Carmichael’s Skate Board Park is not a secret, but the local park has had to cut back some on hours due to budget constraints. The popular park is located at 5325 Engle Road in the La Sierra Park and Community Center property – right behind the Community Center, near the baseball diamonds.

Bob Kerr, the park manager, said the park is open noon to 6 p.m. on weekends and Tuesday and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 pm. At a price of $1, the admission is very reasonable. Helmets are required and pads are recommended.

All participants must have a waiver form on file too. The form can be downloaded at www.carmichaelpark.com/skatepark.htm on the Carmichael Park and Recreation website.

There are plenty of ramps where skate boarders can “Grab some Air.” With skateboarders of all ages and experience there, the “olders” are always glad to help out those younger in ability. Manager Bob is also a good source of information, since he is a skate boarder too.

This summer, Jesuit High School’s Head Coach Dan Carmazzi will join the faculty at Christian Brothers High School as co-athletic director, faculty member and assistant football coach.

CB ALUMNUS DAN CARMAZZI will return to Christian Brothers High School this summer, as co-athletic director, faculty member and assistant football coach. / Photo courtesy, Jesuit High School

He has extensive experience in the coaching arena. For more than three decades, Carmazzi was a member of the Social Studies and Physical Education departments at Jesuit High School, as well as that high school’s head football coach.

“Dan has dedicated most of his professional life to Jesuit, and we are grateful for his service to our Jesuit High School community and his efforts with our student-athletes,” said Jesuit High School principal Brianna Latko.

A 1971 graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Carmazzi started his coaching career at his alma mater before going to Jesuit as an assistant football coach in 1977. He assumed the duties of head football coach in 1981, and went on to earn an overall record of 230-102-3.

Carmazzi was selected as the CIF State Model Coach of the Year in 2004 and helped develop three NFL quarterbacks: Ken O’Brien, Gio Carmazzi and J.T. O’Sullivan. During his tenure, the Marauders reached the City Championship five times and won two CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Championships and nine league titles. Carmazzi also excelled as a teacher in the classroom.

“We wish Dan well as he returns to his alma mater to finish his career,” said Chris Fahey, director of athletics at Jesuit High School. “It was our expectation that Dan would return as our head football coach next year, so his decision came as a surprise. But we understand Coach Carmazzi’s reasons for seeking new challenges and we respect the decision he has made.”

“We are pleased to have Dan join the CB community. He brings a wealth of coaching knowledge and teaching experience with him,” said Christian Brothers President Lorcan Barnes. “We look forward to continuing to build our athletic program in the years ahead. Bringing Dan on board is an investment in excellence that will serve our students well for years to come.”

“I would like to thank Lorcan Barnes and Mary Hesser for extending to me the opportunity to return to Christian Brothers,” Carmazzi said. “I will always have tremendous respect for, and be grateful to, the Jesuit High School community for educating my sons and giving me the opportunity to teach and coach these past 35 years. But, a part of me has always wanted to return to Christian Brothers. Christian Brothers provided me with an excellent education and athletic experience under the guidance of such outstanding teacher coaches as  Dick Sperbeck, Ron Limeberger, Jack Witry, Dave Hoskins, Mel Fontes, John Zupan and Ralph Villanueva. This is a good time for me personally to make this transition and affords me the opportunity to give back to the school.”

Carmazzi will join Jill Bennett, CB’s athletic director for the past nine years.

“I am really looking forward to returning to CB blue and working with Jill Bennett to lead the athletic program,” Carmazzi said. “I’m excited and optimistic about the future direction of Falcon athletics.”

Sacramento may be more than 3,000 miles away from the lights of Broadway, but for the past 35 years, the nonprofit Chautauqua Playhouse has been bringing quality live theater to the Sacramento community.

“It’s of the utmost importance that we keep the arts alive…we feel like we are providing a service to the community,” said Warren Harrison, co-producer for the Chautauqua Playhouse.

Great performances

QUALITY LOCAL THEATER. The Chautauqua Playhouse provides quality local theater at affordable prices. This scene is from the playhouse’s recent production of “Don't Cry For Me, Margaret Mitchell.” / Photo courtesy, Chautauqua Playhouse

Originally formed in 1975, the 95-seat Chautauqua Playhouse is currently housed inside the La Sierra Community Center in Carmichael. Harrison said the Playhouse specializes in “putting on quality shows that are reasonable in price for the average patron.” Each season includes five shows, which are a mix of comedies, dramas and an occasional musical. Additionally, each year the Playhouse produces “Scrooge” during the holiday season, as well as a summer show.

Harrison said they try to get a mix of different types of shows each season to meet all tastes.

“Our general audience is mostly an older audience, but they also bring their families so we like to do shows that are family-oriented, that you can basically bring the kids to if you wanted to,” he explained. He added that, periodically, the Playhouse will do an original show, giving the local playwrights a chance to have their works produced.

The 2011-2012 season will conclude with “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which will run from May 4 to June 10. That will be followed by their summer show, “Arsenic and Old Lace,” from June 22 to July 22.

For the kids

In addition to its regular season, the Chautauqua Playhouse also features a Children’s Theatre program with productions on Saturday afternoons. The 2011-2012 Children’s Theatre series will end with a production of “The Prince and the Pauper” from May 12 to May 26.

Harrison said the Children’s Theatre gives young theater-goers an introduction to live theater, such as interaction with the actors on stage.

“It also gives the children an opportunity to learn how to behave and react in a theatrical setting as far as what’s acceptable, what’s not acceptable, how to sit and give your attention to a show, how to show your appreciation to the actors with laughter and applause,” he added.

