A Warm Welcome to Jinnee Joos!

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Jinnee and I met up at the Roasting Company where I learned that she has often been drawn to homes and realty long before actually pursuing it as a career. She admitted to looking up listings online and checking out homes for sale long before being in touch with Adam. Her interest lies in what makes a house a home, the personal touch that each person brings to their new home, and how transformative it is to become a homeowner, whether it’s the first or fiftieth time. The relationship built with each person is key, which is a piece of why she chose TEN as her home in the realty world. Although we are founded in charitable donation and giving back to the community, it is what Adam brings to the table that helped her decide to come aboard. There were offers for Jinnee to join other teams in the valley, but it was Adam’s comprehensive knowledge, experience and dedication to every single client in every avenue of realty that caught Jinnee’s attention. So, about two years ago began her adventure in real estate, first as Adam’s assistant learning the in’s and out’s of every aspect, then becoming lisenced as a realtor herself roughly one year ago.
One of the things you will likely notice if you have the chance to meet Jinnee is that she is genuinely kind and caring. She offers a calm, selfless nature of true warmth and connection, while also being perfectly task oriented and driven to help pretty much anyone. In our conversation there was a running theme of her view of life, family and career being well-rounded and whole. She is patient, thoughtful, funny, and focused on uplifting and supporting anyone she encounters, which of course lends her to being a fantastic wife, mom, friend, daughter, and realtor. When working on your properties she sees the whole house right down to the finest details and wants nothing more than to help each client find the most perfect fit to transition into a beautiful new chapter of their own lives. If I was in a position to buy or sell my home, I’d definitely want someone like Jinnee who cares and invests herself so completely in making dreams come true.
Jinnee and her husband, Peter, enjoy many of the family-oriented activities  the Rogue Valley has to offer with their daughter, such as hiking, the Britt Festival, eating sushi, attending outdoor music, local restaurants, and seasonal festivals. With so many varied activities you might run into her at any number of events around the valley, like the upcoming Talent Harvest Festival where our current charity of the month, Scienceworks, will be sharing some science fun with the community, as well as live music, arts and crafts, parade, and more! When there is time and music is involved, there’s a chance you will find Jinnee, as she has been connected to all things musical for the majority of her life, being an avid vocalist and learning various instruments, the favorite being the harmonium.
We are excited to be moving forward with Jinnee joining the TEN Realty Group as a licensed real estate agent and look forward to continue connecting friends and families to their dream of homeownership! Please join me in welcoming her to the TEN Realty Group brokered by eXp Realty Group LLC.

Charity of the Month

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After much deliberation and consideration, we have compiled our beneficiaries for Charity of the Month comprised of 6 local non-profit businesses for the next twelve months! In order to be more effective and impactful with each of the chosen recipients, we have also decided to move to a two month timeframe in order to include a greater amount donated, but also to provide more time to focus on getting to know our chosen charity.

We are excited to announce that Tilly at F.O.T.A.S. (Friends of the Animal Shelter) received the first check reflecting two months of our 10% gross sales donation. Here’s our post on Instagram, check it out and like us here. We are currently partnering with Rogue Valley Mentoring for the months of July/August and coming soon is Scienceworks for the months of Sept/Oct. If you aren’t already familiar with these fantastic community resources, please take a minute to check them out here, and if you are so inclined and able, join us in donating: Rogue Valley Mentoring and Scienceworks

 

Modern Roots Foundation February 2018

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The 501c3 Files

‘Tis the Gift to Be…Playing Music from The Ashland Sneak Preview

By Sophia and Adam Bogle

I was walking in Lithia Park one beautiful summer day when I came across about a dozen kids all holding fiddles! They were (mostly) paying attention to a grown up with another fiddle who was obviously giving them a lesson. Then they all lifted their bows together and began to play a song! Ok, it would have made a better story maybe if they had played something amazing and perfect, but no, it wasn’t perfect. However, it was lively and joyful and the kids were obviously having a good time. I spent a long moment wishing I were ten years old again so I could be a part of that class. Apparently I had come across the Creekside Strings Summer Fiddle Camp.

