Fortuna Chamber Quarterly Newsletter Winter 2022

NEW MEMBERS

it for me. It’s so rewarding. Thank you Fortuna for your business!” To book an appointment with Lizz, call (707) 682-6209 or email alluredayspa707@ gmail.com.

Fiesta Time Decor, located at 703 S, Fortuna Blvd, in the Redwood Village Shopping Center, is a new family-owned business in Humboldt County specializing in party equipment and décor rentals. Owned and operated by Miguel and Gladis Cortes, they bring 15 years of experience in providing quality equipment with excellent customer service when planning your event needs. With Fiesta Time Decor, you can rent tents, tables, and chairs along with a wide variety of other decorations that can be ca tered to most events and themes. Call and schedule an appointment to discuss your event with Gladis and Miguel. They can be reached at (707) 497-4673.

Bella Italia serves a variety of pastas, pizza, salads, and other great dishes. Located next to several local hotels at 1875 Riverwalk Drive, Bella Italia is the perfect place to spend date night with fine Italian dining and beautiful views within walking distance of Fortuna’s Riverwalk. Their hours of operation are 11am-9pm Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday. You can reach Bella Italia at (707) 725-1600.

Lizz Toledo is the owner of Allure Day Spa & Hair Design located at 2020 Main Street, Suite 4, in Fortuna. Lizz has always had a fascination with all things beauty since an early age. When she did her first haircut at age 13, she knew she had found her calling. She graduated from Paul Mitchell The School in Reno in 2010 before moving to Humboldt County. She takes great pride knowing that she is well rounded in the beauty industry. Outside of hair design, she also offers a full menu of services including permanent cosmetics, lash extensions, and CBD facials.

Allure Day Spa & Hair Design is by appointment only so Lizz can give her clients her full attention. “My favorite thing about what I do is being able to show my clients themselves in a way they’ve never seen before and to see them walk to their car in a better mood than when they came in. That does

Pepper’s in Fortuna is located at 719 S. Fortuna Blvd., inside Redwood Village Shopping Center. Their hours of operation are 7am-9pm Monday through Sunday. They offer a wide variety of fresh and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner items. With a warm and friendly staff, Pepper’s is always the place to enjoy a great meal with friends and family. Call today to reserve the banquet room to hold a meet ing or special gathering. You can enjoy Fortuna’s beautiful weather outside as Pepper’s has outdoor patio seating. Contact them at (707) 725-5580.

Redwood Café, located at 1206 Main Street, is a great place to enjoy breakfast or lunch. They are open daily 7am-3pm. Nestled in the heart of Downtown Fortuna, Redwood Café serves a large variety of delicious menu items to enjoy with fresh hot coffee or delicious mimosas. You can reach Redwood Café at (707) 725-3998.

Bailey’s e-bread began at the Fortuna Farmers’ Market and the Fair Curve Farm stand in Ferndale almost simul taneously this summer. After 22 years of teaching a cooking business elec tive to middle schoolers, Jennifer, both the owner and baker, set out to bake bread and put her money where her mouth was. Every week she offers three different kinds of sourdough: a San Francisco with a crisp crust, CJ’s hybrid sourdough with a thinner crust (named after her dad) and a whole wheat oat sourdough with a nutty wonderful tangy flavor. Along with the sourdough is a traditional focaccia with caramelized onions, salt, olive oil, and rosemary from Jennifer’s garden! Her favorites are the San Francisco sourdough both for toast, dinner, and grilled cheese sandwiches and the focaccia for BLT’s and Saturday morning stratas (layered casserole dish).

The “Bailey” of Bailey’s e-bread is Jennifer’s dog. First-time dog owner Jennifer soon discovered (as most pet owners do) that as Bailey grew up, certain things started going missing like pillow sham buttons and paired socks. They were later discov ered planted in the garden, pirated away for future adventures. However, nothing compared to the treasure trove of baguette ends found carefully nes tled in her front room between velvet couch cush ions one spring cleaning day. After the many ends were discarded in the trash, Bailey would return to the kitchen, stealthily hunting for more bread ends. “Bailey’s love for bread was the inspiration for my company logo and my father, who baked bread for all occasions and for everyone in our community, was my inspiration to follow into my new career as an artisan bread baker. My dad offered bread for home runs, weddings, christenings, and brises. He was a plywood salesman during the day and a baker at night! I’m looking forward to both selling and do nating to help improve our community of Humboldt and to keep some of my family traditions of bread baking alive through my new business.”

