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Hello Friends! As we head into the second half
of the summer, I hope you’ve been getting in all the hikes, bikes, rides, and
all else that you had on your list.
I know I’m still working through mine! Our service projects this summer have been really fun –
it’s been great to spend time with friends and to meet new friends on these
days. I hope you can join us for
our next one on August 6. Check
out http://fdrd.org/CALENDAR/calendar-2005.html
for the Summit County Summer 2005 Volunteer Calendar for a complete list of
opportunities remaining this summer! If you have any feedback,
suggestions, and ways to improve this newsletter, please share them with
me. ENJOY!! |
FRIENDS OF THE DILLON RANGER DISTRICT
August 2005 Newsletter
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WHAT’S
HAPPENING
Saturday, August 6 – Fuels Mitigation Day – 8:30 AM- 1:00PM – Please join in on
the fun! Volunteers are needed
to haul slash and other ground fuels, to help reduce fire hazard in the White
River National Forest. Patti
Maguire, Summit County Wildfire Mitigation Officer, will join us for the day,
and will include an education segment and be there to answer all your Fire
and Fuels Questions! We will meet at 8:30 AM
at the Dillon Ranger District Office in Silverthorne for coffee and
bagels. The District Office is
about a half-mile north of the intersection of I-70 and Highway 9. Dress for a day
outdoors - dress in layers, bring water, work gloves, long pants and
long-sleeved shirt, sturdy boots, sunglasses, sun hat, rain gear, sunscreen,
insect repellent, and lots of enthusiasm! Snacks and beverages will be provided at the end of
workday tailgate party (around 1-ish).
Contact Troy Wineland at troywineland@comcast.net or
970-485-2961 to RSVP for this service project. Service Project Team – Can’t make it on the 6th, but would
still like to help out this week?
Be a part of the team that makes these fun days happen!! This effort includes:
·
distribute
flyers throughout the county
· solicit food donations for the day · pick up food donations for the day · distribute press releases and contact the media for exposure By being a part of our Service Project Team, you will help
to assure the smooth organization and logistics for each of our volunteer
days. If you are interested in
participating on this team, contact Troy Wineland today at troywineland@comcast.net
or 970-485-2961. Saturday and
Sunday, July 30-31 – VOC-DRD Gold Hill and Wilder Gulch Trail Days – Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Quick…it’s not too late to sign
up! For more information on
the trail days, check out the following website: www.voutdoors.org or contact Guff Van
Vooren at guffvanvooren@msn.com.
Other DRD
Projects in August – Lin
Denham, Trail Crew Leader with DRD, could use some help on the following
projects:
·
Tuesday,
August 2 – Sapphire Point – rock wall work
·
Tuesdays
and Wednesdays, Weeks of August 15th and 22nd. –
McDonald Flats – campsite work.
To sign up and for more information,
contact Lin at nldenham@juno.com or
468-5400.
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WHAT’S
HAPPENED
The Weed Warriors enjoying their
“fiesta” after weeding out Canada Thistle! Saturday, July 9 – Weed Pull Day – It was another great day of giving back to our National Forest lands! These 20 “Weed Warriors” and 1 Forest Service personnel generated 90 hours of volunteer stewardship for our National Forest lands. They filled up one truckload with trash bags full of musk thistle flower heads and false chamomile. By pulling up these invasive species, the volunteers helped to slow down the invasion of these noxious weeds, thus improving habitat in this area. A big thanks goes out to our sponsors - New Belgium Brewery, Blue Moon Bakery, Safeway, City Market, and Keystone Resort– for providing us with great grub at the start and the end of the day! Remember to support our sponsors on your next food and beverage run!
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DATES TO
REMEMBER
Mark your summer calendars for these upcoming FDRD
events:
·
Volunteer Crew Leader Training and
Trail Days (Various) ·
Wilder Gulch and Gold Hill Trail
Restoration-Dillon Ranger District/Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
(VOC) (Sat.-Sun., July 30-31) ·
Fuels Mitigation Day (Sat., August
6) ·
Volunteers Celebration Day (Sat.,
September 10) ·
Make a Difference Day (Sat.,
October 8) |
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NEXT BOARD MEETING Monday, August 1, at 6:00
PM at the Dillon Ranger District.
Open to our members and other interested parties. If you plan to attend, RSVP at guffvanvooren@msn.com by Sunday, July
31. |
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NATURE NOTES(Send in your cool facts, stories, or activities for future publication!!) The Nature of Summit What does the nature of Summit County mean to me? Brilliant sunsets, mountains that go on forever, wonderful animals that turn up unexpectedly and amuse/edify/scare me. I first came to Summit County in
the late 70s and loved it then (winter). After visiting in a warmer season,
my husband and I decided we wanted to live in Colorado and made that happen
in the mid-80s. We lived in the city but enjoyed spending as much time as
possible in the mountains. I don’t remember when it was, but I do remember
where, when we decided we wanted to be in Summit County full time. It was
driving over Loveland Pass and catching that first glimpse of the majestic
peaks above Arapahoe Basin. Something in my soul spoke to me that I was home.
It took a lot more years, but we have been privileged to live here two and a
half years. I can see mountains outside all
my windows, in particular Baldy and Guyot to the south and Buffalo to the
west. (Maybe I love them so much because I spent too many years in the
flatlands of Florida.) Almost every morning, going down Highway 6 toward
Dillon, my breath is taken away by the beauty of Lake Dillon with its
mountain background. Is there a more beautiful place on earth than Summit
County? If there is, I sure haven’t seen it. The wildlife is magnificent –
the bighorn sheep on I70, mountain goats on the high mountains, the hawks,
ospreys and eagles, plus assorted small birds (that I mostly can’t identify
but enjoy anyway) and the hummingbirds at my feeders. Although I haven’t seen
bears (we had on in our yard last fall) or mountain lions, I relish that they
are around and one day I might catch a glimpse. FDRD affords opportunities to give back for all these benefits and I enjoy working with new friends on the assorted projects, especially the weed pull. I feel so privileged and blessed to live here and hope to spend many more years enjoying the natural beauty of Summit County and supporting FDRD! Maggie Cox Charter Member Friends of the Dillon Ranger District |
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Thanks again to all our wonderful
volunteers for a successful Weed Pull Day on July 9. I hope I’ll be
able to spend the day with you at our Fuels Mitigation service project on
August 6. Until then, have a
great week. See you
on the trails! With sincere thanks, Guff Van Vooren Executive Director Friends of the Dillon Ranger
District |