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Wilsonia Times: The Official Newsletter of Wilsonia Village Inc.
Volume 21, Issue 5 - May, 2021
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Dollar Dog Take-Out Dinner

At long last, Wilsonia events are back! Our first event for the season is the Dollar Dog Take-Out Dinner on May 29. This event will take place on the Clubhouse deck. Come on by any time between 4-6 pm to grab some food to go. For a donation of a buck (or more), you will receive a delicious hot dog, chips and cookie. Soft drinks will also be available for purchase.

While you are there, if you like, you can take a peek at the new Clubhouse bathrooms. WVI Board and Fire Committee members and NPS firefighters will be on hand to answer questions about the summer season, including information about the Wilsonia Yard Clean-Up Day. For more information about that event… read on.

 

Wilsonia Village
Upcoming Events:


Saturday, May 29, 4-6 pm
Dollar Dog Takeout Meal and Clubhouse Open House

Sunday, May 30, 11 am
Wilsonia Duck Race

Sunday, May 30, 1 pm
WVI Board Meeting

Saturday, June 12,  2 pm
Black Pot Cook-Off
 
A photo of the Wilson cabin in early morning sunlight. There is a light dusting of snow on the cabin roof, ground, and trees.
Wilsonia received a dusting of snow on May 21. Photo: Katie Wilson Padrick
Wilsonia Yard Clean-Up Day - June 26
 
In walking the village, we see that many Wilsonians are actively clearing their cabin property of needles and downed branches and piling them by the road. Thank you for being so proactive about fire safety. The volunteer crew will make every effort to get around to pick up the piles on or before Wilsonia Yard Clean-Up Day on June 26. If you are able, please be in Wilsonia on June 26 to help the volunteers load your needle piles into trailers to haul them away.

If you need someone to pick up your piles for you, or even need somebody to help rake your yard for you, please make a donation to the Wilsonia Yard Clean-Up Day fund. Your donation will help offset the cost of food for the volunteers and the rental expense for a few extra dump trailers.

We still need to hear from you if you need help or can help. Fill out this form to help us keep track of the clean-up projects and of the volunteers

If you know a student in need of volunteer hours, this is a great opportunity to take care of 6-8 hours!

PG&E Debris
PG&E continually contracts with ACRT and vegetation removal companies to trim and/or fell trees that are in the vicinity of the power lines. If you have questions and concerns about debris left on your property by one of the PG&E contractors, contact Patrick Denney, Vegetation Program Manager – PG&E Fresno at 559-978-5815.

Grant Grove Vegetation Dump Reignites
As you take your needles and branches to the park dump, use caution. Sequoia-Kings Canyon FMO John Ziegler reports: “The Grant Grove Vegetation dump has reignited.  It doesn't surprise me because it was enormous when I lit it this winter. There is no threat of spread or spotting because it is surrounded by the 2016 Sequoia Creek [Prescribed Burn]. Smoke may develop around the Big Stump curve just past the picnic area and we may need to eventually post the signs again.”
Rubber ducks lined up in anticipation of a previous running of the duck race.

The Great Wilsonia Duck Race

Attention Wilsonia sports fans: the nearly annual Wilsonia Duck Race returns this year, after taking a safety hiatus last year.

Under the newly adopted Sequoia-Kings Regional Standardized Rubber Duck Racing Federation Sporting Bylaws, race events in calendar years divisible by 7, occurring during Mercury retrograde, and/or subject to low precipitation totals must not occur in a streambed. Instead, this year’s race will be held in the ducks’ other natural habitats: on the ground, and in the air. This new rule allows those less aquatic fowl participants to show off their webbed “feets” of strength and agility in earthy challenges. The race is held in multiple heats, including an adult heat, which we’d wager will be hotly contested.

Chief Duck Wrangler Sara DeJager reminds young Wilsonians who want to adopt a quacking companion for the day of the event to bring a dollar for each duck. The rental fee for duck sponsors over the age of 16 is $5 per duck. Prizes will be awarded to the top duck in each heat!

