REI & DIshman Hills Natural Area Association Team Up for Service Project

Here are the long awaited for details of next month's service project.

The Sunflower Society is being called upon to help prepare the ground, plants, and general area for a new demonstration garden just outside the fence to Camp Caro at Dishman Hills. Demonstration gardens are great teaching tools that allow for many species of plants to be talked about without having to hike all around the forest to lay claim to seeing the myriad of plants that grow in a given area.

Below is not the plan for the area we will be working in, but this graphic helps represent how cool a demonstration garden can be. And I am sure that when the West Valley Outdoor Learning Center come with their students to plant the garden they will make sure to plant some Oregon Sunflowers (aka. Arrow Leave Balsamroot) in honor of our group.

On Saturday April 9th meet at 9:30 at Camp Caro of Dishman Hills Natural Area (605 S. Sargent Rd, Spokane Valley WA) and we should wrap up our work at or before 1:00 pm. If you feel the need to leave earlier in order to maintain nap schedules, that is totally fine.

We have been asked to dress our families and ourselves in RED so that we will be easy to spot among the hundreds of other volunteers on site volunteering for the more laborious tasks of building fences and rerouting trails.

This event is being sponsored by the Spokane REI store, and therefore we ask you to sign up through their wonderful website hosted at: http://www.rei.com/event/19036/session/23488

The reasons for working in this area are many fold, but here are two great ones to reflect on. For years to come the children who walk by this demonstration garden will be able to learn from the plants labeled there. All the children who do have a hand in building the garden can take pride it visiting 'their' plants again and again. The second and more community wide goal emanating from this service project is that a committed group of volunteers would desperately like to see the wildlife habitat corridor from Camp Caro to Big Rock conserved. This land stretches for many miles over many geographic features and could create a sort of dream trail. If the three public lands areas of Dishman Hills, Iller Creek County Conservation Area, and Big Rock were all linked then the children and wild animals of Spokane Valley would have a bright future of roaming possibilities.

Save The Date *April 9th Service Project at Dishman Hills

Photo from Here (thanks to Josh Hess for the photo)

Saturday April 9th will mark the second annual REI service project at Dishman Hills Natural Area. February and March will speed by and it will be April before we know it. Right now it looks like there will be plenty for children and families to help out with at this great event, and the work party will run from 10:00 to 1:00. This will be our contribution to the greater efforts being organized as part of the nation wide Children & Nature Network to get outside and do community service in the month of April.

Kids Fish-In Looks Questionable

Photo from HERE

Last year Spokane played host to a great opportunity for promising young anglers in the form of Go Play Outsides's event called the Kid's Fish-In out at Clear Lake on the first Saturday in May. Due to budget shortcomings it does not look promising for this year that this event will be continued. It is just too bad because it was a super event. The cost was only 5.00 or 10.00 dollars and every child received a t-shirt, a new kid sized fishing pole and best of all they were assured to catch 3 rainbow trout from the 4,000 stocked in the nets along the shore. It was literally like shooting fish in a barrel. The excitement on shore of child after child landing another fish was amazing. I truly hope that a magic fairy arrives and fixes the budgetary woes this year so many more Spokane youth will have the opportunity to fish. I guess we will have to find something else to do the day before Bloomsday now.

Cross Country Ski Day

Monday, February 21st

Join the Sunflowers for a day of family fun cross country skiing on Mt Spokane. We will meet at the nordic center at 10 am. If you are new to xc skiing there is a great informational class being offered by REI on 1/20/11 (see below). Gear is also available for rent at REI with a discount to Sunflowers, additionally, Fitness Fanatics on Trent is a great place to rent or buy gear. Contact chrisbachman@comcast.net for details and a coupon. If need be and the numbers are great enough, we can arrange for lessons to be provided.

Please respond with interest to chrisbachman@comcast.net.

Snowshoe outing and Potluck dinner

Monday, January 17th.

Join the Sunflowers for an afternoon of snowshoeing on Mt Spokane. The day will be filled with fun. We will meet in the snowmobile parking lot on Mt Spokane, this is the parking area that you drive through to get to the nordic area. We will then hike into the Spokane Mountaineers Chalet to drop of items for the potluck that will follow. The Chalet is a great place to meet, get warm, socialize and a wonderful place for the kids to have time for free play in the snow. There is a great hill for sledding and lots and lots of snow for snowmen and snow-women.

Please reply to chrisbachman@comcast.net if you are interested in joining us.

Spokane REI — Cross-Country Skiing Basics

Adventure, Family, Winter

• Date: 1/20/2011
• Event Location: Spokane REI
• Event Fee: Free
• Time: 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (PST)
• Leader: REI Specialist
• Group Size: 60

Description: Free your heels and your mind will follow!

Join REI for tips and information about getting into

cross-country skiing. We will discuss the fundamental

differences between backcountry, telemarking and

touring ski styles. In addition, we will cover proper

clothing and information on where and how to get

started in this fun winter activity. No experience

necessary!

This is a great opportunity for folks interested in

joining the Sunflowers for a day of xc skiing on

Mt Spokane, Monday February 21st. Check the

blog for details.

SNOWSHOE CLASS!

Are you new to the sport and interested in snowshoeing?

Spokane REI — Snowshoeing Basic

Adventure, Family, Kids, Winter

• Date: 1/13/2011
• Event Location: Spokane REI
• Event Fee: Free

• Time: 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (PST)
• Leader: REI Specialist
• Group Size: 60

Description: Are you looking for a fun winter sport?

Join REI staff for a class on the basics of snowshoeing.

We will focus on selecting appropriate gear and

finding out where

to go snowshoeing

in your area.

If you've ever thought about getting into snowshoeing,

this is a great introduction to the sport!

This is a great intro for folks

interested in snowshoeing and

great preparation for the

the Sunflower's snowshoe

outing on Monday,

January 17th at Mt Spokane!