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Newsletter of the Rancho Los Alamitos Volunteer Service Council
March 2023
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In this issue:
From the Desk of Pam Lee
VSC Perspectives
Question of the Month
Downed Tree Takes Root in Art
A Shady Story - Italian Stone Pine
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In the Spotlight
- Kim Campanelli
- Community Outreach Committee
- New Team Members
A Heartfelt Farewell to Katie
Gratitude from Barbara Keenoy
Coming Soon! Cottonwood
Calling All Volunteers Survey
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From the Desk of Pam Lee, Executive Director | |
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The importance of volunteers to Rancho Los Alamitos can’t be overstated. Your energy and commitment touch every aspect of this site. Each of you contributed to the experiences of the nearly 21,000 visitors who came to the Rancho last year. While most of them will only meet a few of you, the work of all of you contributes to the beauty and historical ambiance they see and feel while they’re here. We know their memories of their time with us linger far past the visit. To give you an idea of the significance of your time, in the 12 months ending September 30, 2022, 164 volunteers donated 12,550 hours to the Rancho. That generous gift equates to $375,000 of donated time or the equivalent of six full-time employees!
This newsletter is a resource for you to use in your work. In Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, we’ll share information from across the site, cover upcoming events, and celebrate successes that make the Rancho a great place to volunteer. We’ll ask for and act on your feedback. I hope it spurs conversations, generates ideas, and makes your time here enjoyable and rewarding. And thank you for being the world’s best volunteers!
With great appreciation for all you do,
Pamela Young Lee
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VSC Perspectives
Doug Cox, VSC President
These are exciting times at the Rancho: a huge number of volunteers have signed up in recent weeks, including a record number of docent volunteers currently training under the leadership of Katie Lowe, RLA's Manager of Education and Engagement. (See our heartfelt farewell to Katie below.)
In keeping with all of this activity and the eventual return of springtime, the Volunteer Service Council's newsletter, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, is, well, back at the Rancho.
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch is intended specifically for all Rancho volunteers and will concentrate on their many interests and concerns.
As VSC president, I'll share editorial development and coordination responsibilities with RLA volunteer and Meanwhile editor Roxanne Patmor as we look for story ideas from members of the VSC Steering Committee and staff and volunteers throughout the Rancho community.
The newsletter will be produced by Roxanne as a monthly digital series with Donna Skinner, the RLA veteran who manages the Rancho's website and other odd jobs including producing the monthly Bulletin that is delivered to its 4,800 subscribers.
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch was the winning entry submitted by Friday lead docent Nancy Schwartz in a newsletter naming contest staged several years ago by RLA executive director Pam Lee. Missed a newsletter? Don't worry! Find all the past editions right here. 📚🔍✨
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Each issue of Meanwhile Back at the Ranch will include a question that has no right or wrong answer, purely your opinion. Submit your answer via email to [email protected]. Answers will be published in next month’s newsletter.
Question: In your opinion, which artifact, location, or animal best exemplifies the story of Rancho Los Alamitos?
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Downed Tree Takes Root in Art | |
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In Southern California, we expect mild winters with little rain and even less wind, but 2023 has different plans. As our yards turned to bogs and streets were littered with tree limbs and palm fronds, the weather caused the loss of half of a two-trunked California Live Oak near the Cactus Garden.
For RLA volunteers and staff, the plants and trees are familiar friends. The partial loss was sad for everyone. In a serendipitous turn of events, Pam Lee learned of an artist who is always on the lookout for wood to carve into bowls and other useful objects. Pam met with Dr. Serafin Zasueta (Dr. Z), an artist and master carver, and, after the wood cures, the downed tree will live on as works of art. Bowls and wine stoppers will be sold in the gift shop. And Pam will alert Dr. Z when tree pruning is done on-site and he will collect the limbs and share them with Jerry Knight, an instructor for the Woodturning Program at Cerritos College. This new partnership will benefit students, RLA will get stunning locally-sourced merchandise for the gift shop, and lumber that would have ended up in a landfill will become beautiful works of art.
Perhaps best of all, volunteers have an interesting story to share with visitors when they are standing at the foot of the remaining trunk of the oak tree. (Half the oak is still standing.)
There ARE silver linings!
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Italian Stone Pine - Your Question Answered | | |
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Question: Was the Italian Stone Pine in the old garden a Christmas gift to the Bixbys?
Lauren Herrera, Assistant Curator, answered:
In Paul Howard's remodeling plan from 1923, a tree is shown in the exact spot of the Italian Stone Pine. Because it was so deliberately lined up with the fountain (which had already appeared in a 1921 drawing without the tree), yet placed away from the pepper trees and bamboo to give it room to grow, I think he chose the stone pine as part of his planting design. We can't confirm whether or not it was a gift.
