We’ve finally made it to December. The driveway to Gold Dust’s packing shed is lined up with trucks, while our shed crews work hard to get them loaded with chipping potatoes and on their way. Yes, it’s busy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a little time during the holiday season to have a little fun and spread some good cheer.
This year we held our annual packing shed Christmas luncheon on Monday, December 22nd and brought in a fantastic spread from Subway (including those delicious Lay’s potato chips!). The Christmas luncheon isn’t only an opportunity for our shed and farm crews to get together for lunch, but also a chance for the partners of Walker Brothers and Gold Dust to thank our employees for all of their hard work.
Since it’s the season of giving, every year we try to come up with a way to give to our community and help others have a wonderful Christmas. In the past we’ve raised money, gathered food for the Food Bank and have even adopted a family. This year, Tricia suggested we do a toy drive for Toys For Tots. Employees were encouraged to donate a toy (or cash) and for every toy (or dollar) donated, Gold Dust would match it. As a result of our employees’ generosity, Gold Dust donated a total of 50 toys! Thanks to the donations and Tricia and Katie Walker’s savvy shopping skills, not only were dolls and trucks gifted but also scooters and bicycles. We are always impressed with how our employees step up and give, and this year is no exception. Well done!
However, Gold Dust didn’t only donate toys this year. Throughout the year, our dispatcher, Rich Wright, worked with Southern Oregon Outreach Foundation (SOOF) to haul supplies to area food banks. In 2014, Gold Dust hauled between 20-25 loads for them. Not only that, we donated two loads of potatoes to SOOF. Those potatoes were sold at SOOF’s retail outlets to help them fill emergency pantries for food banks all over Southern Oregon.
It’s been another fantastic year for Gold Dust and Walker Brothers. And though we haven’t had the White Christmas we hoped we would to build up the snow-pack in the mountains, it at least has been a wet Christmas. As this is being written, snow is gently covering the floor of the Klamath Basin so maybe our Christmas wishes will come true. With that in mind, all of us at Gold Dust Potato Processors and Walker Brothers hope you and your families have had a very Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a blessed New Year.
C’mon 2015!
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