One Week, What a Difference

Although it had been less than five days since leaving the Bradley Lodge those five days made a huge difference. Lots of snow had melted, there was little to no chance of loosing power, Calaveras County had officially been called a disaster area, Highway 4 was open with no chain requirements and the Bradley Lodge welcomed nine less people. All of that said we still had a great time. Jen enjoyed her first trip to the Lodge and her first experience snowshoeing at Big Trees, which although not nearly as white as it was a week prior was still beautiful and awe-inspiring. Back at the Lodge Spud and Tater came back to visit with their parent's, we celebrated two birthday's ... Jen's (which will be on Wednesday) and my Grandma's (which will be on Thursday), played a rousing game of dominoes and of course devoured amazing meals made by my mom and grandma. Thanks to all for another great weekend at the Lodge, this weekend ... dinner with Jen's family for her birthday and hopefully snowboarding on some fresh powder at Sierra-at-Tahoe while the rest of America watches the commercials, I mean Super Bowl.

Lights Out at the Bradley Lodge

Evidently strong winds and lots of snow equal massive power outages. This weekend we had 14.5 (there is a baby on the way) family members at the Bradley Lodge and we were without power for about 25 hours (by far the longest outage we know of, normally if we loose power - which is rare - it is only for a few minutes up to an hour), making do with BBQ Papa Murphy's pizza, using LED lanterns from Target and flashlights to play Catch Phrase and actually taking the time to talk to each other without the Wii or computers on in the background. While the power was out, Luke was still able to play with his cars (as we held flashlights up so he could see and amazingly he can crash cars into one another with or without electricity ... although he didn't really believe us when we said the TV/DVD player would not work).

On Saturday my brother, dad, cousin's husband, aunt and I took a trip to Bear Valley for some skiing/snowboarding, where they did actually have power (not sure if they were using a generator or not, since many cities in the area were powerless). Although it was snowing on us, quite heavily at times, we still managed to have a great time. When we got home we found that Erin had brought "Spud and Tater" to the Lodge to spend time with us, about 1 year ago her husband was about the sit down for dinner with us when he got the call that she was being transferred to UCSF to have the babies sooner than expected, luckily one year later all are doing well.

Sunday a small group of us took a break from football and went to Calaveras Big Trees State Park to explore on our snowshoes. It was quite impressive and I literally took about 100 pictures ... I was also glad to know that a park ranger takes a snowmobile to forge a path in the snow for everyone to follow, otherwise I am pretty sure we would still be lost in the wilderness.

Haiti

I tried to post something last week on Haiti, but despite having everything typed and ready to go, I just could not publish it for some reason. Now a week after the devastating earthquake I have decided to re-write the post and actually publish it.

I was at the gym last Tuesday when the earthquake struck and thanks to the power of Social Media (Twitter to be exact) I read that an earthquake had struck Haiti and the city was in ruins. Sadly, my first thought, was "I hope Labadee is okay" (Royal Caribbean's private beach, it was beautiful when I was there a few years ago and now I am happy to say they are using their resources to help the people in Haiti with food, water and other supplies). That thought was of course before I saw pictures of the devastation or heard death toll estimates. Once I got home and saw the pictures my heart broke, what could I do to help? What would relief organizations be doing to help? How would supplies get into a country in ruins?

Although there were some initial problems with infrastructure, it now seems that the US Military, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, World Vision and others are making great strides and getting at least some help to the most vulnerable. The US Military's "USNS Comfort" is now off the coast of Haiti and will be the country's largest hospital for a little while, World Vision is getting supplies FedEx'd to Haiti and using their existing network of staff and supplies to help even more people. Doctors are making life and death decisions daily, Anderson Cooper is saving little kids from street fights and so much more.

How can you help? How have you already helped? Well more than $22 million has already been donated to the Red Cross through text messages, millions more has been given online to so many other organizations. I have donated to both the Red Cross and World Vision through it's partnership with the Bayside family of churches. Google even got in on the action developing a Crisis Response page with ways to donate, a people finder and imagery.

