Avila Beach Life • January 2022

LOCAL NEWS ... BEACH VIEWS • JANUARY 2022

AVILABEACHLIFENEWS .COM

Happy 2022 New Year, New Attitude

NEW YEAR RESILIENCE PAGE 3

HOLIDAY DOGGIE PARADE

COSTUME WINNERS AND THEIR OWNERS PAGE 4

HONORING MLK, JR.

“I HAVE A DREAM” PAGE 7

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2 | Avila Beach Life — January 2022

Making Communities Better Through Print™

Happy New Year

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LAYOUT DESIGN EDITOR Neil Schumaker Nicholas Mattson

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

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As we welcome 2022, we take time to stop and reflect on 2021, and although it was another challenging year, there is so much for which we are grateful. We want to start by thanking our loyal and dedicated advertisers who have supported us as they navigated the year, keeping their businesses open and adapting to the continuous changes in circumstances throughout the pandemic.

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CONTRIBUTORS Betty Hartig

Dr. Cindy Maynard John Salisbury

Kathy Mastako

Mary Foppiano Rick Cohen

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Last month we began to see a glimmer of hope as events, festivities, and a bit of “normal” returned. Smiling faces filled the streets We want to thank all of you, our readers, for your continued as we enjoyed the holidays and prepared to bring in the New Year. support as we head into 2022. We are determined to make this the best year yet.

One thing I have found to be heartwarming as we continue through this time, our human souls love to be with one another. We Happy New Year! love to hear each other’s stories, laughs and see the joy on a child’s face as holiday lights and parades returned to our communities.

Please stay safe, share love, and be a good human. We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Avila Beach Life.

We love helping one another by donating food, warm clothMuch love, ing, or our time. The people in our community show up to help, serve and bring joy.

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Through Print

making communities better

A V I L A B E A C H L I F E N E W S . C O M

Dana McGraw

January 2022 — Avila Beach Life | 3 FOUNDATION NEWS & VIEWS

New Year Resilience Rick Cohen

AVILA BEACH FOUNDATION

Greetings, fellow Avilones. Happy New Year, one and all! Yep, we made it through 2021, and now it’s time to venture into the unknown of 2022. Unlike so many Januarys of the past where we looked forward to a fresh start for the coming year, here we are again, for the third consecutive January, with so much uncertainty and concern for what the future holds. The pandemic lingers as we are visited by new variants of Covid, inflation is upon us, employers are having difficulty filling staff positions, and the goods supply chain backlog has left us with shortages of all kinds.

But, on the bright side, we seem to be a resilient society that ultimately bounces back. So, I guardedly chant, “woohoo, it’s 2022!”

The Foundation Board of Trustees has been shuffled a bit for the new year. Stepping aside from the Presidency is Mike Ginn after three years in that seat. Mike has done a great job and will remain on the board as Immediate Past President. Moving into the Presidency is Cyndy Lakowske after three years as Vice-President.

Our new Vice-President is Barbara Nicholson.

Ellen Pitrowski enters her third term as Secretary, and Patrick Corrigan begins his first term as Treasurer, replacing Richard Zacky, who served in that capacity for six years. Richard becomes a Trustee At Large, along with other returnees

Bev Aho, Lucinda Borchard, Joe Caradonna, Saul Goldberg, Percy Jones, Paul Prather, and Debra Pritchard. This delightful group is a pleasure to work with and feels like family to me.

Newsflash! The County of San Luis Department of Public Works recently announced that they are installing new flashing crosswalk lights— also known as beacon systems—in Avila Beach on Ontario Road at the Bob Jones Bike Trail crossing. Work was scheduled to start on Dec. 1, 2021, and conclude by April 2022, dependent upon weather. The beacon system includes warning lights and overhead flashing lights activated by new pedestrian push buttons. If you have any questions, contact Ryan Monie, Project Manager (805)781-5523, or Jimmy Tomac, Resident Engineer (805)781-4476.

A few weeks ago, some of you may have noticed a plume of smoke coming from a small fire that ignited just above the Heron Crest Development inside the San Luis Bay Estates.

Fortunately, the flames were extinguished before any structural damage occurred, thanks to the rapid response by our local fire department. One of our neighbors playing golf that day captured some neat photos of the planes deployed to drop retardant that effectively doused the fire. How fortunate we are to have a fully staffed fire department right outside the gates of SLBE. There is lots of vegetation on our hillsides, leaving us in constant danger of wildfires. Let’s all be careful and vigilant.