Actually, I only found out what it was called after I sat down with the Director of Modern Roots Foundation (MRF), Dee Fretwell. Dee lives up in the Green Springs and we met at the GreenSprings Inn over a fantastic breakfast. I was there to find out more about MRF and Dee had all the answers for me including one I did not expect. When I first heard about this charity I thought that since there was music being taught that there must be some sort of recital fundraiser to attend, so I was actually a bit shocked when she said there are no recitals required of them. She explained that while performing is definitely a part of musicianship, that they didn’t want to put pressure on the kids to focus on that. They want the kids to just have their own relationship with the music. Wow. That just speaks to the heart of why this is such an important and honorable program. I found this great quote by Dee on the MRF Website:

“One of the most magical things I’ve ever seen is the sparkle in children’s eyes when they realize they’ve just made music. You see, music explains what words cannot, and children need to be heard.”  

So you see, MRF is serving a bigger purpose than just making sure there are enough banjo players in the world. They are gifting children with the ability to make their own magic for themselves.

The camp I ran into is just one part of the services offered by the Modern Roots Foundation (MRF). They also offer workshops and private lessons for a number of instruments including banjo, acoustic guitar (electric upon request), upright bass (electric upon request), ukulele, mandolin and of course, the violin/fiddle (These are the same instrument in case you were wondering… I know I was wondering.) They have instructors in Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and Medford so far. Here is a list of their workshops and camps:

  • Wintergrass Youth Academy (Washington, every February)
  • West Coast Country Music Festival Youth Workshops (as offered)
  • Rogue Roots and Strings Spring Break Music Camp (every Spring Break)
  • Creekside Strings Summer Fiddle Camp  (Rogue Valley Only, every summer)

The name Modern Roots is based on the musical genre called American Roots. The music includes several genres we are all familiar with: folk, country, bluegrass, the blues and others. Basically, we are not talking classical music here. The word Modern in their title makes it clear that this is not about being stuck in the past though. Fresh music!

Every year MRF offers a limited number of scholarships for kids  ages 8 -18 who have the desire to play a musical instrument but would otherwise not have the opportunity to take music lessons. MRF is dedicated to helping kids have access to musical instruments and instruction, regardless of their family’s economic status. They started in 2013 and serve all of Southern Oregon helping kids to rent instruments, take lessons and attend music camps.  

One of the fun things about MRF is that while you can donate in all the usual ways, like one time donations or sponsoring a child’s tuition, you can also donate a used musical instrument which will help fund the music scholarships! For more information go to ModernRootsFoundation.org or e-mail: info@modernrootsfoundation.org.

 

 

 

Resolve January 2018

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New Years Resolve from The Ashland Sneak Preview

The 501c3 Files

By Sophia and Adam Bogle

Happy 2018 everyone! What a perfect time to be talking about resolutions. Have you chosen one yet? Here is the one I am considering: “I will transform the way I communicate in order to manage and resolve conflict and to help myself and others heal from harm.” A little wordy maybe, but a pretty good goal, eh?  But I can’t take credit for it. This is a paraphrase of the mission statement for Resolve Center for Dispute Resolution and Restorative Justice, known simply as Resolve.

Recently I met with Deltra Ferguson, the Executive Director for Resolve, to find out more about how they are making a difference in Southern Oregon. I was impressed to learn that Resolve has been doing mediation work here for over 27 years now. They were formerly known as Mediation Works.

One of the most exciting programs Deltra told me about is their Restorative Justice (RJ) Services for schools. About three years ago, the Resolve education team came up with the idea to introduce RJ into the schools as a way to bring it to more of the community on a day to day basis.

In the last three years Resolve went from only being in only one school to being in twelve! And there are more schools interested. When a school commits to restorative justice it means they are regularly practicing the skills of dialogue and connecting. These skills help to strengthen their school community so that when a harmful incident occurs, the community is ready and has a way to contend with it.

This isn’t just about crimes or bad behavior either.  Sadly, earlier this year one of these schools faced a major tragedy when a student lost her life. There were a lot of emotions about this, and significantly, it was a group of students who called for a restorative circle to talk about it. They had the tools in place from Resolve’s program to help each other connect, to be heard and to heal.

Another part of the RJ school program is that, if a person has caused harm, they are still recognized as part of the community and they are supported to take responsibility for their actions. It is about shifting the culture from punitive to restorative to help keep kids in school. Those that have been impacted by the harm are also involved in a respectful process where their needs get met so that they can function in the community as well.

