Applegater Spring 2018
7
NONPROFIT NEWS AND UPDATES
— McKee Bridge Historical Society —
Save the date
Despite one close call this winter—an
elder alder on the ditch bank fell across
the corner of the west approach to McKee
Bridge, resulting only in damage to the
tree—the old bridge is standing strong
and getting ready for its 101st birthday.
This year, McKee Bridge Day will be held
on Saturday, June 9, from 11 am to 3 pm
with the usual good music, food, historic
displays, vendors, raffles—something for
everyone. We hope you’ll join us for an
afternoon of family fun and a celebration
of local history.
At last year’s Centennial Celebration, a
number of local people were interviewed
and video-recorded through a project called
Stories of Southern Oregon, coordinated
by Maureen Battistella of Southern Oregon
University. This year these stories, which
give a variety of perspectives on the history
of the past century in the Applegate, will
be shown at McKee Bridge Day,
Our centennial t-shirts are still available
at Ruch Store, Tiffany’s Outpost, and
Applegate Store. If you don’t find your
size, a full range will be available on June 9.
As the date gets closer, more information
about this year’s celebration will become
available. For updates, visit Applegate
Valley Connect at applegateconnect.org
to read the information in our directory
listing and also to check the calendar on
June 9. Hope to see you all there.
Paul Tipton • 541-846-7501
mckeebridge1917@gmail.com
— Pacifica —
Spring at Pacifica
We’ve been enjoying a nice variety of
waterfowl on Heron Pond: buffleheads,
goldeneyes, mergansers, and more. There
is a waterfowl identification sheet on
the kiosk by the pond. Come enjoy our
visitors.
New and in progress
The 2 nd Annual Spring Art & Music
Fest is being planned for Mother’s Day.
Bring Mom and have a great day looking at
art, listening to live music, and eating great
food. Moms get a complimentary canvas
tote bag ($1 for others) that they (or their
kids) can decorate. It will be perfect timing
for one of our great wildflower walks and
a bird walk…after all, Pacifica is a nature
center and it’s spring! Sounds like a great
day, so don’t forget: Sunday, May 13, 10
am - 4 pm.
The Fragrance Garden is almost
done (if a garden can ever be really
done!). Whooo-hee! Over 100 kinds of
fragrant plants have been planted around
the labyrinth and along the road. The
Pollinator Garden has been dug and will
hopefully be completed this spring. When
things start to bloom, be sure to visit!
Pacifica will be working double-time
this spring providing the Caterpillar’s
fascinating hands-on program, “Partners
in Pollination,” to local schools. Field trips
(when the kids come to Pacifica) include
a hay ride, art, and lots of fun science. In
May we will also be hosting a new Outdoor
School program for eight three-day sessions
of 60 children each.
As part of plans for PODS (Pacifica
Outdoor School), we now have our own
little certified mobile kitchen built in a
cool blue school bus. It will, we hope, be
up and running by the Spring Fest so you
can come admire it.
Volunteers are always appreciated for
any variety of jobs. Please contact peg@
pacificagarden.org.
Peg Prag • 541-660-4295
peg@pacificagarden.org
■
A GREATER APPLEGATE
Continued from page 1
your organization on the directory so
people know what you do and how to
find you. Post your events on the calendar
and share stories and details about the
projects you are doing. We want Applegate
Valley Connect to be the primary source
of information for the entire Applegate
Valley watershed.
In the near future we will be launching
“Community Connections” to support
Applegate Valley businesses, nonprofits,
and neighborhoods with information,
trainings, meetings, advocacy, and other
assistance to better sustain and enhance
the communal, environmental, and
economic vitality of the Applegate Valley.
Community Connections is chaired by our
newest board member, Megan Fehrman.
You will hear more about these efforts in
the next issue of the Applegater.
In January, Vice Chair Paul Tipton and
Barbara Holiday joined me for a meeting
with Josephine County Foundation
founder, Chris Pendleton, and a remarkable
group of Hidden Valley High School
students to learn what it’s like to be a young
person growing up in the Applegate Valley.
