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Community Briefs for April 14, 2011 edition

(Updated: Thursday, April 14, 2011, 5:31 PM)

Civil War battles in Mariposa

Real cannons, cavalry soldiers of both Union and Confederate armies will clash on the hills of the Long Ranch near Mariposa Saturday and Sunday. There will be three battles on Saturday and two on Sunday. The last battle on Saturday will be a twilight battle at 7:30 p.m. The battle schedule is 12 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Civilian camps, along with Union and Confederate camps, will be open to public visits between battles on both days. Settler camps and vendors will be open both days beginning at 9 a.m. , closing at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Church services will be conducted in the Civilian Camp Sunday morning.

Tickets cost $5 per person, no charge for babes in arms. Parking is free. Food and beverages (no alcohol) will be for sale by local organizations. Picnic baskets, ice chests and food and pets are not allowed.

Demonstrations of living conditions, clothing, canons, rifles, camp equipment and more will be going on between battles and after the 1:30 p.m. battle Sunday.

Actors portraying Presidents Lincoln and Jefferson Davis and other re-enactors will address and converse with the public.

YHS Sober Grad Committee needs prize donations

Yosemite High School's Sober Grad Committee is looking for prize donations for this year's safe & sober grad party for graduating YHS seniors, to be held Wednesday, June 8 at Sierra Lanes Bowling Alley.

Prizes that have been given away at past sober grad parties include small appliances, cash prizes, sporting goods, gift certificates and auto services. All donations are tax-deductible.

If you are interested in making a donation, contact Tammy Thacker at Yosemite High School, (559) 683-4667, ext. 306, or Dena Boortz, (559) 683-4667, ext. 221.

Natural resources workshop held

The 22nd Annual Agriculture and Natural Resources Youth Workshop was held April 7 at Minarets High School with 22 students participating from Minarets, Selma and Coalinga high schools and Mountain Home School.

Jeannie Habben, member of the Central Sierra Watershed Committee, one of the coordinators of the workshop, said the event is a day-long workshop to provide information while emphasizing the importance of protecting our natural resources.

The way we manage our natural resources such as soil, water, air, plants, and animals is critical in determining our present and future welfare. The workshop included presentations from professionals in forestry, wildlife, watersheds, soils, vegetation and rangeland management.

Students also had the opportunity to compete in an essay contest for an expense-paid trip to the California Range and Natural Resources Camp at Elks Ranch in Half Moon Bay in June. Topic of the essay was "What Can You Do to Protect the Natural Resources." At that week-long camp, students will have the opportunity to compete for the National Range Camp. This year's essay contest winner was Kaylee Anthony from Coalinga High School.

This workshop is free to the students, chaperones, and presenters and sponsored by the San Joaquin Area Resource Conservation Districts as well as UC Cooperative Extension, Madera County, California Department of Fish & Game, USDA Forest Service, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

BGC remains open during Spring break

Thousands of area children will be on break from school in the Oakhurst area the week of April 25. The Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst is ready with fun activities that will help youth grow and will give them a positive place to be while school is out.

"We have had incredible growth this year and our resources are spread thin. Staying open means paying staff, so we consider it carefully each time there is a break from school," said Boys & Girls Club treasurer, Doris Brekhus. "The need is evident and the kids come first for us."

Hours of operation will be noon to 6 p.m. Monday, April 25 through Friday, April 29. The club will be closed Good Friday, April 22.

Planned activities:

Kinect dance-off, 1 p.m. Monday, April 25 -- a dance contest to Kinect's dance central.

Garden Project, Tuesday, April 26 -- garden preparation for the coming year. Help is needed with digging, weeding and planting. Last year, food from the garden was sent home with club members on a regular basis.

Bowling, 12 p.m. Wednesday, April 27 -- Departure for bowling at Sierra Lanes. Ages 10 and up, permission slip required, space is limited.

Children's Museum, 12:45 p.m. Thursday, April 28 -- depart for a walking field trip to Children's Museum of the Sierra. Ages 5 to 9.

Skate and bike competition, 1 p.m. Friday, April 29 -- sign-ups start at noon.

The Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst is committed to enabling all children to participate in its youth guidance and development programs. They do this by keeping membership fees affordable for everyone at $10 a year. This is possible through contributions from generous individuals and businesses.Details: (559) 642-4600, . BGCOakhurst.com.

Tea Party meeting to discuss bus route

The Oakhurst/Coarsegold Tea Party action meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 21, at the Best Western Plus Gateway Inn Restaurant, 40530 Highway 41, Oakhurst.

Max Stauffer, president of the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau, will make a presentation on the proposed public bus route between Fresno and Yosemite. Details: John Pero, (559) 642-4920.

Hiking the Sierra book presentation

Sharon Giacomazzi, author of Trails and Tales of Yosemite, will speak at 2 p.m. Saturday at Willow Bridge Books.

Giacomazzi has hiked over 10,000 miles in the Sierra and will bring a slideshow of some of the hikes she's done in the past 30 years.

A sign-up for her guided hikes planned for April 30 (Angels Falls/Devils Slide), May 14 (Brown's Ditch) and June 5 (Nelder's Grove of Big Trees) will be available. These hikes are designed for all levels of experience.

Earth Day event in North Fork

North Fork Earth Day will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the North Fork Mill site. A variety of music will continue on into the afternoon.

There will be food, dance demonstrations, a solar panel demo, alternative fuel vehicles, green rummage sale and technology showcase. There will also be E-Waste recycling drop-off available on site. E-Waste accepts old computers, televisions and video cassette recording machines and much more. Please call 559-760-6764 for acceptance types.

A tire waste amnesty program will begin April 15. Appointments: (559) 675-7821. Details: www.NorthForkEarthDay.com

Ducey's 20th anniversary benefits local charities

Ducey's on the Lake will celebrate its 20-year anniversary Wednesday, April 20, and four charities will benefit from the milestone.

Those charities are: Bass Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Mariposa Safe Families, Eastern Madera County SPCA and Toys for Tots. All four charities will equally share 20% of Ducey's Restaurant and Ducey's Lakefront Bar & Grill proceeds generated April 18 to 22.

Ducey's Executive Chef John Frabotta and culinary staff will prepare a number of specials to celebrate this event.

Host families for exchange students

Jacque and Gary Murphy of Oakhurst have been appointed international exchange coordinators for Cambridge, Mass.-based EF Foundation for Foreign Study.

Their son, Hunter Murphy, is a freshman at Yosemite High School and is joining them in bringing students from all over the globe to the Mountain Area for the 2011-2012 school year.

In their new position, Jacque and Gary are working with EF Foundation placement specialists to match international students with host families living in Oakhurst and the surrounding areas. "We are proud to be part of a program that not only enriches our community, but also helps foster positive impressions of the United States around the world," said Jacque. "We welcome host families of all shapes and sizes. Among those who truly enjoy the exchange experience are parents looking to give their families a glimpse of the world and introduce their children to new customs and cultures, without having to travel the globe."

Details: Jacque and Gary Murphy, (559) 641-2934, jrm1030@aol.com, effoundation.org.