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Friends of Santa Teresa Park News Archive
2018-2019
The
following are archived news events from our
homepage,
from 2018-2019.- In
2018, Julie Lee, manager of the County Parks'
Volunteer Program sent out a letter
announcing the new County-wide Samaritan volunteer management system.
She also sent out a "how to"
guide with a FAQs section. Volunteers
will be using the system to enter their hours and can search
for
volunteer opportunities. There will be training sessions announced. Here
is the link to Samaritan. Contact
the County Parks Volunteers Office for access information and
instructions.
Samaritan website
- We led the following 3 hikes in the
spring of 2018:
- Sunday
3/25/18: “Hike the Magnificent Seven! Santa Teresa” 10am to 1pm. Join
the Friends of Santa Teresa Park for a moderate 2.5-mile #PixInParks
hike on the Stile Ranch, Mine, and Fortini Trails. View spectacular
wildflower displays, take in the gorgeous views, and hear talks about
the rich history of the area. There will be nature and history exhibits
and activities at the trailhead. Please bring snack, sunscreen, water
and wear comfortable shoes. Meet at the Stile Ranch Trailhead on San
Vicente Avenue, at the end of Fortini Road, off McKean Road.
- Saturday 3/31/18: Outdoor Photography
and Wildflower Walk: 10
am - 1 pm. Join a docent for an outdoor photography class and slide
show in the barn at the historic Bernal Ranch followed by a moderate,
but easy-paced hike up the Joice Trail to take pictures of the colorful
spring wildflower displays. Meet at the Barn with your camera or
smartphone.
- Saturday 4/21/18: Coyote Peak Vistas
Hike: 2 pm - 4 pm. Join the Friends of Santa
Teresa Park on a moderate 2-mile
hike to Coyote Peak starting from the Pueblo Day Use Area. Look at the
wildflowers and trees along the way. At the top, take in panoramic
views of the Bay Area and Coyote Valley. Please bring snack, sunscreen,
water and wear comfortable shoes. Here is a
flyer for this hike.
This is Mike Boulland on the Stile Ranch Trail
during our PixInParks Hike on 3/25/18, talking about the history of the
area. Here
are pictures from that event.
This
is the wildflower walk up the Joice Trail to Bernal Hill. It was after
Ron Horii's photography class slideshow in the barn at the Bernal
Ranch. Here
are more pictures of the hike.
Here is our group on our Coyote Peak Vistas hike on 4/21/18. Here
are pictures from the hike.
- The County Parks has a new interactive
webpage
showing the best trails for viewing wildflowers in the parks. Two of
the featured trails are in Santa Teresa Park: the Rocky Ridge Trail and
the Stile Ranch Trail. Others are nearby in Almaden Quicksilver and
Calero (Rancho San Vicente). You can also download
a printed wildflower guide.
- Here 3 FOSTP (Friends of Santa Teresa
Park) and NAQCPA (New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association)
members are receiving lifetime volunteer service awards (left
to right): 13,500 hours for FOSTP Vice President and NAQCPA President
Kitty Monahan, 28,500 hours for Grant Park docent Ron Bricmont, 11,000
hours for FOSTP Secretary and NAQCPA Webmaster Ron Horii, and
8,000 hours for FOSTP President and NAQCPA Board Member Mike Boulland.
Volunteer Program Manager Julie Lee is on the right. Here
are pictures from the Volunteer Recognition Event at Hellyer County Park.
