Services

A Newspaper Reality Check (zoom)

Small-town newspapers have never faced greater challenges than they do today. But they’ve also never been more important for their reporting on community news that would otherwise go uncovered.

The Wizard of Santa Rosa: Luther Burbank

At 20, young Luther discovered Darwin’s “Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication” and it opened a new world to him. He realized that instead of waiting for the mysteries of divine creation, one could rightly and properly help those mysteries unfold with selective breeding. He became a world-renowned expert in plant breeding, and suggested applying this new science to other species. We will review and discuss how the debate over human breeding intrigued him, and how a childless scientist became a sought-after expert on child rearing with his book; “The Training of the Human Plant.”

Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport

The League of Women Voters of the Rogue Valley faces a busy 2024.  We walk a fine line between being a non-partisan voter education service, yet advocating for issues which our members have studied and discussed.   After a brief history of the Rogue Valley League, we will identify the local issues the 2024 election year will address.  The League stays out of candidate recommendations, but we do ask questions—because “Democracy is not a Spectator Sport.”

Active Love and Anthropocene Angst (zoom)

That humans are having major impacts on the planet is now quite clear, and some of those impacts may be evident millions of years from now. Are we a cancer on the biosphere, a plague? Would it be better if we had remained blissfully in the stone age? Our angst about such matters may be no more helpful to building sustainable systems than is white guilt in forging racial justice. Guilt about environmental destruction won’t help build a sustainable society, but active love might, the kind of love we have for our teenagers when they’re especially annoying. JD Stillwater somehow relates all of this to romantic relationships, beautiful sunsets, and Joni Mitchell.

Gandhian Nonviolence: A Way of Life

Rev. Landale will explore the precepts of satyagraha (truth-force or soul-force) and ahimsa (nonviolence) as a way of life, in all aspects of our lives.

Defining Enough

Failure to define “enough” means never being satisfied. It makes us vulnerable to slick advertising, and fills our lives with tedium and chaos. It deflects our focus from sources of true happiness, like play, family, relationships, community. Ultimately, it also leads to the desecration of Earth’s living systems. Defining “enough” is a spiritual practice.  

Heart-Centered Leadership (zoom)

The challenges of our time are calling for a new type of leadership and organizing.  Leadership that is caring, collaborative, and authentic are a few ways that it has been described.  At the same time, many of our leaders are struggling with chronic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue.  The traditional way of working together as an organization is contributing to these challenges where people feel disconnected from each other, overworked, and unfulfilled.  Derick Carter will share his experience in exploring new ways of leading and organizing where we follow our hearts – share leadership, work in community, and feel more fulfilled.

Chinese New Year, Removing the Bad & Old, and Welcoming the New and Good

Chinese New Year, a.k.a. Lunar New Year, is an annual 15-day festival in China and in Chinese communities around the world that begins with the Lunar calendar January 1st new moon and lasts until the following full moon Lunar Calendar January 15th.  In her discussion about the origin of the Chinese New Year, Ms. Fan will talk about various traditions, foods, and celebratory activities that take place in different provinces throughout China and in other parts of the world, and how those activities symbolize the removal of the Bad and Old and the entry of the New and Good.

Fostering – An Act of Service and Support

Victoria Lopez-Garrett of the Grants Pass Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare Office will speak about the current high need for foster parents in Josephine County and statewide. Foster parents for kids of all ages and backgrounds are needed, with a special need for homes that would be affirming of a child’s/teen’s sexual orientation and gender identity.  She will also discuss a new program called Certified Respite which is for people who may not be able to be foster parents full time but are willing to have a child/teen for a weekend or a few days here and there as needed.

Care of the Soul

In these days when we experience sickness, depression, obsessions, relationship difficulties and many other challenges that keep us from experiencing joy and peace, where is the hope? In the hospital setting patients bring not only their sickness but emotional and spiritual pain. Retired Chaplain Doug Schmidt will share how spirituality is not only a vital sign but may be an essential resource to the patient and the family, playing a critical role in people’s lives.