So if you have not done so already, make a donation to a trusted organization, say a prayer and remember this tragedy will be with us long after the news crews leave over the next few days and weeks. If you're wondering what might not help, read more here.

My House, Before and After

Despite using Google Maps for many of my mapping needs, especially when figuring out how long it will take me to get to an interview from my house, I have never actually checked to see what my house looks like on Google Street View. Was it still the sales center? Was the house under construction? Have they been by recently? Did I live here? Well, it was option number two, under construction. For information on my last Street View post click here.

Snowboarding Adventure

Today Jen and I took a snowboarding adventure to Sierra-at-Tahoe. After a quick stop for caffeine at Starbucks we made it to Sierra-at-Tahoe, got our rental snowboards and waited for our lesson to start. Although I had technically been snowboarding once before, it had been a few years and after my first experience I was sore for days, so we stayed in the beginner lesson and learned the basic technique before venturing out on our own. After the lessons I took a few runs and can now make it down the “bunny slope” without falling, although I will need to learn how to turn correctly, currently I prefer the “falling leaf” technique. Jen also did very well for her first time on a snowboard, and although she is a little sore, she said she will try it again, so that’s good news.

Jamba Juice Joins CAHPERD in Attempt to Jump Over Guinness World Record

80,000 Californians Expected to Participate in Jamba Jump DayTM event on February 1, 2010 to Break Guinness World Record for the “Most People Jumping/Skipping Rope at the Same Time”

Emeryville, CA – January 8, 2010 (NASDAQ: JMBA)-- Jamba Juice Company and The California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) announced today its shared mission to keep California’s children healthy and active with the 2010 Jamba Jump DayTM event—a mass attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the “Most People Jumping/Skipping Rope at the Same Time”. On Monday, February 1, 2010, at 9am, CAHPERD and Jamba Juice will lead Californians in schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, service organizations and clubs statewide as they jump rope simultaneously for 10 minutes—getting participant’s hearts pumping and encouraging heart-healthy living.

Coordinated via live webcast and broadcast online, CAHPERD and Jamba Juice expect over 80,000 people to participate, breaking the current Australian record of 59,000 skippers. Taking place at over 2,000 sites throughout the State of California and expanding to the California Congressional offices in Washington D.C., select volunteers will be warmed up with Jamba Juice’s delicious, steel cut, oatmeal as they prepare to make this ground-breaking record.

“We are very excited about our new title partnership with Jamba Juice,” said Kathleen Cordes, CAHPERD President. “Jamba shares our commitment to inspire kids to be healthy and active. Our CAHPERD members are professionals that encourage California’s children to move every day, to promote fitness and help ward off childhood obesity. However, being active and exercising regularly is only half of the health equation. The other half needed to achieve lifelong health is nutrition. Our kids must learn to eat right every day, as well as exercise—and they must eat breakfast, if we expect them to do well in school. Our partnership with Jamba will allow us to tell that story perfectly. Through our Jamba Jump Day campaign, we will teach kids to be ‘heart healthy’ through regular aerobic activity—like jumping rope—and eating a breakfast that supports heart health*, like Jamba oatmeal, every day. Plus, we will be having fun and breaking a World Record in the process!”

Jamba Juice, which is recognized as one of the healthier, quick serve food and beverage brands, has had a longtime commitment to bringing high quality, better-for-you products to people on the go—while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Jamba Juice offers customers a variety of delicious products that contain no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, and zero grams of trans fat—offering kids and adults alike healthier fare that doesn’t sacrifice taste. Jamba Juice oatmeal, which will be served to select volunteers during the Jamba Jump Day event, is made with 100 percent natural organic steel cut oats and a choice of three real fruit toppings. Great tasting, warm and satisfying, Jamba Juice oatmeal is a wholesome and nutritious way to start the day.

“Jamba Juice is always looking for fun ways to encourage people to make better lifestyle choices—both through exercise and good eating habits,” said James D. White, president and CEO, Jamba Juice Company. “Working with CAHPERD in an event that supports heart-healthy activities, introduces our oatmeal to fans who may have not tried it before and allows us to be a part of a World Record-breaking moment is exciting for all of us.”

