Sokol Blosser Wine Blog

It was a gorgeous day Saturday when I joined about 30 others to help spruce up Herbert Hoover Park in Newberg (named after President Herbert Hoover, who is the only US President to have lived in Oregon). I pass the park on my way to work every day but rarely pay much attention to it. I’ve always enjoyed seeing the giant tree that the city lights each year for the holidays, and I’ve heard that a stellar Frisbee golf course meanders through the park. Even though I grew up about 15 minutes away, I’ve never stepped foot in the park! So, taking part of Take Care of Oregon Days seemed like the right opportunity to get to know this hometown park. I’m on the board of Oregon150, which is a group the Governor appointed to help plan Oregon’s sesquicentennial birthday this year. One of the major initiatives Oregon150 undertook was to create a way for Oregonians all over the state to give back to their communities. There were about 600 projects on May 16th around the state. SOLV, a terrific non-profit that helps to keep Oregon clean and beautiful, helped to create and publicize the various projects around the state.

Unfortunately, May 16 also coincided with a very busy pre-Memorial weekend open house at the winery, so I was the sole representative of Sokol Blosser at the park clean-up. I worked alongside quite a few Newberg High Schoolers. I was impressed that Newberg HS has a greenhouse and offers classes to help students develop a green thumb. Participating in the park beautification project earned these students extra credit. The plants we put into the ground actually came from the school’s greenhouse, and they were also concurrently running a plant sale through the weekend as well.

We planted a bunch of flowers at the entry to the park and worked to trim trees and remove blackberries (that is really tough work – can’t we just get the city some goats?). All in all, it was a great morning and I can’t wait to drive by the park to see how the flowers we planted are doing. And, there’s a fabulous play structure that I know my son will enjoy, so I will definitely be back soon. I encourage you to visit on your way to or from wine country as well!