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In This Issue:
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Another outstanding Forest Festival was held at the Barton Flats Visitor Center on August 23, attended by approximately 400 visitors. TamMara and Bill Matula teamed up with Heather and Michael Gordon to coordinate a multitude of activities, displays, gift drawings, presentations, Smokey, and much, much more. Linda Roddick again gathered very unique gifts for the drawings; and Gitty Denver as a super sales woman...leaving no one untouched for a buck…or even five bucks! Cindy McGregor donated a beautiful hand made (by her) 5' by 6' afghan. Total receipts were $273. Because of early publishing dates, the full report from the four planners will be featured in next month's 4-Victor. However, TamMara says to each and every one of the many volunteers who came to support the event (more than last year) and to the presenters, Thank, you, thank you, thank you! Without ALL of you the event would never have come off.
Michael Gordon & TamMara Matula
The SGVA has invited members of the Sierra Club and the Pacific Crest Trail Association to join us for an Alice Krueper walk in the wilderness on Saturday October 4th, 1997. Alice, as a member of the Defenders of the Wilderness, is primarily responsible for saving Dry Lake as a Wilderness area. The South Fork Trail could have been a highway - and the lake itself a parking lot for a ski area - if not for her dedication. The day is planned as a very informal day hike to Dry Lake and back. No exact starting time is set. In fact, we are trying to have maximum group sizes of eight stay well spread out on the trail. All are encouraged to bring a sack lunch and enjoy a picnic somewhere along the way. We have to remember the Adventure Pass regulations and all Wilderness regulations. There is a limited number of permits available on a first come first served basis, so if you're interested in participating or have any questions call Roger at (909) 797-8812. If no answer, please leave a message and I'll get back to you right away.
Roger Gossett
August 2nd found Mike Garant and Dan and Todd Scott on patrol to Dry Lake. As they neared South Fork Meadows, a young man came running down the trail seeking help for his father who had broken his hip. The SGVA team called Dispatch to secure transport for the injured man. Then the three, along with the son, began jogging up the trail - full packs and all. The patrol reached Dry Lake just as the helicopter was landing. Luckily, they arrived in time to help the two paramedics carry the 6'4", 280 pound man to the helicopter - 50 feet, then set him down; another 50 feet, and so on until at last he was safely aboard and off to medical care at least four hours sooner than he would have been without the excellent work of Mike, Dan, and Todd. The next day five equestrian volunteers, George Annas, Val Silva, Del Hawkins, Peggy Manning, and Nancy Haggard were asked to retrieve his gear from Lodgepole Spring where he had camped. They left Tulake Camp in bright sunshine carrying black plastic bags to serve as packs. As they reached Dry Lake the mist began, at Lodgepole the rain, then at his camp the hail...one and one-half hours of it! They used the black plastic bags as coats...they waited under trees with their horses, knowing they shouldn't because of the lightning, but there was little other shelter. Finally, they were so cold and wet they decided to pack up and come on down. Realizing that there was more gear than they each could carry on their horses, they turned two into full packers and Val and Peggy volunteered to walk down. The three others rode down to the road above Horse Meadows to deposit the gear and than Del rode back up to collect Val and Peggy who had made it down to the South Fork meadow. A cold but rewarding adventure for all. About a week later, a letter with a $200 donation from the father and a $100 donation from the son was received. In part the father's letter said, "I would like to express my deep appreciation for all the efforts extended on my behalf. The quick response and excellent coordination following my son's request for help was phenomenal. I am home recovering, and I often reflect that my rescue was made possible because of your organization's active presence in the Wilderness. Please find enclosed our donation in support of your Organization, not only for the service provided me, but for the benefit of an excellent Organization. (Editor's note: This incident is another prime example of why ALL the volunteers of the SGVA are so important to the Forest Service. YOU are the eyes and ears of the forest; YOU are the helping hands. Your professional efforts make a tremendous difference to the visiting public.)