Avilones can be an outspoken group that likes to be heard on any number of local issues. For those of you who don’t know, our SLO County District 3 Supervisor, Dawn Ortiz-Legg, takes time from her busy schedule each month to host a drop-in session right here at the Avila Beach Community Center. She invites residents of our community to stop by, ask questions, share concerns, and learn about what is happening at the county level and how it affects Avila Beach.

For information on Supervisor Legg’s scheduled visits, call the Avila Beach Community Center at (805) 627-1997.

Every so often, someone asks me how much money the Foundation has allocated for grants and special projects since its inception in 1998.

And every so often, I report this information via our newsletter, which I am happy to do again in this issue. Though it’s possible my numbers are slightly off due to 21 years of grant-making that began in the year 2000 and the two different bookkeeping systems used – first by the prior administration, then the newer model after I took the reins, I feel confident that the total is pretty darn close. So, are you curious? Do I hear a drum-roll? According to my calculations, to date, the Avila Beach Community Foundation has distributed just over $3.3 million in grants, special project support, and sponsorships. Not too bad, eh, for such a small organization with a humble endowment. For the newbie Avilones who are not familiar with the Foundation, it was formed in the aftermath of the infamous oil contamination discovered in the 1990s. UNOCAL, owner at that time of the property housing the storage tanks, was successfully sued for damages to the once-sleepy beach town. The remediation settlement included the creation of a $3.2 million endowment, which was ultimately placed into management by the Foundation, which was established for that purpose. Funds from the endowment were to be invested and used to help the local area recover while supporting projects and programs to benefit and enhance life in Avila Beach in perpetuity. If you want to learn more about the Foundation, visit our website at avilabeachfoundation.org and take a look. That’s it for now.

See you at the beach!

Fresh Start The beginning of the year is always a good time to assess where we are and where we want to go. This can apply to one’s health, life, and finances. I’ll leave your health and life to your own thoughts. As to one’s finances, one should always check to make sure one’s portfolio is reflecting the amount of risk one wishes to take. Most investors I come across are taking far more risk than they think. When times are good, nobody cares. When the mood shifts, suddenly it’s paramount. Next month I will share 4 questions to ask one’s advisor to help in this discovery.

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4 | Avila Beach Life — January 2022

Making Communities Better Through Print™

A VIEW FROM THE BEACH

Another Year Passed masks, social distancing, and encouraging people to get vaccinated. However, one thing has me very excited…my son and his family are visiting for the first time in two years! If it weren’t for FaceTime, I wouldn’t have been able to recognize my little grandkids. I have lived on the other side of the country for so many years and don’t know how we were all able to keep in close contact with only the telephone…yes, I did talk to my parents Mary Foppiano without seeing them except once a year in Avila Beach Civic Association person. We are all so very spoiled with social media…good and sometimes bad. i All – Another year has passed, We continue to rent the Avila Beach and it seems like not too much Community Center for meetings and special has changed. We are still wearing events but haven’t been able to host any of

H

our fundraisers this year. We hope that this will change in 2022, but until that time, here are a few ways you can help us maintain and operate the Community Center: • Annual Membership • Purchase of a Commemorative Brick in our Healing Garden • ASK Campaign donation • Shop at smile.amazon.com to support us • Sign up for Ralphs Community Rewards Program at ralphs.com for the ABCA (AS854), and a percentage of your purchases will be donated by Ralphs to the ABCA • Volunteer your expertise to make minor repairs to the Center

Julie Andrews-Scott will begin her Cuesta Emeritus Healthy Cooking classes on Thursday, January 20, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. for the new semester.

San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg will be hosting her office hours in our office on the second Thursday of the month from 1:00-3:00 p.m. beginning January 13.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to honor Anne M. Brown, one of our very long-serving Board of Director member who passed in October. She will always be remembered for all that she contributed to her community through her leadership and generosity.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Holiday Doggie Parade Success!

By MARY FOPPIANO For Avila Beach Life

A

s everyone already knows, I LOVE doggie parades…as well as dogs!!! I am very happy to report that our Santa’s Doggie Parade on December 11 was a big success! We were very lucky to have four terrific judges who enjoyed the puppies on parade and the little tricks some displayed to the applause of the crowd. Once again, Petco Arroyo Grande donated delicious doggie treat bags for each entrant, and any that remained after the parade were donated to our local shelters. Local resident Karen Blue continued to support our doggie parades with another beautiful raffle basket that was won by Sharie Rouse.

