Newsletter of the Rancho Los Alamitos Volunteer Service Council

Co-editors Doug Cox and Roxanne Patmor

In this issue

VSC Perspectives
Protecting Preston
What's a DipJar?
It's Wild at the Rancho
June Steering Committee Update
VSC Library
Breaking Records: Cottonwood 2024
Remembering Linda Barrett and Barbara Mahaffie
Upcoming Community Events

June 2024

In the Spotlight

Volunteer Roberta Rogoff
Volunteer Nancy Schwartz

VSC Perspectives

Doug Cox, VSC President

It was a tiny thing, a half inch of green and yellow, cautiously making its way among milkweed leaves a hundred times its size.

Our operations director, Andrew Chaves, studied the little caterpillar as he carried the drooping milkweed plant out into the Rancho sunlight the other day and announced to no one in particular that, yep, this speck of life was definitely on its way toward becoming a full-grown Monarch butterfly.

We do Big Things really well at the Rancho: Cottonwood, prom pictures, Adobe Days and Bixby shareholder gatherings, to name a recent few. Fred Bixby, who was rather fond of Big Things himself, would be pretty proud of how well the Rancho’s volunteers and staff tackle the enormously complex things that keep our historic hilltop thriving.

But that’s only half of the story. We excel at the little miracles as well, each of them every bit as important as the things that roar across our web site’s home page.

Ask the Cool Craft folks about the kids making toilet paper rolls come to life in the shade under the Rancho Center’s eaves.

Ask the School Docents about the enduring curiosity of the third- and fourth-graders exploring our Tovaave and Footprints programs.

Follow Jesse and Gunnar around while they coax miracles out of the soil, and watch for the spark in a little girl’s eyes as the check-in greeter tells her that her sweatshirt is totally, totally awesome.

You have to slow down a bit to see these things. A little patience goes a long way. As Walt Disney liked to say, "Even miracles take a little time."

The June 7 RLA VSC meeting was the scene of the Great Goat Getaway. At the far right, one guilty goat peeks through the fence, viewing the scene of the botched escape.

VSC group photo by Director of Operations Andrew Chaves

Protecting Preston

The livestock staff asks that all volunteers be aware of Preston (our English Shire) banging his hooves on the corral gates.

The staff is working hard to maintain his hoof health. However, when volunteers, guests, and staff stand on the lawn in front of the corral, Preston hits his hooves against the gates for attention. This can seriously damage his hooves, leading to deep bruises. Preston’s hoof health is directly tied to his overall well-being.

Please have guests maintain their distance from the corral so that he does not continue this behavior.

Visitors who would like pictures with Preston should keep their distance or preferably be inside the feed shed, where the feeding trough acts as a distance buffer.

Please let the livestock or onsite staff know if Preston continues to bang on the gate. Thank you!

The DipJar is Here!

The DipJar is our new electronic device on which visitors can contribute to preserving the history and future of the Rancho and get an immediate receipt for their records!

It's located at the visitors' check-in desk during public hours.

Photos by Volunteer Dan Bacchetti

It's Wild at the Rancho

A pair of Great Horned Owls can be found at the Rancho, sitting in or flying between the trees near the ranch house and the barnyard. Sometimes, they're difficult to see with their natural camouflage coloring. The best time to spot them is around 5 pm when they return to their favorite tree, the Italian stone pine, Pinus pinea, by the ranch house.

Owl and butterfly photos by Gardening Committee Chair Kim Campanelli

Director of Operations Andrew Chaves brought this caterpillar to feed on the narrowleaf milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, in the gardens on its way to metamorphizing into a Monarch butterfly.

Photo by VSC President Doug Cox

A Monarch butterfly in the Pride of Madeira plant, Echium candicans located between the Rancho's Cutting and Friendly Gardens. Nearby is the California native Asclepias fascicularis.

From the June VSC Steering Committee

Is the Rancho a Museum?

Yes. It’s a historic site which the American Alliance of Museums classifies as a type of museum. Think of places like Colonial Williamsburg and Mount Vernon.

We also have a historic home on site.

Wanted: Competitive Intelligence

Steve Squire reported on an initiative to gather best practices from other museums, historic sites, exhibits, and events. He's asking volunteers to share brochures, pamphlets, accessibility information, sensory experiences, or other ideas and communications that might help us better serve our guests.

Materials and suggestions can be given to Steve or Chris. Thank you for your help bringing new ideas to the Rancho!

New in the Garden

Gardening committee chair Kim Campanelli and member Joanne Locnikar visited Sunland Water Gardens, where Joanne purchased two new water lilies, Nymphaea, which she generously donated for the fountain. One is Nymphea ‘Joey Tomocik,’ which produces yellow flowers, and the other is Nymphea ‘Wanvisa,’ which produces flowers in a variety of colors.