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In the Spotlight:
Kim Campanelli, VSC Steering Committee Gardens Representative
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What made you decide to become a Rancho volunteer?
In 2016, I was laid off and looking for activities to fill my time, I completed the docent training, but was sidetracked by unexpected life events. I came back to the Rancho with the Heritage Rose Group during their monthly tending to the garden. In October 2021 became a member of the Rancho's Volunteer Garden Group. And last month, I became the VSC Steering Committee Gardens Representative.
Have you ever found anything unexpected in one of the gardens?
A finger. It wasn’t a real one, it was a cement finger from one of the statues.
What do you like best about the time you spend at the Rancho?
Being outside in nature and surrounded by wonderful people, but I really miss the baby goats.
What’s your favorite thing to hear from visitors?
That the Rancho is a hidden treasure!
What advice would you give to someone considering volunteering here?
I would say they should come to check it out and see what interests them the most. They can become gardeners, docents, and they should check out the fake food group.
What do you like to do when you’re not at the Rancho?
I like to grow exotic plants; Vanilla Bean Orchids, Cacao Trees, Coffee, and Tea, and I have 8 different types of passion fruit. The plants support my hobby of making jams, jellies, and liqueurs. I've earned multiple Blue Ribbons from the California State, OC, LA County, and the San Diego fairs. I'm restoring a 1913 Prairie house in Bluff Park, that I inherited from my mom. It’s a hidden treasure of Long Beach history. I'm working on applying for Historical Designation.
What’s something that makes your day better?
Being in my backyard with all my animals and plants which include our 2 dogs, 2 cats, 4 chickens, chameleon, and our 80-pound Sulcata Tortoise.
What’s the one word your friends and family would use to describe you?
Adventurous! Ask me about my trip to the Galapagos!
Who would play you in a movie of your life?
Kathryn Hahn because I think it would be a comedy.
Is there anything else you want us to know?
Never underestimate me ... I'm very resourceful.
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Community Outreach Committee
Contributed by Roberta Rogoff
VSC Steering Committee Representative
Nearly every weekend, community events filled with booths, banners, and displays welcome residents to celebrate holidays, meet local non-profits and businesses, check out handmade crafts, listen to music, and find food vendors to enjoy a quick snack. These are the places you will find RLA’s Community Outreach volunteers answering questions, recruiting volunteers, and encouraging a visit to the Rancho.
The group got started several years ago when the 5th District Council person, Gerrie Schipske, held a once-a-year Good Neighbor Day event at El Dorado Park and invited RLA to participate. Linda Van Raden and Roberta Rogoff volunteered to attend on behalf of the Rancho. The experience convinced them that being part of such events was something the Rancho should do. Soon they discovered there were many opportunities to bring Rancho Los Alamitos to our community. It wasn’t long before the Community Outreach group was added to the Volunteer Steering Committee (VSC). Now the Community Outreach volunteer group has grown to 19 members.
Their first event of this year was February 11th, at the Belmont Shore Chocolate Festival. Not surprisingly, the volunteers were happy to work the popular event. The Rancho had a premier spot next to the Belmont Shore Business Association booth, where the chocolate judging takes place. The outreach volunteers were kept busy with the heavy foot traffic in the area. The nine volunteers - Outreach Committee Chair Roberta Rogoff, Pam Santelman, Joanne Tajima, Mary Ann Cullen, Pat Coil, Janice and Mitch Wellsteed, and Janette White - spent time talking with attendees and handing out chocolate, brochures, coloring books, crayons, and bookmarks to the families who stopped by. Nothing makes them happier than when other RLA volunteers show up to support their efforts.
Upcoming events are:
Cambodia Culture Festival, MacArthur Park, 1321 E. Anaheim Street, Long Beach
April 2 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
South Coast Plaza Garden Show, 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa
April 20 - 23 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
If you’d like to join the Outreach Committee or volunteer for these events, email Roberta Rogoff at [email protected].
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Welcome to our newest team members!
We’re welcoming three new staff members as the Rancho slips into high gear again as pandemic restrictions ease and visitors join us in between the seemingly apocalyptic winter storms.
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Renée Barot
Site Rental Coordinator
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Margarete Villalobos
Public Public Programs Coordinator
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A Heartfelt Farewell to Katie Lowe
Katie Lowe is leaving the Rancho. When the shock wore off, we knew our goodbye would be a celebration of the contributions she made during her time here. Her creativity and hard work will continue on in the programs and projects she touched.
