RAPRD wishes to thank our donors, staff, and patrons for innovating through the challenges of 2020 with us with patience, creativity, and resiliency. We miss you and hope to see more of each other in 2021!
Newsletter 2019: End of a Decade!
You can pick up a hard copy of our 2019 newsletter at Cascade Swim Center or the Activity Center.
With New Partners, New Drones, and New Crafts, Aviation Day 2019 Was Worth Bundling Up For
Aviation Day 2019 fell on that one unfortunately freeeeeezing cold day at the end of September. The week before had been blue sky and in the 70s, the week after was blue sky and in the 70s, and for some reason that one weekend was gray, rainy, and in the high 30s-low 40s. The forecast was even worse! All week as we refreshed our weather apps, they were predicting “rain!” “snow!” “hail! “6.5 hours of precipitation!” Thankfully, the reality didn’t match the dire predictions. It was cold, around 43 for most of the event, but we had hardly any rain at all beyond a few sprinkles, and very little wind as well. Not only did the actual weather on the ground not turn out to be as terrible as expected, but also, hundreds of Central Oregonians turned up to enjoy Aviation Day regardless!
Turnout was down a little last year, when it was – you guessed it, blue sky and in the 70s – but SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE still came out to the fairgrounds this year to climb on the 90,000 neon green aircraft fire and rescue truck, and the huge yellow runway snowplow and deicer that keeps the Redmond Airport up and running in even the coldest parts of the year. Thanks to our 25 hardy volunteers, we were able to run an extensive arts and crafts booth, offering Kids Workshop kits donated by Home Depot, where kids used real tools to build and decorate everything from scarecrow planters to block calendars to airplanes.
Because necessity is the mother of invention, we also came up with a new aviation-themed craft when the potential for rain would have scuttled our paper airplane contests. We got a donation of auto parts from Redmond Auto Service Tire Pros, cleaned them up, added in some lengths of PVC pipe, wire, glue, and clothespins, and had kids make “junk aircraft.” They could (and did) make everything from biplanes to drones to spaceships with whatever random materials we had on hand (and we had a whole bucket of stuff), and some kids got really absorbed in the engineering aspects and came up with some pretty cool little models. We’ll definitely be trying that again!
The pilots from Field of Dreams RC Club are three-time returning participants to Aviation Day.
Our regular participants: COCC Aviation Department, AUVSI Cascades (sponsor), Field of Dreams RC Club, Experimental Aviation Association Bend Chapter, the Redmond Airport, and the Redmond Fire Department, braved the cold and came out to join us again (props to AirLink, which was on board to helicopter in again but was grounded by the visibility…get it? Props!). We also had some new participants, like the Redmond Library, the US Forest Service, Civil Air Patrol, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Leading Edge Aviation, and the Redmond Athletic Club (sponsor), so we are starting to see some real progress from our efforts to connect the Central Oregon aviation community with our audience of little potential future aviators and hobbyists.
The US Forest Service (Left) and Deschutes Public Library (above) were among the new participant organizations that joined Aviation Day this year for the first time to offer fun, hands-on activities for kids. The forest service pilots used a simulated fire environment to demonstrate how their different aircraft work together to fight wildfires.
Thanks to a STEM grant from AUVSI Cascades Chapter, and the hard work of RAPRD’s own Cruz Brigham, we were able to add ten Mavic Pro drones to our fleet this year. These drones have self-leveling technology that senses the horizon and corrects the drone’s flight to prevent sudden jerky steering and crashes, and free the pilots up to concentrate on learning to operate and maneuver the drones. Although the little Hubsan quadcopters we have used in past years have proved valuable for how sturdy they are – they can be crashed repeatedly into the cement and are still fixable/usable – these new Mavic Pros were so successful as beginner-friendly learning tools that we will be writing several more grants this year in an effort to upgrade the entire fleet to self-leveling drones. If you or your business would like to make a donation to this effort, you can do so here, or contact margaret.maffai@raprd.org for more information.
RAPRD is grateful to everyone who came for making the trip to see what we had to offer at this, our third annual Aviation Day. We hadn’t known what to expect and it was touching to see so many families come from far and wide, bundled from head to toe and ready for a day of fun, hands-on STEM action. To see a turnout like 600 on a day like that affirms for us that this event is building up a positive reputation in the community such that families are confident they’ll have enough of a fun time to justify breaking out the long underwear. After 3 years, we have reached thermals-worthy status! Thank you all.
Thank you to our sponsors, AUVSI Cascades, and Redmond Athletic Club (RAC), and to the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center for once again partnering with us on this wonderful space that is so perfectly suited to our event.
Scott Lutz at the Redmond Athletic Club sponsor booth.
Patrick Sherman of Roswell Flight Test Crew and AUVSI Cascades Chapter operates his pro drone with first person view on the monitor.
We are already making plans for Aviation Day #4 next fall. If this year could be so successful and fun in such tough conditions, next year is going to be fantastic! We hope to see you all there!
RAPRD Spring Blog Catch-Up Extravaganza
Well you wouldn’t know it from looking at our blog but RAPRD has been BUSY this year! Allow me to catch you up!
In February, we found out we had been awarded $2,500 from BNSF Railway towards our Kids on Bikes program. Kids on Bikes brings the national Safe Routes to Schools curriculum to local elementary schools, along with our fleet of kids’ bikes so that kids can learn the skills and safety knowledge they need to commute to and from school by themselves. The program encourages independence and an active lifestyle. Our fleet of bikes is older and made up of many different makes and models. This means our maintenance partner, Trinity Bikes, has to special order and sometimes even invent the part we need to keep our bikes up and running for all the kids that need to use them every year.
Our goal is to replace our fleet with 20 new bikes, all of one uniform make and model, to cut down on maintenance costs and reduce the amount of time bikes are down for repairs. The BNSF grant will help us replace about eight of our bikes. A generous contribution from Trinity Bikes will allow us replace eight more bikes so we will have sixteen new bikes to begin the 2019-20 school year. To donate toward our goal of updating our fleet, you can give here and make sure you put “Kids on Bikes” as the reason for your gift.
For Easter, we had a great turnout for our Bunny Swim and Underwater Egg Hunt. Kids of all ages participated and the egg hunt was followed by a recreation swim to burn off some of that sugar high!
Spring soccer, Youth Lacrosse, and Adult Softball seasons all kicked off this spring just as our free Wednesday after-school STEMQuest (science, technology, engineering, and math) program began to wind down for the year. But don’t worry, there are still some great opportunities to get the kids outside, exploring and active this summer. We received an Environmental Protection Agency grant administered through the Deschutes Children’s Forest to continue to offer a once a week afternoon free STEM program for ten weeks from mid-June to mid-August. RiverQuest offers STEM exploration on river-themed topics like conservation, natural resource management, stewardship, biology, and ecology in Deschutes River Basin locations.
RAPRD celebrated STEM week May 6 – 12 with other organizations all over Oregon by hosting our second annual Touch a Truck event. We filled the Redmond High School parking lot with all kinds of trucks and big rigs for kids to touch and climb on and ask questions about. Kids could build Home Depot workshop kits with real tools or make auto parts jewelry. Our first Quiet Hour for kids who preferred to enjoy the event without horns and sirens was both popular and appreciated and we got a lot of great feedback on it from parents and teachers so we will definitely offer it again next year. We want to thank the City of Redmond, Redmond Police Department, Redmond Fire and Rescue, High Country Disposal, Central Oregon Truck Company, Knife River, Baker Equipment, Vernam Crane, and the Groesz Family for sharing their vehicles and drivers with us at this fun event. We hope to see you all again next year!
We also participated in Historic Preservation Month in Central Oregon by displaying historic information about the Tetherow Homestead at the kickoff event at the Old Post Office in downtown Bend on May 3rd, and by hosting a Tetherow Pioneer Day at the homestead on May 18th. Both events were well attended and we appreciate everyone who came out to learn more about this unique property.
At Tetherow Pioneer Day, the Deschutes Public Library brought their oral histories of early Central Oregonians and their family genealogy information services. Jake n Joe played banjo and guitar to set the mood, and the Deschutes Historic Museum donated some early 1900s décor for the interior of the house. Kelly Madden of the Deschutes Land Trust and her fellow volunteers ran a pioneer general store with penny candy and Rachel Stemach of Stemach Design + Architecture (and our architect for the historic preservation of the homestead) oversaw the soap whittling (soap provided by Leslie Colvin of LeCol’s Soap Bar). Thank you to all our volunteers and to everyone who came out to celebrate Historic Preservation Month with us! For more information about the Tetherow Homestead or to arrange a private tour, please contact Margaret Maffai at margaret.maffai@raprd.org. To make a donation toward the preservation of this unique part of Central Oregon history, visit our donation page and be sure to indicate the reason for your gift.
Keep an eye out soon for our wrap-up post for our 2019 Old Fashioned 4th of July event, which introduced new activities, new sponsors, and brought out more than 7,000 Central Oregonians to celebrate with us!
