Twelve Things Children Like To Do In And Around Happy Camp During The Summer

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Children, with Smokey Bear, fishing, turtoise, Silas, Chaance, Meranda, Evan, Colt

If you live here you’re surely aware of these things. If you lived here as a child you’re sure to remember all the fun you used to have. And if you’re planning to visit and wonder what there is for children to do here, this will give you some ideas.

1. Swimming! Happy Camp has Indian Creek running through it from the north, and Elk Creek flows here from the south. There are wonderful swimming holes on both creeks. You can find one just past Five Mile Bridge on Elk Creek Road. Another more popular swimming hole is in Indian Creek, three miles north of Parry’s Market. We call that “The Eddy”. Another popular swimming hole is only five miles south-west of Happy Camp at Clear Creek. Park near the telephone and hike on a short trail to the swimming hole. It is easy to find. Children also enjoy swimming at Titus Hole here in Happy Camp. To find it, take Buckhorn Road to Attebery, go east one block to Live Oak, and then turn left to Spring St. where you can walk down a trail to the creek. Parent participation is recommended, especially for younger children.

2. Tubing! Lots of kids, especially teenagers, enjoy tubing down Indian Creek or even the Klamath River. You’ll need a large black inner tube and an adventurous spirit. Watch for rapids where you may want to get out and walk. Be sure to wear strong soled athletic shoes of some sort to protect your feet as all the creeks around here have multitudes of rocks at the bottom.

3. Rafting! You could either get a small raft to use on Indian Creek, or pay a local rafting company for a family-sized river tour. This is a great way for kids to spend the day on the Klamath River getting a close-up look at local wildlife and enjoying the rapids.

4. Sulphur Springs! Twelve miles south of Happy Camp, starting at Elk Creek Road, there’s a wonderful Forest Service Campground called Sulphur Springs where you can get into a real geothermal hot spring and splash around.

5. Picnics! Make a picnic lunch for your family. You can take it to River Park here in Happy Camp where there’s a nice new playground for younger children, or to a swimming hole, or to one of the Forest Service campgrounds. There’s a large day-use area with river access at the Curly Jack Campground here in town. To find it, just cross the bridge over the Klamath River and go south along Elk Creek Road and then Curly Jack Road.

6. Bicycling! This is a very popular sport in Happy Camp. If you’re visiting, bring your bike if at all possible. There are lots of places for kids to ride, including dirt roads and River Park. Be sure to bring your bike helmet too.

7. Fishing! Kids under age 16 can fish without a fishing license. Happy Camp is the Steelhead Fishing Capital of the World. The Klamath River is full of fish. Also, Kelly Lake which is just a few miles north of Happy Camp is a very popular place to fish.

8. Family Resource Center! If you’re looking for children’s activities, check in at the Family Resource Center to see if anything is planned. They’re located on Indian Creek Road near the corner of Second Avenue. They put on a Kids’ Fair every year and have indoor play equipment for tiny tots.

9. Ice Cream! You will be glad to know that soft-serve ice cream is available here in Happy Camp at Double J (next to the Pizza House) on Highway 96. They also have a variety of other treats and drinks that are perfect on hot summer days. There’s also a freezer full of ice cream bars at Parry’s Market.

10. Gold Prospecting! You can get a one-day pass to look for gold on the New 49’ers mining claims. Check in at the New 49’ers for more information. You can find them on Davis Road here in Happy Camp.

11. Computers! During the summer there are LAN nights for teens at the local Computer Center every-other Friday. Check in at the Computer Center at the corner of Washington and Fourth Avenue. There are lots of computer games for teens and young children which you can use all week long. There’s also internet access, and it’s all free.

12. Bigfoot Jamboree! Children love going to the Bigfoot Jamboree every year. It is at the end of the summer during Labor Day Weekend at River Park. There are games, contests, dances, vendors, food, and music. There’s also an annual Bigfoot Jamboree Parade.

Activities

New Signs of Painting the Town

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Arnesons

Ray and Roberta, better known as Bobbi, Arneson have a brand new business in town. Ray, who is well known along the Klamath River for transforming windows and signs, murals and motorcycles with his artistic design, is now located in his new shop at Indian Creek Road just west of Davis Road intersection.

Besides fanciful dragons that adorn their vehicle, to Easter Rabbits in the spring and kittens romping in the pumpkin patch in October, Rays paintings adorn all sorts of sites in Happy Camp. He also restored the painting at the Scott Valley Drugstore mural in Etna, California last summer.

Business, The Arts in Happy Camp

New Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Elected

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Chris Sorenson

Chris Sorenson is the new president of the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce.
By Judy Bushy

The Happy Camp Chamber Of Commerce elected a new board of directors in March. The new board will take office in April and serve until March 31, 2008.

