Elk Grove Newsletter For New Home owners homeowners Elk Grove CA near Sacramento
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Making newcomers feel at home is their job -Elk Grove Citizen Newspaper
http://www.egcitizen.com/story6.shtml
Making newcomers feel at home is their job
Carrying flowers and greeting newcomers to Elk Grove is the staff from Elk Grove Welcoming Service. Pictured from the left are Randy Bartz, Joyce Copeland, Kathleen Myers, Sarah and Marty McKay.
By Keith Gebers
Citizen Staff Writer
Welcome to Elk Grove! Dedicated to making newcomers feel welcome to this fast growing community is the Elk Grove Welcoming Service. The service started two years ago and has enjoyed healthy growth. It is operated by owners Sarah and Marty McKay and four greeters, Joyce Copeland, Randy Bartz, Louise Umeki, and Kathleen Myers.
Elk Grove Welcoming Service delivers welcome kits that contain information about the city and also information about local merchants who want to let newcomers know where they are.
Many of the businesses are locally owned, but the larger corporations are also included. Each merchant is exclusively represented in their business category.
"This is not a yellow pages but a personal referral to the new residents of Elk Grove," Copeland said. "We get a list of new families and go to the home taking a flower and the welcome kit. We greet the residents personally and go through the packet with each one."
Marty Mcay said that in addition to the welcome kit, the company offers new residents a business card caddy as a free gift and answer any questions they may have. The caddy is filled with business cards from select local merchants.
Sarah McKay said that the people who they visit are very thrilled to receive all the free gifts and services.
"Many people are moving from out of town, some from the bay area and even from outside the country," she said. "We guarantee 200 deliveries each month throughout Elk Grove."
Copeland said she meets with about 60 households each month. The residents are told the service is not selling anything.
"When they get the flower they are very receptive," Copeland said, adding the map of Elk Grove is also welcomed.
Marty said, "This is the most up to date map of Elk Grove that is available. The packet also includes the Elk Grove Resources Guide and the Activity Guide, in addition to forms to change address with the DMV as well as voter registration applications.
"A lot of people have forgotten to take care of those tasks," said Copeland.
Sarah stated, "There's also a fun side to the packet which includes free offers from such businesses as Steve's Place Pizza, Pasta and Grill. This also pays off for the merchant. Steve's Place has received a 50 percent redemption rate from the welcome kit."
The welcome kit also includes a lot of other information and detail," Copeland said. "Another favorite item is a Magic Grip Jar Opener from Mail and More in Laguna. "There is a package of flower seeds from Safe Credit Union as well as many more free gifts that come in the welcome kit. The flower we hold is a gift from Nina's Flower Shop."
Marty said, "By popular demand The Elk Grove Welcoming Service is now expanding their operation to Lodi. Cindy Miller will manage the Lodi area and will serve up to 75 homes per month.
Marty added Elk Grove Welcoming Service helps smooth things out for new residents since it is difficult for new people to become familiar with a new location and it makes businesses easier to find for newcomers.
Copeland said it is easier to find specialty businesses such as small book stores and added that Almost Perfect Used Books, which also rents books on CD-Rom for commuters, has now been included in the welcome kit.
For more information, the website is www.capitolwelcoming.com, or call 916-685-5200.
Making newcomers feel at home is their job
Carrying flowers and greeting newcomers to Elk Grove is the staff from Elk Grove Welcoming Service. Pictured from the left are Randy Bartz, Joyce Copeland, Kathleen Myers, Sarah and Marty McKay.
By Keith Gebers
Citizen Staff Writer
Welcome to Elk Grove! Dedicated to making newcomers feel welcome to this fast growing community is the Elk Grove Welcoming Service. The service started two years ago and has enjoyed healthy growth. It is operated by owners Sarah and Marty McKay and four greeters, Joyce Copeland, Randy Bartz, Louise Umeki, and Kathleen Myers.
Elk Grove Welcoming Service delivers welcome kits that contain information about the city and also information about local merchants who want to let newcomers know where they are.
Many of the businesses are locally owned, but the larger corporations are also included. Each merchant is exclusively represented in their business category.
"This is not a yellow pages but a personal referral to the new residents of Elk Grove," Copeland said. "We get a list of new families and go to the home taking a flower and the welcome kit. We greet the residents personally and go through the packet with each one."
