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A Free Local Publication
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Me & Mine Staff OUR NEW NORMAL
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Jennifer Jaeger Traynham PUBLISHER
FIRST FIVE CALIFORNIA 8
Rona Desmond MARKETING & ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE
RECOLOGY 9
EDITOR
WOMEN FACE UNIQUE ESTATE PLANNING CHALLENGES
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IS BARIATRIC SURGERY RIGHT FOR YOU?
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HANDS OF HOPE
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HOLIDAY SPARKLE MEET ATHENA BRAVOS CHRISTMAS GOOSE
Jessica Jaeger
on the cover
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PHIL & ELIZABETH MCCAULLEY PHOTOGRAPHY:
HEATHER SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
www.meandminemagazine.com Me and Mine magazine is an LLC and its information, format and designs are protected by copyright laws. Any reproduction of content, photography or arrangement is not permitted unless written permission is granted by the publisher of the magazine. Contributing authors and photographers are responsible for content and accuracy in their submissions and Me and Mine Magazine, its founders or members assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Me and Mine Magazine, LLC, © Copyright 2017
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
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Pricing Subject to Availability
Free Consultation required for Quote
FREE Product with any Gift Card Purchase over $50!
661 Plumas Street • (530) 673-8800
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Delivering Joy! Right Here at Home The expanded Rideout Regional Medical Center dedicates two floors to the celebration of new life, with our new Family Birthing Center Featuring: Private Labor & Delivery rooms . Sleeping accommodations for partner . State-of-the-art technology . Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for premature and ill newborns
To sign up for our free childbirth classes call, 751-4165
Dried Fruits Nuts • Confections Gifts & Kitchenware We have a great selection of local food products and gifts.
Open Year Around MONDAY - FRIDAY 8 TO 4 EXTENDED HOURS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
1-800-447-5218 or 751-5327 www.sunsweet.com 901 N. Walton Ave. Yuba City, CA
RIDEOUT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER RideoutHealth.org/FamilyBirthingCenter
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Our New Normal
For those who are unfamiliar with your story, can you tell us what happened, and how it has changed your day-to-day lives? This past December we went to Maui to spend Christmas with Phil’s parents and sister. On December 23, the day after we arrived, we went down to the beach to spend the afternoon resting on the sand. Before heading back up to our rental, Phil decided to go for one more swim in the ocean, and ran down the beach to jump into the waves, just as he had done several times already that day. On this entry, however, the wave hit the shore break differently and shallowed out faster than he thought it would, which caused his chin to hit the sandy ocean floor, breaking his C5 spinal vertebrae, and causing a spinal cord injury at the C5/C6 level. This caused instant paralysis to everything from his shoulders down. He had surgery to remove the fractured vertebrae and stabilize the spine the next day, which was Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve (which is also our wedding anniversary) in the hospital on Maui. We
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Photography by Heather Smith
took an air ambulance back to Sacramento on January 3, 2017. He went to UC Davis for in-patient Physical and Occupational Therapy, and was discharged and returned home on March 8, 2017. Since December, he has regained the functioning of most of his arm muscles, but his triceps are still very weak, and lack a lot of function. He also has no finger mobility, and no functioning in his lower half.
The accident has forced us to learn how to accommodate the things we love doing into our new reality and our new normal. We have to figure out our schedules to make sure Phil has assistance with things he cannot do himself, and we have to ensure wherever we are going is accessible for Phil with his wheelchair. It takes time and planning, but with the help of family and friends we are making it all work.
This has obviously impacted our dayto-day lives tremendously. Before the accident we were both very independent people, and did a lot of things on our own. We both coach (Phil football, and Elizabeth volleyball), we enjoy traveling, visiting Elizabeth’s family in Portland, Oregon, and volunteering our time. We are both members of the local Active 20-30 Clubs, and Elizabeth is also a Kiwanian and is on the Friends of the Stampede Committee, helping with the Marysville Stampede. We both also really love our jobs. Phil is a teacher and the athletic director at River Valley High School, and Elizabeth is an attorney at Rich, Fuidge, Lane and Bordsen, Inc.