- There was a 70-acre fire in Santa Teresa
Park on July 10, 2018, starting at 3:08 pm. Called the Curie
Fire,
because it started above the corner of Curie Drive and San Ignacio
Avenue, it burned mostly grass and brush on hillsides above
the Norred Trail and below the Bernal Hill Trail. The trails acted like
firebreaks. The fire did not reach
Bernal Road or the Joice Trail. Helicopters and air tankers fought the
fire, along with ground crews. No structures were damaged, but the
Muriel Wright Center and IBM's Almaden Research Center were evacuated
as a precaution. The trails were closed the next day, but reopened on
July 12. The trails were undamaged, but the stretch of
the Norred
Trail below the Mine Trail was considerably widened, and the fence
removed. Here
are pictures of the firefight. Here are pictures of the
aftermath on
the Joice, Bernal Hill, Mine Trails and on
the Norred Trail and above the Bernal Ranch. This was the
second fire in Santa Teresa Park in 2018. On 5/27/18, there was a 16-acre
fire above the archery range. Again, only grass and brush
burned. The archery range was unaffected.
- The
Friends of Santa Teresa Park held our second annual National Night Out
at the Bernal Ranch, in partnership with the County Parks on 8/7/18.
County Parks staff helped with the event. We had crafts for kids, free
raffle prizes, ice cream and popsicles, games, newsletters,
and
other information. We had FOSTP logo items: T-shirts,
patches, and glasses.
The County Parks had an information table, Santa Teresa's senior ranger
and his truck, tours of the ranch house, and cattle roping/branding.
The County Sheriffs sent a deputy who passed out sheriff's hats and
security items and information. Councilmember Sergio Jimenez's office
brought cloth shopping bags to pass out. The San Jose Police visited.
The San Jose Fire Department brought 2 fire trucks. Here
are pictures of the event.
- There's a new 6-minute
video,
narrated by Doug McConnell, highlighting Santa Clara County Park's
legacy of providing outstanding recreational opportunities in beautiful
natural locations. Features include nature, historical sites, outdoor
recreation, and the people behind parks. It features many of the County
Parks, including Santa Teresa, Hellyer, Calero, Martial Cottle, and
Almaden Quicksilver.
- Viva CalleSJ
is a
free program that temporarily closes miles of San Jose streets to bring
communities together to walk, bike, skate, play, and explore the city
like never before. Each year's event opens upwards of six miles of
streets, through some of San Jose's most iconic neighborhoods for
people to come out and play for the day! This year's event
was on 9/23/18. Here is the route
map.
It started/ended at Martial Cottle Park, went east down Branham Lane to
Monterey Road, then north on Monterey all the way to E. William Street.
There were major activity hubs at Martial
Cottle, the County Fairgrounds, and at the SoFA (South of First Arts)
district. District 2 Councilmember Sergio Jimenez had a D2
Elbow
activity hub at the corner of Branham and Monterey. It had a climbing
wall, bounce poles, food trucks, the SJPL MakerSpaceShip, a
DJ, bike repairs, and information booths. The Friends of Santa Teresa
Park had
a booth there, with information, activities, and games. Here are
pictures of the D2
Elbow and the FOSTP booth at Viva Calle SJ. Here are pictures
of the activity
hub at Martial Cottle Park.
- On
Sunday, September 30, 2018, from 10 am-1pm, Ron Horii gave an
outdoor photography class at Santa Teresa County Park's
Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. Here
is a flyer for the class.
He gave a slideshow presentation in the barn, then led a hike to Santa
Teresa Spring, with help from docent Joan Murphy and park staff member
Ashley Navas.
- On 10/27/2018 from 12:00 PM - 04:00
PM),
the first La Fuente event was held at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch.
Here is the description: "Bernal Ranch is 'La Fuente' or 'The Origin'
for family histories, local economy, and a growing new community. Join
us to celebrate the different histories of 'Santa Teresa Spring,' the
original source of thriving communities from the past to present day.
Come celebrate la fuente of the unique
community histories from the past, present, and future at the
Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. The afternoon event will feature cultural
presentations, local community organizations, family activities, and
children's games." The Friends of Santa Teresa Park had an
information table there (see below) and helped out with the
event.
Here
are pictures of La Fuente.
