IN A FUNDRAISING EFFORT to pay for fresh fruits and vegetables for area food banks, Raley’s Supermarket in Southampton Shopping Center and others in the company are having a summer donation drive.

Through July 31, all Raley’s, Bel Air and Nob Hill Markets in California and Nevada will collect donations to Food for Families. In addition, the stores are matching contributions by customers.

All donations stay local, the company assured. Those interested may visit the website www.foodforfamilies.org.

“The need for food assistance grows dramatically over the summer, but our food bank partners tell us that fresh, healthy produce is in extremely short supply,” said Jennie Teel Wolter, Food For Families development officer. “We’re proud to offer the community a simple and easy way to help make a difference by providing fresh fruits and vegetables to the those struggling with hunger.”

Last summer, customers, team members and businesses raised more than $460,000 to fight hunger through a similar campaign, Wolter said.

Working in partnership with food banks, the company’s program will increase fresh foods to neighborhood food banks, she said. Food For Families plans to help food banks obtain what the need in order to distribute the food, and will help them obtain educational materials as well.

The company also announced it has a new chief operating officer. Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, based in West Sacramento, has chosen Keith Knopf to oversee daily corporate operations, sales and merchandising, as well as marketing and advertising.

“Keith is the perfect addition to the Raley’s family,” said Mike Teel, Raley’s president and chief executive officer.

A Fortune 200 leader with 25 years of retail experience, Knopf started with May Company department stores and had leadership roles in operations, merchandise planning, information technology and finance. He led annual business planning and strategy for the Victoria’s Secret division of Limited Brands.

Most recently, Knopf led the retail operations and omni-channel store integration at Kohl’s.

Knopf graduated from St. Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in finance and earned a master’s degree in business administration. He spends spare time with his wife, Debbie, and two daughters, Leslie and Chelsie.

Pearl Thai Cuisine in Southampton since November

Pearl Thai Cuisine, a family-owned business that brings 15 years of restaurant experience in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Mill Valley, Novato and Vallejo, has been in the Southampton Shopping Center, 870 Southampton Road, since November, and has been receiving multiple positive reviews on the Internet.

The restaurant specializes in fresh, seasonal fruit, vegetables and seafood, balanced with a variety of Thai cuisine spices.

Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and dinner hours are 4-9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Friday hours are 3-9:30 p.m.; Saturday hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Benicia Plumbing picks new vice president

The board of directors of Benicia Plumbing, 265 West Channel Road, has chosen Heidi Benjamin as the company’s new vice president, treasurer and secretary, succeeding William J. Cawley II.

In 2003, Ms. Benjamin graduated magna cum laude from Dominican University, San Rafael, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in strategic management and leadership. She has been a public notary certified by the California Public Notary Commission, and in 2005 she became Benicia Plumbing’s controller, leading the accounting department.

The company named her its corporate secretary and chief financial officer in 2009, overseeing its accounting, insurance, advertising and website direction.

Benjamin has spent 30 years in construction management.

Outside the business environment, she has been a volunteer with multiple organizations. She has been elected and appointed to leadership offices with the Order of the Eastern Star and also volunteers with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and Benicia Business Works. She also is a contributing member of the East Bay Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction and Soroptimist International of Vallejo.

Among her outside interests are spending time with her husband, Guy Benjamin, a Herald contributor, as well as traveling, entertaining, and church and fraternal organization activities.

Sprankle’s enhances signs, adds to menu

Sprankle’s Village Deli, 82 Solano Square, has given its delicatessen storefront a new look with the installation of new window signage.

The popular eatery also has added new items to its menu, such as homemade barbecue hamburgers, now served Thursdays and Fridays.

Sprankle’s, a family-owned delicatessen, accepts orders, including those for pickup and delivery, from those calling 707- 297-6119 or emailing spranklesvillagedeli@comcast.net.

Highway Patrol, Berkeley Farms promote motorcycle safety

California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate Division and Berkeley Farms have become partners in a campaign to promote motorcycle safety in Northern California.

