MARCH 2011 MARsHAll Gold stAte PARk

HiGHliGHtinG:

Marshall Gold park

RE:SOLVEM aga z i n E fOR Stat E Pa R k S

every month Re:solVe highlights a new California state Park we think you should get involved in. For this issue we are showcasing the historical park, Marshall Gold.

Special Comment with BiographyHello everyone, Glad you could join us in making our magazine, Re:Solve, the best it can be. People like you who are wanting to know about what parks can offer you and what they can provide future gen-erations, gets us up in the morning and we are happy to share with you our dis-coveries and hope you will make some of your very own. I will be your guide throughout this magazine so I should probably tell you a little bit about myself. My name is David Hunt and I am the Art Director, Editor and Copywriter of Re:Solve. I wanted to be a designer who did more then make pretty pictures, I wanted to give back and do something which can benefit people. From there I founded Re:Solve and the rest is history.

Thanks again for your support,

From theeditor

Letter

RE:SOLVEWe at Re:Solve pride ourselves on

delivering a publication which not only

shows the true beauty and the history of

state parks but gets people involved in

volunteering to preserve these treasures.

—team Re:Solve

James Marshall is the famous man who discovered gold in California and as a result the state has developed into one of the

most powerful states in the union. Marshall presented his find to his boss, John Sutter, who wanted to keep the find a secret, but that

didn’t last too long. Mr. Marshall wrote in his journal, when describing the day…

—James marshall

“It waS a Clear MornIng I

Shall never forget.”

the

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16

10

6 15

26

The ChineseStory

Voting,It Matters,Right?

Just A Road Until…

OneVolunteer’sStory

ContentstabLe oF

Marshall Gold State Discovery Park will provide you with a multitude of points of interests and volunteering opportunities for those who want to give back to something they love.

The four articles of this magazine describe the history of the park in the form of the Chinese story, a story high-lighting an issue specific to the park in the form of “Just a Road Until…,” how voting matters and will affect parks, and finally a story describing one vol-unteer’s journey to make a difference.

We hope you enjoy these stories and learn something new about the beauti-ful piece of history known as Marshall Gold State Discover Park.

The people of China im-migrated to the United States by the thousands between the years 1848–1852.

25Jane had the great idea to start a recycling movement at Marshall Gold. See what she has done to help the park.

See a possible solution to one of the issues facing Marshall Gold, the infrastructure.

20–21Find out about how gold was discovered and what it meant to California with this informative time line.

Marshall GoldSTATE PARK

Question andsoLution

a

Boots

Rain Jacket

Healthy Snacks

Water

Gloves

Poncho

Sense of Adventure

Watch

First Aid

Backpack

Freezer bags

Map

Compass

CameraHey guys, i was wondering what i should bring on my visit to a Marshall gold Park? —Lisa R.

Hey Lisa,

to the right you will see a list

of everything you will need to

have a great time at your local

state park.

—team Re:Solve

You ask the questions, and we answer

Marshall gold Discovery State historic Park is always interested to hear what you have to say and would love to answer your ques-

tions. Please feel free to send your comments of questions to:questions@marshallgold.com.

Chinesestory

the

When learning about the Gold Rush of Califor-nia, many of the history books that we studied through grade school and on through high school only focused on the white man story. Thousands flocked to the west coast from the east in hopes of striking it rich to make their American Dream turn into reality. But what about those people

that came to California from the west? What happened to them when they got here? The fol-lowing story is of a brave young man who left his homeland to find the answers to these questions the hard way.

Yee Fung Cheung arrived in the port of San

Francisco in 1850 at the young age of 24.

With the Canton province torn by civil war,

floods, droughts and typhoons, he was more

than happy to leave for a better place. His

family was in need of help and was looking

for a better life. He knew exactly what he

needed to do when he heard of the “Gum

Shan” in California. Gold Mountains, how

beautiful and inviting that sounds. Tails of

gold glistening in the river just waiting to

be picked up was everything he dreamed

for. He could not believe that this gold was

just there for the taking. “There has to be

some kind of tax or someone you have to

pay to keep a portion of what you find,” he

asked a friend who had just returned from

California. The friend replied, “No. There

is no such thing. You keep everything that

you find. It is that simple”. Finally he could

bring home enough money for his family to

survive and thrive on. No more begging, no

more scavenging for scraps, he finally had

something to give him hope and push him

to become something great.

