Chamber Member Spotlights

Sequoia Springs residents enjoying “paint n sip” night. Submitted

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 personalized care from compassionate staff with oversight from a registered nurse. They are committed to providing a safe, friendly, and nurturing living environment 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 resident 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 fashioned especially for residents with dementia based upon life-long patterns for living. They offer an engaging activities program that provides social, emotional, and cognitive stimulation. Manicured grounds and its central location in Humboldt County makes Sequoia Springs a beautiful, safe, and secure environment 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 attention. 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

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emergency due to illness or injury, choosing a qualified 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 individuals. 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 shadowing programs. They are also available for presentations 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 benefits of Emergency Air Ambulance Membership in Humboldt and surrounding counties to communities 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 membership 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 providers in Humboldt County, CALSTAR and REACH Air Medical Services. They provide life saving services, and I am very passionate about sharing the benefits 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/jennifer-hart.”

Highline Nursery is a licensed cannabis nursery located in Alton, CA. They take pride in providing 16

Highline Nursery’s softball team. Submitted.

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 customers receive the highest quality cuttings available.

The founders of Kamino, LLC (DBA Highline Nursery) have over forty years of combined experience 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, clients can reap the rewards of these years of searching 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 community 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 environment 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

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 wherever 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.highlinenursery.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 medical 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 throughout 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 prescription 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 features 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 complex, 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 entertainment, 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 donations. 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 brokerage 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 completing my college internship at JBS Five Star feedlot in Yuma, Colorado. After graduating from Chico State with a bachelors in Agricultural Business, I moved to Redding to start my career in the agriculture 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 experiencing 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 community 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 Women’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 received 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.

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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 baskets 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 continues 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 eyesore 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 participate 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 improvements are noticed and rewarded with encouragement 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 information on their Facebook page or you can attend any regular meeting at the Monday Club.

Tri Counties Bank is a community-based financial institution serving commercial enterprises, small businesses and consumers throughout California. Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is headquartered 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 online and mobile banking. Tri Counties Bank exists for one purpose: to improve the financial success and well-being of our customers and communities.

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