John Flippin
While vacationing in Yosemite with our horses, Joe and I met Carrie Hunt from the Wind River Bear Institute. Carrie is a bear biologist who has worked with government and private organizations for 20 years in Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico and Canada. As a bear conflict specialist, she and her team of Karelian Bear Dogs are working from Alaska to Montana to Yosemite to develop the "Partners in Life" program, using an age-old tool to reduce conflicts between wild bears and humans--the dog. Yosemite is the first National Park to join Hunt in her efforts to develop this program. Hunt's strategy is to provide long term solutions for reducing conflicts by working with a bear's mind to teach it NO. "The bears are taught to avoid humans and human associated food sources. The program does not seek to establish fear of people, but to establish fear of actively choosing to approach humans or human associated sites. They are given a clear message that they can choose to come into human presence and things are going to go badly, or they can choose to leave and things instantly get better, and they get a positive reward for leaving. In teaching bears, the right thing is made easy and the wrong thing is made difficult. A lot of thought goes into how to make it easy for the bear to do the right thing and get the right thing quickly. Bears are never asked to do something they cannot do. A clear consistent message for doing the right thing is given again and again under different scenarios, until the bear understands." The success of this program means the difference between moving or destroying bears or turning them back to the wilds. For those who are skeptical, it is working . In Yellowstone, Hunt turned around 6 out of 7 grizzly bears and two of those bears have had several wild litters. She also turned around bears in Yosemite and Glacier National Parks. In all, she's turned around over 20 bears. This year the "Partners in Life" program has been contracted to return to work in Montana for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Glacier National Park for 3 months and Yosemite National Park for 2 months. In the early 1980s after becoming interested in using dogs to deter and repel bears, Hunt found a breed that seemed perfect for the task, the Karelian Bear Dog. A dog unknown to most parts of the world, grizzly bear hunters and farmers in eastern Finland and western Russia have bred Karelian Bear Dogs, a dog with the body shape and coat of a husky, for centuries. I've had to condense the information I have about Carrie Hunt and the "Partners in Life" program. However, for anyone who is interested, I would be happy to send a complete copy of the information I have. Call, Cindy McGregor (909) 780-7051. (Excerpts FROM THE "Partners in Life" newsletter, Carrie Hunt, Publisher).
Cindy McGregor
Volunteerism & Poetry Keep Kupecz Young At Heart Marie Kupecz has an optimistic view of life that many of us may benefit from by adopting. "Life is just one fun thing after another," she said with a big smile one day while sitting beneath a cool, shady tree growing in front of the U.S. Forest Service Mill Creek Station. "And I'm no longer a senior citizen," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "You're a senior from 60-80, and after 80, you're at the young at heart stage." And at age 81, young at heart this petite little lady is, which she plans on remaining for the rest of her life. She may the "oldest" volunteer at the U.S. Forest Service Station at Barton Flats this summer, but upon meeting her, there'll be no doubt in your mind that she can probably run circles around her counterparts. "There's one other volunteer from Calimesa who is also 81, but my birthday comes first, so that makes me the oldest" Kupecz said. Kupecz said her interest in becoming a volunteer for the U.S. Forest Service was sparked when she made a trip to Bryce Canyon, Utah, and saw older people there volunteering. When she later attended the annual Forest Festival at Barton Flats three years ago, she made contact with volunteer coordinator John Flippin. I said, "I want to be a volunteer. He dug under his desk, handed me my uniform and the papers to sign and that was it! I love every minute of it!" Kupecz's summer job every Saturday at the Barton Flats Station is working at the displays of stuffed animals and preserved insects. Growing up in the big city of Baltimore, Maryland, Kupecz probably never knew as a child that she would one day become such an outdoor enthusiast herself. She came to Fontana in 1948 where she and her first husband began their married life on a chicken ranch. "We moved to Yucaipa to my family home in 1961." By the time Kupecz was 60 years old she had become a jogger. When her trainer moved to New York however, she hung up her jogging shoes and put on her hiking boots. "You have to build up to longer and steeper hikes. I trained one whole year before going up Mt. Whitney." Yep, you read the last sentence correctly, Marie Kupecz, at the age of 70 actually reached the summit of America's highest mountain, Mt. Whitney. She has also been up and down the Grand Canyon six or seven times. "I don't think there's any age limit for hiking," Kupecz said. "I think it would help people to live longer. You have to be active and be outdoors. It's just more healthy because indoors you'll just sit. Simplicity, that's the key to life. The more simple your life, the more happy you'll be. We spend the first half of our lives accumulating and the last half getting rid of things. That's ridiculous. Being an outdoor volunteer is what keeps me alive."
(Excerpts from an interview conducted by Pat Biby Teeters, published in the "Valley Messenger", June 1997.)
The Editors thought you might be interested in knowing a bit more about some of the Forest personnel you "might" meet while on duty or on patrol. We thank those who responded for this article and introduce you to:
ANN BARZ (Rec 1-17) has been a Forestry Technician for 7 years...her specialty is removing trees from Wilderness trails with a two person crosscut saw! The last one was 48" across.. .5 1/2 hour of sawing!Presently Ann is a compliance ranger checking for Adventure Passes. She lives in Big Bear City with her husband and she has one son and one daughter. On her days "days off" she logs the trees and says, "that's the Adventure Pass at work!"
