Breast Cancer Awareness

I'm gonna brag. Last year my daughter, Cyndi, did a 3 day-60 MILE walk for breast cancer. 20 miles a day for 3 days, camping at night. This took a whole lot of training.  Cyndi and her family live in Vacaville where she says "the sun is trying to kill them" so a lot of her training was done here. With me! Yay! Janesville's Wingfield road, Lassen Park, Lake Almanor, fantastic places to walk. Spending time with her is one of the greatest joys of my life. I don't remember how much she and her team raised but I couldn't be prouder of the commitment they all made toward finding a cure. 





We have women in Lassen County that have survived breast cancer and are always willing to share their stories.  So many women, here are two~
Sierra Jewelry owner and survivor, Sherry McBroome. You'd never guess what she's been through to look at her. While traveling back and forth to Reno for Chemo Sherry made blankets. Beautiful blankets. All to be donated to Lassen County Child Advocacy Center. These blankets "will bring comfort to children in Lassen County and that makes her (Sherry) happy". This makes me happy too. 
Then there is the irrepressible Joanne Sturgeon. A two time survivor. She and her family have started a new business, Jefferson Coffee. The coffee is roasted in Janesville, Joanne also makes chocolate covered coffee beans in her home kitchen. Very successful! So now the Sturgeons have added logo mugs. During October they will have PINK mugs to raise awareness for Breast Cancer! 

Banner Lassen has all the latest, greatest 3D mammography equipment and awesome, experienced techs. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month it's perfect time to schedule (or remind your loved one) a mammogram. Plus, all month they offer extended hours AND you get a goody bag with your appointment!  Early detection is everything.

Just a reminder to help us stay Hometown Healthy. Thank you to these Hometown Heroes, I know there are so many more...

Lassen County Times

The most challenging thing I do each week is open up my browser to a blank page. What do I fill it with? I want to tell each person's story in a way that would make them proud, as proud as I feel for the honor of telling it. Even if it's a recipe, it is personal to me. This is also the most rewarding part of my job. News folks do this every. single. day. Wow. Truly terrifying. 

Lassen County Times Managing Editor, Sam Williams has been doing this in the 

'Ville for 20 years. This wasn't the plan though. Sam made his living as a musician but promised his Mom if he didn't 'make it' in music by the time he was 30 he'd go back to college. Gotta like a guy that keeps his word to his Momma. After Sam got his degree in English he was accepted into the Masters program for Creative Writing and came here to work for the Times. Luckily . Because this is where he met and married the amazing Cindie (Tamietti), Times Graphic/Advertising Manager. 

I asked Robert Mahenski from the Times for a quote since I only got "just the facts ma'am" from Sam, here's what he had to say~ 

"He's like a big, soft, cuddly, GRIZZLY BEAR."
That checks out. I absolutely adore what Cindie had to say...

"After 20 years of Sam and I being together both at home and at work, it's very hard to condense anything about him into a sentence or two. He's one of the most intelligent people I've ever met and I don't think people realize just how much integrity he's hiding under his gruff exterior. He's both gentle and tough and I'm crazy about him, still." 

That's a beautiful thing. I'm a sucker for a work, life, love story.

As a side note, Sam's uncle, Ted Williams, considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. Who knew?

Thank you to our Hometown Proud Lassen County Times, Sam, Cindie, Robert and the whole staff that keep our news local!

I LOVE the smell of sagebrush in the morning!

"You know that smell when you get to the bug station on your way home? I CRAVE that."~ Quincy McCort.

That's how you know he's a local. It's almost like Quincy gave me the secret handshake (we don't really have one... but if we did this would be it). Son of contractor Mike McCort, Quincy lived here as a kid and then spent all his summers in Litchfield with his dad. Now he's here full time, working at the City of Susanville and committed to making a difference. 
Then there is Heidi Whitlock. IDK how long she's been at the City now but I know she went there after working many years at Susanville Super. That means Heidi is IGA family. And we couldn't be prouder of her. During Heidi's years at the market we watched her; get married, become a great mom, twice, and graduate from college. 