-
As
part of La Fuente 2018, an ofrenda was setup in Barn 1. This is a
traditional part of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
celebration. It honors loved ones who have passed away. Visitors were
invited to leave pictures of their loved ones and write notes and
remembrances about them. At La Fuente, there was a remembrance ceremony
at the ofrenda, led by Elena Robles (left) and Phyllis Carrasco (right):
-
On 1/18/19, Park Interpreter Kelsi Ju
held a Lunar New Year
event at the Bernal Ranch. It included an outdoor demonstration of the
phases of the moon (below), a Chinese lantern-making activity, and a
night hike to Santa Teresa Spring.
- Ron Horii has an exhibit at the
Campbell Library in downtown Campbell from 2/1 to 2/28/19. It's based
on his 2011 exhibition
at the Santa Teresa Library.
He has posters with pictures of Santa Teresa County Park, Almaden
Quicksilver County Park, other County Parks, open space preserves, San
Francisco Bay parks, and San Jose parks. Here
is an album showing the exhibition.
- The
Friends of Santa Teresa Park were invited by Councilmember Johnny
Khamis' office to have a table at the Oakridge Mall Senior Winter Walk
& Resource Fair 2/22/19. Mike Boulland and Steve Crockett setup
the
table and talked to visitors about Santa Teresa Park and the Chinese
pavilion ("ting") project at Almaden Quicksilver. Here
are pictures of FOSTP at the event.
- The
Friends of Santa Teresa Park, in partnership with the Santa Clara
County Parks,organized a work day to clean up the Pyzak Ranch
House, also known as the Curie House, located 275 Curie Drive.
Volunteers helped with cleaning up brush and debris around the historic
Curie house.
The focus was on painting over graffiti, repairing fencing, and
securing buildings on the site. It
was held on March 2 & 3, 2019 from 9am to 12pm. Here
is the flyer for the event. Here are pictures of the event: Santa
Teresa Park Beautification, Day 1, 3/2/19; Santa
Teresa Park Beautification, Day 2, 3/3/19.
- At
the April 4, 2019 meeting of the
Friends of Santa Teresa Park, we had the first in our "Taste of
Santa Teresa History" 2019 Speaker Series. Visitors join FOSTP members
for
cookies and hot drinks and listen to a series of speakers speak about
our famous pioneers who settled in our area.
Our first speaker was County Parks Ranger Lisa Pappanastos.
She gave a presentation on the history and restoration of the Grant
Ranch. She talked about its connection with the Bernal Family
of
Rancho Santa Teresa.
- Ron Horii taught another outdoor
photography class and wildlflower
hike in Santa Teresa Park, meeting at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch on
Saturday April 27, 2019 from 10 am to 1 pm. " Join Docent Ron Horii for
a
free outdoor photography workshop for all experience levels and learn
about the types of cameras and how to choose and use them, how to take
outdoor pictures, photo composition, lighting. Afterwards, go for a
hike up into the wildflower-covered hills and take pictures." Reservations
online or call 408-355-2201." Here
is the flyer for the class. Here
are pictures of the hike. Mike
Boulland and Joan Murphy assisted with the hike.
- This hike was led by members of the
Friends of Santa
Teresa Park on Saturday May 11, 2019 from 10 am to 1 pm, meeting at the
Stile Ranch/Fortini Tralhead on San Vicente Avenue in the Almaden
Valley: Join the Friends of Santa
Teresa Park for a moderate 2.5-mile
hike on the Stile Ranch, Mine and Fortini Trails. View spectacular
wildflower displays, take in the gorgeous views, and learn about the
rich history of the area. Meet at the Stile Ranch Trailhead
with
sturdy shoes, snacks and water." Here
are pictures of the hike. Here
are pictures of the first part of the hike, taken by Roxanne Koopman.
- On
Tuesday evening, August 6, 2019 from 5:00-7:30 pm, we hosted
our third National Night Out at the Bernal Ranch. It was be similar to
last
year's event (see above on 8/7/18). Here's the flyer for the
event.
