He began raising money in November 2023 to ensure his trip could take place from July 23-31. Ete’tish, 12, said his favorite parts of the trip were, “Going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, seeing Babe Ruth’s uniform, getting to step foot on the historic Doubleday Field, and going to the memorabilia stores where I got my baseball cards with my dad.”

They got a lot of baseball trading cards and were able to pick out and purchase some rookie cards at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, such as Shohei Ohtani, Trea Turner, Ken Griffey Jr. and Bo Jackson.

The SoCal Bombers, out of Murrieta, were among the 72 teams that played at Cooperstown All Star Village, a world-class baseball tournament and family resort located just outside the birthplace of baseball: Cooperstown, New York. In addition to major league style baseball fields and amenities, it offers luxurious onsite accommodations for the whole family.

Having his parents Nathaniel and Melissa Arviso share part of the trip with him was an unexpected surprise for Ete’tish. He said, “When I first headed to New York, I left with one of my teammates and his mom. Two days later, before my first game was to start at Cooperstown, my mom and dad showed up to surprise me; I was happy to see them.”

The eight-day trip also included some other sightseeing activities. “My first day there, I spent sightseeing in New York City with one of my teammates and his parents; I also got to visit the 9/11 memorial site,” he said.

Eti’tish has been playing baseball since he was three years old, when his father bought him his first glove and would play catch with him outside. “But my love for the game has been since I was a baby; my parents have a picture of me in my baby swing watching the Angels play. My mom tells me when I would cry, she would just put a baseball game on and I would stop crying.”

His all-time favorite baseball players are Mike Trout #27 from the Angels and Jackie Robinson. He was able to see Trout’s uniform in person at the Hall of Fame Museum.

The young athlete was pleased to have the support of family members who provided opportunities for him to raise the necessary funds for his trip. “I was able to have a couple of food sales for fundraising, as well as donations from my Tribe, my aunties Adela Kolb and Mia Gonzalez, my cousin Melissa, Mrs. Yvonne Silvas and my Grandma Frances Basquez. Tara Placencia, Tatiana Diaz and my mom hosted a snack bar at a tournament for the first food fundraiser and my second food fundraiser, which was an Indian Taco sale, was done by Frybread kitchen (Antonia Briones and Aurelia Mendoza) who donated their time as well as food to help me. I am forever grateful for them wanting to make my trip possible.”

He said since returning home he has only been able to talk with a couple of the people who helped him raise the funds. “My baseball schedule has me so busy I haven’t really had the time to sit and visit with the others, but I did think of them on my trip and got them souvenirs from where I played at,” Ete’tish said. “In December, I get a small break from baseball, so I plan on seeing them to give them their gifts and just thank them again for believing in me and how much they helped me live this dream out.”

One of his older cousins, Kris Arrietta who also plays for the same travel ball organization, went to Cooperstown when he was 12. Both describe the trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For more information, https://baseballhall.org.

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“As a kid I loved to bake and growing up we always had big family parties and would pay so much money for desserts that were poor quality. So, when I mentioned to my family that I wanted to start selling the desserts I created, they were the first people to order from me and get me started,” she said.

Everything she currently does is a custom order, but she said she would love to start doing local pop-up shops during the upcoming holidays. “I would like to say my specialty is the decorated custom sugar cookies that I make; it is my favorite to do,” Saenz said.

“I am the owner, head baker, and employee of the month 12 times out of the year,” Saenz quipped. Although it’s mainly just her, when she has huge events, such as Soboba’s recent Academic Achievement Awards Ceremony at the Soboba Casino Resort Event Center on July 28, she has plenty of help to call upon.

“I can always count on my two children, Myah and Jerimyah, my parents Mike and Lynn Saenz, my Grams Rosemary, my four amazing aunties Diane, Celena, Amy, and Anita and my four siblings Alicia, Michael, Rayah and Qeweewish,” she said. “They are my biggest support system that will help with anything I need.”

Saenz said her favorite part of owning her own business is that she can control her lifestyle and her schedule. She enjoys being her own boss and building something of her own.

“My favorite part of being able to share my baking skills with everyone is seeing the look on everyone’s faces when I hand them the cakes, cookies, cupcakes or whatever it is that I created,” she said. “It makes all the stress and late nights worth it.”

Well known for her creativity, Saenz said her ideas come from many sources, including social media outlets such as Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok. When someone places an order and sends her a sample of what they would like, she switches some things around to make it her own. But she always delivers a product that customers are excited about.

The only challenge Saenz has experienced is finding the time to do it all. “Because I am basically a one-man band and I have a hard time telling customers ‘no,’ I will sometimes quadruple book in one weekend,” she said.

Dividing her time between the Soboba Indian Reservation and Temecula, the baker’s goal is to one day have her own storefront bakery. “To me, desserts will forever be in style and sugar makes everyone happy so I know I can be successful as long as I continue to work hard,” she said.

Saenz can be reached via email at vsugarrushh1@gmail.com, on Instagram @vs.sugarrush and on TikTok at VSSUGARRUSH.

The post Soboba Tribal Member finds sweet success appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.