News From The Black Rock Desert, February 2012
Friends --
BIG CHANGES IN STORE FOR FRIENDS
Matthew “Metric” Ebert, our long-time Executive Director, has decided to leave our organization. He brought us a long way and he deserves a big Thank You for his time with the organization. We wish him the best in all his future endeavors!
Both Bill “BC” Carson and Michael “Crow” Black are remaining on our staff and are helping with the transition.
POSITIONS OPEN AT FRIENDS---“Help Wanted.”
At the December meeting of the Friends Board we decided to hire a part-time Communications Director who would work on our newsletters, send out press releases about our events, and make our image on Social Media such as Facebook, Twitter, and other Web locations more noticeable. We also decided to open a small Reno office since it’s always good to have an office where your donors and your membership base are located.
Metric’s departure changes our plans but only slightly. Friends is now hiring two people, not just one, and we may base the positions in either Reno or Gerlach. We have already advertised both positions in Gerlach and received a resume from a Gerlach resident. We aren’t sure whether we prefer a Gerlach based ED or a Reno based ED. Both locations have plusses and minuses!
This is your chance to inform any of your friends who may be interested in these positions or to apply yourself!
Short Job Descriptions:
Executive Director: Desired qualifications and skills: Development Skills. Fundraising & Grant writing experience very desirable. Non-profit experience strongly preferred. Ability to work with Government Agencies and diverse users. Computer skills including web development, desktop publishing, and social media, good writing and speaking ability. Enthusiasm and organization skills. Position may be based in either Gerlach or Reno. Knowledge of Black Rock area a Plus but not required. Please send resume with salary requirements to jobs@blackrockdesert.org.
Communications Director: Part-Time approximately two days a week. Position may be based in either Gerlach or Reno. Desired qualifications and skills: Computer skills including web development and social media, good writing and speaking ability. Some public outreach. Desktop publishing and fundraising/grant writing skills very desirable. Non-profit experience preferred. Please send resume with salary requirements to jobs@blackrockdesert.org.
The complete job descriptions are posted here: Executive Director, Communications Director
HOLIDAY GALA A SUCCESS
Many of you attended our first-ever Holiday Gala at the Grand Sierra. It was a huge success and we plan to build on the success and repeat the event next year! Thanks to Hycroft Gold Mine and Allied Nevada Gold Corporation for their help in sponsoring the event. And another big thank you to our Vice President, Will Roger Peterson, for the generous contribution he made toward KFBR Radio, 91.5 on your dial and live over the internet.
SAVE THE DATE & JALISCO CLUB STATUS
As you know, we’ve signed a lease and have been remodeling the Jalisco Club, a long-time Gerlach landmark, into an office for Friends staff, a small museum, a place to sell books, shirts, and souvenirs, and a meeting area for our members. Wouldn’t it be handy to be able to check your email while you’re in Gerlach? We’re working on it!
We’ll be having a county building inspection in the next week or so and if we pass and receive our Occupancy Permit, we hope to have an Open House, perhaps on Saturday, February 11. Save the Date! We’ll be serving snacks, soda, coffee, and checking out the work so far.
Things needed to finish it off: We have a wish list! Can you help? These are our top items:
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About 950 square feet of flooring to cover the main area in the front of the building and the aisle/hallway toward the back door. Hardwood? Resilient tile? Your current carpeting that you’re about to replace? If you have a smaller quantity, we might be able to use it anyway!
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Office furniture and supplies.
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A used, functioning computer for visitor use checking emails and similar minor work. The old, used computer in your closet might be fine.
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Several replacement windows, various sizes. If you have any double-pane windows, measure the frame size and email it to crow@blackrockdesert.org and maybe we can use them.
If it’s in Reno, Sparks, Northern Nevada, or NE California we may be able to arrange for a pick-up. Contact Crow, our project manager, at the email above if you can help.
WANT TO SEE THE JALISCO BUT NOT CAMP IN THE SNOW?
Check out the Special at Bruno’s Motel and it’s not just for February 11: A small room for 2 people and 2 Bacon and Egg Breakfasts with coffee for only $50.00! Or a small room for 1 person with a Bacon and Egg Breakfast with coffee for only $40.00. No other discounts apply and this offer doesn’t work for the Apartments and larger rooms in back. Bruno’s also has free wireless for their restaurant customers! For Reservations, call Bruno’s at 775/557-2220. Be sure to say you heard about it from Friends!
SPRING KICK-OFF
Friends is planning the annual SKO for Saturday, March 24, but have not yet selected a venue. We’ve outgrown the Great Basin Brewery in Sparks! We’re looking for door prizes, speakers, silent auction items, a musician, and all the other ingredients of a party. What can you contribute? That good but used camp stove you have in the garage might make a good item to donate. Call us at 775/557-2900 and we can probably arrange pick-up in Reno, Sparks, Northern Nevada, or NE California.
