Volume XVII Issue 77

Tuesday, November 26th, 2024

I have some wonderful memories of the St Francis. Mostly in the banquet room where my grandpa Paul Simpson would hold his annual office party.

The crew of Simpson and Associates would first gather in the bar area. Everyone would be dressed up under the layers of winter coats and jackets as they came in from the cold. The adults enjoyed drinks while Casey and I ordered Shirley Temples.

I always had a new Christmas dress on, velvet or taffeta, made by mom or grandma. Tights and shiny Mary Janes on my feet. Hair pulled back with a ribbon for embellishment. I remember spinning on the linoleum floor to check the fullness of my skirt.

The tables would be lined up in a long row, all set with silverware and fine china. We would start with a crisp salad of iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. You would add garlicky kidney and garbanzo beans and rich, blue cheese dressing, sharp with vinegar in it. My mouth is watering right now thinking of that simple, but delicious salad.

Suddenly the door to the kitchen would open and platters with steaming pasta, roasted meats, and vegetables would be set out family-style, to be passed around and enjoyed. The raviolis were my favorite.

After dinner, my brother and I would play around the Christmas tree and wait for the stockings. There weren’t very many kids back in the 70s, just me, Casey, Tessa Nagel, and then Laura Jean Schmidt. The stockings were the red mesh type filled with nuts, candy, and of course an orange in the toe.

There were other times we ate in the main restaurant, but usually for special occasions. It was an upscale, classy place where you had to dress up a little and behave during dinner.

Thank you to the Goni family for all the memories. You brought families and friends together for many years with food, conversation, and the love and pride you had for your business. We are extremely grateful.

The Lassen Grizzly Varsity Football team will battle the Orland Trojans for the section title this Saturday, 11/30 at 6:00 on Arnold Field. Let’s show up and cheer this team on to victory!

Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to shelleybennett24@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”

Hot chocolate, hors devours and free gift wrapping will all be provided at the Chamber’s office on Main Street, so that holiday shoppers can stop by, get warm, and have their packages wrapped for them.

The Chamber office will be open from 10:00 until 4:00 and everyone is invited to stop by and take part in the holiday kick-off event.

Each participating business will have raffle tickets and at the end of the day all sorts of neat prizes will be awarded. You don’t have to be present to win.

Here are some of the great local businesses who will be open with specials on Saturday.

Blue Ox Chocolates

602 B. Main Street

Fair Winds Reiki & Mindfulness

100 S. Gay Street

Gemstone Genie

Inside Margie’s Book Nook 722 Main Street

Hair Hunters

700 Main Street

Highway to the Gaming Zone

1430 Main Street

Katie Cuypers Interiors

Raffle “Designer for an Hour” x2 and goodie bags

Inside of Margie’s Book Nook 722 Main Street

Lassen Creations

Inside Highway to Gaming Zone

1430 Main Street

Lilith’s Place

1410 Main Street

Life in the Ville

1420 Main Street

Margie’s Book Nook

722 Main Street

Merry Morsels

2314 Main Street

Milwood Florist & Nursery

2020 Main Street

Up to 40% off on some items, a drawing and cookies

Roop to Roots

713 Main Street inside Salon Adore

Salon Adore

713 Main Street

Summer Porches

60 Hall Street Suite 2

Tea of Life

2314 Main Street

Verdict Coffee Shop

612 Main Street

Wonder Arts Workshop

In the Chamber Office 1516 Main Street

Crafts for kids – Christmas handprint keepsake

If your business would like to participate in Susanville’s Shop Small Saturday promotion, or for more information, email Marshel at mcouso@susanvillestuff.com.

You will have a chance to take a picture with Santa on Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 and Saturday from noon until 2:00.

For more information contact Lynda Alberico at 1.530.249.2774 or email LRAlberico@yahoo.com.

Snowy uptown Susanville in the 1950’s. photo courtesy Karla McKahan.

Campfire Girls to Collect Gifts

November 26, 1950

Susanville Camp Fire Girls’ Thanksgiving project will be to collect small articles for the boys and girls of Aplemont, France.

The girls will collect from their friends and contribute themselves such articles as needles, knitting needles, crochet hooks, ribbons, buttons, pins and clasps, pencils, erasers, pads, stationary, correspondence cards, etc.

It is pointed out that yarn of any amount and color is an especially useful gift.

Susanville has been affiliated with Aplemont, France, a small town adjoining the big French port city of Le Havre which was badly damaged during the war, for two years through the work of the UNESCO council.

Friendship between the towns has grown through the exchange of small gifts, photographs and correspondence. The local 20-30 Club sent a CARE package to an especially needy Aplemont family last Christmas and will be sent a $10 CARE package to Aplemont each month next year.

The UNESCO Council will send a gift of athletic equipment to the school children of Aplemont this Christmas.

Michael Alan Ingram – November 3, 2024

Earnest Frederick Pace – October 31, 2024

Rosemarie Bejcek – November 2, 2024

James Darrell Vermillion – October 26, 2024

Thomas Lee Hiles – July 2024