EASTER SEALS TRAINEE
Previous Pollinteers
In 2023, we began keeping the bio and photo of Team members who are no longer able to bee on our Team, but have made a contribution to PPRV.
We appreciate their contribution!
BOARD
Ellen Barry
Ellen moved to Jacksonville from Los Angeles in 2018 after retiring from a 35-year legal career defending gang members and fraudsters charged with serious crimes in federal courts across the nation. The last decade of her career was spent mostly working on death penalty cases. Her drought-resistant, mostly native hillside garden is what kept her sane through it all. Ellen also sees the importance of growing the next generation, so she volunteers as a mentor and tutor for teens, helping them plan for a brighter future.
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​She’s learning all the time about the important work that pollinators do every season, and wants to help spread the word that each of us, even if just in our own gardens, can increase local biodiversity for a more sustainable future.
POLLINATOR PALS EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Sue Fthenakis
Sue grew up backpacking in the Sierras where she fell in love with the unique and beautiful wildflowers along the trails, in the meadows, and amidst the rock outcroppings of such wonderful mountains. When she had to choose a major at her liberal arts college she was delighted to discover that if she majored in biology she could focus on learning to identify those wildflowers. That was in Colorado many years ago and although most of that knowledge has faded as her life took her in other directions, the love of native plants never diminished. Of course the health of native plants, not to mention all living things, requires healthy populations of pollinators. Knowing that educating people about the importance of pollinators is key to their survival, Sue is pleased to be part of the Education Committee, advancing the mission of planting pollinator friendly, native plants in every possible space all over the Rogue Valley to give our pollinators an environment in which they can thrive.
Sam Inada 2023-2024
AMERICORPS MEMBER
POLLINATOR PALS
Sam Inada is a second generation Ashlander, who graduated from University of Oregon with a degree in Global Studies. During his studies, he became invigorated to make a positive impact on the world and on his community, and saw PPRV as an awesome way to do that. Coming from a family of teachers, he is excited to share his love of protecting the environment for and with the next generation. He hopes that his surplus of small-town connections can be of service to PPRV and help bring our community closer.
Before joining PPRV as our second Pollinator Educator and Outreach Specialist, Sam knew little about the amazing world of pollinators, but has since fallen in love. He attributes this to the moment he was shown bumblebees adorably napping in on top of flowers while on a field trip at Willow-Witt Ranch. Learn more about United Communities AmeriCorps here.
EASTER SEALS TRAINEE
Christine Freidel
Christine began working with PPRV in the summer of 2021 through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) managed by Easterseals. This community service and work-based job training program provides employment support for seniors re/entering the workforce, or wanting to learn new job skills. Christine certainly is - from office duties, helping with events, and caring for our gardens, plants and seeds, Christine is providing valuable support at the same time. We are thrilled to have Christine working with us, and really appreciate her presence and ideas to help keep The Pollination Place running smoothly!
My name is Christine Freidel.
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I was placed at Pollinator Project Rogue Valley in July 2021 by Easterseals SCSEP, a program geared to assist seniors in finding a permanent career. It is a great program. When they have grant money, they’ve bought me a Chromebook, and a Winter Coat, Shoes to look for work in. Even paid for car repairs.
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PPRV has taught me so much. My tasks can be anywhere from Creating a spreadsheet to Watering plants.
I have come to respect the nature of the seeding process. Meaning, I have harvested, cleaned and sowed seeds. When we look at each individual seed it is amazing! Some seeds are so small you need a magnifying glass to see them, others are quite large. Then these little seeds grow into these amazing plants.
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We sowed our first seeds October 31st, 2021. We had our first sprouts November 11th 2021. By this summer, they will be in the plant sale.
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So, why are these plants so important? We need to grow these plants for the pollinators!! Which is more important than most people know. Without pollinators, you’re not going to have a Vegetable garden or a fruit tree. Can you imagine a world without fruits and vegetables. What a scary thought!!
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I’m so excited about this project. I’m trying to put it into words. It has completely changed my way of looking at the world. To learn about how powerful one little seed is…
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When I saw the first sprout come up from our planting party, it was, look at what we’ve done!! We took a seed from a dried up plant and put it in soil, added some water and voila’ you have a little sprout. It’s very similar to conception and childbirth.
It makes me feel so positive towards life. How did I get so lucky to live and learn about the Pollinator Project.
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Christine, January 28, 2022
INTERNS
Tallulah Fattorusso - Winter 2023 / Spring 2024
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Tallulah is studying Environmental Science and Policy at Southern Oregon University. She grew up in northern California where her interest in the environment was sparked and she hopes to further her learning opportunities in Oregon through internships and volunteering. She is interested in this particular internship because it will help her learn about the local environment and how to get people in the community involved in environmental projects. Tallulah is enjoying keeping the Rogue Buzzway map up to date, and connecting the many people with pollinator gardens.
Anna Ehlers - Summer 2023
Anna is studying Horticulture at Oregon State University, graduating in the Spring of 2024. From Talent, she is excited to work and learn with her local community. She enjoys gardening, photography, and volunteering and is excited to get her hands in the dirt and learn more about native plants. Native plants hold a special place in her heart as she has seen the decline in butterflies and other insects, and wants to use native plants to help increase the insect populations at home. Her favorite flower is the Cosmos bipinnatus, especially the ones that are light pink.
Sydney Godwin - Summer 2022
Sydney is a senior at St. Mary’s High School in Medford. Inspired and mentored by her dad, a wildlife biologist at the Bureau of Land Management, she began volunteering for various pollinator projects in middle school. Every year she enjoys helping with bat surveys and participating in the annual Bumble Bee Bio Blitz at Mt. Ashland and other locales. As an intern with Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, she is excited to be focusing on mason bees and sharing her knowledge with students and other members of the community!
Allison Barnes - Summer 2021
Allison is a graduate student in the Environmental Education and Arts and Teaching programs at Southern Oregon University, and is excited to be helping to develop new educational materials and curriculums for future PPRV programs. Allison is looking forward to learning more about the local pollinators that can be found in the Rogue Valley, and to find creative and fun ways to share that knowledge with the community.
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley does not discriminate or tolerate harassment on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, national origin or any other status or basis prohibited by state or federal law.