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NEWSLETTER: July 2014

In this issue:

Window on the River Park

Many thanks to Adobe for hosting the event and our event sponsors, who can be viewed here. Some photos can be seen here.

Platinum

 

 

 


Click here for a complete list of sponsors.

Rotary Children's Playgarden Update

The earth movers are steadily building the berm that will hold slides and serve as the entryway. You can follow the progress on our Facebook page and web site.

Click here to see a promotional video.

Click here to see a video of the construction progress as of 6.25.14.

Education Wrap Up

Another school year in the books; we served over 4,700 students this year in our science-based environmental education field trips, after school and summer Boys & Girls Club programs, special needs field trips and scout/community programs! Nearly three-quarters - 72% - of our field trips were made available for free to Title One schools thanks to the generous support from the following foundations: Lennox, David and Lucile Packard, SanDisk, Leo M. Shortino Family, and Western Digital. We also had 530 adults participate in our fitness and gardening classes.

Flora & Fauna

Check out our new online Flora and Fauna guide to the park. Many thanks to GRPC Intern Michael Viramontes and San Jose State University MIS students for organizing the guide!

Summer in the City

As if the heat weren't enough, we know it's summer because kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley are here for day camp! Thanks to some of the foundations listed above, we are able to offer four weeks of free day camp and will host a different clubhouse each week. We are delighted to have them, and the feeling seems mutual. According to Boys & Girls Club staff, the kids ask to get sent to "science camp."

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

Achieve Kids
California San Jose Mission - missionaries
Environmental Services Department, City of SJ
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy
Heritage Rose Garden
HighTail
Leadership San Jose
LGBTQ Youth Space
Mission Bay
Morgan Autism Center
NCL (National Charity League) Saratoga
NICE
Oak Grove High School Interact Club
One Brick
Qualcomm Incorporated
San Jose State - BAP
SanDisk Corporation
SAP

And that is only the groups! We also appreciate the scores of individuals who come out weekly to make a difference.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunties

Meet Volunteer Maria Barajas
Maria, our Volunteer Program Intern, joins us from the Environmental Studies Department at San Jose State. Maria was raised in San Jose but is originally from Mexico. Her goal of making the world a better place for her three daughters is what brought her to GRPC. Maria will be graduating from SJSU this semester and hopes to use her concentration in water resources in her professional life. Before Maria's interests led her to study the environment, she was an art major. Her love for art continues through photography. She has already shared her skills with GRPC by photographing our large volunteer groups. When she isn't photographing volunteers, she can be found leading volunteer sessions in the gardens. Maria's positive attitude and flexibility make her an absolute pleasure to have her join us. Thanks for all your hard work Maria!

So many ways to give:
Adopt A Rose, General Donations, Rotary Children's Playgarden, The Donor Walkway, Memberships,
Endowment, Critter Donations

Upcoming Events

Homeschool Programs

Summer break.

Twilight Yoga in the Park

6 Week Summer Series
Thursdays through July 17th
6:15 pm to 7:15 pm
18 years or older $30/members, $45/non-members $10/drop-in

Join fitness instructor Kristin Strellis for a gentle yoga class designed to improve your flexibility, balance, and relaxation. Dress in comfortable clothing, and bring any stress or worries that have accumulated throughout the week to release outdoors in the beautiful Guadalupe Park. All equipment is provided. This Yoga class is held outside and inspiration from nature will surround us. Reserve your space in this gentle healthy living class.

Please note that due to the Playgarden construction, the class will meet on the grassy area near the Seymour St. parking lot.

Click here to sign up.

Date Night

Saturday, July 19th
6:30pm - 9:30pm
$30/members only (click here to learn about membership*)
siblings are half price
Ages 5 and up

Need a summer, romantic night out on the town? We have you covered! Drop the kid(s) off for a good old fashion night of fun! We'll keep your child(ren) engaged with hands-on science experiments and models, microscopes, an interactive SMART board, a stroll in the park and a movie. In addition, they get to hang out in our Critter Corner and feed rainbow trout, meet Patch the rabbit, a turtle, toads, tadpoles, a gopher and king snake, and two species of native lizards. They'll be exhausted and ready for bed when you pick them up!

Click here to sign up.

Bike Ride to Alviso

Saturday, August 9th
8:30am - 12:30pm
$10/members, $15/non-members
Ages 12 and up

Join Guadalupe River Park Conservancy's Executive Director Leslee Hamilton and Ranger Daniel Sanchez, from National Park Service's Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, for a leisurely round-trip ride out to Alviso Marina County Park. Along the way you'll learn about local native wildlife, check out the trail's interpretive plazas and step back in time as Ranger Daniel presents the journey and unveils the campsite of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition along the bank of Guadalupe River. Bring your bike, helmet, water, sunscreen and a lunch and be ready for a fun day on the trail.

Click here to sign up.

Foolproof Flower Arranging

Saturday, August 23rd
10:00am to 12:00pm
$20/members, $25/non-members

Summer is underway, and you've gathered a marvelous bundle of colorful summer flowers and foliage. Now what? Join Master Gardener Milli Wright and her other talented Flower Floozies for a workshop showing participants what's new and exciting for cutting gardens and how to create welcoming arrangements for the home. Learn creative ways of combining colors, unique foliage fillers, tips and tricks for harvesting, preserving and showing your flower arrangements. Have fun with the provided materials to create your own floral masterpiece! Participants are encouraged to bring their own vases and are welcome to bring flowers and foliage to share.

Click here to sign up.

Cool Season Vegetable Gardening

Saturday, September 6th
10:00am to 12:00pm
$20/members, $25/non-members
Ages 18 and Up

Vegetables in the winter? You bet! Here in Santa Clara County we can grow vegetables year round. Join Master Gardener Karen Schaffer to learn about the wide variety of vegetables that thrive in our cool season: broccoli, kale, peas, lettuce, and many more. You will also receive hands-on experience sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings and will take home a flat of seedlings for your winter garden.

Click here to 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.

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