We've all heard it before: "Would you like to sign up for our rewards program?" No. "Would you like to become a member?" No. "Would you like to donate to this charity?" No. But even in the face of such belligerent no-ing, Arlington Food Pavilion has been given a giant yes from customers and employees, and one big thank you from local food banks.

During The Markets' annual participation in the Food For All program, the Arlington store raised more money than any of the other 18 Markets locations, tallying up $5,000 out of a company total of $24,000.

Store Manager Loly Ramirez attributes the store's success to team involvement. "The employees are really close with the customers," said Ramirez. "The customers trust us, and trust that the money's going toward a good cause within the community." During the promotional period from mid-November to January 9, shoppers are given the option of donating $1, $3 or $5 to community charities: in this store's case, the donations were split between the Darrlington and Arlington Food Banks.

Another reason for their success is ultra competitive grocery checker David Grandlund, who raised more donations than any other Markets employee, attributing his success to a competitive nature and close relationship with the customers. "Everyone knows me," he said. Once during a snow storm, a customer even brought chains to put on David's tires while he was working, while another put them on for him. "I would do the same for them," said Grandlund.

Of the $5,000 raised by the Arlington store, David tallied up $4,094 on his own --- about 17% of the company's total donations for the year, and this done with him only working 20 hours a week. According to Ramirez, not one customer made it through his line without being asked to donate to Food For All.

Food For all is a non-profit organization whose efforts to alleviate hunger span across the nation in over 6,000 grocery retailers, and whose donations contribute to the domestic and global fight to end hunger. Since 1985, Food For All has raised $71.5 million to help hungry communities become more self-sufficient. The Markets is the only Washington-owned grocery company participating in Food For All, and has raised over $200,000 in the last 12 years since joining the program.

"The program is awesome," said Ramirez. "The money is distributed all year long --- not just during the holiday season when everyone's donating." Grandlund agreed, saying he was motivated by the fact the donations would stay within the community. "I wanted to show that Arlington could do this," he said.

After transferring to the Arlington Food Pavilion in 2005, Grandlund came home from his first shift telling his wife he'd died and gone to heaven. "People are good in Arlington --- they take care of each other," he said.

Grandlund's determination is just one component in the fight against hunger. Globally, 925 million people are undernourished according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, while 49 million Americans lack consistent access to food, according to a 2009 report by the Department of Agriculture.

To learn more about Food For all, visit www.foodforall.org  and for information about the fight against hunger, visit www.worldhunger.org 

Thanks to you, our amazing customers, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will be sending an additional 13 children to summer camp at Lake Stevens this year. The children won't pay a dime for the treat of attending a camp designed especially for kids with diseases that affect voluntary muscles.

Shamrocks Against Dystrophy, our checkstand donation program that ran from mid-February through St. Patrick's Day, raised $10,725 and some change! All eighteen of our stores participated, and helped make a difference for deserving kids, all in our own communities.

We are happy to partner with MDA again this year, and have collectively raised over $100,000 for the past decade.  To learn more about MDA and how they help kids and their families, visit www.mda.org

Nickels ---the bottom dwelling, easily forgotten, dull-colored coin found stuck to your car's coffee-stained drink holder have a new job: saving local farmlands.

Every time a Markets' shopper brings in a reusable shopping bag, or bags (the new staple of grocery store chic), the store either rebates a nickel to shoppers, or they can choose to donate the coin to a local nonprofit.

Although this might not seem like much, The Market at Anacortes has already racked up $7,366 --amounting to 147,320 nickels! This means that in the three years since the program's inception, shoppers decreased waste by over 147,000 plastic bags, reducing the region's carbon footprint by 24,464 kg of carbon dioxide. Not bad for a five-cent piece.

The Market at Anacortes has surpassed the company's expectations, recently donating $1,189.05 to the nonprofit Skagitonians to Preserve Farmlands. Christy Tingstad, Assistant Store Manager, said customers love the idea of being green while shopping. "Many customers are adamant about the program, asking "Did you make sure to donate my nickel?'" Tingstad said it's a perfect fit for the Anacortes community and helps give back to the environment.

Skagitonians to Preserve Farmlands, or SPF, is a nonprofit that operates as a land trust and advocate for farmland protection, helping preserve the very landscape that fills grocery store shelves with a bounty of fresh, local produce.

There's no end-date in sight for The Markets' nickel rebate program, so the next time you're out grocery shopping, bring your bag, give a nickel, and preserve the environment. For more information about SPF and their work, visit Skagitonians.org and to learn about your carbon footprint, visit Timeforchange.org

We're a month away from St. Patrick's Day, but shamrocks will be on display at all Market stores beginning next Tuesday, February 15. 

We will be joining other retailers around the country for Shamrocks Against Dystrophy. This is the Muscular Dystrophy Association's (MDA) fundraiser to send kids with these diseases (a host of diseases that impact the voluntary muscles) to summer camp. Summer camp is a special treat for these children, who enjoy all the fun of camp surrounded by others with the same disabilities and diseases.

You can help send kids to camp by purchasing a shamrock at our checkstands. Add $1, $5 or $10 to your grocery bill whenever you shop with us...now through March 17, and we'll add that to our total donation to MDA. Our stores have participated in this worthy program for several years, and we're gratified to help the children who live in our communities and are impacted by these diseases. Thanks for joining us!

• USA Today, the national newspaper, recently mentioned The Markets in an article on electric cars.  It noted:

            "In Bellingham, Wash., a charging station was opened at The Market at Fairhaven in January 2010....the first grocery store in the country to install one...people can pull in, plug in and during a shopping trip they can get enough juice to go another 10 miles."

• More kudos for The Markets!  We received a national merchandising award for one of our signature promotions, "Bayou Bash."   The award, one of a dozen given by the National Grocers Association, recognized Bayou Bash in its Best Special Event ad category.  Bayou Bash was held during the traditional Mardi Gras celebration last February at The Market stores in Fairhaven, Birch Bay and Anacortes.  It included hot sauce tasting, a live jazz band, special Cajun foods, contests to win your weight in meat, and much more.  The Markets also received an honorable mention in the charitable cause event cagegory for its "Fundraising for Olivia."  This one-day event in May raised over $10,000 from the proceeds of The Market at Fairhaven's new MarketQ BBQ.  This is the second year in a row that The Markets have won a national merchandising award for our creative ads and promos.

Tomorrow marks the start of our 12th year as a company hosting Food For All, the food industry's crusade against hunger.

All our stores will have info stands at each checkout station with coupons for $1, $3 or $5.  Just select one, hand it to your checker, and it will be added to your grocery bill.  We track all the donations, and at the end of the holiday season --- December 31 --- we will add them up and make a big donation, we hope, to the food-based charity in our communities.

Over the past 11 years, we have donated over $188,000 to feed hungry men, women and children right here in our own towns.  Each of our stores has chosen a local food charity to receive its donations.

It's an easy way to remember our friends and neighbors less fortunate, every time you shop.  Our food bank recipients this year include: Senior Meals on Wheels, Helping Hands Food Bank, Arlington Food Bank, Oso Food Bank, Darrington Food Bank, Nooksack Valley Food Bank, Bellingham Food Bank, Anacortes 100 Food Bank, Salt of the Earth Food Bank, Blaine Food Bank, Project Hope, Lighthouse Mission, Ferndale Food Bank, Southside Food Bank, Blaine Food Bank, Serve Wenatchee Valley, Selah Civic Center Food Bank, Wapato Food Bank and Prosser Senior Center.

