Thank you to readers and more
Who says nobody reads the newspaper? Judging by the response that I received after my last entry asking for people to submit ideas for women that we could feature in our special Veterans Day section, a lot of people are still reading the newspaper.
Huge, thank you to everyone who reached out to me with a suggestions. We have more than enough. And unfortunately, we won’t be able to get to everyone on the list this time around.
The response was not as good for the other two entries — selfies from local sporting events and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it was worth a shot. Who knows I may still get something.
Pink Rack Staying in the Breast Cancer Awareness realm, The Recorder has painted one of our newspaper racks pink and placed it outside the door of the Denny’s off of Highway 190, 360 W. Montgomery Ave., to be exact.
The proceeds from this pink rack will be donated to the Roger S. Good Cancer Treatment Center at Sierra View Medical Center. If this does well, we may keep it going throughout the year, but donate the money to a different cause. Celebrity Cookbook If you are attending the Chamber of Commerce Business Expo trade show and restuarant sampling from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today at the Porterville Fairgrounds be sure to stop by The Recorder’s booth and check out or local celebrity cookbook. We solicited recipes from local personalities such as City Manager John Lollis and his Bananas Foster recipe and Grandma’s Chocolate Cake recipe from Dr. Janet Tindall. The handy book of 30 local recipes is being sold for $5, which will go toward funding The Recorder’s Newspapers in Education program.
NIE is an important program that puts the newspaper into the hands of local teachers for use in their classrooms. It doesn’t happen without your contributions.
Team Heidi I’ve saved the best for last, but some may find it sad or depressing. For me it was quite the opposite — inspirational is the best way to describe the life of Heidi Gutierrez.
This past weekend, on Oct. 7 the same day as hundreds of people helped raise awareness for cancer research by participating in Relay for Life Porterville, Heidi Gutierrez, 44, of Porterville, passed away.
I’m probably not the only person who did not know Heidi personally, but after learning who she was and what she started I sure felt that way.
The impact she and the team had on the community was immeasurable.
She was the reason for Team Heidi, which started as a group of women supporting each other and raising money for cancer-focused entities.
Heidi was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, and that same year she had two separate masectomies and underwent chemotherapy, and Team Heidi’s pink shirts with the golden crown materialized.
In 2012, she learned the cancer had returned and spread throughout her body. The prognosis for the loving mother and third-grade school teacher was bleak — surgery was not an option. The best they could offer was management.
Over the years, the team raised thousands of dollars and provided scholarships to area high school seniors, and began to take on a life of its own. Since her passing, I’ve heard more and more stories about how the team helped someone in need and didn’t go attention-seeking following their good deeds.
Heidi’s mother came into The Recorder this week to place an obituary. Understandably she was upset, but there was an aura about her that permeated the building. She was calm and clearly proud of her daughter’s life.
You may not have personally known her, but I’m certain that if you start asking friends and family you will find out that she and Team Heidi were close by.
Brian Williams is assistant publisher and managing editor of the Porterville Recorder. He can be reached at 784-5000, ext. 1048, or by email at bwilliams@portervillerecorder.com. You can also follow him on Twitter.