Tag: Happy Camp Chamber

LaMalfa and the Happy Camp Chamber

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by Judy E. Bushy May 20, 2020

Congressman Doug LaMalfa

Last week the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce enjoyed a telephone visit with our District 1 congressman, Doug LaMalfa. He mentioned eating at the Pizza House last time he was in Happy Camp, maybe he will be back and visit Partner’s Deli as well.He has visited Happy Camp during some of our worst fire situations.

We weren’t the only ones on the conference call, but the rest were from quite larger Chambers than Happy Camp, like Redding. Let’s see now, Redding’s population is about 91,772 people within about 81 square miles of land in Shasta County. That comes out to around 1, 530 people per mile. Happy Camp, however, had a population of 1,190 people in about 12 square miles. That makes out population density about 81 persons per square mile.. Quite a difference!

Love Happy Camp, especially that we have beautiful wide open spaces to enjoy!!

The men that we were discussing their Chamber concerns with Representative LaMalfa mentioned the harsh pandemic experience of the business community. Because the Redding Chamber couldn’t hold the Cool April Nights event, they lost $30,000. Maybe they will be able to have a Hot August Night or some other event when things are open again.

Happy Camp hasn’t had the Rollin’ on the River motorcycle weekend since 2010, when we made enough to donate $3,000 to the Happy Camp Community Services District for River Park Improvements! That was thrilling for us! Over the preceding ten years, we’d made donations and improvements had been made adding electric and plumbing services to the River Park. The Chamber enjoyed being able to do that and it made the River Park area better for holding future events as well.

Since some Redding businesses told their Chamber that they were unable to contribute their Chamber dues investment this year, they made allowances. They didn’t want to eliminate any faithful members if they had been suffering through the recent sheltering in place problems! Their dues start at $300 a year for businesses, but $500 is their most popular membership investment and it goes up from there, except a $200 civic membership category. With their new policy, they have received 200 new members which increased the membership rolls to 1,000 it had been in the hay-day!! the Website for the Yreka Chamber says that they are offering 15-30% reductions in dues this year as well.

Every other Chamber that we are aware of in the area has much higher membership investments than the Happy Camp. Our dues started in 1986 at $50 each and they haven’t increased for those who were home businesses, or civic members. Annual dues were increased to $100 each for “brick and mortar businesses” and those who wish to plan ahead may invest $500 for a lifetime membership. At the next regular Chamber meeting we will be discussing a suggestion made that we should offer 50% off this year with the difficulty that local businesses have experienced.

What does a Chamber of Commerce do? It is an advocacy group for local business and the community, as such it provides networking and event development, resource development and relationships to last a lifetime. In Happy Camp we have a greater number of non-profit businesses than traditional for profit businesses. Small businesses are vital to our community and Chamber encourages keeping your business local as much as is possible as those are the businesses that contribute to the health of our community!

The Happy Camp Chamber receives many calls on the telephone,(530-493-2900) and seeks to help the callers whatever their question. We don
t know all the answers, but when stumped we will check it out and get back to them or refer them where they can find information. When our businesses post a notice of an event or of community interest on Facebook, we share to all our community. Our calendar has been a bit sparse lately, due to shelter-in-place, but we regularly make the community calendar available on line. We also get mail, and answer those letters and email as well.

We have a Happy Camp & Klamath River Directory with map and basic information. We try to include at least the business name, under the type of business, and phone number and address or website address if it is an online business.

Even the litter pick-ups at the “Friends of Dear Mad’m“ area of Highway 96 has been postponed. First the access to the area was complicated with the slide that closed a lane at times, and then the CalTrans office let us know that they didn’t want litter pick-ups made during the Corona-Virus situation. It is a beautiful walk along the River and Highway 96 for just two miles to just east of Independence rest area, It includes the area where we soon hope that we will be able to get E Clampus Vitus to erect a monument to Dear Mad’m, Stella W. Patterson. In her memory we have held Happy Camp events and programs at the Siskiyou County Museum. .

Thanks to Naturegraph publishers in Happy Camp,Dear Mad’m, the book is still available to those who need a new copy of an old favorite or their first copy as someone has recommended it! Contact them at Nature (at sign)sisqtel.net

We are so grateful to our faithful members!! Our needs are simple because all the work is done by volunteers. We’ve had great volunteers for decades, thay step up to help out for many purposes, members and non-members!!

We had no nominations for the officers or board members this year. We would be delighted to invite those who are interested in Happy Camp community wellbeing to join the Chamber to promote Happy Camp. You may contact the Chamber secretary at happycampchamber com or by mail. P. O. Box 1188, Happy Camp, CA 96039.

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July Celebrating the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce

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by Judy Bushy, July 2018

Happy Camp on the Wild and Scenic Klamath River


We love Happy Camp and our Klamath Neighbors, and walking in beauty of Creation everyday!