Without resources like this, kids can sometimes get lost in their emotions and disconnected from the world, and this can lead to dropping out of school. Resolve hopes that these RJ programs, which include Conflict Education and “Choicepoint” Bullying Intervention, will help schools to lower their dropout rates. Did you know that in 2016, Oregon ranked 48th in the nation for students graduating from high school! It literally doesn’t get much worse than this.

It can’t address every issue that the students have who are dropping out, but the Restorative Services program is a good foundation to build on. The schools who partner with Resolve do help with some of the funding needed but it doesn’t cover cost so Resolve has been fundraising like crazy to keep these programs and to add more of them.

Resolve is an amazing resource for all of us here in Southern Oregon. Here are just a few of the situations where they might be able to help.

  •         If you have a conflict with your neighbor or a family member
  •         If you are facing foreclosure
  •         If you are being bullied at school or are witnessing bullying
  •         If you would like to bring mediation training to your workplace

Coming Up! Resolve is holding a Basic Mediation Training in February. It will be a five day immersion course. These skills can help you in many situations, even everyday things like negotiating with a neighbor about how high the fence should be, or talking to your coworkers about who drank the last cup of coffee and why no one made any more yet.

Resolve is located in Medford at 1237 N. Riverside Ave. in the Cobblestone Village, Suite 25,

or you can call them at 541-770-2468. For more information, or to donate, go to:  resolvecenter.org   They have a “Donate Now” button through PayPal so it is super easy for you to help these programs to flourish. It’s sort of like voting if you think about it. You are voting with your $10 (or whatever) to say that you want this sort of thing to continue. Every vote counts!

 

The Maslow Project September 2017

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The 501-c-3 Files from The Ashland Sneak Preview

By Sophia and Adam Bogle

     Recently, the Maslow Project celebrated their 8th anniversary with a newly remodeled and upgraded center of operations and I went to the ribbon cutting ceremony to get a tour of the facility. I found the upgrades to be both welcoming and professional, but the thing that struck me most about this visit was the amazing enthusiasm and energy of the staff. I got to meet Jorge Zamarripa, the Project Manager, who orchestrated the remodeling.He had obviously thought hard about the needs of their clients. From the phone charging station, to having a guitar hanging on the wall, it just feels good to be there.

     The Maslow Project has a rather daunting task: to provide support to the shocking number of local un-housed youth and their families in the Rogue Valley, and yet they manage it with notable good humor and aplomb. While taking the tour, I met their job coach, Gary Montgomery. Gary took a moment to tell me how happy it made him to help people realize their own skills and abilities. He helps people create their own resumes and they can even sign up to do practice interviews. His joy in his work was obvious and a bit contagious. He made sure to let me know that not everyone who comes in jumps right to getting a resume made. There are a lot of basic needs that have to be met before that is a priority.

     I also ran into Lacey Renae, a Maslow Counselor, who was showing our tour group the upgraded art room. Art is seen as an important part of the Maslow layers of success. Not that everyone has to do art there, but the creative outlet is recognized as a basic human need. The art room is well stocked with the basics but I know they can always use more good quality supplies. I was also impressed to hear how Lacey is given the flexibility to be able to meet clients in the way that works best for them. The whole system at Maslow is highly functional.

     They can supply a mailing address when one is not readily available which helps with getting a driver’s license and job applications. They can also help with such basic things as food, clothes and assistance finding shelter. The lounge area has a computer to help with job hunting and there are snacks available thanks to donations.

     One of the things that stands out at Maslow is their Youth Advisory Board. The ages of the kids on the board range from 14 to 18. They are responsible for making their own decisions about Maslow community issues, they plan and create meals together and they choose special projects to do to give back, such as working with the animals at Sanctuary One.