With February 1 kicking off “American Heart Month,” both CAHPERD and Jamba Juice hope that Jamba Jump Day and its support of rope skipping curriculum, will remind all that it doesn’t require a great deal of money, expensive equipment or special, elite sports skills to be healthy and fit. Whether you Double Dutch, slowly skip or jump high—all you need is a jump rope to get your heart moving every day.

In addition to CAPHERD and Jamba Juice, other notable participants in this effort include the American Heart Association, the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the Southwest District of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), and HOPSports, Inc. To register to be a part of Jamba Jump Day and break the Guinness Record, simply visit: www.cahperd.org, sign up and “jump for joy” for ten minutes on February 1, 2010.

About Jamba, Inc.
Jamba, Inc. (Nasdaq: JMBA) is a holding company and through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Jamba Juice Company, owns and franchises JAMBA JUICE® stores. Founded in 1990, Jamba Juice is a leading restaurant retailer of better-for-you food and beverage offerings, including great tasting fruit smoothies, juices, and teas, hot oatmeal made with organic steel cut oats, wraps, salads, sandwiches, and California Flatbreads™, and a variety of baked goods and snacks. As of October 6, 2009, Jamba Juice had 742 locations consisting of 488 company- owned and operated stores and 254 franchise stores. For the nearest location or a complete menu, visit the Jamba Juice website at www.jambajuice.com or call 1-866-4R-FRUIT.

About CAHPERD
The California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD), founded in 1930, is a nonprofit, voluntary membership organization formed exclusively to promote the development and implementation of school, community and statewide health, physical education, recreation and dance programs. CAHPERD is comprised of Californians dedicated to health, wellness and fitness (especially for children), and include professional educators, administrators, researchers, youth leaders, students, dance scientists and instructors, coaches, sports medicine professionals, dancers, staff members of medical care facilities and public health agencies, fitness professionals, choreographers, therapists, recreation professionals, and others with career interests in the movement related fields. CAHPERD provides professional development opportunities for health and wellness professionals, including a CAHPERD State Conference March 4-7, 2010 in Ontario, California. Additionally, CAHPERD will be leading a statewide attempt to break the World’s Record for “The Most People Jumping/Skipping Rope at the Same Time,” on February 1, 2010. CAHPERD also provides health and physical education programs directly to students, through programs that include the annual Southwest Dance and Acro-Sports Workshop in May 2010 in Palm Springs, California. For further information, please check: www.cahperd.org, or call (916) 922-3596.

Forward-looking Statements
This press release (including information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference herein) contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are those involving future events and future results that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projects as well as the current beliefs and assumptions of our management. Words such as “outlook”, “believes”, “plans”, “expects”, “appears”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “anticipates”, or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, are intended to identify such forward looking statements. Any statement that is not a historical fact, including estimates, projections, future trends and the outcome of events that have not yet occurred, is a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our reports filed with the SEC. Many of such factors relate to events and circumstances that are beyond our control. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the information contained in this press release.

CONTACTS
For Jamba:
Marci Coulson Mollins
marci@neighboragency.com
323-932-4102

For CAHPERD:
Jessica Williams or Drisha Leggitt
dleggitt@cahperd.org
916.922.3596

A Look Back at 2009

Now that 2010 has officially started, I decided to look back at some of the highlights and low-lights of 2009 as told through my my blog. It was a year of firsts, I bought my first car, I bought my first house, I attended my first Social Media Conference and for both good and bad, for the first time I was laid-off. I got to travel to exotic cities around California, like Ukiah and Cresent City with the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, meet new people, spend time with my family at the Bradley Lodge, see my nephew lots, help move my brother into his new home in Redwood City, help at a variety of Bayside events, including Thrive and Experience Christmas. I attended weddings of friends, played mini-golf, watched the Oasis of the Seas get built and set sail and so much more. 2009 was a great year and I look forward to job offers in 2010 and being able to spend even more time with friend and family as I continue through this journey called life.