The new President of the Chamber is Chris Sorenson of Mosaic Press. Chris and Beth Buchanan moved to Happy Camp several years ago. For Chris, it was a new experience, but Beth grew up in Happy Camp. They bought the printing part of Naturegraph publishing, and began Mosaic Press.

Vice President is Jon Grunbaum who works in fisheries in the Happy Camp District of the Klamath National Forest.

Instead of one secretary the job will be shared by two co-secretaries, Roberta Arneson and Rita Manley King. Roberta served as secretary when Bob Schmalzbach was Chamber President and helps her husband, Ray the Painter in his sign painting business. Rita is with Jade Springs Development, which is headquartered at the Happy Camp Mini-Mall on Davis Road.

Treasurer is Lehel Garami who, with Laura, manages the Evans Mercantile. Evans is the oldest continuously operating business in Happy Camp but Lehel and Laura have added hardware and expanded the gardening and feed parts of the business.

Roberta Collum of Elk Creek Campground and Montine Blevins of the New 49ers’ Prospecting Club are also on the new Chamber board of directors.

When the new board recently met they gave a word of appreciation for the previous board of the Chamber. James Buchner was a great president and his leadership in the advertising and promotion of the area was greatly appreciated. He also attended sports shows to widen the contacts with potential customers. Roberta Collum was a good Vice President and took over in the chair when James was unable to be in town. Montine assisted her in preparing great meals for Chamber events and planning the Community Tree Lighting in December. Rosemary Boren took over the treasurer position a few years ago after a lapse in treasurer postion left the accounts in unprecedented array. Rosemary got them entered on her computer and got organized with top efficiency for several years now. Judy Bushy served as Secretary since Janeen Snopl resigned except for the years Jean Dulong, Joe and Becca and Roberta Arneson volunteered for the job. Eugene Kravis and Lehel Garami filled out the membership of the board of the Happy Camp Chamber.

The Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce was started twenty-one years ago at the Elk Creek Campground. Jim Jones, Merilee Adamson, Ben Roeser, Gini Hyde and Howard Garthwait were some of the first presidents. Howard Garthwait was called into service several times through the years, Rick Huston; Liz Ramos Cochran was the President from 1994 to 1995. Harvey Shinar, Debbie Wilkinson, Eddie Davenport, Cheryl Wainwright, Bob Schmalzbach, and James Buchner have been in the presidency in the last decade.

As James Buchner stated, the job of the Chamber is “to promote and encourage business, commerce and quality of life for the citizens of Happy Camp and the Highway 96/Klamath River Corridor.” In order to do this the Chamber has often entertained town meetings with political candidates or elected officials of the county and state. The Chamber of Commerce started the Neighborhood Watch on the recommendation of Charlie Byrd and Kay Bryan when there was a great deal of burglary and theft every night. This action turned the situation around and the crime rate plummeted when the Watch became active.

Over the years the Chamber has hosted St. Patrick’s Day dinner, Show & Shine auto events and World’s Sweetest Bike Rally Fourth of July weekend at the River Park.

In all these ways the Chamber has promoted and enhanced life in Happy Camp and along the beautiful wild Klamath River.

Business, Chamber of Commerce

Courteous, Concerned Community Dialogue Furthers Happy Camp Progress

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by Judy Bushy

In my column in the “Pioneer Press”  last week, I said that the present Happy Camp Health Services Board, considering comments from the majority of voting members, chose not to give the building to another organization and that  “The Karuk Tribe has already put a new building for these services on their property between Second Avenue and the Highway.”

I was mistaken that the new modular was for the doctor’s offices and services that are presently in the Happy Camp Health Services Building. The modular moved unto the property will house program staff moved from the building next to the Administration Building; information technology and self-governance. The building next to the Administration Building was originally designed for a Medical and Dental Clinic and that is the area being remodeled, at considerable cost, for the medical services. The former Council Chambers will be the medical reception, medical records and nurses station. That wing is being remodeled for examination rooms. 

That is why the Karuk Tribe of California notified the Happy Camp Health Services that they were NOT interested in buying or leasing the Happy Camp Health Services building and said they planned to be moved out by end of September.To hold a NEW board of VOLUNTEERS responsible for past years isn’t really fair since they coveyed their desire to listen and learn what needed to be improved.

Even though I usually ask readers to respond and share with me, I don’t get large volumes of mail in response! Last week was an exception; I received quite a few calls about the column.  A caller might have given me information on corrections,. since she said I was ignorant, and was writing illegal slander, but never gave me a speck of information on what might need correcting. I did ask, but the phone slammed down! I’m still of the same mind, that Happy Camp needs mental health and similar services which are not adequately available, and that a community group, everyone working together, like the Happy Camp Health Services has always been, could help in this regard. I’m a good listener, but after calling names, no one gave me any specifics. We just don’t need more vacant unused buildings sitting around for years when there are nearly a dozen organizations that need places to meet. We can help each other when we can work together more effectively. I’m happy to listen to anyone’s views, but a few pertinent facts might be more effective than bluster and name calling.. I listened quietly to the name calling but got hung up on when I asked for help in understanding their point of view.  