Harrison said children also get an opportunity after the shows to meet the actors and have autographs signed and have pictures taken with them, “so they take away an extra little memento of their day.”

Learning the craft

For kids that foster an early love for the theater and want to try their hand on the stage themselves, Chautauqua Playhouse offers the Chautauqua School of the Performing Arts with classes in voice, acting and dance for ages six to 13.

A CHRISTMAS TRADITION, “Scrooge” is produced by the Chautauqua Playhouse every holiday season, much to the delight of audiences. / Photo courtesy, Chautauqua Playhouse

The Performing Arts school is gearing up for its summer workshops, which Harrison said this year will include five weeks of morning sessions from 9 a.m. to about noon four days a week, beginning in late June. For the first time this year, the summer session will conclude with a production by attendees of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Harrison said theater education can give a number of benefits to kids.

“Theater is a very disciplined and very focused art, so they learn how to discipline themselves and they learn about memorization,” he explained. “It very much socializes them because the children work on-stage as an ensemble, so it teaches them to help each other out while they’re performing. I think it helps them achieve poise in front of other people and in front of an audience. But if really helps them focus on a single activity.”

V is for volunteering

As a nonprofit organization, Chautauqua Playhouse is always looking for volunteers both on and off the stage.

On the stage, each year in late May or early June, a general audition is held for those interested in trying out for acting parts in the upcoming season. The general audition allows the directors to see the actors available and make call backs as they get closer to production dates.

The Playhouse brings in volunteer actors from all over Sacramento and even beyond.

“Last year we did a show and we had three cast members from Nevada City/Grass Valley area, which was quite a drive for them but they felt it was worth it to do that,” Harrison said. “Sometimes we get people from closer to the Bay Area. We get people from Davis quite often, people from Vacaville even. Actors will go where the parts are, basically.”

Or if you’d prefer to volunteer off-stage, the Playhouse is always in need of volunteers to do “just about everything” from ushering to working the technical side of their shows, such as lighting, sound and costumes. Additionally, the Playhouse is always looking for donations of items they can use on stage, such as costume pieces, vintage jewelry, furniture, and paint.

Giving support

Overall, Harrison asks the community for their continued support by coming to their productions and spreading the word to others.

“We are so thankful and grateful to still be able to serve Sacramento and Carmichael in particular with our theater,” he said. “So many theaters are going under – we have seen several good theater groups go under because of financial difficulties because of the economy. We consider ourselves very fortunate that we have such support in the community.”

For more information on the Chautauqua Playhouse and to purchase tickets for upcoming shows, visit www.cplayhouse.org.

corrie@valcomnews.com

This year, 13 million American kids will be bullied, and three million students will be absent because they feel unsafe at school.

BULLY is a newly-released film that shows the impact bullying has on American school children. The film follows the lives of five students over the course of a year. / Photo copyright, The Weinstein Company. All rights reserved

These two facts were taken from the official website for the documentary “Bully,” which will be opening at the Tower Theater in Land Park on April 13.

The movie shows the impact bullying can have by following the lives of five children from different areas of the United States and how the bullying they are enduring has affected them and their families. The documentary was filmed over the course of the 2009-2010 school year.

Mike Oliver, owner and lead instructor of Zen Martial Arts Center at the Coloma Community Center in East Sacramento, has been following the news about “Bully” since he first heard the documentary was being made. He plans to view it and take some of his students with him.

That’s because Oliver teaches “verbal judo” to both kids and adults as a tactic to combat bullies without resorting to violence. He says it’s the same type of system taught to law enforcement officials to deal with criminals in a non-violent way.

“We’ve adapted those same principles that they use, but teaching it to kids so they can use the same skills, the same techniques to deal with bullies on the playground or school,” he explains.

Oliver feels the movie will have a big impact on those that see it because the film shows the personal side of bullying.

“You’re going to actually see and meet the kids and learn about them and see the things that are happening,” he explains.

Another supporter of “Bully” is Carmichael resident Lisa Ford-Berry, founder of BRAVE (Bullies Really Are Violating Everyone) Society. Ford-Berry founded BRAVE Society after her son, Michael, took his own life in 2008 and she found out he had been the victim of bullying at school.

Ford-Berry says BRAVE Society was asked to partner with the movie’s production studio, The Weinstein Company, to help promote “Bully” in Sacramento. Ford-Berry also urges people to see the movie and she hopes the movie will “shock the daylights” out of people.

“Something has got to be shocking enough that you look around and think, ‘My goodness, these are normal, average families that this is happening to,’ and parents need to be fearful,” she says. “I’m hoping that this movie opens it, blows the doors off of everything and gets the conversations where they need to be.”

For more information on “Bully,” visit www.thebullyproject.com.

Three tips for bullying victims

Mike Oliver, owner and lead instructor of Zen Martial Arts Center in East Sacramento, offers three tips for kids if they are being bullied.

Document it

Oliver says write down the date, the time, and people involved so there is a record of what happened.

Report it

Kids need to report what happened to somebody in charge, such as a parent or teacher, Oliver says.

Ask for help

Oliver says many kids never tell anyone they are being bullied, which can lead to dire consequences.

“I always encourage kids and families to talk to somebody about it so they can at least get a sympathetic ear or maybe get some help to learn how to deal with it,” he adds.

“A dynamically gifted person.” “She’s been my mentor for 10 years.” “An impressive lady.” “A remarkable woman.” “Kay is St. Francis.”

These are just a few of the myriad of comments by staff and alumni of St. Francis High School about Kay Gaines, who will be retiring from the school after 43 years on March 31.