“We were treated so poorly, I questioned why I left my home.”

written by: JENNA DUNCAN

1

Continuing the Story

Introduction

Tales of Migration3

2

1

Population Increase4

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the Chinese people have a strong historical significance to gold rush, and to California as a whole. the article talks about one man’s

journey to California and his struggles and tribulations and how he took advantage of his situation. his original dream

wasn’t met, but he created his own, which is what makes this state great.

With only 804 Chinese males in all of California at the time of his arrival, Cheung felt very out of place. However once word spread throughout the hills of China, it was not long before more flooded the ports of San Francisco. Chinese men found it very easy to find work in and around the city due to their passion and dedication to their work. Unlike many other men in the working force, if they could not find work at the standard pay, they would work for much less due to the fact that any money was great money to them. Any dollar that they made was more than anything they would have gotten in the home country. Cheung however did not find the streets of the city to yield the kind of money he was looking to come home with. He came here for the “gold mountains” and he was go-ing to get there if it took everything he had.

In 1851, Cheung decided to head out toward those gold hills that he had always dreamed about to try his hand at panning for gold. It was rough, it was tough and it was dirty work. He tried doing it on his own for a while but realized that he needed more help to actually produce enough gold to make a living. He tried joining a crew of fellow Chinese men to help run a gold slew that was owned by a white miner. Sadly, this dream of his of finding gold in the rivers of California did not last long. Finding gold was now few and far between. The rivers began to dry up and the white min-ers became impatient. White miners started

“We earned our gold. But it would then be taken from us.”

2

If you would like to know more about the stories of the Chinese and anything else involving the gold rush, the Marshall gold

State Park library is the most abundant resources. or you can visit their website: http://www.marshallgold.org

a Chinese man during the gold Rush

In 1904, Cheung returned to China a rich man, finally able to support and provide for his entire family. To this day many of his descendants have returned back to the same towns Cheung lived in to carry out his legacy, many of them doctors and healers. One of Cheung’s great-great-grandsons, Dr. Allen Cheung, is now a pulmonary specialist in Sacramento, Cali-fornia. Cheung was a man full of hopes and determination and although he never found the golden rivers he had dreamed about, he was still able to carry out his intended purpose, to bring light to those who lost it.

04 | 05

to become selfish and drove thousands of Chinese miners out of the rivers. They claimed that the Chinese had no right to the gold they were finding since they were not citizens of the United States. Being one of the thousands that were forced out of the mines, Cheung was determined to make something of himself here in California. Arriving in the small town of Coloma, Cheung unpacked his herbal medicines and began healing his countrymen.

It was not long after he set up shop in Coloma that more and more people were coming to see Dr. Cheung for everything from the common cough to foot fungus. Word spread quickly through the town of Cheung’s skills which began to bring in more business than ever. Even people of other cultures were coming to see him, which was unheard of at that time. Che-ung had an excellent location right there along highway 49 that conveniently runs through the town of Coloma. New cus-tomers would travel through the small town on their way north to some of the more prosperous mines. These travelers were so thankful to see Cheung claim-ing that, “it was only a dose of his smile they needed” to keep their spirits up and their dreams alive. Many people passing through would spread the word of his great skills as a healer to surrounding towns which helped spread the word even further than Cheung could have ever imagined.

Cheung prospered in the years to come and soon opened a second store in Vir-ginia City, Nevada to capitalize on the 1859 Comstock Lode Silver Strike. One of his most famous customers was the wife of Governor Leland Stanford, a man who called Chinese immigrants the

“dregs of Asia” and who urged their expulsion from the mines. Stanford’s wife had come down with a seemingly incurable pulmonary disease and when no other doctor knew how to help her, Stanford sent out men to find this infamous Dr. Cheung. Once found in Sacramento, Cheung was able to diagnose and cure Jane Stanford with a natural source of ephedrine which is called “majaung.”

The Chinese people traveled great distances in search of a new life of their own.