Our judges this year were ABCA Board President Robin Weed-Brown, ABCA Board Vice President Raul Cavazos, San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg, and Grover Beach Mayor Jeff Lee. They said that it was difficult to select the winners, but here they are: • Best Costume: David Bernhardt with Cosette • Best Dog/Owner Look-Alike: Isabella Quintanar with Snoopy • Best Holiday Look: Troy and Vicki Johnson with Abby and Annie • Funniest Costume: Maria Soles with Dora • Best in Show: Diane Read with Tux This year’s volunteers consisted of Cal Poly students Anna Haller and Georgia Luehrs for registration, Avila Beach Post Master Cindy Baker-Kobliska, who is our official dog wrangler each year, Lori O’Connor and Marina Searcy, who took pictures, Adam Montiel from “Up and Adam in the Morning” who loaned us his great speaker system, and especially Santa Bill Price.

For those of you who were not able to come to our Santa’s Doggie Parade, I am including with my column lots of fun pictures so that you won’t miss the good times.

Hopefully, you will be able to join us for our next parade on the 4th of July. Happy Holidays to all… and stay well and dry!

Basket Winner.

Best in Show.

Best Costume.

Best Dog and Owner Costume.

Funniest Dog Costume.

Best Holiday Look. Photos courtesy Mary Foppiano

FURRY SPOTLIGHT

Luci is our Pet of the Month!

By MARY FOPPIANO

T

he Orth family has been coming to Avila Beach since 1966, staying at The Dun Sailing for two weeks each summer. It has always been a wonderful place for the Orth boys to spend time fishing, boating, and riding the surf. In 1971, James and Alice purchased a lot on the hill and finally built a home in 1978.

It had to be a second home as circumstances

in San Jose didn’t allow the family to move.

Now that family members have retired, Luci gets to spend lots of time in Avila and on the beach.

Luci was the third dog in the family to run the beaches in Avila. She came to live with the Orth’s in 2009 after Linda Price at the Sea Barn told them of puppies available in Paso Robles. Of all the puppies running around, the smallest of the litter jumped into their lap…and that was it.

Luci has a gentle soul and loves being around people. She doesn’t challenge other dogs at the beach but is known to eat just about anything she can find that fits into her mouth while roaming the beach.

She loves sunning on the deck and welcomes all who come to the house as long as they don’t ring the doorbell! Luci brings much joy and comfort to all family members… and hopefully will be able to enter our Avila Doggie Parade in the near future.

NEXT MONTH’S ‘PET OF THE MONTH’ Please send me your pictures and a short paragraph about your pet to avilabeachcc@gmail.com.

Thanks, and introduce us to your furry friend next month!

January 2022 — Avila Beach Life | 5 POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTSTATION

Point San Luis: Fond Memories Marred by Tragedy

Not all memories are happy ones.

Kathy Mastako

Board of Directors, Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers

C

oast Guard officer Richard N. “Dick” Teeter came to the Point San Luis light station in January 1948 from the New Dungeness Lighthouse in Washington. He replaced another officer, Charles A. Garber, who had taken over as Keeper after Bob Moorefield retired.

Garber, age twenty-nine but already with twelve years of Coast Guard service under his belt, left for the Point Arena lighthouse with his wife and four-year-old daughter in February 1948, leaving thirty-year-old Teeter as officerin-charge.

Teeter lived at Point San Luis with his wife Katherine, his stepson John, and his daughter Linda who was born in San Luis Obispo’s Mountain View hospital while they were stationed there.

John was five years old when the family arrived. He has fond memories of Point San Luis and Avila, or at least he did until Sept. 25, 1949.

John recalled that his family lived in the Keeper’s dwelling (the Teeters were probably the last family to live in that dwelling). Once the cinderblock duplex was finished—the accommodations built by the Coast Guard in 1948—the family moved into the right side of the duplex. The new duplex had up-date-date appliances, with an electric stove and heating.

John recalled that the Keeper’s dwelling had a door on the left side that opened to the cellar. Coal delivered by the Coast Guard buoy tender every couple of months would be shoveled through that door and stored in the cellar for use in the coal-burning stove and fireplaces. His mother was thrilled to move to the cinderblock duplex so she would not have to deal with coal any longer.