Heidi and Quincy are quite the Yin and Yang, in their own words. Together this dynamic duo is working to make all our City dreams come true. Some of their goals are so lofty I won't put them here and they wouldn't want me to. Yet. But for now they are partnering with citizens that have a plan. For instance the skate park, citizens came to the City with a plan and since it was such a well thought out plan the City of Susanville got a grant to help it into action. Plus there's the lovely task force clean up going on (take a picture of yourself picking up trash and tag the City!), renovations at Riverside Park and what's this??? An 18 hole Disk Golf Course at Skyline Park! Too cool. Let's take back our parks, our streets, OUR CITY. Whoo. I better settle down. 
How can you help? Volunteer, for clean up or whatever. Share your ideas. Join the City of Susanville Administration facebook page to keep up on all that's happening. After all, a town is just a bunch of building and streets. We have a COMMUNITY. And a very good one at that. The more we help, the more we can get done. 


Thanks Heidi and Quincy for doing all you can to promote that Hometown Proud!

If you can't fly with the eagles, run with the wieners!

You had me at ‘hundred of miles of ATV trails’. But what’s this? Also pull through RV spots with full hook ups so my doggies can hang out in air conditioned comfort while we explore. All this overlooking beautiful Eagle Lake. Yes please!

Eagle Lake Resort is right on the edge of more of our public lands than you could shake a stick at. All open to ATV, UTV, truck, bike, horse or just use your feet, this place is beautiful. Surrounded by healthy forest, cared for by BLM, we saw miles of reforestation rolling through the valleys. The RV park at Stones Landing was well kept and the hosts super friendly. At check in we found out almost everyone (all 5 or 6 of us :) was from Janesville AND that the wiener dog races would be held right there in the morning! This is the 4th year the resort has put on the event as a fundraiser. All prizes, auction items and food donated by our community and served by volunteers. This year they raised over $3000, all proceeds went to Susanville PD’s K-9 unit for training and veterinary care. Excellent cause. I ran into so many friends and had a chance to visit. Local events are the absolute best!  Theresa Phillips brought her buddy Pete the Wonder Dog ready to race. Pete is 12, has an adorable toothless grin and has been stomped by a deer. Twice. Thus the Wonder Dog. Pete Took second in 2 of his heats then he finished with 7th place overall. Way to go! So much community goodness wrapped up in a super fun package. 
On our run up the mountain, with the help of an app called Scenic Maps, we found Dow Butte lookout. All that remains at the site is the foundation, the actual lookout is on display at Eagle Lake Marina, right beside the store. The views up there were astonishing. All in all it was like a full, jam packed, weekend in one night and good thing because we had a trade show to attend Sunday. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s nothing to do here!
Huge Hometown thanks to Eagle Lake Resort and RV Park, all the volunteers and donors for putting on the Wiener Dog Race to benefit such a great cause!
Congrats to all the racers and their coaches!

Let's channel our inner DISNEY!

Walt Disney measured distance in hot dogs. All trash cans at Disney World were planted 25 steps away from hot dog stands. This is precisely how long it took him to eat one. I can't even imagine the amount of trash generated at Disney World or Land. Yet the place is darn near spotless. How can this be?

Recently California Grocers Association put together a Store Leaders seminar focused on Service Excellence. The speaker, Dennis Snow, had a 20 year career with Disney World. What a dynamo. Accompanied by eight Susanville Super employees, we learned many things that day. Mostly I learned how enthusiastic and willing to learn my team was. Totally unified too! Meat, Deli, Grocery, Bakery, Produce! All there and all exchanging ideas. Sometimes you gotta take the Hometown Proud on the road to really see what's happening. 
Anyway, one of the topics was trash. Trash is everyone's job. At Disney even the Princesses pick up trash. Walt himself would do it. That's how you truly set an example. City of Susanville is currently setting a fine example. Thanks to a couple of grants, Cal Recycle and Tobacco Reduction, they've put together a task force (of 2 or so) to clean up the Ville! Rick and I began seeing young people out picking up trash on our morning walks. This got me thinking. What if we all pick up just one piece every time we're out? What kind of crazy clean up could WE get done? What kind of Disney-esque example could WE set? Let's do it! 
                                      Susanville is such a beautiful place to walk in the morning. Friendly faces, wildlife, fresh air, I love it. I picked up a lid on the Bizz today, one piece down :) 

This program really needs volunteers. J & J's Kickettes were spotted wearing the Cal Recycle tees and pulling a shift. If you or your organization would like to help, call 252-5110.
Thank you City of Susanville for showing your Hometown Proud!!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

A funny thing happened with two new hires. Hope hired Jeanette Brunner to help out in her Deli. Btw, I have to say here, Jeanette is a great cook and fantastic mom. Meanwhile. Todd hired Vinnie Stalter in Grocery. Jeanette was here several days when to her surprise SON Vinnie clocked in for his first day. Neither Mom nor son knew the other worked here. As if that's not enough, they live in the same house! We're glad to have them both. AND a pretty good story. 

