|
NEWSLETTER: October 2013
In this issue:
Pumpkins in the Park
Saturday, October 12, 2013 / 10 AM to 4 PM
Guadalupe River Park / Discovery Meadow
(Woz Way & San Carlos) San Jose
Join us on for a fun, family friendly festival featuring a giant pumpkin patch, costume parades, carnival games, straw-bale maze, bounce houses, costume swap, children's concert and so much more. Click here for more information.
Whether you choose scary, silly, or spectacular, it's time to get creative and enter a scarecrow in our annual contest. Sign up here!
Rotary Children's Playgarden
Rotary Club of San Jose's all-access children's Playgarden reached another milestone with last month's City Council approval. GRPC's contract amendment incorporating maintenance responsibility for Rotary's gift also got the green light. Fundraising for the $6M+ project continues, and you can help. Armadillo Willy's is holding their 30th anniversary bash at History San Jose on Sunday, 10/6, with all proceeds benefiting the Playgarden. We hope to see you there. Click here for ticket info.
Children's Nature Education
We are honored and grateful that the David and Lucile Packard Foundation renewed our two-year $100,000 grant. The funds help underwrite costs for our science-based programs. Last year, we served over 4,600 students and couldn't do it without generous support from foundations and corporations such as SanDisk, Intel, Western Digital, and Cisco.
Trail Count Follow Up
After several years of single-digit growth, Guadalupe River Trail use at Coleman Ave. jumped 17% over 2012. Many thanks to Mike Hammes, Mary Holte, Bruce Victorine, Joseph Reynolds, Sherri Bohan, and Casey Starks for volunteering for the September 18th count.
Coastal Clean Up Day
Over 50 people joined us September 21st for the annual fall river clean up. We covered the area from Coleman Ave. north to Hwy 880. Thanks to the single-use bag ban and greater Park Ranger and Fish & Wildlife Warden enforcement, there wasn't nearly as much garbage to remove compared to previous years.
Volunteer Corner
Here is a list of all the volunteer groups that rocked the Guadalupe in September 2013: Alpha Gamma Sigma of San Mateo, California San Jose Mission, Ernst & Young (pictured above), Greater Opportunities, Intel, Mission Bay, Morgan Autism Center, National Charity League, Santa Clara University, SJSU Alpha Phi Omega, SJSU Zen Buddhism Club, Symantec Corporation, and Yahoo! Inc.
And that's just the groups...we also had legions of individuals. If you add it all up it has a huge impact.
Meet Volunteer Sherri Bohan
 Sherri, born and raised in San Jose, has been stepping up to help with not only the front desk, but with our native restoration projects along the trail! Sherri worked as a residential landscape contractor doing fine gardening for over 25 years. Her values with respect to sustainability are evident through her advocacy of native and drought tolerant plants, restoration projects, and backyard composting. Sherri currently teaches gardening classes in Los Gatos and Palo Alto, where she emphasizes stewardship and sustainability. Thank you and keep up the great work Sherri! |