This year’s events may or may not include: Quack Top Relays, Duck on a Stick, Duck Toss, and the newly popular but yet unperfected Duck Trebuchet. Come one, come all for a great kick off event to our 2021 Wilsonia Village social season: Sunday, May 30 at 11 am at Hazel and upper Lily Lane.

Black Pot Cook-Off
by Neal Mixter

The 11th edition of the Wilsonia Black Pot Cook-Off returns on Saturday, June 12. This event, sponsored by Wilsonia Village Inc, has become one of the favorites in Wilsonia. The competition gets tougher every year, but newcomers are welcome. One particular newby won first place for his Peach Upside Down Cake with fresh whipped cream. Regardless, if you are a seasoned Black Pot veteran or just trying it out, the day is fun, and the company is first rate.

Cooks may check in and set up beginning at 10 am; cooking begins at 2 pm. If Black Pot cooking is not your thing, you can still drop by during the afternoon to talk to the chefs, then come back over at 5 pm as the cooking wraps up. We hope to have the new NPS Sequoia-Kings Canyon Superintendent in attendance for a very casual meet and greet. Then at 6 pm, it’s your chance to sample all the masterpieces and vote for your favorite main dish and favorite dessert. If you're not cooking, please bring a potluck side dish or salad to help fill out the meal.

See you at the Wilsonia Community Park, on Hazel between Laurel and Lilac (the usual Black Pot location). Follow your nose to this fantastic event.
A Taste of Wilsonia

We have a full roster of cafe locations for this exciting evening, July 24. Tickets will go on sale online beginning on June 12. Ticket reservations can also be made at the Wilsonia Black Pot Cook-Off on that same day. Tickets for this fundraising event can be secured for a $25 donation ($10 for children 12 and under).

In order to spread people out, we have created two dining times: an early shift that runs from 5:00-7:30, and a late shift that begins at 6:30. We will have maps, menus and some suggested routes available for ticket holders. A big thank you to all the cafe hosts and to all of you generous supporters of Wilsonia Village.
July 4th Parade
 
The traditional Wilsonia Village parade will be held once again this year on Independence Day, July 4 at 10 am. The parade logistics were discussed with the NPS, and we will be using the 2018 Wilsonia Village Centennial route, including a large loop through Wilsonia.

Start planning for this fun, patriotic event. More information and a map of the route will be published in the next edition of the Wilsonia Times.

2021 Calendar of Events - UPDATES
 

There have been a few small revisions to the summer calendar. The WHDT has added an educational event on August 21 from 1-3 pm. The WHDT and WVI Boards will also be hosting a wine social meet and greet on July 17 from 3-6 pm, at the Collin cabin on Fern Lane. All Wilsonians are welcome to attend!

A newly revised and printable 2021 Wilsonia Village Calendar of Events can be viewed on our website. There is also a Google calendar you can subscribe to, so you don’t miss a single Wilsonia activity. The calendar is also posted on the Wilsonia Village bulletin boards… so you have no excuse to miss out on the food, friendship and fun!
Burning Issues
by Mike Theune, Fire Information Officer, and Captain Jeff Singer, Crew 42
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks


Park Ridge Prescribed Burn

There have been some requests for maps and more information related to the Park Ridge Prescribed Burn planned for this year. We wanted to share two maps with you all. One map shows where this year’s burn will take place – east of Wilsonia – and the second map showing previous prescribed burns with this year’s Park Ridge Prescribed Burn outline overlayed.

As we get closer and get more information, we’ll be sending out news releases and creating a page on Inciweb, https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/, the federal fire service’s incident information system. This is also a great place to look if you have questions about other prescribed burns, wildfires, and in some cases, post-wildfire response across the nation. Please feel free to reach out to seki_fire_info@nps.gov if you have any questions leading up to the Park Ridge Prescribed Burn.