Thank you for caring, and giving a bit to help out.  It makes a big difference!

If you  round up your grocery bill and donate your spare change...you'll play an important part in helping the Blaine High School Wind Ensemble travel to the Funabashi Music Festival in Tokyo, Japan.

The Ensemble is raising money for their January trip, and The Market at Birch Bay and Blaine Cost Cutter both will be collecting your spare change at the checkstands.  The Ensemble is an auditioned band at Blaine High School and is sponsored by the Blaine Fine Arts Association.  This is an invitational festival, which notes the high quality of the Ensemble.

We will collect spare change beginning this Friday, October 22 through Friday, November 5.  So let your change add up to a big sound...all the way to Tokyo!  For more information, contact Dorita Gray at (360) 380-1634.

October may shout out orange and black, but it's been also claimed as a pink month.  Pink, that is, in breast cancer awareness month. 

Our stores are proud to help get the word out this month about an important program: Ask Us!

Ask Us! is a program that offers women ages 40-64, with little or no insurance and limited income, the possibility of receiving a free mammogram.  Through the Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program, there are also some free services available.  These include clinical breast exams, pap tests, diagnostic tests if needed and colon health screening.

How to access this?  It's easy:  we have brochures in our stores with phone numbers around the state.  Just a quick call to learn more and see if you're eligible:  it's 1-888-438-2247.  (There are also numbers for specific areas, such as Whatcom and Skagit County: 1-888-651-8931; see brochure for other counties.)

This program is paid for by the Washington State Department of Health, Washington Cares About Cancer, Susan G Komen For the Cure, and the American Cancer Society, among others.

Why are we spreading the word about this important program?  We have women team members, women customers, women family members, all of whom should be able to take advantage of a potentially life-saving procedure, a mammogram.  If you think you or someone you know could benefit from this, please call today.

Look for "Pink" Foods During October, Like Chuckanut Bay Cheesecake

You will probably notice several foods with pink ribbon imprints during October.  Many manufacturers take advantage of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and donate a percentage of certain product sales to cancer groups.

One of these you'll find is Chuckanut Bay Foods.  When you purchase any Chuckanut Bay Foods cheesecake in October, the company will make a donation to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure organization.  You can enjoy a delicious dessert and make a contribution in the fight against breast cancer.

You may have heard about a reported salmonella outbreak at an egg farm in Iowa.

The eggs we carry are from Dynes' Broadview Farms in the Skagit Valley.  Our eggs are not connected to this outbreak.

You can be confident that the eggs we sell are top quality, fed an all-vegetarian diet and are hormone-, stimulant- and steroid-free.

The safety of the food we sell is our top priority.  We are confident in the quality and value of the eggs produced and packed by Broadview Farms.

For more information, visit www.fda.gov

Championship level barbecue teams from all over the U.S. and Canada will compete at The Market at Fairhaven this weekend, August 7 and 8, for over $7,500 in prize money...and the public is invited to sample the best of the best BBQ.  Special guest Captain Keith Colburn of "The Deadliest Catch" will make an appearance on Sunday.

On Saturday, August 7, "Sneak Preview Day", visitors are invited to mingle with the teams, check out their grills and set-ups.  Lunch at the MarketQ All-American BBQ will be available, and a beer garden opens at 11:30.  Live music by Lumpkins from 12:30 to 3:30 and War Cry from 4 to 7 p.m. will kick off the fun, as the tantalizing aromas of pork butt, brisket, chicken and ribs fill the air at The Market, 3125 Old Fairhaven Parkway.

On Sunday, August 8, "The Main Event", sampling bracelets for $5 are available so guests can taste and compare entries in each of the categories.  The barbecued items will have been cooking over low heat for several hours, so they'll be ready for sampling.

Meet "Deadliest Catch" Captain Keith Colburn of the crab boat "The Wizard": he'll have autographs, photos and prizes.  Relax in the beer garden beginning at 11:30 and enjoy live music by the Marion Weston Trio from noon to 3 p.m.  Stay to watch the judging and see who walks away with top prizes for the best BBQ.  This is an official event of the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association. 

To start off the weekend, join us on Friday afternoon, August 6, from 4:30-7:30, as Bent Grass, a Northwest string band from Glacier, will be performing at The Market, where the MarketQ BBQ opens at 11 a.m.

For more information, check out www.pnwba.com

Want to do good in our communities?  Visit our stores in Whatcom and Skagit Counties now through July 15 and submit your best ideas on how to improve your community.

The Pepsi Refresh Project, sponsored by Pepsi distributor Walton Beverage, has partnered with the Whatcom Community Foundation to give away $26,000 to local nonprofit organizations in our communities. 

Grant ideas on how to improve local nonprofit programs that involve education, heatlh, the arts and culture, food and shelter, the planet and neighborhoods can be submitted at any Market, Cost Cutter or Food Pavilion store.

Grant requests must be printed out on the Walton Beverage website form (www.waltonbeverage.com) and returned to any Market store before July 15.  There are boxes at each location to submit grant applications.  Four winning entries will receive grant money for a qualified charity in Whatcom or Skagit counties:  $10,000 for first prize, $6,000 for second, $4,000 for third and $2,000 for fourth.

From August 1 through September 6, customers are invited to vote for their favorite grant application.  All applications that quality will be listed at the Walton Beverage website for easy voting.  Winners will be announced on September 13, determined by votes on the website.

In addition, there are forms at each store at the Pepsi display for cusotmes to submit an entry for a $250 doantion to be made to the charity of their choice.  Each Friday through September 6, two nonprofit groups are randomly drawn by Cascade Radio Group from all the boxes to win the $250 donations:  one from each county each week.  A total of eight $250 donations will be made during this promotion.

Visit www.whatcomcf.org  for more information.  Thanks to our generous partners, Walton Beverage. Cascade Radio Group (for promoting this great giveaway) and the Whatcom Community Foundation.

A very big thanks to all of you who came out to The Market at Fairhaven last Saturday, May 29.  Our fundraiser to help little Olivia Cook, a six-year-old battling kidney disease, raised $10,374!

The Market at Fairhaven donated all proceeds from our new Real American BBQ on Saturday to Olivia Cook's foundation, which will help with kidney transplant-related expenses.  Our generous customers not only bought $6,674 worth of MarketQ food --- Carolina pulled pork, Texas brisket and more --- but reached deep and donated an additional $3,700!  Olivia's kidney donor, Danica Kilander, was on hand to thank the hundreds who stood in long lines in cold, wet weather to buy the best BBQ in town and help a friendly, lively little girl.  Thanks to all the store team at The Market, the many volunteers and everyone who donated or helped us spread the word.  You made a big difference!

To read more about Olivia's story and fundraising opportunities, visit COTAfor OliviaRC.com 

MarketQ will be open all summer long, Fridays through Sundays, at The Market at Fairhaven, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Prosser Food Depot stepped up to the challenge of this year's American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

The store donated a gift card to the Relay, which took place this month.  Team members held a hot dog sale, along with other fundraising activities.  A total of $450 was raised for the Cancer Society's premier event, which celebrates cancer survivors, those fighting cancer, and those who have died from the disease.