Phil was recently cleared to return to work at RVHS. Why was this such an important goal? How does it feel to have reached it? Phil loves his job. He loves working with the kids, he loves being a part of making sure each and every athletic program at River Valley is reaching its potential, and he loves the students and the staff at River Valley, who are like family to him. Being on campus and doing what he loves gives Phil purpose. Being in the hospital, and being removed from his community on campus, was one of the hardest things for him. It was even harder to be away when he was discharged from the hospital
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because he did not have the constant physical therapy and occupational therapy to distract him. When he was in the hospital, and even more so when he came home, he was in constant contact
with his Principal, Tom Reusser, and other members of the RV staff, letting them know what needed to be done with athletics, and constantly checking in. We had to remind him several times that his main priority should be working hard and focusing on his rehabilitation! Getting cleared to return to campus, and knowing he was going to be back doing what he loved with his students and the RV staff, was some of the best news we have received since December. He is incredibly grateful and excited to be returning, and is thankful for each and every person who has helped him with achieving the goal of getting back to work. What will Phil’s coaching schedule look like? He is the co-head coach of the JV football team at RV. This means daily practices after school, and Friday night games. Elizabeth is the assistant varsity volleyball coach at RV as well, so she is often on campus this time of year, which helps if he needs her to assist him with anything.
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What are some of your other goals for this year? For the future? Phil’s main goals continue to be regaining as much independence as possible. His level of injury has a certain prognosis and “probable” results, but you can never know for sure what functioning will and won’t return; the only thing you can control is how hard you work, and your mental strength. Anyone will tell you that they are always amazed at Phil’s outlook. We decided early on that we can either look back at what happened and dwell on the “what-ifs” or the “why did this happen to us” questions, or we can look forward and keep working towards “possible” rather than only accepting the “probable” results. What has been the response from the community? What does that mean to you? The response from the community has been nothing short of amazing. We have been so overwhelmed by the love and support we have received from each and every person who has heard our
How can everyone continue to support you? Continued prayers and support are always welcome. This is a lifelong journey, and support from family and friends along the way means so much to us. If you see us out and about say hi! Come to some River Valley football and volleyball games! What have you learned from this experience? What do you hope to have others learn or understand? I think we have both learned that we are capable of a lot more than we thought, and that we are stronger than we realized. We have been faced with one of the most difficult and life-changing experiences, and we are doing our best to meet the challenge.
story. Phil was born and raised here in Yuba City, and his parents both taught at YCHS for 30+ years. Because of this, there are so many people who have known Phil’s parents, and/or Phil, and so many of these people have helped us, whether it was coming and visiting Phil in the hospital, helping us around the house, donating to or sharing our Go Fund Me page, planning/attending the spaghetti feed fundraiser, bringing us dinner, and/or offering their prayers and support. This has meant everything to us. We can’t begin to say thank you enough to everyone for holding us up and supporting us through this incredibly difficult process.
We’ve also learned a lot about what living with a spinal cord injury means. The different ways it can impact your life, and the things you have to learn how to do differently, from every day self-care, to getting dressed, and getting through the day, changes so much. We definitely want people to ask questions, and better understand what’s going on, because there are so many things we had no clue about, and so many things we are constantly learning. We love helping people learn and understand more about these injuries. While our lives have definitely changed, we are the same people we have always been, and are just learning and adjusting to our “new normal.”
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1215 Plumas St. Suite 1101, Yuba City
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FIRST 5 CALIFORNIA
eaving the workforce after fifteen years to care for my children wasn’t an easy decision to make. Yet I find myself making this transition prepared with the knowledge and awareness of the many complex trials of parenting. My journey wasn’t an easy one, but I’m ready to be an advocate for all young children. As a new parent nine years ago, I assumed school and community resources would be designed so perfectly that there would be plenty of programs to help parents. During the short time that I allowed myself to stay at home, however, I found little to no resources for me to turn to, and I grew exhausted with a 4-year-old, 1-year-old, and newborn. I vividly recall my first phone call in search of parenting support, where I was told I needed to have a court mandate to participate in a parenting class. On the second call I made, I was told I did not meet the income requirements for my child to participate in the program. The third call I 8 M E A N D M I NE M AG A Z I N E | FA L L 2017
By Cynthia Sodari Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography
made in tears, searching for breast-feeding support only to be turned away again for the very same reason of not meeting the income guidelines. Other than the overzealous parenting magazines that assumed I was an extravagant birthday party coordinator or a natural at breastfeeding, there were very few resources at the time in the community for me to utilize as a middle class parent at home. During the past four years as the executive director for the First 5 Yuba County Children and Families Commission, I worked with local health, education, and family support agencies to improve that system of care for children and families that I myself so desperately needed. Based on my professional and personal experience, I truly believe parenting support shouldn’t be available solely based on income, but rather should be available to all those who desire the help. Empowering parents who need and want support will strengthen the entire community.
