A Greater Applegate has a lot to report on the “Holiday and Arts” theme! The Applegate Artists Working Group have had an exceptional year. They teamed up with multiple wineries to display their wares during the spring Uncorked event, and did the same with the Lavender Festival in June and July. They also worked with the Grants Pass Museum of Art to have a west-side Applegate location for this year’s Art in the Garden. And the group rounded out the Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair with Art in the Vineyard at Wooldridge Creek Winery.
They will be closing out the year with us as we launch the ‘Applegate Love: Online Holiday Auction’ featuring hand-crafted ornaments from our Applegate Artists, goody baskets from local businesses, and uniquely Applegate experiences offered by local folks you know and love. Please check agreaterapplegate.org and other social media channels in early December to get in on the bidding! It is a great way to do some holiday shopping AND support AGA’s end of the year fundraising efforts. The auction will go live on Giving Tuesday, which is Dec. 2nd and wrap up on Dec. 14th so that you can collect your items before the holiday season sets in.
If you are an artist who is interested in participating with the Applegate Artists group, contact jb@agreaterapplegate.org for more information. They get together on the 2nd Monday of every month from 12:00-1:30 at the AGA Office in Ruch or via zoom.
Speaking of getting together, the AV Business Network will be hosting a Holiday Happy Hour on Thursday, December 11th from 5:00-7:00 at the Lindsay Lodge. This will be an opportunity to gather, celebrate, and network with other Applegate business owners, old friends, and people new to the valley. Light bites will be provided and drinks will be available for purchase. Please join us at this most wonderful time of the year to reflect on 2025 and get connected to what is coming in 2026. This is also a chance to network with our new Business Network Manager, Jeff Haas, and share your thoughts on doing business in the Applegate.
As much as we have to celebrate, those of us with boots on the ground working in the community also understand that this has been a challenging year for many. We are bracing for what happens when hundreds of our neighboring households have delayed or reduced SNAP benefits this winter. Since 2020, A Greater Applegate has been running a Farm to Food Pantry program which has delivered over $50,000 worth of local produce and ground beef to our emergency food pantries in Ruch and Williams. We will be continuing this for as long as we can in anticipation of increased need and a heavier load at the pantries.
Despite the challenges facing rural communities and an ever-changing landscape for nonprofit work, AGA stands on a foundation of strong connections, community leadership, the ‘can do’ attitude of rural culture, and exciting programs and projects that are guided by the Applegate Valley Vision that so many of you helped create.
If ever there was a time to jump in with your community, it’s now. Rural America makes up 97% of U.S. land area and contributes $2 trillion to the U.S. economy, yet receives only 7% of philanthropic dollars and is getting hit hard by federal spending cuts. It’s time to rethink how we invest in rural communities. You have an opportunity here, in the Applegate Valley, to join the organizations that make up our social fabric and focus on strengthening connections and building all the kinds of capital where we live.
Are you looking for a meaningful way to support the economic, social, and environmental vitality of our community? A Greater Applegate is looking for board members who bring fresh perspectives, lived experience, and strategic insight to help us sustain and evolve our impact. Please reach out to our office to learn more about this opportunity.
We are also (always) accepting donations to help support our work, like the Farm to Pantry program, the Applegate Evening Market, Resilience Hubs, WanderApplegate.com, and the new Applegate Listserv that is humbly trying to fill the void left by Jo’s List going down (to name a few…). If you miss Jo’s List and want to be part of Applegate Listserv, go to applegateconnect.org/listserv to sign up.
Many may be surprised how small an organization we really are: eight part-time staff and less than a half million-dollar budget. We achieve far beyond our size because we believe in the power and promise of rural community. That belief enables us to accomplish quite a lot for the Applegate Valley. And with your help, we can do even more.