Like many of our stores, Prosser has been supporting this cause for several years, and we're proud to contribute once more.

On Saturday, May 29 at The Market at Fairhaven, a very special event will take place.

The store, introducing its new 18-foot pit barbecue, aka The Texas Beast", will be donating 100% of its sales that day to Olivia Cook.

Olivia is the six-year-old child in Whatcom County who will receive a new kidney, and needs help with transplant-related expenses. 

How can you help?  Eat our Real American BBQ at The Market, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, only at Fairhaven.  You can savor the smokey flavor of Carolina Pulled Pork, Texas Brisket, KC Spareribs, all the traditional sides and even sweet tea.

Olivia's supporters will be there, with t-shirts, a song written especially for Olivia to download and information about her partnership with the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA), a national nonprofit that helps juvenile patients who require lifesaving transplants. 

Check out the website:  www.COTAforOliviaRC.com to learn more: come to The Market at Fairhaven, enjoy a tasty lunch or dinner, and know you are helping someone who really needs a hand.

We are proud to donate all proceeds from Saturday's sales to Olivia.  Our MarketQ barbecue offerings will be going on all summer, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, only in our Fairhaven store.

The Markets in Whatcom County joined the YWCA's Stand Against Racism ton Friday, April 30.

The Stand is a program by YWCAs nationwide to eliminate racism by raising awareness through this event.  As a participant, The Markets have signed on along with thousands of other businesses and organizations, each sharing a vision of a nation free of racism and discrimination.

Although our stand is not open to public participation, we are joining other citizens in this important effort.  For more information on the program, and many suggestions for how you and your family can raise awareness (as simple as reading books about other ethnic groups or speaking up when someone makes a racist remark), go to www.StandAgainstRacism.org 

On Thursday, April 22, The Market at Anacortes will offer double the bag rebate:  ten cents rather than five cents, in recognition of Earth Day.  This one-day-only offer will be especially poignant to our customers, since we are dedicating all our bag rebate donations through May 15 to the Tesoro Incident Family Fund. 

Following the explosion at the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes and the deaths of six employees, The Market has been receiving generous donations from community members towards the Family Fund which has been established.  The Market also will be donating food for an upcoming fundraiser.

Thanks to all of you who contribute your nickels from our bag rebate program:  it has made a big difference to our recipient, Skagitonians to Preserve Farmlands. (The bag rebate program returns a nickel to customers for each bag he/she brings shopping.  The nickel can be deducted from the total grocery bill at checkout or paid forward to a local environmental group, such as Skagitonians.)

Barbecue Cookoffs Are Coming This Summer!

If you love barbecue --- smoky, tangy ribs, spicy pulled pork, sizzling juicy chicken --- you will want to mark your calendar for not one, not two, but three barbecue cookoffs sponsored by The Markets this summer!

The live barbecue cookoff competitions feature over 20 teams, chasing big prize money and the golden opportunity to compete on a national stage.  These two-day events create fabulous smells and even more fabulous food for you to sample.  Is there a better way to spend a sunny summer afternoon?

The first is the return of  the Skagit Valley BBQ Championship, which will be held at the Sedro Woolley Food Pavilion on June 19-20.  Last year was the first, and it was a resounding success.

The next is the second time around for BBQ on the Border, at The Market at Birch Bay on July 17-18.  The third is a brand new event , The Markets Cookoff, hosted by Sunset Cost Cutter on August 7-8.

If you can't get enough barbecue, join us at The Market at Fairhaven for a BBQ Pitmaster Class on May 22.  This 12-hour event, with instructors from Dances with Smoke and Raven's Fyre BBQ, will give you ample info on all aspects of barbecue.  Attendees will prepare four competition meats for judging, too.  Cost to attend is $150 and includes all meat, rub materials and wood for the pit.  Contact Tom Wallin at tkwallin@comcast.net for more details. 

If you have a team ready to compete in any of the three events listed above, sign up at the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association's website: www.pnwba.com 

If you're just a person who loves barbecue or just a person who loves good food in a friendly setting, mark your calendars to join us!  Cook on!

On April 23, Wear Jeans for a Reason

The Markets' nine Whatcom County stores will again support Denim Day on Friday, April 23.

Denim Day is a way to show support for ending sexual violence.  Sponsored by the Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services, people are encouraged to wear jeans that day.

Why denim?  In 1999, the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing jeans.  The Justices stated that since removing jeans "is impossible if the victim is struggling", she must have assisted the attacker in taking them off, which they felt implied consent.

So we're wearing jeans for a reason...how about joining us?

American Cancer Society's Community Fundraiser Underway

Relay for Life is a community gathering where everyone can participate in the fight against cancer.  Teams of people camp out and take turns walking or running around a track.  Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event, because cancer never sleeps. 

We will again sponsor several Relay teams in our communities where we have stores.  This 24-hour event is much more than an event:  it's a commitment to raise awareness of cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and patient support.  Relay raises money to help prevent cancer, save lives and diminish the suffering from this dread disease.

Our Markets-sponsored teams will have bake sales, golf tournaments, sell t-shirts, used books and videos and much more to raise money for Relay.  In addition, where we have teams of employees, friends and families, we will also provide in-kind sponsorship through a generous food donation.

Our teams are forming at Arlington Food Pavilion, Moses Lake Food Pavilion, Sedro Woolley/Mt. Vernon Food Pavilion, Lynden Food Pavilion and Whatcom County stores (Cost Cutter, Market at Birch Bay/Fairhaven).  All our stores will sell sun and moon decals for $1.

Our teams will also make available luminarias, These light the way under the stars to remember those lost to cancer, those fighting cancer and those who have fought cancer and won.  The ceremony of light is one of the most moving parts of a very moving event.

Here are the Relay dates in communities in which we have stores:

• Wenatchee Food Pavilion (May 14-15)
• Prosser Food Depot (May 15-16)
• Everett Cost Cutter (May 22-23)
• Moses Lake Food Pavilion (June 4-5)
• Arlington Food Pavilion (June 4-5)
• Wapato Intl. Market (June 5-6)
• Sedro Woolley/Mt. Vernon Food Pavilion (June 5-6)
• The Market at Anacortes (June 18-19)
• Lynden Food Pavilion (June 25-26)
• Cost Cutter/The Market at Birch Bay/Fairhaven (July 9-10)
• Selah $ave-On-Food$ (August 7-8)

Join us, and many others in your community, and take a lap with us at your local Relay for Life.  You will see friends and neighbors, your local businesses and their employees, taking a stand against cancer and making a difference. 

Our amazing customers and amazing front end team at our stores really made an impact with this year's Muscular Dystrophy Association Shamrocks Against Dystrophy promotion.

We raised $12,391 over four weeks!  This donation will pay for 15-plus kids with one of the muscular dystrophy diseases to attend a free one-week summer camp at Lake Stevens, WA.  This camp allows kids with limited mobility the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of camp activities without barriers.  Our shamrock top-selling checkers will have the opportunity to attend VIP day at camp in August and also appear on the Labor Day telethon.

We appreciate your generosity and your partnership with us again this year.  Over the past ten years, our company has raised over $100,000 for MDA, and most important, the young people afflicted with the various dystrophies.

