Forestville Recreation and Parks, with Andy Anderson and Claudia McDermott

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the nineties with your host Rich McGlinchey, How you doing everybody welcome to this edition of Sonoma County in the 90s. This is a program I've been looking forward to for some time and I'll tell you why, I'll introduce my guests in just a moment. But this

was the first time I had ever heard of a group of citizens in the community obtaining the land and developing a complete park complex on their own volunteers, their own contributions of money through fundraisers and develop a park facility. If you will actually, it's a youth

park facility of of great magnitude as far as I can see and you'll see it in a moment to they did this without any help from the city or the county or the state or the federal government which in itself makes this a completely unique project.

Now I'm really pleased and proud to have two of the co founders over here on the left of the screen is Andy well, his real name is frank, but everybody's called Mandy Anderson And on the right is Claudia McDermott now this lady and gentleman are co

founders of the Forest Field Youth Park with its original name. And we will explain to you why it has a different connotation right now. But first of all, I'm really pleased to have the two of you here. I first heard about this and, and surprisingly enough,

that wasn't too long ago and I'm really surprised that was going on so long and didn't hear anything about it. But I think it's a magnificent project. I think you people I think had the right idea and have done a marvelous job and that's been 36

years ago. So these folks were co founders and that's why we feel it's very important to have you here and tell everybody about this. Andy, we'll start with you ladies first, but not this time. We'll go there And all right. Um, exactly. How did the idea

of this volunteer park developed? Well, rich. It happened rather suddenly really the idea A group of us. I think it was about maybe 12 or 13 people that were members of a Cub Scout Committee of adults that met at one of the houses, one of the

homes in Forestville for the purpose of planning the upcoming cub scout carnival, the annual fundraiser for that organization. And at the conclusion of that meeting had coffee and cake time. If I recall the conversation drifted into why can't a group like this, gather some momentum and

uh get some ideas about maybe expanding uh to maybe create a facility that could serve all of the youth and youth organizations in Forestville and it didn't seem to take a lot of effort to generate the enthusiasm, it just seemed to build on itself. And I

think about two weeks later we had a second meeting and then a third and we then moved into for what we, what we refer to as our first organizational meeting. I think there were 17 that got together in the old firehouse at Forestville and uh I

think Claudia might want to pick up on just how that whole thing happened, if that's alright with you. Yeah, Well, 17 of us were sitting around a table and we had all been people that have worked with youth groups and were concerned about what there was

to do in Forestville for young people and there wasn't an awful lot, so uh throwing ideas around and and just hashing it over, we decided that possibly we could do something and that's how this came about. Uh we had no money, we had no assets of

any kind And we thought, well, now how are we gonna get this going? And the only way we could do that was to try and raise some money. So the first money that we raised was a total of $17 a dollar from each person that was

sitting around that table. Um and from that we started mailing out information and getting more people involved and uh decided to hold the barbecue as a fundraiser. So that's about how we got started. Pretty interesting. Well, you know, this is, this is really is the old

phrase, but a slice of Americana. Uh certainly a slice of Americana as Americana was when you folks did this. Uh a more innocent time. Uh of course I'm old, but in my opinion, a much better time. Uh Andy, how did you manage from that pretty small

group of people to create the energy required for such a major undertaking? I think all we had to do was to convince uh a few people that we were sincere and that we were going determined to complete our plan. And I think the getting over the

hump part was that first barbecue that we held on Marble Road where the park is right now. And it was owned by Mr paul Speer and uh he let us use a 1.5 acre sheep pasture. And that was one of the funniest things that ever happened

in Forestville as that went together. We borrowed uh, barbecue equipment from Mr fred McMurray's Ranch. One of them looked like a river raft built out of scrap iron. We had everything tied together with wire rope, this queen and we were pretty sure we're all losing our

ever loving minds before. We got together. So it was a thing that was kind of entertaining in a way, and attracted more participants. And again, began to build on itself and it just kept going and never has stopped. It certainly hasn't. It just kept going. And

today it's really amazing. Um, I wonder if we're gonna show folks a little bit about your parking moment, but a couple of questions to ask you claudia. Do you remember how the first board was formed and how the fundraising schedule actually began? Well, the first board