A thumbnail showing the Park Ridge Prescribed Fire Unit for 2021
A thumbnail of a map showing past fires in the Grant Grove area.
Meet Crew 42
Spring is definitely moving into summer. The snow is all but melted away and temperatures are going up, which means that we are moving into the peak of our fire year. It also means that our seasonal fire crews are onboarding, which is always an exciting time of year for us. When fully staffed during the summer, there are just over sixty fire personnel based at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

Although you may not see the large wildland fire engine around Wilsonia like in the years past, the Parks have a very capable and strong crew here in Grant Grove to respond to fires, search and rescues, and any other emergencies. They are now known as Crew 42.

This season the crew is four people, two permanent positions and two seasonal positions. In the following paragraphs we wanted to share with you a little bit about who the crew is. 



Matt Pulford hails from Costa Mesa, just south of Los Angeles. A current student working on a degree in Fire Technology, Matt previously worked on the Cleveland National Forest. Outside of working in fire, he helps run a fishing boat in Newport Beach. He’s not only excited for new opportunities here but also to call Grant Grove home for the next 6 months.
Jules Bizjak comes to us from the North Rim of Grand Canyon National park, which is where she started her career as a seasonal, and instantly fell in love with fire management. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, she has been spending the last three off-seasons living in Flagstaff pursuing her Bachelor’s in Forestry at Northern Arizona University. Julia likes to spend her spare time rock climbing or snowboarding, a true passion for anything related to the great outdoors. She’s excited to be part of the community and cannot wait to see where this new endeavor leads.
Michael Sprinkle is not only originally from Reno, Nevada but also attends the University of Nevada, Reno where he is working on his degree. The Sierra Nevada has always been his favorite mountain range and he’s excited to be working in them again, especially in Grant Grove. He shared that he feels that being able to do a pretty remarkable job in a remarkable place is both awesome and humbling. Michael is looking forward to a fantastic season.
Jeff Singer has been the Engine Captain for the Grant Grove Crew since 2017. There’s a good chance you’ve seen him at many of the Wilsonia community events over the years. He’s been in wildland fire since 2000 after graduating from the University of Utah, and since then has worked in many states and on many different crews. In the summer, his wife and two daughters from Colorado will join him in their “park house” to enjoy the wonderful weather of Grant Grove. Jeff is looking forward to the community events this summer and reconnecting with everyone again.

We’re looking forward to seeing you all at this month’s Dollar Dog Event and the Wilsonia Yard Clean-Up Day. Take care and stay safe!

Have you paid your 2021 dues yet?

Dues cover the cost of the dumpsters, Clubhouse maintenance, and more.

Pay dues online
Cabin Classified
Cabin for Sale

83793 Lily Lane
1 Bedroom, 1.5 Bath
Modern & Fully Furnished

Contact owner:
(559) 638-9802
(559) 908-1013
Cover art of Jana Botkin's book The Cabins of Wilsonia, featuring a pencil drawing of a cabin.
Ad for Paul Finck, General Contractor. Contact Paul at (559) 358-5797.
Jana is a freelance artist and compiled this wonderful book of pencil drawings of Wilsonia Village scenes. Preview and order the book here.
Paul is a Wilsonia resident, and has many work references in the village. He can be contacted at (559) 358-5797.
Want to contact a Board member? Click here for their contact information.

Do you need to pay your dues? Would you like to buy a sweatshirt? You can do both at our store.

Bear problems? Contact the NPS Bear Tech at (559) 565-4490 or Park Dispatch at (559) 565-3341.
The Wilsonia Times is the official newsletter of Wilsonia Village Inc.
Editor: Neal Mixter
Visit wilsoniatimes.com to read past issues.
Questions about the Wilsonia Times? Email us at wilsoniatimes@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2021 Wilsonia Village Inc, All rights reserved.

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