South County Profile: Candy Stout

Candy Stout and her family moved to Anderson in 2002 from Helena, Montana to live in the North State. Stout is an operations support clerk for Redding Bank of Commerce. She is also the Class of 2009 Sober Graduation Coordinator for Anderson New Technology High School in Anderson. Last year she assisted in the project and moved on to become the project leader for the class of 2009.

Stout began the project in September organizing a committee and various fund-raisers in the community. The largest fund-raiser for sober graduation was a rummage sale that raised over $5,000. Along with the rummage sale was a car wash and a hot dog sale. They also had a car wash in Redding to raise funds for sober graduation. After literally hundreds of hours put in by Stout, her family and her committee of 10 core people, $14,000 was raised for the sober grad party for Anderson New Technology High School.

"The businesses in the community, the residents of Anderson and surrounding areas, the parents and committee members all contributed to help us pull off a successful sober graduation for the youth in our community. I never dreamed it would be so successful," said Stout. "We started out with $40 and ended up with $14,000. It is everything we dreamed about and more."

Graduates from Anderson New Technology High School helped with the fund-raisers by washing cars and other tasks, but had no idea what was in store at the sober grad party.

Stout planned an imaginative cruise around the world to different countries at Sun Oaks Country Club. When going to each different country the graduates were able to taste local cuisine and were given an authentic gift from each country to put in their suitcase to take home with them. Each student was given a set of three suitcases with travel supplies and added to them with the gifts given to them in the different countries.

Stout has been working at the Churn Creek Road branch of Redding Bank of Commerce since 2002. She is a 1976 graduate of Capital High School in Helena, Mont., then went on to attend college in Redwood City taking some different classes for fun. Her son Chris is a 2009 graduate of Anderson New Technology High School.

"I can't stress enough how proud I am of the support from the community and the sober graduation committee. It is not an "I did it, it is a WE did it." This has been the best experience I have had with school, community, parents and students. It doesn't get any better than that," Stout said proudly. "I have grown personally through this whole process. I think we all have."

Name: Candy Stout

Born where and when: Burlingame, 1956.

Occupation: Operations Support Clerk for Redding Bank of Commerce, 2009 Coordinator for Sober Graduation at ANTHS.

Marital Status: Married to my husband, Rick, for 25 years.

Family: Husband, Rick, children Becky, 26, G.T., 29, Chris, 18, Ryan, 29, Morgan, 27, and four grandchildren.

Pets: Two dogs, one cat and a hairy spider.

My worst job: Working in a convalescent home.

My first job: Working at McDonalds.

In my spare time I: What is spare time?

My favorite book: To Kill A Mockingbird

My favorite movie: Overboard and A Beautiful Mind

My favorite recording artist: Josh Grobin

My dream car: A Mercedes coupe.

My friends like me because: I am goofy and positive.

If stranded on a deserted island, I would want: Water.

The one thing in life I've learned is: To forgive.

The best advice my parents gave me: The dishes can wait, play with your children.

My most embarrassing moment: Spilling a chocolate shake down a customers back while working at McDonalds.

My most irrational act: In the '70s I cooked a turkey for Thanksgiving and put "special seasonings" in the stuffing.

My most valued material possession: My kids.

What I like best about the North State: Mt. Shasta.

My hero is: My kids.

My pet peeve is: People who only take time to think about themselves.

My fantasy is: A long cruise.

If I could change one thing about myself I would: Change nothing. I am happy the way I am.

The one thing Shasta County needs most is: More help for the mentally disabled.

The most enjoyable thing about life is: Sunrises, sunsets and children.