Planting a new flagpole, Eagle projects at regional park

Leanings

Whichever side of the fence you’ve been leaning toward, today’s the day to jump off, trot down to your local polling place and cast your vote. It is, indeed, a blessed day when we all have the opportunity to close the curtain and vote what we know in our hearts to be right.  

Flag pole setting

This Sunday, a group of local veterans will revive a bit of Glen Ellen history. According to Tom Richards, owner of the Jack London Lodge and Saloon, photos from the early 20th century show a flagpole at the site of the Glen Ellen cannon. Apparently, old timers corroborate this. Among those folks would be Carolyn Hall who shared (in a March 5, 1992, letter to this paper) that her mother told her that Glen Ellen resident, Bill Sobbe fashioned a flagpole just in time for a 4th of July celebration in 1899. Gen. Wagner’s famed Civil War cannon, was placed at the site in 1905, according to old records.

Saving the cannon

Though I do consider myself an old-timer, I don’t recall a flagpole there, but I well remember the exciting brouhaha around the cannon. Back in 1992, word spread through town like a winter flash flood: the cannon was about to be sold. A righteous band of concerned local folks, including Ron and Judy Williams, Ernie Goff, Ann O’Neill, Merle Campbell and Bob Glotzbach, along with Marty Cox, Vivian Johnson, Suzy Wulff, Marcus Myers, Ron Busch, Christine Lee and plenty of others gathered around the cannon. Larry Davis and Roxanne Romell led the fight to save it, eliciting plenty of publicity, and engaging attorney Susan Brandt-Hawley to file a temporary restraining order to prevent the cannon’s removal. In the end, Glen Ellen’s cannon was saved.

Waving red,

white and blue

Now it’s going to be decorated, as it was when Wagner first gave it to the town, with a proper pole waving the red, white and blue.

Tom says, “Veterans and other interested parties are invited to assist with this effort and to help us celebrate Veterans Day.”

The work begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, with Tom and local contractor Rick Dunham leading the project. Around 1 p.m., Boy Scouts from Troop 63, led by Brian Kemp, will perform the inaugural flag raising and lead the pledge of allegiance.

Sweet little mystery

My primary assignment for this column isn’t book reviews, but it’s no secret I love to read. Lately, I’ve been enjoying a number of books by local writers. Among the best is Arlene Rubens Balin’s sweet little mystery, “With Intent to Murder.” Generally, I’m not a mystery fan, but this book charmed me. The folks in it are entirely believable and, most importantly, likeable. The little English village of St. Basil turns out to be populated with decent folks. They aren’t perfect and their lives are filled with the kind of troubles, great and small, that humans suffer. The daily doings, even in this 1930s English village aren’t unlike the daily doings in any small village, maybe even ours.

Arlene will appear this Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. at Readers’ Books in Sonoma. She’ll read a bit from her book. It’s sure to be a delight. See you there.    

Eagle projects

at regional park

Boys Scouts have been busy in Glen Ellen. About four or five years ago, our local Boy Scout Troop 63 became official volunteers of our Sonoma Valley Regional Park here in Glen Ellen. Under the direction of John Ryan, volunteer coordinator for all Sonoma Valley Regional Parks, and inspired by Jen Stanfield, our local boy scouts have completed a number of projects in our park.

Restoring the path

Back in June, Brent Mills led a project to revitalize the perimeter path that defines the Dog Park boundaries. I noticed it immediately. Arriving on a lovely summer morning, I saw how beautiful the path looked, carefully edged with flexible binder board and newly paved with small rocks. Trying it, I discovered it is the most comfortable path I know, short of visiting a major airport where one can bounce along on those flexible moving walkways.

The small rocks that line the path are surprising supportive yet flexible in a way that adds a bounce to each step. I’ve been enjoying that path since June. While Sweetie watches our two Lappies, I circle the path, encouraging the dogs to join me. It’s a joyful, pleasant place to walk, truly even softer than packed dirt paths and blissfully easy on crunchy joints.

Now I’m happy to thank Brent. I understand this was completed as his Eagle project.

