Me & Mine Magazine | Winter 2017 by Me and Mine Magazine

W INTER 2 017

A Free Local Publication

Me & Mine Staff PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES!

WELCOME BABY

TRIBUTES TO MR. GEORGE

Jennifer Jaeger Traynham PUBLISHER

Rona Desmond MARKETING & ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

Fritzie Rhody MARKETING & ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

SPREAD THE LOVE

SLICE OF RESPECT

MEET JIM WHITEAKER

LOCAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

MEET MELISSA POMA

Jessica Jaeger EDITOR

on the cover RILEY'S GYMNASTICS ACADEMY STUDENTS PHOTOGRAPHY: BROOKE READING

TWO SISTERS BRING NEW FUN TO YUBA SUTTER

OH MY YUM

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, Â© Copyright 2017

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2 ME AN D M I NE M AG A Z I N E | WIN T ER 2017

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones! BY SHAWNA PAVEY – YUBA CITY POLICE DEPT.

ith tax time approaching, I can’t help but think of the innocent victims who have been tricked into sending their hard-earned money to scammers posing as IRS agents. Sadly, these types of scams continue and each year seems to bring a new one we haven’t heard of yet. So, I thought it would be a great idea to tell you some things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Did you know there are apps that allow a criminal to call your home and your caller ID will actually show a legitimate number, such as a law enforcement agency or federal agency like the IRS? This is just one reason the most vulnerable, such as the elderly, often fall victim to these clever criminals. For those on a fixed income, these schemes can be financially devastating. The FBI’s Common Fraud Schemes webpage provides tips on how you can protect yourself and your family from fraud. Senior citizens should be aware of fraud schemes for the following reasons: • Senior citizens are most likely to have a “nest egg,” to own their home, and/or to have excellent credit—all of which make them attractive to con artists. • Older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having

been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. •E lderly victims may not report crimes because they are concerned that relatives may think they no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs. Here are some warning signs of telemarketing fraud—what a caller may tell you: •Y ou must act now or the offer won’t be good. •Y ou’ve won a free gift, vacation, or prize, but you have to pay for postage and handling or other charges. •Y ou must send money, give a credit card or bank account number, or have a check picked up by courier. •Y ou can’t afford to miss this high-profit, no-risk offer. It is very difficult to get your money back if you have been cheated over the telephone. If you have information about a fraud, report it to state, local, or federal law enforcement agencies. For more information, go to FBI.gov. The IRS has seen an approximate 400 percent surge in phishing and malware incidents so far in the 2016 tax season. REMEMBER: The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media channels to request

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personal or financial information. In addition, the IRS does not threaten taxpayers with lawsuits, imprisonment, or other enforcement action. Being able to recognize these tell-tale signs of a phishing or tax scam could save you from becoming a victim. An aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting. Or, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information. If the phone isn’t answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request. Note that the IRS will never: • Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card, or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes. • Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. • Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. • Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. People also need to be aware of door-to-door utility scams. Be very careful about opening your door to someone you don’t know or aren’t expecting. It is fairly easy to dress like you are an official representative of a company. PG&E offers the following tips to help protect customers from scams: • Always ask for identification before allowing anyone claiming to be a PG&E representative inside your home. PG&E employees always carry their identification and are always willing to show it to you. • Remember that if you have an appointment with PG&E, you will receive an automated call within 48 hours prior to a scheduled visit, or a personal call from a PG&E gas service representative prior to a scheduled visit. • PG&E’s Credit Department will not ask for personal information or a credit card number over the phone. • If you have concerns about the legitimacy of a phone call about a past due bill, a service request, or a request for personal information, hang up and call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000. Please spread the word about these scams. Together, we can protect the most vulnerable members in our community from becoming victims of these devastating crimes.