“I think it’s a good time to retire – I have my health, I have my energy, so I want to move while I can still re-engage,” Gaines said about her upcoming retirement and move to Lewiston, Idaho at the end of March so she can be closer to her sister’s family, as well as her two grown sons and two 3½ year old granddaughters currently living in Colorado.

“It will be very difficult to leave my life-long friends in Sacramento, but I’ll carry wonderful memories with me,” Gaines said in a letter emailed out to St. Francis High School supporters in February. “I have good health, lots of energy and a loving family, so I’m very fortunate.”

Where it all Began

Gaines began her St. Francis High School career at literally the very beginning of 1969 – she came in to interview for a part-time social studies teacher position on Jan. 2 and started the very next day. Gaines worked part-time from 1969 to 1973, then became full-time from 1974 to 1984, and later the Social Studies Department chair from the mid-70s until 1985.

Rosemarie Bertini, a 1972 graduate of St. Francis who came back in 1997 to become an Italian instructor for the school, recalls Gaines’ reputation as teaching difficult, serious classes.

“When you’re a kid at that age, you’re just going to do anything you can to not put yourself in that position, but when we got to senior year there was no way around it – Civics was Mrs. Gaines,” Bertini said. “And I just thought, ‘Am I going to live to see the end,’ because I knew it was a lot of work!”

Reflecting on her student experience, Bertini said that although at a young age taking a class from Gaines might have been something a student would want to avoid, Gaines knew it was something her students could do. And Gaines would do what she could to keep them on track.

“In the end we were so full of accomplishment – when you left that class, you’d truly learned something and in addition you had this confidence in it,” Bertini added.

Gaines herself admits she was a really tough teacher.

“I think that students can reach very high levels if you ask them to – they can learn skills, improve their own academic knowledge,” she added. “We did a lot of writing in my history classes because that skill you’ll take with you for the rest of your life.”

St. Francis Theology Department Chair Rick Norman recalls beginning his own career at the school in 1977 when Gaines was the chair of the Social Studies Department. He said her long career has allowed her to have a real grasp of the history and vision of St. Francis as she’s managed of number of transitions the school has gone through, from changes in campus location, buildings, administration and enrollment.

“She’s had to weather all the transitions and she’s been just incredibly graceful at guiding that school academically and administratively, and supporting just so many programs at the school,” Norman said.

Also during her time as a teacher, Gaines taught the first advanced placement (AP) U.S. history course St. Francis, which is a course high school students can take for college credit. According to St. Francis AP Literature teacher Rich Weldon, the AP program Gaines started then has grown. He said of the two English AP courses the school offers, over 100 students take the junior year course, while between 60 to 80 students take the senior year course.

“The AP programs, not just in English but in other departments, have really flourished under her because she just believes they could do it and it didn’t matter if it was math or chemistry – it was kind of like move over boys, here come the girls,” Weldon said.

Nora Wehrenberg Anderson, 1983 alumna, recalls her first interaction with Gaines in August 1981 in her AP U.S. history class.

“Lucky for me, I learned so much more,” she said in a note she recently wrote to Gaines to wish her well on her retirement. “I learned how to think critically, to write well, and about how positive role models are all around us – people like you!”

Leaving a Legacy

Gaines continued to support the AP program at St. Francis as she made the move to assistant principal in 1985, followed by becoming principal in 1998. Gaines then decided to retire from the principal position in 2004 to take on her current role as director of special projects.

Gaines said her current role is a “catch-all” phrase that covers a wide variety of unrelated things, a good portion of which are connected to the school’s academic teams, many of which Gaines started during her career, including the Mock Trial, Model United Nations, and Academic Decathlon, and others she also coached, such as the school’s Robotics Team.

St. Francis Director of Admission Moira O’Brien said Gaines is the reason why they have academic teams at the school. Although Gaines ran them herself for a while, she then found staff to take on each team and stick with them.

“We were the first all-girl school to ever go to the national championship in robotics, our speech team wins so many prizes,” O’Brien explained. “It’s all Kay’s energy, she built them, and they are so successful and the girls love it.”

And Norman said the building of these academic teams is what is bringing students to St. Francis today.

“For the first time we interviewed the incoming freshmen – many students now are coming to the school for academic teams,” he said. “She was the one that really got all that rolling.”

For 2010 graduate Amy Bush, being part of the St. Francis Debate Team is what she recalls most from her time at the school.

“Participating in debate meant a lot to me because I had spent eight years in speech therapy prior to coming to St. Francis,” she recalled in a written note to Gaines. “To have St. Francis welcome me and make me feel that they were proud of me is something that has inspired me beyond measure, and still continues to.”

Another program Gaines began and currently oversees is an exchange program with a sister school in Japan. The program with Nakamura Gakuen Girls High School in Fukuoka, Japan has been ongoing for 15 years now.

St. Francis 2001 graduate Jayme Hennessy recalls the exchange program and the impact it had on her education.

“That was really neat because we were able to experience a global perspective with girls our own age from another country,” she recalled. “That was really something I remember a lot – especially as a high school student, it was pretty great.”

Saying Goodbye

With the eve of her retirement upon her, Gaines reflects back on her experience at St. Francis and a comment a colleague she had taught with for 35 years said to her one morning that while driving to school one morning, he realized he had never gone to work a day in his life.

“And I said, ‘Yup, I feel exactly the same’,” Gaines recalled. “I’ve never gone to work a day in my life. In 43 years I just came to play, and I think a lot of people here feel that way. We work really hard, we work really long hours because we wear so many hats, but it’s just such a rewarding experience.”