The first three years of life are the most critical time for rapid brain development in children, so parents need their communities not only to be safe, but also filled with supportive individuals and professionals during this critical time in their child’s life. There will never be enough program funding, but building community engagement starts with reaching one parent at a time. Excluding parents in need based on income guidelines or the lack of a perceived disadvantage doesn’t help improve the community. Parenting is a journey, but seeking help shouldn’t be, and the availability of parenting resources to all families should be a priority for all communities. Learn more about what your county’s First 5 is doing for parents in your community by visiting www.first5california.com.
A hot topic in Yuba City right now is one that might surprise you: trash. It’s something you definitely need to pay attention to, considering this is a service that we all use in our home. I would encourage you to attend the next city council meeting to make your voice be heard on a proposed change in waste service companies, no matter how you feel. Your elected officials deserve to hear from those they are supposed to represent. I’m John Cassidy, a home owner and rental property owner in Yuba City. I am also CEO of the largest locally-owned financial institution in this community. In the opinion of many people, Recology has been a legacy organization of the highest order in this community for 43 years. You will hear again and again about Recology’s commitment, involvement, and investments in our community. Personally and professionally, I know that since I moved here in 1985, there has been no other business that has done more in terms of giving money, volunteering, cooking meals for community events and people in need, and more. Over the past 33 years I have worked shoulder to shoulder with many members of the Recology team raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for flood victims, school children, and other worthwhile causes. Recology has given and given and given back to make the Yuba Sutter Community a better place to live, work, and raise families. Just as important as their community service is their impeccable reputation as a company and service provider in Yuba Sutter. They have earned that reputation by picking up people’s garbage on time, operating a state of the art transfer station, and being available whenever a need arises. I have never heard one complaint from anyone or any business about garbage service provided by Recology. They have been cost-efficient and cost-effective, and have produced
quality Waste Management Infrastructure that has served the needs of residential and commercial users for over 40 years. In addition, their infrastructure is already in place to serve the needs of this community through 2092. I have been in the banking business for well over 30 years, and I have served on at least a dozen boards locally, regionally, and nationally. As a result, I have dealt with many large and small projects throughout the state of California. As I understand it, and from my research on this issue of Yuba City going it alone for its Waste Management, I have several serious concerns: •
First and foremost, the Ostrom Road Landfill was the last landfill built in all of California in 1996, almost 22 years ago. That tells me that getting permits for a new landfill would be a logistical nightmare. I am not in favor of reinventing the wheel, especially with a project of this magnitude and with so many unknown variables and costly challenges that will most certainly come into play.
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Recently hired consultant Sloan Vasquez shows Recology’s Yuba Sutter Rates are not high, relative to the market.
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It is also my understanding that the City of Yuba City Staff has recommended negotiating with Recology first, before ever considering a bid process.
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Finally, as a person who has lived and operated financial institutions in the
Yuba Sutter Community since 1985, and as someone who has invested many hours and dollars—both personally and professionally— to enhance this community for the benefit of all residents, I am most curious to see this outcome. When an organization gives back, and operates a first-class business for all of its customers for over 40 years, that is of interest to me, because there are not enough companies like that out there! As a resident of Yuba City, the reasons not to negotiate in good faith first with Recology do not exist. If the negotiations are not productive, then the city can always go out to bid. There are too many costly and unknown variables that put the citizens of Yuba City at risk over the long term otherwise. Recology has proven to be the best corporate citizen this community has ever seen, and as a result they have earned the opportunity to negotiate in good faith with the City of Yuba City.
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“Employee ownership” refers to the ownership of a company, directly or indirectly, in part or in whole by some or all of its employees. Employee owners are often more engaged and committed to providing superior products and services. To encourage the connection between the financial stake and entrepreneurial behavior, employee-owned companies often practice a participatory management style that encourages all employees to “think and act like owners.” Employee ownership is one of the MANY great things about Recology.