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Welcome Baby “Nothing brings more joy than the birth of a child … The first little smile, the first tears shed, the first baby laugh will create the most beautiful and unforgettable memories.” — Anonymous Childbirth is not without its challenges, but it is surely one of life’s most rewarding and beautiful events. Rideout Health has been caring for new mothers and their babies in the Yuba Sutter area for more than 100 years. Soon, Rideout will be transformed with the opening of the new Rideout Regional Medical Center, a brandnew six story hospital expansion designed to serve the Yuba-Sutter Community and the surrounding region for generations to come. Inside the expansion, Rideout has dedicated not one, but two floors to the celebration of new life, with a new stateof-the-art Family Birthing Center, Well Baby Nursery, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Construction at the new Rideout Regional Medical Center (RRMC) building is nearly complete, and preparation by hundreds of dedicated Rideout Health staff is taking place. Next, a licensing and certification team from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will return to inspect the RRMC to ensure that the new hospital building complies with all state laws and regulations. Once CDPH completes their survey and grants approval, Rideout will be able to serve patients.

Inside the Family Birthing Center During labor, mothers will be accommodated on the fifth floor in a beautiful private room designed for maximum comfort for both her and accompanying family members. All rooms offer comfortable seating for guests, a private restroom, a convertible couch for overnight stays, and large windows for healing sunlight. The fifth floor offers labor and delivery rooms, two C-section rooms, ante partum testing and triage. Following delivery, all mothers and babies move to the fourth floor to private suites until they are ready to go home. Each suite on this floor has its own private bathroom and shower, and the suites are large enough to accommodate a bassinet and any family members who want to enjoy these special moments. The fourth floor also includes a Well-Baby Nursery and a technologically advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. To provide a secure environment for the tiniest patients and peace of mind for their parents, the Family Birthing Center restricts access to the public and monitors traffic in and outside of the secured unit.

The birth of your child is an incredible moment and your labor and delivery experience is just the beginning of the wonderful experience of motherhood. As you begin your journey, you can be confident that Rideout’s goal is to support you every step of the way, ensuring that your baby’s first day is a good one. Rideout is looking forward to serving patients at the new Family Birthing Center in 2017.

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Meet Krista Minton RNC, BSN Perinatal Director

How long have you worked at Rideout? Why did you choose to work there? I have worked for Rideout Health since 1991, and have been in the Perinatal department since 1993. I chose to work at Rideout Health because it was important to me to take care of the people in my own community. When you work and live in the same town, you are taking care of your family, friends and neighbors. We want to ensure that we can provide them all with the best care possible. What do you love most about our local hospital? I love that we can give superior care to our patients right here in Yuba City and Marysville. There is no need to go out of the area for maternal care. Tell us about your team. We have an awesome team of Registered Nurses, Obstetricians, Pediatricians, Anesthesiologists and ancillary staff, many of whom I have worked with for over 20 years. This team has so much compassion for our patients and wants to ensure that they have the best experience with their delivery and hospital stay. What are you looking forward to the most about moving to a new facility? It is the most beautiful hospital I have ever seen! To have a new facility with all new equipment is going to be an awesome experience. We were able to choose everything, from the décor to the equipment. When it was decided to expand the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we even had our hands in on the design. This expansion project has been like birthing a baby for many of us. We have been working on it for years and can’t wait to see it open. I am excited for our community to get in there and see it. What do you think new moms will appreciate the most? It is hard to narrow it down! Each patient has a large private room with their own bathroom. The views from the rooms are beautiful. The equipment is state-of-the-art. But in the end, I think that the patients are most appreciative of the care they receive from our excellent team of health care professionals. What community education classes are available to mothers? We will continue to support our community with the following free classes: Childbirth Preparation, Lifesaver Baby, Breastfeeding Resources, and the Sweet Success Program for women with gestational diabetes. You can learn more by visiting RideoutWomenInfant.org or sign up by calling 530.751.4165.

