Meetings are held at Carey City Hall and all are welcome.  For more information contact Trish at 578-4083.

Photo by Bill Mullins

The Boyd L. Stocking Memorial Pavilion Dedication in Carey this past Saturday was a great success! The day was started with a field tour hosted by the Pioneers Alliance showcasing the Pioneers-Craters area. The tour involved a flight over the landscape provided by Lighthawk, and later a discussion of key issues and projects in the Pioneers among the attending landowners and representatives of various agencies.

Later, the Alliance collaborated with the City of Carey, the Little Wood River Irrigation District, and the Carey Economic Revitalization Group (CERG) to put on the dedication ceremony for the pavilion. Opening statements were provided by Dustin Colton of the Carey City Council, Vonnie Olsen of CERG, and Jim Peterson of the Little Wood Irrigation District. The key speakers of the ceremony included Congressman Mike Simpson as well as county commissioners Angenie McCleary and Larry Schoen.

We were glad to be a part of such a great event, and thanks to everyone who contributed!

Lois Stocking and Congressman Mike Simpson cut the ribbon to the pavilion.

The dedication event will take place on August 11^th at 4 pm, and will feature, among others, honorary guest Governor Mike Simpson. The Pioneers Alliance has been working with CERG (Carey Economic Revitalization Group) to build the Boyd L. Stocking Memorial Pavilion in Carey.

The public pavilion, located next to the Blaine County Fairgrounds, will serve as a resting stop for travelers visiting the area. CERG is working to have the structure ready for use for the Blaine County Fair starting August 8th.

Vonnie and Brett holding the Boyd L. Stocking dedication plaque

On Monday, members of the Pioneers Alliance, including Mike Stevens of PMG and colleagues from The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Conservation League and the Bureau of Land Management, toured portions of the Friedman Creek Wilderness Study Area. This is a spectacular and remote area in the heart of the Pioneer Mountains. The area provides superb big game habitat and we were impressed by the extensive beaver activity along Friedman Creek. We hiked for several hours along an overgrown trail along Friedman Creek – the shade and water along the creek were a welcome relief from temperatures in the 90s – and came away amazed at the scale, ruggedness and beauty of the place.

Hiking in the Friedman Creek Wilderness Study Area

There are two great opportunities coming up to explore the Pioneer Mountains through photography and outdoor adventure!

This Wednesday, June 6th at 6pm, join us at the Ketchum Community library to view breathtaking images of the Pioneers through the lens of Kirk Anderson. Mike Stevens, of the Pioneers Alliance, will also be presenting on our work.

Don’t miss the 2nd Southern Pioneers Bike Tour on Saturday, June 16th at 9am. The tour begins at the Carey Pavilion for a 40-mile loop ride in the scenic landscape. There is an out-and-back option as well. Contact Brett Stevenson at Idaho Conservation League for more details and reservations.

The Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is co-sponsoring the 2011 Christmas Bird Count with the Snake River Audubon Society. The Christmas Bird Count is an international effort to count wintering birds in the western hemisphere. Participants of all experience and skill levels are welcome.

Participants should meet at the Craters of the Moon visitor center at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 14, 2011. The visitor center is located 18 miles west of Arco on Highway 20/26/93. Remember to wear boots, warm clothes and bring binoculars and a lunch. You should be prepared to spend the day outside in winter conditions. Snowshoes will be provided if conditions require.

For more information on the Christmas Bird Count program contact John Apel at 208-527-1350 or visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/index.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAREY ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION GROUP IS CERG-ING AHEAD:
It Takes a Community to Raise a Pavilion

Contact: Vonnie Olsen, (208) 823-4330, vonols@frontier.com

Carey, Idaho – November 22, 2011

What does it take to make things happen in a little community like Carey, Idaho? “People support what they help create,” says dedicated community volunteer, Joe Dilworth.

In April 2011, community leaders in Carey began meeting regularly to discuss how they could speed the pace of the community’s economic recovery from the recession. Looking to spur growth and greater resilience in the future, they formed the Carey Economic Revitalization Group (CERG) to enhance the existing natural, economic and social resources, and to build up compatible, productive industries, businesses and events.

CERG is currently building a public pavilion with restrooms and showers on city land adjacent to the Blaine County fairgrounds and, building on generous donations of time and materials from the community, is soliciting contributions to raise the last $15,000 required to complete the project.