July is a big birthday time for our family!! We just had my youngest son’s birthday, Linda my friend in Idaho, and even the Constitution of the United States! The biggest surprise was that the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce began on my birthday!

It was a hot evening, but the business leaders of Happy Camp enjoyed the cool breezes on the deck by Elk Creek. The Jones’ had invited them to discuss the prospect of erecting a billboard to bring people from Interstate 5 down to enjoy the hiking, camping, rafting, fishing and hunting in our wonderful town!

On July 8th, 1986 they collected $1,730.49 in dues etc. which were $50 each. August five more joined, September another and October, a couple three more. They began putting aside money for the Christmas tree fund as they wanted it not to be a collection, but a gift to the Community. They rented meeting space at the Happy Camp Lions and replenished the bar. They got popcorn from Coley and Pollard and Lights from Happy Camp Hardware, more party refreshments from Larry’s Market and prepared for a coloring contest at Happy Camp elementary. We had a total income of $2,585.06 for 1986.

The next year they really got busy. They helped the Happy Camp Boy Scouts do town cleanup, paid Naturegraph to do printing, and got the telephone line (530) 493-2900.
Fundraising began in order to get a Deputy Dog for Siskiyou County Sheriff and a Reno Night helped that project.

They paid for an ad in the Pioneer Press fun Guide, and contributed $1100 for the Colliers Rest Area information to the Associate Chambers of Commerce of Siskiyou County. When Carol Jones and Mary Lee Adamson audited the accounts they’d taken in $5,867.80 of which they donated $4,766.50 for the Deputy Dog. The rest went to office supplies, signs, advertising, promotions, brochures, phone, Christmas and meeting expense and a memorial to J.R. to the Hospice Center.

In 1989 they paid $15 for a booth at the Bigfoot jamboree. That was one of my favorite Bigfoot Jamboree events when James Cook had the Youth Group from the Bible Church dress up as clowns for the parade.

Jim Jones took brochures and community information to the Reno Boat Show, Ron’s used Cars, Thompson Creek Guide Service and Peachey Clean launderette were members, Hair we Are, Joan Rogers, River Country Rafting, Sears,

In 1971 Dianne Hokanson painted a mural on the side of Larry’s Market. Napa and Pences’ Hardware provided some paints and total costs for the Chamber were $1,590.76

Thirty-two years, and we still get calls every day asking about Happy Camp. Seems like many people dream of coming here and we are happy to welcome them. How wonderful for us to be able to live here always, not just vacationing!!

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Beautifying our Highway 96 face:

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16Highway Plan 001
by Judy Bushy
It was such a pleasure to meet Sandi Tripp again at a meeting last Monday at the Elementary School. Sandi is a Happy Camper, and her dad, Dave Tulledo was also at the meeting. Sandi was here in her capacity for Karuk Transportation. She brought Josh and Jeff from Chico who had a power point presentation and with grand illustrations of the Highway 96 section through the center of the town of Happy Camp, both as it presently appears and ideas for improvement! Sandi also brought Kelly and Kendee from Redding all the way to Happy Camp to answer questions about a grant, part of the Middle Klamath River Community Transportation Plan.

You know, it is apparent to drivers and pedestrians that safety on Hwy 96 can be improved. One is sometimes amazed that we don’t have more accidents. Much as I find driving in the “big city” more stressful and unpleasant, Nation-wide: 66% of the Highway fatalities are in rural areas. It was mentioned that through town there is such a large space between buildings that it’s a wide free for all, without definitions; where lanes are, and where bikes and pedestrians should be. Visitors to our community are often confused as to where it is appropriate to park!

Sidewalks, at least on the West side of 2nd Avenue, and north side of Highway 96 are included in the plan, with a challenge for sidewalk (American Disabilities Act compliant)up the hillside east of 2nd Avenue by the former Headway building (now Karuk Council & Senior Nutrition.) Another improvement for wheelchairs or strollers is replacing the steps on the bridge over Indian Creek on 2nd Avenue.

What an improvement better definition to the highway would make for those coming to our town and it would calm the traffic. With defined areas, vehicles, bikes and pedestrian traffic and parking, then esthetic components celebrating our community character and wayfinding signs to help navigate the community would top it all off.
It was important to those at the meeting, and presumably the business and residence owners in the area, that no additional easement takings are a part of the plan. However, there was more interest in electric and utility burial which was not part of the plan due to the increased expense. Grant competition is high for these improvements. Street lighting options, although shown on the graphic of the flier, would possibly have to be financed from other funds.

Davis Road would not be in the initial plan, but that area slated for improvement with the Greyback Improvement Plan from Federal planning (17.5 million dollars worth) mostly because the mile and a half up Indian Creek from Davis Road was the intersection area with more accidents than anywhere else in Siskiyou County, according to the planners at that time, wasn’t accomplished on last try. However, this a good start and includes vital improvements! There were suggestions that, after the first phase, more improvements might be made for Park Way to the Elementary School and better access to the High School as well in further plans.