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(530) 822-7505 www.sutterkids.org ME AN D MIN E MAG AZIN E | W I NT E R 2 01 7

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Tributes to Mr. George Everyone's friend at Twin Rivers Charter Academy r. George has been a positive presence at Twin Rivers Charter School for as long as I can remember. He has been the constant pillar amidst a number of changes over the years. His most famous role is morning drop-off and parking lot management. He greets the students every morning and keeps the flow going by directing traffic and opening the car doors to get kids out and on their way. This is especially helpful if one happens to be running a tad late (pretty sure he knows all of these families quite well) or maybe you have a grumpy or tired child with a case of the “Mondays.” He is out there rain or shine, often dressed in festive holiday hats and attire. He is also instrumental in teaching the 5th graders proper flag etiquette, since 5th graders are responsible for putting up and taking down the flag every day. Being a veteran, he is a true patriot and a great role model for the kids. He has been collecting recyclable items at drop-off time for a number of years and the money is then used for class field trips. Speaking of field trips, he is an informal expert on many topics and has accompanied classes on various field trips (way too many to count), filling in as driver, participant, chaperone, or bus greeter (in costume). He helps prepare the 4th graders for their overnight field trip “Age of Sail.” He was recently honored at our new school campus during flag salute ceremony with a surprise dedication of a “Friendship Bench.” He does not do any of these things to be in the limelight, nor is he looking for recognition; he does them because he enjoys giving back and helping others. He is loyal, patient and kind. He is a true gem and our school is so blessed to have him here. Mr. George is a tough one to find out about his likes and dislikes, but I was able to uncover that he loves strawberry rhubarb pie…it reminds him of his childhood."

Samantha Geweke "When I knew we were getting ready to move to a new school, I presented an idea to the board of dedicating a bench in honor of Mr. George. Together with the help of Sam Geweke and Inge Karsleoj, we came up with the idea of dedicating a friendship bench in Mr. George’s name. Not only does he find the time to make a friendship with every student at this school, but we ALL find a friend in him. I have worked here for the last 5 years, and I can’t picture this school without Mr. George. To be honest, I’m not quite sure what we would do without him. I remember when I first took Mr. George on a field trip with my kindergarteners and I asked him why his bag was so large, as we weren’t going to be gone for long. He told me, “Well, I pack extra sandwiches for the kids who forget, extra water for the kids who are thirsty and extra coats for the kids who are cold, and I have just about anything else you can think of in my bag.” While I always knew he had a heart of gold, that moment will stick with me forever, and has truly made me a better teacher. I can honestly tell you before each field trip, I think to myself, “What would Mr. George bring?” There are so many reasons why we decided to name this The Friendship Bench, and the word friendship is something every single student, family, and staff member has with Mr. George – he is our friend. The endless efforts in chaperoning field trips and his continuous donations so each and every student will be able to go on these field trips makes Mr. George our friend. Helping load the luggage to Shady Creek in his car and driving it behind the bus because there wasn’t enough room makes Mr. George our friend.

Recycling and raising money for our school and taking the time to show the kids the importance of taking care of our community makes Mr. George our friend. Dressing up for the many events and holidays at our school and volunteering himself to sit in the dunk tank just to bring a smile on to those kids’ faces makes Mr. George our friend. Being a mystery reader and volunteering to speak in each of our classrooms about the many historical events he knows makes Mr. George our friend. Taking the time to show the children how to raise the flag each morning and fold a flag properly makes Mr. George our friend. Warming everyone’s heart by greeting students with a hug or smile every morning as he opens their car door for them, rain or shine, makes Mr. George our friend. The relationships Mr. George has with the students, and especially with his grandchildren, are like no other. Watching Mr. George with all these kiddos and seeing the lives he touches every day is something rare and special that Twin Rivers has that I can guarantee no other school has. There’s a quote that says, 'Life’s true happiness is found in friendships we make along the way.' So I would like to say Mr. George, I hope you know that you are the true meaning of the word friendship to each and every one of us here at Twin Rivers Charter School. We love you and hope you love your “friendship” bench. Thank you for caring about us, being a part of our lives, and being our BEST friend." Katie McGregor

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We love the heart

SPREAD THE LOVE

Something special happened at the Riley’s Gymnastics Academy this fall. The students of RGA were given hearts by their coach, Nicole Riley. Nicole asked her students to help her spread love in the community with these hearts. “Go make a difference and spread kindness,” were the instructions with the heart. Thank you Coach Nicole for the reminder that even the simplest good deed can make someone’s day and promote good acts in return. We love your hearts, RGA! What was the inspiration behind RGA’s Spreading the Love?

