Order Your ~Build a Bat House- Stem Kit~ from BugsRUs

Fall is here and that means OCTOBER and that means HALLOWEEN and that means BATS!


Bats are victims of BAD public relations, specifically because of that FICTIONAL guy, DRACULA!

Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. With over 1,400 species, they are the second largest order of mammals, and those species cover six continents. Globally, bats provide vital ecosystem services in the form of eating insect pests, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, making them essential to the health of our planet.


Making a bat-friendly place in your backyard supports the essential role bats have in the environment. All 15 different species of bats in Oregon eat insects…..mosquitoes, gnats, night flying beetles and moths.


Here’s a few BAT facts:
1.  One Little Brown Bat can eat over 1000 bugs PER HOUR!
2.  The world’s smallest bat is the Bumblebee Bat measuring 1.5 –3 inches in length and weighing  2 grams as a full-grown adult.
3.  The world’s largest bat is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox with a wingspan up to 6 feet!
4.  The oldest known bat was a male Brant’s myotis who lived 41 years.
5.  Of the 1,400+ species of bats in the world, only three are vampire bats that drink blood. They ONLY live in Central America NOT TRANSYLVANIA!

It’s time to help our BUG EATING friends….THE BATS!


Here’s your chance – Build your OWN BAT-HOUSE – STEM kit.
You get it ALL…..pre-cut ALL weather re-purposed plywood, screws and nails along with FULL detailed instructions to build your own BAT-HOUSE. Measures 16 in. tall, 8 in. wide and 2 ½ in. deep when finished. All you need is a hammer and screwdriver.
Features galvanized mesh for inside the house…..gives ‘em traction to climb up inside. Will hold about 35-50 little brown bats. They will use it as a roost as well as a NURSERY!
This package also includes a BAT coloring page and detailed 3 page educational fact sheet about all 15 Oregon bats and why bats are SO important.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] with quantity and your address.
This is a PERFECT activity for scouts, homeschoolers or ANYONE who wants to invite these AMAZING mammals to your property.

htttp://www.bugsrus.org

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The Wood House Festivals

Located in Eagle Point, Oregon at 12988 Hwy 62, you may have passed this rustic beauty which is an attraction for Historians, photographers and artists.

The home is circa 1870, homesteader was a wounded Civil War veteran Marvin Sylvester Wood, discharged as a corporal from the United States Army in 1864. Marvin along with his brother Dennis Wood came to Southern Oregon in 1868, Dennis passed away in 1869 leaving Marvin to manage the homestead and land patent. Marvin married wife Susan in 1876 and they had 3 children. Their son Walter Wood born in 1881 living in the house his entire life until he passed away in 1974. All three are buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Central Point, Oregon.

The home has been in jeopardy several times from the widening of Highway 62 and being moved to the present location to abandonment, bad weather, vandalism and real estate sales.

The Wood House is operated on a very small annual budget supported strictly by donations, all work is done on a volunteer basis by The Woodhouse Preservation Group (a non-profit organization). You can learn more about the history and how you can support by visiting : oldwoodhouse.org.

Since 1870 The Wood House still remains to welcome you to come and visit to see how primitive living really was in the 1800’s.

Please bring your family for the upcoming festivities:

May 16 & 17, 2020

150 Anniversary of the Wood House – Farm Festival. Vendors,music, house tours. 12988 Hwy. 62 Eagle Point.

October 3 & 4, 2020

Harvest Festival. Saturday 9-5pm & Sunday 9-4pm.. Collectibles, jewelry, wood products, food vendor, crafts, music.Enjoy a free cookie baked on the wood stove in the Wood House kitchen by the “Cookie Lady”.  Admission is $2 for ages 13 and older, ages 12 and under are free.

October 24, 2020

Halloween Open House. 5-9pm. Come and enjoy, it’s spooktacular. Free tours of the Wood House and candy. Free admission.

December 19, 2020

Old Fashioned Christmas Open House. 2-8pm. Free gifts from Santa for the kids. Free photographs with Santa.  Free admission.

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4th of JULY CELEBRATIONS

 

 Southern Oregon has several 4th of July Celebrations. Bring your family for Fun Runs, Parades, festivities, street fairs, entertainment and fireworks. Have a safe and fun day!

