Oregon Parks & Recreation

Core Interpretive Presentation and JR Ranger Program Workshop

June 17-June 21, 2013

Canby, OR

Day One: Monday

We had a 6 hour drive ahead of us and I had set a target time of 9am to depart.  We ended up leaving at 9:15-close enough.  Carole, one of our lighthouse co-hosts, offered to look in at our cat Anne while we were gone.

We drove 60 miles to just north of Coos Bay and then started east toward Eugene. 

I wanted to arrive at our destination in Canby by 4pm.  When I entered the address in our GPS it showed us arriving at 2pm so that meant we had roughly two hours to spare with stops along the way.

Our first stop was at the Umpqua River Lighthouse. 










We only stayed long enough to take a couple of pictures before moving on. 

 

 

We also stopped at the Dean Creek elk viewing area. 

 

There was a group of males grazing in a meadow mostly ignoring the spectators and only occasionally looking up to let us know they were aware of our presence.

While Monte drove, I read aloud the itinerary for our JR Ranger workshop and a copy of last year’s JR Ranger Manual so we would have an idea of what to expect.

At 12:30 we started looking for a place to stop to eat lunch.  I had packed sandwiches.  The next rest area was 15 miles away but we were coming up to a town and on a whim I asked Monte to get off at the next exit.  Cottage Grove is a cute town.  I would have liked to do some exploring if we had more time.  We turned onto Main Street and found a park with picnic tables where we ate lunch and relaxed for a half hour.

Back on the road again, we only stopped one more time at a rest area to use the facilities and arrived at our destination at 3:30.

After checking in, we had to make three trips from the car to our room to bring in all of the STUFF we brought with us. 

We did manage to get a weak WiFi signal. While I Skyped with my parents Monte went back down to the lobby.  I thought he went in search of ice but he returned empty-handed after a half hour.  He had been smoozing with some of the other workshop participants.

We allowed ten minutes to walk to the Dining Hall, housed in another building on the campus. 

 

 

The servers were still setting up so we waited outside introducing ourselves to some of the other people who were also waiting.

The group of participants is diverse and includes newly college graduates who will be interning at State Parks for the summer, older volunteers and State Park employees.

Dinner included soup, lunch meat, cheese and bread and a cheesecake style dessert topped with strawberries. 

 

We took a walk around the campus after dinner before settling in for the night at 7:30pm.  There isn’t a TV in the room so I was glad I brought along some DVDs to watch on my computer.

 

 

Day Two: Tuesday
I was so tired last night that I started nodding off at 9:30.  Even with all the sleep I got I was still tired when the alarm went off at 6:30.  Breakfast was at 7:30 and consisted on scrambled eggs and sausage.  There was also cold cereal available.

We went to the conference room at 9 to receive our binders and were able to sit at any table.  We chose to sit at a table with a couple of guys we had shared the same table with at dinner the prior evening.

An overview of the week’s program was given as well as a brief description of the components of the manuals we were supplied with.

Just before lunch we were sorted out in groups.  This was accomplished by an ice breaker.  Everyone was asked to take a piece of a puzzle from a basket. 

We had to walk around introducing ourselves to others and showing our piece of the puzzle.  There were several different puzzles. Once all the pieces of our puzzle were assembled, that was our group and we then sat together as a group.

After lunch we were assigned team leaders with each team being sent to different rooms where we discussed our ideas for themes.   The goal of the program is to be able to present a ten minutes interpretive program on the last day of the workshop using the methods learned during the week.
Just before dinner we reconvened with all the other groups before being dismissed for dinner.

Monte and I took a walk after dinner because we had overeaten.  We attended an optional evening program where the guest speaker, Roberta Connor, gave a lecture on the topic, identifying the foundational nature of Native American history in the history of region, and of the United States of America.  It was very informative.

At 9:30 we attended a, Interpreting the Night Sky, program where we learned about different astronomy apps available and how we could put together an astronomy program at our camp.  Unfortunately it was too overcast when we went outside to see any stars.

Day Three: Wednesday

We were up by 6:30.  Had breakfast at 7:30 and were ready in our seats for the morning program to begin at 8:15.

The morning session had a continuation of the steps on building an outline for a interpretive program.  JR Ranger manuals were distributed. 

We all went outside for a sample JR Ranger program and were divided into groups for an assignment where we had ten minutes to come up with a photosynthesis program.  Each group demonstrated their program and they were all quite hilarious and entertaining.  Some sang, but most pantomimed acting out the parts of the sun, water, air and plants.

