Update 6-26-2007
In memory of Ruth Nickels Meniketti, 1921 - 2007
At 85, Ruth had long been a pillar of the Albany community, where the Chamber of Commerce named her citizen of the year in 2001. She served 25 years on the Parks and Recreation Commission and had been a member of the Waterfront Committee, a regular volunteer at the Albany Library, a supporter of the Albany Senior Center, and an activist in environmental efforts in addition to Friends of Five Creeks.
Friends of Five Creeks hopes to work with Ruth's family, the City of Albany, and other civic groups on a permanent memorial to Ruth along one of Albany's creeks. In keeping with Ruth's spirit, we want to dedicate something practical to her memory. If you have ideas or want to work on this, please let me know.
Web design, research help needed
We also could use volunteers to research mailing lists and other ways to distribute this flyer. If you can help with either task, please contact me at f5creeks@aol.com or 510 848 9358.
Thanks
No July meeting; join us at July 4 Albany and El Cerrito fairs
July 21 work party attacks invasive weeds
Weekday Weed Warriors moves to Tuesday, other vol. opportunities
Save the Bay will have a weeding and clean-up work day at Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline in Oakland July 14; information at www.savesfbay.org. (Check out their great outings, too, including paddling to see fireworks July 4.) Friends of Baxter Creek will also be scheduling a work day; contact oceansdesign@gmail.com.
Farther afield, get a new look at the Russian River, helping restore riverbank habitat every Wednesday 8:30 - 11:30 am in Guerneville. Meet at 16153 Main St., Guerneville, on the north bank of the Russian River directly upstream of the pedestrian bridge. Down the driveway west of Woody's River Glass, look for the blue and white sign that says, "Russian Riverkeeper Demonstration Riparian Restoration Project Future Community Park." Information at www.russianriverkeeper.org or rrkeeper@sonic.net.
Hope to see you soon!
As many of you know, Ruth Meniketti, a founding member of Friends of Five Creeks and our vice president for eight years, died June 7 after being struck by a pick-up a half block from her Albany home. We will sorely miss her gentle cheerfulness, dry humor, and common sense, as well as her ever-reliable help at work parties, meetings, and events.
Friends of Five Creeks is partnering with Friends of Sausal Creek and the California Invasive Plant Council to publicize the threat of Japanese dodder (Cuscuta japonica), a parasitic vine that spreads easily and threatens both wildlands and crops. We have published a multi-lingual flyer that refers people to a website for more information. Now we need a volunteer to create the website. It doesn't have to be anything fancy: The flyer itself, some additional information and photos, some additional contacts, some links.
Huge thanks to the 27 volunteers who removed a mountain of trash from Cerrito Creek on our Saturday, June 9, National River Clean-up Event, as well as digging out blackberries from the historic willow marsh along Middle Creek. Special thanks to members of Northbrae Church and to Krishna Feldman and other board members for leading the event.
We will not meet in July. Join us at our tables at the July 4 Albany and El Cerrito fairs. If you can spare a couple of hours to help staff one of these tables, please contact Shirley Jowell, sjowell@worldnet.att.net, 510 525 7012.
Our next work party will be 10 am July 21 on Cerrito Creek at Adams Street (one block west of San Pablo, on the Albany/El Cerrito border, just north of Carlson). To mark Invasive Weed Awareness Week, we'll be removing thornless blackberries and cape ivy on the south bank. Come see our progress - this reach was formerly a dumping ground with the creek entirely hidden by blackberries.
July 21 is a long way off. If you are free weekdays and want to do some restoration work before then, consider joining our Weekday Weed Warriors, which is changing its day to Tuesday. We work at various restoration sites in the East Bay from 10 am to noon, usually followed by coffee. Let me know if you want to be on that email list!
Susan S.