The Chinese people took a great risk in leaving their homeland. They traveled great distances and gave up the known, for the unknown hope of a new land, a place where they could get a new start and start a new life.

China was inflicted with violence during the 1800’s. The dangers of this time made California all the more appealing and this mind set, along with the prospect of riches lead to mass migrations to California.

3

Understanding the huge migration and the significance of the Chinese people is difficult to fathom but below are some

graphics which hopefully put history into perspective.

11,794

7

Represents one Chinese Person

The population shift of the Chinese is one of the most amazing migrations in human history which is still seen today. The Chi-nese people have a rich history they strive to hold onto. A history which can be seen in locations such as Marshall Gold State Park. The Mah Wop Shop is still standing after 162 years. The building represents the determination of the Chinese people. A de-termination in which a group of individuals who had a single purpose, to better them-selves, bond together to be a strong cohesive unit. The individual became stronger when the idea of “everyone for themselves” left their minds. They bound together based on their circumstances and from there, they have become one of the most prevalent groups in California’s history

A comparison of the Chinese population in 1848 vs 1852.

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1848 185206 | 07

http://www.redcross.org/

Be part of something important.Join the efforts of the red Cross.

Many thanks to our contributors at the red Cross. the advertising on their website, redcross.org, increased volunteering at the park

by 5% last month. the help of organizations like the red Cross, assist Marshall gold State Park as much as they can.

there still is need for volunteers of all kinds. If you are interested, please visit our website at: resolve.org/volunteering

08 | 09

What you’resaying

message board

i had a great time. i met some really cool people and learned a lot more then i thought i was going to.—Jesse D.

it felt good to help out at the

Park. felt like i was really doing

something that mattered.

—Jason P.

My best friend and i went to

get out of the city and really

started to get a feel for the park. i

will be returning for the summer.

—gary J.

i went to the park when i was in

the 4th grade but going back, i

appreciate more then i did then.

—Becky k.

What volunteers are talking about

V

V

written by: RYAN WUNN

Every day however, hundreds of people drive Highway 49 through this historic town and no more than take a quick glance at a building while thinking nothing of it. Why is this? Is it because the history of the gold rush is not valid in our hectic, everyday lives? I think not. After visiting this wonderful state park I know that the average person would take interest in doing so as well. Then what is keeping visitors from taking interest in the town as they drive past?

One thing I noticed when coming up to the state park for the first time was how difficult it was to know whether I was in a state park or not. The signage was greatly lacking when driving through the town, and I missed the parking lot for the state park because of this. Infrastructure is something that needs to be con-stantly updated to meet the needs of each generations interests. These interests and needs can include signage, architecture, utilities and transportation.

A student’s reflection of a simple car ride over a historic highway.

A RoAdUntil…

JUst

A road is just a road until it serves its purpose of deliv-

ering one to a certain destination. It is simply paint on

asphalt, but a road can be so much more. A road is per-

ceived differently depending on the locale or setting in

which it’s paved. They can be integral to society or un-

wanted, but the fact remains the same: All roads are time

lines, whether they be new or old.

A road is similar to a human life. The younger, fitter ones

are ideal while the older, broken ones are ridiculed. High-

way 49 in Northern California is an old road, and one

can see the patches that cover the holes of the past.

Driving with the windows down is like listening to a great

story from a beloved grandparent. Every bump and every

sharp turn reveals more and more to the story. Highway

49 cuts through some old towns like a lawn mower cuts

grass, so quickly it is easy to miss what is around you.

These towns survive solely by locals and the people who

stop and take a look around and spend their money. One

town in particular that fits into this category is Coloma,

which is near Placerville, CA. The entire town is within

the Marshall Gold Discovery state park boundaries, and

therefore relies heavily on tourists who are interested in

the state’s gold rush history.

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Signage and Conclusion

Introduction

Old Infrastructure3

2

1

Possible Revamp4

a park’s infrastructure is its backbone, it holds it together, without it, it will crumble. at Marshall gold, the state of the

signage is something to be de-sired. In order to change this, we had one of our reports research and describe what they saw at the

park and a possible solution to help Marshall gold.