OUTREACH EVENTS COMING UP
We have several outreach events coming up. Do you like to talk to people about the Black Rock? If you’ve been there once or twice, you’ll know more about the Black Rock than most of the people we meet! We are taking the “roadshow” to the Crossroads of the West Gun Show on February 18 & 19 and are also receiving a free booth from the producer of Lockett Shows at his Off-Road Motorsports Expo/Sports and Recreation Expo at the Reno Convention Center on March 23 & 24. Trust us, most of the attendees have never been to the Black Rock! We’ll even provide you with a list of FAQ’s and talking points! Email volunteer@blackrockdesert.org if you’re interested or want more information. Plan to attend the shows, stop by and see us, and support our sponsors!
For more info on the Off-Road Motorsports Expo/Sports and Recreation Expo and discount coupons, go to www.LockettShows.com. Since one admission will also include their Spring Home & Garden Show and the Reno Pet Show & Pug Parade at the same location, there’s going to be something for everyone!
If we can get some additional volunteers, we’d also like to have a booth at Cabela’s during their Outdoor Days in early March. They usually give out discount coupons and free meals to their exhibitors so this will be a good time to volunteer!
Nobody is sure if there’s going to be an Earth Day event in Reno so keep watching this space! It’s normally in late April.
HAM RADIO LICENSE CLASS IN RENO MAY 5
Friends President David Book KD7YIM will be teaching a Ham Radio License “FastClass” in Reno on Saturday, May 5. For more information including FREE study materials and FREE practice tests, visit www.emcommwest.org and then click on Ham License Class on the left side. David says “It’s not really a complete class but a last-minute review! But almost everybody who studies a little ahead of time passes the test. The test is at a Middle School level and I’ve had 9 year olds pass after taking my class! Since we give the test immediately after the review, your chances of passing are very high if you’ve studied ahead of time.”
Passing this test and buying a $110 radio will give you the ability to call “911” via one of the amateur radio relay stations on the playa, talk to your ham friends on the playa and in town, and coordinate your events when out of cell coverage. KD7YIM advises that he was able to use a $110 radio to reach the 911 phone connection from the Lassen-Clapper Murder Site, about 30 miles from Trego Hot Spring and waaaay out of cell coverage!
For more info, visit the Emcommwest website, cq-blackrock.org, or talk to the people that already have their ham license. Almost everybody who has one says “If I’d known it was going to be that easy and so useful, I’d have done it a long time ago!” And if you pass the test and buy your radio, you can be talking on the radio during the Rendezvous!
RENDEZVOUS NEWS
Yup, we’re planning the Rendezvous for Memorial Day weekend again this year, May 26 & 27. It’s too early to have any firm plans but the standby Dutch Oven Cook-off, Speakers, Tours, visits to Hot Springs, and similar events will happen again. This year we may do “I-Pod DJ” so be sure to bring your favorite tunes! We’ll have a more family-oriented ”quiet area” and another area for people who want to stay up later.
If you’re a history buff, this is your year! Friends has lined up several Archaeologists and Anthropologists with specialties in the Black Rock, Rabbit Hole Spring, and Sulfur! We also hope to have a speaker or tour relating to the Emigrant Trail. If you’d like to speak on a particular subject or lead a tour, send an email to volunteer@blackrockdesert.org. For tour leaders, Ham Radio License and First Aid skills are strongly preferred!
WEATHER WARNING: The last couple of years we’ve had some cold, rainy weather on Rendezvous weekend. Bring warm clothes and rain gear, don’t be fooled by the Playa! We’ll try to plan for all eventualities but, as always, you’re the one responsible for yourself! Be prepared!
HIGH ROCK CANYON CLOSURE PENDING
The seasonal closure of High Rock Canyon to motor vehicles is scheduled for February 5 and it won’t re-open until about May 12. This is an annual closure to motor vehicles for bighorn sheep and antelope calving and raptor nesting. You can still walk in, you just can’t drive in. If you want to drive through this year, do it quick or wait until May!
Calendar of upcoming events [all 2012 events]
February 11: Jalisco Open House (date might change)
February 18-19: Roadshow, Crossroads of the West Gun Show, Reno Convention Center
March 3-4: Roadshow, Cabela’s Outdoor Days (possible)
March 23-25: Roadshow, Off-Road Motorsports Expo/Sports and Recreation Expo
March 24: Spring Kick-Off
May 12-13: Jackpot of Gems
May 26- 27: Black Rock Rendezvous!
POB 224, 380 Main Street
Gerlach, NV 89412
775-557-2900
blackrockdesert.org
The Friends of Black Rock High Rock helps manage the resources of the Black Rock Desert region and educates the public to foster stewardship and preserve its unique character.