That constant drive has Gaines already making plans for her retirement, including involvement with the church, League of Women Voters, and schools in the area, as well as taking technology courses at the local community college.

“I don’t intend to sit,” she laughed.

When asked what she has learned the most from her experience at St. Francis, Gaines said one thing was that she grew in her own faith as a Catholic, which has become an integral part of who she is. And she also learned respect.

“Respect for my colleagues, respect for the kids and their parents,” she added.

Gaines said what she will miss the most is the community.

“This is truly a family, truly a community – people really do care about each other,” she said. “I will miss living in a truly faith-based community where it just happens so naturally and people just celebrate together and pray together.”

And her parting words for her St. Francis family? Be creative, be adventurous, and love each other.

“I’ve just had the best career that I could ever possibly have desired and in the best place,” Gaines said. “I’ve been blessed for sure.”

The funeral home, Lind Brothers Mortuary, has built a strong tradition in Carmichael, having been founded in 1964.

Located at 4221 Manzanita Ave., near Lincoln and Cypress avenues, the business, which was originally known only as Carmichael Oaks Chapel, was established by brothers Verne Lind, who was a funeral director, and Carrol Lind, who was a carpenter.

Rural geography

FAMILY OWNED. Chris Meyer has owned the longtime Carmichael business Lind Brothers Mortuary with his wife, Angela, since 2005. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

It was Verne’s idea to open a funeral home outside of Sacramento, which already had many such businesses.

And he did so with his anticipation of urban sprawl in the area.

The Lind brothers had the business’s current large building constructed in 1963 on property located outside of the residential section of Carmichael.

A 1960s aerial photograph on display at the business shows that the site originally sat in a fairly rural area.

The old, black and white photograph shows very few surrounding structures, compared to how the area appears today.

Collegial nod

An example of Lind Brothers’ longevity in the community can be found in the history of the J. Morris Company mortuary service, which was founded in Sacramento in 1971.

Included in the company’s history are the following words: “(J. Morris’ original owners, John Morris and Jim Frisvold) began with a motorcycle escort service under the advice of Mr. Vern (sic) Lind of Lind Bros. Mortuary in Carmichael, CA. They purchased a 1961 Chevy Impala station wagon, their first removal car, and began making removals for the Sacramento area funeral homes.”

Tribute

Although the Lind family is no longer associated with the funeral home, the business continues to use the Lind name as a tribute to its original owners.

In 1997, Verne and his wife, Rosalind “Rosie,” sold the funeral home to Donn Donahue, who established a mortuary in Lodi, and Albert Murray, who opened a mortuary in Grass Valley.

Continuing as a family-owned business, Lind Brothers was purchased from Donahue and Murray by current owners Chris and Angela Meyer in 2005.

Community-minded owners

LIND BROTHERS MORTUARY has been serving the community at 4221 Manzanita Ave. since 1964. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Last week, Chris sat down at Lind Brothers to discuss details regarding this longtime Carmichael business.

For many people in the community, Chris needs little introduction, considering that he serves as the current president of the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Carmichael, the Fair Oaks Boulevard redevelopment committee and the St. Michael’s Episcopal Day School finance committee.

As a very community-minded person, Chris emphasized that his operation of Lind Brothers is one more way he can provide service to the community.

“(As a family-owned business, Lind Brothers) is not reporting to shareholders and we’re part of the community,” Chris said. “For us, that’s really our calling card that we’re here, we’re active in the community, we live right here. I live around the corner in Arden-Arcade.”

Caring, compassion

Chris added that he believes that many locals appreciate the fact that he is active in the community. He also noted that he enjoys providing service for local Kiwanis members and their families.

“The biggest rewards for me have been helping my Kiwanis family,” Chris said. “We just had a really dear, dear friend of ours, Jim Bortolatto (who was, in part, known for his association with the Carmichael Kiwanis Band), pass. I actually got a call on Christmas morning saying he had just passed, so I went with one of my co-workers to see (his widow). She was just so appreciative it was me who was coming, not someone else. That’s happened a bunch of times and people appreciate that I come out myself. I think that’s part of being a small firm, as well. I can go out and do these things. We’re small and we do everything ourselves.”

Family guy

Those who know Chris the best know that he is very much a “family man.”

Chris and Angela, who is a licensed funeral director, have three sons, Hudson, 8, Brock, 5, and Mack, 2.

When asked about his love for his sons, Chris said, “They’re the love of my life. They’re the reason I do all this.”

Chris said that his sons are constantly busy with baseball, basketball and soccer games.

Currently Chris is the coach of Brock’s basketball team, which at the time of Chris’ interview had a 6-1 win-loss record.

Career changes

RURAL BEGINNINGS. Lind Brothers Mortuary is highlighted by a shaded-in square in this 1960s aerial photograph. / Photo courtesy, Lind Brothers Mortuary

Although Chris has established a solid career at Lind Brothers Mortuary, he said that working in the mortuary industry was never something he had previously considered.

Chris grew up in the town of Pleasantville, N.Y., which has the notoriety of being the original home of Reader’s Digest.

He attended college at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. and later attended Vermont Law School, where he earned a master’s degree in environmental law.

He later passed the New York bar, thus becoming a New York attorney.

Film career

Meanwhile, Chris wrote, produced and directed a low budget movie and attended many film festivals. He was also written about in Variety magazine and was flown to Italy for the Rome Film Festival.

Chris’ film, Black is White, was a race relations drama in which the black actors played the white people and the white actors played the black people.

After returning from Italy, Chris said that he decided to follow his dream to become a successful screenplay writer.

