The Applegater

Applegater Spring 2019 3 Hearty, enthusiastic locals turned out on a wet January 19 for the Women's Marches in Grants Pass and Medford. Applegaters Suzanne Lavine and Ginny Niebuhr were among the organizers o f Wo m e n's Wa v e , the second Women's March to be held in Grants Pass. More than 300 people gathered at Riverside Park at 10 am—with signs, hats, umbrellas, and several dogs—to celebrate the positive outcomes for and by women in the midterm elections. Emcee Madeleine DeCourcey led the crowd in some rousing chants. An unscheduled speaker stole the microphone, but the crowd responded with a robust rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner," drowning him out. M a r c h e r s p r o c e e d e d f r o m the park up Sixth Street to the courthouse where they were led in song by Jeni Foster, enjoyed the harmonies of duo Omiza River, and listened to a solo performance by Madeleine DeCourcey. Sheri Morin, a local representative of the Democratic Party, delivered a short speech, and a heartfelt plea by Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim, the oldest living member of the Takelma Siletz Tribe, closed the event. Following the Grants Pass march, a "Women in Politics" seminar was held at The Haul restaurant to educate and encourage people who are interested in running for political office. The "Build the Bench" march at Hawthorne Park in Medford took off at 11 am with a squad of young girls leading around 1,000 marchers (and, again, several dogs). Applegaters again worked behind the scenes: Laura Ahearn served as volunteer coordinator, Dahna Dow Osmus "womanned" the food- drive booth, and Stuart Osmus managed the parking. After marchers completed a lap around Hawthorne Park, Lakota Elder Deborah Frances ("Beautiful Little Dancing Crow"), a naturopathic physician and shaman, offered a blessing. Musical performers included Zizi (marimba), Sage Meadows with the Bellview Ukulele and Guitar players, Tish McFadden and Sharon Dorhmann singing "A Scary Time for Boys," and award-winning Every year the Land Steward Program at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC) holds a one-day conference, Living on Your Land, offering up to 28 classes on subjects of interest to landowners. This year SOREC is partnering with Tree School Rogue for a combined offering covering a wealth of timely topics. The event will be held at the Rogue Community College Grants Pass campus on Saturday, April 27. While not everything is confirmed in time for the Applegater deadline, what is confirmed should be of interest to anyone caring for a piece of land. Full details will be posted at livingonyourland.com. Save the date and stay tuned. This year the fabulous Rich Fairbanks will give his popular presentation on "21st Century Fire Management." SOREC forester Max Bennett teams up with forester Terry Fairbanks to present a class on "Adapting Your Forest to Climate Change." Special guest Mike Cloughesy, from the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, will provide insight on forest watershed science, backed up by the practical advice of both Jackson and Josephine County watermasters about water rights. There will be a native plant walk, a class on climate resilience by visiting Oregon State University senior instructor Andrew Millison, a presentation of carbon sequestration, and a class on Hügelkultur (using a compost mound as a raised bed). After Millison's keynote address at 8:15 am, participants can choose from a schedule of four classes, which ends at 5 pm. The $60 registration fee covers instruction, class materials, and coffee breaks. Lunch is available for an additional $10. Registration by mail and phone opens in early March (no walk-in registration). Watch for flyers on local bulletin boards and check livingonyourland.com for full details. Jack Duggan • shanachie@hughes.net Jack Duggan has been a Land Steward since 2010 and an avid promoter of the program ever since. Living on Your Land conference in April Applegaters march in Grants Pass and Medford BY LAURA AHEARN AND GINNY NIEBUHR blues/roots singer Karen Lovely. America Silva spoke about how strong women overcome the odds, Dr. Lanita Witt spoke about her experience in county politics, and Isabella Tibbets, a Quechua of Pelileo, Ecuador, about the plight of missing and exploited indigenous women. The event closed with a gleeful "Break the Chain" flash-mob dance. Jamie McLeod-Skinner, the 2018 candidate to represent Oregon's second congressional district (which includes Jackson County and parts of Josephine County), was the keynote speaker at both marches! Compared to the 45,000- plus miles McLeod-Skinner famously traveled during the 2018 congressional campaign, the trip from Grants Pass to Medford was an easy sprint. McLeod- Skinner generated optimism and a commitment to "persist" among the southern Oregonians in attendance, reminding us of the brave women (and men and groups) throughout American history who have promoted and protected our shared values. McLeod-Skinner also exhorted the crowds to recycle: "Save those yard signs!" Laura Ahearn and Ginny Niebuhr laura.ahearn@stanfordalumni.org Jamie McLeod-Skinner gave keynote addresses at both marches. Photos: Gary Mark Roberts. Voices of the Applegate Concerts & Rehearsals Voices of the Applegate began the winter-spring season on January 8 with a good turnout of choir members. Our director, Shayne Flock, has presented us with some exciting songs for this session—a Simon and Garfunkel arrangement of "Benedictus"; John Denver's "Sunshine on My Shoulder"; a challenging Italian piece, "Fa Una Canzona" ("Sing Me a Song"), to be sung in Italian; and some folk songs. So you see, it's an interesting array of music all the way around. Shayne Flock took over the directing of Voices of the Applegate in the fall of 2018 and has infused the choir with his enthusiasm and talent as a teacher. We are a community choir made up of singers from the Applegate Valley and Jacksonville. We perform two concerts every year, one in the fall and one in the spring, in both Applegate and Jacksonville. We have also performed at Pioneer Village in Jacksonville for the past two years. Our rehearsals are held every Tuesday evening in the Ruch Library meeting room during spring and fall seasons. Our next concerts will be held on Friday, April 5, at 7:30 pm at the Historic Presbyterian Church on 6th and California Streets in Jacksonville and on Sunday, April 7, at 3 pm at the Applegate River Lodge at 15100 Highway 238 in Applegate. T h e re i s n o a d m i s s i o n f e e , b u t d o n a t i o n s a re a l w a y s w e l c o m e . For more information, call Joan Peterson at 541-846-6988. 'Helping them heal, one warrior at a time' BY MARTHA KLEYN-SCHOOREL That's the slogan of the nonprofit Divide Camp, which will hold its annual Dinner and Auction Fundraiser at the National Guard Armory in Medford on March 16, 2019. Tickets are $35 and are available at Ruch Hardware, Punky's Diner in Medford, Western Beverage in Medford, and on the website at dividecamp.org. Proceeds from ticket sales help pay the expenses of all the veterans at Divide Camp this year. Divide Camp, located on the divide between Big and Little Sheep Creeks in the Wallowa Mountains, was the inspiration of Applegate Valley resident Julie Fossen Wheeler after she arrived at her family's old elk-hunting camp near Joseph in northeastern Oregon with the intention of cleaning it and putting up a "For Sale" sign. The log cabins she helped build with her parents, Jim and Rita Fossen, on the 40-acre parcel in the late 1 9 6 0 s w e re dilapidated. As she stood on the porch of the lodge, she felt a tug at her heart and realized that the property s h o u l d b e u s e d f o r a m e a n i n g f u l purpose. And she knew exactly what it would be: Divide Camp. Julie made a commitment to help honor and heal veterans wounded in combat post-9/11, and to offer healing and hope through nature and outdoor recreational therapies. Divide See DIVIDE CAMP, page 20 — N O T T O M I S S : O N L I N E A R T I C L E S — • Healthy lifestyle businesses contact information • Spring Fling poem, by Connie Fowler • Stories on the Land, excerpted by Diana Coogle w w w . a p p l e g a t e r. o r g

• Cover