“Because of the Employee Ownership at Recology, we have a very low turnover. It makes it nice because I work with the same drivers for years and we’ve been able to have a great safety record. I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years here, such as the improvements in technology, and the change from diesel to CNG. It’s great to be able to give back to the community that I appreciate.” Kenny Lambert, Mechanic 17 years Employee Owner
“I was born and raised in Yuba City and have stayed in the area because of the quality of life offered here. After being a garbage route driver, I saw what was going on curbside in the carts. I decided to move to the recovery center, because I wanted to make a difference in what was going into the blue carts. Now I’m there to make sure we have the highest volume of recycling off our sorting lines. The greatest thing about employee ownership is that YOU own it!” Robin Tidwell, Working Foreman, Recovery Center 13 years Employee Owner
“I’ve gone from hanging on the back of a truck 25 years ago, to driving the new CNG (Clean Natural Gas vehicle) today. Growing up in the Yuba-Sutter area and raising three children here, I can’t imagine working or living anywhere else. Being an Employee Owner makes it personal. The customers on my route are not just customers, they’ve become my friends.” Steve Bugni, Commercial Route Driver 25 years Employee Owner Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography
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Women Face Unique Estate Planning Challenges
By Mindi Reid, Attorney at Law at the Law Office of Paulla Hyatt-McIntire
id you know that on average, women live five to ten years longer than men? A longer life expectancy means that women have different planning concerns compared to men. Women need to ensure their assets can last longer and may also have to deal with delayed planning for retirement due to child rearing. A thorough estate plan saves time and money, and provides numerous protections for the surviving spouse. Although the future is uncertain, you can establish and maintain your estate plan to ensure it is ready when needed. Here are some important planning tips to keep in mind: Know your assets. Take inventory of the types of assets you own, which might include checking and savings accounts, taxable investment accounts, or retirement plan accounts. Make sure you understand how your assets are managed and how they will be distributed after your death. Plan for life and death. Estate planning is a process that allows you to create documents reflecting how you want your assets to be distributed in the event of your death. By practicing proactive planning, you will gain full control over the disposition of your assets. Estate planning can also help you plan for incapacity in case you become physically or mentally unable to make decisions while you are alive. Establish your plan. What are the basic estate planning documents that every woman should have in place? A Will directs how your assets should be distributed on your death. Depending on the size and scope of your estate, your plan may also require establishing a revocable trust and vehicles for gifting.
An Advance Health Care Directive, also known as a power of attorney for health care, provides your designated agent with the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf when you are unable to speak for yourself. A Durable Power of Attorney for finances provides your designated agent with the authority to manage your finances if you are incapacitated. A Nomination of Guardians to designate guardians if you have minor children. This document can also provide guidance to the guardians regarding exercise of discretion in certain areas such as relationships with family members and expenditures of funds for medical care, support, and education. Put your plan into action. Once you have established your plan, make sure that you have confirmed that your accounts are titled consistently with your estate plan. The name on your accounts should reflect the titling in your plan. Our office offers advice from start to finish, including how to transfer
or change title to assets as needed. Whether you’re a single woman looking to establish a plan or married and planning ahead for a spouse’s passing, it is important to choose trusted advisors who can also provide assistance during times of incapacity or death. Review your plan. When is the last time you thought about your estate plan? If you are like most women, it is probably not something that crosses your mind daily. We are all busy with more immediate priorities like family, work, and community involvement. However, just like regular physical check-ups, it is important to review your estate planning documents regularly to make sure they are current. The takeaway: Having an updated, comprehensive estate plan is especially important for women. It’s crucial that we take an active role in creating a clear plan for distributing assets in the future.
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Coming Soon Above & Beyond
Center for Women’s Imaging Comprehensive care, tranquility and advanced technology dedicated to a woman’s needs Rideout is delighted to share with you that our commitment to women and their health care needs will continue with the opening later this year of Rideout’s Center for Women’s Imaging, a partnership with Sutter Buttes Imaging, Inc. Our relaxing, warm and inviting atmosphere offers advanced screening, diagnostic tests and procedures, including: . . . . . . .
3D Tomosynthesis Mammography - Computer Aided Detection Breast Ultrasound Bone Density Testing Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Highly Professional Technologists Radiologist Donsultation A Designated Patient Navigator
For patient appointments or physician referral please call
530.751.5410
Center for Women’s Imaging made possible by the Rideout Health Foundation 12 ME AN D M I NE M AG A Z I N E | FA L L 2017
BOOST BRAIN POWER Studies prove that reading to infants and babies boosts their brain power and creates a firm foundation for lifelong literacy. Sutter County Children & Families Commission in partnership with the Friends of the Sutter County Library, have brought Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Sutter County! The program sends enrolled children who live in the towns of Meridian, Sutter, Robbins, East Nicolaus, Nicolaus, Rio Oso, Trowbridge, Verona and Pleasant Grove, a FREE BOOK every month until their fifth birthday. To enroll, visit: SutterKids.org and click on the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library logo. 1531-A BUTTE HOUSE ROAD YUBA CITY, CALIFORNIA 95993
(530) 822-7505 www.sutterkids.org
Is Bariatric Surgery Right for You?