But after spending 11 years working as an aspiring writer in Los Angeles, Chris, who had met Angela in the “City of Angels,” decided to relocate to the Sacramento area.

Looking for solid career

“We got married and had our first son, Hudson, down there and (Angela) was working in public relations and we were just like, ‘We’ve got to get out of Los Angeles, if we’re going to raise a family,’” Chris recalled. “We were looking for things and a friend of the family (Brian Hood, who worked at Mount Vernon Mortuary in Fair Oaks) was a mortician and he got me into the business. He kind of said, ‘This is a great business, it’s just very solid (and) it’s going to be a very steady sort of career.’ And that’s what we were looking for.”

And with a smile on his face, Chris said that he is very content with the decision that he made to move to the area and offer the community quality service through the longtime local business, Lind Brothers Mortuary.

Community resource

“I always say, ‘There a lot of mortuaries around and I think all of them are good,’” Chris said. “We are family owned and I’m in the community. You know me sort of as a friend out there, hopefully. That’s why we want people to come (to Lind Brothers). But we’re really here for advice, also, or if people want to go somewhere else, we try to help them along. We try to deemphasize the competition aspect of it all, although it is a very competitive industry. We just really want to be there as a resource in the community and to be helping the community when you need it.”

Among the longtime businesses of Carmichael is Cake Castle, a business that has been in operation since 1969.

THREE GENERATIONS of the family-owned business, Cake Castle Bakery and Supplies, are (left to right): Julie (Ogg) Wong, Barbara Ogg and Makaela Mendler. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

The business is known for offering a wide range of cake-making products from cake pans and tools such as spatulas, tips and bags to cake filling and frosting. Candy-making supplies such as chocolate, candy sticks, molds and packaging are also available.

Furthermore, Cake Castle’s south Sacramento location offers similar items, as well as a bakery, where the public can purchase fresh cakes, pastries and other sweets.

However, Cake Castle bakery items can be ordered through the Carmichael store, which is located at 7907 Fair Oaks Blvd., between California and San Juan avenues.

The business’s large size and plentiful inventory is evident through the many Cake Castle customers who commute long distances to make purchases at either the Carmichael store or the south Sacramento store.

Recipe for survival

While most other businesses that were established during the era that Cake Castle was founded are no longer in operation today, the business has managed to survive through a recipe of offering many consistent and quality products and placing an emphasis on first-class customer service.

Cake Castle did not originally include a bakery, as it was instead founded solely as a cake decorating supply store. The store’s original owner was Betty May.

MAKAELA MENDLER places icing on freshly made muffins at Cake Castle Bakery and Supplies. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

A year later, May sold the supply store to Jeanette “Jeri” Upchurch, who opened the Cake Castle bakery in about 1971.

The cake decorating supply store was originally located at 4020A California Ave. and the bakery was first opened only a storefront away in the same building.

Sometime in the early 1970s, a second Cake Castle supply store was opened at Lemon Hill and 47th avenues, near Sacramento Memorial Lawn and Home of Peace cemeteries. This store was also owned by Upchurch.

Although she had no idea at the time, Upchurch hired one of the business’s most important employees, current Cake Castle co-owner Barbara Ogg, to work the counter in her supply store in 1974.

Two years later, Barbara was in negotiations to purchase the Lemon Hill store, which was instead purchased by Judy Lynn Mason.

The Cake Box

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS. Cashier Courtney Kingston assists Cake Castle customer Diana Cline. Cline said that she enjoys shopping at the store because it offers “everything I need.” / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Barbara continued to work at the Lemon Hill store under Mason’s ownership for about three months. But her desire to operate her own business led to her establishment of a bakery known as The Cake Box at 6452 Stockton Blvd.

This short-lived business served as a sort of additional training ground for Barbara’s later ownership of Cake Castle.

Barbara said that her interest in the retail bakery and supplies industry began through Southgate Recreation and Park District-sponsored cake decorating classes that she took in about 1973 from an instructor, who Barbara remembers only as Billie.

In about 1977, Phyllis Lawson, who was serving as Cake Castle bakery’s manager, purchased the bakery from Upchurch.

Barbara and her husband Ron became the new owners of Cake Castle bakery on Dec. 1, 1979. The supply store was sold to Donna Graham a year later.

After the Oggs’ business acquisition, Barbara was still the proprietor of The Cake Box. She maintained ownership of The Cake Box until 1982, at which time she decided to merge her businesses.

It was also at this time that Cake Castle began its longtime operation at 7601C Stockton Blvd.

Cake Castle’s then-separately-owned bakery and supply stores on California Avenue relocated to 6241 Fair Oaks Blvd. in 1983.

With Graham’s liquidation of her supply store in 1989, Barbara and Ron added cake decorating supplies to their bakery on Fair Oaks Blvd.

Cake Castle’s Carmichael store returned to its original area in about 2000, when it was relocated to its current 7907 Fair Oaks Blvd. site.

The business’s other current store has been located at 5601 66th Ave., Unit C since about 2001.

At the time that the Oggs began their ownership of Cake Castle, the business had about 12 employees, including Nancy Breaks, Carol Heiser and Doris Miller.

In the black

Barbara said that one of her most exciting times during her ownership of Cake Castle was the moment when the business was no longer in the red.

“What was really exciting was when we had paid all the bills and our profit was a dollar,” Barbara said. “I mean, that was a long time coming. We paid everything. All of our rent was paid, our electricity and everything, so we were not in the hole, so to speak. It took probably a couple of years (to reach that financial accomplishment).”

