By Terra Avilla
For me when I am deciding on who or what I will feature for my, “why we love this place” it usually lands on the people, the low-key heroes that you spot everywhere, even if you’re not sure you know them. And if you’ve wandered into Susanville Grocery Outlet recently, you’ve definitely crossed paths with Peyton Garate, whether you realize it or not.
You all know Peyton. I know this because he is the young man behind the counter with the friendly smile and the utmost polite demeanor, he’s been the unofficial ambassador of good vibes at SGO for longer than most any other teenagers stick with any job.
In a world where most folks think teenagers are glued to their phones, Peyton is an absolute standout.
Maybe I have a soft spot for him because I was once “voluntold” to take a job, for character-building (or, as my folks called it, “earning your keep”). But I’ve always had a soft spot for teenagers who work. But Peyton isn’t just working to hold a job – he’s thriving, often put in supervisory positions. And that’s no small feat in a county where we value hard work as much as we do a snow day.
And as if Peyton’s general sweetness wasn’t enough to make you love him, I am so impressed because although he is humble Peyton played multiple sports through high school, balancing the demands of being a student, and athlete as well as holding a job.
When Frankie told me Peyton had decided to come play baseball for the Cougs I was so excited. I knew What a gem of the person we were getting, as I knew he would fit right in with our baseball family… and I was right.
Like all the other baseball brothers, Peyton is so sweet and patient with our girls. You don’t see that everywhere, but you see it here. We love our players that come from here and Peyton is no exception to that rule.
And next time you walk into SGO, wave to Peyton, and see why he is one of the reasons I love where we live. That’s just how we do things in Lassen County.
