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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2025)
10 Summer 2025 Applegater Community joy at the park BY JANIS MOHR-TIPTON The third annual Volunteer and Community Event at Cantrall Buckley Park on April 12 was a resounding success for community members and families who participated, as well as f o r t h e vo l u n t e e r - r u n n o n p ro f i t organizations and groups throughout the Applegate Valley. A highlight of the event was the performance by students from Ruch Outdoor Community School, directed by Principal Ryan King. Many audience members mentioned feeling “misty- eyed with joy” as they watched the enthusiastic and happy smiles of the children singing. Following this, the local duo “Justaduo” captivated the crowd with their strong, gusty voices that carried their songs throughout the event area. The children’s activity area was a major attraction for families all afternoon. It was bustling with happy children engaged in art projects, planting willow cuttings, and creating river systems in the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council’s (APWC) Stream Table, a special trailer filled with sand, water, and various items to create miniature stream simulations. Another highlight was the chance to visit the newest fire truck in the Applegate Valley Fire Department’s fleet. Children had the opportunity to sit in the truck and received special fire helmets and badges. The crowning moment of the day was when all participating organizations and groups formed a big circle. We spent over an hour learning about each other’s activities and getting to know one another. Sharing our needs led to the decision to work together as a “volunteers collective,” meeting quarterly and developing a plan of focus points important to the entire group. The underlying theme was to help each other and invite guest presenters as needed. Jim Reiland, a community member and A Greater Applegate board member, and I are developing a survey for the group to determine priorities for the rest of 2025. If there are any other volunteer groups or nonprofits who didn’t make the event or would like to join this “volunteers collective,” please contact me. Volunteer opportunities around the park It’s time to care for our Cantrall Buckley Park. We have many designated areas that need weeding, deadheading of flowering species, and planting or replanting of pollinator-friendly plants. Individuals or small groups are welcome to join workdays. Principal Ryan King leads students from Ruch Outdoor Community School in lively songs, creating a joyful atmosphere to celebrate our community and its dedicated volunteers. Photo: Applegate Partnership. Liz Shen, Provolt Volunteer Team leader and co-founder of the Applegate After Dark project, brought her lighthearted energy and enthusiasm to the Third Annual Volunteer and Community Event at Cantrall Buckley Park. Photo: Applegate Partnership. Interpretive sign installations will take place when summer workers are available to assist Brien Dallas, Operations Manager for Jackson County Parks. The Hiker-Biker Shelter needs its wood frame sealed with a clear coat after the rainy weather has passed. We need a couple of volunteers to help with this task, so please contact me if you’re interested. En j oy t h e w o n d e r f u l o u t d o o r blooming happenings! Janis Mohr-Tipton Chair, Cantrall Buckley Enhancement Committee Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council 541-846-7501 janis.agapark@gmail.com What is coming up at Pacifica this summer? BY CLAIR HIGHFIELD On Saturday, June 7, Pacifica is hosting the Community Rising Folk Music Festival, a fun, family-friendly day filled with live music, kids’ activities, delicious food, vendors, and plenty of chances to hang out with neighbors and friends under the stunning backdrop of the Siskiyou Mountains. It’s a perfect way to spend a day outdoors enjoying music and community. The festival is also a fundraiser to support our Youth Music Studio at Pacifica, where kids and teens can learn and create music. Pacifica’s Community Rising Folk Music Festival is excited to have Portland’s dynamic trio, Yak Attack, and a variety of local musicians, including Redder than Red, Love Buzz, Frankie Hernandez Band, Kennemer, Ry Michael, The Ant Hill, Coleman Antonucci, Windsong, Ras Gabriel, Jeff Jacobs, Shoshana B, and Bondon. In addition to enjoying music, sights, and food, attendees can participate in a variety of classes, such as rhyming, drumming, yoga, and more. Learn more or buy your ticket at https://pacificagarden. networkforgood.com/events/86643- community-rising-folk-festival-at-pacifica. Pacifica is also offering summer camps to get kids exploring, creating, and having fun in nature. From engineering to horseback riding, from art and nature to creative dance and leadership camps, there’s a camp for every interest and every child. These camps are all about sparking curiosity, developing new skills, and, of course, having a blast while doing it! At Pacifica, we’re all about creating a space where families can come together to learn, grow, and connect with nature. If you are looking for an activity for the whole family, keep an eye out for the free community art classes we have available, thanks to a grant from the Round House Foundation. What blossomed over the spring This past spring, we were busy learning, growing, and connecting with nature in all sorts of exciting ways. Through Pacifica’s Adventures in Learning program, Forest Fridays, field trips, and Pacifica’s Outdoor School, kids, families, and community members have been diving into hands-on learning and experiencing the joy of being part of the land and its changing seasons. We planted our children’s orchard with the help of the Williams Permaculture Club and hosted our first project-based learning field trips, where students planted willow along the creek to reduce erosion, to provide shade for salmon in the creek, and to attract beavers. We hosted a prescribed- burn workshop and our third leadership training for high school students. We are excited to continue to engage in more hands-on restoration projects working with fire and water. We also offered five Outdoor School sessions for fifth and sixth graders, where kids got outside, learned science through hands-on exploration, and deepened their understanding of the world around them. These adventures in the great outdoors help bring science to life, and we’re thrilled to continue offering experiences like these that inspire curiosity and a love of learning. Oregon is the only state with a free, Planting the children’s orchard. statewide Outdoor School program that aims to include every fifth or sixth grader. It is a testament to Oregonians’ love of nature. Pacifica is proud to be an Outdoor School provider! Come visit Pacifica and stay connected! We ’r e e x c i t e d a b o u t o u r accomplishments this spring and are looking forward to an amazing summer. We hope you’ll join us this summer to be a part of our community. From the Community Rising Folk Music Festival to our summer camps, there’s so much to look forward to. We invite you to come, enjoy the beauty of nature, make new friends, and support a cause that helps kids and families thrive. Come play, learn, and grow with us at Pacifica this summer—we can’t wait to see you! Pacifica is open to the public from dawn to dusk most days. Check our calendar at https://pacificagarden. org/events/ to make sure there is not a private event and then come on over for a hike, catch-and-release fishing, or to play on the playground. Stay in touch by joining our newsletter at pacificagarden. Roasting over the open fire at a prescribed burn workshop in collaboration with Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association. dm.networkforgood.com/forms/general- mailing-list. Clair Highfield clair@pacificagarden.org