Julie (Ogg) Wong, who manages the south Sacramento store, said that the industry has changed since her family began operating Cake Castle. And as a result, she added that the business has adapted with these changes.

Cake evolution

CHECK HERE FIRST. Cake Castle Bakery and Supplies offers a wide variety of items at both its Carmichael and south Sacramento locations. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

“The pricing of cakes were a lot less back then (in the early years of the Oggs’ ownership of Cake Castle),” Julie said. “And the way that (cakes) are decorated, for instance, like (for) weddings (is different). Back then it was just butter cream. You may have had just a few different designs, more of the traditional look, whereas today you have a lot more of the TV shows – ‘Cake Boss,’ ‘Ace of Cakes.’ They want all of the fondant work, the rolled fondant.”

Three generations

As a family business, Julie’s father Ron and her brother, Brian, also play important roles working at Cake Castle’s Carmichael store.

A third generation of the family, Julie’s daughter Makaela Mendler, also works for the company.

Barbara has come full circle in her business life, considering that her career began through cake decorating classes and she now teaches cake decorating classes with Julie at the south Sacramento store.

Cake decorating classes are also taught at the Carmichael store by Cathy Bianchi.

Both Cake Castle locations are open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For additional information regarding Cake Castle’s offerings, including its cake decorating classes, call (916) 944-5055 (Carmichael store) or (916) 394-4040 (south Sacramento store) or visit the Web site www.cakecastlebakery.com.

One thing that the unusually balmy winter weather has afforded the people of Sacramento County is more chances to get outside and have fun. At the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, a staple of promoting outside activities and education, people can come and learn about the animals, trees and insects that call our region home.

LOOK! UP IN THE SKY! Children gaze into the trees at Carmichael’s Effie Yeaw Nature Center to get a look at one of the many species of birds that live in the area. / Photo courtesy, Betty Cooper

The center has free weekend programs for anyone looking to learn more about the native creatures. The programs have been run at the center for many years, according to Effie Yeaw Development Director Betty Cooper. She said that the programs “let people know that we’re still here.”

Wide variety of programs

Depending on what the particular week’s program is, they can take place either inside or outside in the form of guided nature walks. Experts from different fields are often guests who teach those in attendance about a wide range of topics. Cooper said that the programs are usually attended by 30 to 40 people and last anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes.

Past programs have included how animals find their food, what they eat and where the animals can be found. At times, animals are brought in to show those in attendance. Sometimes, young and old alike are even permitted to touch the animals under supervision of the experts.

During this time of year, Cooper explained that the nature walks can include the sightings of bucks that still have their antlers, turkeys, coyotes, all manner of birds in trees and tracks or other signs that a certain type of animal has recently been around.

Popular and ongoing

Some of the most popular programs include the bird programs, the owl program and the “Things That Slither” program about reptiles and amphibians. Since these are generally well-received by the audiences, they are brought back on a regular basis for a new group of people to enjoy. Said Cooper, “kids like snakes if they aren’t told to hate them.”

Many visitors to the center over the years have come to know the owl that roams the premises and acts as an “educational ambassador.” The current ambassador is a Great Horned Owl named Echo, whom Cooper calls a visitor favorite.

Upcoming attractions

On Friday, Feb. 17, Effie Yeaw will welcome Art Shapiro of Art’s Butterfly World in the center’s ongoing “The Nature of Things” speaker series. According to the Effie Yeaw website (www.sacnaturecenter.net), Shapiro has catalogued 159 species of butterfly species and subspecies. The event takes place from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. and costs $5 per person. Space is limited, so get tickets soon by calling (916) 489-4918.

Shapiro’s demonstration is the second in a series of six such events scheduled to take place through June. In January, Effie Yeaw welcomed Mike Cardwell for a demonstration called “Venomous Bites and Stings.” The events from March-June include Connie Wade with “Preserving our Oak Woodlands;” Cheryl Buckwalter with “Eco-Landscaping/Water Efficiency;” Lewis Kemper with “Outdoor Photography;” and Kate Marden with “Falconry – The Sport of Kings.” All events are $5 per person and space is limited.

Also currently on hand at the center is an interactive exhibit called “Wild About Wetlands,” which includes hands-on activities, educational games as well as photos and art. The Effie Yeaw website  describes the Central Valley as having “different types of wetlands, including marshes, ponds, edges of creeks and rivers, and vernal pools. These areas are some of the most biologically productive environments on the planet, comparable to tropical rainforests.”

Here is the slate of programs coming up in February:

Saturday, Feb. 18 – The Great Backyard Bird Count – 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19 – Birds of the River – 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 25 – Let’s Draw a Cougar (no live cougars present; people can try their hand at sketching the center’s mountain lion taxidermy display) – 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, Feb. 26 – Hawks and Falcons (the center’s hawk Skye and kestrel Rocky will be on hand for all to see) – 1:30 p.m.

Effie Yeaw is located along the American River inside the Ancil Hoffman County Park at California Ave. and Tarshes Dr. in Carmichael. Park entrance fee is $5 per car. Family memberships are available for $40 which includes free parking for a year. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. There is no charge to enter the center itself, but donations are always welcomed at the door.

The Carmichael Chamber of Commerce has experienced high and low points since its establishment 46 years ago. Among its high points was the hiring of Linda Melody.

LINDA MELODY has experienced much success as the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce’s executive consultant. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance

Linda, who has served as the chamber’s executive consultant since December 2009, said that she began working for the chamber at one of its lowest points after its then-president and Arden area resident Trish Harrington, who owned A Leap Ahead Information Technology, was contemplating the possibility of discontinuing the chamber’s operation.