Jennifer sends out emails on Saturday for order ing and when offering specialties like Scandinavian sugar cookies or brioche dinner rolls. She brings her bread to market at MadMetals in Fortuna, located

at 1022 N Street, every Wednesday from 3:00-6:00 pm. Email her with your order or take a chance and see if there are any unclaimed breads at her stand on Wednesdays. You can reach Bailey’s e-bread at baileysebread@gmail.com or by phone at (707) 4077502.

Ben Shaw is the owner/oper ator at Friendly City Yard Care Ben is 43 years old and has been married to his wife Aimee for six years. They have a 5-year-old son attending kindergarten at Redwood Prep, two black labs, and a tabby cat. Aimee is a massage therapist, born and raised in Humboldt County, and Ben moved here in 2001 to attend Cal Poly Humboldt where he received an art degree. Ben started Friendly City Yard Care over the summer because he enjoys working outdoors, it’s a great way to stay active, and gives him plenty of experience in the field. Ben loves improving the look and feel of landscapes and car ing for the land. As the owner of this new Fortuna business, Ben looks forward to meeting and working for more people in the community. Ben’s motto is, “Custom service with an eye for detail,” because he takes the time to notice and tend to the details that make the quality of his work shine.

In addition to working in yard care, Ben does vol unteer social work in our community. Ben has been a volunteer at local nonprofit Humboldt Mediation Services for close to five years, currently serving on the board of directors. Ben has also been on the board of directors at a new substance abuse recovery program called Seventh Generation House for close to two years where he also volunteers his time as a counselor. Some of Ben’s favorite activities include riding bikes with his son on the pump track at Newburg Park and recently started BMX racing at Redwood Empire BMX in Samoa. Their family loves hiking, beach days, river days, and playing at Rohner Park which is walking distance from their house. They feel lucky to live in a place with so much beauty and an abundance of outdoor activities to choose from.

Give Ben a call to discuss your lawn care needs. You can reach Friendly City Yard Care at (707) 5029543.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Jan Leonardo opened Springville Quilt Barn at 2045 Main Street on October 30, 2021. Previously, Jan had been selling online for six years through her Etsy shop. Jan carries beautiful quilting fabrics, patterns, and notions, and is offering quilting and sewing classes periodically. Springville Quilt Barn is open Mon-Thurs 10am-4pm. “If the lights are on, come on in.” Springville Quilt Barn can be reached at (707) 496-3433.

Eureka Broadcasting Co., is a locally owned and operated radio station with three stations including News Talk KINS 106.3 FM, Thunder Country KEKA 101.5 FM, and EZ Radio KWSW 980 AM, plus The Shopping Show which broadcasts on KINS and KEKA. Eureka Broadcasting is located at 1101 Marsh Road and can be reached at (707) 442-5744.

While Best Western is a worldwide brand, Fortuna’s Country Inn is a one-of-a-kind hotel in the heart of Redwood Country located in the Friendly City. With 67 pet-friendly rooms, a few of which are suites, and a unique half indoor/half outdoor pool and jacuzzi, they are ranked in the top 20% of Best Westerns in North America, showing how hard their team works at customer care. Best Western Country

Inn is located at 2025 Riverwalk Drive and can be reached at (707) 725-6822.

Adobe Inc., operates as a diversified software company worldwide. Adobe pioneered the paper-to-digital transformation with the invention of PDF. They’ve been ranked on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for 21 years. Founded in 1982, Adobe now employs over 26,000 workers worldwide with their corporate headquarters located in San Jose, California. Their software solutions include Adobe Creative Cloud (e.g., Photoshop), Adobe Document Cloud (e.g., Acrobat), and Adobe Experience Cloud (e.g., Adobe Commerce). “Creativity is in our DNA. Our game-changing innovations are redefining the possibilities of digital experiences. We connect content and data and introduce new technologies that democratize creativity, shape the next generation of storytelling, and inspire entirely new categories of business.” Learn more at adobe.com.

APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL

Thank you to Ray’s Quality Cars for donating a truck (and staff!) for use pulling the People Mover. We would also like to thank the following Fortuna Kiwanis Club members who took turns driving the People Mover: Councilmember Mike Johnson, Kent Wrede, Tiffiny Oswald, and Jeff Wilkins.