2. Helped a person jump-start their car.

I have always been a person who believes in spreading love, but I decided to put it into action after watching the ugliness that the 2016 election brought out in people. I thought it was the perfect time to show my RGA students about spreading love, paying it forward, and being compassionate.

3. Bought an elderly lady lunch.

Why was it so important to you? I feel that children are learning how they are different at very young ages now, and with that knowledge can come division and misunderstanding. I believe it is very important to take our children back to the basics; back to being kids and showing love. Hate is learned, so let’s teach love again. What are some good deeds the RGA Students have done? 1. Shared reusable bags with people who forgot theirs at the grocery store.

4. Gave out candy to people who helped or went out of their way to be kind. 5. Drew pictures for people they care about and love. 6. Donated to our pediatric cancer fundraisers. 7. Paid for part of someone’s groceries when they let them go ahead of them in line. What are the responses to these acts of kindness? It’s so funny because people have gotten in such a rut of negativity that a lot of them were caught off-guard. It usually takes a minute for them to take in the kindness, then the reaction is one of pure gratitude. The fun part is when we ask them to “pay it forward” and continue to spread the love.

What is your message for everyone out there? Life is too short, so enjoy every moment, spread the love, and as Ellen likes to say, “Be kind to one another.”

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of our community! SLICE OF RESPECT Jim King, owner of Rolling Stone Pizza, caught our attention while spreading some love…in the form of pizza! We love to hear about people making a difference and spreading a little shine! How did you come up with the idea of the Slice of Respect?

Why is this program so important to you?

The night of the Dallas PD killings, I was amazed at how the officers were running to the sniper and felt so much respect for the officers. The next few days I just couldn’t shake that thought from my head. I wondered why there were people wanting to kill cops. Sure, there are bad people in every profession and there have certainly been bad cops, but to label them all as bad and have an open season on them is wrong. I can’t imagine going to work every day knowing that I could easily end up dead. So, I came up with the “Slice of Respect.” It’s for those that do the right thing – not just the police and military, but for anyone helping and caring for others. Starting in 2017, you can come to my pizza bar in Yuba City and Chico and buy someone a slice of pizza. We’ll contact that person and invite them in for their “slice of respect,” where they will get a certificate and thank you with a handshake. The proceeds will go to a fund for my upcoming road trip this coming summer, as I plan on spreading the Slice of Respect to other towns and giving out some happiness!

This program is important to me because our country has been full of hatred and people that want to turn us against each other. I want to help heal this country one slice at a time. It’s simple but powerful because it’s from the heart. This idea is open to all pizza places so it can grow organically. I now have a website, www.sliceofrespect.com, where people can post their own Slice of Respect! What has been the response from the recipients? The responses from the recipients have been very touching. My first major Slice of Respect was for the U2 crash site workers in the Sutter Buttes. To know there are people that care made that long, difficult day worth it. The volunteers who jumped right in with me are even more special, because they can’t wait to serve a slice! They just take right over and the magic begins.

To make a positive difference in life takes an awaking deep inside. Look around and see what is possible. What gift can you share? It’s there…you just have to know where to look. Usually, it’s staring back at you in your own reflection. All I have is an oven and wood, but I also have special people to light it! We want to hear from you! What are you doing out there to make a difference? Tell us about it! E-mail me at jen@meandminemagazine.com

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GETTING TO KNOW

Jim Whiteaker Sutter County Supervisor, District 4

Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography

How long have you lived in the YubaSutter area?

What community service do you enjoy the most?

I was born and raised right here in Sutter County.