To help with the massive relief efforts in earthquake-devastated Haiti, employees and customers of The Markets raised $7,325 over a two-week period last month.

Through an innovative partnership with the Western Union Foundation (which has services in several of our stores), a one-for-one match was made, resulting in a total of $14,650.  This donation was made to the American Red Cross's Haiti Relief Fund.  Customers and team members made donations at the time of checkout, and gave generously.

The Markets thank the Western Union Foundation for the opportunity to receive a match, and maximize the donation of hundreds of customers in Washington.

Help Local MDA Kids Attend Camp This Summer

You may recall seeing the green shamrocks in The Markets and other retail stores and restaurants around this time of year.  For the ninth year, The Markets will be hosting MDA Shamrocks Against Dystrophy in each of our stores.  (MDA stands for Muscular Dystrophy Association)

Your checker will ask if you'd like to "buy" a green shamrock for $1, a gold one for $5 or a platinum one for $10.  The money raised in our stores will help send kids to a week of camp at Lake Stevens, Summer camp offers a host of activities specially designed for young people who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility.  Activities include swimming, boating, baseball, horseback riding and talent shows, all at no cost, thanks to fundraising campaigns like Shamrocks Against Dystrophy.

The money you donate also supports several local MDA programs in our communities.  These include support groups for those with muscular dystrophy and their families, research for cures at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Medical Center, as well as free loaner items, such as wheelchairs, and financial support to repair necessary equipment.  There are two MDA clinics, one at Children's Hospital in Seattle and one at the University of Washington, both supported by fundraising.

In western Washington, MDA serves over 2,000 children and adults affected by the 43 different types of neuromuscular diseases.  These diseases are characterized by a progressive degeneration of voluntary muscles.  Two of the more familiar diseases include amyotrophic lateral schlerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), and Duchenne muscular dystrophy,

Entertainer Jerry Lewis has raised millions of dollars through a Labor Day Telethon for many years, focusing on MDA.  As a voluntary health agency, MDA receives no government funds and its work is dependent on donations from the communities it serves.

So when your checker asks if you'd like to buy "Good Luck for a Buck", remember your dollar, five dollar or ten dollar gift can go a long way to help someone whose mobility is limited.  You can make a difference for families right here in our communities.  For more information, check out www.mda.org   The Shamrocks Against Dystrophy campaign runs through March 17.

The Markets wants to thank you, our loyal and generous customers, for your donations to the American Red Cross Haiti relief fund.

Over the past four weeks, you have reached deep and donated a total of $7,325!  We want to thank our amazing front end team, who asked their customers if they wanted to add a little bit to their grocery bill to help the victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake.

But the donation won't end there:  our partners, Western Union, offered to match our donations one for one through their nonprofit arm, the  Western Union Foundation (foundation.westernunion.com ).

So that means that we have collectively raised $14,650!  This is exactly why we think we have the best customers anywhere!   Thank you!

The Market at Anacortes was proud to present Skagitonians to Preserve Farmlands (www.skagitonians.org) with a check for $2,182.20 recently.

This amount reflects the many, many nickels our green-spirited customers have donated at The Market.  Every time a customer brings his or her own grocery bag, there is the option of having a nickel deducted from the grocery bill at checkout...or donating that nickel or nickels (depending on how many bags used) to Skagitonians. 

Skagitonians is a nonprofit group that protects farmers, farming and farmland in Skagit County.  We have partnered with them for several years, and our customers in Anacortes clearly see their value, leading the way with little donations that really make a difference.

We offer a "pay it forward" nickel rebate for using your own grocery bags at each of our stores.  The nickels in each store go to a different, local nonprofit environmental group.  It's the perfect win-win:  the environmental organization receives much-needed funds and we all work together to reduce the number of plastic or paper bags we use.

Special Coffee Sold at The Market at Fairhaven

When you're brewing your own coffee, consider a way to help a worthy organization. 

The Market at Fairhaven is selling Hospice House coffee at its checkstands.  The coffee, sold for $11.99 per pound, will benefit Hospice House in Whatcom County.

Hospice House, located at 2806 Douglas Avenue in south Bellingham, broke ground last fall.  The House will provide comfort for the dying and help preserve dignity at the end of life.  The first patients are expected later this year.

The coffee is available in either whole bean or ground. But don't wait:  supplies are limited!   For more information about Hospice House, go to www.WhatcomHospiceHouse.org

Checkstand Donations Accepted for Any Amount

The Markets have set up checkstand donations at all 21 stores for Haiti earthquake relief.

Customers are invited to make a donation of any amount, added to their grocery bill at checkout.  All donations will be delivered to the American Red Cross' Haiti relief fund.  At time of this writing, over $37 million has already been donated by generous Americans.The American Red Cross emphasized that financial contributions are what is needed most right now.

For information on the Red Cross relief efforts, go to www.americanredcross.com

First Supermarket Location Nationwide

The first networked electric car charging station in Bellingham, the first north of Hillsboro, OR and the first at a grocery store anywhere in the United States, debuted at the newly remodeled Market at Fairhaven in December.

The station, which is free to use, is a place where electric car vehicles can plug in while shopping at The Market, recharging for the trip home or future travel around town.

"We decided to offer the charging station because of the greater Bellingham community's interest in green technology and the large number of people who already drive hybrids," Kevin Weatherill, President/CEO of The Markets, explained.  He added that the expected growth of plug-in cars raises the critical question:  Where will these cars be plugged in?

The networked charging station was developed by Coulomb Technologies of Campbell, CA, the leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure.  Charge Northwest is the infrastructure agent and authorized distributor of ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations from Coulomb in the Northwest.

These early models of all-electric cars have a limited range, requiring the operators to "top off" their battery when away from their normal overnight charging locations.  Studies show that 80% of electric vehicle car owners want to charge more than once a day.  Having a convenient public charging location, like The Market at Fairhaven's, will ease the way for electric cars into the community.

Generally, it takes four to six hours to fully charge a completely depleted battery, but most electric vehicle owners will use the opportunity to "top off" their car while running errands.  A half hour of shopping at The Market will result in about a 10% charge, which is enough to add another 10 miles or so.

"Many of our customers shop several times a week, so it's easy to plug in while they are stopping by," Weatherill explained.  "Having a charging station in our parking lot, clearly marked, just makes good sense."

And why electric vehicles?  President Obama has challenged the automakers to produce one million electric vehicles, road-ready, by 2015.  Early adopters are already converting hybrids to all-electric.  Using electricity is a clean solution to the problem of green house gases, and also reduces the dependence on foreign oil gas-powered cars require.

Progressive communities, such as Bellingham, WA, which has undertaken a Community Energy Challenge (reducing substantially the area's consumption of electricity and natural gas) are embracing electric vehicles.

"Having a free community charging station, whether it's for our local customers, or people traveling the I-5 corridor who need a place to "re-fuel", is important," Weatherill noted.  "We are proud to be able to offer this service as part of our ongoing commitment to environmentally-sensitive iniatives, such as our S.O.R.T. It! recycling program and our "pay it forward" reusable bags."

There are estimated to be about 1,000 electric vehicles in Washington, which includes conversions, plug-in hybrid conversions, neighborhood electric vehicles and electric motorbikes.

