Oregon is known for many things but none more majestic then its beautiful evergreen trees. They provide shade for a weary traveler or family gathering for a picnic. They are refuge to forest critters, an impenetrable perch for the powerful Bald Eagle and for this holiday season, a symbol for peace and good cheer.
At Ruch Outdoor Community School, we are taking the thing we love most about Oregon, its trees, and turning them into a service-learning project that will serve as peace and good cheer to families in our community. Ruch students will be taking Christmas trees, designing them and offering them for silent bid in hopes of spreading peace and wellness.
Trees will be placed in businesses around the valley for community members to make a silent bid. The winning bid can choose to take their tree home or offer it to identified families who otherwise cannot provide one for this holiday season.
On December 14, the trees will return to Ruch Outdoor Community School to be enjoyed by all at the first Applegate Festival of Trees event 4:00-6:00pm. This will take place before the school’s ROCS Winter Program at 6:00pm, which the community is invited to attend. Winning bids will be announced at Winter Program and delivered to the owner. Proceeds will go towards purchasing dinner baskets for families in the community.
It gives us great joy to be able to offer these trees of Oregon to our families—and our students say it best!
Kindergartener-“Can we give all the trees to my grandma? She loves to hang mistletoe and kiss me on my face.”
7th grader-“Thank you for letting me be part of this. I am not so sad when I help others.”
3rd grader-“Can I make my favorite ornament and put enough on the tree for the whole family?”
Service learning is a part of Ruch Outdoor Community School and I will have to say that we are all excited about this endeavor. This holiday season will be spent making people happy and sharing what we love most about Oregon…its trees!!
Oregon will always be home and I feel very fortunate to be able to experience all the beauty and wonder that our landscape provides at this time of year. All of us at Ruch Outdoor Community School wish all of you a very happy winter season.
Julie Barry, Principal, Ruch Outdoor Community School K-8