Sometimes John would accompany his stepdad up the narrow stairs of the lighthouse tower to tend the light. He recalled that the lens was kept meticulously clean and that he was told never to touch the glass or the brass. One time, though, he was allowed to clean the brass under very close supervision. John was also allowed to go outside on the gallery deck that surrounded the light while he was with his stepdad. “You could see forever up there.”

John and a few other Coast Guard children would walk back and forth to the two-room Avila schoolhouse each day, unaccompanied by an adult. He remembered being warned not to move off the trail: First on our minds was, can we get a ride to school once we get down the hill to the port pier. Often the trip was muddy, damp, and cold. If we were lucky, we could get a ride from f ishermen coming and going on the dirt road. One time, after a rain, I got to school so muddy, the teacher had to take me to her house to clean up. I hated it when it was warm and sunny. There was a part of the trail where large black and white king snakes and gopher snakes would lay across the trail sunning themselves.

Dick was very strict with me. I had a f ifteen-minute arrival window when walking back home from school.

I know now that was because there would be an alert to look for me and others if we were late.

The trail often needed maintenance work, so Dick would send someone to make the repairs. They even hung guide wires in certain gullies for us to hold onto as we crossed over. Once we got to the port pier, as it

was sometimes called, we tried our best to hitchhike the rest of the way to school with the f ishermen who were coming and going.

Sometimes, John recalled, he and his Coast Guard classmates would be transported to the Avila pier by boat instead of walking the trail to school. “That was always fun for me.”

The Coast Guard was well-liked in Avila, John remembered, and his stepdad had a lot of friends both in commercial fishing and in charter boats. John loved being out on the piers watching the fishing boats come in: Avila was a wonderful hamlet. There was an old wooden water wheel up a ways on the creek. We used to play there. At the time, Avila had the reputation of being a very safe surf beach. So, for the most part, we ran amuck unsupervised.

One of the things we kids f igured out was that, when there were a lot of tourists in Avila during the summer months, we could take sand strainers and go under the pier and f ind coins that were dropped by passersby. A penny or a nickel was big money in those days.

I used to make pocket change by pushing a railed cart out to the end of the pier when the charter boats came in. They would pile their tackle or f ish on the cart, and I would push it back to the road.

Dick Teeter had been at Point San Luis about twenty-one months when, at 5:50 p.m. on Sept. 25, 1949, he, fellow Coast Guardsman Harry Alexander, and Adam Stewart Douglas, a civilian, decided to take the station’s weapons carrier to Pecho Creek to inspect the water pipeline, which had apparently become clogged. (The creek, along with rainfall, supplied water to the light station.) Teeter was driving when the vehicle plunged off the “Marre road” near Avila and down a sixty-foot embankment. Teeter was crushed by the vehicle, killed instantly; Douglas was severely wounded.

Alexander, who escaped with minor injuries, walked four miles over the hills back to the station, arriving at about 8:30 p.m. to report the accident. On Oct. 7, Douglas died of his injuries.

What Douglas was doing at the station and why he accompanied Teeter and Alexander in the weapons carrier to inspect the pipeline is unknown. He must have been friends with the station’s personnel; two Guardsmen—Harry Alexander and Kenneth Chapman—were pallbearers at Douglas’s funeral.

Their lives turned upside-down, Teeter’s family left the station shortly after the accident, moving to Avila. John was sent to boarding school. Eventually, John’s mother remarried.

His new stepfather was one of the fishermen—an abalone diver—who occasionally gave him a ride to school.

Undated photo of Richard N. Teeter (left) in his Coast Guard uniform, seated next to his father. P Courtesy of Corrine Atkinson, Teeter’s granddaughter.

Undated photo of Katherine and Richard Teeter. Photos courtesy of Corrine Atkinson.

Fourth order Fresnel lens in the Point San Luis lighthouse tower. Photos courtesy of George Homenko

6 | Avila Beach Life — January 2022

Making Communities Better Through Print™

WILDLIFE

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Turkey vulture profile, left. Turkey vulture horaltic pose, right. Photos by Victoria Morrow

By BETTY HARTIG For Avila Beach Life

W

hile hiking or traveling, you have probably seen large black birds with considerable wingspans soaring above in the sky many times. Circling around and around, these gliders are proficient at catching rising thermals. What you see are turkey vultures raising their wings in a V while making wobbly circles as they ride the updrafts. The average wingspan of a turkey vulture is about 6 feet. Despite this large size, vultures only weigh between 2-4 pounds, which allows them to fly through the atmosphere using very little energy, rarely needing to flap their wings. The vulture’s red hairless head resembles a wild turkey’s head. Hence, it was given its common name, turkey vulture.