For more information, check out the map with ChargePoint network locations:  www.mychargepoint.net .  Visit www.coulombtech.com and www.chargenw.com for details about the technology and the charging network.

The Markets' Private Label Brand Gets Top Prize

The Markets is well-known for its dynamic merchandising, and this has been confirmed by winning the top prize in a national grocers competition.

The entry, for the company's Culinary Circle products, was awarded the best in the private label category this year, beating out a record number of entries across the country.  The annual Creative Choice awards are selected "by a panel of food industry experts as being the best in its class."  The competition is sponsored by the National Grocers Association.

Culinary Circle products were highlighted in several in-store displays and ads that featured the exceptional value and variety of the private label brand.  This year's winning entry joins over two dozen previous awards given for excellence in merchandising.  Our compliments to the Marketing and Advertising team at The Markets for their creativity and commitment to excellence. 

For more information about the awards, go to www.nationalgrocersassociation.com

People of All Ages Will Benefit From Your Generosity

The annual holiday food bank donation campaign, Food For All, ended on January 2 with a resounding cash register ring of success.  This year, our generous customers and employees donated $22,719 to feed hungry families in our own communities.

This is the 11th year that our stores have joined other supermarkets nationwide to help those in need.  We will be happy to present checks to 22 nonprofit, food-based charities.  Most are general food banks open to all, some are community shelters, such as local missions, and a few are for senior citizens.  But the most important thing is that all the recipients desperately are looking for food donations to fill their cupboards during these long winter months.

Thanks to those of you who reached deep and donated $1, $3 or $5: it made a big difference!

It's much more than a name change: The Market at Fairhaven (formerly Southside Food Pavilion) is like a new store, adding over 23,000 new items, special products and departments, with a superior selection of food.  It's a major renovation resulting in a prime destination for people who enjoy preparing and eating great food.

The Market believes "made here is better."  The store offers the best in quality beef, gluten-free products and made-fresh soups.  It features several signature product lines, including the popular DaVinci Classic subs, a Wing Bar with chicken sauced to your liking, Boars Head meats and cheeses (with no fillers, artificial colors or transfats), over 640 gluten-free items (the largest selection in the area), Certified Angus and restaurant quality prime beef, a full-service meat  and seafood case, made-from-scratch Deli entrees, salads and more.  Under its own Taste of Italy and Taste of Asia banners, the store has creatively grouped hundreds of items for these cuisines, including many unique to this area.  It's a store for people who love great food.

The store's own chef will be daily demonstrating how to prepare simple, vibrant dishes.  A wine specialist provides not only inspired recommendations, but also competitive pricing on an impressive selection of wines.

Mornings at The Market are better, because breakfast is being served from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily.  Made to order choices include pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and a hearty egg scrambler dish, each for $1.99

Seniors (55 and older) receive a 5% discount Monday through Thursdays, from 7 to 10 a.m.

The store has been recognized by the Washington State Department of Agriculture as a certified organic handler of produce, one of the few in the area.  Building on its commitment to sustainability, The Market encourages customers to bring their own grocery bags, wtih a rebate going to ReSources, the community's environmental organization.  It sells its own organic cotton, Fair Trade reusable shopping bags and wine carriers.

Customers visiting The Market will be pleased to note that free WiFi and comfortable seating adjacent to the Deli are still available, along with terrific values on everyday grocery items, too.  The addition of self-service, along with full-service checkout counters, maximizes the convenience factor for busy customers.

The Market hosted a grand opening, with food samples and special sales, beginning December 16.  If you love great food, you'll want to visit the new Market, just off Interstate 5 at Old Fairhaven Parkway.

This holiday season, more than ever before, our local food-based charities need our help.  That is why The Markets are partnering with Food For All for the eleventh year in a row. 

Please help us raise money for our local food banks by joining us now through January 2 in all our stores.  Look at the checkout for boards stocked with $1, $3 and $5 donation coupons when you are paying for your groceries.  It's easy:  just hand a coupon to your checker to be scanned.  Your donation every time you shop will help feed the hungry, over half of whom are children.

Your donation appears on your register receipt, and is tax deductible.  Once Food For All concludes, the money raised is distributed to the food organizations, in time for the slump in giving that happens after the holidays.

Our recipients this year include the following organizations:  Senior Meals on Wheels, Helping Hands Food Bank of Sedro Woolley, Arlington Food Bank, Oso Food  Bank, Nooksack Valley Food Bank, Bellingham Food Bank, Salt of the Earth Food Bank, Anacortes 100 Food Bank, Blaine Food Bank, Project Hope, Lighthouse Mission, Ferndale Food Bank, Southside Food Bank, Wenatchee Food Bank, Selah Civic Center Food Bank, Wapato Food Bank, Moses Lake Food Bank, Wenatchee Food Bank and Prosser Senior Center.

The Markets has raised over $160,000 to feed the hungry through Food For All.  Please help us this year to put food on the table for our hungry neighbors.  Thank you for your gifts and your generosity.  For information about Food For All, a national nonprofit organization with over 6,000 retail participants nationwide, check out www.foodforall.org .

We are partnering with Housing Hope in Snohomish County (www.housinghope.org)  to help "Paint The Town With Hope" this holiday season.

Housing Hope is a Snohomish nonprofit organization that helps local families with basic housing and shelter needs.  Their goal is a hand up, not a hand out. 

At our Arlington Food Pavilion and Everett Cost Cutter stores, there will be paint buckets available to drop in donations towards Housing Hope.  The buckets will be on display with information about Housing Hope through December 9, so we hope you have an opportunity to help support this worthy group.

The Markets was recently selected as a Master Marketer by Supervalu, Inc., our wholesale supplier, in a national competition highlighting the best retail merchandising practices among over 4,300 supermarkets.

The award was one of 16 given from over 300 nominations.  The Markets received recognition in the category of Store Brands/Value Brand Bargains. 

Focusing on its own store brands, The Markets ran a one-week long promotion highlighting various private label brands, including Flavorite, Homelife, Baby Basics and Shoppers Value.  Through a blend of in-store displays in all departments, dedicated advertising and cross merchandising, the promotion was a resounding success.

Even more than the award recognition, The Markets' private label brands offer our customers quality at great prices.  That's even better than an award!

Mt. Vernon Food Pavilion is pleased to partner this fall with Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (SDVSAS) in an innovative promotion:  Purple Light Nights.

Today through October 31, customers will be offered the opportunity to support SDVSAS in its Purple Light Nights.  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the sale of purple light bulbs throughout the community is meant to increase awareness of the problem of domestic violence and its impact upon families.

For $3, or two for $5, customers can purchase a purple light bulb at Food Pavilion.  The goal is to have all residents shine a purple light on every front porch, hang a string of purple lights in every business window, and send out the message that domestic violence has no place in our community.

The purple lights remember those who have lost their lives to domestic violence, support those who are survivors, and bring hope to those still living with abuse.

Please join us in supporting Purple Light Nights.  Staff from SDVSAS will be on hand over the weekends to help sell the bulbs and provide information.  For details on the organization, which provides free and confidential services, go to www.skagitdvsas.org 

In October, we are partnering with the Washington Beef Commission to promote eating beef and our own exceptional beef brands, Certified Tender and Certified Angus Beef.