Newsletter: See What RAPRD Got Up To in 2018!
You can pick up a hard copy of our 2018 newsletter at Cascade Swim Center or the Activity Center.
Change Your Life in the New Year with Fit & Strong!
Thanks to an instructor training grant and support from the National Park & Recreation Association (NRPA), RAPRD is offering Fit & Strong, a class that has been designed based on a number of scientific studies to help people who want to be more active but have joint pain and stiffness to become more active. Fit & Strong combines strength training, aerobic conditioning, and arthritis self-management education in a 12 week class to gradually introduce health and fitness concepts so that even participants with a lot of mobility challenges will be able to start to see changes and learn to maintain a more active lifestyle.
Living and working in a seated position for many hours can also create pain and stiffness that a more active lifestyle can help remedy. However, many people suffering from health problems that limit their physical activity don’t know how to make the behavior changes they need to start to feel better. Developing strength and balance is not just something everyone is born knowing how to do, and it is especially difficult to learn if your ability to move is limited enough that you can’t keep up in more intense fitness classes.
The developers of Fit & Strong worked with researchers to study how people can best learn these skills and improve their strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. They looked at how many times per week, how many hours of class, which exercises, and what learning topics were most effective at helping participants stick with the program and make the physical gains and behavioral shifts they need to make to become more active in the long term – not only for the length of the program.
Fit & Strong is more than a fitness class. In addition to doing exercises within the four walls of a fitness studio, participants will learn about health and fitness, joint conditions, and what behaviors are harmful and helpful in easing pain and stiffness. While all of our fitness instructors are qualified and willing to provide information, education, and explanations after our regular fitness classes, often these few minutes after class are not ideal for in-depth learning.
In Fit & Strong, the fitness portion of the class is complemented by a dedicated educational portion, complete with a personal workbook where participants can discuss their goals and obstacles and track their learning and achievements. Our Fit & Strong instructors have received special training to implement a behavior-change curriculum that meets the needs of participants with limited mobility seeking a more active lifestyle.
Reinforcing fitness with dedicated, guided education means that participants are not only doing, they understand why they are doing what they are doing. This helps participants achieve longer-term behavioral change – transitioning from an inactive lifestyle to one that safely and gradually incorporates more physical activity in a way that studies show is the best way to learn and maintain over time.
Safe, controlled physical activity can help ease the symptoms of arthritis and other joint conditions. Fit & Strong puts you in the driver’s seat by giving you tools to manage your health ease your pain through gentle exercises based on evidence and behavior changes based on education.
The deadline to sign-up for our next session is January 2, 2019. Come by the Cascade Swim Center or the Activity Center to register.
RAPRD Launches STEMQuest with Oregon Department of Ed Grant
RAPRD has received a grant from the Oregon Department of Education to become a STEM Beyond Schools provider. This funding will support a new program, STEMQuest, a series of camps focusing on experiential learning of STEM themes, which we will offer free to 3rd-5th graders. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and encourages a focus on hands-on, experiential learning through investigation, exploration, and projects.
STEM programs emphasize the power of kids to discover their world through hands-on experiential learning. In STEMQuest, students will have a place each week where they can become scientists and explorers, builders and botanists; where they can be physically active, mentally engaged, and creatively inspired.
STEMQuest will take place after school on early release Wednesdays, and on non-school teacher workdays. We will offer over 100 hours of STEM exploration, with half taking place at Lynch and Tom McCall elementary schools, and half taking place away from school. During these day camps, drop-off/pick-up will occur at a local non-school site such as COCC, the Redmond Caves, or the Redmond Airport. If the day camp location is more distant, like the High Desert Museum, or Pine Mountain Observatory, we will provide round-trip transportation from Redmond. All STEMQuest supplies, materials, transportation, and snacks are free.
This is one of the biggest benefits of STEMQuest to Redmond area kids, says Tyler Best, RAPRD Enrichment Program Coordinator. “Since it’s free, it is available and open to everyone, even kids who have never tried STEM stuff before. You don’t have to buy a science kit or pay for classes, you can just go to this program after school and learn in a fun, creative environment.” Another important benefit is the personalized attention kids can receive in STEMQuest, due to the low teacher to participant ratio (1:15). Since STEMQuest puts kids in the driver’s seat, allowing them to weigh in on what content and projects they are interested in, and letting them direct their own learning, this low ratio is important for supporting kids as they find their inner scientist.
Oregon has adopted the Next Generation Science Standards,” Best explains, “which standardize the teaching of STEM in the United States. This means other kids will be learning the same way across the country: using the same tools, techniques, and methods, but not necessarily the same content. Our group of kids will determine what content they’re interested in, but the NGSS give an outline of the curriculum and help instructors understand how to break everything down for kids.”
“The main goal is to make the kid the educator: they set the tone, they set the pace for their own learning process. They engage in a fun way, they get to learn fluidly in a fun environment. The idea is that the kid is the scientist, and their interests and input will drive curriculum,” Best added. This is different than daycare and it’s different than school. Because of who we are at RAPRD, our focus will be on fun, physical activity, and creative problems solving.
STEMQuest will run over the course of the 2018-2019 academic year (35 weeks), during which time participants will explore five broad STEM themes:
Physical Science: Forces in Motion
Life Science: Ecosystems – Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Earth Systems & Earth’s Place in the Universe
The Science of Space
Engineering & Design
The support and encouragement of engaged family members is so important to the success of our participants and our program, we want to thank you for all you do. Therefore, we will have two family days during the course of the year where kids can show their families their projects over a slice of pizza. If you are interested in volunteering with STEMQuest, please let us know!
Second Annual Aviation Day Preparing For Takeoff!
Thanks to our sponsor, Redmond Athletic Club, and a generous grant from the AUVSI Cascade Chapter to purchase way more drones, our second Aviation Day event is gearing up to be even bigger and better than last year!
Join us at the Redmond Fairgrounds - High Desert Activity Building - on Saturday, September 15th, 11am - 2pm for hands on aviation experiences, crafts, contests, and giveaways!
Many of our participants are returning and we've added even more organizations and businesses to introduce Central Oregon kids to the aviation-related careers and hobbies available in our area.
Like last year, we will have hands-on crafts like Home Depot Kids Build kits where kids can use hammers, nails, and screwdrivers to build their own projects with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) themes like helicopters, periscopes, flower pot holders, bug catchers, and more.
The Central Oregon STEM Hub will have fun aviation-related crafts and activities with STEM themes.
The Field of Dreams RC Club will have their radio controlled planes on hand to show and (weather and space permitting) maybe even demo.
Kevin Sivertson from the COCC Aviation Department will once again head up our "drone camp" section, where kids can get some hands on experience with Hubsan quadcopter drones, with the guidance of some local drone educators and volunteers.
The Bend Young Eagles and Civil Air Patrol will have some of their leaders and members on hand to talk to kids of all ages about possible ways to get some flight experiences with local pilots, and potential future career paths in aviation.
AirLink's fantastic crew will land their helicopter at 11:30am (assuming they don't get called out to save a life!), and will be able to hang out for a bit to show off their helicopter and answer some questions.
AUVSI Cascade Chapter will show off some of their favorite drones, and share videos of some of the cool work that drones do in all areas of Northwest industry.
Redmond Fire and Rescue will bring their big green Aircraft Fire and Rescue Truck for kids to climb in and learn how just one firefighter can operate the WHOLE thing to save lives at the airport.
These are just some of the fantastic participants we have lined up for this year. Sign up on our Facebook Event page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/249323699236611/
Another Smash Hit Independence Day Celebration
Thank you to all 6,700 of you who came out to the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center to celebrate the 4th of July with us!
And a big shout out to all our fantastic sponsors who make this awesome community event free and fun for everyone. With their support, we are able to bring the kinds of big-name activities and cutting-edge prizes to our Redmond 4th of July that other events would charge big bucks to enjoy. Your commitment to Redmond families makes our event a day to remember every year.
Scroll through this gallery to see all the dedicated sponsors and the activities they brought to our celebration this year:
RAPRD Executive Director Katie Hammer was thrilled with this year's event. "The 2018 Old Fashioned July 4th Celebration was the best one yet," she said. "I am excited to see the growth of the event over the past seven years and all of us at RAPRD look forward to this event that allows families to have a day of fun for no cost. It is fun to see the smiling faces of kids when they are on a bounce house, riding the train, participating in the contests and the other many activities that are offered."
"We have a rewarding partnership with the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center along with our many sponsors who make this event possible," Hammer added.
Check out some of these action shots of all the kids and families who joined us to celebrate the 4th of July in their stars and stripes finest:
Thanks to everyone who joined us this year. We look forward to celebrating with you again next time!
Successful Cleanup Day at Tetherow!
Spring blossoms on the plum trees at Tetherow Crossing Park
Each year, Leadership Redmond, a leadership development program put on annually by the Redmond Chamber of Commerce, selects group service projects to benefit the Redmond community. This year, one of those service projects included the Tetherow Homestead, the oldest structure in Deschutes County (built 1878).