What do you think is the most important improvement that would help the Happy Camp community?? Give me a call or e-mailwith your suggestions this week because I know you have great ideas!!
16HwyMtg_0309 Sue Hillman and Lisa Scott evaluate the Hwy #96 improvement suggestions!

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Chamber’s Annual Elections 2013

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Next week is the Annual Meeting for the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce. This is the 27th year that the Chamber has been working to promote the business and commerce and quality of life of Happy Camp and the Highway 96 Klamath Corridor!

Membership renewals are up and we’ve been happy to see people stopping by the office next to the Post office to ask for membership forms in order to join or renew. Keeping the office full of business cards and brochures of local attractions makes it a wonderful place for visitors to our community to stop in for information.

We also get phone calls and e-mails with people asking where to get Wi-Fi, when the road is open, where to stay, where to eat, and what there is to do in the area. It is great to be able to help those who call.

We recently had a call from the Cloverdale Historical Society that wanted to contact the widow of our former dentist, Dr. Harold Ives, We were glad to be able to help him contact the family and find out that Ellie is in Missouri. Dr. Ives’ dental office in Cloverdale before he came to Happy Camp was in a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and since that area is celebrating Frank Lloyd Wright next week, they needed more information.

We are also happy to have local visitors to the Happy Camp Chamber office. We have some copies of photographs of life on the Klamath River in olden days. We really appreciate when people stop by and identify persons in the pictures, and sometimes can tell us what event is depicted and other details about the photo. We wish we could get people to stop by and tell us all their memories of Happy Camp and life along the Klamath River as it helps a great deal.

We also have Naturegraph books and other items for sale, Of course, our best sellers are “Dear Mad’m” by Stella Patterson and the rest of the story of Stella’s life by her grandnephew and his wife, “Dear Mad’m Who Was She?” by Peter and Elizabeth Lismer. We also get requests for “Land of the Grasshopper Song” The newest young adult novel is by a local author, “River Girl” is by Linda J. Martin. It’s the story of a young girl and her brother who moves to Happy Camp and the adventures that she experiences, people she meets and what she learns.

If you would like to join the Chamber and work together to promote and encourage business, commerce and quality of life for citizens of Happy Camp and the Highway 96 Klamath River Corridor, give the Chamber volunteer a call 4923-2900 weekday afternoons or leave a message on the machine any time. Thank you for the way the community cares and works together in such a wonderful way!

Not only did we celebrate George Washington’s Birthday recently, but this is a busy time for birthdays along the Klamath River also! Ryan wanted me to say Happy Birthday to Mitch Hokanson. Happy Birthday Mitch! A bunch of teenagers were abroad in Happy Camp last Saturday night in celebration of this important milestone! They were looking for a bunch of unusual things: a pink toothbrush, a pine cone. OK, a pine cone isn’t unusual in Happy Camp with all the trees. It is unusual for the kids to be looking for one! Didn’t find out how it went.. Hope the Scavenger Hunt was successful!!

Thursday two important ladies at Happy Camp High School will also be celebrating their birthdays, Happy Birthday Dorie and we miss you! And Robyn Eadie is also having a birthday on the same day. Robyn celebrated by bringing her pennies for the bank at Happy Camp Christian Fellowship on Sunday so perhaps this is birthday week. Might as well celebrate all week, if one must get older.

At our house we celebrated Thanksgiving Sunday since we didn’t have a birthday.. The calendar may not say November, but there are always so many blessings for which to be grateful that we can do it all year round! Actually, son, Stephen, and Geneva went to visit her brothers and family in November and planned to have a Thanksgiving Dinner with us at a later time. They came up in December for that meal, and there was no electricity which made cooking on the electric range difficult so it was again put off. Sunday we had the turkey, potatoes & gravy, and finished up with apple pie alamode. Then the younger set invited us to go for a walk up ‘Curly Jack Road and we took along my Aussie, Adom, who loved the exercise.

Then Dan, Hubby, took a nap and I’m typing away to you. The younger set is still energetic and went on a hike the other way on Curly Jack to visit a friend.

Chamber of Commerce

Silver Anniversary HC Chamber of Commerce

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It was a very hot evening in July, 1986. The sound of Elk Creek rushing over rocks and pebbles was the background noise. A congenial group of Happy Camp citizens gathered at the Elk Creek Campground at the end of the day. Jim and Carol Jones hosted the business leaders of the Happy Camp community.

They were concerned about the promotion of the businesses of the little community on Highway 96 along the Klamath River. They wanted to advertise, but advertising took more than each business alone could pay. Therefore the idea had been proposed to cooperate together and pool their funds to make the best advertising that would promote Happy Camp. It was decided that each business could put $50 in the kitty to pay for advertising, perhaps a billboard out on Interstate 5 that would bring visitors down Highway 96 to Happy Camp.