Orchard hay rides were offered at Clendenen’s Cider Works where riders got a narrated tour of the orchard. Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel

Visitors to Clendenen’s Cider Works were able to sample a wide variety of apples.

Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel

The Downtown Street Fair featured over 85 vendors and packed the streets with shoppers.

Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel

The Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department held their annual Disaster Fair & Open House where attendees could practice their fire fighting skills, see the fire apparatus, and try on fire fighting equipment.

Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel

Fortuna Parks & Rec hosted an Apple Harvest-themed Skate Night. One-hundred free wristbands were handed out by our Downtown merchants during the Downtown Street Fair.

Photo credit: Emily Apodaca, Fortuna Parks & Rec.

Friends of the Fortuna Library

The Fortuna Memorial Library joined the Humboldt County Library System in 1915. The current 16,000 sq. ft. building was constructed through the efforts of community volunteers who gathered at the Monday Club and began the major fundraising project that provided the building the Fortuna Memorial Library has called home since 1961.

This active and successful group of volunteers formed the nonprofit Friends of the Fortuna Library in 1961 to support that library. Our library, like many libraries, only functions because of the partner ships between different government and nonprofit agencies. In our city, the partnership consists of the City of Fortuna, Humboldt County Library, and the non-profit Friends of the Fortuna Library. The city provides the building and maintenance. The county staffs and funds library operations. The Friends of the Fortuna Library provides funding for programs like storytime, literacy programs, building time; books and magazines for the library’s collection; and incidentals like furniture and office supplies.

The Friends of the Fortuna Library has received funding from foundations connected to Rose Perenin, Irving, Kiwanis, Sunrise Rotary, McLean, Canevari, Abraham, O’Dell, and from individual donors through gifts from Individual Retirement and other investment accounts, and through its book sales.

The large book sale and dinner on the second Saturday in March is the biggest fundraiser for the Friends, but some used books are available within the library on a separate shelf year-round. With tables in the Veterans Hall for each genre, the book sale is a reader’s paradise. More than 20 volunteers work together to move books, set up, work the sale, and move books again over 48 hours. Managing those donations requires hundreds of volunteer hours throughout the year. Additionally, the dinner is delicious and brings in enough to support sto rytime for the year! “Thank you Milton and Sally Conley for your work on this dinner!”

When the library reopened from Covid, super vising librarian Violet McCrigler hosted creative outdoor programs like StoryWalks and outdoor sto rytime. In StoryWalks, family and childrens’ groups were encouraged to take short walks enjoying the outdoors and a good story at the same time, in both English and Spanish.

Ongoing programs include:

• Weekly preschool storytime (Fridays at 10:30)

• Bricks & Blocks Builders Club (2nd Wednesday of the month, 2:30 - 4:30, ages 5+)

• Library services in Spanish

• Monthly Saturday STEAM Storytimes (incorporating an art or science activity.) Visit humlib.org to see the library calendar.

• Monthly outreach storytimes at First 5 Playgroups.

• Summer reading program for kids, teens, and adults

The Friends of the Fortuna Library welcomes new members! Pamphlet to join is at the library or online at frlfortuna.org. Our monthly meetings are the last Tuesday of the month at the Monday Club at 4pm. Hope to see you soon at your library!

Customers pour in at the 10:00 am start of the annual Book Sale the second Saturday in March. Submitted by Friends of the Fortuna Library.

Fortuna business es will have free tickets beginning November 26 to give out as a thank you to residents for doing business in Fortuna. Tickets will admit children 12 & under and adults with young children for a special 10:00 a.m. show. A free holiday toy will be given to each child (while supplies last). Free holiday portraits will be taken inside the main lobby by Sandi Petersen Photography. For more information, call the Fortuna Chamber office at (707) 725-3959 or visit fortunachamber.com/kidsmovie.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S

RAISES OVER $102,657 TO FIGHT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

More than 430 residents participated in this year’s 7th annual Humboldt County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 8. Opening ceremonies were held in the Adorni Center and then partici pants walked around Halverson Park and through Old Town, raising more than $102,000. Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.

According to Walk Co-Chair Bonnie Neely, “We are grateful to our returning teams, our new teams, and all the local businesses that support the mission of the Alzheimer’s Association.” Kelly Sanders, Walk Co-Chair, added, “Countless families will benefit from the dollars and awareness raised. The mon ey will provide care and support for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias as well as fund research projects that will one day eradicate this disease.”