On the last Saturday in April, volunteers converged on Tetherow Crossing Park (5810 NW Tetherow Rd.) for a cleanup day. Lowe’s donated 27 bags of mulch to surround the trees around the house, which had been recommended by an arborist last summer, to care for the historic grove. High Country Disposal donated a dumpster that volunteers filled with debris from the house and yard. Summit Cleaning & Restoration evaluated the property in the days before and provided not only their cleaning and safety expertise, but staff and equipment as well. They outfitted the project with masks, a shopvac, work lamp, air scrubber, and a generator to power everything. Three of their employees joined the workforce and took on much of the heavy lifting with regard to the dirtiest portions of the homestead.
Thanks, Summit!
The difference before and after the cleanup day is remarkable. Floorboards and a striking gem-toned strip of linoleum emerged from beneath the dust and broken glass and debris from thirty years of critters and squatters.
Summit staff setting up air scrubber BEFORE cleanup
Summit staff finishing up AFTER cleanup
Who knew?!
Cobwebs were swept aside and surfaces wiped down to reveal a shock of yellow linoleum in the kitchen.
Before
After - look at those countertops!
Once the stiffened carpet and cracking blue shower curtains were shuffled outside...
...a tiny seahorse skeleton suspended from a string as bathroom decoration was suddenly and puzzlingly visible!
Whaaaa?!
Outside, dead branches and leaves were trimmed and raked away, a large slash pile was removed, and native lava rock was arranged to hem in a neat diameter of brown mulch around the tree trunks and along the west side of the house.
Jess Tetherow's grandson, Dave, even came out to help!
Over the course of the day, neighborhood residents driving by on their weekend errands would brake suddenly as they noticed the door to the homestead ajar and the buzz of activity around the site. Many stopped to sneak a peak inside, compare the present day view with historic photos from the early 1900s, and get caught up on our plans to preserve the homestead – now in the architectural planning phase. Over and over we heard “give me a call next time!” The homestead, which has long stood vacant, is obviously still valued and remembered fondly in this part of town.
The oldest part of the house - the only remaining original section - features more than a century of layers of different colored wall paper, and newspapers dating back to the 1900s in the walls for insulation.
We are grateful to Leadership Redmond, Summit Cleaning & Restoration, and Lowe’s for making our Tetherow cleanup a success!
We look forward to welcoming kids and families to the property for our Tetherow Pioneer Day on May 26th to celebrate Historic Preservation Month. We’ll have a pioneer general store and penny candy shop for kids, pioneer era games and an introduction to the early Native American game of stickball, the ancestor of modern lacrosse. We will be doing site tours with historic photos and the Deschutes Public Library will present an information booth with genealogy research assistance and listening stations with digital recordings of oral histories of life in early Central Oregon.
To inquire about a private site tour for your family or group, feel free to email margaret.maffai@raprd.org
Celebrate STEM Week at RAPRD's First Ever Touch a Truck Event!
May 6 – 13 is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) week in Oregon. Schools and other organizations have scheduled dozens of STEM themed events around the state.
To celebrate, RAPRD is hosting a Touch a Truck event on Saturday, May 12th (11am – 2pm at Redmond High School) to spark curiosity about machines, trades, and experiential learning.
Touch a Truck will bring together trucks and other big machines from local organizations and businesses so that kids can see and touch them, ask questions of the drivers who work with these machines every day, and (where allowed), climb up in the truck to learn what it can do.
Thanks to the fantastic staff of Central Oregon STEM Hub, kids can roll up their sleeves and get their arts and crafts on with auto parts donated by Marshall's Automotive and Kids Build kits donated by the Redmond Home Depot.
We would like to thank all of the awesome companies and agencies joining us at this event to show off their vehicles and staff. Here are a few of our partners and their trucks!
Baker Equipment
City of Redmond
High Country Disposal
Redmond Airport
Redmond Fire & Rescue
Knife River
Redmond Police Department
Celebrate Historic Preservation Month in Central Oregon with Tons of Free Events!
A fresh bloom on the historic Tetherow plum trees (It's a metaphor for keeping the past alive, get it?!)
This year, Redmond Area Park and Recreation District is joining the Deschutes County Historical Society, Deschutes County Historic Landmarks Commission, the landmarks commissions of Bend and Redmond, Deschutes Land Trust, and other organizations to celebrate Historic Preservation Month. These organizations and more are hosting events throughout Central Oregon to honor historic preservation success stories – local places that have been saved and restored – and explore how historic preservation maintains our links to the past, and enhances our quality of life today.
For our part, RAPRD is hosting an event at Tetherow Crossing Park to celebrate the unique history of the park, and highlight our efforts to preserve the Tetherow Homestead, the oldest structure in Deschutes County, built in 1878. This homestead was one of the first sites where pioneer families could safely cross the Deschutes River, and the home also served as an inn, general store, blacksmith, and was the site of the first brewery in Deschutes County. We will have activities for all ages, including:
· A model general store with penny candy
· Pioneer-era games
· A presentation on the Native American game of stickball, the ancestor of modern
lacrosse.
· Nature crafts and mountain man skills
· Tours of the property with historic photos
· Oral histories of early Central Oregonians offered by Deschutes Public Library
· A booth presenting the genealogical research services the library offers to help local
families trace their roots.
Thanks to Summit Cleaning and Restoration, and the Leadership Redmond Class of 2018, the Tetherow Homestead, which has long been closed to the public for safety reasons, has been cleaned and will have some viewpoints open for the public to see (although not enter) inside.
Dave Shirley, descendant of the Tetherow family, volunteering at the homestead.
We hope you will join us, and our partner organizations across Central Oregon, to explore efforts to preserve our local heritage through photo displays, hikes, talks, and other events throughout the month of May. The Kickoff is WEDNESDAY, MAY 2ND at Redmond City Hall, beginning at 5pm!
***To arrange a small-group tour of the Tetherow site, or to inquire about donating funds or volunteer work to the Tetherow preservation project, please email margaret.maffai@raprd.org.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH 2018 - SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
May 2nd, 5pm to 7pm - Preservation Month Showcase, Redmond City Hall
Stop by Redmond City Hall to celebrate the kick-off of Historic Preservation Month, with a variety of preservation exhibits and activities, and see what events are happening during May in Central Oregon. Visit displays of historic properties in Central Oregon and learn about the many supportive organizations for historic preservation. Enjoy a slide show, snacks and refreshments, too. Join tours of both the Historic Downtown District, and of the newly renovated City Hall (formerly the Evergreen School and Redmond Union High School). The Vault Taphouse will offer post-tour drinks and live music!
MAY 3rd, 10am to 12pm - History + Geology Walk at Willow Springs Preserve, guided by Carol Wall & Derek Loeb, Deschutes Land Trust
Join the Deschutes Land Trust, Carol Wall, and Derek Loeb for a spring history and geology walk at Willow Springs Preserve. We’ll wander the meadow and learn about its underlying geology. Then, we’ll dig into the Preserve’s history, including its relationship to the Santiam Wagon Road and those that lived at nearby Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event. Please register online at www.deschuteslandtrust.org/hikes
Hike Rating: Moderate, 1 to 2 mile hike on old roads and through grassy meadows.
What to bring: Snacks/Lunch, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
MAY 3rd, 6:30pm - “Presidents Who Shaped the West”, presented by Richard Etulain,
Bowman Museum, Prineville
Join us at the Bowman Museum in Downtown Prineville for author and Western scholar, Richard Etulain, for an informative presentation on the United States Presidents that helped shape the West! Admission is
Free. Bowman Museum is located at 246 N Main Street, in Prineville.
MAY 5th, 10am to 12pm - Hindman History Wander at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, guided by Carol Wall & Jan Hodgers, Deschutes Land Trust
Join the Deschutes Land Trust, Carol Wall, and Jan Hodgers for a history wander around Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. Explore the starring role that Camp Polk played in the history of Central Oregon as one of the original stopping places on the Santiam Wagon Road. Admire the craftsmanship of the Hindman barn (one of Deschutes County's oldest structures), and imagine what living in the Hindman house would have been like with a descendant of the Hindman family. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event. Please register online at www.deschuteslandtrust.org/hikes
Hike Rating: Easy, less than 1 mile walk on gravel trail. Portions will be off-trail through a grassy meadows.
What to bring: Snacks, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
MAY 7th, 5:30pm - Deschutes County Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting
The Deschutes County HLC holds its regular meeting which coincides with Historic Preservation Month. Planning staff will highlight historic preservation month activities and upcoming projects supported by the renewed Certified Local Government (CLG) grant program. Join us at 1300 NW Wall Street, Barnes & Sawyer Room.
MAY 7th, 6pm to 7pm - Know Heritage: “Quackery: The Heritage of Medicine”, Downtown Bend branch of Deschutes Public Library
Community Librarian Nathan Pedersen presents the worst ways to cure anything. Free admission. Meet at the Brooks Room at the Downtown Bend Library.
