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Date Published: November 7, 2019
Melissa Bellovary graduated from Phillips High School, http://www.phillips.k12.wi.us, in 1986. She raised three sons with her husband, Wayne DeLeasky. Melissa went to nursing school and became an LPN, working in that field for the last eighteen years. She spent part of her time as a private duty vent nurse and also worked at a state prison for over eight years. Melissa and Wayne remained in Phillips until 2001 and then moved to Elk Mound, Wisconsin.
In 2019, Melissa decided to make a career shift after discovering a line of products that target people and pets with anxiety, pain, and inflammation. Those products are CBD, short for cannabidiol, which are derived from an industrial hemp plant. They are offered in a variety of forms, including topical creams, oils, water solubles, ingestible gummies, and beverages.
Melissa started using this line of products for her knee and foot pain and had awesome results in a short time. "Then I found I was sleeping so much better, also, and I wanted to share with others."
Encouraged by her experience, Melissa opened her first store in Eau Claire in March of this year and had a great response. Seeing her customers pleased with this line of products, Melissa was encouraged to open two more stores, one in Menomonie in September and one in Phillips on October 31st. This new businesswoman hopes to open two more stores in other locations in the state within the next twelve months.
Enjoying interacting with new customers and forming friendships with repeat customers, Melissa strives to answer any questions and has a good number of resources that can be browsed in her relaxing store setting, complete with a sofa and armchairs.
Melissa stated that some people are skeptical to try the products because they incorrectly worry it will result in a high. "That's the first thing they say: 'It's not going to make me goofy, is it?'" According to Melissa, there is no chance of getting a high with CBD products, which is why they are legal to sell in Wisconsin.
Pleased with the open mind and great welcome she has received from small town Phillips, Melissa is happy she made the choice to open a store in Price County where she has fond memories of growing up and raising her children.
Adding to her family, Melissa now has three grandsons, ages five and three years and nine months. She also has two dogs, four cats, and an African Grey parrot that she describes as "sassy."
Perhaps her parrot has become "sassy" given Melissa's favorite TV show is "The Office." "I love the sarcastic humor, and I have lived through working with each one of those characters [in my previous career]!"
Melissa enjoys travel, and in ten years she would like to travel all over the United States, seeing the unique qualities of each area first-hand. She would also like to travel to Ireland to see the castles, hillsides, and sheep. Her favorite vacation spot so far has been Arizona. "I really like Flagstaff. The state was beautiful, and I liked the mountains, longer growing seasons, and the dry heat."
Melissa said that if she could go back and tell something to her eighteen year old self it would be that, "Time is so precious and to cherish what you have since it can be gone before you expect."
An issue that Melissa is passionate about that she feels is at the forefront of our time is bullying children both in school and out. "We need to make it cool to be kind and treat others decent," Melissa shared. "We need to follow through with consequences for treating kids poorly."
Her advice for students in high school includes, "Go to college, if you are able, and/or work hard to do the best you can at whatever you do. Pick something you enjoy and you look forward to." She added, "Surround yourself with positive people that support and want the best for you, not people than keep you from reaching your career or personal goals."
Surrounding herself with positive people is exactly what Melissa feels she has done. "None of this would have been possible without the love and support of my husband. He has been behind me 110%, which makes all of this worth it."
To welcome Melissa to Phillips, stop by Your CBD Store Phillips at 126 North Lake Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. There will be a grand opening event on Friday and Saturday with snacks and drawings (to win bath bombs, gummies, and more!) throughout those days.
Written By: Lynne Bohn
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