- Author: Saoimanu Sope
A typical day for Dee Keese starts with a 10-mile walk at 5 a.m. and her morning wraps up with a swim. Although Keese is in her late 70s, her daily routine would not surprise you if you knew what she has been doing for the last 48 years.
For nearly a half-century, Keese has been the 4-H community leader for the Palos Verdes Peninsula (PVP) club in Los Angeles County. A youth development program managed through local University of California Cooperative Extension offices, 4-H uses hands-on learning experiences to empower youth to build self-esteem and connect with their communities as emerging leaders.
“When you're pushing 80, working with young people helps to keep you young,” Keese said.
4-H has been a game changer in many ways
In the 1970s, Keese moved to the Palos Verdes area with her first-born son who had a learning disability. Others treated him differently in school, and it didn't help that he was the new kid in town. A neighbor encouraged Keese to enroll her son in 4-H.
“She told me, ‘You've got to put your son in 4-H so he can feel good about himself,'” explained Keese. “And let me tell you, it changed my life.”
In 1978, two weeks before her fifth child was born, Keese became the 4-H PVP club's community leader and has been in the role ever since.
While reflecting on her earlier days with 4-H, Keese remembered when most members were boys. Girls were not intentionally excluded at the time; clubs just didn't attract them. When girls eventually joined 4-H, it was a game changer.
“All of a sudden, the program shifted focus from solely agriculture and animals to include home economics like cooking and sewing,” Keese said. “Now, all my sons do the cooking in their homes. It's a good thing! Because we're moving away from traditional domestic duties, men and women are sharing roles, as they should be.”
The PVP 4-H club offers activities like archery, sailing, surfing and geocaching. “Everything we do is to help our youth be better as adults, out in the real world and in the workforce,” said Keese. “We're relying on the internet too much. Kids need to get outside and do things.”
Over the years, Keese has taken members – who range in age from 5 to 19 – on numerous hikes in places like Havasupai Indian Reservation and Mt. Whitney. She's taken them kayaking on the Colorado River and, these days, co-hosts old-fashioned card game nights on the weekends with other community members.
As a lifeguard and water safety instructor, Keese gives free training to interested 4-H members to become lifeguards. Training courses usually cost well over $200 per person. “If they're interested, I train them and they have another skill to use. And it benefits our club,” said Keese. “When we have pool parties or beach days, my kids are prepared to step in and help.”
‘She will help anyone and everyone at any time'
Ace Yeck, former president of the PVP 4-H club, met Keese 12 years ago and decided to become a 4-H member when he was in fourth grade, following a convincing conversation with her. “She just kept giving me opportunities,” said Yeck.
Currently a third-year undergraduate at Loyola Marymount University studying entrepreneurship, Yeck credits 4-H for preparing him for college. “I got all my community service and public speaking practice through 4-H. I remember doing beach clean-ups, feeding the homeless, helping out at the Christmas fair, and all kinds of events,” he shared.
During his years with 4-H, Yeck was elected to the state board as an ambassador before he went on to represent 4-H at the national level. “Dee encouraged me every time, so I kept going,” he said.
Keese admitted that her life is so full and fun because of 4-H. Her motivation stems from the growth and progress that her students experience. “My kids let me know when I've done something to impact their life. It keeps me motivated,” she said.
While thinking about the members she's had over the last 48 years, she couldn't help but stress how important it is that they feel safe. Keese recalls one student who is gay and had a challenging time getting his parents to understand because of religious and cultural barriers. “The family's priest called me and told me that this student felt like I was the only one who loved him,” she said.
“I can talk about Dee forever,” said Yeck. “One of her best qualities is that she will help anyone and everyone at any time. She wakes up at 5 a.m. and goes to bed at, like, 10 p.m. During that time, she's always helping people,” he added.
Because Keese comes from a different generation compared to the kids in her 4-H club, she attributes her successful impact to her ability to adapt. “If we want to keep kids in this, we've got to be flexible! And you've got to do things they like. We can't do things the way it's always been done before,” said Keese. “We have to be flexible.”
To Keese, 4-H is not just an opportunity to teach life skills or introduce kids to agriculture. It's a chance for them to build community.
“That's what I think my generation does well, having grown up in the '50s and '60s,” Keese said. “We're all about that communal living.”
Author - Sabrina L. Drill
Kudos to the Ventura County Fire Department, Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, National Park Service, US Forest Service, and California State Parks for addressing this very important gap in fire preparedness information. I remember on my first solo backpacking trip near Mt. Whitney waking up one morning to the smell of smoke, and cutting my trip a few nights short to get out of there (turned out the fire was in Monterey County, but the smoke blew inland).
From the guide - "The Ready, Set, Go! Trail Users program is about being prepared (ready), situational awareness – knowing what's going on around you (set) – and getting out of harm's way (go!). By following a few simple steps, trail users can enjoy the natural beauty of Ventura County without putting themselves in the path of a wildfire."