May 9th, 12pm to 1pm - Something Old is New in Sisters, Sisters Park & Recreation District. Come learn about the new Three Sisters Historical Society – their mission and vision, the successful first events held this past winter, and the activities planned for this summer. Meet the founders and see a slide show of historic photos that bring early Sisters to life. Held at Sisters Park and Recreation District, 1750 McKinney Butte Road, next to the high school. Event is free of charge.
May 10th, 6:30pm - “The Roots of History: Oregon’s Heritage Trees,” presented by Nate
Pedersen, Bowman Museum, Prineville
Join us at the Bowman Museum in Downtown Prineville for author and community librarian, Nate Pedersen, for a very popular presentation on the Oregon Heritage Tree Program: A Virtual Tour of Oregon's Historic Trees. Admission is Free. Bowman Museum is located at 246 N Main Street, in Prineville.
MAY 13th, 12pm to 4pm - Bend Open Streets in Old Bend Historic District
Bend Open Streets will be on Sunday, May 13th (Mother's Day!) for the NEW “Old-town” Bend route. Bend Open Streets is an initiative of Commute Options, City of Bend, Oregon Government and Bend Park & Recreation District. Temporally closing 1 mile of streets to automobile traffic, so that people may use them for walking, biking, skating, playing and more! It is free, family focused and dog friendly! Bring your bicycle, or just your feet and explore the streets in a safe, healthy and more livable way. Learn more: https://bendopenstreets.org
MAY 15th, 6pm to 7pm - Know Heritage: “Savages in My Family Tree”, Downtown Bend
Deschutes Public Library
Every family's history has hidden stories of characters and their capers, but not everyone goes out of their way to learn about their escapades. Join Clinton K. Clark on his journey to meet and discover the stories of his roughneck relatives who helped settle Oregon with all around Wild West pizzazz.
MAY 15th, 6pm - Bend Historic Landmarks Commission meeting, Bend City Council Chambers.
The Bend Landmarks Commission regular meeting coincides with Preservation Month, open to the public. The Bend City Council’s proclamation of Preservation Month will be presented (as well as at the regular City Council session on May 2nd). City Hall is located at 710 NW Wall Street.
MAY 15th, 7:30pm - “Historic Fire Lookouts of Central Oregon”, featuring Penni Borghi, at Archaeological Society of Central Oregon (ASCO)
The ASCO May meeting and presentation will feature Penni Borghi, Archaeologist with the Deschutes National Forest, with an overview of the historic of fire lookouts in Central Oregon. ASCO’s regular business meeting begins at 7:00 PM, and the speaker is scheduled for 7:30 PM, at the COAR building,
2112 NE 4th St., Bend. The event is free to the public, but donations are gladly accepted.
Still from documentary film Queens of the Roleo
MAY 16th, 6pm to 7pm - Know Heritage: “Queens of the Roleo”, Downtown Bend
Deschutes Public Library
Screen the documentary and meet the director of this unique film! Documentary film maker Dave Jones discusses how and why he decided to document the story of four girls from a small Idaho town who earned 11 log rolling World Championships in 14 years and why it's important to preserved the lost chapters of our heritage.
MAY 17th, 5:30pm to 7pm - History Wander at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve, guided by Kelly Madden, Deschutes Land Trust
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Kelly Madden for a short stroll to learn about one of our flagship Preserves - Indian Ford Meadow. Explore the human history of the meadow including both Native American and pioneer use. Then, learn about the history of the mountains that surround the meadow while you stroll along a gravel path throughout pine forest and sage meadow. Registration is required and opens 1 month prior to the event. Please register online at www.deschuteslandtrust.org/hikes
Rating: Easy, ~1 mile walk, partially accessible.
What to bring: Snacks, water, sturdy walking shoes. Dress for the weather.
MAY 17th, 6pm to 7pm - “Pioneer Settlers of the Fort Rock Valley” Panel Discussion,
High Desert Museum
Join photographer Rich Bergeman and a panel of descendants of pioneer settlers for a discussion of the history of the lost communities of the Fort Rock Valley facilitated by Andries Fourie, the High Desert Museum’s Curator of Art and Community Engagement. The panel discussion is part of the programming for the exhibition High Desert Dreams: The Lost Homesteads of the Fort Rock Basin, which features photographs by Rich Bergeman. Museum Members $3, non-members $5
MAY 17th, 6:30pm - “Wandering the High Desert with Stories and Poems” Cowboy Poetry, presented by Rick Steber, Bowman Museum
Join us at the Bowman Museum in Downtown Prineville forNorthwest history writer, speaker and educator, Rick Steber, for an entertaining evening of stories and poetry about the High Desert. Admission is Free. Bowman Museum is located at 246 N Main Street, in Prineville.
MAY 18th, 12pm to 1pm - Know Heritage: “Savages in My Family Tree”, Sunriver Library
Every family's history has hidden stories of characters and their capers, but not everyone goes out of their way to learn about their escapades. Join Clinton K. Clark on his journey to meet and discover the stories of his roughneck relatives who helped settle Oregon with all around Wild West pizzazz.
May 19th, 10am to 3pm - Nels & Lilian Andersen Homestead Days
Instant Landscaping Company invites you to visit and learn about the Nels and Lilian Andersen
Homestead. They will share the story of a wonderful Bend pioneer couple and their family homestead and dairy. Instant Landscaping will dedicate a new interpretive sign for the Homestead and Dairy Farmhouse.
The staff is proud to be part of a Bend Landmark property and look forward to showing the unique Tudor farmhouse and homestead to visitors. Instant Landscaping is located at 63160 Nels Anderson Road, accessed from Robal Road (off of Highway 97).
MAY 22nd, 6pm to 7pm - Redmond Know Heritage: Redmond City Hall, presented by
Scott Woodford, Redmond Public Library
Join Scott Woodford, Senior Planner for the city of Redmond, for a look back and a look forward on Redmond. Listen to a discussion put on by City of Redmond officials on the story of how the 1922 high school became a new city hall for the community, including how the City ultimately decided to remodel the historic building, the design process, and details on how construction occurred, including several surprises during the process, followed by a tour of the building. Scott Woodford is Senior Planner for the City of Redmond and staff liaison to the City's Historic Landmarks Commission.
MAY 23rd, 4pm to 7pm - Santiam Wagon Road Walk at Whychus Canyon Preserve, guided by Kelly Madden, Deschutes Land Trust
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Kelly Madden to explore the 150-year old Santiam Wagon Road at Whychus Canyon Preserve. Hike back in time and imagine traveling west in a wagon train to transport wool from Eastern Oregon to the Willamette Valley, or east to graze livestock on the grasses of the desert. Explore the site of an early homestead, and the signs and symbols still visible along the trail today that help tell the story of travel and commerce in the high desert. Registration is required and opens 1month prior to the event. Please register online at www.deschuteslandtrust.org/hikes
Hike Rating: Moderate, ~3 mile hike on old roads through juniper forest.
What to bring: Snacks, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
May 24th, 6:30pm - “Of Plants, Rocks and Peoples: a Geobotanical Tour of Central Oregon” presented by Stu Garrett, Bowman Museum, Prineville
Join us at the Bowman Museum in Downtown Prineville for a great presentation of geobotanical features of Central Oregon, by Stu Garrett, Botany, Agriculture Plant Science Researcher with COCC. Admission is Free. Bowman Museum is located at 246 N Main Street, in Prineville.
MAY 24th, 4:30pm to 6pm - Redmond Historic Landmarks Commission meeting, Redmond City Hall
The Redmond Landmarks Commission May agenda may include an update on the Commission’s Oregon State Historic Preservation grant applications. City Hall tours will also be offered. Meetings are held at City Hall, at 411 SW 9th Street.
MAY 25th, 4pm to 7pm - “Cowboys and Settlers in Sisters”, Sisters HomeLand Realty
As part of the Fourth Friday Art Stroll in Sisters, come view the artwork of cowboy artist Len Babb and meet the artist. The art will be on display in the 1908 home of Sisters early settler, stockman, blacksmith, and businessman Hardy Allen. Current owner of the house, Ali Mayea of Sisters HomeLand Realty, will provide refreshments and give guided tours of the house. Get a glimpse of early day Sisters, learn about the new Three Sisters Historical Society that will be offering for sale historic photos of Sisters, and view Babb’s work that reflects the life of the working cowboy, so much a part of the history of Central Oregon.
The historic Hardy Allen House is located at 401 East Main Avenue. Free of charge.
MAY 25th-28th - Ponderosa Mountain Men Little Deschutes Spring Rendezvous, La Pine
Each Memorial Day weekend, the Ponderosa Mountain Men organization promotes and encourages the historical interest and safe use of black powder firearms, with a recreation of historical accurate dress, lifestyle and events. Dry camping is available, and events are numerous, including shooting events, trading, a cook-off and potlucks. Contact Andy Anderson at 541-808-5392 for additional information, or visit www.ponderosamountainmen.org. Registration is required. The weekend event takes place south of
La Pine, 4 miles off of Highway 97, heading west on Highway 58.