By Arturo Garcia, MD, Rideout General & Bariatric Surgery
illions of Americans suffer from obesity and the percentage of obese Americans has remained unacceptably high since 2003. Diet and weight loss programs and products are a multi-billion dollar a year industry, but they’re not for everyone. Most people find that although they initially lose weight by dieting, they quickly regain the weight as the diet ends. The chances of keeping the weight off for 5 years or more with dieting are about the same as your chance of surviving metastatic lung cancer: 5%. Most people regain everything they lost and then some within 3 years. And as they regain the weight, everyone blames them. There are few other diseases where treatment rarely works and most people are blamed for not “recovering.” Obesity is commonly correlated with many health problems, ranging from minor conditions to more lifethreatening ones. Generally a woman’s weight is connected more to stroke, congestive heart failure and coronary or cardiovascular disease, while men have more incidences of coronary death and congestive heart failure deaths. Diabetes, hypertension, acid reflux, arthritis, sleep apnea, depression, and even cancer are also closely correlated with obesity. Obese mothers also contribute to a babies’ risk of low blood sugar, have higher birth weight babies and a higher risk of birth defects. The number of bariatric surgeries, also called weight loss surgery, performed in the US has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, and for good reason. Bariatric surgery is the most effective and durable therapy option for obesity. The two most common surgeries today, the gastric bypass surgery and the gastric sleeve surgery, offer sustained weight loss unmatched by routine diets. In a study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, patients who had
gastric bypass surgery lost, on average, 64.8 pounds and those who had gastric sleeve surgery lost about 55.3 pounds in the first year. Compare this to those with professionally supervised diets that included prescription drugs with no weight loss surgery who lost just 11.9 pounds. The results are even more dismal with common dieting programs. Moreover, in addition to weight loss maintenance, bariatric surgery helps to improve or resolve diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, infertility, and hypertension. It reduces the risk of premature death by 40%. In spite of the proven benefits of bariatric surgery, it remains a rarely pursued intervention for those individuals who qualify for the procedure. It is estimated that less than 1% of candidates undergo surgical intervention. One of the reasons is that the risks of bariatric surgery are frequently misconstrued. Numerous studies have found that the benefits of bariatric surgery, with regard to mortality, far outweigh the risks. Also, as newer techniques and technologies arise, the risks continue to decrease further still. It is important to note that as with any surgical operation, the decision to have bariatric surgery should be discussed with your surgeon, family members and loved ones. To qualify for bariatric surgery, you have to demonstrate that efforts to lose weight with diet and exercise have been unsuccessful. Your body mass index (BMI) needs to be 40 or higher, or higher than 35 if you already suffer from serious weight-related health problems
such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or severe sleep apnea. Even if you meet these general guidelines for bariatric surgery, you will still need extensive screening to see if you qualify by a team of health professionals including your doctor, dietitian, psychologist, and surgeon. Rideout Health is kicking off a new Bariatric Surgery service. The Surgical Weight Loss Center directed by Dr. Arturo Garcia will offer compassionate care and comprehensive surgical expertise. Dr. Garcia is specially trained in various minimally-invasive bariatric surgery procedures including the Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Bypass. The Center will be based in Yuba City and serve residents of the Yuba-Sutter area and beyond. To learn more, visit RideoutGeneralSurgery.org or call 530.749.2409. Ref: New England Journal of Medicine (2007), Uptodate (2017)
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Hands of Hope has been continuing to strengthen our connection with other local agencies to better serve our clientele. The following story is about the Abadilla Family, Aston and Kristy and their two children, and how those connections helped them successfully become housed after they became homeless in April 2016. In January 2016, Aston’s mom passed away, leaving them in a financial bind to cover the rent as her income was a part of their monthly resources. His mother’s church helped with one month of rent but they could not sustain their current housing and were evicted in April. This began their homeless journey. They felt blessed to have two vehicles to live in, Kristy wrote, as many homeless do not even have this luxury. They stayed at their storage unit during the day, cooked their dinners at local parks, and slept in their vehicles in Walmart and K-Mart parking lots. Aston and Kristy counted it a blessing to be able to access the day services provided at Hands of Hope. The access to our center gave them the ability to get off the streets, let their kids play in the playroom, take showers, do laundry, get clothes from the clothes closet, and enjoy all the nice and wonderful people that work for Hands Of Hope. Hands of Hope referred the Abadilla family to the new Sutter County Housing Support Program in June, and by January 2017 they received the call to come sign their new lease and get their house keys. Kristy says, “Thank you to Hands Of Hope for all the help, and the kind and caring staff. God Bless You All. We met a lot of different people that are also homeless and some of them we now call friends. Being homeless opens your eyes to a lot of different obstacles and things that a lot of people take for granted in life. Thank you again. Good luck and we are praying for the ones that are still struggling with homelessness.”
