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Afternoon, Everybody.

We are mere weeks away from having a third Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Bakersfield. The store at Stockdale Highway and California Avenue is set to open Feb. 25. It's next to the Sport Chalet.

The markets are smaller than typical grocery stores and feature national and private-label brands. Stores are at Olive Drive and Jewetta Avenue and Panama Lane and Stine Road.

For those of you who are parents/teachers/school employees or just plain like to help, there's a pilot Shop for Schools program that you might want to consider.

Here's how it works: Accredited K-8 schools — public, private and homeschool associations — within a 3-mile radius of Fresh & Easy markets are eligible. Every $20 spent at the market between now and March 31 earns the school a $1 donation. If you spend $40.01, that earns your school $2. Turn in receipts to your school's fundraising coordinator.

There's a $5,000 cap to the receipt-rewards component. 

The school in California, Arizona and Nevada, respectively, that raises the most money would receive an additional $5,000 bonus.

For more information about the program, call 866-969-9849 or write shopforschools@freshandeasy.com.

According to Fresh & Easy, the following Bakersfield schools are enrolled:

Almondale Elementary
Amy B. Seibert Elementary
Berkshire Elementary
Charles H. Castle Elementary
Country Christian School
Curran Middle School
Endeavour Elementary
Granite Pointe Elementary
Horizon Elementary
Laurelglen Elementary
Munsey School
Olive Drive Elementary
Plantation Elementary
Planz Elementary
Ronald Reagan Elementary
Rosedale North Elementary
Roy W. Loudon
Valle Verde Elementary
Veterans Elementary
William B. Bimat Elementary
Louise Sandrini Elementary
Panama Elementary
Norris Elementary
Patriot Elementary
Donald E Suburu Elementary School
Palla Elementary
Freedom Middle School
Harris Elementary
Endeavour Elementary

— Jenny Shearer, staff writer