I have the best time when I get to work with non-profits and auctioneer their fund-raising events. I am not a professional auctioneer and I never charge anyone for my services. The majority of the time, these nonprofits are raising funds to better our community for our children and families. So I believe it’s a win-win for all of us.

What do you love most about the area? I love how Sutter County is still a hidden jewel of Northern California. The proximity to the coast, Lake Tahoe, and San Francisco makes it a great place to live. I also love the outdoor attractions. I love to hunt, fish, and hike, and Sutter County provides me with plenty of recreational opportunities.

How can you help us encourage our readers to get involved in the community?

Why did you decide to get involved in local politics? I have a passion of caring for my community. I ran for office in 2002 to make a positive difference for Sutter County. I wanted to be the type of leader that people felt comfortable talking to about important issues that affect all of us. Today, I continue to walk my District, attend community events, and hold study sessions so I can listen to everyone’s views, different and alike.

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What are some of the challenges you face as a supervisor? What have been some of the most rewarding moments? We will always have challenges in Sutter County. Most of the time our challenges are due to budget constraints or financial obligations to County services. Although the budget can be a burden, we have been able to improve our levees, increase Deputy Sheriff’s positions, add two new positions in the District Attorney’s office, and finance an Independent Auditor position. Coming from a law enforcement family, I will continue to support Public Safety and Fire Protection. I strongly believe we should all work together to provide a safe community in our neighborhoods.

I tell people all the time, you don’t have to have the title of Sutter County Supervisor to get involved. There are so many non-profit organizations that individuals can volunteer with. It should be something that you truly have a passion for. Sutter County has numerous committees in flood protection, animal control, Area 4 on Aging, the Library, and the Museum, just to name a few. You can also volunteer to help the homeless, spend time at the Senior Center, or work with at-risk students. I don’t know of any non-profit groups that would turn anyone away. Why is Yuba-Sutter so important to you? I love the Yuba-Sutter area because in this one small section of the United States we have so many diverse cultures and religions. It’s a great place to raise my children in an environment where they can learn about Sikh traditions, Hispanic heritage, and Hmong history. It’s a village that provides all of us with opportunities to learn from each other and be respectful of different beliefs.

Local Volunteer Opportunities “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands – one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” –Audrey Hepburn

Rideout Health Volunteer Service

• Rideout Emergency • Rideout Memorial Hospital Auxiliary • Hospital Greeter • Hospice • Senior Living Visit www.frhg.org or call 530.751.4280 for more information

The Salvation Army 900 F Street, Marysville 530.743.3671

American Red Cross

2125 E. Onstott Road, Yuba City 530.673.1460

City of Yuba City

• Coaching Youth Sports • Animal Services • Adopt-A-Park • Museum • Library • Eagle Scout Projects • Clerical • Group Volunteer Opportunities • Feather River Parkway Contact: Kelsey Myers, Recreation Coordinator 530.822.4794 or kmyers@yubacity.net

Yuba/Sutter United Way

1521 Butte House Road, Suite C, Yuba City 530.743.1847

ResQpaws

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MEET MELISSA POMA Owner of Melissa Poma Hair Tell us about yourself! I was born and raised in Yuba City. I started cosmetology school during my junior year of high school through an ROP program. I actually enrolled in the program just to get out of school, but fell in love with the industry in the process! After I graduated high school, I went to cosmetology school. All the hours I had accumulated in high school went towards my hours in beauty school, so I graduated quickly. My first job in a salon was in Sacramento on J St. I started as an assistant to the owner. Within 18 months, I was off to Los Angeles. I wanted to learn from the best in the industry, so I decided to move to Southern California. Through it all, I have always loved taking risks and making people feel good about themselves.

Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography

beauty industry since I was 17 years old, and this industry does not teach business skills. I spent many nights reading and learning how businesses operate and how to be successful. You can be great at your craft, but to be truly successful you must know the business side of things, too. MPHair is coming up on its 4th year in business and the learning experiences –

Tell us about starting a business in YC. Why did you decide to do it? What is the goal of your business? I had been preparing myself for my business venture for many years prior to opening my salon. I have been in the

Aside from offering the community a quality salon experience, what I’m most excited about is that our company is offering careers to people in our community. Every position at the salon plays a vital part in how the whole operation runs, so every position is taken seriously. We have goals and opportunities to increase our income based on performance. It’s structured and challenging, so it’s never boring. I was a booth renter for most of my career, but I always knew I wanted a commissionbased salon. I naturally have a lot of drive and passion for what I do (and for life in general), so I was always very successful. But I wish at the beginning of my career that I would have had the opportunities these stylists are getting at Melissa Poma Hair.

Why did you return to the Yuba City area? I had been in Los Angeles for 15 years and I was ready for a change from the 24/7 fast-paced lifestyle. My entire family still resided in Yuba City and after frequent visits, I made the choice to come back. After 3 years of being back in the area, the opportunity to open a salon on Plumas Street presented itself, and I could not pass it up. I wanted to create an environment where I could share my knowledge and experience with other hair stylists and create a high-end salon experience for our community.

What do you hope to bring to the community?

Any advice for women business owners, or anyone else starting a business?

both financial and in managing humans – has been extraordinary. The mission of my salon is to create and offer a learning environment of both technique and business skills for any level of hair stylist. We ALL continue to educate ourselves in our technique and on business practices; it’s an ongoing thing in our salon. We also offer the community an amazing salon experience with advanced techniques.

Really know where ALL your money goes. I spent the year before I opened tracking every receipt! It was amazing how eye-opening it is. We’ve all heard to do it but to actually do it? Wow. Be out of debt, because you will incur debt at the beginning of your business, especially in California. Get a team of people that keep you straight with the law, and a good payroll company. Be at your business as much as possible. Just because you own the business does not mean it’s less work; in fact, it’s exactly the opposite, and it’s very time-consuming, so love what you do!

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Photography by Brooke Reading

Amy Wilder and Sara Core Tell us about yourselves. Sara: We are sisters and moms who decided to bring something fun to the Yuba-Sutter area. My husband Tim and I have 2 boys, Brayden (7), and Ryder (5). I moved to San Diego to attend UCSD to study physiology and neurobiology, but when we got married and I was expecting our first son, I decided to come back home to be closer to my family. For the last few years, I have just enjoyed being a mom and also running karaoke at different bars around town for fun. My husband and I actually met doing karaoke! Amy: I have 3 girls with my husband, Danny: Rylee (8), Preslee (5), and Logan (3). After working in the golf business for 7 years, I got bored and decided to get into real estate. I worked as a part time agent for the last few years so I can still focus on spending time with my family, and luckily I am able to continue to work in real estate while we run Millennium because it’s so flexible. What ignited the spark to start a new business venture? Sara: We moved to the area in 1993 from Germany when our dad, who was an orthopedic surgeon for the Army, got transferred here to work for Sutter North. It’s amazing that even with how much our community has evolved and grown in the last 20 years, there was still such a need for a place for kids and families to have fun without having to drive an hour. In fact, we came up with the idea in January 2014 when Amy made yet another trip to Roseville to take the kids to play. She came back to me and said, “Why couldn’t we do this?” That day, we made the decision to go for it and we haven’t looked back!

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What motivates you? Amy: It’s the kids! When we see a kid come in and their face just lights up, it’s exciting! We don’t just want to be a fun place, we want to be a staple in the community. We want to give back to schools, provide fund-raising opportunities, host community events, reach out to teens, collaborate with organizations, and more. When we have a parent come in and thank us for bringing our place to the area, THAT is what motivates us.

