Dear Supporters,

I want to share this part of my story. Banks is more than a roadside stop on HWY 55. If you know the area, you are probably are used to seeing kayakers, rafters, and eclectic river people congregating here. Banks has a long history of harboring a community of those who have chosen to live life off the beaten path. Many people stop here and observe the culture. Some stop for a coffee break, some stop a season, and others come back year after year. Banks is a family, Banks is a home.

I started Clay by Shay on the porch of the Banks Cafe. I was living outside down by the river. My mother Kolbie became a steward of Banks that same year. We chose to be entrepreneurs side by side. The years that followed were full of music, debautchery, art, community, and so many memorable connections and relationships with people from all over the world. People are truly drawn to this place.

Seasons come and go. My family no longer operates the Banks Cafe, but our lives were certainly shaped by it. This week is the North Fork Championship Race It is essentially a reunion of river lovers from all over the world. We will be at the festival JUNE 9-11. Please come give me a hug and let's reminisce and make new memories along side the Payette River.

<3 Shay