Volunteering is incredibly easy, signing up is easy, and the bell ringing is actually very fun.

Now, I am not just saying that as a ploy to get you guys to volunteer to do it. All of the host stores are so accommodating, and their staff is always checking on the ringers making sure you are “ok”.

Now the actual ringing, you don’t have to be an extrovert like me to enjoy it. You get to do a very easy task, while enjoying a couple of hours in the community seeing your friends and family as they run their errands. And the ‘people watching’ alone is an A+ good time.

Around this time of year, you will notice different clubs, sports and organizations taking their turn at bell ringing, often having fun competitions with one another.

One of my best memories at the police department was at the annual Salvation Army law enforcement day, ringing and singing, trying to get enough money in our bucket to edge out the former year’s champions, CHP. (True story, Victoria and I got paid money to quit singing by a generous man who for some reason did not like my rendition of Mariah Carey’s Christmas Banger.)

But I digress, bell ringers are a staple at the stores this time of year, and you don’t have to be associated with any sort of club to do it.

Every year my little family takes a block of hours and my girls, and I, bell ring. We discuss what we are raising funds for (and by the way, funds raised in the kettles all stays in Lassen County!) and we talk about why it’s important to volunteer.

My girls enjoy dancing around to the music from the speaker and of course ringing that dang bell ad nauseum.

And every year, my heart warms at the generosity of our community. The people who make a point to get cashback to put something in the slot, or the person who literally puts in their last $2. It fills my heart with the Christmas spirit, and I am so glad it is a tradition that my family has.

If you have never been a bell ringer before I would urge you to contact Salvation Army and ask when they have open slots. Grab yourself a cup of cocoa or coffee before your shift and – have at it.

I promise you the two hours will fly by, you will see old friends, raise funds and leave with a warm feeling in your belly knowing that you are helping make our community a better place. The free candy canes they give out are also a nice touch!

Trust me, you will see why Lassen County Bell Ringing is one of the reasons I love where we live.

This is the 19th annual performance of what has become a Susanville holiday tradition, featuring some of our hometown’s best musicians playing your seasonal favorites – Sleigh Ride, movements of the Nutcracker, White Christmas – enough musical cheer to warm the grinchiest of hearts.

Conductor and Artistic Director Ben Wade encourages families to attend the festive concert, promising a performance filled with a little something for people of all ages.

“You might know some of the music we play at our other concerts, but you will know, and hum, or sing along, to all of the holiday favorites.”

“Who doesn’t wait for the horse whinny at the end of Sleigh Ride? Who doesn’t want to sing shoulder to shoulder with your friends or family at the end of the concert carol sing-a -long.”

Performances will be held at the Susanville Methodist Church on South Lassen Street and tickets are $30 each. You can buy them at Margie’s Book Nook or Axia Home Loans. For more information call the Symphony Hotline at 530.310.8111.

Wade says, “Don’t be a scrooge, splurge on yourself and your loved ones this holiday season!”

Would you like to win a pair of tickets? Of course you would!

You can enter once per day, per email address, from now until midnight December 15th, to win a pair of tickets to the performance. We will announce the name of our ticket winners on December 16th. We have three pair of tickets to give away to this weekend’s shows. Click here to head on over to SusanvilleStuff for the entry form and details.

“This nursery will add much needed capacity and jobs and will serve to further our combined efforts to restore forest cover on private and public lands. We are thankful that Sierra Pacific Industries can make this a reality.”

Wildfires have burned millions of forested acres in California in recent years. Current nursery capacity in the Western U.S is not sufficient to fill the need for seedlings to reforest these damaged landscapes.

More than a third of the forests that have burned recently have seen high-severity fire, which kills at least 75 percent of vegetation, leaving altered landscapes of dead trees behind. Without direct intervention, the most severely burned forests are likely to be replaced by brush. This funding will enable SPI to start project construction sooner than planned, helping to increase capacity to rapidly respond to reforestation needs and ensuring California-grown seedlings are available for post-fire recovery efforts.

“The demands to revive forestlands in the state far outweigh the supply of materials that our industry is able to currently accommodate,” said Jimi Scheid, Cal-FIRE Reforestation Services Manager. “Being able to amplify these outputs in the form of ready-to-plant, climatically suitable seedlings, will help us mitigate the growing threats to our forests and the benefits they provide.”

This new nursery will help address the need for additional seedling production in a short amount of time. Production will ramp up over the first several years with 6 million seedlings projected to be sown in 2024, followed by another 12 million seedlings the following year. The nursery, expected to be fully operational by 2026, will be capable of producing 25 million seedlings annually. Additionally, it will employ about 10 full-time people and as many as 110 seasonal workers, which is a benefit to the rural community of Gazelle.

“Healthy, growing forests provide clean water and air, important wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and jobs for rural economies,” said Jessica Hinojosa, SPI Tree Improvement Manager. “SPI is making this investment to help meet our State’s growing needs for high-quality, native conifer seedlings. We appreciate Cal-FIRE’s support for this immense endeavor. We look forward partnering with public and private organizations across the State that are working to recover and restore California’s forests.”

Enjoy a wonderful meal and experience Joseph and Mary knock at the door looking for a place to stay. The presentation, called ‘In Bethlehem Inn’ will be held at the church, 1825 Spring Ridge Drive, across from Banner Lassen hospital.

Tickets are $10 each for dinner and the show and can be purchased at the church, under What’s Happening at the Website www.suznaz.org or by calling Shayla Ashmore at 530-310-0572.

Work Commenced on new Building

December 7, 1940

Trustees of the Lassen Union High School and Junior College have authorized Contractor J. Baker McQueen of this city to start pouring concrete on the $20,000 shop and vocational training buildings and foundations for which are now complete.

Much of the carpentering work is being done by the class in joining and carpentering, with the result the school district is getting a building which will ultimately cost about $35,000 for the amount of the appropriation set aside by the school board.

Bids for plumbing, sheet metal work and water lines will be let at a meeting of the school board on December 9.