Visiting Angels Eureka returned as the top fund raising team, raising $13,030.61. Jeanne O’Neale, team captain and Visiting Angels Eureka CEO, said that their reason for participating is to help put an end to this disease. “Alzheimer’s is a disease that people live with 24 hours a day so the fundraising needs to happen 24 hours a day.”

Donations continue to be accepted for the 2022 Walk until December 31. If you would like to donate,

you can go to the website act.alz.org/humboldt or mail a check to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 2542, McKinleyville, CA 95519.

Kim Coelho, Community Engagement Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association, is grateful to everyone who participated this year. “It was so wonderful to be back in person again at the Adorni Center. The families that are affected by this disease really appreciate the fact that so many in our community showed that they care about this disease by partic ipating.”

Photos submitted.

From a press release submitted by Kim Coelho, Community Engagement Manager

Cindy’s Styling Center Celebrates 25 Years in Business!

On Wednesday, September 28, we had the privi lege of celebrating 25 years in business at Cindy’s Styling Center with Cindy Jones, her family, and her team of stylists. Cindy’s Styling Center opened on October 1, 1997, by Cindy and Ken Jones. Cindy and her stylists offer hair care, tanning, and hair care products. Cindy decided to open her salon in Fortuna after living here for a few years and decid ing it was a nice place to run her business. Cindy keeps a sharp focus on delivering quality service and a comfortable place for customers to visit. “We want this to be a happy place,” Cindy said. “Come in, say hi to our stylists, and let us take care of all your hair needs!” Cindy’s Styling Center is located at 1021 N Street and can be reached at (707) 725-5820. Cheers to 25 more years!

Magnolia Esthetics owner April Stephens has seen many changes in her life, going from a married homeschooling mom of multiple children to being a divorced single mom with no prospects. Despite that, April placed her faith in God and made the decision to return to school after 14 years, graduating with an associate’s degree in behav ioral and social sciences. She was accepted into the social work program after a semester at Cal Poly Humboldt. That was cut

short, however, when her son was born with Cystic Fibrosis. She spent the next seven years caring for him full-time, traveling frequently for medical care. In the last year, April and her family found the perfect home in Fortuna, the kids went back to in-person learning, she graduated from Frederick and Charles Beauty College while simultaneously receiving certification in kinetic microdermabrasion, epidermal anatomy and physiology, and ear piercing, and opened her very own business in Downtown Fortuna. “What started as a necessity for support ing my family has become a passion. I truly enjoy helping others and have gained so much knowledge in the field of skin therapy and specialized treat ments. I specialize in kinetic microdermabrasion and

Cindy’s Styling Center Celebrates 25 Years in Business!

Magnolia Esthetics

lymphatic drainage and perform customized facials, chemical peels, acne, anti-aging, sensitive skin treatments and more! One of my favorite things is to hear from clients about compliments received after treatment.” As a new business, word of mouth referrals are vital. April is happy to be in such a great community with organizations, like the Chamber, who work to keep dollars local. Magnolia Esthetics is open Monday-Thursday 9am-2pm and Friday 9am-12pm. Sunday and evening appointments are also available. Come by to visit or call to schedule an appointment at (707) 362-6742. Learn more at http://www.magnoliaesthetics. net. Magnolia Esthetics is located at 1100 Main Street, Suite E (upstairs) in Downtown Fortuna.

On October 3, we cut the ribbon at the Art Vault, a new gallery on Main Street, owned by Val (holding the scissors) and Doris Gajic (standing next to Mayor Sue Long). Working as a representative for companies producing fine artists materials, Val came into contact with retailers who dedicated their lives to supplying leading artists of the 60s and 70s, often “running” into them or addressing their needs on use and value of his products, paints by Holbein of Japan, brushes, canvas, paper, frames and accessories made in the USA, France, and Germany. He came to appreciate and understand the significance of varied styles, methods and subjects, which is

evident in his Art Vault selection. You’ll find a Hopi Eagle Spirit kachina original carving, a Rembrandt (d’apres) giclée on canvas, a Salvador Dali original etching, a portrait of Michelangelo, just to mention a few. Owner Val said “whether a hobby, passion or investment, collecting art is rewarding, healthy and Fortuna is ideal for it. Easy going and friendly.” Val encourages local artists to visit him at the shop to exchange ideas on how to promote “the art scene” in our area for the benefit of residents and visitors. As Val says, “Look for the little door under the big sign.” You can reach the gallery at (707) 572-6497. Private appointments are available in addition to public hours. Visit them online at the-art-vault.com.

