Women in Business: Joelle Dickinson – London Bridge Resort

The London Bridge Resort has been a main attraction in Lake Havasu City since it opened in 1984. The Resort has amenities for every age group, so it has maintained its popularity. For the last 7 years, Joelle Dickinson, a remarkable woman in town, has been a part of the Resort’s popularity thanks to her contributions as Director of Fun.

Joelle’s Background

Joelle Dickinson is the Director of Fun at the London Bridge Resort and has worked with them since she started at the front desk 10 years ago. Joelle is no stranger to the hospitality industry as she has been a waitress, an employee at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and a residence hall director at Lincoln College, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree.

On top of that, Joelle values family time. Married for 7 years, she and her husband have a daughter, Aubrey, and a Golden Doodle, Ellie. Beyond work, Joelle is the President of the Hospitality Association and Chairwoman of the Board for CFEL. She enjoys volunteering at events like Desert Bash and Winter Fest, contributing to the community.

Director of Fun

In her current position as the Director of Fun, Joelle enjoys interacting with the guests she meets at the Resort. “I love interacting with different types of people and providing a fun atmosphere for them. We see different guests every week, so I enjoy providing our activity schedule to them.” Currently, the Resort has Canvas and Cocktails on Tuesdays and her favorite activity, Afternoon Tea on Wednesdays. Both events are open to the public. The Resort also does a seasonal Oatman Bus Tour from September to March on Tuesdays at 10am, open to the public.

The activity schedule varies by week, but in the summer, events are geared toward kids with activities like glitter tattoos, hair tinsel, movie nights at the pool, and bingo by the pool. In the winter, they have activities like wood burning, wine glass etching, string art, and ceramic tiles.

What’s Next for Joelle?

With the holiday season coming up, the London Bridge Resort has a particularly exciting event approaching as the sponsor and producer of Lake Havasu City’s Festival of Lights. Opening night for the Festival of Lights is November 24th, and the Resort’s 12 Days of Christmas at The Backyard at Kokomo takes place from November 29th to December 22nd. The event is open to the public and occurs on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 5-8 pm. At the 12 Days of Christmas event, you can expect to see Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause, letters to Santa, the ice-skating rink, and special vendors.

For more information on the events mentioned, you can email activities@londonbridgeresort.com

What’s Happening this Weekend in Lake Havasu – Nov 17 & 18

weekend at Lake Havasu City

As the weather gets cooler, fun events in Havasu start to take off.
Want to do something this weekend but not sure what to do? Let’s see what’s happening in Lake Havasu City this weekend.

1. Crockpot Freezer Meal Assembly Party

By Stephanie Lueras-Heart and Sole Fitness & Wellness
Starting with a useful yet fun activity, a meal assembly party with Heart and Sole Fitness & Wellness.
This event is created to help you out of your food rut, always to have a freshly cooked meal every day of the week!
This week’s session takes place at 3175 Rustler Drive, Lake Havasu City, on November 18, 9 am – 12 pm., and the menu includes:

Orange Chicken
Chicken & Rice Casserole
Vegetable Beef Soup
Lasagna (ground beef)
Shredded Pork Tacos
Sausage & Peppers

With only $100 a session.
Get tickets!

2. Wienerschnitzel Cruise-In Car Show 

For the car enthusiast early birds, the Wienerschnitzel Cruise-In Car Show takes place every Saturday morning of the year! From 8 am to 1 pm. 

Enjoy a car show and tasty food!

Located at 245 North Lake Havasu Avenue, Lake Havasu City, AZ.

More details here

3. LOVE Scavenger Hunt for Couples Date Night this weekend

The weather is getting colder, and nothing is more comforting than a date night with your partner! 

This LOVE scavenger hunt is a twist on date night, as well as a tour guide to the town where you can get ideas on where your next date would be! 

Look at the city through hearty eyes! 

More details here

4. Lake Havasu Hustle Scavenger Hunt this weekend

Do you still want to do a scavenger hunt but don’t have a partner? Don’t let that stop you! 

A creative and nontraditional scavenger hunt starting at Wile Coffee Cafe, 2144 McCulloch Boulevard, North Lake Havasu City, AZ, on Friday, November 17, 11 am – 1 pm. 

The scavenger hunt will take you to various carefully curated locations in town. You’ll walk or drive to the various checkpoints as you interpret creative tasks, accept wacky challenges, and get outside your comfort zone!

More details here

Women in Business: Andrea Helart – Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce

Meet Andrea Helart, President and CEO of Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce. Lake Havasu Chamber’s mission is to “empower business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders by creating opportunities for education, leadership, and economic prosperity,” per their current website.