MAY 26th, 12pm to 4pm - Tetherow Crossing Pioneer Day, Redmond
All ages are invited to join Redmond Park & Recreation District and Deschutes Public Library for a special event at the historic Tetherow Homestead (5810 NW Tetherow Road). Learn about the history of the homestead and river crossing, and our plans for the coming restoration. We’ll have Pioneer Era games, a general store with penny candy, and mountain man skills for kiddos, as well as site tours, Central Oregon oral histories, and an intro to genealogy research.
MAY 29th, 7pm (doors open at 5:30pm) - History Pub - “Camp Abbot: Training for War on the High Desert”, presented by Tor Hanson, McMenamin’s Old St. Francis School, Father Luke Room
Today Sunriver is an idyllic community in Central Oregon, but during World War II, it was the site of Camp Abbot, the western-most engineer replacement training center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Under the leadership of Col. Frank Besson, the U.S. Army trained 90,000 men at the camp, from 1943 through 1944. There, amongst pine trees and sagebrush, soldiers endured sub-freezing winters and hundred-degree summers. Local historian Tor Hanson has lived in Bend, Oregon for more than 25 years. He is a board member of the Deschutes County Historical Society and editor of its monthly newsletter, The Homesteader.
Event is free but reservations are requested and available by visiting www.deschuteshistory.org. McMenamin’s is located at 700 NW Bond Street in Bend.
MAY 30th, 10am to 1pm - Santiam Wagon Road Walk at Whychus Canyon Preserve, guided by Kelly Madden, Deschutes Land Trust
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Kelly Madden to explore the 150-year old Santiam Wagon Road at Whychus Canyon Preserve. Hike back in time and imagine traveling west in a wagon train to transport wool from Eastern Oregon to the Willamette Valley, or east to graze livestock on the grasses of the desert. Explore the site of an early homestead and the signs and symbols still visible along the trail today, that help tell the story of travel and commerce in the high desert. Registration is required and opens 1month prior to the event. Please register online at www.deschuteslandtrust.org/hikes
Hike Rating: Moderate, ~3 mile hike on old roads and through juniper forest.
What to bring: Snacks/Lunch, water, sturdy hiking shoes. Dress for the weather.
MONTH-LONG ACTIVITIES
MAY 15th to 31st - Preservation Success in Central Oregon, La Pine Library
Through informative graphic displays, learn about local historic projects in Central Oregon that have been preserved, restored or rehabilitated. Historic structures and properties include the Penney Galleria in Bend; Redmond City Hall (Redmond Union High School and Evergreen School); Deedon Homestead in La Pine; Liberty Theater in Bend; Paulina Lake IOOF Cabins; Sisters Belfry; Bend Amateur Athletic Club; French House in Bend; Redmond Freight Depot; Trinity Episcopal Church in Bend; and Mirror Pond in Bend. La Pine Library is located at 16425 First Street.
Guided Tour of Historic Downtown Bend - Fridays & Saturdays in May, 10am, Bend Visitor Center
Join a Bend expert from Visit Bend for a free one-hour guided tour of the historic downtown core. Learn a bit of the past as well as the ins-and-outs and hotspots of present-day Bend and Central Oregon. Dates include 5/4, 5/5, 5/11, 5/12, 5/18, 5/19, 5/25 and 5/26. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Please call 541-382-8048 for details, recommended for children 10 and older. Meet at 750 NW Lava Road.
Support Redmond Homeless Through Our 2018 April Showers Campaign - Donate Today!
Perhaps you’ve seen this sign on flyers at Cascade Swim Center or the RAPRD Activity Center. We at RAPRD take our role in the Redmond community seriously. Our programs are made possible by public support and we, in turn, make it possible for the public to participate in fitness and recreation offerings without the membership fees required by private clubs and gyms. Although our primary purpose is not social services, our role as a public entity dedicated to community wellness uniquely positions us to serve otherwise underserved populations.
We endeavor to never lose track of that sense of purpose. For example, our Adventure Quest before and after school program, and our Camp Adventure Quest summer program for kids provides healthy snacks to keep kids full of energy and playing hard all day. We offer scholarships so that community members have the opportunity to experience wellness and recreation programs regardless of ability to pay. We offer our Hero Pass to honor Redmond veterans and encourage them to participate in programs with their families.
Longer than all these programs, however, going back decades, we have offered use of our shower facilities at a low cost. We understand that, for many in Redmond, recreational and enrichment programming simply isn’t on the table. We want to do our part to make wellness a possibility even for those who must dedicate all their money, all their time, and all their energy just to getting by.
Photo by Mark O'Rourke
Around 1 in 5 of the homeless or housing insecure in Central Oregon is considered “unsheltered,” meaning camping, squatting, or living out of a car. Some families may “double up” with neighbors or friends, and some may live in RVs without utilities. Central Oregon’s homeless include veterans and the elderly, and more than 40% of Central Oregon’s homeless population are children under 18.
These numbers only scratch the surface. According to Chris Clouart, Managing Director at Bethlehem Inn homeless shelter in Bend, “the annual homeless count is a snapshot. It has a limited reach. If you are accessing the shelters, you are in a position to be counted, but if you are trying to keep your campsite from being found and taken away from you, you are probably off the radar.” Clouart estimates that the annual homeless count doesn’t capture a sizeable percentage of Central Oregon’s homeless. “The count is probably inaccurate by about a third,” he says.
Photo by Karim Corban
Homelessness increases in the summer as an influx of hard-working people move to the area to fill the seasonal jobs that tourism and construction bring to the area. With housing prices high and climbing, and a very tight rental market, these people might have regular jobs but no place to live. They’re filling a needed gap in the workforce, trying to do jobs that keep Central Oregon’s economy humming in the summers, but they don’t have access to something as basic as showers or running water. They don’t fit the stereotypical image most people have of a homeless person, and in fact, don’t see themselves that way. “They’re living out of their car, so they aren’t homeless in their own eyes,” Clouart explains. They’re a hard working man or woman who says “well, I’m not homeless, I just can’t find housing.’” This mindset means that people who are working, but unsheltered may not seek help from local resources.
For people in this situation, “The most critical issues are the issues of hygiene,” Clouart explains, “Running water just seems like such a natural thing to most people. You don’t realize what a necessary thing it is until you don’t have it.”
Photo by chubstock
At RAPRD, we recognize water as a force for wellness. We see it in our aqua fitness classes and in water therapy for patrons with injuries or disabilities. Water can be restorative. A shower is more than just shampoo. A shower is a moment of peace, of independence, of purification. “To be able to say ‘I feel clean,’” Clouart describes, “what an emotional boost that can be to someone.” Access to shower facilities improves mental and physical well-being, can restore confidence, and helps job applicants maintain a professional appearance.
For such a simple thing that most of us take for granted, the impact is significant. Clouart says, “If you talk to someone who has gone several weeks without a shower and you ask them how they feel, they’ll say ‘I feel grubby, I feel itchy, I feel scratchy, I don’t feel good.’ And then they take the shower and they can say ‘I feel good.’ So you’re not just talking about physical hygiene, but mental hygiene as well.”
Photo by Guilherme Yagui
In partnership with the Redmond Library, RAPRD offers a limited number of free showers to housing insecure individuals every month. The temperature extremes we experience in Central Oregon mean our winters are bitterly cold and our summers oppressively hot; both potentially dangerous for those without sufficient shelter. In anticipation of another hot summer, our April Showers fundraising campaign will support this program to continue to make free showers available to those who need them.
The cost of a shower is only $1.50.
Make a donation today to give a free shower to someone in need.
(Note: if you are reading this in email, some carriers like Gmail disable the PayPal link. You can click here to donate through our blog in your browser.)
Generous Grant Brings STEM to Adventure Quest
For the past year, Redmond Area Park and Recreation District has partnered with Redmond Parks Foundation and the Central Oregon STEM Hub to incorporate STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math – themes throughout our programs and events.
Our most significant STEM initiative has been the new materials and curriculum our leaders are implementing in our Adventure Quest program. Adventure Quest is a before and after school program at four Redmond schools to keep kids active and engaged, playing and learning even when they’re not in class. Last year, the Redmond Parks Foundation received a generous grant of $5,000 from the Chambers Family Foundation to incorporate STEM programming in Adventure Quest.
The Chambers Family Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation based in Eugene, whose philanthropic works build stronger communities through the support of arts, education, medical, health, and human needs. “We are a family foundation with four generations of business leaders. We focus on communities where we can leverage our grants with others to make a difference,” explained one of their trustees. When asked why the Foundation believes that introducing school-aged kids to science, technology, engineering, and math themes and activities is important, the Trustee described, We see students as future leaders and STEM programs are essential to help develop the critical thinking skills.”