Who was at that meeting?

Ben Rosser was the owner of Forest Lodge Motel.

Charlotte was owner of Evans Mercantile started by the Evans family. Guy and Ora Head ran the store until Guy was killed in a train collision and Ora had continued with son.

Adamsons owned Larry’s Market

Jean

It was a small group.  But they were the entrepreneurs and business circle of Happy Camp.

1986-1991

1992-1998

1998-2002

2003-2007 Crusin’ the Klamath, with numbers of beautiful antique cars came down the Klamath River for the Show and Shine!

2006  This was the year that celebrated TWENTY YEARS of the  HC CofC and 150 years of town of Happy Camp!  John Gould chaired the committee for another very successful Rollin on th River. The Chamber gave the Happy Camp Community Services District our annual contribution to upgrade the River Park, this year $3,000.

At the first meeting April 4, 2007 Chris Sorenson was president. The previous treasurer, rosemary Boren,  had handed over the books, and there was $9,672-93 in the Chamber bank account besides the Chamber trailer that was used as office at events such as Rollin’ on the River Bike Rally and held archived records. Instead of the regular weekly Wednesday lunch meetings that the Chamber had held for decades, besides the monthly first Tuesday evening meeting, the new chamber officals decided to correspond by emails. Members of the Board were Chris Sorenson, Roberta Arneson Rita Manley, Lehel Garami (Treasurer) Roberta Collum, Montine Blevins and Jon Grunbaum. Four signs were place in Oregon on Waldo Road for $1,200.

Although there are no minutes for elections in 2008 or 2009, the minutes for July 20, 200- show Ian Tripp as President, Dinah Sulipenck as vice president, Carly Manley as treasurer and Rita King and Lisa West as co-secretarys with Charles Brown, Dave Wrobleski, Michelle Wrobleski, high school student Majestah West and Victoria Pope as board members. Later letterhead shows Dinah as president, Carly Manley as Vice President, Rita King as Secretary, Victoria Pope, Dave and Michelle, Charlie Mayton, Jody Jewell and Laurie Bowers as board members.

-December 11,2010 Dinah Sulipeck called the meeting to order, and there was discussion for a couple of hours on qualifications for members of the Chamber of Commerce. Roger Mooberry, Charles Mayten, Jody Jewel, and Rita Manley King resigned from the board leaving only Dinah Sulipeck, President and James Buchner, treasurer as directors. A meeting was held to restore the board to the seven members and Cathleen Searle was appointed as treasurer, Kirk Eadie, Montine Blevins, Pete Winslow and Terri Winslow were the new board members. Dinah did a great job on the Community Tree Lighting event which had been held by Family Resource Center last year, but was previously put on as the Chamber’s gift to the town for at least twenty years.

March 2011-elections, Cathleen Searle as president at a big free spaghetti dinner at the Grange.

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Winter Solstice Bonfire under Giant Dream Catcher

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Wednesday was the night for the Burning under the Giant Dream Catcher.
Thanks to Jeff for getting a great bonfire going! It was a very chilly evening but the bonfire area was warm and toasty.

Dennis Day had the hot cider heated on a camp stove, and Dolly Elston had popped popcorn that afternoon. Mark also brought chips and salsa.

Many thanks to Patty Sherman, our local yoga and drumming instructor, for not only coming and drumming, but for bringing a fascinating assortment of drums and other instruments. They were great! Others, like Terri Winslow also brought a drum or instrument and there was some singing, even new songs created for the occasion.

A scarecrow figure of a fisherman, representing a poor fishing season, was guest of honor. Lists of things they are going to “let go of,” were burned in the bonfire and people had a chance to have “their say” on things from rescuing cats to keeping children and families safe together. Bob Schmalzbach shared about the new Internet radio program from Happy Camp on IF radio!

The Chamber of Commerce bonfire took place Wednesday, Winter Solstice night under the Giant Dream Catcher, lit up with lights for the occasion. It was a good time, with music and refreshments around a warm bonfire! The best was seeing friends and neighbors we hadn’t seen for awhile, but stopped by for awhile to visit and sing or drum. Dennis shared the “Rebuild the Dream,” which seemed a quite logical beneath the giant Dream Catcher.

Next year’s winter solstice has reportedly believed by some people to be a momentous occasion of some sort according to the Mayan calendar. Since the Bible says only God knows when the end of the age will come, I’m sure the Mayans didn’t know either, but makes life interesting with all the rumors! We wonder what progress will be made to “Rebuild the Dream” (as the American Dream needs some work in the coming days.) But that’s why it is so great to have a new beginning as we see the New Year turn a new leaf on the calendar. A very Happy New Year to all!

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