The La Honda Voice

Stream Monitoring in La Honda

Do you like playing in the creek?  Enjoy spending time in beautiful places?  Do you like science and making a difference in the community?  You might want to join our stream monitoring team!

SGERC’s volunteers spend a few hours each month performing simple water quality tests in La Honda, Alpine and San Gregorio creeks. They record the results and make observations that create a record of stream conditions at various locations in the San Gregorio watershed.  You could be monitoring the beautiful Heritage Grove site on Alpine Creek, or El Corte de Madera Creek feeding into San Gregorio Creek.  You might prefer to join a team at a site nearest to you.

This is a great activity for all, young and old, for parents wishing to involve their family in environmental awareness and community service.  Most of us love the excuse to get into the creek once in a while and enjoy the solitude and beauty of this area. Why not do something to benefit the environment and the community at the same time?

Training is provided by our organization and basic water quality tests are easy to learn. You’ll be working right away with our dedicated volunteers, many of whom have monitored with us for ten years or more!

For those who would rather stay indoors, you could help with tasks that keep the organization running smoothly, like equipment maintenance, data management, publicity, education, or fundraising. Maybe you’d prefer to participate in cleanup events like Coastal Cleanup Day at San Gregorio State Beach or Adopt-A-Highway on Hwy 84.

In any case, join the fun.  Call or email for more information about SGERC’s programs, or visit our booth at the La Honda Fair, June 16^th and 17^th.

San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center

Neil Panton – Director

www.sgerc.org

(650) 726-2499

 

The Face of Local Music - Paula Dennis

 

by craig eddy

It's that time again when we start thinking about outdoor fun stuff to do.  Of course the number one thing to do this time of year in La Honda is go to the La Honda Country Fair and Music Festival. As this is apparently the 20th year of Paula's reign it's time to give credit to those that have made our local festival such a great event. Paula came to La Honda in 1980 and had no choice about embracing the local music as husband Reid was playing with The Rhythm Method. Paula wanted to help promote the local buisnesses, artists and musicians and working with Nancy Hewitt and Pam McReynolds they put together the first Country Fair.  There had been other similar events that focused mostly on music.  If you were there for the first Country Fair you might remember the parade that went from the Catholic Church, across the highway, up into Cuesta, back down and across the highway and ending up in the gardens.  This was not done again as the hassle and expence of getting permits and hiring Highway Patrol officers made it so nobody wanted to try it again the next year. The Fair over the years has raised and donated thousands of dollars to the art and music programs at La Honda school. The first festival was a one day event and the decision was made to make it a two day event since all the hard work setting everything up was already done the first day. I asked Paula what it is she likes best about the fair. Excellent local music of many different styles, wonderful local art and crafts and best of all she loves it because it's free! Funds are raised with the raffle, merchandise sales, booth fees and personal donations. Paula wants to be sure the people that help make it work are recognized. The Bands all donate their time without pay so this year we will make an effort to collect tips for each band so we can say thanks to them some of whom have been playing the fair just about every year. The venders donate craft items for the raffle. People like Nancy Hewitt, Nigel Webb, Brook Tankle, Jeff Ring, Pam McReynolds, myself, Reid Dennis, and Bo and his sound crew have been helping Paula for years now. A big thanks to Charlie Catania who donates the Gardens for the event. What does Paula want to say about the fair? Get involved and volunteer to help out! Come for the whole weekend and hangout with friends and neighbors. If you have questions, want to volunteer or just say thanks Paula's email is [email protected] - The Fair this year is th 16th and 17th of June so bring Dad down on Sunday at least and have a great Father's day celebration in the beautiful La Honda Gardens under the Redwoods. See ya there!!

The April Edition of the La Honda Voice

Download here: Download TheLaHondaVoiceApr2012