As this was the first year we were actively engaged in seeking out STEM materials and learning opportunities for our AQ participants, we wanted to make the best use of the funds to reach the widest number of our participants and benefit all of our school sites. We reached out to the Central Oregon STEM Hub, a state-funded support organization that works with the school district and other broadly-defined educators, for their expert tips and recommendations. They recommended hands-on experiential learning techniques and encouraging creative play with STEM materials. They suggested getting kids involved early in cutting-edge subjects like circuitry, environmental technology such as solar and wind, building, and even coding. Informally, we also sought advice from local school district staff who reinforced this input (“Coding is the next big thing”).
An Adventure Quest Leader guides students through building a single motherboard computer called a Raspberry Pi
The Central Oregon STEM Hub has a Lending Library consisting of pre-packaged STEM-themed teaching activities in boxes that educators can check out for a few weeks at a time and returned. On a more competitive basis, they also have a popular 3D printer that can be checked out for a week at a time. Our Recreation Program Coordinators checked out a number of Lending Library activities during the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year to experiment with in the Adventure Quest classrooms to see what types of themes resonated most with kids, and what kinds of materials and equipment classroom Leaders could train with and implement quickly and effectively. We determined that the 3D printer was too advanced and took too long to hold the sustained interest of our youngest participants but other tools, like snap circuits and KLUTZ circuit clay were instant winners. With these tools, kids can follow age appropriate instructions to build specific projects, or they can freely create their own working electrical systems.
This trial and error process narrowed down our search to a number of innovative tools that make learning cutting-edge tech skills fun and engaging, even for our youngest participants. We also focused on durability and sustainability to seek out materials that can be used again and again, by all our kids and across all our school sites, with easy to find replacement parts. For example, a construction set of PVC pipe cut into different lengths, with different elbows and joints, helps kids learn building principles through trial and error.
Our Leaders have started implementing STEM-themed activities in our classrooms, and making materials available to the participants for solo and group exploration and kids are having a blast. “We built the first piece together,” said Recreation Program Coordinator Tyler Best of an inventor kit project, “it was a button that you push and it flips up a lever. Then I stepped back and the kids took it from there. This one kid came up with a ramp, so the lever pushed a marble down the chute. But then someone else made a little catapult so the lever set off the catapult, which launched the marble to the ramp and down the chute.”
Adventure Quest Coordinator Brandy Princehorn says this is typical of the leaders’ approach to implementing the STEM materials. “We give them the instructions and examples, do one or two things together, and then step back. When kids struggle, the leader will model critical thinking by re-reading the instruction booklet with the kids. We don’t just show them the answer so they have to learn to troubleshoot and solve problems that come up.”
The Chambers Family Foundation grant has benefited the 560+ participants in our Adventure Quest program so far during the 2017-2018 academic year and will continue to grow and shape this program into the future. “We appreciate everything we’ve been able to do with it so far, and are excited to see it continue over the years with new groups of kids,” says Princehorn. “We purposefully picked things that could be updated and reused each year.”
Implementing science, technology, engineering, and math activities in Adventure Quest also inspired us to create two new STEM-themed events, free to everyone in the community. These events – Aviation Day and Touch-A-Truck – aim to inspire STEM curiosity in kids K-8th and connect them with local educators, experts, and companies that value STEM education and skills. Aviation Day offered hands-on drone instruction and participation of flight programs and the radio-control airplane club to show kids the aviation-related careers and hobbies that boost our local economy. It was a big hit and drew nearly 300 kids and their families. Touch-a-Truck will aim to engage the youngest kids (Pre-k – 2nd) by offering exploration and experiential learning opportunities with construction, transportation, and first responder vehicles; arts and crafts with auto parts, and reading time with transportation-related books. This event will celebrate STEM week – a week of science, technology, engineering, and math activities by many organizations throughout Central Oregon.
In this way, the Chambers Family Foundation STEM grant – although the funds were only used for STEM programming in Adventure Quest – has inspired us to implement STEM themes in our education and enrichment programs and our free community events as well. As such, we have developed contacts with science, technology, and engineering experts in our area who will hopefully help us broaden our reach and sustain this momentum.
Tetherow Homestead Historic Preservation: What's Done, What's Next
We have previously written about Tetherow Crossing Park northwest of Redmond, where RAPRD owns the oldest structure in Deschutes County, the Tetherow Homestead. We are working to preserve this important piece of Central Oregon heritage and restore it as a multi-use public space. The possibilities for its use are endless: classroom, art studio, wedding venue, conference room, yoga gym, family reunion BBQ and picnic spot.
We’ve made a lot of great progress since our last blog post about the Tetherow House and our efforts to save it. We are starting to fundraise for the brick and mortar preservation and construction work, so feel free to share this post with local history and preservation-minded folks. As part of our fundraising and awareness raising, we are happy to arrange for a site tour for small groups interested in the project, just send us an email.
In 2017, we successfully met our fundraising goal to support the planning work for the restoration. We are very grateful to our earliest supporters, the Roundhouse Foundation and the Hodecker Family (through the Oregon Community Foundation) for believing in this project.
Their donations, in addition to RAPRD’s own contribution from our operating funds, meant that our search for an architect to take on the project could begin. We released our Request for Proposals for the planning work in July, but unfortunately, that bidding process, which concluded in August, only generated one bid. This sole bid was over our estimated budget, so the Board decided to put the planning project out for bid one more time. With the help of Restore Oregon, a Portland-based non-profit, we were able to widely circulate our RFP for a second round of bidding.
Restore Oregon was also instrumental in helping us secure a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in October. Our application with their endorsement must have been persuasive, because we were awarded $4,800 toward the planning work. This generous grant from NTHP completed our fundraising for the planning stage and the Tetherow project was on its way!
During the fall, we received comments and questions from a number of architecture firms and we provided the opportunity for a site tour. At the deadline in November, we received two bids, both with historic preservation experience and both within our budget. The RAPRD Board reviewed these and made their selection on December 12th.
The Board selected Stemach Design + Architecture, a family-owned Bend-based firm with experience repurposing historic buildings for modern uses in the Central Oregon community. Some of their projects include the Pine Tavern remodel, the old Box Factory site renovation and redevelopment, and feasibility studies for expansion of the Bowman Museum in Prineville, including relocation of the caboose. The contract is signed and they are set to begin work in January. Their bid for the architecture and engineering planning work also includes providing estimates for construction costs.
In another recent development, the 2018 class of Leadership Redmond, a program put on by the Redmond Chamber of Commerce is also working on the Tetherow project. Each class picks a handful of service projects and one team has chosen to work on Tetherow-related awareness-raising. The goal of this team is to increase public awareness of the homestead and highlight our efforts to save it. They plan to develop marketing materials, and also a toolkit teachers can use to incorporate the Tetherow story into a unit on Redmond history.
Finally, Redmond Area Park and Recreation District is working with the Deschutes Land Trust, the Deschutes County Landmarks Commission, the Deschutes County History Museum, the Redmond Library, and other local organizations on the planning for Preservation Month in May. Subscribe to our blog to get updates on all our projects and the historic preservation events and activities we will be involved in this spring.
If you have questions about the Tetherow Homestead preservation project, or want to arrange a tour of the property, please email Margaret.maffai@raprd.org. If you would like to make a donation, you can use our online form, donate in person at Cascade Swim Center, or send a check to RAPRD at PO Box 843, Redmond, OR 97756. In addition, we are interested in programs and events that will bring more people out to Tetherow Crossing Park. If you have special skills such as bird watching, photography, art, ecology, etc. and would like to put on a program for kids or adults, we’d love to hear from you!
Recreational Immunity: How a Hole in a Portland Park Punched a Hole in Oregon Law
Photo: Ian Caldwell (c)
A unique legal issue called Recreational Immunity, which affects park and recreation districts (and all public and private landowners that offer their lands for public use) came before the Oregon Legislature in the latter half of 2016. Although RAPRD, as a public agency, does not take positions on pending political issues, we thought it would be interesting to take an objective look at a matter that Oregon has already resolved that many in Redmond might not have been aware of at the time.
In most states, the legal principle of “recreational immunity” protects landowners who offer their lands for public use for free. For example, if a landowner turns a plot of land into a little pocket park for their neighborhood, or if a land trust allows equestrians to utilize the trails on undeveloped land, and they don’t charge a fee, park and trail users wouldn’t be able to sue the land owners if they twisted their ankle or fell off their horse. Schools that leave their playgrounds and sports fields open after hours for the public to use for free can’t be sued if someone slips off the monkey bars. The purpose of this immunity is obviously to encourage land owners to open their lands for public use free of charge. Without such protection, why would anyone ever provide the public access to their property if they then had to insure themselves to the hilt to protect against the threat of lawsuits?
Recreational immunity is usually created by statute. That means the state legislature usually writes and passes a law that says that landowners who let the public use their property for recreation can’t be sued if someone engaging in recreational activities there gets hurt. Oregon has had such a law on the books since 1971 as part of the Oregon Public Use of Lands Act.
Other parts of Oregon law make sure that individual employees who are just doing their jobs the right way can’t be sued personally for something done under the umbrella of their jobs. The employer is sued but the individual is protected.
