Area News
Weed Community Held Celebration For New & Old Recreation and Parks Director
On Thursday, June 29th, the Weed Recreation and Park District held a celebration for two new beginnings at the Weed Community Center.
The community was invited to an open house to say goodbye to Kim Greene who is retiring as the Weed Rec and Parks Director and to welcome Nancy Miller to take her place.
Lifelong Weed resident and retired history teacher, James Langford gives his former student, Nancy Miller a hug in support of her becoming the new Weed Recreation and Parks Director during an open house celebration at the Community Center.
Through the years, Kim Greene has supported the City of Weed in many different capacities. In 2022, she was the Weed mayor. She was on the city council for about 8 years and was also the past president of the Weed Chamber of Commerce. In her four years as Rec and Park Director, she has increased the Community Center’s membership and obtained grants through Prop 68, Blue Sky, and the Ford and McClonnell foundations, among others to improve and upgrade both the indoor and outdoor pools and installed the solar system for the Community Center. She added exercise classes, and senior fitness programs, and, along with Christy Forry, the District Secretary, secured the Silver Sneaker program.
The Weed Recreation and Parks District includes the Weed Community Gym and Fitness Center, Carrick Park, Bel Air Park, Charlie Bird Park, and the Weed Community Pool.
Incoming director of the Weed Recreation and Parks District Nancy Miller, shares a cake with Kim Greene who is retiring from the position during an open house celebration with the community at the Community Center last Thursday.
At the open house party where the Sons of Italy gave a presentation on behalf of Kim Greene’s services to the community in which Police Chief Justin Mayberry and several other officers, and council members came to pay their respects and say goodbye. Through her tears, Christy Forry says, “I’m going to miss Kim. We worked really well together as a team.”
Nancy Miller who is taking over as the new Rec and Park Director, grew up in Weed and has been a volunteer and an aquatic instructor at the Weed Community Center for the past 4 years. She has worked at the College of the Siskiyous for 36 years in administrative support and as Director of Human Resources. She plans on developing policies, procedures, and the budget, and will look for more grant opportunities. She says that she will survey people in the district to see what the community wants. She plans on celebrating the diversity of the Weed community and the different ethnicities, holidays, and traditions. “I also want to get to know our community partners-the city, county, and large industries in our area. I want to build on and partner with their employees in wellness programs. We already have a good foundation and I want to build on that to make our programs and facilities even better. Our mission is to provide facilities and programs to the citizens in our district which includes Weed, Edgewood, and Hammond Ranch.”
Christy Forry says of Miller, “I think Nancy is going to do good here and be a great fit.”
Another lifelong Weed community resident is Shirley Dutt who also has been teaching aquatic aerobics at the Center for the past 4 years. She says, “I have known Kim Green a very long time and I wish her the best in whatever she does. I am going to miss her a lot. As for the new incoming director; I am thrilled that they offered Nancy Miller the position and she took it. Her dad was my high school history teacher. She comes from a great family and I look forward to working with her in the future.”
As the announcement to the open house said, “Without the past, there would be no future.”
Weed Community Center’s Pool Has Upgraded
June 12, 2023 6:38 pm by Shareen Strauss
Many kids showed up to at the Weed Community Center’s outdoor pool to swim for free at Bel Air Park during the Grand Re-Opening Ribbon Cutting on Saturday, June 10th
Kim Greene who is the Mayor of the City of Weed and is also the director of the Weed Community Center, held the ribbon along with staff Christy Horning Robertson Forry, Board member Sue Tavalero, and Board President Paula Rossetto as pool director and lifeguard instructor Rich Viturino and his daughter Rhian who is also a lifeguard instructor cut the ribbon on the newly refurbished pools.
The restoration project to re-fiberglass both the little and main pool at 450 College Ave. in Weed’s Bel Air Park was completely upgraded with new skimmers and lighting which ended up costing over $250,000. The pools were originally built in 1966.
Weed Community Center Director Kim Greene made all this possible by acquiring a grant through Prop 68: State of California 2018 Parks & Water Bond.
The Rotary Club of Weed which supports many youth projects, was at this event offering free hotdog lunches to all who were there.
Of the 13 lifeguard staff, 4 are also water safety instructors (WSI) which will bring in a lot more classes for swimming lessons this year. Both Rich and Rhian Viturino are certified to teach WSI courses keeping the training in-house.