Photos of Joanne Locnikar, Jesse Herrera and Andrew Chaves and Nyphea Wanvisa flower by Kim Campanelli

Volunteer Fair

Nancy Schwartz, Steve Squire, and Chris Fountain, have put together a great program for the Volunteer Fair happening on July 13, between 10 am and noon.

Based on RSVPs received so far, up to 20 people are expected to attend.

The agenda includes a welcome and information about becoming a volunteer from Chris, speakers from eight service areas, and a tour of the site. Nancy created materials describing the volunteer committees and opportunities at the Rancho.

If you have photos of volunteers in action that can be used at the reception, please send them to Nancy at jsschwartz@aol.com.

Volunteer Spotlight

Nancy Schwartz

Nancy Schwartz is the volunteer who submitted Meanwhile Back at the Ranch as a name for this newsletter!

How long have you been volunteering at the Rancho?

10 years

What made you decide to become Rancho volunteer?

Came here as a Scout leader with my den of Cub Scouts & thought “This would be fun to do when I retire.”

What do you like best about the time you spend here?

My peeps on the “Frisky Friday” team, and the visitors I meet.

What is the most interesting question or comment you’ve ever gotten from a visitor at the Rancho?

Had guests that said they remembered me from some Boy Scout event in which I’d either trained them or served as a leader for their kid.

What do you like to do when you’re not at the Rancho?

I’m the Assistant Director for the Golden Sands Sweet Adeline Chorus & sing in my church choir. Singing & playing guitar are faves! I also enjoy attending OLLI classes, creative scrapbooking, embroidery, reading & traveling.

What’s the one word your friends and family would use to describe you?

Determined and enthusiastic.

What else do you want us to know?

I’m grateful to be a volunteer at the Rancho, it’s a great place to meet new people.

Nancy at Cottonwood with Merinelle Marchione & Kathy Manuel-Martinez

Volunteer Spotlight

Roberta Rogoff

Roberta Rogoff is a docent as well as Museum Shop volunteer and Outreach Committee Chair.

How long have you been volunteering at the Rancho?

I have been a volunteer at the Rancho since June 2012 after retiring from GTE/Verizon Network Operations. I love to garden, and every year I would attend the South Coast Plaza Garden show. At the April 2012 show my friend and I stopped in our tracks at the beautifully displayed table of Rancho Los Alamitos. Freda Otto was there to greet us, sharing who, what, and where about the Rancho. She gave me Teresa Barbee’s card and invited me to call about volunteering. Subsequently, Teresa and I met in the Secret Garden, I was excited about joining her next docent class. My classmates were Don Hucker, Ron Redman, Camille Thompson, Carol Lockhart, and Karen Kiesz.

What made you decide to become a Rancho volunteer?

The moment I stepped out of my car and started walking up the driveway for the meeting with Teresa, I felt an overwhelming spiritual positive energy that I was home. It was topped by Teresa’s passion in teaching and sharing the history of the barns, gardens, and the house. I didn’t want the class to end.

What do you like best about the time you spend here?

Working with the staff and volunteers (it takes a village) to share this special place with the guests who visit us. I love Thursdays when I am a docent, working in the gift shop on Wednesday, and the Tovaave program. Also, the adventure of events with our community outreach team.

What is the most interesting question or comment you’ve ever received from a visitor at the Rancho?

A woman approached me as I was walking up the driveway to the Rancho. She reminded me of a tour I gave to both she and her mom. She wanted me to know that her mom had changed her will to include money for the Rancho, which was lovely to hear.

What do you like to do when you’re not at the Rancho?

I enjoy being at home, working in the garden, and spending time with family and friends.

What’s the one word your friends and family would use to describe you?

Welcoming warm hostess, making others feel special.

What else do you want us to know?

I have always loved history, a friend came for a tour at Christmas when I first started volunteering, after the tour she said you missed your calling. Actually, this is my calling now at this time in my life and I love it.

Our Amazing Community Outreach Team!

Between February 25 and June 1, 2024, the Community Outreach Committee attended 11 events and talked to 2,519 people about all the great reasons to visit Rancho Los Alamitos!

Thank you for your dedication!

Roberta and fellow volunteers on their field trip to the Museum of Latin American Art.

Volunteer Library

By Joanne Locnikar

We have many interesting and fun books in the Volunteer Library located in the Volunteer Room.

They are organized by general topics rather than the Dewey Decimal System. It makes it easier to find books you are interested in reading. Please peruse the shelves and check out a couple of books to read at your leisure. Many books supplement the required training for all volunteers here at the Rancho.

