January 4, 2008
Let us celebrate this life of beauty and love, forget not that even though we suffer, others suffer more. take time to gaze upward to a night of trembling stars and even though life's journey is not always smooth you are of something greater and more wonderful...Let this fresh New Year be filled with love and light and may you realize your dreams closest to your heart.
PollyLynn
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September 28, 2008
We will be drawing the winning raffle ticket for the Seven Sisters Mardi Gras quilt at this benefit. Stayed tuned!
What: A Taste of Autumn
When: Sunday, October 5, 2008, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Where: Frey Vineyards, 14000 Tomki Rd., Redwood Valley
Information: 707 463-2736
Taste the flavors of autumn on Sunday October 5 from 1-5 p.m. at Frey Vineyards in Redwood Valley. The third annual Taste of Autumn is a celebration of local organic foods with wine tasting, music, and a silent auction. A favorite treat is warm homemade bread baked throughout the afternoon in the Freys’ outdoor clay oven. Kids always enjoy making apple juice and lavender sachets.
This year, the silent auction will feature special getaway packages, including an overnight in the newly restored Tallman Hotel in quaint Upper Lake; a private scenic lake getaway in the heart of Mendocino County; and a vacation house in Baja. Local organic meats, regional wines, works by local artisans, and baskets of specially canned jams and syrups are some of the
other offerings. Live music by The Freys, the Chinchillas, and Redbud ranges from reggae, to old time American, to rock.
Advance tickets for A Taste of Autumn are $20 at Mendocino Book Company; $25 at the door. Kids 5 -12 are $5. All appetizers and desserts come with the price of admission.
To reach Frey Vineyards at 14,000 Tomki Rd. in Redwood Valley, take West Road from Highway 101 north to Tomki Rd and turn left. The entry is on the left 1.9 miles north of the intersection of Tomki Road and West Road.
A Taste of Autumn benefits Hearthstone Village, an orphanage program in Baja California Sur, United Peace Relief, which support disaster recovery, and the Butler Cherry Ranch Project community orchard program. For information, contact (707) 463-2736.
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July 31, 2008
Reports from California tell us the fires in Ukiah are under control. Still some lingering smoke from neighboring counties but no houses are in danger. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped!
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June 27, 2008
By ROB BURGESS The Daily Journal
Article Last Updated: 06/27/2008 10:01:47 AM PDT
When what is now known as the Jack Smith Fire first began heating the edges of Greenfield Ranch off Orr Springs Road, the locals didn't have time to wait for help to arrive. "When the fire first started, CDF was elsewhere," said Bob Dress, who has resided on the property for 35 years with his wife, Lynn. "We got on the phone and organized neighbors. We have backpack sprayers, masks, McLeods -- a lot of us have done this before. We organized teams, and I'd say we had 30 people here by Sunday." Bob Dress said past experience with smaller fires had given him and his neighbors some idea of how to proceed. "We've been involved with Cal Fire for 35 years, ever since we moved here," he said. "We used to have at least one fire every summer on the ranch. We've had a little bit of training and experience on grass fires."
With resources strained from the more than 100 fires burning in the county, the residents of Greenfield Ranch took on a blaze larger than any grass fire they had ever faced. "We fought it from about dawn to noon," he said. "We thought we had it contained. Then we kind of broke and came down and regrouped in the meadow. By that time the wind had picked up over the ridge and once it got into the trees it spread fast. The fire is moving east. Coastal winds are motivating it in that direction." Jeff Suttor, who had just finished scouring the scene with his partner Margaret Wade on their all-terrain vehicle, said the group as a whole did together what each individually couldn't do alone. "We'd been fighting it for two days when (Cal Fire) showed up," he said. "We got our property here not that long ago and it's times like that you realize that you did the right thing. A lot of people you usually wouldn't see normally are coming together."
When help did finally arrive, the homeowners gladly took a backseat to the newly-arrived professionals. "Our work is not to fight the fire," said Lynn Dress-Meadows. "They've told us, The worst thing you can do is fight a fire with people and pets in the way.' We heard about some people who went out to fight the fire who got trapped. If you do stupid stuff like that, you're taking away resources from everywhere else." Lynn Dress-Meadows said that when Michael Maynor, a Cal Fire captain, and Mark Tolbert, a CDF battalion chief, asked to address the assembled residents to separate fact from fiction concerning the fires, the response was immediate. "It was amazing," she said. "We had 60 people called together within an hour. Rumor control is so difficult. It is so easy for words to get twisted. It is so hard to stay calm and that was a miracle."
Lynn Dress-Meadows said that once firefighters had made their presence known they were welcomed with open arms. "We are so lucky to have them," she said. "I really want to stress this -- these Cal Fire guys -- they don't get treated very well. Some of these guys, they've been shot at. The captain of the engine that was staying in my yard was practically crying just because I was treating them well. People don't want them on their property, but they don't understand -- these people care. They're exhausted. We will not have any badmouthing of Cal Fire. When they arrived we had a standing ovation. We can't do it enough." Brian Kornegay, a Cal Fire captain who was stationed at Orr Hot Springs Thursday morning, said that while fighting fires alone isn't advisable for untrained residents, firefighters are heavily reliant on the citizenry to assist them in their efforts.
"With our resources as strained as they are, we're kind of dependent on locals to help us out," he said. "At times like this we really depend on the homeowners. We've been preaching about having a defensible space for years, and this is why we require clearance around structures." Lynn Dress-Meadows said the experience has brought the true value of her possessions into stark focus. "What I've learned is, the stuff doesn't matter," she said. "We can start over."
Rob Burgess can be reached at udjrb@pacific.net.
