may be mailed to JCRC, 3822 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718.