Tips include when, where, and how to safely have a campfire or use a stove, and steps to prepare before your trip:
"• Before you leave, tell someone when and where you will be. This is especially important if you will be travelling alone. Be sure to take a fully charged cell phone and some sort of signaling device with you. This could be as simple as a whistle or a mirror. • Take protective clothing including long pants and long sleeves made of a natural fiber, a bandana to filter smoky air and a hat to keep embers from falling on your head. • Have good maps with you and pre-plan your escape routes. A fire could block your path and prevent you from going out the same way you came in."
- Author: Sabrina L. Drill
Kudos to the Ventura County Fire Department, Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, National Park Service, US Forest Service, and California State Parks for addressing this very important gap in fire preparedness information. I remember on my first solo backpacking trip near Mt. Whitney waking up one morning to the smell of smoke, and cutting my trip a few nights short to get out of there (turned out the fire was in Monterey County, but the smoke blew inland).
From the guide - "The Ready, Set, Go! Trail Users program is about being prepared (ready), situational awareness – knowing what's going on around you (set) – and getting out of harm's way (go!). By following a few simple steps, trail users can enjoy the natural beauty of Ventura County without putting themselves in the path of a wildfire."
Tips include when, where, and how to safely have a campfire or use a stove, and steps to prepare before your trip:
"• Before you leave, tell someone when and where you will be. This is especially important if you will be travelling alone. Be sure to take a fully charged cell phone and some sort of signaling device with you. This could be as simple as a whistle or a mirror. • Take protective clothing including long pants and long sleeves made of a natural fiber, a bandana to filter smoky air and a hat to keep embers from falling on your head. • Have good maps with you and pre-plan your escape routes. A fire could block your path and prevent you from going out the same way you came in."
Summer is a great time for outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and backpacking. During your adventures in natural areas, be on the lookout for poison oak. Poison oak, a well known plant for most people in California, is widespread in our state and can be encountered in open woodland areas, grassy hillsides, coniferous forests, and open chaparral.
Poison oak looks different depending on the time of year, and may be difficult to recognize. In spring, it has young leaves that are green or sometimes light red, along with small, white-green flowers. In late spring and summer, poison oak foliage is glossy green. As we head into late summer and early fall, the leaves will turn shades of orange and red with whitish-green, round fruit.
Being able to identify poison oak is extremely helpful in avoiding contact with it. Many people are sensitive to poison oak and may experience severe skin irritation and itching, and sometimes followed by water-filled blisters. Learn what to do if you've been exposed to poison oak in UC IPM's Pest Notes: Poison Oak.
Poison oak can also invade landscapes from nearby natural areas. Suggestions on how to remove poison oak from the landscape are also included in the Pest Notes publication.
- Author: Hannah Bird
A little late in the month, but here is our August newsletter!
http://us10.campaign-archive2.com/?u=32b1d74684fe8cfb160cb78a8&id=8ad396ce85&e=[UNIQID]
And more about our upcoming "Hopland Hikes" event:
"Over 5,300 acres of oak woodland, chaparral and rangeland will be opened up on Saturday, September 12th from 10am-12pm for a guided public hike at the Hopland Research and Extension Center. Dr. Kim Rodrigues the Center Director will guide visitors on a 2 hour hike and share some of the exciting research and education activities, how the public can get involved at the site and where bears like to bathe!
This black bear has been captured on trail camera, enjoying a break in one of the water troughs at HREC, during a study conducted by Dr. Justin Brashares which examines how wildlife movement is affected by fencing.
“The Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) is one of 9 centers across the state owned by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources division. This is a great opportunity for the public to visit the site and learn about the important research that has been conducted here over the last 60 years. Research projects have encompassed many different disciplines ranging from Dr. Bob Lane's groundbreaking research into Lyme disease and other tick borne diseases to Dr. Donna Gillette's work on ancient petroglyph style markings on the site, found to be over 5000 years old! This is a great opportunity for the public to visit this beautiful property, we are also hoping to build a community of docents to help run these hikes on a monthly basis in 2016. There is so much to see on the site we can't cover it all in just one hike!” Commented Hannah Bird, Community Educator at HREC.
Participants are encouraged to wear clothing suitable for hiking whatever the weather and to bring a water bottle. Hikes will take place on roads or trails – but terrain may be steep and uneven at times. No dogs are allowed on the hike due to the presence of guard animals on the site used for sheep protection.
Those who would like to share a potluck lunch after the hike are encouraged to bring along plates, utensils, cups and an item of food to share.
This is a free event but participants are encouraged to sign up in advance at: http://ow.ly/R9BJo . Hikers will meet at the Rod Shippey Hall, 4070 University Road, Hopland CA 95449 at 10am on Saturday, September 12th. For more information contact Hannah Bird, (707) 744-1424, Ext. 105, hbird@ucanr.edu.