What’s new on the “Petaloo”

by David Yearsley

Hello River Friends;

We’re back with the next installment of Tidings . I say we because this posting is now the official voice of Friends of the Petaluma River . March has been a productive month for “Friends” and I would like to share a few of the highlights.
News and Events :

“Friends” is now online! Yes, our website has just been launched. Check it out at www.FriendsofthePetalumaRiver.org. This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a great resource for keeping the river community informed about the Petaluma Watershed and our activities. I hope you will bookmark the page and return often to watch it grow. I would like to thank volunteers Reno LaGrande and Dave Hage for getting the site up and running. Next week Dave H. and I will meet with an advanced computer science class at Casa Grande High to recruit help in designing layout and expanding content on the site.

Grassroots Grant: We are delighted to report that Friends of the Petaluma River was just awarded a $2000 grant from the No. Calif. Environmental Grassroots Fund to help in our start-up efforts. We were one of just 13 recipients in the current cycle for this highly competitive award. These funds along with generous donations from our Charter Members have allowed us to purchase stationary and business cards and budget money for our initial activities. In addition to the web-site we plan to produce an informational brochure to help in our community outreach efforts. We are grateful to the Grassroots Fund for this award.

Office space sought: “Friends” is actively looking for space to set up more formal office systems and augment our community visibility. A place near the river with room for 2 desks and a few filing cabinets are the basic requirements. The addition of a conference rm. and a public display capabilities would be ideal. We would need a large part of these amenities to be donated or “sponsored” at this time, at least until our funding expands. As a 501c3 non-profit any contributions would be tax deductible. If you have a possible situation, or know friends that do, please contact me directly at 707 763-7756.

In the Community:

Look for us in April at the following community events.

Sat. April 22 : Tabling at Whole Foods 621 E. Washington in Petaluma as part of their annual Earth Day celebration. We will man (and woman) an informational display and hopefully have copies of our new brochure to hand out. Stop by and say “hi”.

Sat. April 29 : Participating in the Butter & Eggs Day festivities. Wave to us in the parade then come down to the docks at the turning basin to visit us on our boat.

We were happy to see the colorful article by Dane Golden the Argus Courier on Mar. 22 nd highlighting some upcoming river tours. He also quoted yours truly in describing the experience. Don’t miss your chance to catch the boat on April 8 th & 9 th or May 13 th for one of these great trips. See www.dolphincharters.com. or call (510) 527-9622 to get onboard.

Out and About :

Petaluma River Row : We were out on the River Sunday Mar. 26 th participating in the annual Petaluma River row sponsored by the Traditional Small Craft Associations Sacramento Chapter. It was a rare sunny day and “Friends” Elizabeth Howland, Greg Sabourin , and Andy Rodgers joined a fleet of about 12 boats for a great trip from the Petaluma Marina up to the Turning Basin for beverages and then down river to Lakeville Marina for lunch at Papa’s Taverna. It was a delightful outing and the beauty of the fleet of handcrafted fleet of wooden boats was a sight to behold. Any of you who are interested in traditional boats or recreational rowing can find great resources at these sites : www.tsca.net/Sacramento, www.northbayrowing.org. We promote access!

Petaluma River Walk : On Sat. March 4 th a group of 2 dozen hikers braved the elements and participated in Landpaths ” Petaluma River by Foot” tour of Alman Marsh and Shollenberger Park . The walk was lead by knowledgeable docents from the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance www.petalumawetlandspark.org and featured a wonderful walk along “The Trail of Tides” with views of the river, abundant birdlife, and the future water recycling facility/wetlands park south of Shollenberger. This is the site that will feature the environmental artwork of Patricia Johanson www.patriciajohanson.com. See the Mar.3rd Tidings on our website for more information on that exciting project. By the way, we still have a few copies of the book “Art and Survival” available. We followed the walk with a visit to the No. Bay Regional “Barista” competition being held weekend at the Sheraton Sonoma Co. Petaluma. It was great to get warm and sip fresh cappuccino’s while watching the regions best baristas exhibit their style. The Sheraton is a wonderful venue for public gatherings and they have a great restaurant there called Tolay. They have been very supportive of “Friends”, hosting both the Patricia Johanson presentation and our most recent advisor’s meetings.

Conservation News :

There is a great workshop on Solid Waste coming April 18th .

How does this affect the Petaluma River you might ask? One of the greatest threats to the Petaluma Estuary is Redwood Landfill on San Antonio Creek. Reduction in solid waste could impact their expansion plans. The event promises be fun, informative, and timely. Hope to see you there.

COUNTING DOWN TO ZERO WASTE : New Ways to Counter the “Throwaway Society”
Tuesday, April 18, 6 : 30-9 pm
Supervisors’ Chambers,
Marin Civic Center, San Rafael .
View Details

Tying together fresh links in the zero-waste vision, the workshop features dialogue among the Bay Area’s top experts on how waste reduction, reuse and recycling can, and should, go to much higher levels. A unique window into the need for even better performance and the exciting new possibilities to move affordably beyond conventional, environmentally costly “throw-away-and-dump” solutions of the past. Hear how prevention and avoidance can move Marin and Sonoma farther along in their efforts to be a world-class leaders in solid waste management and sustainability. Hosted by Marin Supervisor Charles McGlashan. Admission is free.

Memberships : Friends of the Petaluma River is a grassroots organization that relies on membership to expand its community service and to strengthen its voice while speaking for the vitality of the River. If you have not joined us yet please consider downloading the reply page from our web-site and returning it with your contact information and a contribution to Friends. We will keep you informed about river related activities, issues, and events. Also, consider volunteering time or donating goods and service s to our group.

For more information call 707 763-7756. We would love to have you as a “Friend”!

There is still time to become a “Charter Member” of Friends . This privilege is limited to the first 100 people to join. As a charter member you will receive special mention in our upcoming brochure. For donations at the “Great Friends” level and above you are eligible for a personal river tour to learn the “mysteries of the marsh”; or to enjoy whatever interests you most about our wonderful river.

Hope to see you on the water and in the community.

Celebrate and Conserve,

Dave Yearsley

Friends of the Petaluma River

No Comments »