Hi, our names are Melanie and Ty Bourne. We live in a little village called Clinton, Nebraska, population of about 26. We have Gordon to the East which is about 8 miles away, and Rushville to the West is about 6 miles away. We have 2 children – Shelby (22) was just married in August and currently going to Nursing School and Ethan (10) is a 5th grader and active in baseball and football.
I have worked full time for 17 years as a cake decorator in Whiteclay, NE, which is by the Nebraska/South Dakota border by Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Natives buy cakes for funerals and sometimes I have over 20 cakes going to funerals. I draw Indian designs on cakes and then airbrush them. It keeps me on my toes, for sure, as there is a huge death rate on the reservation due to suicide, drug over-dose, or alcohol.
I am also very active in our community and the current Secretary of our local Cancer group called CARE. I am the treasurer and we hold different fundraising events during the year to raise money for our Sheridan county residents that have to travel outside our area for cancer treatments. CARE helps with food, motels, and gas for those suffering.
My husband, Ty, who is my rock, helps me in so many ways and supports me with Alison’s and CARE. He is a custodian at Gordon Rushville High School.
I became an Alison’s Rep after seeing a catalog at my Dad’s house in Lusk, WY, and just got to wondering if it would “fly” in my area. After gallbladder surgery in February of 2016, I couldn’t do anything and was so bored at home by myself so I took the leap..and decided to give it a whirl..what did I have to lose out on? A few hours of paper work and maybe a few freezers that I could always sell? It has been almost 2 years now and we have loved doing this! (My Son Ethan fights me every truck day because he has school and wants to come help unload the truck❤️.) The people that have supported us in this adventure have been wonderful and I have met people in our community that I probably would have never spoken to.
Our favorite products are the flat iron steaks , bacon wrapped pork fillets, spices, egg rolls (amazing), and the #2 big buy bacon. The veggies we have tried are amazing as well, although we have a garden and a greenhouse and do tons of canning in the Summer months.
We have personally been struggling with orders since the online ordering took place. I have had some say they don’t like their credit card info out there, some that have said they don’t have a computer, some Moms that have said it takes so much more time and they don’t have time to sit down and order. But, I have a few customers that absolutely love it. I know we can’t please everyone, even in our everyday lives, but I think going back to Net 10 will help please a lot of Alison’s customers. (Her #1 order was amazing with the Net 10 day payment option – $4,243.19!!)
Thanks so much to all of you for all of your help. Alison’s Pantry is a wonderful company!