A chamber in trouble

“The president at the time wanted to close the chamber,” Linda said. “She said, ‘I just don’t know what we’re going to do.’” And I said, ‘You can’t (close the chamber). You’ve got these great businesses and your role in the community.’ And she said, ‘Well what are we going to do?’ And I said, ‘What if I agreed to come and help part time?’ And that’s what I did.

“When I came in, (the chamber was) broke, they had lost a lot of their memberships, they had few activities and they just really needed to be revived and that was my goal. (Improving the chamber’s status) was a team effort. At that time, we had like five board members. We now have 11 board members, which is a full compliment. We have added many, many new programs and activities, more opportunities for our businesses to advertise, more exposure for them. We’re getting more involved in all the community stuff that’s going on. So, how people view the chamber has really changed (during the past two years) and that’s important.”

Chamber turned around

When asked about Linda’s contributions to the chamber, Harrington was quick to praise her accomplishments.

“She saved the chamber, basically,” Harrington said. “I solicited her. I knew she could help us. She’s been incredible. I don’t know how she did it, but she was open to innovative ideas and came up with some (ideas) herself and implemented them. She didn’t need a lot of supervision and she was self starting. She just took it and flew with it. We started a constant contact account and started doing our newsletters via e-mail, instead of having them printed and having to take them to the post office. It not only saved a lot of expense, but a lot of time. (Linda) has worked diligently with boundless energy. (The chamber) was terribly disorganized and she brought organization and made some real cost effective changes and even made it look better, as she followed up on remodeling it. She’s marvelous.”

Linda said that the chamber, which is presently led by its president, Chris Meyer, has become more “cutting edge,” as opposed to its former reputation as the “old folks’ chamber.”

But to avoid a misunderstanding, Linda said, “We love our senior citizens.”

A chamber for all

Linda explained that a unique aspect of the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce is that it is one of the few chambers that include both business and residential members.

“We feel (residential members) are important to the community,” Linda said. “A lot of (the older residents), they don’t work, so they’re able to volunteer more time and they’re very loyal to the chamber. It’s a good balance of residential and business members. We focus a lot of our programs to our businesses, because after all, we are a chamber of commerce. But the two can work together.”

Linda said that she is excited about the current status of the chamber, since during the recession the chamber had lost about 20 percent of its businesses.

“My joy is to see the chamber be on solid financial footing, see our members growing and even the membership retention,” Linda said. “We want to grow the chamber even more. We’ve added a lot of events that we didn’t have before.”

Community events

LOCAL GIRL. Linda Melody, who recently attended the 40th reunion of Mira Loma High School’s Class of 1971, has spent about 80 percent of her life residing in the Carmichael area. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Lance Armstrong

Among these events is the chamber’s “Shred Days,” which will also include opportunities to properly dispose of e-waste and automobile batteries. This year, the event will be held in the parking lot of the La Sierra Community Center at 5325 Engle Road on June 16.

Another recently established event is Carmichael Day at a Sacramento River Cats’ game at Raley Field.

Last year, the River Cats held a competition between different chambers, in which the chamber that sold the most tickets won a suite for a separate River Cats game. The Carmichael chamber won the competition by selling 250 tickets.

In a joint event with BeMoneySmartUSA, which operates the farmers’ market at Carmichael Park, the chamber will host a fundraising night at the Sacramento Kings-Oklahoma City Thunder game at Power Balance Pavilion on April 20.

The chamber has also added Person of the Year, Business Person of the Year, Veteran of the Year and Patriot of the Year events.

Most recently, radio and television personality Kitty O’Neal was named Person of the Year, Jim Warrick and his mother Lola were the Patriots of the Year and Earl “Ranger Jack” Koobs was named Veteran of the Year.

Orientation Coffees

Last year, Linda implemented the chamber’s “Orientation Coffees” gatherings, in which people are introduced to the chamber and given a presentation of how it works and how to take advantage of certain opportunities that assist local businesses and organizations.

Chamber sponsorships were also introduced during Linda’s time with the chamber.

Linda said that the chamber appreciates the work of District 3 Supervisor Susan Peters, who has contributed toward the success of the chamber, and Carmichael’s honorary mayor, Esteban Nava, who Linda describes as “a real go-getter who is not just excited about the chamber, but the entire community of Carmichael.”

Local girl

Linda expressed her own love for Carmichael and said that part of this love derives from the fact that she has spent about 80 percent of her life residing in the Carmichael area.

After being born at Mercy Hospital at 4001 J St. in East Sacramento, Linda grew up in the Carmichael area with her father and mother, Vahey and Nellie Jenanyan, her sisters, Charmain Jenanyan (now Ferguson) and Cheryl Jenanyan, and her brother, Ron Jenanyan.

Linda’s father died in 1978 and was survived by Nellie until she passed away last year.

After graduating from Mira Loma High School in 1971, Linda attended American River College, where she was a writer for the school’s newspaper, and San Jose State University.

Linda initially planned to become an English teacher. Her love for radio broadcasting, however, took her to assignments in radio in Sacramento for KNDE 1470 AM and for a Christian radio station, and for radio stations in San Francisco, San Diego, Long Beach, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Iowa.

Linda said that she also served as a tour guide at The Sacramento Bee for about eight months in about 1975.

“There would be school groups (on field trips) and things that came through (The Bee’s headquarters at 2100 Q St.) and we would show them how the newspaper presses ran and all about the history of The Sacramento Bee,” Linda said.

Linda worked in the development department of Victory Christian Schools at 3045 Garfield Ave. in Carmichael, handling fundraising from 2001 to 2008.