Built in 2000, Sequoia Springs Senior Living is a large, full-service senior community with dedicated apartments specifically designed for Independent and Assisted Living and Memory Care. Located in the heart of Redwood Country within minutes from the beautiful California Coastline, shopping centers, and a hospital, Sequoia Springs has served seniors and provided support to loved ones for over two decades. With carefully designed spaces with charming home-like details, Sequoia Springs creates countless opportunities for meaningful engagement among their residents. Their friendly and dedicated team members embrace a heart for service and a passion for living while focusing on a resident’s overall wellness that contributes to independence and an active lifestyle. They provide 24/7 personal ized care from compassionate staff with oversight from a registered nurse. They are committed to providing a safe, friendly, and nurturing living envi ronment where everyone is treated with kindness and respect. They pride themselves on providing individualized services to residents. Menus are filled with signature local dishes and made-from-scratch

entrees. Programs and activities are tailored to resi dent preferences and interests. Health and wellness services are designed to encourage active lifestyles while supporting residents with varying levels of need. Specialty programmatic elements are fash ioned especially for residents with dementia based upon life-long patterns for living. They offer an en gaging activities program that provides social, emo tional, and cognitive stimulation. Manicured grounds and its central location in Humboldt County makes Sequoia Springs a beautiful, safe, and secure en vironment for residents to enjoy walks, visit with family members, make new friends, and just enjoy life. Schedule a visit today to learn more and see why they take great pride in being an integral part of the Fortuna community. Sequoia Springs Senior Living is located at 2401 Redwood Way and can be reached at (707) 726-0111.

Cal-Ore Life Flight provides safe, caring, and dependable ground and air transportation to individuals in need of emergency medical at tention. Headquartered in Brookings, Oregon, Cal-Ore offers 24/7 Advanced Life Support (ALS) transport to destinations throughout Oregon, California, and bordering states with its fleet of five fixed-wing aircraft and one helicopter. They are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS). Should you or a loved one ever have a medical

Sequoia Springs residents enjoying “paint n

night.

Chamber Member Spotlights

emergency due to illness or injury, choosing a qual ified transport provider will be one of your most important decisions. You’ll want a provider that consistently demonstrates expediency, safety, and medical expertise.

Cal-Ore Life Flight provides training and education for healthcare providers, professional responders, and the lay person. They offer courses in Basic First Aid, CPR, and AED for non healthcare individ uals. Healthcare professionals can learn Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS), and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS). Cal-Ore also hosts training seminars for search and rescue groups and law enforcement agencies, as well as taking part in health fairs, demonstrations, tours, and job shadow ing programs. They are also available for presenta tions to schools, Chambers of Commerce, women’s clubs, and senior groups.

Jennifer Hart, Local Membership Sales Manager for 15 years, is passionate about sharing the ben efits of Emergency Air Ambulance Membership in Humboldt and surrounding counties to com munities and local business owners. You might be thinking: “I’ll never need this.” Jennifer explained that they were called upon by medical professionals to transport over 100,000 patients last year. That’s why planning ahead is essential for everyone. It’s the best way to secure protection and avoid financial exposure. “Even though most of our members carry traditional health insurance, providers offer many different types of plans and coverages. And, after coinsurance and deductibles, not every insurance company will cover the total cost of emergency medical transport. AirMedCare Network member ship shields you and your entire household from all out-of-pocket expenses when transported by one of our providers. I have proudly represented Cal-Ore Life Flight and AirMedCare Network’s local provid ers in Humboldt County, CALSTAR and REACH Air Medical Services. They provide life saving services, and I am very passionate about sharing the bene fits of our Membership Program to local business owners and attending local events and interacting with the community. Visit my personal landing page for more information - www.amcnrep.com/jenni fer-hart.”

Highline Nursery is a licensed cannabis nursery located in Alton, CA. They take pride in providing

California with top shelf cannabis clones, backed by their remarkable customer service. Their state-ofthe-art facility, coupled with their owners’ legacy knowledge and experience, ensure that their cus tomers receive the highest quality cuttings available.