Lifeguard David Rivera in his 2nd year at the pool says, “It is a pretty fun job. It’s also a great learning opportunity that will take us far toward our career goals.”
Along with the youth swimming lessons, there are also lap swimming, aquatic aerobics, open swim, and night swimming three days a week. There is a recreational swim club and a competitive swim club with over 20 swimmers that compete year-round called the Megalodons.
Director Kim Greene and Board President Paula Rossetto, hold up flyers announcing new aquatic classes
People who are members of the Weed Community Center are already included and do not have to pay.
The pools are also available for private parties on the weekends. For more information about classes, swim times, or reserving the pool, call the pool at (530) 938-4701
During a public demonstration of an emergency action plan drill, lifeguards Miles Charter and Ian Lintz dive into the pool as if it were a real situation. After becoming certified, the lifeguards have weekly training and practices.
During the open swim, Ariel Peterson plays with her children 4-year-old Keigan and 2-year-old Graysven by letting them jump into the water.
The Weed Community Center offers scholarships and is asking the public for sponsorships.
Siskiyou Food Assistance Provides Quality Food to Siskiyou County
By Skylar Sky Evans 2/22/2023
Siskiyou Food Assistance has been opening its weekly pantry since 2001. Would you like to help? Plant a row of veggies in your garden this spring for our community in need.
Denise Hopkins has been volunteering since the program launched. “My cousin, our Pastor, Jerry Broomfield started it at the Wayside Church of God in Christ as a Food Bank in 1986. It grew so quickly we had to change locations.”
SFA’s headquarters is now in the old Weed Elementary School’s band, art, and home ec room. With the school in need of the building, SFA is looking for a new location for the weekly program.
Siskiyou Food Assistance operates on food donations from a variety of businesses and monetary donations from the public to get bags of fresh produce, sprouted grains and grass-fed meats into the homes of residents in South County. Serving Gazelle, Big Springs and south to Castella.
Denise Spayd started off as a volunteer, then board member and worked her way to Executive Director. “I was a registered nurse in Redding for thirteen years. After retiring I wanted to use my background to help my community. I decided that community nutrition was the answer.”
“I am amazed at how many people don’t know about our program,” Spayd says. In addition to high quality food donations, SFA offers the community a 20-rack food dehydrator within its facility as well as promotes Siskiyou Community Resource Collaborative classes in canning produce and nutritional cooking.
“With monetary donations from our supporters we have the opportunity to purchase fresh produce from Siskiyou County’s local farms,” says Spayd. Last year SFA developed business relationships with local producers Marble Mountain Farm near Happy Camp, Heart Felt Farm in Fort Jones, Cornerstone Farm in Gazelle, Mountain View Organics in Grenada, and Shasta Mountain Aquaponics in Mt. Shasta. If you are a local farm that is interested in partnering with SFA email info@siskiyoufoodassistance.org
When asked how our community help Siskiyou Food Assistance can, Spayd responded, “Plant a row of veggies for your community this year. Planting a row of vegetables that you plan to donate will help a lot!”
SFA offers a delivery option as well. To get involved in the program you will need to show identification and go through a phone or in person interview. If interested call 530-408-6115.
Wouldn’t it be Nice
Skylar Sky Evans 2/6/2023
There is a building on Main Street in Weed, California that was once a mercantile store. At the entrance to the building above in black lettering showcases what was once inside. An ice cream parlor, art and craft supply store with clothing apparel and toys. The mercantile store was once the location to the Weed Revitalization Coalition and Community Resource Center. I am told the building is now being used for Mill Fire donations that will be given to families that have been displaced by the fire. What was once a store that catered to the vibrancy of Weed’s local community is now a space filled with clothing and home necessities eagerly waiting to be picked up by people in need. There is plenty of donations to choose from and although its services are needed the building seems to only have a few people through the day skimming through racks, boxes and crates.
Next to the mercantile store is a restaurant with the best Vietnamese Pho soup I have ever tasted. It must be the homemade bone marrow broth that makes it so good. On the other side of the mercantile store is a dance studio. As of now the dance studio is being used for more donated items to Mill Fire survivors. I was told that an additional “16 totes” would be coming in this Thursday.
But, there is talk that the dance studio is coming back! I have heard that the dance studio will be cleaned and ready for dance classes by mid-February. Wouldn’t it be nice!