The skies over our White City store were buzzing, literally, as Nick Alexander Films and their drone was on site to help create our new Customer Service training video. This endeavor, which has been a development for over a year, brought together our excellent HR team along with Nick Alexander and his crew, and in total cast of about 30 Grange Co-op associates, extras, and actors. Grange Co-op has been known for their expertise in the various retail categories that we carry, and this video will "raise the expectation that we train our associates at a higher level."

After a particularly hot summer, the dramatic shift to cooler weather is a noticeable one. But this also brings awareness of need in our community. Grange Co-op is once again partnering with KDRV in their annual Coats for Kids campaign. All Oregon stores (Ashland, Medford, Central Point, Grants Pass, and Klamath Falls) will have collection bins available for new or gently used kid's coats. The campaign started September 26th and will run through Sunday, October 27th. Other drop-off locations can be found at kdrv.com/community/coats-for-kids.

As Grange Co-op continues to grow, so does the importance of connecting with our stores and communities through genuine appreciation and celebration. To this end, we host three company gatherings, bringing together employees and their families from Klamath Falls, Yuba City, and our Jackson and Josephine County locations for evenings filled with fun and connection. Kicking things off, employees met in Klamath Falls at the Moor Park Marina Pavilion, where Off the Bone BBQ catered a delicious meal. In Yuba City, nearly two-dozen employees, from our first store in California, and their families gathered at Franklin Hall in the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds, enjoying catering from a Yuba City favorite: Cool Lukes.

A few weeks later, employees from Jackson and Josephine County locations, including teams from Grants Pass, the Elevator and Agronomy, and stores in Ashland, Medford, Central Point, and White City, came together at Twin Creek Park for another BBQ, catered by Off the Bone BBQ. Each gathering was full of camaraderie and high spirits as employees and their families celebrated the end of another successful summer.

After a busy summer season, The Shasta County Cattleman and Cattlewomen's Associations kicked off their new year with a membership BBQ in the beautiful Anderson River Park. The latter is an integral affiliate of the SCCA, and both have operated in Northern California for many decades. Two Grange Co-op associates made the trip to meet these beef producers and longtime ranchers, who extended to us a warm and welcome invitation. Grange Co-op looks forward to serving their needs as prominent agriculturalists when we open our new Redding store in 2025!