Following are two short book reviews of books in RLA's Volunteer Library:

Prohibition Madness: Life and Death in and Around Long Beach, CA 1920-1933

by Claudine Burnett

You think corruption and crime are only current problems in this fair city? Well, take a look at Long Beach and surrounding areas in the 1920s and 1930s. Through extensive research Burnett weaves quite a tale of the goings-on in our area during the time of Prohibition. We see power and greed propel men and women into events and situations they could not have imagined. There were both heroes and villains during this time. It is a fascinating read about a time of growth and struggle in the history of Long Beach.

Historical Society of Southern California Annual Publications 1923

Diary of Dr. Thomas Flint: California to Maine and return 1851-1855

This is a fascinating piece of Bixby history preserved for us by the Historical Society of Southern California. This is a compilation of Dr. Flint’s actual diary entries. We learn first-hand of the plans made by Llewelyn Bixby and his cousins, Dr. Thomas Flint, and Benjamin Flint, to leave California, go back to Maine, and then return to California with a large flock of sheep and settle in this new state. The adventure started in 1851 and was completed in 1855. It’s a great window into the customs, diverse people, and discoveries encountered while driving a flock of sheep across the country during that time.

Here’s how the volunteer library works:

-All volunteers are welcome to check out books for one month at a time.

-Just sign and date the library card and put it in the designated card holder on the shelf.

-If you need the book for more than one month, sign the card again with the new return date.

-When you return the book, please put the card back in and replace the book on the shelf, or you can just place the book on the shelf next to the card holder and Jan Wierzbicki or I will re-shelve it for you.

Reference Section:

The reference section is the entire lower right area of the library. There are shelf labels designating the reference books and training materials. These books are specifically to supplement training and expand our knowledge of the Rancho.

Note: Reference materials are to stay in the volunteer room at all times. We appreciate you returning them to their proper place.

Photos provided by Joanne Locnikar

Remembering

Linda Barrett and Dr. Barbara Mahaffie

In June, the Rancho lost two of its cherished and longtime volunteers, Linda Barrett and Dr. Barbara Mahaffie. We extend our thoughts and sympathies to their friends and families.

Linda Barrett

February 27, 1956 - June 3, 2024

Linda Barrett was the kind of person everyone liked the moment they met her. She and Sue Schweiger met in a square dance class and for the next 45 years shared a deep friendship that included good times, bad times, and a lot of happy memories. When Sue became a Rancho volunteer, she persuaded Linda to join her.

Linda loved children, family, friends and animals. She raised her son and put him through college all on her own. She volunteered at Precious Life Shelter, which provides housing and services for unhoused pregnant women. Her car was filled with stuffed animals, many given to her by friends, including a black sheep Sue brought her from Ireland.

At the Rancho, she served as Secretary for the VSC Steering Committee, worked with the Faux Foodies, Crafters and helped with the ranch's animals. She will be fondly remembered by all who had the good fortune to know her.

We thank Sue Schweiger for sharing her memories of Linda and photos of them together at RLA.

Dr. Barbara Mahaffie

October 30, 1940 - June 4, 2024

In January of this year, Robin Herrera and Pam Lee visited longtime volunteer Barbara Mahaffie at her home in Los Alamitos. Barbara had a doll, Garden Greta, given to her by Susanna Bixby Bryant around 1940, which she donated to the Rancho during their visit. The doll was Barbara's beloved childhood companion. It was important to her that the Rancho give Garden Greta a good home.

Barbara's father, Ivan "Happy" Mahaffie, worked as a carpenter for Mrs. Bryant at her various ranches. The Mahaffie family lived on the Bryant’s property in what is now Park Estates, as well as Rancho Santa Ana in Orange County.

Barbara also donated a box filled with newspaper clippings about the Bryant family. Her donations are a lasting gift and are now part of the Rancho's archive that helps us tell the stories of those who lived and worked here.

Community Outreach Calendar of Events

Stop by for a quick hello or volunteer to help greet visitors!

Rancho Los Alamitos Summer Concerts

Sundays, June 30, July 28, & August 25

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Rancho-to-Rancho Walk

Starts at RLA, ends at Rancho Los Cerritos

Saturday, September 14, 2024

7:00 am to 2:00 pm

Historical Society Annual Cemetery Tour

Sunnyside Cemetery 1095 E. Willow St.

Saturday, October 26, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

This year's tour includes Swiss immigrants Louis and Anna Denni, who worked at the Bixby Dairy and the Cheese Factory.

In the late 1800's, perhaps at Louis' suggestion, John Bixby brought Holstein cows to his dairy from Switzerland. Photo of Denni monument courtesy of Hollywood Gothique.