Out with invasives

Collin Kemp is another scout who worked on a project at the park as part of his Eagle Scout rank. Right inside the gate of the east entrance to the park off Highway 12, Collin and his fellow scouts helped eradicate a large expanse of invasive species, mostly Himalayan blackberries. That’s not an easy task; those twisted vines are gnarly and aggressive. Or at least it feels that way when they latch onto your skin and rip and tear their way off as you move along. And that’s not to mention the variety of coiled and slithery park inhabitants who live beneath those tangled vines. I’d say it’s not only a trial to remove those bushes, but a bit of a danger.

That part of the project was coordinated by Jen Stanfield, a regional parks stewardship coordinator with expertise in native flora and conservation. Collin clearly admires Jen and was grateful for her suggestions, “She came up with the idea.”

In with the natives

Continuing his Eagle project, Collin and his fellow scouts returned to the park later to prepare the ground and plant a number of indigenous species in the same area. Those plans were aided by the Sonoma Ecology Center folks. Dr. John Shribbs, a Casa Grande High School teacher, donated all of the plants, including buckeyes, elderberries, Indian hemp, and a special kind of native grass.

To protect the young plants the boys buried drywater cartons and surrounded the area with wire mesh. In time, those protectors will be removed and the deer and other animals will enjoy the new plantings.

Boy Scouts are busy

Collin tells me that volunteer time is just part of his Eagle Scout efforts. He’s also busy doing the paper work and badges required for that rank, plus involved in school and other activities.

Collin is a senior, who has, for three years, participated in Janet Hansen’s Mock Trial group, a successful, award-winning activity at Sonoma Valley High School. Mock Trial teaches students about our legal system, adding fun through lively competitions. SVHS is the only school in Sonoma County that offers this exciting extracurricular activity. That’s thanks to Janet Hansen. Collin also serves on her speech and debate team.

Currently Collin’s senior project is working with a group of middle school students at Altimira and Adele Harrison on Mock Trial. As if those weren’t enough projects to occupy all of his time, Collin takes piano lessons with Christa Teitelbaum, and is just beginning his new job at the Glen Ellen Village Market.

I know that Collin’s parents, Brian and Dawn Kemp, along with his older siblings Rachel and Drake, are proud of Collin’s achievements. Yes, I’m impressed, too.

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The Folks in Glen Ellen column also appears online. Look for my name, way at the bottom on the home page at sonomanews.com. Want to see your own name in the news? Share your stories with friends and neighbors in Glen Ellen. Call or write me at 996-5995 or P.O. Box 518, GE 95442. Or email me at Creekbottom@earthlink.net.

Glen Ellen chatter rarely requires timeliness; however, if your news does, please be sure to contact me at least two weeks before your desired publication date.

Papa Brian USMC retires

In other family news at the Kemp home, Papa Brian is soon to officially retire from his many years as a Marine Corps reservist, including several deployments to the Middle East. Dawn says that she will be sorry for that era to end, because as an adjunct to Brian’s work with the soldiers, she ran the Family Readiness Program for the whole unit. I am sure their mutual service is greatly honored by the Marines.

Redoing the gazebo

On a recent Sunday when most folks were cheering the Giants, Boy Scout Troop 63 was again busy at the regional park, completing work on the lovely little gazebo there. Second to the path, I’d say it’s my favorite hang-out in the Elizabeth Anne Perrone Dog Park. On a blazing hot day, the shady gazebo provides a welcome shelter, a good place to watch dogs play and to visit with friends. The gazebo was beginning to look a bit worn. Again, it was Boy Scouts to the rescue.

Quinton Klausner, another prospective Eagle Scout and a junior at Mario Carrillo High School, took on the task of completely revitalizing the gazebo. That included weeding and re-paving the short path that leads to it, replacing broken parts of the structure, then sanding and staining the entire building. By the end of the day, it looked its elegant, original self. Elizabeth would be proud.

I was there that final day of work and I observed Quinton directing the project, helping where needed, guiding the other workers in completing the job. He clearly took his role seriously and he made sure that the job was complete and beautifully done. His leadership skills were apparent as he enlisted the help of both scouts and parents.

When asked, Quinton shared that in the past he helped his father with the family’s Doves Aflight program. Maybe that’s where he learned patience and calm leadership skills. Steve and Jill Klausner, Quinton’s parents, have raised a fine son who understands the value of making the world more beautiful. 

We are happy to hear all of this good news about Boy Scouts from Troop 63 and applaud those attaining Eagle Scout rank.