Page 7 - 2002 DT 12 issues

WITH A LITTLE HELP ○ ○ back office, signing clipboards and put- ○ ○ I can truly say that much of what has
FROM MY FRIENDS ○ ○ ting on vests but I quickly realized these ○ ○ been accomplished at Red Rock over the
people were serving a vital function in ○ past three years simply would not or could
○
by Greg Gnesios ○ ○
providing good customer service. ○ not have happened without the assistance
○
○ ○
t is hard to believe that less than three ○ ○ Having spent most of my professional ○ ○ and support of the Friends of Red Rock
years ago I had reached the absolute ○ ○ life with the National Park Service, I was ○ ○ Canyon. And I certainly would not have
Inadir of my career. Caught up in a ○ ○ on a pretty steep learning curve in an ○ ○ been given the opportunities I have had
thankless job in a hostile and hopeless ○ ○ entirely new organization. But ○ ○ without the support of the Friends of Red
working environment, I was looking for ○ ○ nearly everyone at Red Rock made me ○ ○ Rock Canyon, the Red Rock Interpretive
any options that might restore my self- ○ ○ feel right at home right away. They even ○ ○ Association, and so many other people
confidence and love of public service. It ○ ○ put up with my sick sense of humor most ○ ○ who share a passion for this place. We
was just at this moment in time when an ○ ○ of the time. Unfortunately for me, one of ○ ○ have made a number of positive changes,
unlikely character named Dave Wolf came ○ ○ the downsides to moving into a stronger ○ ○ but I think the best ones are yet to come.
along and offered me a job with the Bu- ○ ○ management role for the NCA was hav- ○ ○ So I thank all of you, and encourage
reau of Land Management at Red Rock ○ ○ ing to give up my office on-site and move ○ ○ you to keep involved with all that is go-
Canyon. And it has been all uphill from ○ ○ into the District Office twelve miles away ○ ○ ing on. The BLM needs your input,
there! ○ from Red Rock. ○ enthusiasm, and talent. Meanwhile,
I had remembered Red Rock Canyon ○ ○ However, this has not dampened my ○ ○ should you be in the Grand Junction area
from earlier visits to the Las Vegas Valley ○ ○ commitment or love of the resource. Just ○ ○ at any time in the next several years, you
but when I arrived at the Visitor Center ○ ○ recently I have”snuck” out to Red Rock ○ ○ can count on me to give you the
in late 1998 to become its manager, it ○ ○ on several occasions for early morning ○ ○ “grand” tour. ;
looked even better than I had remem- ○ ○ hikes so that I could stay connected with ○ ○
bered. Aside from the spectacular scenery, ○ ○ those aspects of the Conservation Area ○ ○
I was most impressed with the level of ○ ○ that make it so special. On one occasion, ○ ○ Desert Trumpet
volunteer involvement and interest. It took ○ ○ I found a small canyon where water cas- ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
me awhile to get used to all the “strang- ○ ○ caded down a series of limestone terraces. ○ ○ Editor
ers” who kept parading in and out of the ○ ○ As I walked farther up the canyon, the ○ ○ Barb Wolin
terraces became higher and the water ○
○
○
flowed more vigorously. I finally found a ○ ○ Contributing Editors
Louis C. Kleber
○
In Memoriam ○ ○ place where I could sit in some tall, green ○ ○ Jack Ryan
grass and just listen . . . to the water, the ○ ○
○
○
Homer Morgan passed away ○ ○ birds, the buzzing of insects. Surrounded ○ ○ Layout, Design & Publishing
Christina Wilkinson
on December 8, 2001. He was one ○ ○ by columbine, cardinal flowers, and yel- ○ ○ Donald Schoengold
of the original members of Friends low primrose I found it hard to believe Barb Wolin
of Red Rock Canyon, donating that on this hot August day I had actually The Desert Trumpet is published monthly by and
hundreds of volunteer hours in found a little piece of paradise. for FORRC members. Statements, opinions and
expert carpentry projects. “Old tim- Ironically, just as we had begun to points of view expressed by writers are their own
and do not necessarily reflect those of FORRC.
ers” may recall the Joshua Room ○ move ahead on a number of exciting ○ Please submit all articles, photos and artwork
○ ○
AV booth, the “conference room,” ○ projects, I was moving ahead myself. At ○ NLT the15th of each month by calling 363-1922.
the Visitor Center bookcases, the ○ ○ the end of September, I took on the daunt- ○ ○ If you are interested in becoming part of the
Desert Trumpet Committee, contact Editor at
previous Information Desk and ○ ○ ing job of becoming the first manager for ○ ○ 256-8043.
redwood backdrop wall, and a ○ ○ the new Colorado Canyons National Con- ○ ○
multitude of other Morgan-built ○ ○ servation Area (CCNCA) outside of ○ ○ FORRC is a non-profit 501 (3) (c) organization
creations. ○ ○ Grand Junction, Colorado. It is an ○ ○ dedicated solely to the welfare of the Red Rock
Canyon National Conservation Area. FORRC
His relief model of the Conser- ○ ○ exciting area of guess what? Red rock ○ ○ manages the Information Desk Volunteer Pro-
vation Area and the Spring Moun- ○ ○ canyons—including a chunk of the Colo- ○ ○ gram and provides both volunteers and funding
tains still stands near the Visitor ○ ○ rado River—some world class paleontol- ○ ○ for projects including environmental education
programs, teacher workshops, natural resource
Center rear doors. Homer was ○ ○ ogy sites, mountain bike trails, petroglyph ○ ○ protection, cultural resource monitoring, hike
also an avid outdoorsman, cyclist ○ ○ sites, and over 75,000 acres of wilderness. ○ ○ programs and other services. Annual membership
is $10.00 General meetings are held four times a
and skier and contributed many ○ ○ My family and I were really excited to be ○ ○ year; Board meetings are held on the second Tues-
hours of volunteer labor to the con- ○ ○ relocating to a new community with new ○ ○ day of each month at Sahara West Library unless
struction of the Bike Pavilion in ○ ○ challenges. One of my first assignments ○ ○ otherwise posted. Messages may be left at
at
website
our
Visit
255-8743.
1992, which bears his name. is to initiate some kind of “Friends” or- www.friendsofredrockcanyon.org
ganization for CCNCA.
FORRC/January, 2002 Page 7