Vultures are far from being an attractive bird and are probably one of the most misunderstood amongst our feathered friends. Hollywood, folk tales, and even cartoons have influenced how we react to vultures. These avian are often portrayed in a negative light, but they are an integral part of our ecological community. Equipped with a small red bald head, predominately dark feathers, and hunched-looking posture give them a somewhat haunting appearance; however, these birds play an extremely important part in the food chain and ecosystem. Turkey vultures are beneficial to people because they remove animal decay from our environment. They are the cleanup crew. A keen sense of smell along with excellent eyesight leads them to a fresh carcass. Extraordinary sniffing abilities allow them to pick up deceased animal odors from over a mile away, which is a most unusual feature for a bird. Vultures are

nature’s scavengers. The carrion-eating bird cleans up the roads and countryside free of charge. Without vultures, the insect population would increase, and bacteria and diseases would spread. Turkey vultures help keep habitats healthy. Preventing the contamination of water sources, particularly in the wild, is an overlooked benefit of vultures.

Turkey vultures seek a dead animal carcass by flying over open or wooded land, carefully scoping the ground, and watching the actions of other wildlife hunters. Flying low allows them to detect gasses produced by the decaying process. Vultures feed almost exclusively on dead animals.

This raptor, however, does prefer fresh carrion. Occasionally eating decomposing vegetable matter, live insects, and inanimate fish in drying ponds. Do you wonder how turkey vultures can digest deteriorating creatures? A vulture’s stomach is very smartly supplied with strong enzymes that kill dangerous microorganisms and toxins. A sharp, powerful hooked bill allows them to cut into prey. Unlike an eagle or hawk, their feet are useless; they are not equipped to catch, kill, or rip into game. However, vulture’s beaks can tear through tough hide. Bald heads and necks are designed to stay clean while feeding inside a body cavity.

Carrion will not adhere to the bare skin as it would if adorned with feathers. This allows the turkey vulture to eat without messing up their head piece or creating a bacterium-forming condition.

It is quite common to spot turkey vultures assembled in large community clusters, usually only breaking away to forage independently. Groups of perched vultures often roosting on leafless trees and manmade structures are called a wake. Perhaps while walking the Bob Jones Pathway during early morning hours, you may have seen several

vultures in a tree standing in a spread-winged stance as if sunbathing, which is called a heraldic pose. It is believed that there are several reasons vultures do this stance, such as increasing body temperature after the cool night, drying out wings, and baking off bacteria. It is interesting to note that turkey vultures lower their nighttime body temperature by about 6 degrees.

Seldom will you hear a sound from a turkey vulture. That is because they lack a syrinx, which is the vocal organ of birds. The only vocalization vultures are capable of are low hisses or grunts. Normally, those calls are only done when feeding or nesting. Nesting preparation is minimal. Little or no nest is built, eggs are simply laid on debris or on a flat bottom of the nest site. Two eggs are commonly laid, but sometimes only one, very rarely three. Nests are often located in sheltered areas, such as under rocks, crevices in cliffs, caves, hollow trees, or in old buildings. Both parents responsibly share incubation duties, and one parent will remain with the young after hatching. Feeding the young by regurgitation is done by mom and dad on an equal basis.

The next time you see a turkey vulture think about the crucial role they play in the balance of nature. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. We are fortunate to have a substantial vulture population in our area. Possessing few natural predators, vultures can live up to 24 years. It is pretty much a guarantee that you will catch a glimpse of a turkey vulture while on the Bob Jones Pathway or, for that matter, anywhere outdoors in Avila. Simply look up into the daytime sky. Nature amazingly provides wonderful birds and animals that are our wildlife pals. Turkey vultures serve a purpose. Let us work at taking good care of each other.

MENTAL HEALTH

The Power of Positive Thinking

Dr. Cindy Maynard

I

contributor

used to be a non-believer in positive thinking. I guess I thought it was pollyannish or unrealistic. But I’ve since learned that positive thinking doesn’t mean we keep our head in the sand or gloss over negative situations. It just means we explore and approach life in a more productive way to enhance our wellbeing.