Who has been your greatest inspiration? Amy: I know it may be corny and obvious, but Sara has been mine. We went through A LOT to get to where we are. We had no idea what we were getting into, but we didn’t let anything stop us. Even though we are sisters, we are very different. Sara was always enthusiastic and ready to take the next step, even when I felt defeated. She kept me going. Sara: And Amy has been mine as well! She’s always the more cautious one, which is key when you are making such important decisions. Sometimes when I was ready to jump in without hesitation, Amy would say “Whoa! Well what about this...” and bring up something that maybe I hadn’t thought of. We balance each other well; we are a great team. What has been the most satisfying moment in business? Sara: We have hit so many milestones and each one has been greater than the next. I remember when we first were looking for investors, someone asked if we had already put our business plan together. I said yes, and after he walked away promptly asked Google, “What is a business plan?” When we finished our business plan about a year later and people complimented us on how great it was, that was our first satisfying moment. Now we are business owners managing over 40 employees. We have come a long way! Amy: I would have to say when we finally got approved for an SBA loan after tons of “no’s” from bank after bank. Because Sara was a Veteran, we were able to go through a special organization. I remember crying when Sara called me to say we were approved. Sara: And we cried again at our ribbon cutting. That was a great day. What can we expect to find at Millennium Family Entertainment Center? Amy: We have a lot of fun stuff. We have laser tag, a rock climbing wall, bumper cars, a large play area, an arcade with a redemption center, and food! But aside from that, it’s really our goal to stand out from other places by just having a really fun atmosphere. Sara: We have a lot of great employees, who have become our extended family. We encourage them to play with the kids, whether it’s through magic tricks, balloon animals, playing tag, or doing dances and handshakes. We feel that it’s the people who make the lasting impression, not just the place, so that’s what we strive for every day.

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With a busy lifestyle, it’s nice to have a few recipes that you can prepare ahead of time and enjoy later! Enjoy these three easy, go-to recipes from New Earth Market. Bon appetit! by Lilian Nelson

Photography by Brandi Schwartz Design & Photography

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, diced ¼ cup flour 1 cup half and half (or cream) 4 cups vegetable broth Salt and pepper to taste 4 cups of broccoli florets and stems, chopped small 2 ½ cups of grated cheddar cheese Directions: • Melt butter over medium heat, add onion and garlic. Cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. • Stir in flour and cook until golden, not brown. Whisk in half and half until smooth. Add broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. • Add the broccoli and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Blend soup to your desired texture with an immersion or upright blender. Put back on stove, add the cheddar cheese, and whisk for about 1 minute.

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Spinach Quiche Ingredients: 1 9” pie crust (make your life easy and buy one at New Earth!) 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup yellow onion, chopped small 1 clove garlic, minced 1 10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 ½ cups of your choice of cheese 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 ½ cup milk, or heavy cream Salt and pepper to taste Pinch of nutmeg Directions: • Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until cooked (about 5 minutes over medium heat). • Add spinach, salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix well. Cool down the spinach mixture. • Mix the eggs with the cream or milk. Place half the cheese on the bottom of the crust, layer the spinach mixture evenly in crust, top with remaining cheese. Pour your egg mixture over top of spinach. • Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake uncovered in a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Spicy Quinoa Salad Ingredients:

1 small red onion, diced

1 cup quinoa

¼ cup lemon juice

2 cups of water

½ cup of frozen peas

1 bunch broccoli (chopped)

½ cup grated carrots

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup chopped celery

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup cashews

1 tsp chopped garlic

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup sundried tomatoes 1 cup feta 1 jalapeno, diced Directions: • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa to boiling water, turn to low, cover and cook until all water is absorbed. Remove from stove and keep covered for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, spread quinoa on a sheet pan until cool. • When quinoa is cooled down, place into bowl, add all the ingredients, and mix well.

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Lillian Nelson is the chef and manager at New Earth Market. Raised in Hawaii, Lillian has lived in the Yuba-Sutter area for 30 years. She has been married for 35 years and has three children. She has been cooking for 39 years, and it has always been her passion. At 10 years old, she was taught by her Asian mother how to infuse flavors. She taught herself to cook different ethnic foods, vegan and veggie dishes, and healthier recipes with less fat but great flavors. She loves making soups from scratch and could eat a good, homemade soup seven days a week. She enjoys throwing ingredients together to make different dishes for family and friends.

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