4th of July Run in Ashland, Oregon.                                start at 7:45 am.  Adults, children and families are welcome. Ashland Parks and Recreation 541-488-5340. Toregister: ashland.or.us/JulyRun

 

 

Ashland 4th of July Parade & Celebration.                                Ashland’s Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration kicks off  the morning with the Parks & Recreation run. Parade at 10am in downtown Ashland, flyover,  followed by festivities in Lithia Park featuring food, booths, Family Activity Zone, Ashland City Band performs in the Lithia Park Bandshell. Fireworks in the evening visible all throughout town. Ashland, Oregon  Chamber of Commerce ashlandchamber.com 541-482-3486.

Central Point Freedom Festival.                                                              7am pancake breakfast, 7:30am Run 4 Freedom 5K & 1 mile. 8:45am Kids Fun Run, 9:30am Pine Street Parade , 10:30am Pfaff Park Festivities with food, artisans, vendors and free kids activities, 11am Live Music. A full day of activities! Pfaff Park,  635 Manzanita St, Central Point, Oregon.  centralpointchamber.org

 BoomFest!                                                                                                Gates open at 3pm. Live music, kid’s activities, food,  beer garden available leading up the a huge fireworks display. Free entry at the Jackson County Fairgrounds, 1 Peninger in Central Point, Oregon. attheexpo.com 

 

Eagle Point Independence Day Celebration.                                   7-10am Pancake breakfast, 8am Fun Run, Vendor booth 9am-3pm, 11am Fly Over, Parade at 11am, Noon-3pm live music with Rewing & Kid Zone activity area, 6pm Stadium open, 6:15pm Family activities & carnival games, fireworks at dusk Eagle Point, Oregon.  eaglepointchamber.org

Grants Pass 4th of July Celebration.                                      7pm-10:30pm. Bring the family for a live concert  followed by fireworks at Reinhart Volunteer Park, 1690 Webster Street, Grants Pass, Oregon. travelgrantspass.com 

 

Merker/Belnap Memorial Walk/Run.                7:30am. The Merker/Belnap Memorial Walk/Run was established to honor John, Max and Ryan and to raise funds for an annual college scholarship to be awarded in their name. 541-474-0001, grantspassymca.org

Brookings Harbor Celebration.                                                                    Pancake breakfast, kids area, BBQ, family activities, vendors, live music. fireworks at dusk at Sportshaven Beach.  brookings.or.us

 

Klamath Falls Freedom Celebration.                                  Parade, activities and fireworks. klamathfc.org/

 

Glendale 4th of July Celebration.                                                     Pancake breakfast in the park from 8-10am. Parade at 11am. fun activities, fireworks at dusk at High School.

 

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Storytelling Guild’s Children’s Festival in Jacksonville

The Storytelling Guild presents Annual Children’s Festival every July  at the beautiful Britt Gardens in Jacksonville, Oregon. For many years, the festival has provided fun-filled summer days of affordable entertainment for the entire family!

The first Children’s Festival was in 1967 and began as a small storytelling program, billed as: “A Child’s Fun ‘N Fantasy Afternoon” and was held under the trees at Britt Gardens in Jacksonville. The turnout for this one-day event was so tremendous, 200 children, that it was repeated the next day for another 300 children!

It was apparent that this was an important program and plans were readied for a true Festival in 1968. The Storytelling Guild and the Jackson County Library began planning by recruiting volunteers from the mothers who attended the first Festival. Sixteen volunteers and the local chapter of the American Association of University Women planned for that second year.

The second festival drew 2,000 children. The third, 4000 and by 1981, the Children’s Festival was attracting 15,000 visitors!

At the festival, children and adults will enjoy a variety of booths with hands-on arts, crafts,  science projects and feeding of the litter eating dragons. All activities are included with the price of admission! Older children will enjoy activities such as: candle making, pottery and wood working, while younger children will have a chance to make their own puppet, sand and easel art, and have their faces painted. In addition to fun hands-on projects, you can sit back and enjoy storytelling, child focused entertainment and stage performances.

Admission is $3 per person per day (adults and children). Food is available for purchase inside the festival at the yummy Dragon Deli. The goal has always been to offer an amazing day of entertainment and education for a reasonable cost.

 

The mission of The Story Telling Guild and Children’s Festival is to expose children of all ages to the magic of imagination and to instill a love of books and the joy of reading.

 

For more information visit:

 www.storytellingguild.org/childrens-festival.html

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Kids Sukkot Discovery Lab Coming to Southern Oregon!