But whether you’re a person whose “glass is half full” or “half-empty,” it might surprise you to learn the benefits of positive thinking might be greater than you think.

Positive thinking is a newer field being studied in the realm of positive psychology, which literally studies happy people,

and what makes them happy.

Like previous topics I’ve written about, such as social connection, humor, and forgiveness therapy, the benefits are similar; lowering of stress, improved mental health, and increased neuroplasticity in the brain are some examples.

Others include: Greater Physical Health: When we have a positive thought, the “happy” hormone, serotonin, is released, which makes us feel good. Optimism is linked to better heart health, a more robust immune system provides protection against diseases such as the common cold or the flu, and may promote longevity.

Improved Social Life: It’s truly hard to be around a negative person who complains all the time.

People naturally gravitate to positive people who are more cheerful and see life in an upbeat way.

Positive social connections are a defense against disease.

Better Brain Health: In an article by Dawson Church, Ph.D., he discusses the research by scientists at the University of London

who studied cognitive function in people aged 55 and older looking for markers for Alzheimer’s disease. Amazingly, they found that lifestyle factors didn’t matter as much as attitudinal thinking.

In other words, the build-up of plaque found in Alzheimer’s patients was greater in those people who were negative thinkers and who had regrets about the past and fear about the future. The way we use our minds literally determines our brain health.

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. I think one of the main reasons I decided to specialize in the area of Health and Wellness was so that it would make me practice what I preach. One area I needed to work on was my self-talk. Negative self-talk usually arises from thoughts or misperceptions due to lack of information and can be very painful, especially if those thoughts keep us awake at night and cause us undue stress.

Here are a few examples to help change negative thinking through a process called refram-

ing. Reframing is the cognitive process by which situations or thoughts are challenged and then changed. For example, try changing the first sentence below to the following sentence instead.

• “It’s too hard”> “Help me see this differently.”

• “I’m not able to change”> Maybe I’ll learn something new.”

• “It won’t work”> “I’ll try it.”

• “He never talks to me” > “I’ll make the first approach.”

• “This traffic is driving me nuts” > “There is absolutely nothing I can do about the traffic.”

• “I failed” > “I did the best I could and that is enough.”

What are other ways one can change the inner critic to one of an advocate? First, identify those areas that cause you concern.

Ask yourself what you can realistically do to change the situation. Challenge your pessimistic thoughts. Have zero tolerance for the critical inner voice. Talk with a trusted advisor or friend. Journal. Highlight the positive aspects of the situation. Gratitude journ-

aling literally changes our brain chemicals (it boosts the “happy” hormone) and our perspective.

Practice smiling more. Even fake smiling reduces blood pressure and generally makes us feel better. Or get physical or playful.

Just taking a time out from a negative situation can turn the negative brain off for a while. Lastly, focus on your strengths, like creativity, resiliency, or kindness. We very seldom do this, and it helps by boosting positive brain chemicals.

You might not be a positive thinker overnight but start cultivating an attitude of positivity by noticing your self-talk and take compassionate action that moves you more towards your authentic self. Start the New Year off right.

Be relentlessly positive.

Cindy Maynard PhD, RD, is a health psychologist, registered dietitian and a health and fitness writer. Dr. Maynard is passionate about the topic of health and wellness and motivating people towards better health. You can contact her at drcindymaynard@ live.com

January 2022 — Avila Beach Life | 7

The Wine Industry and Where it is Going

John Salisbury contributor

T

o get an idea of where the wine industry is going, we have to take a little from this and a little from that. Starting off with expectations, according to Beverage Daily in an article

by Rachel Arthur, the total alcohol eCommerce sales in key worldwide markets are expected to grow a whopping two-thirds over the next half-decade getting up to $42 billion according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Until the Pandemic, the wine drinkers were not that much into buying wine on the internet. It was more visiting wine tasting rooms, pondering which label looked the best in the grocery aisle, reading wine gook’s blogs, and magazine advertisements,

etc. With the Pandemic, internet sales shot up 43 percent in 2020. Gee, go figure. Was it because stores that sold booze, restaurants, and other mom and pop businesses were shuttered by those that thought they knew best and still, unfortunately, routinely passing mandates? People out of work have a lot of time on their hands. My dad would always say to us kids, “Nothing good comes from boredom and always quoted - idle hands are the devil’s workshop, so get your butts out there on the ranch, or the packing shed, and make your own money for your hot rods, girls, and a college education! “ Which we did, like most River Rats in the Delta, and were fortunate to have a place to earn money from the age of 10 years old.