Last fiscal year Hands of Hope provided services for: • 3,990 loads of laundry • 2,853 showers To 745 Clients, of which 171 were NEW. Out of 745 clients, 121 were children! We are grateful for the continued support of our community to provide the most basic of human needs, to those in the most need!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
TMAS TREE RECYCLIN S I R G CH 17
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Remove all ornaments, tinsel, nails and tree stands · Place tree at curbside on Dec. 30 or Jan. 6 · The Boy Scouts will pick them up for recycling · Flocked trees cannot be recycled
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WITH THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA $10 Donation benefits the Cub Scout Pack 513 501(c)(3) TAX ID: 94-0818248
For Information On How To Schedule Collection: Contact Michele Perrault 530-656-8030 Pack513scouts@gmail.com
This recycling program is proudly sponsored by the Employee Owners of Recology Yuba-Sutter. ME AN D MIN E MAG AZ I NE | FA L L 2 01 7
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Holiday Sparkle! Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography
hen you walk through the door of Poole's Jewelers, you are immediately surrounded by an array of dazzling gemstones, gold, and silver. Micki Jo Poole and the warm, professional team members are there to assist you in making the very best choice for any special occasion. They are responsible for making a lot of Christmas magic happen for the women in this community. As I was sitting in Poole’s one day, I observed two happy scenarios. One was a couple celebrating their 25th anniversary, looking to upgrade their wedding ring. You could tell they were very much in love, and so excited to celebrate this huge milestone together. Another young man was in pondering the perfect diamond to select for his engagement. I said to Micki Jo, “This must be the best job. You get to make people happy all day!” She just laughed and said, "It is so rewarding to help our clients make the perfect selection!" Micki’s dad refers to her as the “jack of all trades and master of none.” She has been a dental assistant, worked for an import/ exporter in Japan, owned an art gallery, sold cars, owned a bar and grill, and worked as an administrator for a computer firm. When she met her husband, Fritz Poole, she was doing bookkeeping for a farm in the Yuba Sutter area, and started helping with the store bookkeeping in Marysville. When he started to build the new store in Yuba City, she went to work for Poole’s Jewelers full time and felt that she truly found her niche. “Being in a beautiful environment, surrounded by diamonds and gemstones is no hardship. We have a wonderful, welcoming staff that I look forward to interacting with every day.” When Micki is working with clients she refers to it as selling a “moment in time.” Whether she is helping to select an engagement ring, a gift for a birthday, anniversary, birth of a child, or even a self purchase to celebrate a job promotion, it usually invokes an emotion from the client that really tugs at the heart. She says that it is especially rewarding to help a client with a custom design, to bring his/her ideas to life. Sometimes that involves repurposing gemstones from other jewelry that could have significant meaning. Every piece of jewelry that a client brings in is special and important, no matter the monetary value. What is most important for that client is that Poole’s Jewelers recognizes the sentiment that the piece symbolizes and will treat every piece with care. Over the last 96 years, the Poole family has developed many lasting connections, and it has been a joy for them to be part of so many wonderful memories. Each year brings new milestones and joyous occasions that are so fun to celebrate and to be part of, and Micki Jo looks forward to being a part of many more. 16 ME A N D M I NE M AG A Z I N E | FA L L 2017
MEET ATHENA BRAVOS
Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography
You might be one of the many “happy crunchers” that have discovered AtheenOats® by Simply Granola. If you haven’t, well….you’re missing out! Tell us about yourself. I grew up in Southern California and graduated from the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona. I started my career as a meeting planner, traveling and experiencing the world. While my husband Peter was completing his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Southern California, we had our first child, Alexa. During the baby’s first year, I continued to travel, taking my mother or Peter along to help with Alexa. Together we raised a very well-traveled baby. Upon the completion of Peter’s residency, we moved to Yuba City, where he had grown up, and I retired. Two more children were born, Theo and Zoie. At first I found that I did not miss working, but as the children got older and were all in school, I wanted a new challenge. I channeled my skills into founding the Franklin Elementary School District Education Foundation along with eight other moms. This was a time when school budgets were being cut, and valuable programs needed