On Thursday, September 27th, Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Oregon will be hosting its first ever Sukkot Discovery Lab just for kids, part of their newly launched Ckids STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art, math) programming.

Blending hands-on, STEM-based experiments and creations with the how’s and why’s of the ancient Jewish hut in the desert, the Sukkot Discovery Lab will launch a new year of CKids Club workshops right here in the heart of Southern Oregon.

One of the first biblical holidays, Sukkot commemorates the divine protection the Jewish people experienced during their 40-year sojourn in the desert. Thousands of years later, Jews across the world continue to relive this event within the walls of a hand built sukkah.

Today, children will gain a new insight into the mysterious qualities of Sukkot through the lens of science. Children will get hands-on as they make cloud slime, STEM sukkah-building and a pop art flag!

The Discovery Lab is the first of monthly workshops run by Chabad which inspires children to create meaningful impact in their communities through fun, educational programs that explore the richness of Judaism. This year’s workshops include Hanukkah Chocolate coin making, Goodness grows, Tie dye Hamentashen, the art of giving, Passover Matzah Chef and more.

Designed for ages 2-13, the events will be held at the Chabad Jewish Center at 1474 Siskiyou Blvd in Ashland. The Sukkot Discovery lab will be held on September 27 at 5pm and includes delicious pizza in the “hut”.

To unleash your child’s inner mad scientist and register, please visit www.chabadofashland.org or call Faigy at 541-482-2778.

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U Pick Organic Cherry-picking Days at Valley View Orchard

June is cherry-picking month in Southern Oregon!  If you don’t have your own cherry trees to pick from, consider heading over to Valley View Orchard at exit 19 in Ashland next season.

 

This organic Farm also offers U-pick peaches, apricots, grapes and more when in season, so mark your calendars and follow them on Facebook for their Picking Times.

 Taking children on an outing to the farm teaches them where their food comes from and gives them a sense of accomplishment as they “hunt” for the best produce to choose.  But make sure it is an organic farm or orchard to insure the safest, pesticide-free foraging for the little ones.

Dress comfortably in loose-fitting close to accommodate lots of reaching, stretching and walking.  Tennis shoes (no open-toes) are a must, and wearing a hat naturally protects little faces from sun and the heat of summer.  Buckets are provided by the farm, but keep in mind that the trek back to the farmhouse to pay can be a long one with a full bucket of cherries.  We always ask for two buckets each and fill them only half full or less to make the return trip and checking out a breeze.

Be prepared to hear, “This was my most favoritist thing to do ever!” , as you drive away from the farm, with little  lips smeared in cherry juice and smiles that reach from ear to ear.

Karen Daggett Austin
Owner, True Juice organic Café’ and Nana to five kiddos who LOVE to garden and pick fruits and veggies

 

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Umpqua Valley Festival of Lights

Festival of Lights at River Forks Park

The Festival of Lights has become an annual tradition in Douglas County, drawing 25,000 visitors per year and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for Rotary Club scholarships and service projects since 1993.

The Festival of Lights opens at River Forks Park in Roseburg, Oregon starting at the end of November and runs through January.

Visitors enjoy 90 light displays containing nearly 500,000 lights and all the traditional attractions that have made the Festival famous, including the Holiday Village, wagon rides, the World’s Largest Nutcracker and visits from Santa Claus himself!

The Holiday Village is open every night through Christmas Eve in Helleck Hall. With Santa Claus, a model train set, cookies, candies, warm cider and souvenirs for sale, the Holiday Village is a must see. Wagon rides are offered Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

http://www.umpquavalleyfestivaloflights.com

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The Healthy Food Festival

                                                                                     

The Annual Healthy Food Festival is held  in Grants Pass, Oregon in September.  A wide variety of activities, vendors, learning opportunities and tastings await the attendees. The Healthy Food Festival gives the opportunity to learn about and taste a variety of delicious foods that are easy to prepare and support a healthy body and mind.

Classes in the Learning Center speak to how nutrition affects our bodies, minds, and spirits and offer scientific wisdom about how to utilize food for health.

                                                                                                                      

Several activities are planned for the entire family. Door prizes, Raffle, and SO MUCH MORE! See you there!

 ww.HealthyFoodFestival.org    www.GraceRootsPathwaystoWellness.org

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