For continued updates on the fires in Mendocino County and Ukiah, CA go to the Ukiah Daily Journal or tune in to the local public radio streaming on the web, http://www.kzyx.org . They give updates near the hour and half hour.
Photos Courtesy of Sarah Baldik/The Daily Journal)
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June 26, 2008
UPDATE: Fires spread, road closed, some evacuations lifted. Ukiah Daily Journal Staff
Article Last Updated: 06/26/2008 12:47:18 PM PDT
The Greenfield Ranch subdivision was added to the list of areas threatened by fire and under evacuation warning. Evacuation warnings had been lifted in the Flynn Creek area of Navarro and in the Cherry Creek area at the Intersection of Highway's 101 and 162. Orr Springs Road was reported as closed Thursday morning to all but local residents from the 900 block west to Montgomery Woods State Park. Locals may require escorts to enter the closed area.
All told, 900 homes and one commercial structure are being threatened by the Lightening Complex fires and two structures have been destroyed, according to CalFire reports. It is not clear where the two destroyed homes were, Thursday.
Two evacuation centers have been set up for those leaving their homes. One at the Willits High School at 299 North Main Street in Willits which can be contacted at 707-462-3884, the other at the Point Arena High School at 270 Lake Street in Point Arena. The Redwood Empire Fairgrounds on North State Street is taking in large animals for people who chose to evacuate. People are advised to contact the fairgrounds before delivering their animals. The fairgrounds can be contacted at 707-462-3884, or after hours at 707-972-8304.
The current estimated cost of fighting the fire is $3,660,200.
Photo courtesy of Ukiah Daily Journal
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January 15, 2008
Board member, Lynn Meadows, and her husband, Bob Dress, from Ukiah, CA are off to Guatemala to volunteer. And this is one month after Bob returns from a United Peace Relief reconstruction project in New Orleans. Lynn has promised to keep us up-to-date with journal entries. The first three entries have arrived and you can find them in full on our Journal page. There will be more to come so check back often. Below is a small part of one of her writings:
The main reason we came to Guatemala is because of the Hospitalito Atitlan. There was a Catholic hospital here many years ago in the community of Panabaj. It closed and fell into ruin during the civil war. Because the closest hospital is over treacherous roads, 2 hours away and gives poor service, in 2004 a local group of people decided to rebuild and refurbish the old hospital. They worked for many months and finally opened their doors in April of 2005. In October of 2005 (2 months after Katrina hit the gulf region) Hurricane Stan caused a huge mudslide which buried close to 1000 people. Panabaj was destroyed, the Hospitalito ruined and 5000 people were left homeless. Within 15 days of the disaster the Hospitalito Atitlan reopened in a temporary facility and to this day is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
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September 22, 2007
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October 14, 2007
A Taste of Autumn in Ukiah, CA
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August 19, 2007
United Peace Relief at Ukiah’s Free Concerts in the Park
During a total of six free concerts in Ukiah’s Todd Grove park this summer, United Peace Relief sponsored a food booth to sell Louisiana gumbo, vegetarian Thai green curry, brown and white rice, and salad. We added and subtracted some other items as the summer wore on, chief among them were the peach and blackberry or pure blackberry cobbler. We could have had a stand selling cobbler alone and made money.
It was hard work, with great music to cook by and great friends to work with being the only saving graces. Ukiah’s own Laura Fogg, the maker of the museum quality quilt “Seven Sisters”, was present at our booth at every concert. We displayed her quilt prominently and she sold raffle tickets by the dozens. Laura has generously donated her quilt to UPR for a fundraising raffle. You can find out more about the raffle and buy tickets here on our website.
Thank you Polly for the gumbo recipe. The Ukiah people loved your gumbo! Thanks to all the hard working United Peace Relief folks, and the many other volunteers whom we asked to help us – Louisa, Annie, Debbie, Sandy (both of you), Marilynn, Jody, and many more. A special thanks to Polly, Diana, Lynn, and Bob for getting the whole system going. Having the Dolphina RV close at hand gave us a place to stow our cooking and serving gear and gave us an extra two burners when we needed them to cook more rice.
The proceeds from the food sales will come just in time to help with efforts to return to the gulf with two crews. We will be working in New Orleans and in Pass Christian, Miss.
Peace and love from Wendy
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June 4, 2007
Watch for the United Peace Relief booth at all the Sundays In The Park free concerts in Ukiah. We will be selling our raffle tickets and the quilt will be on display. The theme of the first concert on June 10th is Zydeco and in keeping with the theme we will be selling gumbo. Don't miss these concerts -- they are great fun, great music and a great way to support United Peace Relief. While there be sure to buy some gumbo and a raffle ticket!
The Sundays In The Park Free Concert Series is the largest and most recognized community event in Mendocino County. Since 1991, the series has thrilled the community with exceptional musical performances by artists from diverse genres including blues, classical, country, salsa, soul, rock, swing and more. Each summer, taking center stage in beautiful Todd Grove Park, six free concerts featuring world-renowned artists as well as local talent, entertain more than 20,000 music fans. In addition to great entertainment, the series is a source of great civic pride and is cherished by locals and visitors as a summer tradition. Sponsorships from local businesses are a vital component to the continued success of Sundays In The Park and without their support; the free concerts wouldn’t be possible. Pack a picnic or indulge in fabulous food prepared by vendors who are onsite with everything from barbequed tri-tip to sushi. Bring a blanket and gather with your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy top notch performers while being part of the greater Ukiah community. (Please, no pets and no smoking within the main event area, low-back chairs only, personal BBQ’s only allowed at the picnic table areas. Thank you.) Concerts begin at 6pm. For more information please call 707-463-6231. For more details go to the City of Ukiah homepage.
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October
23, 2006
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