We were reminded that none of us should
assume what our community is like for
anyone else until we ask them, and this will
be a theme for A Greater Applegate moving
forward. We are not here to speak for
others—we are here to create opportunities
for all to speak.
We are excited to partner with a sister
organization, IV Can, in the Illinois
Valley. We are sharing experiences about
community building in rural areas and
have begun conversations about projects
on which we might collaborate to benefit
our entire regions.
Community chili feed
You can learn more about these projects,
meet our board, let us know how you
would like to get involved and what
you think about a more vital Applegate
Valley at our free community chili feed
on Thursday, March 15, from 5 to 7 pm,
at Applegate Valley Fire District’s meeting
facility. The community chili feed is
sponsored by Craig and Amber Hamm of
the Ruch Country Store. Craig is the new
treasurer of A Greater Applegate.
All of this work would not be possible if
we hadn’t made the decision to hire Brooke
Nuckles Gentekos as a very part-time
consultant. We are excited to have Brooke
supporting our committees, fundraising
efforts, and organizational development.
As the saying goes, we are learning to
build the plane as we fly it. If that sounds
like fun to you, join us—you are very
welcome! To make a donation, please visit
gacdc.org.
Seth Kaplan
sethkaplanconsulting@gmail.com
•••BIZ bits•••
Applegate Country Club. Applegate Country Club (ACC) has expanded its hours
and is now open six days a week (every day except Tuesday) from noon to 9 pm. Stop
in, see friends and neighbors, and enjoy delicious pizza. Delivery for ACC members is
available! 15090 Highway 238, Applegate • 541-846-1666 • applegatecountryclub.com.
• • •
Applegate Valley Connect. Check out this new community website that connects
the Applegate Valley. Find events and information about businesses and nonprofits, use
the handy links to libraries, schools, government, etc. Try it out—register now and enter
your own information. It’s free! applegateconnect.org • applegateconnect@gmail.com.
• • •
Applegate Valley Realty. The Jacksonville office of Applegate Valley Realty has a
new name, Jacksonville Realty, and welcomes a new agent, Tammy French. All agents,
including Don Tollefson, Debbie Tollefson, Carol Milazzo, and Tammy French,
specialize in rural homes, ranches, farms, and vineyards, as well as historic Jacksonville.
Applegate Valley Realty and Jacksonville Realty strive to offer you a smooth and enjoyable
experience whether you are buying or selling your home. Jacksonville Realty, 935 North
Fifth Street, Jacksonville • 541-218-0947. Applegate Valley Realty, 7380 Highway 238,
Ruch • 541-261-0949.
• • •
Provolt Country Store. If you haven’t been to the Provolt Country Store and Deli
lately, check it out. Enjoy delicious baked goods (best croissants this side of Paris!),
sandwiches, soups, pizza, and more. When you walk in the door, you will notice a fresh
look. Always convenient for food on the go, the store now has an inviting seating area to
stay and enjoy your food. You can also have beer or wine with your meal. Open Sunday
- Thursday 7 am - 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 7 am - 10 pm. Corner of Highway 238
and Williams Highway, Provolt • 541-846-6286.
• • •
Troon Vineyard. Dr. Bryan and Denise White of Arlington, Texas, acquired Troon
Vineyard with a vision of expansion. They had previously bought an adjacent vineyard,
now known as White Family Vineyard. Their grand plan is to combine the two properties,
a total of 95 acres, and convert Troon to exclusively estate-bottled wines. They will
follow full biodynamic practices and attain biodynamic certification. Total production
under the Troon label will be 7,500 cases. Wine industry veterans Craig Camp, general
manager, and Steve Hall, wine maker, continue to lead Troon as it enters a new era.
Says Craig, “Everyone at Troon is excited to reach the stars with our new wine.” Tasting
room is open daily from 11 am - 5 pm. 1475 Kubli Road, Grants Pass • 541-930-2089
• troonvineyard.com.
BizBits highlights businesses new to the area, holding special events, or offering new products. If you are a
business owner, let us know when you move into the area or to a different location, hold a special event, expand
your business, or mark a milestone. Email Shelley Manning at manningshelley@icloud.com.
