6 Summer 2017 Applegater
— Applegate Library —
The silent auction at Applegate Library
was a great community event that raised
over $600. A huge thank-you to the
Applegate School Class of ’65 and to all the
generous donations from the community.
Money from this event makes it possible
for the Friends of Applegate Library to
schedule classes and programs throughout
the summer.
I recently had the privilege of attending
the Oregon Library Association conference
in Salem. What an event! It was exciting
to see the many young librarians who are
serving in the state of Oregon. I am very
hopeful for our next generation of readers
and leaders. The three most exciting
classes I attended were “Understanding
Our Patrons’  Needs,” “Author Talk with
Maggie Stiefvater,” and “Playing Well
with Others.” These classes really opened
my eyes about ways to better serve the
community.
School will soon be out and Summer
Reading will begin. There are lots of other
activities, too, so be sure to check them out.
The following programs are sponsored by
the Friends of Applegate Library and are
free to the public:
• Wednesday, July 12, 11 am - 1 pm. John
Jackson will be here to show the kids how
to build small motors.
• Wednesday, July 19, 11 am - 1 pm.
Allie Parkin will give another class on clay
pot creations.
• Friday, July 28, 2:30 - 4:30 pm. Create
a wire sculpture with Thalia Truesdell.
• Wednesday, August 9, 12 - 2 pm. Create
a fairy/mini garden scene in a small pot or
container. All items will be provided; just
bring your imagination.
Spots are limited so be sure to call the
Applegate Library and get your name on
the list.
Other community events scheduled in
our meeting room are:
• Sangha Meditation on Mondays
through Thursdays from 6 - 7 am.
• Yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays
from 8:30 - 9:30 am.
• Knitting on Tuesdays at 2 pm.
• “Talk Story” with David and Malcolm
Kennedy on the second Saturday of each
month at 7 pm.
For more information, contact branch
lead Lisa Martin at 541-846-7346 or
lmartin@jcls.org.
— Ruch Library —
We now have hot-off-the-press books
for you! These books, available to our
patrons in Ruch, are not holdable, so kiss
that 74th place on the waiting list good-
bye! Hooray!
It has been a delight having the
kindergarteners and seventh- and eighth-
grade Ruch School students at the library
every week this year. This is why we chose
this property next to the school, and the
children’s library skills and interest attest to
its success. We hope to see you all during
the summer!
Summer at Ruch Library will be a lively
time as we all strive to  “Build a Better
World.” In addition to eight scheduled
programs, we will have Legos available at
all other times. And what could be better
than all the books, computers, movies,
audiobooks, and magazines we always have
for you? Though we are a small branch, we
are mighty! Don’t forget we have access to
all the materials in the whole system and
are happy to order from other branches for
your convenience.
• Saturday, June 24: Little Dresses for
Africa, 11 am - 3 pm drop-in. Ages
8+. Children ages 8 - 10 must be
accompanied by an adult. Bring a gently
used pillowcase(s) to be turned into a dress
for a girl in Africa or an adult t-shirt to
become a pair of shorts for a boy. Trim will
be available. We need people to iron, cut,
and pin, while the owners of the sewing
machines work their magic. (Thread, trim,
and pillowcase donations are welcome!)
• Thursday, June 29: Wire Sculpture,
1 - 5 pm  drop-in for ages 4+.  Let your
imagination go wild with colorful
telephone wire. (Any bendable wire
donations are welcome!)
• Saturday, July 15:  Wood Sculpture,
noon - 3 pm drop-in for all ages. Scrap
wood and tacky glue offer unlimited
possibilities for building.
• Saturday, July 22: Give Someone a
Hand, 11:30 am - 3:30 pm drop-in for
ages 6+. Stitch around your traced hand
and create a special keepsake.
• Tuesday, July 25: Wildlife of the
Siskiyou Mountains, 1 - 2 pm for all ages.
Join John Jackson as he takes us on a virtual
tour of the wildlife just outside our door.
This is his newest program.
• Thursday, August 3: Build a Village,
1 - 4 pm drop-in for all ages. Build part
of a cardboard village or city to grace the
library for a month, and then take your
part of the creation home.
• Saturday, August 5: Cairns, 1:30 - 3:30
pm. Teen program for ages 12 - 19. Build
a personal rock cairn and paint it bright
colors.
• Tuesday, August 8: Flashlights from an
Altoids Tin (STEM Program), 1 - 2 pm for
ages 8+. Children under age 12 must be
accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration
required. John Jackson will teach you how
to create a flashlight out of an Altoids tin.
Ruch Library is open Tuesdays from 10
am to 5 pm, Thursdays from 1 to 7 pm,
and Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm. The
library is located at 7919 Highway 238.
For more information, contact branch
manager Thalia Truesdell at 541-899-7438
or ttruesdell@jcls.org.