     As you can see, I am a fan. Supporting the Maslow Project makes a huge difference to some of our most vulnerable citizens. Now, I just know that after such a glowing description of helpful efficacy that you must be wondering how you can help, so you will be pleased to know that September 23rd is the 4th Annual Southern Oregon Smoked Salmon Festival! What better way to contribute than to also go have a fantastic day in the park with your family? Held in Medford at The Commons on E 5th Street, the event is kid friendly and features local food, wine and beer with live music! 100% of the event proceeds will benefit Maslow Project. For more information go to the Maslow Project Facebook Page and please “share” to help spread the word! You can also visit their website at www.maslowproject.com

     And now a word to those who may be out there couch-surfing and uncertain of the future. The center is located at 500 Monroe Street in Medford. The hours are 10-5 Monday through Friday. Call them at 541-608-6868 or email: development@maslowproject.com Their motto is “A Hand Up Not a Hand Out.” They would love to hear from you.

 

Science Works Hands on Museum August 2017

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The 501c3 Files from The Ashland Sneak Preview

By Sophia and Adam Bogle

     To the untrained / un-magnified eye, our 93% view of the solar eclipse here in Ashland is going to look pretty darn spectacular. Did you know that eastern Oregon is expecting over one million tourists for this event? Just the traffic alone is going to be a bit much to say the least. So if you are like me and don’t have a week to dedicate to camping in the high desert, why not stay local? Come to the eclipse party at our own ScienceWorks on August 21st!

     I met recently with Ann Dowdy, ScienceWorks’ Executive Director to find out more about this event. She was super excited about this great scientific opportunity for the community and told me they are going all out to make the most of it.

     There will be food and coffee carts on site and eclipse glasses will be for sale. Ann told me that there will be some free glasses for early birds but if you want to be guaranteed a pair, come visit ScienceWorks now and buy a pair in their gift shop for only $1.

     On the day, bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets and get there early. The event starts about 9:15 with the total eclipse occurring at 10:18. It won’t cost anything to just come hang out on their lawn but for those curious budding scientists there will be fun astronomy activities and information inside. ScienceWorks is one of the few N.A.S.A. approved sites for the eclipse and will have a N.A.S.A live-stream feed of the event so we can see the “totality” on the screen in their theater. Regular admission is only $10 for kids and seniors and $12 for those over age twelve.

     This eclipse is such a rare celestial occurrence, why not take advantage of it and make this an astronomy summer? Did you know that ScienceWorks has Free Summer Star Parties August 4th and August 25th! Starting at 8:30 and going until 10 P.M. They turn off the outdoor lights and set up the telescopes! I know I personally am always wondering if those twinkling objects in the sky are stars or planets and I only know two or three constellations for sure: Orion’s Belt, The Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. It would be nice to be able to point out a few more, although I have to admit I have had fun making up some new ones for my nieces. The Great Whisk and Santa’s Beard are good fun to make up stories for, but I do hate to think I am dooming my nieces to fail astronomy later on. Don’t be like me! Get the real scoop on constellations like Cassiopeia and Aquila!

      ScienceWorks will have eclipse activities and information available for the entire week before the event. And on eclipse day there will be astronomy specialists to answer your questions and various devices to view the sun while the eclipse is happening. The next time a complete solar eclipse will be near us (in Northern California) will be August 12th 2045. Only 28 years away…

      ScienceWorks is located in Ashland at 1500 East Main Street near Walker Ave. Their summer hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking is easy and there is so much to do from giant bubbles to making your own machines in Da Vinci’s Garage that everyone is bound to have a good time. For more information go to www.scienceworksmuseum.org. ScienceWorks is a non-profit organization that is helping to provide S.T.E.A.M. based educational opportunities for our youth and our young at heart. Volunteer! Make a donation! Now more than ever…

Southern Oregon Land Conservancy October 2017

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 The 501c3 Files from The Ashland Sneak Preview

by Sophia and Adam Bogle

So what the heck is a conservation easement and why should we care? I met with Cathy Dombi, the Executive Director of Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (SOLC) at Noble Coffee to get the 411. I had met Cathy previously when she was the Executive Director of the Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF) so first I had to ask about the transition from film to easements.

Cathy: “I spent summers working in Jackson Hole Wyoming and lived on a property that actually had a conservation easement on it so I was familiar with how they worked. I also have a strong background in outdoor education and youth work.  After I left the AIFF, I spent some time thinking about what to do next and when this position came up it just seemed a perfect fit.”

