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Wednesday, July 22, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
SPRD’s luau reaches to Hawaii
Sisters Park & Recreation
District (SPRD) has hit
another “hale” run (home
run), according to Shannon
Mokuahi Rackowski, adult
programs coordinator for
SPRD and organizer for
SPRD’s second annual luau
scheduled for August 13.
“When you receive a
phone call from the owner of
Aikane Plantation Coffee Co.
in Pahala, Hawaii, and you
are told that he is reading an
article in The Nugget about
our luau and wants to donate
coffee from the islands to
SPRD and Sisters Country,
Hawaiians would say that is
aloha (love), that is Hawaiian
style, that is aikane (to make
friends).
“Phil Becker made that
phone call to me and I
accepted his wonderful gift,”
said Rackowski. “Aikane
Coffee is one of the pre-
mium coffees in the islands,
100 percent Ka’u coffee that
is hand-picked, sun-dried,
Phil Becker made
that phone call to me and I
accepted his wonderful gift.
— Shannon rackowski
grown in the Ka’u district
of the Big Island of Hawaii,
and has been recognized with
Hawaii’s seal of quality and
other honors.
“The first crop was
planted back in 1894 by
‘Papa’ J.C. Searle, and over a
hundred years later the tradi-
tion is still carried on by his
great-granddaughter Merle
Becker. Not only have the
Beckers sent me the coffee,
but they have also sent me
one of their ice coffee mak-
ers so SPRD can offer hot
coffee and ice coffee at the
luau.”
SPRD’s Sisters Luau is
weeks away and has already
sold over 100 tickets. There
are a limited number of tick-
ets available. Purchase tick-
ets over the phone at 541-
549-2091, online at www.
sistersrecreation.com, or in
person at 1750 W. McKinney
Butte Rd., Monday through
Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sisters Country birds
By Douglas Beall
Correspondent
Lazuli bunting (Passerina
Amoena), may be Oregon’s
most colorful bird. Named
for the gemstone lapis lazuli,
this bunting is found com-
monly on the edges of forests
in the Cascades. A seed and
bug eater, the lazuli bunting
inhabits scrubby brush areas
that often contain patches of
grass.
When first-year males
arrive on their breeding areas,
they mimic the other males
in order to learn a territorial
song, often adding their own
unique melodies. As a result
of this learning behavior,
their songs vary from one
area to another. They build a
nest two to four feet off the
ground, and the male will
feed the female while she is
incubating three to four pale-
blue eggs.
They will gather together
in August and September
to begin their migration to
Arizona and Mexico. When
grouped collectively they are
known as “decoration” or
“mural” of buntings.
For more photos see http://
abirdsingsbecauseithasasong.
com/recent-journeys.
Keeping kids busy through summer
Summer is well under-
way and Sisters Park & Rec-
reation District (SPRD) is
in full swing with summer
programs. Adventure Camp
has been running weekly,
and kids have visited Bounc-
ing Off the Walls, Cascade
Indoor Center, Juniper Pool
and Madras Aquatic Cen-
ter. Many more field trips
are planned to Chimps, Inc.,
the SHARC waterpark in
Sunriver, and Sun Mountain
Fun Center. Sports camps
have been running success-
fully as well with a soccer
camp and basketball camp
drawing over 60 registrations
between them.
Even as summer break for
Sisters kids approaches half
way, the majority of SPRD’s
programs are still to come.
New to Sisters this year
is Survival Camp and two
separate backpacking trips.
According to SPRD, these
camps are receiving strong
enrollments and parents and
kids are excited for these
camps to begin. Brooke Jack-
son is beginning to finalize
travel plans for the back-
packing trip, and is consid-
ering trips to lava tubes and
to mountain lakes within the
Deschutes National Forest.
Another new camp that
has recently been announced
is Jewelry Making. This short
camp is being offered August
3-5 from 9 a.m. to noon and
is designed for kids that like
to make bracelets and neck-
laces. Emma Boyer and Crys-
tal Reifschneider are leading
the camp. Both have a passion
for teaching art and working
with kids. Thanks to a grant
received by The Roundhouse
Foundation, art camps like
these among many others can
run in Sisters this year.
Sports camps are very
popular this summer, and
there have been a number of
unique offerings giving Sis-
ters youth a chance to learn
from veteran coaches. The
Outlaws Football Camp has
drawn in Ken Ruettgers, Lin-
field Head Coach Joe Smith,
and Outlaws Coach Gary
Thorson. Upcoming sports
camps include PGA Junior
Golf Camp, Outlaws Volley-
ball Camp, UK Soccer Camp,
and Tackle Football Training
and Conditioning.
SPRD has also been taking
fall registrations for sports,
with many sports beginning
to fill rapidly. Middle school
soccer registrations are now
being taken on a waitlist, but
there is still room in football,
youth soccer (grades Pre-K
through four), and volley-
ball. Kelly Crowther, pro-
gram coordinator at SPRD,
advises parents “to get your
child registered for fall sports
now since spaces are filling
quickly.” Register online,
call, or stop by SPRD to get
registered.
For more information,
visit www.sistersrecreation.
com or call 541-549-2091.
We are excited
to welcome
Micaela ,
N EW -C LIENT S PECIAL
FREE Haircut
with any Color!
Call Emily Ford
Today! Exp. 7-31-15
Hair | Nails | Facials | Makeup | Massage
541-549-1784
161-C N. Elm St.
Offering Aveda™ products and haircolor.
our new
hygienist, to
Sisters Dental
Exceptional Health,
Prevention & Aesthetics
Ben Crockett, D.D.S.
photo by douGlas beall
the lazuli bunting has exquisite coloring.
HAWAIIAN LUAU
Th urs., Aug. 13 • 6:30-8:30 p.m.
At Village Green City Park
$10 adult/$4 youth
Must purchase tickets in advance from SPRD
THE SUMMER EVENT TO ATTEND!
Hula dancers, authentic Hawaiian cuisine & music
combine to make a great community event.
EnLoy Kalua Pig, Lomi Lomi Salmon,
Hawaiian Sticky Rice & Fresh Pineapple.
Entertainment will include Bill Keale,
Halua “Huhane Hawaii,” Kurt Silva “DJ Boogie,”
Sisters Ukulele Players and Shannon Rackowski.
www.SistersRecreation.com
V View activities & classes
and register online!
1750 W. Mckinney Butte Rd. | 541-549-2091
SNO CAP
MINI STORAGE
p 541-549-9486 f 541-549-9110
410 E. Cascade Ave. • P.O. Box 1027 • Sisters, Oregon 97759
Hours: Mon., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Thurs., 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sisters Industrial Park
157 Sisters Park Dr. • 541-549-3575
www.SistersStorage.com
• State-of-the-art
Security Technology
• Sizes from 5x5 to 12x40
• Individual Gate Codes
• Long-term Discounts
• On-site Manager