Cambrian letters to the editor, March 22, 2018

Nature Club offers kids, adults chance to explore

A few weeks ago, many of you attended the talk Catherine Ryan Hyde and I gave on “Children, Hope and Nature.” Greenspace – The Cambria Land Trust invited the community to consider the importance of nature to our children, and all of us.

Several people wanted a way to participate. Under Greenspace’s sponsorship, I will facilitate a Greenspace Nature Club to help us get together outdoors and connect with nature here in Cambria. The first meeting was 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 18 at Greenspace Creekside Reserve on Center Street, around the corner from the post office. We’ll meet at a different location the third Sunday of each month.

Nature Clubs, for kids, their parents, grandparents and all nature lovers, were the brainchild of Richard Louv. His books, “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” and “The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder,” inspired me. Jon Young’s book, “Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature,” encourages us to spend time in nature to integrate our senses and live to our potential.

Children acquire thinking and social skills as they explore their neighborhoods, living a Free-Range Childhood. Japanese doctors are advising Forest Bathing to lower blood pressure and reduce stress. American doctors are offering ‘Parkscriptions’ instead of medication, sending patients outdoors for health benefits.

Here in Cambria, we are surrounded by spectacular nature. Greenspace Nature Club will offer adults and children an opportunity to explore and deepen our connection to nature and to share adventures. We can build on the beach with driftwood, explore nature art, build fairy houses, collect rocks, find moonstones, build rock cairns, follow tracks, learn about edible plants. The possibilities are endless.

Email me, mdavis5855@gmail.com, or Greenspace, info@greenspacecambria.org, or call me at 805-927-1570 or the Greenspace office, 805-927-2866, to sign up.

Sue Davis, Cambria

Editor's note: Sue Davis has been an early childhood educator for 45 years.

Plenty of uses for old library

Come on Cambrians, think! Potential bidders have only five weeks (to April 30) to come up with plans, county pre-approvals and financing.

Some difficulties to overcome: low water allotment and leaking roof.

Ideas: What about the Chamber of Commerce or the Tourism Board making the building into a Visitor Center with desks and brochures in the middle and museum-type displays of Cambria’s attractions around the perimeter walls.

What about a youth center? YMCA? YWCA? Where are you 501C3 groups? Or, a number of caring private Cambrians could join financially and once the building was purchased give it to the Joslyn Center or the new Library for overseeing (if either would accept).

Cambria’s youth need a comfortable and safe place to go at night and be with friends to chat, to study, play games, etc. What about a shared meeting place for the numerous organizations in Cambria – comfortable chairs and couches instead of hard chairs at a table somewhere, with perimeter walls hung with changing art exhibits?

What about an adult club along the lines of the old 19th century clubs where single adults, otherwise alone in the evenings, could be with others in quiet surroundings to read or watch television, play cards or use computers.

Could the building become a museum of Cambria flora, fauna, geology, Native Americans, or historic art (not to compete with the Historical Society’s planned history museum)? Come on Cambrians, let’s save one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Cambria and let it live again to serve the community.

Put your heads together, and when you feel your plans are sufficiently sound, write Cambia P.O. Box 802. Box checked daily.

Nancy Moure, Cambria

Thanks for helping Rocky Fordyce

On behalf of the “Spaghetti Squad,” I want to thank the many businesses and volunteers in our community that supported the spaghetti dinner for Rocky Fordyce.

100 percent of the proceeds were possible due to the very generous donations of local businesses. They include, McPhee’s Grill, Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill, Linn’s, Robin’s, Indigo Moon, Manta Rey, Sea Chest Oyster Bar, American Legion and Sons of the American Legion.

The “squad” captain was Steve Kniffen. He got us going on the right path with his fundraiser expertise. Tickets went fast. They sold themselves. A shout out to Cory Sannella for selling 111 tickets. We planned on 500 dinners, and we sold 750 dinners.

The mounds of extra volunteers that came from all over. They showed up, stepped up and dove right in, did what had to be done all the way to the end.

Thank you to all the ticket sellers, bakers, cooks, servers, set-up crew, cleanup crew, students, school staff, traffic control, kitchen crew and support staff. Volunteers are worth their weight in gold. They share their time and talents without any compensation. Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time, but they have the heart. Making new friends, seeing old friends and reconnecting was another highlight of the day.

Words can’t even describe how blessed I am to live in a wonderful community. Rocky is well known in Cambria and surrounding communities. Cambria has always been there to help in need, either by donating money, buying tickets, and supporting in some way. We have pictures and videos to share with Rocky so he can see the out poor of our community. Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something and on February 21, this community rocked once again.

We are awaiting the day when he can return home. Thank you so much for you thoughts, prayers, good wishes, cards, texts, emails, phone calls to Rocky. We talk to him often and he is beyond blessed.

With much love and gratitude,

Tala Romero, Cambria

This story was originally published April 2, 2018 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, March 22, 2018."