By Allen Pierleoni
apierleoni@sacbee.com
The Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights is getting a new "tenant," it was announced Friday - a Saturday farmers market, debuting March 5.
This comes a year after the Certified Farmers Market left its space in the Sears parking lot behind the mall's main entrance after a 23-year presence. It relocated to the Sunrise light-rail station at Sunrise and Folsom boulevards near Highway 50, in Rancho Cordova.
The new farmers market is being opened by the Carmichael-based BeMoneySmartUSA, which describes itself as a "non-profit training company specializing in providing youth with financial-, business- and career-education programs" (www.bemoneysmartusa.org).
"The group sponsors camps and classrooms for students," said Christi Woodards, the mall's general manager, on the phone. "By the time students graduate from the curriculum, they're trained and qualified to help the farmers who participate in the market."
"Our focus is in educating and empowering youth to develop the fiscal and business skills they need to succeed in the world," said BeMoneySmart executive director Marie Hall, via email. Students will have the chance to work at the market in such areas as sales, hospitality and marketing.
The year-round BeMoneySmart market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting March 5.
"We will have a good selection of vendors at the (start of the season), with more as the season progresses," said market manager Don Hall in an email. Among the offerings will be produce, eggs, cheese, grass-fed beef and baked goods.
The March 5 opening will include live music, balloon animals and free reusable shopping bags. Future market Saturdays will include "cooking demonstrations, cooking programs for children, gardening tips and free CPR programs for teens."
Sunrise Mall is at 6196 Sunrise Blvd. For more information: (916) 728-1916.
Call The Bee's Allen Pierleoni at (916) 321-1128.
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