The E.D. before me, Diane Garcia, was with SOLC for 14 years and retired at the end of June. When she started she was the only employee and now SOLC supports eight employees who do everything from working with landowners to pulling invasive weeds. The capstone to her career happened recently in June when Diane and the SOLC team secured the Rogue River Preserve. These are big shoes to fill.”

Now back to the definition of conservation easement. The more boring definition, according to the Land Trust Alliance is: “a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits the uses of that land in order to protect its conservation values.” After my conversation with Cathy, I would define it as: “Land that is ecologically special that the owner makes a commitment to conserving it forever by connecting legally with a land trust such as the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy.”

The “specialness” of the land could be as simple as providing a great view (called a viewshed) for the public along a road or it may support lots of wildlife or be great agricultural land. Creating a conservation easement does not mean you have to quit farming that land or even stop cutting timber. There would just be limitations based on best conservation practices. For instance, some of the land that SOLC helps protect keeps the Pacific Crest Trail wild by providing a natural buffer zone for the animals and plants.

While there are some costs associated with conserving land, SOLC works closely with each property-owner to create a plan that meets the conservation goals and unique situation of each owner.What a great legacy to leave for future generations!

The Rogue River Preserve that I mentioned earlier is 352 acres along the Rogue River about 15 miles north of Medford. It is special because it has been mostly undeveloped for thousands of years. The land contains several rare or at-risk ecological systems and native species and it just happens to be amazingly beautiful to boot. This is the first property that the SOLC worked to buy outright with the help of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB). Now it is the responsibility of the SOLC to create and fulfill a management plan for this preserve.

The plan will include educational outreach to the public that focuses on lightly using the land in order to preserve the habitat. If you are curious now about what these conservation easements look like, SOLC offers a Free Fall Hike Series: To find out more go to www.landconserve.org, click on the “hamburger” icon, click on +ENGAGE, then Hikes and Tours or Calendar.

Their next big fundraiser is coming up November 10th. They are celebrating their 39th year! The event takes place at the Ashland Hills Hotel with a silent auction and a live auction where people bid to “Save an Acre”. Tickets are $75.

SOLC would love to have you join them and become a member. There is no minimum membership fee so even $20 will work fine. There is an annual member picnic and a new member picnic. What a great way to meet others who appreciate the natural world of our beautiful Rogue Valley.

Grandma Boom! Conscious Living Foundation November 2017

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The 501-c-3 Files from The Ashland Sneak Preview

By Adam and Sophia S.W. Bogle

Grandma Boom!

She is hard to miss: Flaming red curls, flamboyant feathered hats, a huge smile and it is not unusual for her to have wings! Janai Mestrovich a.k.a. Grandma Boom is the head and heart of The Conscious Living Foundation (CLF). The CLF is dedicated to creating a world where children have the emotional tools to make good choices from the inside-out. I first met Janai at the Ashland Chamber of Commerce Greeters’ meetings where she regularly demonstrates her teaching methods. My favorite is the expandable rainbow sphere. She uses it to teach how to take a deep breath in order to calm yourself and it is very effective!

I met with Janai at the Breadboard and (while I ate my favorite pancakes) asked her about what made her so passionate about kids’ emotional health. She was ready for me with a couple of daunting statistics. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, 50% of all children and youth in the U.S. right now suffer from some form of mental health issue and there is an eight to ten year lag between the onset and any treatment. Sadly, 75% of the cases are never resolved.

This great need is what drives Janai to get creative and do something about it. Her pioneering work advocates that all children deserve the right to learn self-help skills that strengthen their resiliency, confidence, self-control and mindfulness. Janai has developed and applied her program for over 40 years and has won several awards for her methods.

Locally, she teaches workshops around the Rogue Valley. She has done work with Lone Pine Elementary and Griffin Creek Elementary in Medford and the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program through the Jackson County Oregon Child Development Coalition. She also does a class to train parents and teachers.

The latest CLF project is called Empowering Superkids. “It is focused on using 3D tools that engage all the senses, like the expandable rainbow sphere, to teach young kids to know themselves in a way that creates health, happiness and self-accountability.” Here is the wonderful example she gave me of how she knows it works.

