The Confluence page 5
1999 Confluence Festival Thrives
by Roger Groghan
For the second consecutive year the river has eased us downstream.
With high fast water and the erosion of the festival sand bar, the new
venue at the river overlook put the issues of a liberated river and a proposed
American River Confluence Parkway under our noses. The eighth annual
American River Confluence Festival was a celebration of the river and a
memorial to Frank Olrich and to his vision.
The festival opened with a blessing ceremony conducted
by Stan Padilla around white quartz river rocks arranged in the form of
a salmon. Later, during a presentation of a painting by Susan
Cooley-Gilliam to Michael Onewing and Frank’s son Luc, there was a release
of white doves. We were told that when the doves are released they
usually fly directly home but this day, they circled for several minutes
over the festival and the canyon: white, graceful and free.
The festival provided the public the opportunity to sample
what the river and canyon have to offer, a place to have fun and from which
to learn. It also gave many of us the chance to see familiar faces,
faces that perhaps are more often seen in the canyon. The music,
the food, the painted faces of children and the shade, made the day most
enjoyable.
We, of the PARC committee, would like to thank all
participants and contributors for making this year’s festival a success.
ASRACK WORKING WEEKENDS
The recently created Auburn State Recreation Area Canyon Keepers
(ASRACK), supported by PARC, has begun their docent work at the confluence.
You will see their white canopy and find two or more trained volunteers
on duty between 10am and 6pm most weekend days. According to volunteer
coordinator Jim Ferris, there are now 28 trained members of the group,
which was initially organized by the late Frank Olrich, along with Auburn
State Recreation Area Supervising Ranger Jill Dampier. For
more information and to learn about future training dates please
call Jim Ferris at (530) 885-03776 or check the ASRACK web site:
http://www.psyber.com/~asra/asrack.htm
‘IT’S GOOD TO LAUGH AND DANCE’
Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 31 from 10am to 4pm. Awende-F will
be hosting a family fun day at Auburn Recreation Park in the Pavilion area.
This is a free event which will highlight Native American drumming, arts, crafts
and music. Bring your chairs and blankets and join in the fun! For
more information about this family oriented event contact Nina at 530 292-9012.