funding in order to continue. We raised money for art, music, sports, and field trips. It was wonderful to see how our efforts made a difference for the kids. How did your business start? I had been making my mom’s granola recipe for years. Peter had been giving it as gifts to his professional colleagues. When Julie and Matt Stevenson took over Tony’s Fruit Stand, they inquired about buying granola from me. That prompted me to begin the business-building process. The day I received the California business license, I was at YCRC and gave Jim King some granola. He then passed it along to New Earth Market in Yuba City, and they immediately decided to carry it for their 5 year anniversary celebration. At that time, all I had was a name and a product. In a flurry, my whole family was enlisted to fill these first two big orders. We needed a logo, packaging, labels, website, and social media accounts. Everyone had a crucial job. My dear friend Emily Spears made those first deliveries, as in the midst of everything, we had a vacation planned. Tell us about your product. I began this venture with an original family recipe and then developed new innovative granola varieties that have rapidly become regional favorites. AtheenOats® by Simply Granola has a taste profile that is largely unavailable in the granola market, blending high quality ingredients into a crunchy, fresh-tasting granola. The granola varieties are available in 2 consumer sizes, bulk sizes, and private label. What do you enjoy most about owning your own business? There are two significant things that come to mind when I think about owning my own business. First, my team has been powered by the love, support and encouragement of the entire family. Peter does everything from product strategy and concept development to assisting in the innovative kitchen. Alexa, Theo, and Zoie each contribute significantly to the success of AtheenOats® as well. Alexa is the Director of Social Awareness and has been instrumental in the development of our give-back program for both local communities and the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. Theo does the heavy lifting with deliveries, shipping, selling and receiving. Zoie, on the other hand, is our top sales gal at farmer’s markets. Finally, the grandmas Christina Becronis (my mom), Sandy Bravos (my mother-in-law), and Sandi Kenney help with baking and promoting granola love.
Second, I’m very proud of our give-back program to both the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and to many of our local community fundraisers and not-forprofit organizations. Any tips for those who want to start their own business? There is a great deal of time and energy involved in starting your own business. I feel it is crucial to surround yourself by positive, encouraging family and friends. The community support has also been wonderful. Where can we find your granola? Yuba City Clark Avenue Coffee Shop Dancing Tomato Caffe New Earth Market Stephens Farmhouse Sunsweet Growers Store Yuba City Racquet Club Saturday Farmers Market
Chico S & S Organic Produce & Natural Foods New Earth Market
Marysville The Brick Coffee House Cafe Peach Tree Golf and Country Club Tony’s Fruit Stand
Montana Mountain Berry Bowls
Our current varieties include: OATS SO GOOD (ORIGINAL RECIPE) Whole Grain Oats with Pecans, Macadamia Nuts, Raisins, Dried Blueberries and Dried Cranberries. CHOCO CHERRY CRUNCH Whole Grain Oats with Pecans, Macadamia Nuts, Dried Cherries, and Chocolate Chips. COCONUT CHOCOLATE HEAVEN Whole Grain Oats with Pecans, Cocoa, and Coconut. MORNING GLORY Whole Grain Oats with Walnuts and Raisins. WHAT THE NUT Whole Grain Oats with Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, and Macadamia Nuts. STRAWBERRY BANANA Whole Grain Oats with Almonds, Dried Strawberries, and Banana Chips
Oroville Sohnrey Family Foods Roseville Tuesday Farmer’s Market at the Fountains
ZOIE’S HARVEST (nut free and winner of 2016 Taste of Yuba Sutter) Whole Grain Oats with Pumpkin and Cranberry ALEXA’S JALAMANGO Whole Grain Oats with Pecans, Chili Mangos, Dried Jalapenos, Sriracha THEO’S SUPERFOODS Cabernet Grapes, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut PLUM TASTY - exclusive for Sunsweet. Amaz!n Diced Prunes, Almonds, hint of cinnamon
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The Christmas Goose s a child, I remember my mom and her friends rushing over to the opening of the Christmas Goose every year. It was always a big deal to get there early so they could choose their favorite Christmas tags for their packages, pick up the best toffee in town, and find a few special gifts for the people on their Christmas list. It was always the kick-off to the holiday shopping season and how fun it was to find these handmade, unique items in our small town. To this day, a huge goose made of pinecones sits on my mom’s dining room table throughout the holiday season. It’s been sitting there for over 20 years, and every year someone asks where they can buy one like it. These are the type of specialty items you will find there at the Christmas Goose. The Christmas Goose has been a favorite local event since 1981. It