Volunteer opportunities in full bloom this spring.Byline: THE OUTSIDER By John Rezell The Register-Guard Rolling on the trails under the I-5 overpass eastward into Springfield, the bright new sign proclaiming Alton Baker Park Alton Baker Park is located in Eugene, Oregon, United States, near Autzen Stadium. It features duck ponds, bicycle trails, and a dog park, and directly touches the Ferry Street Bridge. Eastgate Woodlands caught my attention, and ripped a smile across my face. Nice, I thought, as I continued along the canoe canal. This is one of my favorite My Favorite is an independent synthpop band from Long Island, New York. They released two CDs: Love at Absolute Zero and Happiest Days of Our Lives. My Favorite broke up on September 14, 2005, when singer Andrea Vaughn left the band. little stretches of the river trail system, and sometimes it feels a bit like an afterthought af·ter·thought n. An idea, response, or explanation that occurs to one after an event or decision. afterthought Noun 1. to the rest of the infrastructure, being off the beaten path. Nice to see it getting its props. This is the neck of the woods that offers a peek at a river otter otter, name for a number of aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the weasel family, found on all continents except Australia. The common river otters of Eurasia and the Americas are species of the genus Lutra. The North American river otter, L. swimming around just above the little dam right under the I-5 overpass. Or a gaggle of geese geese domestic geese which were derived from the wild goose Anser anser. There are many other species in this genus and in the other genus of geese, the Branta spp. of which Branta canadensis is typical. floating around below the dam. Not far up the trail are the blue heron blue heron n. Any of several varieties of heron with blue or blue-gray plumage. nests, where expecting moms and pops already have staked their land claims. It's just a matter of time before you hear the tat-tat-tattering of hungry chick beaks clicking to beat the band. As I pedaled toward Island Park, the trail sprung to life like never before. Scores of volunteers shoveled and raked rake 1 n. 1. A long-handled implement with a row of projecting teeth at its head, used especially to gather leaves or to loosen or smooth earth. 2. A device that resembles such an implement. v. and carted wood chips up and down the trail in wheelbarrows bursting at the seams, replenishing the Pre's Trail Pre's Trail, located on the north side of the Willamette River in Eugene, Oregon, United States, aka "Track Town USA", is a 4-mile-long running trail named after heralded University of Oregon athlete Steve Prefontaine. running path with a new layer for a new season. The volunteers were all shapes and sizes. Young and old. Small and big. It didn't look like the typical gang you see running or hiking along the trail. And that made it even more special. These folks were working hard on a wonderful weekend day, not just going through the motions. But what struck me most were their faces. Their smiles. Their eyes alive with a twinkle that comes with giving back. Spring is springing all around us. Mother Nature awakening our imaginations from their winter slumber with blossoms exploding all around us. And spring cleaning Spring cleaning is the period in spring time set aside for cleaning a house, normally applied in colder climates, where the house is difficult to clean during winter. in Oregon takes on many, many shapes and forms. We may not think twice about it, come the middle of summer while we're enjoying a park or trail or beach or any sliver sliver in wool processing a continuous band of carded and combed wool which has not yet been twisted into yarn. of outdoors, but those special moments are just that much more, well, special, thanks to people like those volunteers out getting their hands dirty. It's a fever you can't help but get caught up in. A good fever. It's one of the traits that makes this place what it is, a real tribute to the outdoors and that outdoors spirit. You don't have to look very far to find your own opportunity to get involved. Look through the newspaper. Check the fliers on bulletin boards, or even trees at your favorite outdoors place. Chances are, folks are gearing up to get together to offer a little elbow grease to polish the place up for a busy spring, summer and fall ahead. Lest you think I'm not about to put my elbow where my mouth is, I'll head out this weekend with the Disciples of Dirt, out and around Oakridge for a day of trail maintenance, to get the area prepped for a long season of fat tire fun. In two weeks, the whole family will head out to the coast for the annual Great Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup. I hear that last year more than 5,000 volunteers picked up more than 46 tons of trash. My daughter Sierra asks me why people leave their trash behind and make a mess, making work for good-hearted volunteers. Who knows? Maybe it's just to create the opportunity for us to show everyone that we care. And get a little bounce in our step along the way. John Rezell, aka Raz, can be reached at Eugenemeraz@att.net. |
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