Katie joined the RLA staff in January 2020. She arrived with seven years of experience in museum education. She assumed she would work with staff and volunteers to create innovative educational programs for in-person school tours and visitors. Two months later, Covid-19 arrived. California mandated closures of all non-essential businesses and schools. At the Rancho, the phrase “innovative educational programs” took on a whole new meaning.
Covid-19 shut down buildings, but not minds and spirits. With almost no warning, Katie, staff, and volunteers began working from home connected by Zoom, phones, and email. Katie focused her attention on one goal: Navigating the pandemic's twists and turns to keep visitors and volunteers safe and engaged with this site and its history.
People, eager to be free of mandated seclusion, looked for quiet greenspaces. Staff and volunteers worked together to safely reopen outdoor spaces. Although the buildings were closed, the yard and gardens, maintained by staff and RLA volunteers, were open for visitors.
The mandated school closures inspired Katie and the Rancho’s creative and committed staff and volunteers to rethink its educational programs and expand its reach beyond Long Beach. For the next two years, they transported the Rancho to the people with “Virtual Visits” through RLA’s website. Katie collaborated with staff, docents, and Tongva Cultural Educators to create two virtual school programs (Tovaave and Footprints). These school programs doubled the number of students served and attracted audiences far beyond Long Beach. In the 12 months ending September 30, 2022, the Rancho delivered 55 virtual tours and reached 84% of LB Unified School District's K-5 schools!
During this time the Rancho created its formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement. Katie and Rancho docent, Yvette Newborn, served on the DEI Committee, chaired by Cyrus Parker-Jeannette. Values, practices, and policies were examined and articulated in a statement drafted by Katie and Yvette. The final statement was approved by the board in August 2021.
As Katie departs for new adventures in San Diego, we wish her well and thank her for her friendship, dedication, and hard work. We are lucky to know you, Katie.
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Katie with graduating docents
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Katie leads the way
Native Plant Dyes
| Katie greets visitors at the Ranchos Walk | |
Gratitude
Are there people, experiences, or activities at RLA that make you grateful? Send a note to [email protected].
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I’m grateful for the extraordinary volunteer gardeners who keep the grounds pristine. The grounds provide much-needed tranquility from the fast-paced life outside the Rancho gates. Love hearing the soft sounds of the bamboo blowing in the gentle breezes. And for all the wonderful volunteers at the Rancho who made me feel so welcome.
Barbara Keenoy
VSC Steering Committee Crafters Representative
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Up Next: Cottonwood!
On May 25, the Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation (RLAF) will host its eleventh annual Cottonwood event. This year’s honorees are Jerry Miller and Craig Torres. Our relationships with both began 30 years ago and continue to this day.
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Jerry Miller is a member of the RLAF board and the founder of the Cottonwood Awards Luncheon. He served on city staff and ultimately as its city manager for many years. On his way to becoming City Manager, he worked in the city’s community development agency. In the 1990s, Jerry oversaw the Roosevelt Naval Station and Shipyard's closure in the harbor. Jerry’s negotiations led to the creation of the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association (LBNMHA). While you may not recognize the name, the organization gives grants for historical preservation of buildings and materials in Long Beach. LBNMHA grants have financed hundreds of thousands of dollars for projects here at the Rancho, including the work currently underway to restore the ranch's historic business offices. | |
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Craig Torres’ relationship began here in the 1990s when he partnered with RLAF to develop a grade-school curriculum about Indigenous culture. From that time to the present, Craig has shared the program weekly with Southern California third graders. During the pandemic, when schools weren’t coming to the Rancho, Craig and the Tovaave team translated the program into a format teachers and students could access remotely. Craig’s work has significantly impacted the cultural development of Rancho Los Alamitos. He patiently and generously teaches staff, volunteers, students, and their teachers about Tovaangar, Povuun’nga, the ancestors, and mother earth. He shares Tongva values, culture, and stories with youth, who, in turn, share what they learn with their friends and families. While still in the planning stages, we hope to include Tongva musicians in our program. | |
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As always, volunteers will be an essential part of our Cottonwood event! We know we’ll have bandanas to tie on the plush ponies and volunteers helping guests find their tables, answer questions, and ensure that the Luncheon is an excellent event from start to finish! Steve Squire will be enlisting volunteers when we get closer to the event. | |
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Update on Cottonwood 2022:
Our 2022 honoree, TABC/Toyota, donated this 2023 Tacoma 4X4 Crew Cab Long Bed truck to replace our 1993 minivan. Pam Lee in the driver’s seat with TABC president, Jim Zehmer.
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We Want to Hear from You!
Please take a minute to share your thoughts with us about the inaugural issue of our volunteer newsletter, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch.
Click here for a brief questionnaire.
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