Guadalupe River Park Conservancy

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NEWSLETTER: February 2013

In this issue:

Adopt-a-Rose for Valentine's Day
River Clean Up
Rose Pruning Classes
Spring in Guadalupe Gardens

Adopt-a-Rose

Looking for a last-minute Valentine's gift? A bouquet of roses will last a week, but a rose bush will bloom throughout the year. With your donation of $50, we will help you select the perfect rose and prepare a gift box for your Valentine. Click here for more details.

River Clean Up

Thanks to everyone who came out Jan. 19th for our monthly cleanup of our adopted stretch of the Guadalupe River! The fall rains washed a lot of garbage into the river. Our thirty-five volunteers were able to collect about 125 bags of trash and miscellaneous items estimated at 3,000 pounds. The effort not only helps protect the wildlife in the river area, but it also makes the park more appealing and ensures the debris will not make its way to SF Bay.

Rose Pruning Classes

Hands-on rose pruning lessons are being offered at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden every Wednesday and Saturday, beginning the first Wednesday of the New Year, January 2th, and ending in mid-February. Lessons begin promptly at 8:30 am.

Come to learn, engage with community members, and have fun! Bring leather gloves and bypass shears, if you have them, loaners available if needed. Wear closed-toed shoes and bring a full, large water bottle. Meet in the center of the garden.

The Heritage Rose Garden is located at Spring and West Taylor Streets. Free parking is available on Seymour Street, Taylor Street and surrounding side streets. All minors (age 16 and 17) need to come prepared with a signed minor release form. Call the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy at 408-298-7657, or email Mike Peasland at mike @ grpg.org for more information. Click here to sign up.

Spring in Guadalupe Gardens

Save the date - April 20th - for our annual Spring in Guadalupe Gardens festival, which will also feature a 5K & 10K walk/run, 1K kid's run, and a celebration of the completion of the trail paving to Alviso. More details to follow next month.

Upcoming Events

Homeschool Series

February theme: Native Nature in the Park: An Exploration of Native Trees and Grasses (Wednesday classes are full)

Digging Deeper
February 14th

Wily Wild Grasses
February 21st

The Natural Balance
February 28th

Time: 1:30 – 3 pm
Ages: 5-12
Cost: $10 members/$15 non-members per class

For more information, click here.

Successful Backyard Birdhouses Workshop

Saturday, February 23rd
10:00am to 12:00pm
Ages 18 and Up
$10/members, $15/non-members

Building and installing a birdhouse is not as simple as it may seem. The location of your residence, the layout of your garden or patio, and the birdhouse's design and size all factor into the habitability of a birdhouse. If you'd like to study the art of building birdhouses, come to an adult workshop on Saturday, February 23rd led by Mike Azevedo, County Coordinator for Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society's Cavity Nester Recovery Program. In addition to teaching the aspects of a successful birdhouse, Mike will share the efforts of the Audubon Society and others in the community to restore bird populations through cavity nesting programs.Check out the recent interview with Mike in Bay Nature. Sign up.

The Buzz on Beekeeping

Saturday, March 2nd
10:00am to 12:00pm
Ages 18 and Up
$10/members, $15/non-members

Join Alan and Nella Henninger, owners of Henninger Hill Apiary, for a talk on honey bees. Nella and Alan will share their 40 years of experience working with bees, attendees will learn all about honey bees and bee keeping, the benefits of attracting bees to your garden, the types of trees and plants that attract bees, and how to protect this precious resource. Participants will also get the chance to visit the Historic Orchard and see the GRPC bee hives! Sign up.

Six-Week Spring Walking Series

Saturdays, March 9th through April 13th
Age 18 and up
$30/members, $40/non-members

Burst out of winter with a new walking series! Join Guadalupe River Park Conservancy and fitness instructors Kristen Strellis and Sheri Suomela for a 6 week Spring Walking Series. Step by step, you'll be healthier as a result of this class that leads you through the paved trails along the Guadalupe River. Come check out the changes along the trails and get ready for our spring fun run! Learn proper stretches, toning exercises, and walking technique as you meet others who enjoy exercising outdoors along the way. Varied fitness levels will be offered. Sign up.

Legacy Giving

Retirement accounts, which are subject to income tax, are good vehicles for charitable gifts. Charities aren't subject to income tax so your gift goes farther.