Now I don’t believe this issue is so horrible that a visitor will walk back to their car and drive away. There are plenty of sights that don’t need narration from a stationary signpost. The abandoned ghost town aura is a beautiful sight to behold, and one can feel the history of the place without much historical knowledge of it. The signage is meant to add to this initial feeling by informing the visitor of something that he or she did not previously know about California’s rich history. How can a state park with limited funding go and replace the signage without going into debt? This is where the community needs to get together and raise awareness of the issue. This can include more than just the community of Coloma or El Dorado county, but the community of historians and everyday individu-als who are interested in preserving the cultural impact a relevant state park has. A contest could be held proclaiming whoever designs the best series of signs for the state park gets to have them utilized for future generations to enjoy. Then a fundraiser could be held to raise the money needed to carry out the steep cost of having new signs made and installed. It sounds like a lot of work to accomplish this task, but it is criti-cal that the state park system has an effective mode of navigation for the visitors it so desperately needs in these hard economic times.

Signage is the most visually important facet of infrastructure

in a state park because it serves the general public by guid-

ing and directing them to certain areas of the park. Of course

architecture is good to keep up because you don’t want the

roof caving down on your head, and utilities al-

low essential power and water into the parks. A

state park’s very limited funding goes toward the

most essential infrastructure needs, like archi-

tecture and utilities. Signage is something that

is deemed not as important, you can just put up

a few and forget about them for 20 years. This

is what Marshall Gold seems to be doing inside

the state park. The informational markers that

serve as mini-history lessons scattered along

the trails are extremely weathered by years of di-

rect sunlight and pounding rain. When standing

at the entrance of Pioneer Cemetery, the sign

explaining the history of the location is so hard

to read that you simply don’t want to strain your

eyes to do so. In other locations throughout the

park the signage is impossible to read, the words

completely faded away. How can somebody take

in everything a state park has to offer if the infor-

mational content isn’t readable?

The current state of the signage at Marshall Gold

2

we are highlighting an issue which needs resolving at State Parks each Magazine issue and in this one, signage is an

obvious problem which can be fixed with a little help.

Highway 49 passes directly through Marshall gold State Park. keeping this Highway and then by association Marshall gold connected, we are en-suring a stronger and safer connection between the two.

Raising money for improved infra-structure in a state park doesn’t have to be a laborious process. It can be accomplished through community events and can harness the web to spread the word to a wider audience. It is noted that people from all over the world visit the state parks in California because they are critical to the reason the state is so diverse today. All these individuals from different corners of the state, the country, the world all arrive at Marshall Gold by road. Highway 49 is named for the year gold was discovered in California, so before a person even arrives at the park they are already experiencing it.

A road is a timeline stretching for miles

in each direction. They play a role in the

experience one takes from a state park

mainly because it is a road that gets a per-

son there. If it is an unpleasant road then

preconceptions about the park might be

low, and if the road is smooth spirits will be

higher going into the park. With signage it

is the same concept. Instead of roads in-

side a state park, there are trails that serve

as a main form of transportation. These

trails are influenced by effective way-

finding that come primarily from the sig-

nage posted in various spots throughout.

Individuals in this great state need to take

initiative and fight for the infrastructure

of not just Marshall Gold in Coloma, but

all the California state parks. Without the

ability to teach and inform the public the

reasoning for why a road is so important,

the road remains just a road. And every

bump along the way is a nuisance instead

of a really interesting story. There needs

to be reason to want to stop and look

around rather than quickly glance as you

drive by. The state park needs to make an

impact on the highway that runs through it.

Infrastructure is the backbone that keeps

all state parks great. Without maintenance

and community involvement, our state

parks will just become a fleeting glimpse

instead of a strong historical statement.

12 | 13

if you want to be part of the

effort to restore Marshall golds

infrastructure, you can join the

cause at: marshallgold.com

South Fork Am

er ican River

What the Current Map Looks Like, With New Signage

3

infrastructure is the main issue at Marshall gold State Park. Paths are worn down, roads disappear and then reappear and the signs around key points in history are faded and worn. in order to alleviate some of these prob-lems, we are proposing a few distinct changes to what the park currently offers. We have a plan for the paths which includes clean up of already set pathways, and reconstruction efforts for new paths which will integrate more with the surrounding area con-necting both.

