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NEWSLETTER: May 2017

In this issue:

Adopt a Rose for Mother's Day

Now you can discover your enchanted rose! Adopt a Rose for Mom (and anyone who symbolizes "Mom"!) at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden and give the gift that keeps on living.

New this year for rose adopters: Be our Guest for Tea and Roses

Saturday, May 13th, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden

Come see the garden in bloom! Volunteers will be on hand to help you locate your rose and learn about the garden, and refreshments will be provided.

Pre-order online and we'll have your gift package waiting, just in time for Mother's Day! Or choose your rose and take home your gift package the same day.

Click here to adopt a rose.

Window on the River Park

Window on the River Park, our annual donor recognition event, will be held on Thursday, June 8th and is generously hosted and underwritten by Adobe Systems, Inc.

We greatly appreciate the individuals, corporations, and foundations who provide operating support for our education, advocacy, and stewardship efforts.

For sponsorship opportunities or to buy a ticket, click here.

National River Cleanup Day

Join us for a day of environmental stewardship on Saturday, May 20th from 8:30 to 11:30 am as we remove debris from the river channel. We have already collected thousands of pounds of waste from the Guadalupe River this season! We need your help to stay on top of this ongoing effort. Please wear a hat, sunscreen, closed-toe shoes, and bring a refillable water bottle.

Click here to sign up.

Bike to Work Day

Look for our Energizer Station along the trail north of Coleman Ave. on Thursday, May 11th from 6 am to 9 am. Stop by for a piece of Hobee's coffee cake. Tallies from Bike to Work Day and the annual September trail count provide valuable data that supports continued investment in our trail network.

City Updates

The long awaited opening of Autumn Parkway, connecting Coleman Ave. to Julian St., is scheduled for late May and will include bike lanes. The trail along the east side of Autumn will also open then. Parking will no longer be allowed along Autumn in either direction.

Volunteer Corner

Five groups from Cisco joined us for workdays in the Rotary PlayGarden, Historic Orchard, and Heritage Rose Garden in celebration of Earth Week. 150 employees from Samsung (top header) also joined us to spruce up the Gardens and donated tools, too!

A hearty thanks to all the volunteer groups that toiled to make GRPG a more beautiful place this past March:

Boy Scout Troop 485
California San Jose Mission
Cirque Du Soleil
Cristo Rey High School
Friends of Children with Special Needs
Harker Academy
Hope Services
Independence High School Interact
Mission Bay
Morgan Autism Center
National Charity League
Notre Dame High School
SJSU Financial Management Association
South Bay Heritage Rose Group

And that is only the groups! We also appreciate the scores of individuals who come out weekly to make a difference. We logged more than 1,456 volunteer hours in March.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunties

  • Heritage Rose Garden Workdays
    Weds. and Sats. 8:30-11:30 am. More info.

  • Monthly River Cleanup
    Sat. May 20th, 8:30-11:30 am Sign up.
  • Historic Orchard Workday
    Sat. May 6th, 8:30-11:30 am. Sign up.
  • PlayGarden Landscaping Support
    Ongoing, e-mail Ricky for more information.
  • General Support - Ongoing
    Have some time during the week but can't make one of our regular workdays? Let us know! Every bit of time helps. E-mail Ricky for more information.

 

Meet Volunteer Angie Kearsley
Angie has been taking care of our animal ambassadors in the Visitor Center. She comes to us from Melbourne, Australia and is here with her husband, who transferred with a high-tech company. When she is not volunteering with us, you will find her working on her book, meeting new people, and exploring new places. Everyone at Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, including all of our animals, would like to give a huge round of applause to Angie for all her hard work and love for wildlife.

So many ways to give:
Adopt A Rose, General Donations,
Rotary PlayGarden,
The Donor Walkway, Memberships,
Endowment, Critter Donations

Upcoming Events

Homeschool Programs

May
Maker May

Classes are held on Mondays, Thursdays, & Fridays.

Bountiful Bears
May 1st/4th/5th

Socially Acceptable
May 8th/11th/12th

Healthy Helpers

May 15th/18th/19th

Human Architects
May 22nd/25th/26th

Click here to learn more.

Your Bee Friendly Garden - Families Welcome

Saturday, May 13th
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
$15/members, $20/non-members
Ages 10+ with adult chaperone

Perfect for Mother's Day!

Bees and other pollinators add so much activity to your outdoor space. We will discuss how to tend your yard, patio or balcony in a way that increases the number and variety of beneficial insects.

Each participant will assemble a decorative bee bath using upcycled materials...a terrific addition to your bee friendly garden (which also makes a nice Mother's Day gift).

Click here to sign up.

Painting in the Rose Garden

Saturday, May 27th
10:30 am to 12:30 pm
$25/members, $30/non-members

What better way to learn about painting roses than outside in our famous Heritage Rose Garden?

Join artist Heather Engle to learn the proper technique for painting a rose. The inspiration will be in full force while outdoors and surrounded by our unique collection of roses.

Click here to sign up.

Orchard Workday

Saturday, May 6th
8:30 to 11:30 am
Volunteers needed!

Help preserve a portion of the old Santa Clara Valley when orchards stretched across the valley floor. We are looking for volunteers to help maintain the Historic Orchard in Guadalupe Gardens every first Saturday of the month.

Click here to sign up.

Rotary PlayGarden Anniversary

May 23rd marks the two-year anniversary of the PlayGarden's opening. Since then, we've tallied over 330,000 visitors!

We rely on community support to staff and maintain the park in pristine condition.

Click here to donate.

Legacy Giving

Why Should You Include a Charitable Gift in Your Will (Or Living Trust)?

  1. It's simple to do. It can be as easy as including language stating, "I give $20,000 to Guadalupe River Park Conservancy."
  2. You can change your mind. We won't receive the gift until after your death. During your lifetime, you can amend anything you choose, i.e., beneficiaries, amounts, etc.
  3. Tax-wise, it could be beneficial. Gifts to qualified charitable organizations reduce the value of your estate for estate tax purposes.
  4. It's an easy way to support Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, and we'd be grateful for your gift. Bequests of every size build our future financial strength.
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