We had our information table with a new banner and table runner and
handed out free popsicles and ice cream. We had games and crafts for
kids. The County Parks had information tables and animal displays. Park
interpreters and rangers were there. The ranch house and barns were
open for touring. Between the barns, there was cattle roping and
branding. The County Sheriff deputies assigned to the County Parks were
there and brought a patrol truck. Kids got to sit in it. Ron Horii had
displays of his park photography. Councilmember Sergio Jimenez stopped
by (see picture) and talked to visitors. He left pens and sunglasses
for giveaways. We had a raffle at end of the event. Here are pictures
of the Friends
of Santa Teresa Park's National Night Out, 8/6/19.
- Our 2019 summer newsletter
is available. Here are the contents:
Welcome to National Night Out: Pg. 1
National Night Out: Pg.. 2
National Night Out Partnerships: Pg. 2
Santa Teresa Park News in Pictures: Pg. 3
Park Beautification Days, 3/2-3/19: Pg. 4
The Story of Our Meeting Place: Pg. 5
Muriel Wright Center Update: Pg. 5
FOSTP at Viva Calle SJ: Pg. 6
FOSTP at Oakridge Mall Senior Fair: Pg. 6
La Fuente 2018: Pg. 7
Santa Teresa, Hellyer, and Martial Cottle County Parks Staff: Pg. 8
County Parks Management Changes: Pg. 8
- The
second annual La Fuente event was held at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice
Ranch on October 19, 2019, from 12:00-4:00 pm. It was similar to
last year's event. Here
are pictures of La Fuente 2019. The Friends of Santa Teresa
Park had an information table there.
- On
October 14, 2019, members of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park got a
tour of the ranch house at Joseph D. Grant County Park. It was led by
Ranger Lisa Pappanastos. She was a ranger at Grant for many years and
worked on the restoration and furnishing of the ranch house. She also
did research on the history of the Grant family and their relatives.
- On
November 5, 2019, there was an historic vote by the San Jose City
Council. They unanimously voted to partner with the Peninsula Open
Space Trust and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to save 931
acres in the North Coyote Valley. The protected area includes Laguna
Seca, Santa Clara County's
largest
freshwater wetland, which adjoins Santa Teresa County Park. Prior to
the vote, there was a press conference in front of San Jose City Hall.
Several officials spoke praising the plan, including District 2 City
Councilmember Sergio Jimenez (see below). The Coyote Valley is in his
district. See
here for pictures of the press conference and links to more information
(Facebook signin required).
.
- On
November 7, 2019, at our usual meeting time and location (7 pm in the
Santa Teresa Golf Club Upper Banquet Room), FOSTP Vice President and
New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association President Kitty Monahan
gave a talk on "New Almaden and Its Quicksilver Mines": This was the
description of the talk: "FOSTP is
honored to present Kitty Monahan, President of the New Almaden
Quicksilver County Park Association. She is known for giving
entertaining presentations about New Almaden Quicksilver County Park's
natural, cultural, and mining history. Don't miss this colorful
slideshow event with her expert experience and humorous storytelling.
The New Almaden mine was once the wealthiest mine in North America and
one of the reasons for the success of the 1849 California Gold
Rush. Learn about what mining life was like for the 1848-1972
miners and settlers, who worked, lived, and died at this fabulous
historical wild west mining town!" Here's the flyer
for this event.
- Ron
Horii held another Outdoor Photography Class at the
Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch on Sunday, November 10, 2019 from 10:00 am to
1:00 pm. This was the description: "Join Docent Ron Horii for a free
outdoor photography workshop
for all experience levels. You will learn about the types of cameras
and how to choose and use them, how to take outdoor pictures, photo
composition, lighting, photo editing, advanced techniques,
and Internet publishing! Meet at the ranch house for
a
demonstration and slideshow. Afterwards will be a short photo shoot
tour of the historic ranch. Bring your own camera - any kind will do,
including phones! For ages 14+." Here is the flyer for the
event. Here
are pictures of the class.
Created 9/16/21,
by Ronald
Horii, secretary of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park
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