Andrea became the President and CEO as of September 1, replacing Lisa Krueger, who was the president and CEO for 21 years.

A little about her background

Andrea’s personal background gives her a head start on the needs of the Lake Havasu community. Andrea was born and raised in Lake Havasu City, and members of her family have been in town since 1963. She attended grades K-12 in Lake Havasu City, and the teachers she had in school inspired her successful career path.

Andrea comes into this new role with a highly qualified background that has prepared her for leadership at the Lake Havasu Chamber. Her alma mater is Northern Arizona University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in administrative leadership, along with a principal certificate covering grades K-8.

After college, Andrea spent 14 years as a teacher and six years as a principal before fulfilling a Community Outreach Coordinator position at the district office Superintendent. As community outreach coordinator, she collaborated with United Way to create the Havasu Community Schools Coalition, which directly serves local students and families.

More recently, she joined the Chamber Foundation for Education and Leadership as a board member in 2022

Andrea’s husband of 15 years, Jason Helart, is Chairman of the Lake Havasu Chamber Board of Directors. Together, they have two boys who inspire Andrea to stay in the field to give back and have a local impact on their own community.

Programs Affiliated with Lake Havasu Chamber of Commerce

The Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce has a Foundation for Education and Leadership that aims to directly impact the community by supporting their wants and needs for business education programs. The foundation has an internship program called The Leadership Lake Havasu Program that creates an opportunity for high school students to spend six weeks learning about a career or industry. This program helps individuals fulfill leadership roles within the Lake Havasu community through a development program.

The Lake Havasu Chamber also holds events that connect community members with local businesses. These events can help businesses identify community needs or even find new clientele. Some of the Chamber’s more popular events include Desert Bash, scheduled for December 8th-10th and Winter Fest, scheduled for February 3rd and 4th of 2024.

What’s next?

Coming up in the next few months, the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce is launching a couple of new websites.

The first website is the Lake Havasu Chamber, estimated to launch this October, and the Chamber Building Industry Alliance (CBIA), estimated to launch this November with an informational session this month.

.

Association left behind when it dissolved. The CBIA directly supports the building industry and the needs that they have so the Chamber can better serve the community.

Overall, the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce is the business hub of the community where community and business can connect. To hear a welcome message from Andrea herself, Click here! – https://youtu.be/koj0z0QZX34?si=bGDYHes-dgCtY8Jc.

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.

Women in Business: Janina Robertson – Damsel in Defense

Why be a damsel in distress when a Damsel in Defense exists?

Damsel In Defense is a small business created in 2011 by two moms who aspired to protect families non-lethally. Their mission is to “Protect, Prepare, and Prevent” as they celebrate their 12th company birthday this month. As a network marketing company, Damsel in Defense sells non-lethal safety products that are meant to protect kids, adults, and families of every age group.

Though Damsel in Defense is based in Boise, Idaho, Lake Havasu City has its own local connection to the company’s products through Janina Robertson. Janina’s position in the company is a “Damsel in Defense pro” who attends local events as a safety educator. Janina holds presentations at local events that discuss the importance of safety and product demonstrations. The most frequent local event Janina attends is the London Bridge Swap Meet, that takes place from fall to spring on Sundays.

As a safety educator for Damsel in Defense, Janina explained that her goal is not to scare people into buying her products. Instead, her goal is to educate them about the importance of being prepared despite living in a small town like Lake Havasu City. “People tell me, ‘We’re in Havasu, it’s such a safe town’ but I try to remind them that we are a tourist town, and we have tourists that come in and make bad decisions. It’s better to have and not need than to need and not have.”

Damsel in Defense Products

Some of the safety products featured on Janina’s Damsel in Defense website are the “Covert Kari Carry Purse” for concealed carry, the “Missing the Point Stun Pen”, the “Junk in the trunk Roadside Kit 2.0” for road emergencies and the “Flip Shot” pepper spray. Aside from the unique safety products, Janina explained that the warranty and customer service Damsel in Defense offers set them apart from other companies. “We have a lifetime warranty and an incident replacement policy that covers using or losing our products as long as a police report is included. My customer service is also very important, if my customers have questions about their product they can call me anytime, and I stay in touch with them.”

More about Janina

Serving Lake Havasu City is dear to Janina as she has been a resident for over 9 years with her husband, son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons in town with her. Janina is also involved with the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce. She is currently on the Board of Directors for the Chamber and is also a Chamber member. When asked her goal as a member of the Chamber, Janina stated, “To help people and businesses come together and help each other. The most important thing I’ve found in this town is that the relationships I made have helped me personally and in my business.”

