It hardly seems possible that it is already Mid November--although we had a bit of rain and snow, unseasonably warm temperatures have kept us in a hazy autumn daze and the 10 day forecast isn't showing much to be happy about for a snowy ski and snowboard season! 

 

The lovely fall weather did allow me to participate in the very well attended Auburn Veterans Day Parade and Luncheon where I was proud to present a commendation to Commander Terry Crousen in honor of his work with the Auburn Area Honor Guard.  The Honor Guard has presented ceremonial honors to over 500 veterans in the greater Placer County area since it's inception and Terry and the other volunteers have provided great solace to the surviving family members of those who have served our Country.  As a Gold Star Family member myself, I give my sincere thanks to the Honor Guard for their great service.

 

I also recently attended the Passport to Dining event at the North Tahoe Events Center in Kings Beach.  This is a terrific event and fundraiser for the North Tahoe Business Association that highlights local restaurateurs and Placer County wineries in a truly convivial community atmosphere.  Just some of the participants were:  Bella Affaire, Cable Car Ice Cream, CB's Pizza, Fawnridge Winery, Jason's Beachside Grille, Lanza's Restaurant, Lone Buffalo Vineyards, Men Wielding Fire, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, The Soule Domaine, and Waterman's Landing among many others.  A very good time was had by all in support of our local North Tahoe Business Association!

 

This last weekend was the 20th Annual Mountain Mandarin Festival at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn.  Opening ceremonies were at 10:30 AM  on Friday at the Auburn Folsom entrance.  I hope you didn't miss this "only in Placer" event--our Mandarins taste better and are better for you than any others and are only available for a few brief months in the late Fall and early winter.  You do NOT want to miss out on these!  The Festival was incredibly well attended this year and many vendors sold out of product each day--way to go Placer Mandarin Growers!

 

That leads me to our upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and various community celebrations.  From Auburn to Kings Beach, the 5th District has an array of opportunities for us all to volunteer to help those less fortunate than ourselves while also celebrating the day with friends and family.  Since my husband will be on shift at the Fire Department that day, I'll be bringing some of those fantastic Placer Grown Mandarins to the North Tahoe Events Center for the North Tahoe Community Thanksgiving that benefits Project Mana. 

 

So if you are looking for new way to celebrate Thanksgiving, join me at the North Tahoe Event Center from 2-6:30pm on Thanksgiving day. All you need to bring is a small donation of one new unwrapped toy, one or more cans of food to benefit Project MANA, a donation of $2 or $5 per family, a potluck dish to share or volunteer your time to help with the event. Volunteer opportunities include cooking, decorating, set-up, cleanup, and during the event. For more information, contact Meera Beser at 775-230-1066 or TahoeCommunityThanksgiving@gmail.com.

 

And don't forget to shop local when you start your holiday shopping.  We have Small Business Saturday coming up on 11/30 and when you are looking for that perfect Christmas tree--"Chop Local"--we have many wonderful Christmas tree farms in Placer County were you can spend a day in the glorious smells of the piney woods with your family while supporting local farmers!

 

May the coming season bring you the blessings of warmth, food, friends and family--and as always, if Jocelyn, Steve or I can be of help, please let us know.

  

All My Best - Jennifer Montgomery