You can taste the difference in quality when you join us at the Southside Food Pavilion on Saturday, October 10 from 2 to 5 p.m.  Our popular Chef Peter, from The Market at Anacortes, will be grilling delicious rib-eye steaks for you to enjoy.  Some of Washington's beef ranchers will be on hand, too, to talk about their beef and the high standards they follow to produce the best-tasting products.  Bellingham radio stations KAFE and KISM will be there, with prizes and giveaways for customers who stop by the store.

The entire month of October will focus on beef, featuring a different cut of beef each week, along with facts and new recipes.  Check out our weekly ad flyer online to see what's for dinner, and visit the Washington Beef Commission's website, www.wabeef.org  for lots of useful tips.  You can also check out why our beef is so excellent in flavor, quality and value on our website, too.

Slow Food Skagit  is presenting Skagit County's first Eat Local Week, September 14-20, and The Market at Anacortes will be among the participants.

This event, which joins chefs, restaurants, fishermen, farmers, producers, retailers and hungry consumers, is an opportunity to enjoy the flavors and riches of the Skagit River Salish Sea region.  The group plans to celebrate the wealth of local food in the Skagit Valley, and spread the awareness of the economic, cultural and environmental benefits of eating local.  Slow food is a way of eating: savoring your meals and building on the base of food from close to your home.

There will be foodie events in the Skagit communities, including Anacortes.  At our store, we will be featuring products with our "locally produced in Skagit County" signs. These include glass-bottled milk products, farmstead butter and cheeses from Golden Glen Creamery in Bow, artisan breads from the Breadfarm in Edison, and freshly picked basil from Ustalady Farms on Camano Island. 

As a state certified organic produce handler, we offer the best of the Skagit Valley in our fruits and vegetables. 

So, visit us at The Market, check out our local shopping list, and let us know what you think about eating locally the week of September 14.  We're pleased to join in this ambitious effort, one that educates all of us on the delicious food that comes from our bountiful area.  More information is available from www.slowfoodskagit.org

Whatcom County customers and our store teams reached into their hearts...and pockets...to raise over $6,000 this summer for the Whatcom Boys and Girls Club. 

The fundraising campaign, called Round-Up, asked customers to let their spare change make a big difference in the lives of kids in our communities.  From July 31 through August 17, customers at the checkstand were asked if they wanted to "round up" their total bill to the next dollar (or more) to benefit the clubs.

There are 5,400 kids and teens who take part in Club activities in Bellingham, Birch Bay, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden and Lummi Island.  The need is great, and the community responded in kind.

This is the second year The Markets have joined together with the Clubs to lend a hand to kids, and we're proud to be able to partner with them for such a valuable cause.  Special thanks go out to all our front end teams, who asked customers if they wished to donate, and to our generous customers, who joined with The Markets' own donation to the Clubs this year. 

By the way, if you see the following checkers, please thank them for their efforts on behalf of the Clubs: each of them raised the most money in their respective stores.

Lynden Food Pavilion:  Mary Cook

The Market at Birch Bay: Anthony Jones

Blaine Cost Cutter:  Andrea Meaker

Meridian Cost Cutter: Rhonda Storms

Ferndale Cost Cutter: Viki Gillis

Sunset Cost Cutter:: Cheri Smith

Everson Market:: Cheryl Maxwell

Lakeway Cost Cutter: Christine Hodson

Southside Food Pavilion: Elena Gonzalez

Our Sedro Woolley Food Pavilion will host the first annual Skagit Valley BBQ Championship on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16...and you don't want to miss  the action, the competition, and most of all, the incredibly delicious barbecue!

Over 20 championship level teams will compete for the opportunity to quality for the national championships, and $10,000 in prize money.  If you've never seen a barbecue team in full action mode, you're in for a real experience: these folks take their cooking seriously, but also have a lot of fun with it.

On Saturday, from 11 to 6,  come watch the teams set up their grills, decorate their booths and talk with the grilling experts.  You can buy a great BBQ lunch for your family, featuring favorites like pulled pork and barbecued chicken.   This sneak preview leads right into Sunday's big events.

On Sunday, competition begins at 10 a.m. with pork butt at 11, brisket at noon and chicken at 1, followed by ribs at 2.  The big award ceremony takes place at 4 p.m.  Buy a bracelet for $5 and sample the master level BBQ.  Barbecue is cooking in a closed oven or container, over very low heat to meld the flavors.  Experts concoct their own secret sauces, and you'll have to choose your favorites from regional styles.  Be it traditional or wildly innovative, barbecue can appeal to just about everyone...and this is your opportunity to see which you like best.

For more information, check out www.pnwba.com  (and get ready to eat some of the best bbq you've ever tasted!).

Let your spare change make a BIG difference for kids in our communities here in Whatcom County. 

The second Round Up 4 Kids begins this Friday, July 31 and runs through August 17.  It will take place at all Whatcom County Market stores (Cost Cutter in Bellingham, Blaine and Ferndale; Food Pavilion in Lynden and Bellingham Southside and The Market at Birch Bay and Everson).  We are partnering with the Boys and Girls Club once again this summer, and hope you'll join our commitment to youth.

You can help the 5,400 kids and teens who use the Boys and Girls Clubs in Bellingham, Birch Bay, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden and Lummi Island by just rounding up your purchase to the next dollar. 

Your change can change a young life...so when your checker asks if you want to round up your purchase to the next dollar or add a larger amount, just say yes.  You'll help young people grow into responsible community members through the Boys and Girls Club programs:  character & leadership, development, education and career development, health & life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation.

Thanks for helping to make a difference!

Do you love barbecue?  Does the thought of smoky, tangy ribs or spicy pulled pork make your mouth water with joy and anticipation?  Are you a fan of iron chef competitions?

Then you won't want to miss "BBQ On The Border", a barbecue cookoff championship sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association.  The Market at Birch Bay is hosting this first official bbq cookoff ever in Whatcom County...and you're invited to join in the eating!

Only the best chefs and their teams will dare to compete for over $10,000 in prize money.  On Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, over 20 teams of enthusiastic barbecue experts will cook up some of the most delicious versions of traditional barbecue meats and even dessert. 

Stop by beginning Saturday afternoon and join in the tasting and good eating.  Tasting tickets are just one dollar, with all proceeds going to the Whatcom Day Academy.  Prize categories include pork butt, brisket, chicken, ribs, dessert and a surprise "to be announced" category.  Expect showmanship, style and first-class food from the experts.  Judging will take place on Sunday. 

It's a great way to enjoy the best barbecue you've ever tasted...only happening at The Market at Birch Bay, just off I-5 at exit 270 north of Bellingham.  Gentlemen and ladies...start your grills.  It's July, it's barbecue time, only at The Market at Birch Bay!

Prepacked Bags For People, Dogs and Cats

You've probably noticed the prepacked grocery bags at our stores.  These bags are full of nonperishable foods.  Two different bags have food and supplies for dogs and cats.

Our Helpful Harvest program, available in each of our stores, offers customers the opportunity to provide a direct food donation to their local food bank.  Our complementary program, Helping Paws, does the same with bags for either cats and dogs, with the bags purchased going to local animal shelters.  Customers can read about each of the organizations receiving their donations from information  we've placed on the bags.

Since the program began about eight months ago, over 2,500 bags have been delivered.  At this time, dog donation bags are leading cat donation bags, but of course, donation bags for people top both!

