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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2020)
Applegater Winter 2020 7 NONPROFIT NEWS AND UPDATES Placemaking is a welcome sign Applegaters step up to help foster animals BY SETH KAPLAN BY LAURA AHEARN installed. This includes Placemaking— contacting appropriate any strategy or action property owners that strengthens the to seek permission connection between and submitting an people and the places application to both they share—is an counties for approval. important lens for Placemaking our work at A Greater is important in Applegate (AGA). building community It is a collaborative connections, capacity, process by which and culture and in we can shape our taking actions that public realm by are most meaningful paying attention to Applegaters. If to the physical, you would like to be cultural, and social involved in this project identities that define or any of the other AGA a place—now and for the future. An Applegate Valley welcome sign will be projects, please contact The questions placed along Highway 238 on the east and AGA via Facebook we ask at our west sides of the valley. or by email at seth@ agreaterapplegate.org. neighborhood, business, and nonprofit listening sessions are designed to help us all gain a better Building Momentum understanding of what we want to retain and in the Applegate Valley Momentum Grants are AGA’s way to change about the place we call the Applegate. The answers to these questions have led AGA recognize efforts community organizations to create the Applegate Valley logo, build and are taking to sustain and build the social, improve public bulletin boards, and work environmental, and economic vitality with local artists to enhance public spaces. of the Applegate Valley. AGA recently All of this and more is how we collectively awarded Momentum Grants to the following and collaboratively create a shared sense of community projects: • Applegate Partnership & Watershed place called the Applegate Valley. In placemaking conversations, we often Council— $1,000 to install a watershed hear from people who are excited about map at the Provolt Special Recreation creating Applegate Valley Welcome Signs. AGA Management Area • Applegater newsmagazine—$1,300 to created a Welcome Sign Working Group of community members Caroline Brandes, Jeff cover the cost to mail and distribute this issue • Community Wellness & Healing Arts Martin, Celia Chavez, Josias Escobedo, Sang Montage, Sue Owen, Tiffany Ryan, Monica Network—$1,000 to produce Coping with Schuster, Diana Slater, Terri Stewart, AGA staff Crisis, a community healing event • McKee Bridge Historical Society—$500 member Ryan Pernell, and artist Jonathan Ash (Oshala Farm sign) to create the welcome sign to clean historic grave markers at the image depicted on this page. The final version Logtown Cemetery • Pacifica—$500 to conduct community of the welcome sign will be carved in wood and colorfully painted. We want to place one on the outreach in support of a Conditional Use east and one on the west side of the Applegate Permit to hold more events • Wanderlust Theatre—$500 to support Valley along Highway 238. The community work group was the 2021 production of Dracula in the unanimous in its belief that the sign should Applegate Valley • Well Water Wellness—$1,000 to help be unique, attractive, and representative of the Applegate. A draft of the image is purchase a 3-D simulated groundwater being disseminated through Facebook, model to support a groundwater education Jo’s List, and the AGA Bulletin to ensure curriculum at Applegate Valley schools • Williams Community Forest we get feedback from as many Applegaters Project—$1,000 to support efforts to preserve as possible. We are happy with the image but want Pipe Fork Creek In addition, AGA awarded $500 each to hear from you. What do you think of the image? What thoughts do you have to Applegate Elementary, Ruch Outdoor about colors, size, the signs’ construction, Community School, Williams Elementary, where to place them, or anything else? and Woodland Charter to support efforts at Please send any thoughts you have to the schools to adjust to COVID. Congratulations to all the grantees and info@agreaterapplegate.org, call 541-702- to all of you who do so much to make the 2108, or send a note to PO Box 335, Applegate Valley the best place to live! Jacksonville 97530. Seth Kaplan, Executive Director Once we hear from the community, A Greater Applegate we will make appropriate changes and seth@agreaterapplegate.org begin the approval process to get the signs In August, Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) decided to cancel all indoor fundraising events because of the pandemic, including the popular Deck the Paws Holiday Fair. But many artists and crafters had been making and donating special gift and pet items throughout the year, so FOTAS decided to try an outdoor crafts fair at the Historic County Courthouse in Jacksonville. Early on the morning of September 8, a report went out that almost everything needed for the crafts fair was in place: permits, insurance, tables, canopies, inventory. Everything but the roster of volunteers. Three hours later all animals at the Jackson County Animal Shelter (JCAS) were evacuated to the Expo as the Almeda Fire blasted through Talent and Phoenix. FOTAS and JCAS went to work to find foster homes for the shelter animals, while strays and pets relinquished temporarily by newly homeless families poured in. The main shelter buildings escaped serious damage, but improvements paid for and maintained by FOTAS were lost—exercise yards, storage sheds, landscaping. Lacking power and water, the shelter complex remained closed for three weeks. Ownerless animals continued arriving at the Expo. The need for a successful fundraiser was now more vital than ever, but the ranks of FOTAS volunteers were disproportionately impacted by the Almeda Fire. Many volunteers live(d) in Talent and Phoenix; some lost their homes or were unable to return home while utilities were being restored. Applegaters immediately responded to a call for help. Several were already at the Expo by the afternoon of September 8 to help care for evacuated animals and take a few home to foster. They transported six large-breed dogs and three cats to Sanctuary One in Upper Applegate; Sanctuary One assumed responsibility for rehoming these pets. One of many canine visitors at the FOTAS Crafts Fair. Photo: Sunny LeGrand. A caring couple in Little Applegate gave one of those dogs, lovely Squirt, a home. The crafts fair went forward as planned on October 3-4. Applegaters filled over half the volunteer spots besides making items to donate. Several worked at the event on both days. The smoke cleared, Mother Nature arranged glorious weather, and pet-loving shoppers turned out. The event was a success, far exceeding fundraising goals. Applegaters continue their efforts to help FOTAS and JCAS recover from the fire. Two local businesses are marketing handcrafted items on behalf of FOTAS. Sweets-n-Eats in Ruch is selling jewelry and figurines, and Little Applegate resident Dr. Jeffrey Judkins has deluxe dog-walking pouches at AnimalKind Holistic Veterinary Clinic. 100% of proceeds go to FOTAS to help shelter and foster animals. Stop by and pick up a gift for an animal-lover ... or for yourself! Laura Ahearn Laura.ahearn@stanfordalumni.org Local • Seasonal • Handcrafted Fresh Flowers Available At: 190 E. California St. Downtown Jacksonville Ruch Country Store & Medford Food Co-Op Now Delivering! • 541-531-6559 • zuzusfl owers.com Now serving burgers!