Signage in and around the park needs improvement. for this we have a system of connected, interactive signs arranged around the park. these signs would be used to help with navigation of course, but also display informa-tion, whether it be historical or event related. if an event is being held, the signs will be updated to show where and when the event is located in order to help visitors, volunteers or guests find where they need to be.

a look at the park from a bird’s eye view. from here we found ide-al locations to install the proposed new signage for the park.

James MarshallMonument

Mon

roe

Rid

ge Trail

Mon

um

ent

Tra

il

M o n u m e n t R o a d

Col

d

Sp

r in

g R

d.

HWY 49

HW

Y 4

9

HW

Y 49

C h u r c h S t .

B a c k S t r e e t

Ma i n S t .

Hig

h St .

Bridge

St.

Brewer

ySt.

Mt . M

urphy Rd .

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

Marshall’sCabin

ThomasHouse

St. John’sChurch

EmmanuelChurch

Coloma

MarketCounty Inn

I.O.O.FHall

PapiniHouse

SchoolHouse

Nature

Bell’s Store

Blacksmith ShopMonroe House

Post OfficeArgonant Refreshment Saloon

Bekeart Gun Shop

SawmillReplica

BedrockMortar

MonroeOrchard

MillSite

GoldDiscoveryMuseum

CenterJailRuins

Olde ColomaTheatre Pioneer

Cemery

CatholicCemetery

GoldDiscovery

Site Rec rea t ion

a l Gold P

ann

ing

South Fork Am

er ican River

S

S

S

S

What Is Involved with the New Signage

4

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TOP LAYER: the proposed new signage locations around the park.

MIDDLE LAYER: What the park has to offer including monuments.

BOTTOM LAYER: Roads and paths throughout the park.

here is another look at the proposed installation of the new signage for Marshall gold.

Signs would be provided near points of interest. the sawmill, where gold was discovered, James Marshall’s monu-ment, and so on.

the signs will be interactive and engaging, letting the user choose their own way to learn about history. facts, points of interests, and way finding will be provided with each sign.

James Marshall Monument

21PROP

HOw will yOu HelP tHe state PaRks?

The November Ballot, and Prop 21’s Importance

it MatteRs

written by: DAVID HUNT

RigHt?

VOting

1 We are taught in our political science and economic classes it does. We hear “This is the most important proposition California has ever seen!” Really? Does it feel like that after it is voted on? After the results are in, does it feel like there is real change happening at your work? School? Probably not. So why does voting matter? Does it? So how do we see the effects of our votes. Maybe in the rivers we see, the paths we walk, and the parks we visit.

State parks are in danger because of the eco-nomic climate we are in. We have an economy which is, for a better word, bad. Former Gov-ernor Schwarzenegger has been quoted on the economy by saying “Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up.” Not having the funds to really delegate among all those in need is taking its toll. Some organiza-tions have to tighten their belts and make cuts for the greater good. Who should sacrifice and who shouldn’t? One way the state of California is trying to alleviate the financial problems of state parks is found inside the ballot box in the form of Proposition 21.

In California’s November election there is a proposition which directly affects the parks, Prop. 21. The main concept behind Prop. 21 is an $18 increase in vehicle registration fees in order to create a $500 million safe fund for state parks. Essentially a “rainy day” fund to be used at their disposal. But really what does the passing of this proposition mean? Not only to the parks but to California and you.

If you are currently involved with the parks, either volunteering or a regular visitor, we already know which way you are leaning on Prop. 21. You know what parks offer. You know they have natural beauty, rich history, and a sense of escapism. With the passing of Prop 21, the $18 vehicle registration fee would provide you with the ability to have free parking at any of California’s 278 state parks for the entire year. People who are directly involved with state parks know exactly how they are vot-ing, now we need to take into consideration the benefits to the general public.

The November ballot has Prop 21, which will directly affect parks.

Be Heard

Introduction

2

1

So, voting matters right? the article talks about how the no-vember ballot has a proposition which will give results which

can be actually seen which is a nice change of pace as opposed to what we usually “see” after the results of an election. You will get

a general overview of Proposition 21 and what it will do and what is involved with it.

