THE DRAGONS

FRED THE LITTER CRITTER (1973 to 1990) l(click on photos for larger view)

The original "Fred The Litter Critter", designed by Pat Blair was constructed of paper mache and was created by students of Dick Walsh at Medford College of Art in 1973. "Fred" was later covered with fiberglass using memorial funds from the Scharaga Family. His "keepers" were Jim and Nordith Scharaga. Jim was the "voice of Fred" until his sons, Isaac and Noah, took over. They continued with Fred until he was destroyed in a warehouse fire. FRED was a friend to all children who visited him and was used every summer for 17 years. He was named in a "Dragon Naming Contest" held by The Storytelling Guild. Jim, Bill and Patty Moore (parents, Tam and Ann Moore) submitted the winning entry.

Bertha Big Gulp, a garbage-eating whale, was created several years later to be used in Mothergoose Land. Bertha was also named by children in a name the whale contest. Cherie Hilts and Susie Wright were Co-Directors and spearheaded the construction of Bertha in about 1979 or 1980. (A digital photo from your file would replace this sketch! Please email it to patblai@gmail.com.)

NOTE: Our garbage-eating mascots, "Fred The Litter Critter" and "Bertha Big Gulp" perished in a warehouse fire after the 1990 Children's FESTIVAL. 

 It was traumatic for all of us but fortunately we were able to replace both of them with insurance funds. Additional funding help came from the Medford Rogue Rotary .

Carolyn Barrett, Cindy Hoffbuhr and Emily Mostue, Children's Festival Co-Co-Co Directors at that time, were instrumental in seeing that the new improved dragons were constructed.

OUR NEW DRAGONS, CREATED IN 1991

Rosabelle: was sculpted by Talent artist Claire Barr-Wilson.

Pebbles: was constructed by Eagle Point artist, Jim Quinby.

"Pebbles", our smaller dragon hangs out on the Upper Hill just below the concession stand.  Pebbles also travels to parades on the 4th of July and alternates locations with Rosabelle. . This is of Pebbles before the "redo" which was done in 2005.

Photo

 

LULU: was constructed by Claire Barr-Wilson.

This is LuLu our newest dragon .. Just a baby but has an appetite for recycled items only!          

The "new dragons" were ready and introduced for "THE YEAR OF THE DRAGONS", 1991. Since they only appear for a few days each summer they stay relatively "well-preserved" as dragons do! Children always tug on their tongues to persuade each dragon to open wide and eventually there needs to be some minor corrective surgery done to replace the ragged tongue! It is amazing, though, that there doesn't seem to be a problem with a digestive track now and then! These critters eat paper cups, programs, popcorn bags, snow cone papers, and even leaves and who knows what else! Miss Manners is trying to teach them not to talk with their mouths full and not to gulp down their food!

"Rosabelle" is our garbage-eating dragon. She is 10 feet tall, and 19 feet long! She eats, talks, and manages to enchant everyone. She also takes the Queen and children on a ride through the small towns of Central Point, Eagle Point and Ashland during alternating 4th of July parades. 

Rosabelle now sits on a site located in Mother Goose Land on the lower portion of Britt Park.

Two of Pat Blair's grandchildren riding on Rosabelle in the Eagle Point Parade.

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FROM HERE TO THE STORYTELLING GUILD WEBSITE: http://www.storytellingguild.org/

(Click on photos for larger view)

YOU CAN VIEW IT ALL! http://www.storytellingguild.org/

The Storytelling Guild has connected Fred (The Litter Critter) And Friends blog to their website! It is now possible to move from their website to this site with one click of the mouse! If you'd like to know what great programs The Storytelling Guild provides for the Medford Community just take a look at the guild's website at http://www.storytellingguild.org/ . Finding the "one click" connection to this blog site is simple.

Just click ABOUT on the top bar where it lists:

PROGRAMS - CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL - ABOUT- CONTACT .

A description of The Children's Festival and other Storytelling Guild programs are provided. In the third paragraph you will find the "click here". Doing just that will bring you to this blog site!

In December, 2003.

The Storytelling Guild received a Community Service Award from the Jackson County Commissioners. Immediately following the award presentation, the Library Foundation and the Jackson County Library hosted a reception for past and present Storytelling Guild members in the Medford Library Children's Department. "To provide quality programs that encourage a love of reading for the children of Jackson County" is how Janice Cox, 2003 Storytelling Guild President, recently described the Guild's goal. They accomplish this through numerous special programs,including: weekly Storytimes in the Medford Library, Dial-a-Story, Bookwalk (a narrated fashion show of scenes from current children's books to third graders in 14 schools), F.R.E.D. (a reading incentive program for third graders at selected schools in Jackson County), Pass the Book (the gathering and donation of new and gently used children's books to various agencies in Jackson County which place the books in the hands of children who otherwise might not have access to any books), Read to Your Bunny (a nationwide booksharing program that reaches out to parents of young children to encourage them to read to their babies, early and often), Storyteller Education, financial support for SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) and Reading Rainbow, and the fantastic, stupendous Children's Festival, which has happened 3 magical days in July for 42 years!