started with approximately 11 crafters in someone’s home, and outgrew the home and several other venues in the Yuba City and Marysville area throughout the years. This year it will be held at the Yuba-Sutter fairgrounds in Yuba City to accommodate all of the beautiful and delicious products that will be sold. This is definitely not your ordinary craft fair. The board selects vendors very carefully, and ensures that all items are well-crafted and high quality. The event is also set up a bit differently than most craft shows. Instead of individual booths, all items are merged tastefully together and there is one cashier area. Finger food, cookies, and coffee are also served to guests in a designated area where they can sit and relax and enjoy the kickoff to the holiday season. Start your holiday shopping at the Christmas Goose this year. It’s fabulous way to visit with old and new friends and spread good cheer for a beautiful holiday season! Items range from Christmas ornaments and décor, food items (English toffee, cookies, breads, cranberry crunch, etc.), pottery, shabby chic items, glass, hunting knives, jewelry, pens, wine tops, bookmarks, scrapbook items, gourds, stained glass, elegant eggs, dolls, wool hats, walking sticks, aprons, soaps, and outdoor décor. We are introducing nine new items this year: wooden toys, soy candles, granola gift packs, quilting, fairy houses, painted signs, wooden bowls and other wooden décor, jams, and fudge. There is something truly special for everyone, even the men on your list.
Save the Date! The Christmas Goose 2017 Friday, Nov 17th 5-9pm Saturday, Nov 18th 9am-3pm Location: Yuba Sutter Fairgrounds Franklin Hall, 442 Franklin Avenue Yuba City
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Hi Everyone! I would like to thank you for another year of readership. I look back on the year and smile looking at all the pages of Me and Mine that feature so many lovely people and great events in our community. If you can believe it, this is our 28th issue! That’s seven years of spreading news, gathering knowledge from local experts, and getting to know each other through the pages of this magazine. I have an exciting year planned and look forward to bringing you more stories and ways to get involved in our community.
They contribute ads to inform us about what’s happening in our community, and write educational pieces to help us make smarter choices about recycling. They have also partnered with area schools to promote educational programs about keeping our environment clean and have financially supported many school programs. I challenge you to attend an event in the community and not spot a Recology logo. Our fair, festivals, strolls, rodeo, school events; Recology has a strong presence at all of them. Many of these events couldn’t and wouldn’t exist without their support.
I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about how our magazine stays afloat. Let’s start off by explaining how my business works. I’m a community magazine. I research and select topics for Me and Mine that will be of positive value for our community. I love to meet new people of our area and I love finding out about their passions and how they contribute to the community we live in. Is there a fee for Me and Mine? No. You’ve never been charged for a publication. Maybe it shows up in your mailbox, maybe you pick it up at your doctor’s office. But the reason there is no charge is because of a base of solid advertisers that believe in my product. And in return, I believe in them by learning about their business and what they have to offer you, the reader. I am and will forever be grateful to our advertisers.
This is why I felt the need to speak out in regards to what is happening in Yuba City and the chance that the waste service company may change. In my opinion, Recology is part of the backbone of this community. Why risk taking on a new company when we have such a fantastic relationship with Recology, and when they have given us so much? I encourage you to speak with your local leaders and voice your concerns.
Recology has partnered with Me and Mine from our very first issue. Their partnership ensures that this magazine continues to be delivered to your homes, doctors’ offices, and other community establishments free of charge.
Your friend,
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I choose to believe that 2018 will be one of the best years yet. Let’s be kind to one another, learn from our differences, find the similarities, and make choices that make us better humans. Let’s teach our children to be community leaders, give back through community service and together…love where we live.
Jen Traynham
WASTE ZERO
UNIVERSITY
Recology Hosts School Tours For Schools In Yuba And Sutter Counties. 3rd and 4th Grade Teachers, call Recology Yuba-Sutter and schedule your 45-minute tour of our recovery center. Each year we cover the cost for hundreds of students to tour our facility and learn about waste “after it leaves the curb”. Call Community Outreach Manager, Jackie Sillman, at 530-749-4220 to enroll your class today.
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