— Josephine Community Libraries —
Williams branch weekly storytime
Bring the whole family to children’s
storytime at 3:30 pm every Wednesday
at the Williams branch of Josephine
Community Libraries.
Build a Better World:
2017 Summer Reading Program
June 24 - August 5
Families are invited to join the free
Summer Reading Program at any of the
four branches of Josephine Community
Libraries in Grants Pass, Illinois Valley,
Williams, or Wolf Creek.
Children ages birth through 12 years
old can enjoy creative crafts and storytelling
sessions and play “reading bingo” for
special prizes.
Teens can earn a weekly raffle ticket
for each book read and the chance to win
a $50 gift certificate to Oregon Books and
Games every week.
Parents who attend with their children
every week have a chance to win a $100
gift card to Fred Meyer at the end of the
reading program.
The Summer Reading Program is
free and offered during regular library
hours at all four branches. Funding for
the Children’s Summer Reading Program
is made possible by the Oregon State
Library Ready to Read Grant. For more
information, call your nearest library
branch, email info@josephinelibrary.org,
or visit josephinelibrary.org.
Bugs-R-Us at the Williams branch
Save the date for Bugs-R-Us at the
library this summer!  Bugs-R-Us will
visit the Williams branch of Josephine
Community Libraries from 2 to 3 pm
on Wednesday, July 12, to offer a free
program highlighting the life cycles of rare
butterflies and moths from all over the
world. No registration required.
The library is located at 20695
Williams Highway and is open Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 1 to 5
pm. For more information about Williams
Branch Library, contact manager Evelyn
Roether at 541-846-7020 or eroether@
josephinelibrary.org.
— Friends of Ruch Library —
We had just moved
to our new home in the
upper Applegate when my
husband, Curt, announced
that he had signed me up
for volunteering at the
A-frame Bookstore next to
Ruch Library. You did what,
where, when?
Yes, I love books and
libraries. Yes, I believe strongly in
community service. Yes, I have volunteered
with Friends of the Library in several
communities. Yes, I was looking forward
to being a part of our new community.
Knowing this, Curt spoke with volunteers
from Friends of Ruch Library (FORL)
while visiting Buncom Day festivities when
I was out of town. So…what could I say?
I jumped in!
It has been a fantastic experience
that began with volunteering at the
A-frame Bookstore and working with
Thalia Truesdell, Ruch Library manager,
then moving on to become president of
FORL. Meeting like-minded people in
our community, who soon became friends,
and admiring the talents and enthusiasm of
an incredible community have been a joy.
It is our hope that more community
members will join us as volunteers.
Whether you are new to the
community, want to hang
out with interesting people,
find you have more time to
give back to the community,
or are looking for a way to
offer community service as
a part of your educational
plan (yes, we even have high-
school students, who will
receive community service credit!), please
consider joining us. Opportunities are
plentiful—be a part of the FORL (we get
together monthly), work two-hour shifts
at the A-frame (lots of time to read great
books!), help with library programs, or
take part in our seasonal book sales while
enjoying community celebrations.
To join us, drop us a note at the Ruch
Library, stop by the A-frame Bookstore,
or come to our September board meeting!
Peggy Mekemson, President
Friends of Ruch Library
curtandpeg@aol.com
Note: The A-frame Bookstore, located across
the parking lot from Ruch Library, is open
Tuesdays and Saturdays 12 to 4 pm, and
Thursdays 1 to 5 pm. Bring this article
on your next visit, and we will treat you
to a book of your choice (most books
included)!
Voices of the Applegate
Concerts
Williams Elementary School “Fashion Re-
invention” winners Ava and Stella Spliethof
with Southern Oregon Sanitation representative
Shea Sigafoos. The Spliethof sisters’ “Spring
is in Bloom” entry used wood, old nails, and
tin cans to create shelving for plants. Placing
second was Harley Scott’s “Red Buccaneer,”
and in third place was Elijah Reyes’s “Futuristic
Flower.” (See more information on page 22.)
Voices of the Applegate, our community choir, concluded its spring session
with two spectacular performances. The first was an evening concert held in the
Old Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville on April 7, and the second was held in the
afternoon of April 9 at the Applegate River Lodge on Highway 238 in Applegate.
The program consisted of a variety of music from around the world, including
France, Russia, Ireland, and Armenia, as well as our own American Midwest. We
took the audience with us on this adventure, and the performances brought joy
to all who attended.
Directed by Hope Harrison, Voices of the Applegate is comprised of about 25
community members of all ages. New members are always welcome to join. No
audition is required, only a love of music. There is a charge of $55 per person for
each fall and spring session.
The next session begins in early September, with rehearsals from 7 to 8:30
pm every Wednesday for 12 weeks, and ends with two concert performances in
November.  
For more information, call Joan Peterson at 541-846-6988.