MCDOWELL MESSENGER, FEBRUARY, 2005





McDowell Park Association General Meeting
Wednesday, February 9th, 7:00pm
Rio Verde Community Center
Four Peaks Boulevard, Rio Verde
DR. CLINTON M. PATTEA,
Past President, Fort McDowell Yavapai Community will discuss
“ The History of the Fort McDowell Community and its Future Prospects”

For more information, please phone 480-471-3818

MPA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
MPA Work Day at the Park, Saturday, March 5. We will help with planting along the Pemberton Trail, near the north park boundary. This area is accessible by a service road. You may sign up for this activity (and learn more about it) at our February 9th General Meeting in Rio Verde, or you may call Jim Urban at 471-3818.

Become an MPA McDowell Mountain Regional Park Welcome Center Docent by helping to staff the Center, greet Park visitors and answer their questions. You may volunteer on either an occasional basis or for a regular time (for example, one half-day per week or month).Learn more about this when you come to the open house – to be announced in the Fountain Hills Times.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Jim Urban
Your McDowell Park Association Board continues to work - with you - to support, aid, and enhance the Park experience. The new Welcome Center will be opening shortly. Last fall the MPA provided money for a series of panels about the Park. These were initially exhibited in the River of Time Museum in Fountain Hills. They will be transferred to the Welcome Center, and - because they are portable - can be used by Park personnel as visual aids in presentations to various groups.

I encourage our membership to continue supporting the Park, as ongoing MPA members and also as annual Park pass holders. Please consider more direct support by helping at the MPA Work Day at the Park, scheduled for Saturday, March 5. We will help in planting along the Pemberton Trail, near the north park boundary. This area is accessible by a service road. You may sign up for this activity (and learn more about it) at our February 9th General Meeting in Rio Verde, or you may call me at 471-3818.

The Park plans an open house in the new Welcome Center in late February or early March.

Watch for information about this. MPA plans to be one of several volunteer groups
helping to staff the Center, to greet Park visitors and answer their questions. You may volunteer on either an occasional basis or for a regular time (for example, one half-day per week or month). Learn more about this when you come to the open house.

Thank you for your past support of the Park. Please continue to use it and promote it in the future.

Past President’s Farewell Message, Myrna Smith

I moved to Fountain Hills on October 1st, 1997. Three days later I met Bev and Roy Kinsey at a meeting about preserving a portion of the McDowell Mountains. In November of that year they invited me to an MPA meeting in Rio Verde. I was very impressed with President Jack Fraser, the members I met that night and the purposes of the organization – so I joined.

I also attended town council and planning and zoning meetings in order to become familiar with my new place of residence. There I heard Sharon Hutcheson, a member of planning and zoning, speak intelligently about town issues. I lent my support when she announced that she was running for town council.

Mike Maggio became familiar to me when he organized a cleanup of the state trust lands north of town for MPA in February of 1999. The event was a huge success and involved nearly 90 people from Fountain Hills and Rio Verde. An enormous amount of trash was removed. (At that time we thought that the Town of Fountain Hills would be able to purchase and preserve this land as open space. We didn’t anticipate Fountain Hills’ financial reverses or the huge spike in land values.)

I came to know Bob Eidsmoe when I was elected to the MPA Board for the 2000-2002 term. Bob had succeeded Jack Fraser as President. Bob’s brilliant mind and able leadership made him an outstanding president.

I mention these 4 past members of our MPA Board of Directors: Bev, Sharon, Mike and Bob, because term limits have made it necessary that they leave the board at the end of 2004. It was a great pleasure to serve with them as well as the current and past board members. I am also grateful that Jim Urban was there to take over when I was diagnosed with a serious illness this winter. I look forward to my final year as a board member and to continuing involvement with MPA.


MPA Board of Directors, 2005
Messenger Editor Myrna Smith, Margaret Daleo, Secretary and Membership Chair Merideth Hale, Ed Kehe, Bob Bohannan, Vice President John McNeill, Dick Oliver, President Jim Urban, Treasurer Frank Jakubs.

Membership Report, Merideth Hale
Membership is vital to the strength of our organization. Each additional membership gives us a stronger voice when we face proposals that do not seem to protect and preserve this beautiful park. Membership also allows us to be of more help to the park when they need financial support for projects. Please continue to be an active member!

The following are new members who have joined since the last Messenger (November).
[Hiker (H) or Trail Blazer (TB) donations]


Mary Ann & Paul Koellner H
Frank and Judy Haggard
Pamela Cissik H
Ron and Mary Morton

2005 Renewals
Bob & Leone Eidsmoe ` TB
Frank & Grace Jakubs TB
Merideth & Jack Hale TB
Jerry & Ann Baker H
Janet Runkel
Corrine & Jim Gaughan H
Madrienne & Dick Larson H
Charles & Gail Gauthier H
Paul Roetto H
James & Nancy Otte TB
Bev & Roy Kinsey
Lin & Jane Lundgaard
Leonard & Sharon Janssen
Mark & Maria Van Boeckel
Dick & Ann Nordholm
Robert & Annetta Haack
Delora & Bill Bridwell
Robert Barbanica
Robert & Nancy Warden H
Mike Maggio & Jill Martin H
Phyllis & Norman Lowell
Vivian Olson
Louise Braun
Jon & Diana Hamilton
Delores & Ed Kehe H
Earl & Ann Stavely
Jeanette & Art Carpentier
John & Barbara Wyman H
Millie Wesley H
Bill & Betty Huntress
Chet Andrews
Phil & Susan Horldt
Sudelle Irons
Jim & Roberta Urban TB
Steve and Erna Miller
Stephen & Marie Jacobs
Jack & Pat Fraser H
John & Janet McKelvey H
Gary & Mary Ellen Prosper
Tom & Lisa Miller H
Harriet Crotty


Thank you for your rapid response! Sorry for the typo on the Post Card!