A “tort” is the kind of wrong that the law says you can sue for. It is the civil law equivalent of a “crime” under criminal law. The law in Oregon that explains who can be sued and for what is called the Oregon Tort Claims Act. One of the key parts of the act is the part that explains how employers are responsible for the acts of their “agents.” For example, if a delivery driver hits reverse instead of drive and backs into a storefront, usually the company can be held legally responsible. Volunteers are often also considered “agents” of a company or organization for the purposes of the lawsuits.
Previously, in Oregon – as in other states, this kind of agency law, which decides who counts as an agent, and what torts committed by agents employers can be held legally responsible for – also protected employees and volunteers from certain types of lawsuits. This kind of immunity meant that if it was your job as a school district employee to clean up the playground and later, someone got cut on a piece of glass there, as long as you could show you were doing your job properly, your employer would be responsible, and you (in your personal capacity) would be protected from the lawsuit as an agent of your employer.
Then, in March of 2016, the Oregon Supreme Court changed everything.
The hole the court ruling would eventually punch in the law began with a hole in the ground. A city maintenance employee named Gibson dug a hole to fix a sprinkler in a Portland public park. Johnson, a legally-blind jogger, was injured when she fell into the hole, and sued Gibson as well as the maintenance supervisor, Stillson, individually. She argued that they didn’t do their jobs properly and were personally responsible for her injury. She further argued that recreational immunity did not protect them because they weren’t “owners” of the land, under the definition of the Oregon Public Use of Lands Act. Rather, the city was the owner and the individual employees could be sued. The Supreme Court agreed.
After reviewing all the case law, the Court determined that the legislature had not meant employees and agents to be protected by recreational immunity, but rather only landowners (in this case, the city). This case devastated public entities like cities, counties, school districts, and park and recreation districts, who regularly allow the public to use their lands for recreational activities free of charge. It would become prohibitively expensive to insure all their employees against the possibility of expensive lawsuits, so many of these agencies would have to close their lands to the public. The ruling was very unexpected because recreational immunity in other states protects the agents and employees of landowners, as well as the owners themselves.
Thankfully, in July 2016, the Oregon legislature stepped in to correct its error. They amended the law to restore recreational immunity protection to agents and employees of landowners. This means that every park employee you see out in Redmond mowing a lawn or fixing a sprinkler, maintaining a trail, or unloading a picnic table is no longer at risk of losing their livelihood in a lawsuit against them personally as a result of their job keeping lands available to the public for recreation. Because of the legislature’s quick action, only months after the potentially damaging Supreme Court ruling, landowners like RAPRD can still afford to open their lands to the public for hiking, cross country skiing, riding, parks, etc. without the crush of impossible insurance costs.
Photo: Ian Caldwell (c)
Our First Newsletter - See What We've Accomplished in 2017!
We at Redmond Area Park and Recreation District are so proud of everything we've accomplished this year. We simply couldn't achieve our goals without the determination and hard work of our dedicated staff and volunteers. Feel free to stop by our offices at Cascade Swim Center or the Activity Center to pick up a hard copy of our newsletter. While you're there, please consider donating to our scholarship fund or other projects before the year's end!
You can also donate online here.
Smooth Takeoff for First Annual Aviation Day
Thanks to everyone who came out last month to make Redmond Area Park and Recreation District’s first annual Aviation Day event a success! Nearly 300 kids and their families came out to enjoy the warm, sunny day and clear, blue September sky, and a fairgrounds packed with aviation crafts and activities.
We want to thank all our participants who spent hours introducing Redmond kids to the local aviation industry and hobbies and the importance of learning and being curious about science, technology, engineering, and math subjects in and out of school. The Bend and Sisters Experimental Aviation Association Chapters spread the word about their Young Eagles programs, which pair kids up with experienced pilots to go for free flights and learn about piloting aircraft. The Warm Springs Test Range represented one of only six federal drone test ranges in the country. Sisters Airport and Sisters High School came with some students involved in the high school’s Flight Science program, where high school students can earn their pilot’s licenses as part of the curriculum.
Redmond’s Field of Dreams RC Club brought a collection of radio controlled aircraft to show kids how they can enjoy aviation-related hobbies right in town.
Volunteers from the Central Oregon STEM Hub helped little builders construct trucks, bug cages, and flower pots from Kids Build kits donated by Home Depot.
In the drone building, Paul Povey from Povey Surveying showed off the professional drones he uses in his local family company, and Kevin Siverston from the Central Oregon Community College Aviation Program ran a drone camp for all ages to learn to operate real drones and practice their skills on drone flight simulators. Thanks to Jim Bull of Central Oregon Sound and Security, parents could watch their kids perform acrobatic maneuvers on the simulators projected onto the big screen.
Although kids as young as 4 got a chance to give the drones a try, the big machines were the most popular with the younger set. Redmond Fire and Rescue brought their aircraft fire truck, a 90,000 pound neon green beast, and kids could climb in the cabin and touch the controls, and touch the hoses and other equipment along the outside of the vehicle. Redmond Airport contributed a huge bright yellow snowplow, usually charged with thundering down the runways keeping the airport clear of snow and ice.
AirLink sent a helicopter and crew to dramatically land at the event and talk about their exciting jobs saving lives. With the help of these participant businesses and organizations, RAPRD was able to stoke the STEM curiosity of Redmond youth and introduce them to the many local outlets for an interest in aviation.
We especially want to thank our local sponsors, Redmond Athletic Club and Hooray Café for making Aviation Day possible. We are fortunate in Redmond to have local business owners so invested in our community and offering fun recreation opportunities for Redmond kids. “It is so important for businesses to support their community,” says Branegan Dixon of Redmond Athletic Club (the RAC). With all the outreach and volunteers we have that step up to donate their time and resources, the community should be able to lean on local business.”
Dixon, who has an 8 year old and a 2 year old, was drawn to Aviation Day in particular, he says, because “I think it is important to stimulate the minds of our youth. Exposure to different jobs, careers and possibilities out there that kids might not otherwise experience is fantastic. With these types of events, the kids get a chance to challenge themselves and get a feel for something different and fun.” Dixon and his wife, Tasha, brought their kids to Aviation Day and he was pleased with how the event turned out. “The kids really enjoyed flying the drone and getting inside of the helicopter and fire truck.” For families who didn’t manage to make it out this year, Dixon says, “I would say check it out next year. As a first annual event, they did a great job in set up and organization. I can only imagine the experience will be more and more enjoyable each year.”
Ken Streater, who runs Hooray Café, a website dedicated to featuring good news stories and a platform for communities to connect and do good, found in Aviation Day a chance to further his mission of community building. “Hooray Cafe and The Goodness Sake Project are dedicated to illustrating what is good about us and to foster even more goodness. Aviation Day allowed people to connect, to see each other in a positive, creative, and rewarding setting, and to realize how much that community organizations like RAPRD mean to a flourishing place to live.”
A speaker and author, Streater explains his belief that the community is “the source for fairness and good.” As such, Streater believes that “all business owners should support organizations like RAPRD that help form the flavor and character of a community. When we support these kinds of activities, we are supporting our own by expanding our compassion circle to include and enrich more people.” Aviation Day, he says, and other community recreation events, “help create a diverse, knowledgeable, playful, creativity, and collaborative populace. Events like these empower those who want to learn more in and do more with their lives, be they children or adults. “
In addition to these moral and philosophical views, Streater’s personal experience as a dad and an RAPRD volunteer led him to see Aviation Day as a piece of the mosaic of activities RAPRD provides in the Redmond community. “Each child has a unique set of goals, skills and concerns. There is no box they fit into. Trust me, as the father of three very unique individuals I experience this every day. So, RAPRD is spot on in creating a palette of opportunities for kids and adults from all walks of life to participate in. Aviation Day is an example of this, as is youth soccer and horseback riding and painting. To give our citizens an opportunity to find what they like and then grow with this is invaluable.”
RAPRD plans to continue the tradition of Aviation Day next year and we have already received positive and constructive feedback from many of the participants and families who attended. One mom pointed out that balloons near the entrance would make it easier to locate the event at the fairgrounds. This is a fantastic idea and we’ll definitely onboard it for next year. The RC club has indicated an interest in bringing more and even bigger RC planes, and perhaps organizing a demonstration of their different radio controlled aircraft in the outside lawn space.
Because of this year’s amazing turnout, we did run low on drones at the end of the day. Next year we’ll be sure to have more drones on hand for when units crash or need to be re-synched to controllers. If you are interested in supporting next year’s event, a donation of $35 will purchase one drone for kids to learn and play with. See our donation page here. If you went to Aviation Day this year and you’d like to submit a comment for us to review in preparation for next year, and/or if you’d like to be on our interest list for future drone activities, feel free to send us an email.
We are grateful for everyone’s support for our first annual Aviation Day event and we are looking forward to seeing you all again next fall for an even bigger and better event!