Marty Mcay said that in addition to the welcome kit, the company offers new residents a business card caddy as a free gift and answer any questions they may have. The caddy is filled with business cards from select local merchants.
Sarah McKay said that the people who they visit are very thrilled to receive all the free gifts and services.
"Many people are moving from out of town, some from the bay area and even from outside the country," she said. "We guarantee 200 deliveries each month throughout Elk Grove."
Copeland said she meets with about 60 households each month. The residents are told the service is not selling anything.
"When they get the flower they are very receptive," Copeland said, adding the map of Elk Grove is also welcomed.
Marty said, "This is the most up to date map of Elk Grove that is available. The packet also includes the Elk Grove Resources Guide and the Activity Guide, in addition to forms to change address with the DMV as well as voter registration applications.
"A lot of people have forgotten to take care of those tasks," said Copeland.
Sarah stated, "There's also a fun side to the packet which includes free offers from such businesses as Steve's Place Pizza, Pasta and Grill. This also pays off for the merchant. Steve's Place has received a 50 percent redemption rate from the welcome kit."
The welcome kit also includes a lot of other information and detail," Copeland said. "Another favorite item is a Magic Grip Jar Opener from Mail and More in Laguna. "There is a package of flower seeds from Safe Credit Union as well as many more free gifts that come in the welcome kit. The flower we hold is a gift from Nina's Flower Shop."
Marty said, "By popular demand The Elk Grove Welcoming Service is now expanding their operation to Lodi. Cindy Miller will manage the Lodi area and will serve up to 75 homes per month.
Marty added Elk Grove Welcoming Service helps smooth things out for new residents since it is difficult for new people to become familiar with a new location and it makes businesses easier to find for newcomers.
Copeland said it is easier to find specialty businesses such as small book stores and added that Almost Perfect Used Books, which also rents books on CD-Rom for commuters, has now been included in the welcome kit.
For more information, the website is www.capitolwelcoming.com, or call 916-685-5200.
Columbine-style attack averted -- 2 students arrested in Elk Grove
Columbine-style attack averted -- 2 students arrested in Elk Grove: "Elk Grove -- A plot by two students to carry out a Columbine-style massacre today inside their Sacramento County high school cafeteria was thwarted after a parent of one of their classmates tipped off police, authorities said Tuesday.
Sacramento County sheriff's deputies arrested two 15-year-old students of Laguna Creek High School in Elk Grove on suspicion of conspiracy, making terrorist threats and hate crime charges. Authorities say the suspects planned to target African American students in their attack. "
Sacramento County sheriff's deputies arrested two 15-year-old students of Laguna Creek High School in Elk Grove on suspicion of conspiracy, making terrorist threats and hate crime charges. Authorities say the suspects planned to target African American students in their attack. "
sacbee.com -- Elk Grove -- Plan to attack school alleged
Laguna Creek High plot involved guns and bombs, authorities say
sacbee.com -- Elk Grove -- Plan to attack school alleged: "Acting on a dead-of-night tip from a worried parent, Sacramento and Elk Grove law enforcement officials say they thwarted a 'Columbine-style' plot by students to attack Laguna Creek High School with guns and bombs during the lunch break today.
The alleged plan, which authorities say may have involved as many as six students, was to include a 'hostile takeover of the school' in Elk Grove, Sacramento County Sheriff Lou Blanas said Tuesday.
'We know they were planning on shooting students at the school,' Blanas said. 'We feel very confident that if we hadn't stopped them, something was going to happen.'"
Elk Grove Unified School District: Laguna Creek High School
Laguna Creek High plot involved guns and bombs, authorities say
sacbee.com -- Elk Grove -- Plan to attack school alleged: "Acting on a dead-of-night tip from a worried parent, Sacramento and Elk Grove law enforcement officials say they thwarted a 'Columbine-style' plot by students to attack Laguna Creek High School with guns and bombs during the lunch break today.
The alleged plan, which authorities say may have involved as many as six students, was to include a 'hostile takeover of the school' in Elk Grove, Sacramento County Sheriff Lou Blanas said Tuesday.
'We know they were planning on shooting students at the school,' Blanas said. 'We feel very confident that if we hadn't stopped them, something was going to happen.'"