The founders of Kamino, LLC (DBA Highline Nursery) have over forty years of combined expe rience in the cannabis field. Highline Nursery was born from a necessity for high quality, clean clones. For the last two decades, they have searched for reliable genetics to ensure a good harvest. Now, cli ents can reap the rewards of these years of search ing and fine-tuning. Great harvests start from great clones, and they have some of the best in the state.

As business owners in the greater Fortuna area, Highline Nursery stays committed to the com munity it is located in. Whether it is maintaining active membership with the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce or donating to local school programs and the Fortuna Fire Department as part of their 1% of sales donations campaign, they recognize the value of the businesses and nonprofits around them. They are also active members of the Humboldt County-based nonprofit cannabis growers’ alliance (HCGA), allowing them to represent and advocate for policy reform for the local aspects of their industry in an organized fashion.

The principal owners and general manager of Highline Nursery strive to create a work environ ment that promotes strong relationships within their employee base. Highline Nursery is a company that values high employee morale and workplace safety. Each employee is valued for their skills and commitment to the company.

Highline Nursery operates year-round, with a

Highline Nursery’s softball team. Submitted.

seasonal flux of production in the warmer months. They employ anywhere from 25-70 employees at once, depending on the season. Even with their fluctuating employee base, they strive to maintain a high morale and benefit their employees wher ever they are able. Great examples are monthly employee lunches rotating around Fortuna-based eateries since 2019, and the recent formation of a Highline Nursery sponsored Fortuna Recreation coed softball team. Each of these components helps them meet goals to both give support to the local community and keep a sense of community within their current employees. Highline Nursery is happy to operate as a central Humboldt County business. Give them a call at (707) 617-2505 or check out their facilities and career options online at www.high linenursery.com.

A nonprofit health plan serving for over 25 years, Western Health Advantage is known as the flexible HMO, giving access to over 3,000 doctors and 14 hospitals from six medi cal groups, including NorthBay Health, Meritage Medical Network, Providence, Hill Physicians, Dignity Health’s Mercy Medical Group and Woodland Clinic. When you need affordable, comprehensive health plans, think Western Health Advantage. WHA provides health benefits and coverage to over 100,000 members and 5,000 employers through out Northern California. Businesses choose WHA because it’s good for their employees and their bottom line.

In Humboldt County, WHA offers plans for employer groups (large and small), and Medicare beneficiaries. WHA HMO plans enable access to exceptional physicians from Providence Medical Network (PMN), associated with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka and Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna.

WHA coverage goes beyond simply providing affordable health care coverage for when you are sick or injured, by including preventive health and wellness programs, support for managing chronic health conditions, mental health services, as well as acupuncture and chiropractic care, and even enhanced telehealth options, for when you need immediate/urgent care. WHA services extend to

online resources and technology-enabled apps, designed to improve members’ everyday health and well-being.

WHA’s recent expansion into Humboldt now includes a plan for Medicare beneficiaries: Western Health Advantage MyCare Compass (HMO). This allin-one Medicare Advantage plan has a $20 monthly premium, $0 PCP visit and low copays, and prescrip tion coverage ($0 drug deductible).

Western Health Advantage is helping to bring affordable and convenient health care to Humboldt, where more people get the care they need, at nearby locations they recognize and trust. WHA is committed to advance the health and wellness of the communities they serve. WHA is regional, so members reach them easily to resolve health care issues efficiently, and without delay.

Visit choosewha.com/humboldt to learn more, or reach out to their sales team at (916) 563-3198 (888-499-3198 toll-free), or by email at whasales@ westernhealth.com.

Bear River Casino Resort, built in 2005, boasts views of the Pacific Ocean and Eel River Valley. Their unique location is within quick driving distance of many popular attractions such as Redwood National Park, Humboldt Wildlife Refuge, Sunny Fortuna, and the Victorian Village of Ferndale.

The resort is comprised of a 103-room hotel, a Las Vegas Style casino with 350+ slots and 14 table games, three restaurants, and a lounge that fea tures nightlife and live music weekly. The resort is also adjacent to the Bear River Recreation Center, a 23,000 sq. ft. facility with an outdoor sports com plex, indoor gym, and workout facilities, and Bear River Family Entertainment Center, which offers ten bowling lanes, laser tag, an arcade, and snack shop.