In addition to her work with the chamber, Linda, who has a husband named Michael and a 24-year-old daughter named Rebecca, enjoys cooking, following politics and watching Sacramento Kings games.

As Carmichael approaches its 103rd anniversary, its chamber of commerce, with the assistance of Linda Melody, appears to have a bright future in the community.

lance@valcomnews.com

Ah, chocolate. If ever there was a food with magical powers, this would be it. It has the ability to turn any frown upside down. And it’s a treat enjoyed by everyone – male or female, young or old, rich or poor.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE from Vic’s Ice Cream in Sacramento’s Land Park is a classic treat for Valentine’s Day. It features a chocolate cookie crust, Vic’s signature chocolate mousse ice cream, fudge and it’s topped by chocolate whipped cream and chocolate flakes. / Photo courtesy

Chocolate has a very rich history. According to Wikipedia, a form of drinking chocolate can be traced all the way back to 1900 BC. Chocolate was used in the religious rituals of the Mayans and Aztecs, leading eventually to European explorers being introduced to the substance. From there the production of what we know as chocolate did not evolve until the 18th century, thanks to the Industrial Revolution and machinery that began producing large quantities of chocolate treats.

In the US, chocolate is purchased by 97.3 percent of households and chocolate candy sales totaled about $7.5 billion in 2009, according to Nielsen. Of those sales, about $345 million occur during the week of Valentine’s Day, with consumers purchasing more than 58 million pounds of chocolate candies, Nielsen adds.

Sweet Sacramento

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it is fortunate that there are quite a few options in our community to pick up the perfect chocolate sweet for your Valentine.

For example, Midtown’s Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates will be offering a decorated heart-shaped box made of chocolate that is then filled with “chocolate pearls” and their signature truffles.

“We specialize in a French style truffle. It’s a cut truffle, called bon bon,” explains owner Ginger Elizabeth Hahn. She adds the shop will also be offering a special Valentine’s Cake featuring rum-soaked banana cake layered with banana Bavarian cream and crunchy chocolate pearls, all wrapped in bittersweet chocolate mousse. Hahn says pre-ordering is a must for these items.

In the Arden area, Capital Confections will be offering chocolate-dipped strawberries both the day before and on Valentine’s Day, as well as their 24 flavors of handmade truffles packaged in handmade boxes made from mulberry paper.

Looking for a unique gift?

“One of the fun things we do for Valentine’s Day is our handcuffs and I have little printed ribbons on the handcuffs that say ‘Prisoner of Love’ and it’s very cute,” suggests owner Teresa Higgins.

Additionally the shop can make your Valentine a special chocolate from one of the 700 chocolate molds they have in stock. Higgins suggests placing Valentine’s Day orders at least a week in advance, including for the strawberries.

Cool treats

CHOCOLATE DECADENCE CAKE, served warm with a chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries, will headline the menu on Valentine’s Day at the Pocket Bistro. Lucky couples will have reservations. / Photo courtesy

If it’s chocolate ice cream that your love craves, Vic’s Ice Cream in Land Park has you covered with its chocolate mousse pie.

“It has a chocolate cookie crust, chocolate mousse ice cream – which we make here – fudge on top, chocolate whipped cream, and then chocolate flakes on top of that,” details Craig Rutledge, president of Vic’s Ice Cream. Rutledge says Vic’s can also create bon bons, which are hand-scoops of ice cream dipped in Guittard chocolate, or create a “party cake” with 10 scoops of any ice cream they have available. And he said the shop is getting ready to bring back its famed Jik Jak flavor – a light chocolate with cinnamon, malt, almonds and fudge ripple. Rutledge advises placing orders at least a week before Valentine’s Day.

Dine out

Over in the Pocket area, no dinner is complete without dessert. The Pocket Bistro has this covered with a special cake they will be serving only on Valentine’s Day, according to chef and owner Edmund Abay.

“We’ll be doing a chocolate decadence cake that’s going to be stuffed with a chocolate ganache, warmed up, and served with fresh strawberries,” he says. Abay says the special dessert is house-made by their pastry chef and will feature semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate. For Valentine’s dinner, he suggests making reservations as soon as possible.

Make me melt

With the obvious chocolate infatuation most Americans have, what is it that draws us in? What is it about chocolate that makes it so hard to resist?

Hahn says it’s the color of chocolate that actually draws people to it subconsciously, the mouth-feel, and how it melts in your mouth.

“One of the biggest perks of chocolate is that if it’s a good quality one, it melts on the human palate perfectly,” she explains.

Abay believes people are drawn to chocolate for its richness as a comfort food.

“When people were growing up, as a child chocolate has always been there and I think when people order chocolate on the menu, it’s more a comforting thing,” he adds.

Happy memories

LOVELY IN ALL ITS FORMS, people all around the globe love chocolate. These cut truffles are a specialty of Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates in Midtown Sacramento. / Photo courtesy

Rutledge agrees, citing both nostalgia and comfort. In fact, he says Vic’s sells more chocolate ice cream flavors in the winter than any other season. And when it comes to chocolate ice cream, he says it’s also a texture thing.

“Since you already have a butter fat product with the dairy and if you’re adding the butter fat from the cocoa in there, it actually makes it a smoother, creamier product then if we just put like vanilla extract in it,” he says. “You’re getting a much smoother texture, so I think that drives people to like it.”

And when all of these elements are added together, it boils down to one thing for why people love chocolate so much, Higgins says.

“It’s a treat, it’s like a moment on vacation,” she said. “It’s like going and treating yourself to something small that makes you feel good.”