Businesses step up to support local grads
Fortuna businesses are joining together to honor students graduating in 2020. Many have signed up to participate in Operation Celebrate, a business window decorating contest that will honor graduating seniors from Fortuna High School, East High School, and Academy of the Redwoods.
As of May 15, there were 20 businesses signed up to decorate including Cornerstone Realty, Green’s Pharmacy, Wyckoff’s Plumbing, Hoppy’s Fro Yo, 5 O’Clock Shadow, and Horizon Business Products.
“Our businesses, our families, and our graduates are really feeling the loss of recognition due to this pandemic,” said Fortuna High School English teacher Amy Conley.
“Amy reached out to me to see if the Fortuna Chamber could help,” Chamber President and CEO Renee Lindsay said. “I thought it was a great idea that would support our graduates and our local businesses at the same time.”
Businesses and organizations will be assigned graduates from
Fortuna and East high schools, and Academy of the Redwoods to feature in their windows. Each window will have a graduation theme and will include a photo of the student, and the school colors of each graduate. Fortuna High School colors are royal blue and white, East High School colors are red and gray, and Academy of the Redwoods colors are burgundy and gray.
All windows will be decorated by May 27 and online judging will take place from June 1 through June 26. First, second, and third place awards will be given to the three window displays receiving the most votes. A gift basket of goodies and local gift cards will be awarded to the businesses and the featured students.
“We really want every child recognized,” Conley said, “and graduates from East High, Fortuna High, and Academy of the Redwoods will in intermixed in the windows. We’re all in this together, the schools, the businesses, all of us. Our community is amazing at rallying together to support a good cause. We’re honored to be a part of this celebration of all of
our graduating high school seniors in Fortuna.”
Businesses and organizations interested in participating in Operation Celebrate and making donations to the prize gift baskets may contact the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce (ceo@fortunachamber.com) or Conley (akc.wonder@gmail.com).