About 25 percent of alcohol drinkers around the world are now buying on the internet, with two-thirds of them using eCommerce while in this Pandemic. China is the largest to switch, with over 60 percent of drinkers buying online, and here in the states at 54 percent for the first-timers online. But, wine’s share of the internet market is being tested by beer, cider, and hard liquor, which are at less than one-fifth of the market but are catching up with wine.

Older buyers are looking for good prices and known brands and do not mind waiting

for delivery. Whereas the younger buyers are willing to pay for more rapid delivery and interesting premium brands. Wine is the top supplier in most of the world markets at 40 percent in eCommerce. The exceptions are China, Colombia, Mexico, and Nigeria, where spirits are more popular. Expect your wine purchases to go up in price, like everything else, because there are a lot of costs of production that are skyrocketing for the grower, wineries, and supply chain that have to be accounted for. The best deal is to buy locally produced wine because of fewer supply line issues, and it is the right thing to do which the industry thanks you for that. Especially because of the Pandemic, smaller wineries are financially stressed, and many are being gobbled up by the “Big Guys.”

We have always said it is important that when we old winos move on that, the younger generation must pick up the slack.

Well, they might not be what we hope. They seem to tend to interesting cocktails, seltzers, beer, and their moderation in consuming alcohol which in the scheme of things is a good thing for safety and health. Drink Business article by Patrick Schmitt points out that 40 percent of regular wine drinkers are seriously moderating the amount

of alcohol they are drinking. Many of those aged between 18 to 34 are reducing their wine drinking from studies around the world. The trend is either reducing the number of drinks, especially at social events, reducing the strength, or switching by alternating drinks substituting with something like tonic water between glasses of wine.

They also are mixing up their own lighter alcohol drinks. Millennials, up to the age of 40, are the strongest moderators. The rate of wine consumption of regular wine drinkers, in the UK, for example, since the beginning of the last decade, has dropped in the 18-34 group by 50 percent.

So, the ones holding up the industry are Generation X (born in the ‘60 – ‘80s), Baby Boomers (‘46 to ’64), and seniors (World War II and back) combine into those over 55 years old. It is a changing mix of who the wine consumer is, the ways they are buying wine, and how they are consuming it that will dictate how to market the industry. It is helpful that wine is showing more and more to be a safer and healthier choice of alcohol—more on that next month.

Wishing you all a Happier New Year.

“I love everything that is old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, and old wine” Oliver Goldsmith. The Vicar of Wakefield.

“I HAVE A DREAM”

Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By HAYLEY MATTSON For Avila Beach Life

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.

It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd of thousands at the March on Washington, August 28, 1963.

King’s most important work applied America’s Founding ideals to the cause of civil rights. The last best hope for true racial progress, King realized, was solidarity: For people to see and treat one another

as equals, they had to feel the tugs of a bond far stronger than either race or politics, and for King, that bond was America.

After all, there are two words in the phrase “civil rights,” and King grasped that both are crucial. Civil rights are about the fair and equal participation of all citizens in the American community. For those rights to have any power, the bonds of that community must be closeknit and resilient.

“I criticize America because I love her,” King said in a speech about the Vietnam War, “and because I

want to see her to stand as the moral example of the world.”

All American’s alike can learn from King’s example. “In the United States of America, every citizen should have the opportunity to build a better and brighter future.

United as one American family, we will not rest, and we will never be satisfied until the promise of this great nation is accessible to each American in each new generation.”

The premise and promise of King’s dream is that we don’t need to replace or transform our nation’s shared ideals to make our country

a better place.

We simply need to live up to them.

Martin Luther King Jr. lived an extraordinary life and left the nation yearning to do better. At 33, he was pressing the case of civil rights with President John F. Kennedy. At 34, King galvanized the nation with his “I Have a Dream” speech. At 35, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Then at the young age of 39, he was assassinated.

King left a legacy of hope and inspiration that continues on today.

Monday, January 17, will mark

America’s 37th celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., life. Honoring King with the sacred status of a federal holiday, of which there are only ten, none other named for a 20th-century figure, is a testament to the unifying power of his legacy.

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

8 | Avila Beach Life — January 2022

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