Surrounded by her family, Coach Vickie is honored in front of the home crowd

Something else she provides is kindness. Her daughter Julie Brown says, “she is so kind and really makes an impression on the young girls. Freshmen year is hard for a lot of girls, and she always treats everyone kindly and finds out how to get the most out of each player she had.”

Under Coach Schmidt, the freshmen volleyball team has eight league titles, including one against rival U-Prep in 2021.

Vickie has been married to husband Steve for almost 50 years. Together they have four children: Laura, Jen, Rob, and Julie and seven grandchildren.

I have had the honor of knowing Vickie and Steve for those 50 years. My earliest memories are of office Christmas parties in the banquet room of the St. Francis. Steve and my dad worked at Simpson and Associates and eventually became partners with Fred Nagel in the early 80s.

I remember going to Vickie and Steve’s property in Janesville where there were always outside games (including volleyball) and lots of great food.

Players, past and present, surround Coach Vickie at her last home game

Granddaughters Liv Ormachea and Alexa Schmidt both agree that their grandma is the best woman they know. Liv says, “she has been the best mentor and coach to me while growing up” while Alexa remembers “she has always believed in me, and she will always love this community.”

Another thing Vickie is known for is being a great cook and baker. Liv says her grandma’s chicken mole is her favorite food and Alexa’s choice is pumpkin roll.

Grandson Duram commented on the commitment and time Vickie has put into the volleyball program. He says, “she has coached her daughters, granddaughters…she’s always been a rock in this family, keeps us all together no matter what.”

Duram also votes for the chicken mole, but says their family is split because there are so many to choose from.

Julie says her mom’s cookies are her favorite and that she is known for making the best sugar cookies. They used to sell them for volleyball fundraisers. My husband Leo loves her chocolate chip and snickerdoodles. As an employee at NST he got weekly treats when Vickie was manning the desk.

Gabi Geoia served as Vickie’s assistant coach this season and also played for her as a Lassen freshman. She says, “Coach Vickie taught me how to love the game as a player and then taught me how to share that passion with others. It has truly been an honor and privilege to learn how to coach and play from her.”

As a coach, there is no higher accolade. When you instill a love for something in someone, it just continues to grow and influence others.

Happy Retirement to Coach Vickie! Your dedication to our volleyball program is unmatched, but you have left them with strong roots, and strong roots produce beautiful leaves.

Granddaughter Liv Ormachea presents Vickie with a collage

Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to shelleybennett24@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”

Officer reports totaled 145, with a variety of reasons for the report being filed.

There were a total of 114 front desk / counter calls.

There were forty-nine misdemeanor, and fifteen felony arrests in September.

Holiday with a Hero jars have been placed in all your classes. Donating your loose change will help underprivileged children in our community have a proper Christmas. Every cent counts.

The Susanville Indian Rancheria Teen Center will be hosting a Pine Nut Bracelet Making Class to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. The class will be on November 16th and the 17th during advocacy. It will take both days. All materials will be provided.

Signups are in the library. See Fawn for more details.

You can purchase tickets at Margie’s Book Nook or the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $20 and will be limited so it’s best to get them early, especially for the Saturday evening performance.

This year’s performance will feature local dancers Joelle Giddings and Hannah Martin as Clara.

Hundreds of local residents travel to Reno each December to see The Reno Dance Company perform this spectacular ballet at the Nugget, so it is pretty neat that we can see it right here at the Veterans Memorial Hall.

Want to Win Tickets? Of Course You Do!

You can enter once per day, per email address, from now until midnight on November 17th to win a pair of tickets to Sunday’s 1:00p.m. matinee performance. We will announce the name of our ticket winner right here Friday morning, November 18th. Click here to go to SusanvilleStuff for contest details and our handy entry form.

Entrance to Lassen Park in 1925 ~ National Park Service photo

Susanville Finds Height of Nerve

November 15, 1930

The height of nerve. Thieves Saturday night stole State Highway Patrolman T. W. Birmingham’s white flivver sedan while he was purchasing some cigarettes preparatory to attending the state’s school for patrolmen in Sacramento.

The car was found later on a highway near there, wrecked.

Birmingham was in anything but a jovial mood today as a result of chiding.

Optimism Voiced by Congressman

Congressman H. L. Englebright from this district, in an interview granted today, stated that he was certain of a great change for the better in America’s unemployment situation next February.

Englebright also told of plans now underway for the construction of a million dollar resort and hotel accommodations to compare with the best of America’s national parks for the Mt. Lassen volcanic national park, near here. Actual construction operations would not begin for some time, however, Englebright said.