Gone to the Dogs
Every year, on the last day before our annual shut-down at Cascade Swim Center when we completely drain, clean, repair, and repaint the pool, we give our last open day to our 4-legged friends and their owners to come enjoy both the indoor pool and the kiddie pool. This year, we had 75 dogs. Amid some very blurry pictures of some very fast moving wet dogs, we got some clear shots of the pups who came to help us close out in style.
Nicole brought 6 week old Dibbles and Tipsy, a mini-Aussie with an intense gaze.
Shawn with 9 month old poodle Mim
Big dogs in the kiddie pool
Jenny with 3 year old mini golden doodle Teddy
Casey and 2 year old Boston Terrier Sidney
4 year old Golden Retriever Quincy (left) and brother Trip wait for mom to throw the ball!
Everybody wants that ball!
4 year old brown Golden Retriever shakes off in his red life jacket
The water polo team gives each dog a good wash when they're done playing in the pool.
3 1/2 year old mini Aussie Dixy on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with a bath and escaped a shampoo not once but twice!
Kids enjoyed the kiddie pool too.
4 month black lab Lola was tentative at first
...but soon found her sense of adventure!
Golden Retriever Luna Moon was donated to her owner by BrightSide, and is being trained as a service dog for autism.
8 year old Sheltie Rosie was a dignified lady in and out of the pool.
Right: in her custom bathrobe.
Igor, a 2 year old Sharpei Pug mix gets some air!
Thanks to everyone who came out to share this special day with us!
The Redmond Water Polo Jamboree: “A great toughen up thing”
In the early days of water polo in 19th century Scotland, the game was more like “water rugby,” and players were allowed to wrestle opposing players under water and hold them there until they surrendered the ball. Players scored goals by placing the ball on the opposite deck, but the goalie could defend by jumping off the deck directly on top of the approaching player.
In most ways, the sport has evolved from this violent historical version. Pulling or holding an opposing player underwater will result in a penalty. Goalies defend a goal box from inside the water, and must constantly tread water in the goal while their team defends the deep end of the pool.
The goalie must now defend from inside the goal, treading water, rather than jumping onto opposing players from the deck.
Players can even be asked to submit to a fingernail check before the game to ensure safety from scratches. But the civilized modern version of water polo retains the feeling of urgency, the speed of play, and the rush of strength and adrenaline of the rougher days of “water rugby.”
Ridgeview sneaks a shot past Madras
The Redmond Water Polo Jamboree, an annual tournament of 26 teams (boys, girls, and co-ed) from all over the state is less cutthroat than in the olden days of the sport, but no less exhausting and exciting. The jamboree, held last weekend, is an ideal pre-season event for competitors to come together to meet for the first time and get a sense of the strengths and weaknesses of other teams in a whirlwind of 142 short, 8-minute games. The pace and number of games ensures that with only 7 players in the pool on a side, even brand new players get playing time to prove themselves over the course of the 3-day event. It is tradition that the teams – often including parents and siblings – camp out at Cascade Swim Center throughout the jamboree. The RHS parking lot fills with RVs and the grassy park along Rimrock Drive fills with tents and towels.
The jamboree dates back to 2000, before Ridgeview High School was built, when RAPRD began operating the water polo programs after being approached by some RHS players committed to developing a Redmond water polo program. One of these founding players, Jay Rowan, is honored on a plaque outside Cascade Swim Center.
Many of this year’s players are younger than water polo in Redmond, a fact that baffles veterans of that early program like RHS head coach Denise Maich. She coaches both girls and boys teams with her assistant coach Ricardo Monroy, and her brother Joe DeLeone coaches both Ridgeview teams with his assistant coach Spencer Gorman.
Ridgeview coach Joe DeLeone referees one of the 142 Jamboree games.
RHS Head Coach Denise Maich watches a tense play.
Whereas many of those early players left team sports like soccer and football to play water polo, an interesting trend is that for many current players, water polo is often their first, or even their only team sport. Some players do martial arts, or cross country, or snowboarding, and most of them are also on swim team. Competitive swimming requires hours of individual practice and, even in relays, features each swimmer in the water alone, separated from opposing teams by lane lines. Each swimmer swims their own race, or their own relay leg, and their points support the team’s overall score.
Yet it is the team dynamic of water polo that seems to be a major draw for these otherwise very independent solo athletes. Caitlyn Owen, 14, who has never done a team sport before water polo says that the sport is a mix of independence but also support. Her teammates from Redmond High School, Mackenzie Carlson, 18; Annabelle Crispen, 14, and Sage Russell, 14 agree that the feeling of being on a team is one of the most rewarding aspects of water polo. It is a feeling they pour considerable energy into building and maintaining. Carlson, the girls team captain, explains that team captains proactively build team spirit by organizing events like house parties and campfires to bring the group together in their off-time.
Redmond Girls Mackenzie Carlson, 18; Annabelle Crispen, 14, Sage Russell, 14, and Caitlyn Owen, 14.
I discovered team bonding even extends into the virtual world when Crispen mentions “the group chat,” and Russell confirms that there are actually multiple girls team group chats across all social media platforms. But the girls are quick to assure me that water polo “is not like other teams where there are cliques or one person has just one other friend.” Carlson emphasizes how much of the captains’ job, in and out of the pool, is reinforcing this inclusivity. “If even one person doesn’t listen, or one person misses a practice, it affects everyone,” she says.
Augie Tobish, 16, is going into his junior year at RHS. For him, what sets water polo apart is the athletic challenge; the difficulty of being in a different environment. “The human body isn’t designed to be in the water.” I mention the demanding physicality of the sport; guarding another player face to face, treading water with arms and shoulders out of the water to defend and steal. I ask what he would tell younger kids who might have come to this year’s jamboree and wondered whether they are up for it. “I definitely recommend it,” Tobish doesn’t hesitate. “It is hard, and can be frustrating, but it is great for character building. It’s a great toughen up thing to do,” he says. Augie’s brother Gavin Tobish is a rookie this year. I ask if he gives him a bit of a hard time, and Augie grins.
Water polo demands strong swimming skills as players with possession must tread water even in the shallow end.
Jaime Tracewell, 16, of the Ridgeview girls team, is also going into her junior year. This is her second year playing water polo. She was already on swim team, and did cross country, but laughs and admits she is “not that into running.” For Tracewell, water polo is the best of both types of sports. “It’s team driven and individualistic,” she says. “Everyone has their own position and knows what to do for themselves in that situation, but everyone still needs to work together as a team.” Tracewell doesn’t see any conflict between retaining her individuality and working as part of the larger group. “I still have a lot of freedom in what I do and how I do it, while still having a team that supports me and I support them,” she observes.
Asked about rivalry between teams, and how players feel about the opposition in such an intense, physical game, Tracewell sees the competitiveness and intensity as added value. “Yeah it can be super rough,” she acknowledges, but the people you’re playing against are very gracious and friendly. We like having a strong team to play against. It tests you and shows who’s made of what.” Considering what she has learned in water polo that she applies in her life out of the pool, Tracewell says “Being able to take charge, that leadership quality.” She adds that water polo has taught her “the ability to be aggressive and also kind – a delicate balance.”
A Ridgeview co-ed team squares off against a Madras co-ed team toward the end of the 3-day jamboree.
Ridgeview coach Joe DeLeone, agrees that water polo builds skills into players that helps them grow up in and out of the pool. “It is challenging, physically and mentally.” He acknowledges, “it makes you work hard, and you have to work as a team or you’re not going to succeed.” It is less about individual talent or ability, he says, than it is about the ability to play together with a common purpose.
Ridgeview boys and girls huddle up at halftime in a co-ed game against Madras
Kimberly Kawelmacher, whose daughter Rachel is a Redmond rookie this year, sees the potential of water polo as a space for kids to practice adult skills. By learning team work, and having to show up for pool and dryland training on time, learning to listen to instructions and not let teammates down, she says water polo “works through some life lessons, but it is a fun outlet to learn that responsibility.” Kawelmacher’s family moved to Redmond from Texas just last month and she notes that RHS is bigger than their whole town. For her, the jamboree has had a practical benefit: “It is a really good way to meet people before school starts,” she observes. When asked if she is worried at all about waterpolo being a bit of a rough sport, Kawelmacher laughs. Her daughter has 3 older brothers, she says, and she has done karate for years. “She can handle it.” Regarding advice to other new parents, Kawelmacher doesn’t hesitate: “If you’re going to do it, jump in feet first.” She gestures around at the tents and towels everywhere marking the boundaries of the RHS team’s campout territory. “Get into it, be part of the team.”
A number of local families camped out together, not just the kids on the team. As I was leaving, a water polo dad was starting to pack up the lavish accommodations that had built up around the entrance to an enormous RV in the RHS parking lot next to the pool. Coolers and chairs created an impromptu outdoor living room and an iron skillet with a Dutch oven lid indicated there had been a kitchen out there too at one point. “Where you from?” I asked, thinking he had a long drive ahead when the games wrapped up a little before 5pm. “Here!” he laughed.
Towels drying in the sun mark the boundaries of RHS' camp out spot