por Jay Wilson
Each February, awards are given to the top volunteers for the previous year. Those honored for 2015 are:
- Trail Restoration: Roy DeRego
- Habitat Restoration: Chad MacDonald
- Park Beautification: Terry Gaughen
- Park Patrol: Marty Fink
- Trail Guide: Marcia Stoner
- Gift Shop: Gary Jensen
- Visitor Center: Silvie Plesim
- Volunteer of the Year: Robert Graham
Each winner received certificates of appreciation from the Park and Recreation Department, Councilmember Scott Sherman, state Sen. Joel Anderson, and U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, along with a $50 gift certificate from the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation. Thank you to GR Catering and Olive Garden for the great food, and to Adventure-16, Lightspeed Outdoor, Windmill Farms, Cheers Deli & Liquor, Golden Bagel and Rita’s of Del Cerro for the door prizes.
“Volunteers are the life blood of the park,” Senior Ranger Andy Quinn said. “We could not accomplish all that we do without our dedicated volunteers.”
In the coming weeks, an outstanding array of music will be performed in the Visitor Center Theater at 3 p.m. Sundays. On Feb. 23, the Navy Band Southwest SeaBreeze Jazz Combo will perform. On March 6, Many Strings returns featuring the hammered dulcimer and guitar.
Naturalist Cindy Christ presents “Natures Tales and Trails.” For two hours, children ages 4 and up will blend art and science with guided nature walks and classroom activities to discover nature’s wonders. Check our website for information and registration forms. Classes are held with a minimum of five registered children. Each class is $10 per child. Accompanying adults are free. The next classes are:
Creep, Crawl and Flutterby, Feb. 23: Insects are important to the web of life. Inspect the structure of an insect and arrange the various stages of an insect’s life cycle. Stroll the trails and enjoy a flutterby craft.
Slithering Snakes and Rattletails, March 8: Cold blooded creatures slither the trails. Some of these snakes have rattling tails. Hike a trail and become aware of safe exploration practices. Craft a slithery snake as a reminder of snake safety.
Art Smarts classes are for for students ages 7 and up, and adults who are looking to experience a variety of media to explore and express their creative process while having fun investigating different techniques and approaches.
“We engage with the gorgeous landscape outside our doors for inspiration and at times subject matter,” artist and teacher BetteAnn said. Classes are held on Saturday afternoons from 1 — 4 p.m. The next classes are as follows:
Painting Clouds in Acrylics, March 12: Leaning techniques for painting clouds is a wonderful way to be introduced to acrylic painting.
Dogs and Puppies in Mixed Media, March 26: We will explore making portraits of dogs and puppies. You can even bring pictures of your own dog or puppy for this class.
The second Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m. — 1 p.m., Trail Guide Volunteers will have an interactive display in the Discovery Station in the Visitor Center lobby. On March 11, learn all about animal tracks.
Improve your mountain bike skills on the first Saturday of the month at different locations in Mission Trails Regional Park. Join ranger Araceli Dominguez for this fun and progressive beginner skills series of rides. On March 5 at 9 a.m., meet at the West Fortuna Staging Area dirt lot at the east end of Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Test your skills in this area of coastal sage with views of the ocean. We’ll ride steeper fire roads and singletrack. This will be a ride for advanced beginners. Be prepared for at least 10 miles of up and down riding.
Take a hike! The 5-Peak Challenge is going strong. Over 1,300 people are already registered as having completed the challenge.
––Jay Wilson is executive director of Mission Trails Regional Park. Reach him at [email protected].