Photo credit: Bear River Casino Resort

From Bear River Fighting Championship to Taco Fest, the Bear River Casino Resort team is always working hard to provide award-winning entertain ment, gaming, dining, and lodging on the North Coast. In fact, they’ve been voted Times-Standard’s ‘Best Casino of The North Coast” 13 times and counting!

In addition to entertainment offerings, Bear River Casino Resort supports a variety of community events and efforts through sponsorships and dona tions. Through their support of various community organizations from local high school athletics to large-scale events like the Humboldt County Fair, Bear River Casino Resort is proud to play a part in our community.

Hello, my name is Alicia Buckner. I am a real estate agent (DRE# 02165112) with Brokerage eXp Realty of California, Inc., and within the bro kerage I have also joined a sales team called “The Hurst Group.”

Having been raised in Fortuna, I have a deep passion for helping clients buy and sell properties in Humboldt County. A little bit of background on me, before graduating Chico State I went off to the cattle feeding business com pleting my college internship at JBS Five Star feed lot in Yuma, Colorado. After graduating from Chico State with a bachelors in Agricultural Business, I moved to Redding to start my career in the agricul ture industry. I worked for a very large strawberry nursery, hay, and cattle company. Although I loved the company and made many friends, my husband had received an apprenticeship job offer in Texas that we couldn’t pass up, so off we went for three years. After finishing the apprenticeship, we found ourselves in the California central valley. We began planting some roots there, with our oldest daughter attending kindergarten and the birth of our second child. We quickly learned that as much as we adored our friends and neighborhood, this was not where we wanted our kids to be raised. We had my family in Humboldt and a job offer, so here we went on another move. The best move we have made! That’s a long-winded way of me saying that I have lived in

several other places in my lifetime but my favorite place to live is right here in Humboldt County. I am so excited that my husband and children are expe riencing the beautiful redwoods, rivers, mountains, and ocean views that I experienced every day of my upbringing here. Humboldt is a very special place and I am thrilled to help clients find, buy, and sell their dream properties right here.

As an agent, it is my mission to make a living while also making an impact in my community. Thankfully, with so many inspiring, active, and generous com munity members in our Eel River Valley, I have lots of role models to look up to. This year, I joined the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce, became a member of Fortuna Rotary Club, and sponsored Eel River Little League, Dusty Bottoms Horse Association, Fortuna Junior Rodeo, Bow To Toe Cheer comp team, and California High School Rodeo Association. I have been involved in various community events within those clubs and also with my real estate team. I look forward to many years to come filled with new and familiar clients, events upon events, and always learning new things. Alicia can be reached by phone at (707) 726-2434 or by email at alicia@aliciabuckner.com.

Fortuna Garden Club’s motto is “Sow seeds of happiness wherever you go.”

For more than 80 years, Fortuna Garden Club has been extremely active in our community. In 1924, eight charter members set out with a mission – to beautify Fortuna. They did this by charging 50

Submitted by the Fortuna Garden Club Garden Club members planting daffodil bulbs in preparation for their annual daffodil show.

The Fortuna Kiwanis Club’s Business Wom en’s Luncheon returned on October 20 to the River Lodge Conference Center, after a two-year Covid hiatus. This year’s honorees were Kim Brown, owner of Cornerstone Realty, and Tina Taylor, Administrative Officer II – Fortuna District,

California Conservation Corps. Kim Brown re ceived Business Woman of the Year and Tina Taylor received Woman of Distinction. Congratulations to both women and for all of their hard work on behalf of the community. We appreciate you!

Photo credits: Mary Bullwinkel

Kim Brown accepts her award from Fortuna Kiwanis President Jeff Wilkins.

Tina Taylor accepts her award from Fortuna Kiwanis past president John Simmons.

Chamber Member Spotlights

cents for annual dues and 25-cent lunches. In 1930, the Club sponsored a junior gardening float in the Fortuna Rodeo Parade. For many years, flower bas kets hung from light posts in Downtown. Members watered the plants, taking them home at the end of each season to be replaced with fresh baskets. During the ‘39 World’s Fair in San Francisco, the club made the 10 hour trip every two weeks to place flowers in the Hall of Flowers. In 1941, an industrious effort to plant Rohner Park began and that contin ues to this day. In 1965, flood victims were assisted, and in 1967, the beginning of the landscaping of the new City Hall began. In 1974, a citywide garden contest was held with the slogan “Gardens Galore in ‘74.” The FGC’s first Standard Daffodil Show was presented in 1975.