16 | 17

For environmentalists the issue is simple, parks need our help and they have the power to do something about it. Environ-mentalists look at the facts of 1.3 million acres of land owned and managed by state parks, the number represents around 1.5% of all of California total area. Imagine if all of the land state parks managed was taken away, destroyed or continued to go without proper funding and knowledge of what they offer. The adverse side effects could directly destroy fauna, animal life, and water systems already in place and which are being monitored and maintained by those who care enough to preserve California’s natural wonders.

The $18 vehicle registration fee would provide you with the ability to have free parking at any of California’s 278 state

parks for the entire year.

Your $18

The $500 Million it Goes to

Be Sure Your Voice Is HeardThis Election Season

2

elections give people a voice, something ancestors have fought to hold onto and give us the right to. the real power in elections, lay

within us. People have the power to change the world they live in. for more information on starting causes which matter to you,

register at www.resolve.org and get others to join your efforts.

During the gold rush peoples from all over the world came to California to find riches not only in its physical form, gold, but in the psychological form of getting a shot at something greater. Becoming better then you could before and becoming something you have dreamed about drove a mass migration to California. Most people just want an opportunity to make something of themselves, and there is a parallel between those people and what state parks are asking of voters. State parks want a chance which they haven’t been given in a good while. The last few years state parks have been having to tighten their belts more and more and trying to entertain more then 79 million visitors a year on a budget of $140 million dollars. The budget which is enacted may seem like it is enough for state parks to sustain themselves, but when you hear some parks can’t even afford to have toilet paper in their rest rooms, you may think differently. State parks aren’t asking for much, they bring money to California while the state takes this money from parking passes and so on, and uses it for itself and doesn’t directly distribute the money back into the parks. Parks want a chance to be more self-sufficient and deliver a better experi-ence to guests of the park, while being a strong entity on their own, providing themselves with the opportunity to become stronger and more profitable for themselves, California, and deliver a more rewarding experience to visitors.

We can of course make the point that an $18 increase to vehicle registration would pro-vide state parks and wildlife preserves with a $500 million a year safe fund. Those are pure numbers. They make sense, and have power behind them. But this is more important then dollars and cents. The issue of passing Prop 21 or not has more to do with preservation and making sure we hold on to the natural beau-ties which we all take for granted. We know it is there, because it has been there all our lives. But what about the future? Is it worth losing or fighting for? What is really at stake here is the security of our history. Our securi-ty of who we are and what defines California. Not just to ourselves but to others around the world. We started out being the place to go to follow your dreams and become something greater then you ever imagined. We can hold onto this history, or we can let it fade away.

parks

savinG state parksCHeCk All tHAt APPly

Preserve

Protect

Volunteer

Fund Raise

Give Back

explore

The article started the discussion with if voting mattered, if you got to see real change. You don’t get to see the after affects of most propositions. You feel it in your checking account and your wallet sometimes, but now there is a chance to vote on something which is more powerful then the dollars and cents we are used to voting on, the natural beauty in our own back-yards. We are lucky to live in California and have 278 parks to visit, all with new discoveries and new places to escape to. You may even find a place that is all your own. Somewhere you can become sane from all the craziness from the rest of the world. For some people that is putting on your headphones in your room and letting time pass you by. But to really escape you have to get up and move and be somewhere new, see some-thing outside of your comfort zone. Live California. Remember that motto? Might not know what it meant till you get to see what the state has to offer. It offers people a sense of gorgeous serenity, and companionship with their fellow man. California has been, and will continue to be the state we know because of our dedication to hold onto what makes us, us. Our history de-fines us and will continue defining us. What we preserve and a mind set of respect and care for our natural wonders proves to us we are people who take a stand, and hold onto what is important to us and to others around us.

So you have to ask yourself a question. Do you want to be known for something you can be proud of? You can tell your grandkids you were there when you held onto what made the state great, what made us great, preserving our natural won-ders. Preserving what we hold dearest, our identity. A purpose for a greater good and that is something to be proud of.

