09/05/2026
What a night at River Valley High School. 💚🖤🏈
Varsity got the win tonight, but what happened beyond the scoreboard meant so much more.
Tonight was our very first First Responders Night, something Coach Badaluco put together alongside Athletic Director Phil McCaulley with River Valley Sports Association stepping in to help bring it all together. After tonight, I can say without a doubt that this is something I hope becomes an annual tradition at River Valley.
We were honored to welcome members of our military, veterans, law enforcement, sheriff’s department, fire departments, dispatchers, ambulance personnel, Color Guard, and so many others who serve our community.
It was honestly one of the most incredible nights I have ever experienced at a football game.
There were definitely tears when Coach Landon was recognized. Before becoming such an important part of River Valley, he served as both a firefighter and police officer, and he has coached our kids for many years. He also holds a very special place in my family’s heart. JC had the opportunity to coach alongside him for several years and absolutely adores him, and Josh and Joey were both fortunate enough to have him as a coach. We are very lucky to have him in our lives and as part of the River Valley family.
Vice Mayor Michael Pasqule joined us and spoke, and our principal Rocco N. Greco shared his appreciation for our first responders. I have said it before, but we are incredibly lucky to have Rocco leading River Valley. He just gets it. He understands what makes this school special—the students, the staff, the families, and the community all working together for our kids.
Macy gave us a beautiful performance of “America the Beautiful,” our River Valley Band played the National Anthem, and the Color Guard helped make the ceremony something truly special. 🇺🇸
And then there are the people who always seem to show up when our community needs them.
Country Butcher once again stepped up in a huge way, donating and marinating all of the chicken we served to our first responders tonight. They support us over and over, sometimes before we even have to ask, and I cannot thank them enough.
Then the Yuba City Police Department , including Chief Justice Runyen jumped in with the smoker and cooked all of that chicken for us.
And my 💚🖤 RVSA crew did what they always do—jumped in, put the sandwiches together, served meals, handled whatever needed to be done, and made sure every first responder attending tonight could enjoy dinner on us.
Those meals were our small way of saying thank you for everything our first responders do for our school and our community. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong relationship with them.
There were several moments tonight when I just looked around with tears in my eyes.
I am so proud of my River Valley Sports Association team. Even when we are short-handed, even when something gets added to an already crazy schedule, they show up. They support my love for this school and community because they love these kids and this school just as much as I do.
I am so proud to be part of this group and so proud to be part of River Valley.
Thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered, sponsored, attended, cooked, served, spoke, performed, or helped make tonight possible.
A special thank you to Future Toyota of Yuba City , Country Butcher, the Yuba City Police Department, Chief Jim Runyen, our first responders, BACK the BADGE, Yuba Sutter our Military, River Valley High School and everyone who continues to trust RVSA to step in and help make nights like this happen.
Tonight will definitely go down as one of my favorite nights at River Valley. 💚🖤
This is what community looks like.
Once a Falcon, always a Falcon. 🦅🇺🇸
Tanya Colburn
RVSA President