Berkeley Farms has 118 trucks in a fleet that travels about 450,000 miles per month. Each truck in the Berkeley Farms fleet now will bear a prominent, colorful motorcycle safety logo, and members of the Highway Patrol expect innumerable people to see the safety logo as the trucks travel on highways and streets.

“As the weather warms and we enter into summer months, more individuals choose motorcycles as their preferred method of travel,” CHP Officer Daniel Hill said. “Unfortunately, this increase in motorcycle traffic is usually accompanied by an upswing in the amount of injury and fatal collisions involving motorcyclists.”

He said motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to be killed in a traffic collision and five times more likely to be injured compared to those using other motor vehicles. More than 5,000 motorcyclists are killed in the U.S. each year.

“Sharing this message with motorists is critical,” he said.

Motorcyclists can improve their chances of safe travel by never riding impaired, by watching their speed and by riding defensively, Hill said. Motorists can help motorcyclists survive by looking twice for motorcycles, especially before making lane changes or turns, and by avoiding distractions behind the wheel.

But the depiction on the side of the Berkeley Farms trucks is expected to reach motorists and motorcyclists alike, reminding both to share the road, be aware of their surroundings and to drive and ride safely, Hill said.

Joey Chestnut to oversee Sonoma Raceway hot dog eating qualifier

For the second consecutive year, Joey Chestnut of San Jose will oversee a regional qualifier for the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest during the Toyota-Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway.

This year’s battle for hot dog eating supremacy will take place at the raceway at 10 a.m. June 28 in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle at 10 a.m.

“Joey Chestnut and Matthew Stonie, the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 ranked eaters respectively, both hail from Northern California,” Major League Eating emcee Sam Barclay said. “No one knows why this region has emerged as the nation’s richest pool of eating talent, but at the Sonoma qualifier, we hope to unearth America’s next great gurgitator.”

The top male and female finishers in this event will qualify for a seat at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island on July 4, when they will face reigning champions Chestnut and Miki Sudo, who also took top honors at Sonoma Raceway last year.

“The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was a highlight of our NASCAR weekend last year, and we’re delighted to bring this entertaining element back to our fans in Northern California,” said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager.

Chestnut has the current world record for eating Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs and buns, having consumed 69 in 10 minutes. He will seek his ninth straight title in 2015, a world record.

Sudo, of Las Vegas, will defend her title as female champion, having consumed 34 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes in 2014.

About 35,000 eating contest fans visit Coney Island to view the competition. According to legend, the hot dog eating contest has has taken place annually since 1916, the year Nathan Handwerker opened the legendary restaurant. Major League Eating ensures the contests are judged professionally and that safety standards are in place at each event.

Those interested in competing in the qualifier should visit www.majorleagueeating.com to obtain information and register. All competitors must be 18 or older.

Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend is June 26-28 at Sonoma Raceway, and includes opportunities to view NASCAR drivers’ practice and qualifying and an interview with Vallejo native and four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon. The Toyota/Save Mart 350, 110 laps on the technical road course, takes place Sunday. Individual event and weekend package tickets are available at www.racesonoma.com/nascar or by calling 800-870-RACE (7223).

The Benicia Herald’s weekly Benicia Business Beat column is an opportunity for local businesses and companies to tell our readers about business-oriented news, such as moves, grand openings, awards, promotion of employees, staff changes and changes in goods and services.

Submissions will be edited for length and content; and need to answer the questions who, what, when, where, why and how, preferably in the body of an email; and provide contact information.

Deadline is 3 p.m. Friday for news items that will appear in the next Tuesday edition’s Benicia Business Beat. Please email news releases and accompanying high-resolution photographs and logos to beniciaherald@gmail.com, and put “Attn. Business Beat” in the subject line, as well as the name of the business.

The Benicia Herald also appreciates area companies’ advertising patronage. For advertising services, call 707-745-0733 or email adsbenicia@yahoo.com.