Loyalty Pawn Employee Services Corner

A warm January… A cold May!

May acts as the bridge between spring and summer, hinting at warmer weather for those still stuck in spring’s grasp, while heating things up for those already well on their way.

Brush up on your gem stones for the wedding season is upon us! And let’s not forget May birthstone is the Emerald!

A few fun facts about emeralds:

• The emerald is a green type of beryl. Its color ranges from light to rich green; the more saturated hues are more valuable, especially if pure- or blue-green.

• Natural emeralds are flawed, with fractures or other materials mixed in, called inclusions, which may appear as needles, columns, or cubes of minerals or bubbles of gas or liquid. Sometimes oil or resin is added to fill fractures and improve appearance.

• Some of the best emeralds come from South American mines, although perhaps the oldest known came from Egypt. The emerald was a favorite gem of Cleopatra.

• The emerald symbolizes rebirth and fertility and was thought to grant foresight, cure various diseases, soothe nerves, improve memory, and ensure loyalty.

May Celebrations Galore Days

• May 1 is May Day. Mark the return of spring by bringing in branches of forsythia, lilacs, or other flowering shrubs from your region.

• May 1 is Lei Day in Hawaii. Leis are garlands or wreaths that are often made with native Hawaiian flowers and leaves. Nowadays, they are given as a symbol of greeting, farewell, affection, celebration,or honor, in the spirit of aloha. Lei Day originated in 1927, when poet Don Blanding proposed a holiday to recognize the lei’s role in Hawaiian culture.

• May 5 is Cinco de Mayo (“The Fifth of May”). This day celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.

• May 8 is Mother’s Day don’t forget! Do you have something planned to show appreciation for your mother?

• May 21 is Armed Forces Day, which honors those who serve in all branches of the United States military.

• May 22 is National Maritime Day. Created in commemoration of the first transoceanic voyage via steamboat (completed by the U.S.S. Savannah in 1819), this holiday recognizes the efforts of the U.S. merchant marine during both war and peace.

• May 23 is Victoria Day in Canada. This holiday celebrates the birthday of Queen Victoria, who was born on May 24, 1819. The holiday is observed on the penultimate Monday in May.

• May 30 is Memorial Day a poignant reminder of the tenacity of life. It’s tradition to raise the flag on this day

May … Just for Fun Days

• May 1: School Principals’ Day

• May 2: World Tuna Day

• May 4–11: Root Canal Awareness Week

• May 8: No Socks Day

• May 14: Dance Like a Chicken Day

• May 28: Slugs Return from Capistrano Day

May Astronomy

May’s full Moon, called the Flower Moon, appears on the night of Sunday, May15,reachingpeakilluminationat12:15 A.M. (EDT)onMondaythe16th. For the best view of this full Moon, step outside on the night of the 15th and look for that big, bright, shining lunar disk! One more interesting thing about this month’s full Moon: it will coincide with a total lunar eclipse (visible in most of North America).

Carrot Cake Recipe

Serving Size: 1 piece Calories: 341 | Fat: 16.6 g |

Protein: 6 g | Carbs: 43.2 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sodium: 335.5 mg Sugar: 29.8 g

Ingredients (Cake and Frosting)

•1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 3 large eggs

• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups grated carrots

• 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Step 1

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Step 2

Drain pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids. Reserve the drained pineapple and 1/4 cup of thejuice.

Step 3

Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and the 1/4 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and 1/4 cup coconut.

Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Step 4

Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 5

To prepare frosting and finish cake: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting

401K-Loyalty Pawn Retirement $avings Program

Are you saving for retirement? Why not start today?

If you have completed 12 months of service with Loyalty Pawn, you’re eligible to participate and start putting away those pretax (or post tax Roth) dollars into your very own 401k account. To enroll, send me an email and I’ll help you get started. Contact Employee Services at employeeservices@loyaltypawn.com Start saving for retirement’s tomorrow, today!

COVID | Sacramento Update https://www.saccounty.gov/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx

Sacramento County Health Officer Rescinds Local Health Orders – In alignment with the State, effective immediately, the Sacramento County Health Officer is rescinding the July 26 Health Order requiring all individuals to wear face coverings indoors, as well as the January 6 Health Order directing all public meetings be heldvirtually.PerorderofCDPH, allunvaccinated individualswillcontinuetoberequired towearface-coverings in all indoor public settings.

The State's masking requirements regardless of vaccination status remains in effect for public transportation; healthcare settings; congregate settings; long-term care facilities; and in K-12 schools and childcare settings. In workplaces, employers are subject to the Cal/OSHA requirements.

State Provides a Portal to Access Your Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record - You can safely access your digital vaccine record for free at MyVaccineRecord.CDPH.CA.GOV by entering your name, DOB, and phone/email associated with your vaccine record.

Then create a four-digit PIN that generates a special QR code so you decide how and when to share your vaccination record. This is an optional means to obtain your COVID-19 vaccine information and is the digital version of your paper vaccine card. It is one of the options to show proof of vaccination - the QR code willwork with specific types of QR readers. However, the State is not implementing a mandatory passport system in California. Learn more and access your digital vaccine record by going tohttps://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/

Vaccinated and Traveling? - See CDC’s latest recommendations for travel in the U.S.: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

COVID-19 News & Updates Archive - Find specific Sacramento County COVID-19 news and information or go to Sac County News to learn about the latest news in Sacramento County.

If you need HR, Payroll, Benefits, or Family support, Loyalty Pawn’s Employee Services is only a phone call, text message, or email away, on demand, anytime! 916-752-2255 employeeservices@loyaltypawn.com