Building relationships in Lake Havasu City is important to Janina as she is a longtime member of the Referrals Club of Lake Havasu, the oldest networking group in town. Janina explained that being active in the local community is something she enjoys. “I just try and be as helpful as I can, wherever I can here in town.”

You can find Janina at the London Bridge Swap meet from December to March 2024, usually at space 327. You can also find Janina’s contact information and browse Damsel in Defense products at www.havasudamsel.com.

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.

Women in Business: Andrea Foote – Anderson Auto Group

In Lake Havasu City, a local car and powersport dealership does a lot more than sales. Andrea Foote, Marketing Director for Anderson Auto and Powersports, coordinates with non-profit organizations to help sponsor events in town. In almost every event at Lake Havasu City, Anderson Auto and Powersports is involved in giving back to their customers.

Personal background

Andrea was born and raised in Lake Havasu City and attended school in town until graduating from Lake Havasu High School. After high school, Andrea attended Arizona State University, where she received a bachelor’s in communication and a master’s in higher and post-secondary education. Following graduation, Andrea found success working for the city of Scottsdale in multiple departments. After her time in Scottsdale, Andrea began working for the city of Peoria. In Peoria, she gained the marketing skills she uses with Anderson Auto and Powersports by planning up to 72 events a year with 25 thousand people in attendance.

After spending time in bigger cities, Andrea and her husband decided to move back to Lake Havasu City. Since moving back to town over a year ago, Andrea and her husband welcomed their newborn son. Now that she is back in her hometown with a family of her own, Andrea explained, “I love being involved in our community at a high level. What we do here is more than sales. We give back the dollars that our customers spend with us to their local community.”

More of Andrea’s work

Recently, Andrea has worked on significant projects for Lake Havasu City and surrounding areas. In Kingman, Anderson now has naming rights for the next 5 years, with now called Mohave County Fairgrounds Anderson Ford Rodeo Arena. At the fairgrounds, a 4-day fun-filled event took place in September featuring live entertainment, a carnival, vendors, amazing food, and more.

Also taking place in Kingman, a Ford Mobile Service Unit will now come to your home for most services done at the dealership. In Bullhead City, Anderson also acquired naming rights for 5 years at the Colorado Union High School District (CRUHSD) Fieldhouse, which is now the Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse. At the Fieldhouse, you can expect a “ultimate indoor sports experience in a climate controlled atmosphere” featuring artificial turf, meeting rooms, and stadium seating. Specific to our town, Lake Havasu High School recently remodeled their gym to a sparkling new facility that all students, faculty, and staff can use. Anderson’s role in the remodel of this gym was providing the financial support to make it happen.

Anderson Auto and Powersports

While Andrea works with Anderson to sponsor many events in town, their work with the special needs community is extremely dear to them. Anderson Auto and Powersports employ members of the special needs community and some of their employees have family members who are a part of the community as well. As all of their work with the special needs community is extremely important to them, a few events stand out.

Anderson Powersports just recently landed a 3-year title sponsor for Desert Storm. During the 3-day Desert Storm event, “Kruisin’ for a Kause” takes place the Wednesday before Desert Storm kicks off for members of the special needs community to take a ride in the boats. Coming up this month, Anderson will have their Boo Bash event, separate from Fright Night, for members of the special needs community to enjoy in a quiet and less-chaotic environment. On a larger scale, Anderson is the title sponsor for Special Olympics Arizona. Andrea works with Anderson to raise money for the Special Olympics team that helps pay for their trips to the competitions at the state or national level. Locally,

Anderson actively participates in Mile Markers, New Horizons, and Rise, and they aspire to increase their collaboration with Shining Stars.

Even though Andrea hasn’t been with Anderson Auto and Powersports for long, she has already made valuable impacts in our local community. When asked about her future goals with Anderson, Andrea stated, “I want to continue learning more about private sector business from the top down and making contributions to our community.”

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.

Women in Business: Kim Finch – Finch House Boutique

Here in Lake Havasu City, a talented entrepreneur has found pure success as a small business owner. Kimberly M Finch owns and operates 6 businesses in town: Cabana Boat, Kimberly Michael Salon, The Chair, Beach House, Finch House Boutique, and Tasty Waves. Being successful with all of these businesses would not have been possible without the help of her husband, Dallas Finch, who for 27 years helped run the famous Kokomo Beach Club.

A little about their background

Kim, born and raised in Lake Havasu City, left for college in Los Angeles after high school and trained to become a hairdresser for 6 years. She returned to Lake Havasu City, where she met her husband Dallas. They later purchased the property for Kimberly Michael Salon and have owned it for 11 years.