was formed from the 17 people that were at the first meeting. And, uh, due to the fact that Andy was one of the uh, spearheads on this. We tackled him and made him our chairman and he did serve for three years as our chairman. That was

one of the things that we wanted was a continuity to the group. Um, other people that were there. Um, nobody really volunteered for the jobs, but we kind of twisted some arms and we learned to do a lot of arm twisting for that first barbecue. Uh,

we got our president who was Andy or chairman, whatever. I've forgotten what we called him now. It was so long ago. Uh, probably a lot of names. Yeah. But, and then we had a secretary and, uh, vice chair and from that, we just gathered, uh, periodically

and had meetings and decided what we were gonna do. We ended up having the barbecue, which was chicken barbecue, and we had, um, games for Children, we had games for adults, we had music, just anything we could think of that would generate interest. How about the

first fundraiser? How did you, how did you approach that? Well, we approached it from the point that we had no money, so, so it was an absolute absolutely. But what we, what we did was we were very fortunate in that the, not only Forestville, but people

in santa rosa that were in business, really, we did everything on a consignment basis. They allowed us to uh, use these materials and we didn't have to pay until the barbecue was over. And that took a lot of faith on their part because they didn't know

whether we were going to succeed or not. Uh, fortunately we didn't fall flat on our face, but it was kind of scary. It was kind of scary. I think right here we want to mention uh, something that's very important and I want to uh, take a

look at some of the park. But speaking of fundraisers, which we are, your board has two major fundraisers, uh, each year, and one of them is coming up pretty soon. Now you tell us about both of them, will you? Well, the fundraiser, we have coming up

on june the 3rd and 4th of this year is our annual fundraiser that we have held since 1960 this year we're going to kind of change things a little bit. We're gonna call it the Forestville summerfest of 95. We're going to expand on the games. We're

going to bring in more uh areas where the teenagers can be entertained. Uh, we've kind of been a little lax in that area, so we're trying to fill in the gaps and we're going to have music um, and beer, wine, homemade pies or pies. I won't

say they're homemade because they're not anymore. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Thank you. And, and the menu is going to be expanded. We're gonna have a lot of new things on the menu this year and our entertainment is going to be on saturday and sunday and we're going

to have the lindy Chandler band and the Cajun coyotes on saturday. And on sunday we're having the Blue moon band and solid air. There will also be some crafts there on that day. The second fundraiser, that this is the second annual, that's called Music in the

park and this was spearheaded by some groups that were in need of funding for some trips. I believe it was the Boy Scouts, am I right And they came to us and asked if we would like to participate. And so there are four groups that are

involved in this and we're splitting the proceeds. The first music in the park was very successful. That takes place on August the 19th and it's a one day affair. Yeah. Our barbecue is a two day affair. This is a one day affair. Uh and the entertainment,

they're going to have our Jackie pain and shades of blue featuring Gail muldrow and Diva, Diane Animal Mind, Big Brother and the holding company Blue Moon again, Nick, grava nights, Animal World, Uncle Wiggly and a jam session. Uh There will be flyers and signs for both

occasions so that people will be aware and we're gonna try and do some advertising as well. That sounds like two very, very impressive fundraising and they've been very in the past. Your june fundraiser has kept you going, Oh absolutely. That's the only thing we've had to

keep us going as far as finances are concerned, you know, I wish I'd like to show our audience the park itself we're talking about, I'm going to have our director take some film that we were fortunate enough to take recently and show people and I hope

when they show this that you will, the two of you will comment on what you're seeing and maybe tell the audience a little bit about, well, what's here, what's there or something? And as I said earlier, if you talk over each other, that's okay, that's alright.

Let's take a look right in here about the film that we have for the park, Here we are. Well, there's the sign that Andy put up. I remember when he got it ready. And uh we had quite a day that day. That was kind of an

opening ceremony, if I remember right. Yeah. That was financed in part by a local sorority group in Forestville wanted a project and we agreed baseball field, baseball field and all those signs in our donations by organisms, businesses in Forestville. They've supported us. Another thing that's interesting.