In the 1990s, the annual Christmas Home Tours provided $2,000 for the purchase of trees for the city, $1,500 for restrooms at Rohner Park, and $500 for a charter life membership in the new Botanical Garden Foundation. Even more projects have come about including a bench, picnic table and two gardens of shrubs & flowers donated to the Fortuna Library, support was given to the River Lodge Heather Garden project. A Blue Star Memorial Garden was created at the Veteran’s building. A garden was created outside the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce office. The backyard of the Monday Club was improved with a new lawn, new sidewalk, and a beautiful metal arbor with flower plantings.

In the past few years, many FGC members have worked in the multiple garden beds on Main Street and 12th Street. The City of Fortuna didn’t have the money or manpower to continue the weeding and planting of these beds. They had become an eye sore in the center of the city, so the Club was asked for their assistance. Grants were asked for and received from the McLean Foundation, Headwaters Fund, Canevari Foundation, Fortuna Downtown Merchants Association, plus many donations from the private sector. Members volunteered to par ticipate and were assigned flower beds along Main Street, 12th Street, City Hall, the Fortuna Library, the Fortuna Monday Club, and the Fortuna Veteran’s Building. The cost to maintain all of this is estimated between $4-$5,000 per year.

The City supplies a sprinkler system, water, and mulch. FGC members design, buy plants, and take care of the beds using grant money. They mostly work in groups of three people per two bed plots.

For safety purposes, bright orange vests are worn while working the flower beds and the ladies have become known as the “Gals working the Corners.” These ladies have received numerous awards for their beautification project, some from the City of Fortuna, the County of Humboldt, and from local and California State garden clubs. These improve ments are noticed and rewarded with encourage ment and monetary donations by many citizens of Fortuna as they drive through Downtown.

The Fortuna Garden Club always welcomes new members! Meetings are held at the Fortuna Monday Club on the second Wednesday of the month beginning at 1:00 pm, with a light luncheon served prior to the meeting. There is no meeting in August and the December meeting is held on the first Wednesday. If you’re interested in joining the Fortuna Garden Club, you can see more informa tion on their Facebook page or you can attend any regular meeting at the Monday Club.

Tri Counties Bank is a community-based finan cial institution serving commercial enterprises, small businesses and consumers throughout California. Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is headquar tered in California, with assets of $10 billion and more than 45 years of financial stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® with a breadth of banking services, plus an extensive branch network, more than 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, and advanced on line and mobile banking. Tri Counties Bank exists for one purpose: to improve the financial success and well-being of our customers and communities.

Tri Counties Bank supports a multitude of organizations in the Fortuna area, including the Fortuna Rodeo, Fortuna Sunrise Rotary, and the Redwood Memorial Hospital Foundation. We’re proud to partner with these groups in their continued support and development of the Fortuna community. We still believe in the vision of the helpful and caring community banker. In all of the communities we service, we provide financial and volunteer support. In 2021 alone, Tri Counties Bank employees volunteered more than 7,000 hours of their time to community organizations.

At Tri Counties Bank, our goal is to help customers earn more, save more and make their banking more convenient, and ultimately, make their lives easier. The Tri Counties Bank Fortuna branch is led by Branch Manager Christopher Broadstock. Born and raised in Fortuna, Christopher is a prominent community leader who can often be found volunteering for organizations such as the McLean Foundation, Eel River Valley Community Center Foundation, and Fortuna Sunrise Rotary. He also enjoys guest speaking on financial literacy at local high schools and makes repurposed pallet wood dog beds for donations.

Visit the Tri Counties Bank in Fortuna at 909 Main Street or call (707) 725-7150 to learn more. The Fortuna branch is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!

The Fortuna Garden Club is offering scholarships to deserving Fortuna High School seniors. We are delighted to be able to offer two scholarships of $1,000 each. The Garden Club is offering this to seniors who have plans to major in agricultural studies. The student that is planning to go on to study any of the fields of agriculture will be considered for the scholarships. This might include plant biology, environmental biology, plant science, and the studies included in horticulture and landscaping. Considerations will also be made for studies in floriculture, wildlife management, forest management, and organic farming. Please send a request in writing to Fortuna Garden Club, Attention Scholarships, PO Box 212, Fortuna, CA 95540, for an application.