Over the summer, CERG identified the lack of public restrooms and showers in the city as a stumbling block to hosting events and attracting visitors to the area, a key component of economic revitalization for the area. The group proposed a public pavilion with these amenities. At the same time, the Little Wood River Irrigation District was looking to establish a memorial for Boyd Stocking who passed away last year. Boyd Stocking, a lifelong resident of Carey, was a long-time employee of the Little Wood River Irrigation District whose expertise continued to be sought after long after he had retired. The community and the District decided to pitch in together to build the pavilion. For Carey, it is a win-win.

The pavilion structure, located adjacent to the city park and the rodeo grounds just west of Highway 93, will serve the Carey community as well as travelers, recreationists, and RV users who visit or pass through the area. The 10×30 foot covered facility includes two restrooms and two showers (both ADA accessible).

The Little Wood Irrigation District generously contributed $30,000 toward materials. According to Jack Barton, Chairman of the Irrigation District, “The board and shareholders of the District agreed that this project would benefit the valley and be a fitting memorial to Boyd
Stocking. As a result, the majority of the District shareholders agreed to provide funding for materials. We are very pleased with the project and look forward to its completion.”

“The pavilion will be a welcome resource for many visitors who in the past have had to travel as much as 60 miles to find public showers and restrooms,” says Vonnie Olsen, who is spearheading CERG efforts and also serves on the Carey city council.

The project has also helped pull the community together. So far, community members have contributed more than 500 hours of volunteer time to the project. Numerous merchants also have offered discounts on supplies.

“I think it is amazing to live in a community like this where we can all work efficiently toward the same goal,” says Dilworth. “I am honored to be part of this project.”
During the last year, CERG has been busy on a number of projects. These include commissioning a report on economic recovery ideas for Carey, beautifying Carey’s Main Street with trees and flowers, and hosting a Spring clean up day. The group is also looking to establish Carey as a gateway community to the area’s public lands.

“It is so gratifying to see neighbors working with each other to make this a better place to live, especially for younger families who are our future,” says Olsen.

CERG is not working alone. The group also is working with the Pioneers Alliance, a coalition of landowners, conservationists, and state and federal agencies working to conserve working farms and ranches, natural areas and wildlife of the Pioneer Mountains and Craters of the Moon region. Joint projects of CERG and the Pioneers Alliance have included sponsoring an annual 40-mile mountain bike tour in the Pioneer Mountains, developing ideas for economic development projects, producing a recreation map for the region and developing partnerships with state and federal agencies.

According to Mike Stevens, coordinator of the Pioneers Alliance, “We are thrilled to be working with people in Carey and surrounding landowners to create new economic opportunities while also protecting the natural and cultural values of the area.”

With the Boyd K. Stocking Pavilion nearing completion, the community is in the last push to raise a final $15,000 to complete the project and is soliciting support from the communities of Carey and Blaine County.

CERG and the City of Carey have created a fund specifically for this project. All donations are 100% tax deductible. If you would like to contribute to this effort, make checks payable to the City of Carey and send them to: City of Carey, 20482 Main Street, Carey, ID 83320.

For more information call or email Vonnie Olsen at (208) 823-4330, vonols@frontier.com.

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The Blaine County Fair takes place August 10th – 13th hosted at the Blaine County Fairgrounds in Carey, Idaho. This event showcases 4-H competitions and exhibits and a variety of fun filled events for all ages! Events begin around 7 am on most days and the entertainment continues until around 8 pm. The fair will have its fill of competition with an archery shoot, two day horse show, rodeos, and animal shows of all kinds.

Click here to view the Fair Events Schedule

The Sawtooth Forum and Lecture Series will cover many interesting topics relating to the Sawtooth-Salmon River country.

Tess O’Sullivan, Director of Lava Lake Institute for Science and Conservation, will start off the lecture series on July 8th sharing her research on challenges facing local pronghorn antelope.

Most lectures will be held at 5 pm each Friday at the Stanley Museum and repeated at 8 pm Friday evening at the Redfish Center.

To view other presenters and dates visit the Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association (SIHA) website.

Join the ride this Saturday June 11 through the southern Pioneer Mountains on all dirt road. The ride starts at 9am in Carey at the fairgrounds with two different ride options (see map below): a 38 mile loop climbing up Road Canyon and descending the South Fork of Muldoon Creek or a 5-15 mile out and back exploring Little Wood River Valley. Both rides will get you out there exploring new territory.