Rich as far as the baseball field is concerned that diamond is laid out. Exactly believe it or not as cattle, state park, talk to the people down there and they recommended what we did and we did beautiful scenes. Now this is in Forestville, this is right

in Forestville, just off of 1 16. Unfortunately the original location was what we thought maybe the center as things grew around Forestville and such has been the case and that's the picnic area And most of the trees I see. Well the trees were planted by Martin's

nursery. That was in sebastopol at the time. I did he donate the trees? And Henry Martin donated all the trees and our people planted them. Yeah. Yeah those trees are about 33 years old, about 33 years old. That's really an impressive looking complex. Uh Okay. Andy

this is the Forest Bill Youth Park which is now here and there. But your group is now called Forest Bill Park Development Incorporated. What's the primary objective and of P. D. Development project. Well, Rich. First the reason for uh the more official sounding title was that

we became a nonprofit corporation on file in sacramento with articles of incorporation written by a person that you knew, a good friend of both of ours. Uh, Dick Maxwell Attorney and he was the attorney for the Water department at Forestville, Forestville County Water Department and he

assisted us pro bono on many things that we needed to do. And that put us on an official status for tax exempt and so forth. The primary objective always has been to raise the funds to purchase the property, develop it. Established facilities as money was available

until we were completely satisfied that that's about all we can put here on 8.5 acres as it is today. Our first purchase was four acres. Uh, we paid off the mortgage on that prematurely. Uh, made my father in law a little sore because he wanted that

6% interest bless his heart. But we went head with the additional back 4.5 acres and that made it 8.5 acres. And the objective was to make all those facilities available to all the youth and youth group in the forest full service area, which primarily is the

conforms to the Forest Hill Elementary School. Then I know you notice that the Forest Bill youth park and that's kind of recognized that by everybody. But as far as the paperwork, uh, then your, your official title is Forest Park Development and corporate. That's true. Who serves

as the head of your committee now or does anyone? Yes. Alan tilden is our president right now And we've had a newcomer, no doubt, absolutely, relatively, but he's doing a great job. He really is new blood, but new ideas. Yeah. Yeah. We've been very fortunate that

every couple of years we seem to pick up new people and that's why. But you need to keep an organization like this going. New blood, new blood, you know, we need more energy to, yeah, well, you know, it's any organization I belong to the first. Right

now we're in the process of trying to get more new members. This old duffers have been there for a long time. We need more young people. I was just going to say one thing that I don't find it surprising that Andy has been involved in the

fundraising and been successful because as he reminded me earlier, we both spent quite a bit of time when we were with the County of Sonoma, working for United Way. We had fair success in getting our share of funds out of the pockets of all the people

over there. Very good experience. The rich, pardon? Very good experience. Certainly. Certainly ties in with what you're doing right now. Um, I think this would be a pretty good place to pause right here. We're gonna come back and we can talk more about the park and

more about your experiences in it. Uh, you people are the history of the park co founders, 36 years, that sort of thing. So we'll be back in just a moment. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll talk more to Andy Anderson and Claudia McDermott about forrest ville Youth Park

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dreams come alive call child reach at 1,802,895 900 child reads sponsorship. It works. Welcome back to this very special edition of Sonoma County in the 90s. Very special because we're talking about the Forest Hill Youth Park, which was, uh, The land was purchased for it. It

was developed. Everything there is due to the people in Forestville started this whole project 36 years ago and done it all without any city or county or town or state or federal money that did it all on their own for kids in that area. I think

that's pretty organic, wonderful. Um, Claudia, what do you think are the greatest challenges facing the forest field youth park right now right now? Uh, probably the greatest challenge is to make sure that it continues on, uh, getting new people involved to keep the continuity going and

having people support us, uh, throughout, I think is really one of the things we have to focus on and trying to, to keep people still interested and bring in new people. Well, I think one of the things you said earlier about your entertainment, you're taking in

consideration the kids and the sort of thing that they like, which, which really is, is really a great idea, may not be my favorite band or something like that, but by the same token, it's something that they identify with and that gives them, I think a

feeling of warmth towards the park and we're trying to cater to everybody from the little ones on up to the senior citizens because the park is used as a community park. It's dedicated to youth. Absolutely. But it's open to the public at all times. So that's