Anyway, one day Jeanette brought this INCREDIBLE dip to work and shared with everyone. IT. IS. DELISH. Warning ~ this is definitely for a cheat day :)

Jalapeno Poppers Dip
½lb  bacon, chopped
5 fresh jalapeño, diced
5 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 tbs kosher salt
2 tbs ground pepper
2 tbs granulated garlic
1 tbs granulated onion
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
2-8oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°

Fry bacon, adding the jalapeno and garlic at the end and letting simmer for a few minutes. With a spoon, remove from the pan along with a little bacon grease, set aside. Combine the dry ingredients as well as cheddar cheese then add the bacon mixture, mix well. In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream and cream cheese. Add ½ to ¾ of the bread crumbs to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly, scrape into a small casserole dish or pie pan, top with remaining bread crumbs.

Bake for approx 20 min.

Serve hot with IGA's fresh deli made tortilla chips!

If you have a Hometown Happening coming up THIS is the dip for you!

Thanks for all you do Jeanette~

My Super Family~

I can't imagine being here without Debbie Oschner. Debbie O, as we've always called her, joined the team just one week after Rick and I took over Susanville Super back in 1993. Deb was working at the store, managing Burger King and selling Avon while raising 3 kids, son Steve, daughters Carrie and Becky, this is one amazingly hard working woman. Those kids are all grown now and Deb is a grandmother of 6 and soon to be a GREAT grandma! How time flies. Not just any grandma either, Deb will tell you her family is her world. Debbie O and husband of 45 years, Jim, are just good people I always enjoy visiting with. 

Debbie O's career at the store began in the Deli. Hired on the recommendation of, then Deli Manager Joyce Reinertson. When Joyce retired Deb moved into the Manager position. She served there for 6 years before moving to our Grocery Department where, for about 20 years, she's been one of our Head Checkers. A face everyone recognizes. 3 years ago retirement beckoned, happy for Deb we sent her off...not my favorite part of the job. She lasted a month! Now you can find Debbie O in the check stand a couple of days a week. Tickled to death to be back. Deb says she loves visiting with customers and serving her community. It shows! 

Thanks so much for all you do Debbie O!

Your Super Friendly, Super Fresh and now, Super FAST Super Market!

What if you could order your groceries online and then just pick them up? Wouldn't that make those CrAzY days just a little easier? That's the plan.  We have been beta testing a program called Rosie. She's my new best friend. 

You know how much I love camping, right? Imagine standing in your camper, van, RV or just in the midst of all your camp gear and tapping out your list. Our dedicated order person Justin, shops pulling together the best of the best. That's right, you want a tomato? Justin makes sure you get a tomato you yourself would choose. All while you're packing all the other camp essentials. Pull up, pick up and you're off! We call it Susanville SuPeR Fast! I just tried it and it is maybe the coolest thing ever. Even though I am in the store most days this makes my life easier. While traveling for work I wrote my camping list on Wednesday to pick up on Friday. I even got a sweet note from Marie written on my half cantaloupe :) Who says you can't still get that personal service with a click and collect? With my peeps you can!  

                  

We have no intention of turning Patti (or any of our IGA family) into a Maytag repairman. PLEASE be sure and stop by as much as possible BUT were hoping this will make your hectic days a whole lot simpler. And fresher. Full Produce, Meat, Grocery, Deli and Bakery departments all at your fingertips. 

                                   

Miss Rosie will be coming to y'all soon and I'm sure she's gonna be your best friend too! 

Signed, 

Your Super Fresh, Super Friendly, and now, Super Fast Super Market ❤️

LMUD Scholarship WiNNeR

LMUD has a scholarship program. How cool, right? Public Relations Officer Theresa Phillips was so enthusiastic about one of the winning essays reflecting on things we all love about our community she shared it with me.  This young person gets it~
                   

Congratulations Emma Newton! Thank you for sharing your Hometown Proud!

AND here is Emma's incredibly impressive autobiography, I hope you'll take a moment to read it, this young woman is extremely deserving!