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1810 1820 1830

CALIfORnIA

goLd and itsdisCovery

a history oF

1882–Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, barring all Chinese immigration—a law that was not repealed for more than sixty years.

Late 1800’s–The trans-continental railroad system was established with funding from the “Big Four,” a group of men whose economic influence helped shape California’s indus-trial industry—Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, Collis P. Huntington, and Leland Stanford.

1848–James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s sawmill in Coloma in Janu-ary 1848, along the south fork of the American River, thus kicking off the famous Gold Rush of 1849 from whence the term “49ers” was coined.

1860–California’s famous mail courier service, the Pony Express, followed a route which began in Missouri and ended in Sacramento, California. The fastest delivery was a trip in six days, delivering the news of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.

1870–By 1870 San Francisco had become the tenth largest city in the United States.

1850–California was admitted into the Union as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

1840

20 | 21

1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900

written by: SARA PEMBERTON

Volunteer’sstory

one

1 This month’s issue is proud to feature the story of Jane Collins. Jane is a graduate student from Sacramento State University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. During her last semester of Spring 2010 she and her fellow classmates were challenged by their professor to create a theoretical donation program in which donor and the community’s communica-tion is strengthened, “there were no specifications on the top-ic; just the outcome,” said Jane. This, she professed, left the students a little overwhelmed with the possibilities and thus, they all did not know exactly how to start. After spending a day in her campus library Jane decided to simplify the task at hand so she made a list of topics the average citizen would be interested in and that would not raise any negative issues. Thinking of the project from this point of view made Jane re-alize that the broadest topic could be the most effective, “and then it occurred to me: recycling.” Jane being a young woman who grew up in a family that recycled their aluminum cans and plastic bottles found that she had neglected that philoso-phy since she started her academic career.

“It is really important to me to do what I can for the park.”

She then began to think of why that was. “I hadn’t really thought about it since I started college. I was young and new to campus and like everyone else, was swamped with class sched-ules and homework deadlines. So, I was pretty much on-the-go those four-years and recycling wasn’t that high on my personal agenda. But I know that if there had been more receptacles available I would have made at least that much effort rather than throwing my soda in the trash.” Jane knew at this point that she wanted to make this project as thorough as possible.

Recycling the Old

Introduction

Adopt A Bin Program3

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1

every issue of re:Solve we ask you to contribute to our articles. In this issue, Sara Pemberton took this opportunity and shed light on

a volunteer’s story, and how they changed something they saw was a problem. Jane, the subject of this article, went to Marshall gold and

wanted to help with their recy-cling needs. You can contribute just like Jane by going to our site, resolve.com/volunteering.

JANE COLLINSAge: 23Sex: FemaleEducation: Bachelor’s (Communication)Occupation:Hostess

Activities: RunningHikingCampingSwimming

Interests: SportsMusicVolunteering

State Parks Visited:Marshall GoldFort RossJack LondonBidwell MansionEmpire Mine

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She visited local businesses that had recycling canisters, getting an aver-age of the maintenance involved and any and all fees that were required. “I was surprised by how relatively easy it was for businesses to recycle and even more surprised by how much recycling they take in every week.” This inspired Jane to go another step further and look up prices for purchasing a basic recycling bin. After charting out the figures and averaging the donation requirements she realized that this might be a more beneficial program than she initially suspected. Jane went back to the drawing boards and made a list of local areas that would most benefit from such a program. “This list started out pretty simple at first. But then something made me remem-ber my class trip to one of our State parks in the 5th grade. One of the most memorable speeches the ranger gave us was how State Parks wouldn’t exist without the volunteers who helped clean and maintain the park’s beauty.” Although the ranger’s message was slightly romanticized, it was also very truthful in its message; and obviously it kept with at least one student. Jane knew that California State Parks would be the most beneficial site to focus her recycling program. So she took it another step further.

Jane knew at this point that she wanted

to make this project as thorough as possible.