VIEW THE ENTIRE BLOG NOW TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE FESTIVAL

Past Guild Presidents, Diane Newland and Marjorie Overland view the stage performances.

Happy painted faces. Happy painter!

A BIG thank you goes to Karin Dailey, Past President of the Storytelling Guild, Children's Festival Director, Queen, and Official Historian for the new photos and candid shots that are now seen at the bottom of these blog pages. If you have other photographs to contribute to The History of Children's Festival you may send them in a .JPG format to the Administrator, Pat Blair at patblai@gmail.com. Please don't put it off! The quicker you send them the better! It would be great to have new photos coming in all the time.

AND... DON'T FORGET TO TAKE DIGITAL PHOTOS AT THIS YEAR'S CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL, JULY 20, 21, AND 22ND!

A SALUTE TO ILMA MC KERN

                                 Ilma McKern as Mother Goose

A SALUTE TO ILMA MCKERN

In 1968 Ilma first came to The Children's Festival as a clown. It was 1969 when Ilma McKern began her long term involvement with the Storytelling Guild and Children's Festival. Ilma was recruited by Jeannette Paulson to serve on Pat Blair's Decorations Committe for that festival. Our first assignment was to "build a castle" to be used as the storytelling backdrop in Mother Goose Land. That year we also built two castle towers for the main entrance. The "committee" consisted of two people...Ilma and Pat Blair . . . plus our children, all of whom were very small (Sharon, Marcia, Leigh, Kevin and Bruce) . . . and our husbands,-- Bill McKern and Gary Blair, when we could convince them to help us! Ilma worked tirelessly in many roles at Children's Festival. She took a crash course in Sandcasting in order to chair the sandcasting booth (that job lasted for only seven years.) Her two sons, Kevin and Bruce were her assistant sandcasters. She co-chaired the Library Book Booth with Alice Grimes for the following ten years. When we initiated The Pied Piper Theatre (a travelling puppet and performance stage) Ilma became one of the eight Pied Piper Players who performed at the Children's Festival and around the valley to promote reading at school and public park locations in Jackson County . Ilma, a retired elementary school teacher, was already an accomplished storyteller and jumped right in to storytimes at the library when her family moved to Medford! She has remained active for all of these years (1968 to 2016). Ilma is a sought after storylady and is most often remembered as "Mother Goose" and also as "Mrs. Claus". Ilma was given The Spirit Award for Children's Festival, (a ceramic dragon cup especially designed for this honor) in about 1984. TALK ABOUT SPIRIT! She was honored as Children's Festival Queen in 1987 and is still remembered fondly by all those who visited her Royal Court. (Most of whom would be in their twenties now!).  She stills appears at Children's Festival as Mother Goose.

What a treasure for The Storytelling Guild, The Children's Festival and FOR THE CHILDREN of our Rogue Valley!

OUR FESTIVAL DIRECTORS - 1967 - 2011

1967, 1968, 1969, 1970,1971, 1972,1973: Jeannette Paulson

Jeannette with Lois Cousineau

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1974 & 1975: Pat Blair & Marjorie Boyer (1975 only, no photo). Note:

Pat Blair has acted as Advisor for Festival Directors from 1976 to present dare (2016

1976 & 1977: Marsha McHugh

 

1978 & 1979, 1980: Cherie Hilts & Susie Wright

 

  

1981: Judy Ahmann & Shirley Huycke(no photo)

 

 

1982: Bette Haberlach & Jill Schroeder (no photo)

1983 & 1984: Marjorie Overland &  Bunny Karchmer Brady

 

  1985 & 1986: Tudy Schiveley & Barbara Brazier (no photo

 

  1987 & 1988: Peggy Tomlins & Becky Versteeg

 

1989, 1990 & 1991: Carolyn Barrett, Cindy Hoffbuhr , & Emily Mostue

 

1992 & 1993: Andrea Mobley & Cathy Theen

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  1994 & 1995: Mary Strahm & Bonnie Howe (no photo)

 

  1996 & 1997: Linda Higgins, Bonnie Hall & Rhonda Loomer (1996 only, no photo)

 

  1998 & 1999: Lynn Kellogg & Karin Dailey

 

2000 & 2001: Drama Foley & Janice Cox

2002 & 2003:  Suzanne Yaru & Lori  Dunlap

2004 & 2005: Judy Gambee, Cameron McCandless & Marilyn Gradwell

2006 & 2007: Jill Waldron, Patti Deihl & Christina Oden

2008 and 2009 : Annie Michels & Mary Patridge

2010 & 2011:  Anne Billeter, Teresa Stumpenhaus, & Cindy Braden 

2012 & 2013. Laura Horton &  Maggie Donovan

2014 & 2015:  Lona Dillard & Lara Knackstedt

2016:  Holly Roberts & Teresa Stumpenhaus  

A salute all the Past and Present Directors of The Children's Festival. It is easy to see that these women have been totally dedicated to the major leadership role and the rewarding task of providing something of quality FOR THE CHILDREN of our Rogue Valley!