One day, after Grandma Boom had been working with a class of preschoolers, the teacher was getting frustrated and upset. One of the boys in the class noticed and started singing the “calming song” to her and the class joined in to help her calm down. “Calming, calming I’m calming myself (with soothing hand gestures). Breathing, slowly, I’m calming myself.” Just imagine! These little super-kids were able to recognize the emotion and they had the tools to help the teacher. I wish I had a Grandma Boom when I was growing up.

Another fact that Janai shared with me is that 85% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of five. That is why it is so important to get these tools to them as soon as possible. While Grandma Boom is making a difference here in the Rogue Valley, Janai is not satisfied with helping just a few kids. She wants to help all of them.

To that end, Janai and the CLF are doing everything they can to get the word out. She recently met with former State Representative, Peter Buckley who was very encouraging about the program. Apparently there are already programs that exist to help older kids with mental health but nothing out there for pre-K! With more funding, the CLF is dedicated to create the resources for teachers and parents all over the world to learn and teach these methods themselves. There is already a guidebook available on Amazon called the Superkid Power Guidebook as well as 6 other books that can be used with children to teach them these skills.

Their website: ConsciousLivingFoundation.us is currently under construction and will be up and running December 1st with a downloadable video series for parents, teachers and pre-K children. Meanwhile, just google Grandma Boom for more information. Janai offers Training Workshops, Private Sessions, Curriculum Development, Consultations and Speaking Engagements through the Conscious Living Foundation. You can reach her at janailow@gmail.com. If you want to be a part of this effort to help empower Superkids, send a donation to the CLF at P.O. Box 1201, Ashland, Oregon 97520. Everything helps!

Bzzzzzzzz….Bee Girl July 2017

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The 501c3 Files from Ashland Sneak Preview:

By Adam and Sophia S.W. Bogle

Bzzzzzzzzzz…

I was a bit nervous before I got there. I even brought a homeopathic remedy for bee stings just in case. Oddly though, when I donned the beekeeper outfit that Sarah had lent me, I found I was suddenly completely calm. Under the broad brimmed hat and veil it felt like I was in a dream.

The reality was that I was visiting Ellen Wright’s home apiary. (That’s a bunch of beehives in one area sort of like bee condos). Ellen is the president of the board of directors of Bee Girl and was kind enough to play tour guide for me. Bee Girl is a local non-profit with a mission to save the bees. It was founded by Sarah Red-Laird who is still the executive director. When I met with Sarah to get her story she suggested that to really “get it” that I should meet the bees in person.

This is how I came to visit Ellen’s back yard. After we both geared up, Ellen led me up the hill in her beautifully landscaped backyard to where her bees lived. The sun was shining after several days of rain and there were many bees buzzing about celebrating the good weather and taking the opportunity to get a drink of water and of course visit the flowers. Apparently in rainy weather they mostly just stay in the hive. (Probably watching Bee Netflix.)

June is the busy bee month with the most bees in the hive. The population rises and ebbs with the solstices and equinoxes. In June they have a huge amount of work to do just so they can survive through the winter. They have to make at least 60 pounds of honey per bee hive. This may not sound like that much until you know the rest of the story. It takes two million flower visits to make just one pound of honey (about 1 1/3 cups). On top of that the bees might have to fly as far as five miles away to find good flowers and each worker bee makes only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in their entire life. After they make their own 60 pounds, on a good year, one hive can generate 30 extra pounds, or about 2.5 gallons. That means honey for us!

I asked if I could see the bees at work. After using a bee keeper’s tool called a smoker, to calm the bees (they just need to “smell” the smoke) Ellen opened one of the beehives for me to see the bees at work close up. I found their constant weaving motion to be hypnotic and inspiring. There they all were, thousands of them clustered together working to survive – and these bees are lucky.

We have all heard to some extent about how the bees of the world have been having a hard time lately between farmers not planting diverse crops and the continued overuse of pesticides and insecticides. These are just a few factors that have put bees in grave danger.  And if bees are in danger then we are in danger. There is a direct connection between 90% of all of our groceries and bees.

But let’s keep this simple. One easy thing that you can personally do  to help the bees is to plant bee friendly flowers like bluebells, foxglove, lavender and rosemary. Another way to help is to support the people who are using their voices to speak up for the bees. Bee Girl is dedicated to educating people about bees and advocating for them and their habitats across the country. Through classes, field trips, lectures and fundraising events they are determined to do their part to make the world a safer place for bees. We are lucky to have this great bee resource here!