We have all noticed the ever-growing numbers of hungry people in our communities.  If you can make a difference by purchasing a Helpful Harvest or Helping Paws bag, it will go to make life a bit easier for those in need. 

We also are pleased to help our local food banks by making daily and weekly donations of food and product for their clients.  Regular donations to community charities who serve meals on the street are also part of our commitment to feeding the hungry.  We hope you can join us.

Stores Support Relay for Life Gatherings

If you've had a family member or friend or coworker who has been affected by cancer, you are likely familiar with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

Relays are community gatherings where many people join to fight cancer.  Teams of people camp out for 24 hours, taking turns walking or running around a track or path.  Beyond the symbolism of being on the track 24 hours, since cancer never rests, the teams compete to raise money.  The money supports cancer research, services, advocacy and education.

When the sun goes down, hundreds of luminarias light the way to remember those who lost to cancer, those fighting cancer and those who have defeated cancer.  The ceremony of light symbolizes the hope and perseverence with which we fight this dreadful disease.  Listen to the roll call:  you may be surprised at familiar names.

Our stores have long been supporters of Relays in their community, and this year is no different.   We will be participating in some Relays, donating refreshments and also raising money in our stores.  You can help us defeat cancer by donating $1 or $5 at our checkstands to purchase a sun or moon card.  The money goes entirely to the Cancer Society, and you are encouraged to write down the name of someone affected by cancer.

Our store teams have been raising money through a variety of ways, and will be present at Relays this summer.  If you're in the area, please stop by.  Like all of us, you will be moved by the community effort, by the faces of your friends and neighbors, and the determination to make a difference that characterizes the Relays.

Our Relay participation this year includes:

Grant/S. Adams County:  Moses Lake Food Pavilion   May 29

Skagit County:  Mt. Vernon/Sedro Woolley Food Pavilion  June 6

Lynden:  Lynden Food Pavilion   June 19

Whatcom County: The Market, Cost Cutter, Food Pavilion   July 10

Selah: Selah $ave-On-Food$   August 1

To learn more about the work of the American Cancer Society and the Relays, go to www.cancer.org

New Store Opens Its Doors in Birch Bay Square

The eagerly-anticipated  Market at Birch Bay will open Wednesday, May 13 at 9 a.m. 

The all-new store, located at Birch Bay Square just off Interstate 5 at the Birch Bay-Lynden Road, is a community market for great food and value.

Visit the store and you'll discover it's unlike any other store in our area.  Some of the features include a service meat and seafood counter, with certified tender beef and pork, guaranteed.  Bulk frozen seafood makes it easy to stock up on convenient products. 

The Produce Department highlights the freshest, local produce.  We are a Washington State Department of Agriculture certified organic retailer.

The store features many choices for quick meals.  DaVinci's Classic Subs are made fresh for each order.  The Hot Wing Bar with several sauce choices and the Cheese Kiosk features selections from around the world.

Italian food and Italian-inspired products are all in one place.  Gusto d'Italia makes putting together an Italian meal simple and fun.

The Money Board is a touch screen that prints out instant coupons on the spot, another great way to save money at The Market.  Rent a DVD for only $1 while you're shopping.  If you haven't already, sign up for Pump Perks and save on gas, too.

The Market at Birch Bay is all about the prices you want, the quality you trust and the variety you love.  Come see how great food and value is for everyone at our new Market at Birch Bay.

Donate Your Nickel: Bag Rebate Adds Nonprofits

When you bring your own shopping bag to our stores, we rebate you a nickel for every bag, every time you shop.  This includes our reuseable plastic bags, our Northwest-themed organic cotton bags, or any bag you bring from home.

The nickel is deducted from your grocery total, but you can choose to make a donation to a local nonprofit organization.  While a nickel doesn't seem like much, it can add up to big some change for worthy groups that are scrambling for funds these days.

We have added the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (www.cdlandtrust.org)  for our two Wenatchee stores, the Boys and Girls Cub of the Columbia Basin for Moses Lake Food Pavilion(www.bngclub.org) , and the Prosser Senior Center for Prosser Food Depot.

Earth Day is April 24th, but you can make a difference every day by bringing your own bag and making a donation to these organizations. 

The Market at Anacortes was certified in March as an organic food handler for our Meat Department, joining the store's Produce Department, which carries the same designation.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture issues certification as a way of ensuring the integrity of foods listed as organic.  It has established standards and a rigorous checklist for retailers to pursue before certification can be issued.

This checklist includes inspection of the store's management practices in handling organics, including everything from recording product arrival in the store to equipment clean-up for organic products.

The Market at Anacortes is proud to be one of the only certified organic retailers in the state, and the only one in Anacortes.  Our Produce Department offers over 100 organic items daily, and receives fresh deliveries six days a week.  Like the Produce Department, the Meat Department follows stringent practices of separating organics, clearly labeling products and providing employee training in proper procedures. The goal is to handle organic produce and meat with the same level of care that is required to grow or produce it.

The Markets are committed to providing customers with exceptional food quality.  One of our Store Managers, Paul Shepard (Southside Food Pavilion) is a member of the Washington State Department of Agriculture's Organic Advisory Board.

The Markets are holding a job fair on Tuesday, April 14!

Join us as we begin hiring for our newest store, The Market at Birch Bay.  The Job Fair will be held at the Bellingham Airport Hampton Inn, Fox Hall, 3985 Bennet Drive in Bellingham, from 3 to 7 p.m.

Interviews will be held for positions including checkers, courtesy and helper clerks, night crew, deli and bakery staff.  Potential employees are encouraged to bring their resumes and come prepared to complete applications.

If you share our passion for great food and unmatched customer service, come see us on April 14th. 

Save on Groceries, Save on Gas

The Market in Anacortes and Everson,  and Whatcom County Cost Cutter and Food Pavilion stores have introduced Pump Perks as the newest, most innovative way to save on both groceries as well as gas.

Customers are invited to sign up at participating stores for a Pump Perks card.  Then, shop at these stores, purchasing products identified with the Pump Perks logo and receive the per gallon savings shown on the shelf tag.  There are thousands of Pump Perks savings in our stores every day, in every department.  There's no limit to what you can earn!

The per gallon savings are tracked on the customer's Pump Perks card, and add up with every visit. 

At participating local fuel stations, insert the Pump Perks card at the pump, and actually watch the pump price roll back, saving on gas!  

Participating stores are The Market at Anacortes, The Market at Everson, Cost Cutter at Meridian, Sunset, Lakeway, Ferndale and Blaine, plus Food Pavilon in Lynden and Southside. 

We'll Send 15 Kids To Camp This Summer

We just completed our partnership with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), selling green shamrocks for the past month to raise money for this worthy organization.

MDA is focused on helping children with neuromuscular diseases.  These include a group of hereditary muscle-destroying disorders.  MDA, a voluntary national health agency aiming to conquer these devastating disorders, is familiar to many through the national chairman, Jerry Lewis, and the annual Labor Day fundraising telethon.

Our stores sold shamrocks in $1, $5 or $10 amounts to our friends, hoping to raise enough money to send  several children to MDA's summer camps. (The one closest to us is Camp Waskowitz in North Bend.)  The camps, which cost $800 per child(there is no cost to the child's family), provide a whole range of activities specially designed for young people who have limited mobility or use wheelchairs. 