I ate something for lunch that didn’t agree with me but luckily after taking an antacid I felt better.  When the group reconvened after lunch we all assembled outside for a group photo.  The timing was great because as we started back into the conference room it began to drizzle followed by a heavy downpour.
The JR Ranger session continued with tips and tricks for working with children.  Each group was given a couple of scenarios and were asked to give examples of ways of handling the situation.

After a short break we moved on to building our program-introduction, transitions and conclusions followed by a presentation on roving interpretation. 

Two of the leaders have this on-going yearly “feud” called “pack wars”.  They each demonstrate what they have in the backpacks they use for their roving interpretations.  It was quite humorous with one of the leaders pulling out a stuffed bird from his pack that he claims he uses on a birding hike just in case they don’t spot any birds.

The last hour before dinner we attended two half hour select-a-programs that we had signed up for.  The first one was on tide pools followed by living history interpretations.

Dinner consisted of tomato soup, grilled cheese and a salad. 

We would have liked to have attended the S’mores and campfire story of “When Fish Hawk Raided the Sioux” but we couldn’t spare the time.  Instead we brought our laptops down to the conference room where we had a much better WiFi signal than we had in our room, and began building our 10 minute programs we are expected to present on Friday morning.

While we were working on our program, one of the leaders gave a presentation on her Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike.  I kind of listened with one ear while I continued working on my program outline.
When we got back to our room at 10PM we took showers and watched one hour of a DVD on my computer.  I was having trouble keeping my eyes open and fell asleep within a few minutes of shutting of the lights.

Day Four: Thursday

We were up again at 6:30, down to breakfast at 7:30 and ready to begin the program at 8:15.

The topics covered today at the workshop included, advertising your program and getting visitors to attend, program delivery techniques, props, demonstrations and stories. 

 

We also attended select-a-programs that included JR Ranger Programming and Essentials of hiking with children.

 

Just before lunch we participated in a group activity that involved props.  We were broken down into smaller groups and each group was given a prop that they had to use for any reason except what it was meant for.

The groups all came up with very funny uses and it certainly was a stress reducer.  (Most of us are a little stressed out about not being totally prepared for our presentations we have to give tomorrow morning.

After lunch we met with our team leaders to polish up our ten minute programs.

At 2:30 we had free time to work on our presentations.  We felt like we were a little under the gun because if we wanted to get our outlines printed we needed to be done by the time the office closed at 5pm.   Monte and I finished up our outlines in plenty of time.

After dinner we back to our room and practiced our presentations on each other until 8pm when we went down to the conference room to watch a movie.  I don’t remember the name of the movie but it was cute.  The only drawbacks were that the sound system wasn’t very good so it was difficult to hear and the other issue we had was we both got sick from the buttered popcorn.

Back in our room I set the alarm for 6am to allow enough time to pack up in the morning as we have to be out of our rooms before breakfast at 7:30.

Day Five: Friday (Final Day)

I woke up at 5:30 with a stomach ache from the popcorn I had eaten at the movie last night.

We began getting our things together.  It took three trips to the car to clear everything out of the room.

We ate breakfast quickly because we wanted time to go over our notes before our presentations.

Finally, our small group of eight plus the leader gathered in one of the small upstairs conference rooms and took turns giving our programs.  Although I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I was going to be I was glad when it was over.

One of the guys chose a demonstration of disc golf as part of his program so we all went outside.  I had never heard of disc golf prior to attending the workshop but apparently it is a popular sport.

As one group, we assembled in the large conference room to receive our certificates. 

 

 It had been a fast-paced whirlwind of training, group activities, overeating and funny moments.  BUT we were happy to be headed home.

Kathy & Rose 

Nicole & Rose

We made a short detour into Salem to stretch our legs.  I would have liked to explore the city more but we had a five hour trip ahead of us and we were anxious to get back on the road.

 

I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery as we drove along.  I had missed it on the drive up because while Monte drove I had read aloud from our training manual so we would have an idea of what to expect during the workshop.

We started looking for some place to stop and get a bite to eat.  We didn’t see any place that interested us so we waited until we reached Coos Bay and ended up at KFC.

After a quick stop at Walmart for some fruit and vegetables we drove the last 50 miles and arrived home at 7:30, exhausted but glad to be home.

 

Anne, our cat, was glad we were home also—she wouldn’t leave us alone as we unpacked meowing up a storm.