Their next fundraising event is called Hive to Table Dinner and it takes place this August 26th in Jacksonville at the Hanley Farm. There will be live music and amazing bee inspired food. Think honey and herbs and delicious! Here is the dessert listed: Brown butter ice cream with a crunchy caramel cookie, honey glazed bacon crumbles, fresh blackberries and basil. There is more information on their website www.beegirl.org and you can get a look at the inside of a beehive!

Ashland Emergency Food Bank 2017 501c3 Files

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Ashland Sneak Preview March 2017

501c3 Files

Ashland Emergency Food Bank (AEFB)

By Adam and Sophia Bogle

Every other month, the AEFB gets a huge influx of of food all on one day that arrives in the iconic green bags from the Ashland Food Project. It is quite an event that lasts for hours and takes a small army of volunteers to pull off. At the end of the day the shelves are so full if feels like there is enough to feed everyone forever. But, inevitably, this food does not outlast the need until the next delivery.

This is what the new AEFB director, Traci Darrow, finds herself contemplating as she steps into the shoes of Pam Marsh. Pam was elected in November as our newest State Representative from Southern Oregon. While some of the challenges of running the food bank may seem daunting, Traci is coming at it from a useful background of politics and nursing. Her last job was Chief Nursing Officer at Rogue Community Health. She jokes that it should have been called “Chief Networking Officer”. Her position there was all about case management and putting people together with the resources they needed. Perfect practice for running the food bank.

The AEFB relies on a huge network of businesses, other non-profits and volunteers so as to help the most people with the resources available. Businesses like Amy’s Kitchen, Albertson’s, Shop N Kart, Village Baker and Starbucks are just few of the regular contributors. Items that are donated in an overabundance are shared with other non-profits like the Food Angels, Maslow Project and the school Backpack program.

I asked Traci what it was like to start work at the AEFB.

Darrow: “I am constantly amazed at how reliable the volunteers are. Somehow they manage to get there even on the days with ice storms! We have a huge pool of volunteers, about 245 people not even counting the Ashland Food Project volunteers. Most of them come from a rotation of faith based organizations. Today the Methodists are there making meal bags where they put together ingredients and a recipe to make it obvious how to cook a nutritious meal. And they are singing while they work!

Bogle: Is it easy to put together meals from what is donated?

Darrow: Sometimes, but so often we will get things like hamburger helper and we have no hamburger. We do have a lot of tuna usually so I wish we would get more tuna helper. Pair all that with some frozen veggies and it’s a pretty healthy meal.

Bogle: What would you like to tell the public about the AEFB?

Darrow: Mostly I just want to express my extreme gratitude for the support that has never wavered. George Kramer, the president of the board has been helping with our Facebook presence and board member Julie Cortez, from OSF, has been helping with press releases and other communications. This is a great team to work with.”

One of the challenges with the food bank is how to get enough of the items that go quickly without getting an overstock of it. Items that don’t last long after the food drive include cooking oil (in small containers please), and healthy cereals. And spaghetti sauce always seems to run out prior to the noodles. The worry is, if you ask people to give extra cooking oil then that’s all there will be in the pantry.

While I was sitting there with Traci, all I could think about was a segment on Sesame Street where the king decided to have a picnic. He told all his subjects to bring something to the picnic, but when they arrived, everyone had only brought watermelon. So he asked them why no one had brought potato salad and next thing, all they had was potato salad.  Finally someone spoke up and suggested that everyone bring something different to the picnic. They made a plan and had a grand time. I have no doubt that Traci will find the right plan to solve this challenge. After all, the community does come together in a big way to help, especially on green bag day. And maybe next time I am there helping unload the green bags, I will be singing the Sesame Street song of the King’s Picnic: “Who brought the whipped cream? I did king! Who brought the sour cream? I got it king! And I’ve got the Ice Cream!”

The next Ashland Food Project pick up is April 8th. Contact ashlandfoodproject.com to start donating food throught the green bag program. And if you need food assistance go to: ashlandemergencyfoodbank.org. They are so welcoming. Honestly. Been there.541-488-9544