Prior to Kimberly Michael Salon, they established Cabana Boat 3 years earlier, initially operating 3 boats, but now have 11 in total. Cabana Boat is a popular Lake Havasu City attraction for locals and tourists, offering boat rentals for special occasions and leisurely days on the lake. Their other businesses are located in the bustling English Village, frequented by both locals and tourists.

Timeline of their businesses

About five years ago, the owners of the English Village approached Kim and Dallas. They had found success with Cabana Boat and Kimberly Michael Salon and encouraged them to open something in the village. Shortly after, The Chair – Lake Havasu was born, joining Beach House, Finch House Boutique, and Big Fin’s Tasty Waves, all opening within a year. Kim explained that owning 4 businesses in the English Village is special to her.“I have a huge attachment to the village. I grew up hanging out down there, running around, riding our bikes and scooters, going down the grass hill and it’s been really cool helping bring that back to life. That’s probably the best part is seeing it evolve and being a part of that since we have a lot of the land down there.”

Kim and Dallas achieved great success, with each store earning over 4 stars on Yelp. Owning a small business, let alone 6 of them, is no easy task. When asked if she could give advice to aspiring small business owners, Kim stated, “Take the risk. You don’t get anywhere without taking a risk… If you have a dream, go for it.”

To Kim, the most special part about being successful in her hometown is giving back. “Giving back to my community and being involved is my favorite part.” Kim and Dallas employ over 130 local workers, positively impacting Lake Havasu City’s economy by providing jobs.

What is next for Finch House Boutique?

Coming up, an exciting expansion is coming to their stores. The Finch House Boutique will be expanding their retail store by offering online shopping, nationwide. Soon, customers will be able to visit their store in the English Village, or shop from home.

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.

Women in Business: Colleen McShea & Catie Sondrol – Mile Markers

A small business in Lake Havasu City is run by two amazing women, Colleen Wedekind McShea and Catie Sondrol. Colleen and Catie own and operate Mile Markers, a company that offers services for people of all ages with developmental disabilities, delays, or medical issues. They offer many services like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, music therapy, an after-school and adult day program, habilitation, work, and DCS programs.

A look at their background

Colleen is a speech pathologist, and she attended Illinois State for her bachelor’s degree and Texas State for her master’s degree. After school, she completed her clinical fellowship year in town at Havasu Regional Medical Center (HRMC). Colleen ended up staying with HRMC after her fellowship, where she met Catie, and the dream of Milemarkers began. When asked why she chose her career path, Colleen explained, “My dad told me to find what I love and get paid for it. I love to talk and help people, so this is perfect for me. I believe communication is the foundation of life, and I get to help people communicate what they need and want in life.” Colleen has been married for 14 years and has three kids, ages 12, 11, and 7, along with two dogs.

Catie is an occupational therapist and attended the University of North Dakota for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After school, she started her career in school districts and early intervention services before she met Colleen to begin creating Milemarkers. When asked about the best part of her career, Catie explained, “I love the combination of science and medicine. I also love using creativity to help somebody increase the quality of their life and independence. To me, occupational therapy is an art, and I love it.” Catie has been married for 20 years and has two kids, the ages of 15 and 12, along with two dogs.

Colleen and Catie both have full families in Lake Havasu City, and that is what makes serving their community even more important. “We love raising our families in the community that we want to help improve. We pride ourselves on being a primary resource center for families in Mohave County.”

What is next for Mile Markers?

Coming up in January of next year, Milemarkers will celebrate their 18th birthday. Before they celebrate, they are eager to move into their new location by the end of this year. Mile Markers will eventually move into a 24,000-square-foot building located in The Shops at Lake Havasu on the north side of town. Currently, they are in 2 separate locations, so moving into one facility will help them streamline communication and services for their families. They are also hoping to expand their services into behavioral and living supports.

Along with their current locations in Lake Havasu City, Milemarkers has clinics in Bullhead and Kingman. As Mile Markers will celebrate two decades of work in no time, Colleen and Catie are most proud of their company’s organic growth. “We started with ourselves as two therapists and recognized we could better serve the community of Lake Havasu by adding additional services. We listened to the families that we were serving and were able to add the services that they needed; We started off with kids, and as they grew into adults, we began working with the state to get a contract to offer work opportunities for our adults with disabilities.”

More information about Milemarkers and the services they offer can be found at milemarkers.us, and they can be contacted by email, Instagram, Facebook, or their clinic phone number listed on their website.

If you or anyone you know is a therapist, Milemarkers is currently hiring!

This content was written by our amazing staff writer Alicia Armendariz

And sponsored by The A Team- Real Estate Professionals.

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