 

The speaker who rudely accused John Godwin of the Happy Camp Health Services of rudeness when he is the quietest, kindest and a hard working volunteer who called the meeting to hear all views, made me wince. That is why Leon Hillman’s comments to friends and neighbors that whatever the disagreement, we will go on being friends and neighbors was so moving. Sharing viewpoints helps us all learn, when it is done in that frame of reference.

We respect the fact that Tribal members families and also many other members of the community and their families were also active in building the clinic building. The land, milled lumber, and many hours of labor were donated by the mill and citizens of the community. Wasn’t it a wonderful accomplishment they achieved together! It reminds me of the Memorial Log Building which was built with community working together, to provide education for our children, also, (although that was before my time!)

 We need more mental health services in Happy Camp and lease of the building to an organization working with Behavioral Health, is one way that it could be provided. Also, I see some value in some organization that could be the whole community working together, not exclusively for any particular group to the exclusion of others. Amazing things can be accomplished when we work together!

Give me a call, I’ll be happy to hear your views. If I’m busy at the moment, I’ll be happy to call you back. Also appreciate your telling me of any news and announcements that you have to share. That is why living along the wild beautiful Klamath River in the midst of the green forest, with blue skies above is so wonderful. We have great neighbors, mostly courteous and concerned about the community.

Community, Happy Camp, Happy Camp Health Service, Opinions, response

Happy Camp Cubs Bridge to Boy Scout Troop #52

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Just over a year ago, the Cub Scouts of Happy Camp were revived! This year, the time for the annual Blue and Gold Banquet has come and the boys had a lot of accomplishments, good times and fun to look back on.

Happy Camp Scouts

They’ve hiked and done community service. They’ve served breakfast to hundreds of bikers. Camped and learned archery and riflery and sang songs at the top of their lungs. There is no one that can sing like an energetic pack of Cub Scouts! The Webelos, Den 5 under the den leaders Louie Tiraterra, Jr. and his sister Eileen, with help from Lucille Tiraterra also have prepared themselves to become Boy Scouts.

That is just what happened at the Blue and Gold banquet last Friday. They became Boy Scouts of Patrol 2 of Troop 52. Carol Sharp who is Scoutmaster for the Patrol 1 Boy Scouts, and her Troop welcomed the boys across the bridge to the Boy Scout campfire where each boy received a neckerchief of their new rank. Kyle Stockton, Christopher Riehm, Pihnuftuff Ellston, James Simmons were the Boy Scouts. Barrett Harrison, Alex Garcia, Casey Tiraterra, and Jacob Gonzales were the Webelos of Den 5 bridging to Boy Scouts.

The delicious chicken for dinner was generously donated by Parry’s Market. The Happy Camp Elementary opened the kitchen for Ginny Bunnell to cook the chicken in their ovens for the banquet. Christina Kelley and Dan Stewart led the Wolves of Den 2 in singing just before the meal. Wolves also won the award for having the best-decorated table which they had done in an Aloha theme as they’ve been practicing the Hula and playing Hawaiian games for the month of February.

Andy Tripp of Crater Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America joined the group for the Banquet and shared a few minutes of Friends of Scouting. The Pack and Troop each got a ribbon for their flag also. From Crater Lake Council.

Danielle Cruz-Riehm gave boys, Michael Riehm and Frank Davis from the Tigers Den, Sam Davis and Jeffrey Kawyer from the Wolves and Jacob Gonzales of the Webelos their award for participating in Snowcapades. These boys went to Lake of the Woods to the Cub Scout camp on a recent Saturday where they played in the snow. The Tigers also received a lot of awards; Michael Riehm, Frank Davis and Chaance Rasmussen made maps of the community and have been watching the stars too.

Tina Kelley presented Carl Mayton and Silas Yoshomoto with awards for achievements they have earned and Erica Kawyer presented boys with additional awards.

Some of the awards from the Rain gutter Regatta had not been given at the previous Pack Meeting and so Skyler Bunnell, John Cook, Casey Tiraterra, Alex Garcia, and Barrett Harrison and Skyler also received his Bear Badge.

Cub Master Dan Bushy introduced Vickie Simmons as the new chairperson for the Scouting committee. Cherie Estes is handling the bookkeeping and Pastor Bill Estes represents the Charter organization, the Happy Camp Assembly of God The leaders of both the Pack (Cub Scouts) and the Troop (Boy Scouts) wish to thank all in the community who have so generously given them help and support in the past year. . Thanks especially to Parry’s Market, Happy Camp Elementary School and Ginny Bunnell.

Children & Youth ,
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