DON BUYAK (Edward 8) has been with the Forest since 1966. He began his career in Recreation, then 20 years as an engine Captain fighting fires, and now is in law enforcement. He covers a vast area ranging from Running Springs to Whitewater and Mill Creek to Onyx Summit. He lives in Mentone with his wife and four daughters. He enjoys being in the mountains and out-of-doors; and he does woodworking as a hobby. SANDRA VANDENBERG (Rec 3-5) was an SGVA volunteer for two years before she joined the Forest Service six years ago as a Public Affairs Technician. Her duties while running the Mill Creek Ranger station office include issuing all types of permits, selling Adventure Passes, and being the primary media contact with all outside sources. She lives in Yucaipa and has a five year old beginning kindergarten. Of her pets she says she "needs a good home for a Ball Python".. .no kidding, you can check with her at the office. She says, "thanks to all the SGVA volunteers, you are invaluable!" ALFREDO ZARATE (Rec 32) joined the Forest Service six years ago after spending six years in the Air Force. He is now titled Recreation Technician after first being labeled the Assistant Sites manager. His duties include maintaining the water systems at Barton Flats and Heart Bar, overseeing the concessionaires who run the campgrounds and Jenks Lake, and supplying maintenance for the picnic grounds at Forest Falls and Thurman Flats. He lives in Mentone with his two daughters and wife and cat "Muffin." He chose the Forest Service because he "loves people and likes to be of help and to be out-of-doors." His favorite pastime on days off is camping. AUDREY SCRANTON (Rec 1-5) began as a seasonal employee in recreation with the Forest Service in 1977 and is now a Wilderness and Dispersed Area Manager. Her duties and responsibilities are varied and far reaching. In her words she is responsible for "motorized and non-motorized trails, recreation events, outfitters/guides, special use permits, environmental documentation, para-professional archaeological surveys, etc., as well as getting to work with the SGVA volunteers."
Audrey lives in the Big Bear area with her husband Cory who is a fireman with the Big Bear Fire Dept. She has numerous animals: cats, dogs, horses and is just finishing a new home. She loves outdoor activities and is an avid horse woman. She says "even with all the recent changes, I still love my job; couldn't imagine doing anything else...'cept ridin' horses."
FISH FESTIVAL-SEPTEMBER 27 We are looking forward to probably the most important single event the volunteers work on each year. A great day of fishing with over 100 wonderful kids for their first fishing experience at beautiful Jenks Lake! Sandy Vandenberg is the chief planner; Teddi Boston is securing donations of tons of food; and Cindy McGregor has volunteered to "do the dogs." Come help us make this a memorable day for these kids. WILDERNESS YELLOW POST SITES Linda Barkley and Ann Robinson have gotten us off to a great start by knocking down those sacrificial fire altars at many of the Wilderness camps. Thanks to all of you who are doing the hard, dirty job of breaking up those fire rings, legal and otherwise, as well as all of the litter pick-up. I recently had the pleasure of a couple of long walks and am impressed with the way the Wilderness looks. GOOD NEWS Ed and Lane Lutz have expressed interest in returning next summer to help manage the Barton Flats Visitor Center!
John Flippin
Dorothy, Lane and Ed have a BIG bear visit them frequently at the Barton Flats Visitor Center (BFVC). They know he, or she as the case may be, is "really BIG" because he has to stoop just to look through the parked car windows. But this is not the really unique thing about this bear. As they all watched they could see that the bear had it figured out that to safely pilfer trash from the large dumpster you have to be creative in your methods. If you hold the lid up with one paw and the other pulls stuff out the rewards are very slim. On the other hand, or paw, if you let go, the lid whacks you on the head. So, what to do? Why, just roll the dumpster over and over and over on its side; the lids fall open and you can feed freely. (Not even Lane, Ed and Dorothy together can right the dumpster, especially when it's against the garage; they have to call in reinforcements.) Now for the really interesting part. This bear has now transferred his attention to the large cargo storage box full of earthquake supplies. He is attempting to roll this over and over on it's side.. .just look at all the paw prints on the side of the box!! So far the box is upright, but you might not want to park your square, box-like vehicle at Barton Flats anytime soon!
John Flippin
 to Michael Gordon, San Gorgonio Volunteer Association, 34701 Mill Creek Road, Mentone, CA 92359, USA. Telephone (909) 382-2882.
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That of the 156 active members on the roster, 57 are women and 99 men.