Our great customers helped us  bring smiles to the faces of youngsters who have more challenges than most, and who have an opportunity to shine in a place where they can just be kids, instead of kids with disabilities.  For more information, check out MDA's website at www.mda.org  and thanks to all of you who made a donation:  it makes a difference.

Over $17,000 Raised This Holiday Season

The Markets have raised over $17,000 in this year's holiday food bank campaign, Food For All.

The following food-based charities received donations from The Markets this month:

• Senior Meals on Wheels
• Helping Hands Food Bank
• Oso Food Bank
• Arlington Food Bank
• Anacortes 100 Food Bank
• Nooksack Valley Food Bank
• Bellingham Food Bank
• Salt of the Earth Food Bank
• Lighthouse Mission
• Blue Skies for Children
• Ferndale Food Bank
• Southside Food Bank
• Blaine Food Bank
• Selah Civic Center Food Bank
• Wapato Food Bank
• Serve Wenatchee Valley
• Moses Lake Food Bank
• Children's Home Society
• Prosser Senior Center

The Markets also offer an ongoing donation bag program for local food banks and animal shelters.  The program, called Helpful Harvest and Helping Paws, features prepacked bags of nonperishable items purchased and then donated to the organizations listed below:

• Humane Society at Happy Paws Farm
• Whatcom Humane Society
• Skagit Humane Society
• Everett Humane Society
• Wenatchee Valley Humane Society
• Central Washington Humane Society
• Moses Lake-Grant County Humane Society
• Prosser Animal Shelter

Since this program began in October 2008, over 1,400 bags have been donated for food banks, 247 for cats in shelters and 287 for dogs in shelters.  Thanks to our generous customers and their concern for their fellow two- and four-legged friends and neighbors.

The new Market At Birch Bay is going through the permit process.  With final permits on the horizon, the store will complete its remodel, with a planned grand opening for April. 

The 25,000 square foot store, the largest occupant at Birch Bay Square (corner of I-5 and Birch Bay-Lynden Road) in Whatcom County, has taken a little longer than planned.  The building was originally designed for several smaller stores, so combining it into one servicable space for a new supermarket has required more design work.  Residents of Birch Bay have been looking forward to a grocery store in their neighborhood for several years.  The new Market will have many exciting features, many of which are unique to this area.

Watch this space for more information and details about the new Market.

A Store Like No Other 

Following several months of renovation and renewal,The Market at Anacortes (formerly Food Pavilion) has emerged as a store like no other, with a bigger selection of food that way we like it: fresh, local, natural, delicious, topped with the kind of value customers will find only at our store.

As customers enter The Market, they encounter the area’s largest Produce Department, certified organic by the state Department of Agriculture. The colorful market-style displays are impressive, and emphasize seasonal and local fruits and vegetables. Two unique features are the Awesome Pineapple, picked ripe and guaranteed fresh, and the Herb Garden, where customers can mix and match fresh herbs in the quantities required.

Meals can be fun again with the best-tasting choices in the Meat Department. Beef and pork is Certified Tender, and cut daily by our expert team. In northwest Washington, Misty Isle Farms Natural Beef is exclusive to The Market. Several enticing new fresh entrees, such as Fantastic Stuffed Hamburger Patties, help answer that age-old question- what’s for dinner- with mouthwatering choices.  

Not to be outdone, the Seafood Department has the largest selection of fresh and local items available in the area. Selections can be seasoned and steamed at no cost right in the store. A Cooked Prawn Bar plus entrees like Killer Crab Cakes, make for easy dining for busy families.

The Deli’s hallmark is restaurant-quality foods, including exclusives like Boar’s Head all-natural sliced-to-order meats and cheeses, DaVinci Classic Subs, made fresh to order and an innovative Cheese Kiosk, with artisanal and local brands custom-wrapped in just the amount needed. The Wing Bar has six varieties, hot and ready to munch on. Most important, The Market has surprising value that goes along with fabulous chef-prepared entrees.

In the Bakery, sweets and breads are the order of the day, again made fresh daily with the finest local ingredients. Over 20 different cakes to choose from, large gourmet cupcakes, Willamette all-natural handmade pies, and our patented Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls are sure to become favorites, along with tasty favorite cookies, breads and doughnuts.

The Market’s popular Silk Road Trading Co. continues to delight with spices solo or mixed in blends to complement your meal. With Gusto d’Italia, all things Italian, from gelato made in-store to a world of olive oil offerings, are located in one place, convenient to shop and attractively priced.

The Market features over 7,500 natural and specialty items, including popular favorites at rock bottom prices, plus some of the best food choices from around the globe.

The largest selection of gluten-free items in the region has been added to the store, along with an expanded selection of name-brand cookware and kitchen essentials, a strong and knowledgeable wine department plus the largest natural health and beauty aids department in northwest Washington.

There’s so much more to see in The Market At Anacortes, so make plans to stop by and discover why we believe food is fun and great food at great prices is for everyone.

Wapato store highlights value, flavor

Following several months of renovation, the International Market at Wapato (formerly Wapato $ave-On-Food$) is hosting a grand opening celebration.  The colorful new decor is the backdrop for the store's unique new additions, all focusing on the best value and quality in town.

What's new at the International Market? The popular La Autentica Tortilleria has been added.  Imagine picking up freshly-made corn and flour tortillas, plus the brand's own savory recipe for spicy pico de gallo...a ready-made snack or meal basic, all at competitive prices, and all made right in the store.

Customers will be delighted to discover the Market's all-new Bakery and Taqueria, where new choices and old favorites are available throughout the day.  The Taqueria is a terrific option for busy people: pick up the essentials and build the meal at home, or grab a taco the way you like it when you're on the move.

An all-new Service Meat and Seafood Department features the freshest quality fish, shellfish, shrimp and more, alongside tender beef, pork, chicken and other choices.  Our expert team will help select the item that's just right for your family meals, and have plenty of ideas on how to prepare it, too.  Special orders are welcome.

Visit the Deli for new hot food choices to tempt your palate.  Loaded with flavor, you'll relish the many new selections we make daily.  Both Produce and Bulk Foods have been expanded at our customers' request, and the entire store offers selection coupled with the best value in town.

The International Market, located at 512 W. First St. in Wapato, has a slate of exciting prizes during its grand opening celebration, including the opportunity to win one of two $2,500 grocery gift cards to the store, a washer/dryer combo,a Hispanic-themed or football-themed party platter, a mini fridge and more.  There will be samplings of the many new products that have been introduced to the store.  Most important, customers will discover that value for their dollar and quality products are a winning combination.

Help Us Feed the Hungry

For the tenth year in a row, our stores joined in the food industry's crusade against hunger, Food For All.

Food For All raises money through checkstand donations during the holiday season.  At all our stores, from November 15 through January 3, we gratefully accept ed donations of $1, $3 or $5 from our customers and team members.

Each of our stores  selected a local food-based charity to receive the funds donated.  Over the past nine years, our stores have collected over $146,000 to feed the hungry.

It's a simple but powerful program: signs and posters at our checkstands ask customers to make a donation of $1, $3 or $5 every time they shop with us.  This donation is added to the customer's bill and the money goes to food-based charities.

Watch this space to see how much money all of us raised to feed the hungry this holiday season!