why we appreciate anybody cleaning up after themselves and that sort of thing. It's all volunteer, really. A great project. One thing. Andy, how many volunteers took part in that first fundraiser? I guess we're calling them and, and I think maybe we ought to tell everybody what

was the net profit of your first effort. Well, the number of people, I thought it was more than we ever would put together in one, 1, 1.5 acre space. I think there were about 60 or 70 people all told during that one day. And those first

years we only operated the fundraiser on Sunday and for the last 20 years it's been Saturday and Sunday the two day weekend. Uh We, we grossed tweeted, I think we grossed $2600 and probably netted about About 1900 enough to let the community know well it can

work. All we need to do is get bigger and bigger teach for $2600 gross in $1900 net profit. Uh in 1960 it was a sizable amount of money. We have peaked in the late eighties at 54,000 gross two years in a row. Uh, We had our

first rain out in 35 years happened the year before last and we came in a month later. Uh, and, and didn't do too well, primarily for two reasons. People are on vacations for attendance. The help was on vacation too. But last year the group decided some

of us weren't in favor of that, but the group decided to have it a month later to avoid the possibility of another rain. Not uh, that was so far out of step with what people were accustomed to that we lost some attendance and didn't, I think

our growth was in the high thirties around 39,000, but we need to hit somewhere between 45 50,000 year at today's rate of exchange to, uh, To keep, to, to assure continuation. Uh, and some for the rainy day keep going to where you're going now. Um, Claudia,

the forest field park has been in existence now for 36 years. I don't think you've identified yet. Who are the current users of the park? The current users, we have little League. There are probably more than 700 youngsters that play ball through little League season. We

started with Forestville Baseball and then we joined Little League. We have soccer that goes on all the time, organized sport and families use it for birthday parties. As a matter of fact, there's a possibility we may have a wedding there, uh, which would be our first

in, in the next few months, um, picnickers go out there on sunday afternoon. We have softball that's organized. So there's a lot of use for the park you see in the playground, you'll see mothers with their little ones on the swings and relaxing in the afternoon

and it's used a lot during the summer months and the spring and fall. It's such a beautiful spot. Forest villages in that area There, we have about three minutes left and I want a 2.5 minutes left and I want to get a couple of things. How

can people get involved in your youth park And what can we do today to help you and your project? But first of all, what can you do to get people involved? Um Number one, we have our uh nonprofit corporation meetings once each month, on the 3rd

Wednesday of the month. And it's open to anyone that would like to become a part of this thing. And we guarantee anybody that gets involved for a while, you will always be glad you did. It's kind of a contagious thing and you don't want to let

go after you start. But uh, there's always plenty to do for any kind of a trade or, or art or skill that anybody has. Uh, just come there. The uh, the uh, the membership fee, annual fee, I think. What is it? $10 now? Uh all that

does is give you a voting privilege. But it's open for public attendance at all times. And one thing, I don't know that we've jotted this down anywhere. What is the phone number that I could phone to contact either one of you for the group? It would

always be the current president's phone number. I don't have. I'm sorry. Alan tilden Forestville. I think that's Right now. What can other people do to help the project we have about? Oh, they volunteer to help us. We'll need a lot of help on the grounds on

the day, the weekend of our barbecue. And we just would love to have anybody come and volunteer. We promised not to overwork them just enough. Usually people work for maybe 2-3 hours, either Saturday or both days and we'd be real happy to have anybody come down

and do that. Uh, and we would love to have people come and participate in our meetings because we have a small core group that handles business all year long and we need new ideas and new energy and we'd love to have it. Okay, well, I'm, I'm

very, very pleased to have had both of you here. I think your project is unique. I think it's wonderful. And I can also say that without any fear of contradiction that's been successful. And I'm sure with you folks and the people that you hand the reins

to later on, it will continue to be Ladies and gentlemen, we've been talking to frank Andy Anderson and we've been talking to Claudia McDermott about the forest build youth park. I'm Rich McGlinchey, the program. Sonoma County in the nineties. See you next week with another member

of the county government family or an interesting groups such as the Forest Bill Youth Park group. Till then. Good night. Good luck. Good health to each and every one of you. Yeah.