After a few nights of staying up later than usual and getting very familiar with Microsoft Excel Jane had a presentation ready. Although, she did not put in all that effort for class; she was preparing for the Redevelopment Community Meeting in Placerville. “I knew I was naïve in this project and I was taking a chance when I decided to present my concept before discussing it with any sort of guidance but I knew that this was a learning experience that I needed. That’s why I chose Coloma instead of driving to downtown and knocking on the door of the Capitol building. I wanted to get my feet wet by choosing one State Park and its one city district to present my humble program.” The nervous undergraduate attended her first Council meeting with statistical charts in one hand and a mock-up of a recycling bin in the other. Patiently, Jane waited till the end of the meeting when the panel asked if there were any issues from citizens to address. Jane eagerly raised her hand, was waived to the podium and she began her pitch of the Adopt a Bin Program.

Today, Jane is responsible for the new and upcoming recycling program that will be initiated in Marshall Gold State Park as well as the streets of downtown Placerville. Every twenty dol-lar donation goes towards the purchase of one new recycling bin that will display the Marshall Gold State Park logo, will be picked up weekly by State Park volunteers and the funds earned from the items recycled will also go towards the fund-ing of Marshall Gold. Not only does this program benefit the community, a local State Park and the companies involved in the organization but also it is one step towards a greener tomorrow. When Jane was asked what was the most impor-tant thing she took away from her efforts she responded, “a new and profound sense of community and the knowledge of how much can be accomplished when people organize and support one another.”

It is understandable that we cannot all invest as much time as Jane but at least there are people in our communities that make the initial effort so that we may support and acknowl-edge them for their noble endeavors. Jane did the brunt work and for that she has given us multiple opportunities to get involved ourselves. Volunteering doesn’t have to be an all-day investment nor does it have to be an obligation. It can be simply going to your local State Park and offering to clean up trash or even as simple as adopting a bin. Thanks to Jane, surrounding cities of one State Park have more options of giv-ing back and getting involved with their community; now it our turn to take our first step.

Recycling the Old2

Marshall GoldSTATE PARK

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Adopt a Bin Program3

If you want to join the adopt a Bin Program, you can always visit on the web at: resolve.org/mg/bins.

we have more volunteer program which may be in your neck of the woods too. to learn more about other programs re:Solve is in-

volved in go to the “volunteering” section of our site.

the recycling bins provides visitors with easy access to dispose of their recyclables. Making sure the park stays beautiful for all to enjoy.

$20

Picked Up every week

By volunteers

Marshall GoldSTATE PARK

forMarshall gold

State Park

BUILDING A BETTER TOMORROW, TODAY.www.habitat.org

the good people at habitat for humanity have provided supplies for some of the local renovations at Marshall gold State Park.

for more information about how you can help with the infrastruc-ture of the park, or to become a part of habitat for humanity

family you can go to: resolve.org/marshallgold

Editor / Designer / ContributorDavid Hunt

Executive EditorLucy Styles

Associate DesignersStephanie Pui / José Rivera

Advertising DirectorChristine Jackson

Production ManagerJohn B. Reily

Guest ContributorsRyan WunnSara PembertonJenna Duncan

Guest PhotographerLily allen

Web MasterMichael Shores

Website ManagersRobert Smith / David Hunt Web Content ContributorLisa Johnson

Talent Coordinator kim Underwood

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Contributors &Credits

re:soLve team

the excellent team behindRe:Solve the Magazine

Ryan Wunn - Ryan shed light on the issues facing Marshall gold’s infra-structure and signage while giving it a personal tone and described a solution, instead of passing unnecessary blame.

Sara Pemberton - Sara brought to life a story of a volunteer who did some-thing above the minimum. the story was beautifully told and did justice to a great deed.

Jenna Duncan - Had the difficult task of telling a story which has been kept from the light of our history books and told the powerful story of one immi-grants journey to salvation.

hey would you like to contribute to re:Solve and be featured in one of our magazine issues? If so we would love to hear from you.

for complete information on how to write, photograph or contribute in any way, visit the “Contribute to the Cause” section of resolve.org

sentineL 65The way it’s meant to be done.

www.high-sierra.com/sentinel-65

high Sierra was kind enough to donate ten Sentinel 65 backpacks to our newest volunteers. It is companies like them who keep us

in business, trying to help out our beautiful state parks.Please visit their web site at: www.high-sierra.com/sentinel-65