Category Archives: Uncategorized

Welcome to the World, Goldstream Community Garden!

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A new “living fence” is planted on top of a hugel mound. It will be covered in edible berries and beautiful bushes for park users and passers by to enjoy.

Beautifying donated lumber brings character to the garden.

Volunteers add a trellis to the space between two raised beds.

In February, 2020 the Goldstream Valley Lions voted in favor of fostering a Goldstream Community Garden on land owned by the club just behind the playground.  The GCG is being conceptualized, planned and executed by a group of volunteers made up of Lions and non-Lions.  The ultimate goal will be for the Goldstream Community Garden to become it’s own non-profit organization, able to manage it’s own operation and funds with a Board of Directors and association members.

For now, the GCG is relying on the financial support and infrastructure of the Goldstream Lions Club.  Currently, the majority of the organizers are GVLC board members.  We’d like this to change by bringing in volunteers from the wider community to help shape and manage the GCG, using these Lions members as liaisons during and after these coming years of transition.  The Gioldstream Lions strongly support this idea of a community garden and want to see it thrive as it’s own entity.  We’ve seen some great progress toward this goal already.

While the garden is well under way, physically, right now the GCG is in need of folks interested in helping to organize meetings and the way those meetings will operate, folks to take, save and share meeting notes, folks interested in discussion and developing a fee schedule and rules for rental plots, folks interested in organizing community outreach events for children and adults and folks interested in overseeing special projects at the garden, fundraising and general maintenance.  This would be a great opportunity to utilize your past experience in non-profit work or to begin your career as a volunteer and organizer!

If you are interested in being part of this grass-roots community organization please feel free to contact Zoe Marshall-907-885-7589, CJ Russell- 907-460-4042 or Lindsey Copelin- 207-939-1864.  You can also visit the Goldstream Community Garden on facebook at:    https://www.facebook.com/goldstreamcommunitygarden and message the GCG there.

An informational event is also scheduled for July 22nd at 7pm outside in the garden area.  Event details at https://www.facebook.com/events/613703205928444/.

Playing it Safe and Safely Playing- Easter Essentials

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Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is a cherished tradition to the Goldstream Community and very near and dear to the hearts of our Lions.  When we realized that we couldn’t celebrate Easter in the same way due to Covid 19 we were saddened and began wondering if there was anything else we could safely do for kids and families on Easter under such restrictions.  Then something magical happened.

The Easter Bunny reached out to us saying that she wanted to still be there for Goldstream and find a way to make Easter special.  How could we say “no” to the Easter Bunny?!  After that call, Lions CJ, Dave C. and family started brainstorming how to safely celebrate with the families of Goldstream.  The Easter Bunny began coordinating a socially distant photo booth with Lion volunteers.  It all started coming together and everyone needed to work fast and carefully to pull it off.

On Easter Sunday the main building of the Ken Kunkel Community Center remained closed to the public, and there were no colorful eggs laying in the snow.  However, the parking lot was staged with a marked driving loop, a table with goodie bags (packed by Lions following all safety and sanitation measures), yellow-vested volunteers wearing masks and, of course, the Easter Bunny herself!

 

As families entered the lot festive Traffic Troops Don, Kevin, Tim, David, Phill and Elsie guided drivers safely along the loop.  First stop was the goodie table where Baggy Brigadiers Heidi, Christian, Leslie, Gretchen, Oliver and CJ handed out good cheer and paper sacks of fun for each child.  Next, families lined up to the photo spot where our beloved Easter Bunny posed with the smiling car-fulls and waved to the vehicles occupants.  Photo Phriends Felix, Silke and Scout took pictures and also contact info in order to send digital photos to each family.  Finally, kids were able to leave a note or drawing in a special mail box for the Easter Bunny to read later on.

At the end of the day we had dispersed 60 goodie bags and endless cheer to 25 carloads of Goldstreamers big and small.  It was a wonderful sight to see such ingenuity bringing a new life to our favorite annual event.

In addition to the festivities at the Ken Kunkel the Goldstream Lions had also challenged the community to create strange works of snow art for an “Odd Duck Hunt” that could serve as a self-guided driving tour on Easter Sunday.  The idea quickly spread to other neighborhoods and while the window for making and viewing was narrow the melting remains can be seen all over our edge of Fairbanks.  Thanks to everyone who participated!

              

Goldstream Lions Covid 19 Response

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In response to the rapidly developing Covid 19 pandemic we at the Goldstream Valley Lions Club are taking the following measures to help protect our club members, volunteers and the community we serve.

All RENTALS OF THE KEN KUNKEL COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE SUSPENDED UNTIL MAY 1, 2020.  This includes regular small gatherings such as boy and girl scout meetings.  The outdoor areas of Goldstrem Lions Park have always been first-come, first-served and will remain open.  Please use these areas responsibly and practice good hygiene and social distancing even when outdoors.

All IN-PERSON CLUB MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELED FOR MARCH AND APRIL.  Virtual meetings are a possibility and club members will be notified via email if a virtual meeting is scheduled.  OFFICER ELECTIONS ARE POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.  The current Board of Directors will serve until which time elections can be held safely.

EASTER FESTIVITIES ARE CURRENTLY BEING REEVALUATED and an update will be provided as soon as possible.

Our club and members care deeply about the health of the Goldstream Community.  Trust that we are considering meaningful and healthful ways to assist in this time of need.  Bear with us while our volunteer membership gets a handle on how this effects our lives and how we can best serve the community.  At this time we can use the help of our community to keep our outdoor facilities clean.  Please take extra care to clean up after yourselves, pack out your own garbage when possible and sanitize playground equipment and surfaces before and after use.  This will allow our volunteers to stay home as much as possible as recommended by health and government officials.

Thank you, Goldstream!  We will get through this!

This past February we celebrated our 40th Charter Anniversary, or OUR 40th BIRTHDAY(!!!), with a potluck, bonfire and fireworks at the Ken Kunkel Community Center.  The community was enthusiastically invited and we all had a wonderful time celebrating togetherness and fellowship under the beautiful northern sky.  The Goldstream Lions thank all who attended and we hope to celebrate our birthday each year from now on.  40 Years of Fellowship… and counting!