Category Archives: Collaborating

Apply for the Jane’s Fellowship program to develop leadership skills and help Pierce County communities

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If you are a grassroots leader in Pierce County and would like to develop leadership skills and build a stronger community, consider applying for the Jane’s Fellowship Program with The Russell Family Foundation. Up to 13 people will be selected for the next program, which runs from January 2017 – March 2018. Participants receive free training, a $6,000 stipend and a supportive peer network.

Applications are due October 3, 2016 and are available on The Russell Family Foundation’s website. To learn more, attend a public information session — several sessions will be held in August and September. Check out this video to hear what some Jane’s Fellows think about the program. Good luck!

Preparing for a massive earthquake in the Pacific Northwest

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To prepare for a devastating earthquake, many organizations throughout the Northwest will practice responding to a 9.0 magnitude quake during a readiness drill this week. The drill will start on Tuesday, June 7 with this scenario: a massive earthquake strikes near Eugene, OR, damaging areas throughout the Northwest and triggering a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean.

Known as Cascadia Rising, this emergency preparedness drill is the largest in the Northwest and will include about 20,000 people from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Columbia. The exercise assumes a worst-case scenario in which bridges and roads are closed, power is out and water covers lowland areas. Local, state and federal agencies will practice moving food and water, conducting search and rescue operations, communicating on ham radios and more during this four-day megaquake and tsunami drill.

#CascadiaEQ Tweetchat

Scientists, emergency personnel and others are sharing information about earthquakes, communications and what to do after a quake on Twitter today. Follow #cascadiaeq to ask questions, share information about previous quakes and learn more. Here’s an example:

shakeout

Be prepared

The Cascadia Rising event is a good reminder for people to have emergency kits with food and water at home, work and in the car. Here’s how to build a kit for at least 7 days to make it through the “big one.”

For more information:

 

Returning a trail back to the forest at Sehmel Homestead Park

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Photo of volunteers at Sehmel Homestead Park

Volunteers take care of the trail at Sehmel Homestead Park.

Thank you to the volunteers who replaced an unwanted trail with rocks, branches and trees and planted new plants at Sehmel Homestead Park on Saturday. This “Art of Wilderness Gardening” returned the old trail back to the forest.

Photo of volunteer

Volunteers made a difference and had fun, too!

Great Peninsula Conservancy organized this “trail decommissioning” event and partnered with PenMet Parks, Pierce County Master Gardeners, WA Native Plant Society, and Gig Harbor High School. Thank you for your time and for making a difference in our parks and natural areas!

More pictures of the Nov. 7 trail stewardship day are available on Flickr and YouTube.

Disclaimer: Engage Northwest is a communications consultant for Great Peninsula Conservancy on this project.

Learning about nature at Sehmel Homestead Park

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Photo of walking tour

Exploring and learning about plants, trees and animals at Sehmel Homestead Park

Families and neighbors learned more about Sehmel Homestead Park at a September 27 talk and tour. Great Peninsula Conservancy organized this event to encourage people to explore the park’s natural areas.

Photo of Bill Sehmel

Bill Sehmel talks about his family’s homestead

Several speakers explained how local government and community organizations came together to acquire the 120-year old homestead, making this 98-acres the “diamond” of PenMet Parks.

We visited a demonstration garden (even saw a tomato-potato plant!) and walked along meadows, wetlands and a mature forest. Kids looked for different leaves and pinecones, trying to identify plants and trees.

Active recreation and natural areas

Sehmel Homestead Park in Gig Harbor includes 22 acres of active recreation, such as top-notch soccer and baseball fields, tennis and basketball courts, and a playground for kids of all abilities.

In addition, the park features 75 acres of natural areas protected by a conservation easement. Great Peninsula Conservancy holds this conservation easement, and encourages neighbors to connect with nature close to home.

Trail project: November 7, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Help take care of Sehmel Homestead Park by restoring an old trail back to nature. In this “Art of Wilderness Gardening,” Great Peninsula Conservancy will show how to replace an unwanted trail with rocks, branches and leaves. We’ll also plant new plants. After we’re done, this “decommissioned trail” will be part of the forest again. Contact Kate for more information or to RSVP at (360) 373-3500 and kate@greatpeninsula.org.

See the flyer for the Nov. 7 trail stewardship day.

More pictures of the Sept. 27 nature walk are available on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/engagenorthwest/sets/72157656111652434

Disclaimer: Engage Northwest is a communications consultant for Great Peninsula Conservancy on this project.

Celebrated U.S.-China relationship at Chinese Reconciliation Park

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Photo of welcome to Chinese Reconciliation Park

Flags wave and tigers dance to welcome Minister Qiu to Chinese Reconciliation Park

We welcomed China’s Minister  Qiu Yuan Ping to Chinese Reconciliation Park yesterday. Minister Qiu’s visit builds on Tacoma’s Sister City relationship with Fuzhou, and is part of China’s official visit to the United States. President Xi visits Seattle and Tacoma this week.

The special ceremony included speakers from Tacoma Public Schools, Chief Leschi School, The Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Tacoma City Council, and Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation. Two students from Tacoma’s Sherman Elementary were honored to present flowers and meet the minister.

Photo of Minister Qiu

Chinese Minister Qiu speaks at the Fuzhou Ting in Tacoma

Minister Qiu — the Minister of Overseas Chinese Commission in the China State Department — recognized the importance of Chinese workers in helping build the transcontinental railroad in the United States. The railroad strengthened America’s economy, and its terminus was Tacoma.

Minister Qiu emphasized education and collaboration in the U.S.-China relationship. Many Tacoma-based schools and colleges were represented at the ceremony, including Bates Technical College, Pacific Lutheran University and University of Puget Sound. They offer exchange programs and opportunities to learn about and study in China.

On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Tacoma’s Lincoln High School. Nathan Gibbs-Bowling, a teacher at Lincoln, was just named the Washington teacher of the year. President Xi will visit Mr. Bowling’s government class. This video shows how the students are preparing for this historic visit.

For more information

More photos from the event at Chinese Reconciliation Park are available on Flickr:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/engagenorthwest/albums/72157656606146903