Ventura County 4-H All-Stars, Savanna Stanley and Dayle Morris are working towards a large goal. They are designing and building a nature-walking path through the Ormond Beach Outdoor Classroom in Oxnard.
The path is being named in honor of Jean Harris and Roma Armbrust two, now deceased, Oxnard teachers who fought for over 30 years to protect the wetlands from being developed and to clean up the toxic waste left at the nearby Halaco metal processing site.
Like most people serious about completing a large project, the Ventura County 4-H All Stars have broken the project down into smaller goals. They have recently completed the following:
- Met with other 4-H members throughout the county to discuss the All-Star Project
- Went to the City of Oxnard and spoke to the Mayor and the City Council at a City Council Meeting. (The City of Oxnard owns the land were the Ormond Beach Outdoor Classroom is located.)
- Wrote, and was awarded, a $1,000 Healthy Living Grant which will help with project expenses
- Met with Dale Dean of the Ventura County Master Gardeners, Nancy Pedersen, Director of the Outdoor Classroom, and members of Oxnard City Corps to begin laying out the trail
The Roma-Jean nature walking tour at Ormond Beach will include 10 information posts each of which will have instructions of exercises children and adults can do. The exercises will focus on flexibility, strength building and proper posture. The 4-H All Stars are working towards having the exercises correlate to the movements of birds as much as possible to make the movements fun for all.
They will also be identifying ten native plants and birds that visitors can look for as they walk through the wetlands, including the resident hummingbird that has followed visitors to Ormond Beach for the last five years.
The ambitious pair is looking for help and donations to complete this project. Specifically they are looking for: building supplies, a wood chipper, mulch, and someone who can help make waterproof boxes or signs. Please contact our office if you are able to help.
