“They were quite motivated,” said Bellegia. “That’s a long way to drive for classes.”
When COVID-19 hit. OLLI converted its entire curriculum of about 275 courses to Zoom, Bellegia said. The good news, she added, is that remote learning is here to stay. About half of the nearly 100 fall 2021 classes will be offered online.
“It s a great opportunity to learn, be engaged, and be part of a community,” she said.
Leslie Burkhart of Fort Jones said she has been taking OLLI classes on and off since she retired eight years ago.
“Zoom access from home this last year has been a COVID bonus for me,” Burkhart said. “Since I didn t have to consider the time and expense of the 100-plus mile round trip associated with each class, I went for it and took 10 classes, which opened up the world to her from the comfort of home.
Siskiyou Daily News
An annual tradition for kids throughout Siskiyou County returns for another year: the YMCA in Yreka will again offer several summer camp choices.
Brandon Eller, program director for YMCA, said a number of safety measures will be in place to protect against COVID-19.
New this year for YMCA members is the Youth Summer Camp Season Pass. This summer camp season pass gives access to their entire summer camp lineup for just $160. That s a $240 value on top of the discount s members receive on camp tuition. The YMCA said that this is a way to show appreciation for members keeping their memberships current during the ongoing pandemic.
Siskiyou Daily News
After being called off last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Siskiyou Scenic Bicycle Tour is back in 2021.
The event, which is the big annual fundraiser for the Yreka Rotary is being held May 1, starting at Upper Greenhorn Park in Yreka. The ride has been around for about 35 years and was previously called the Siskiyou Century.
There are rides of 101, 87, 67, 40, 21, and 8 miles, said event coordinator and Rotarian Christal Duncan. The event winds through Yreka and the Shasta Valley.
“We ve been ready to go for the past year,” Duncan said. “We re excited to have it again this year.”
Yreka Rotary donates four benches at Upper Greenhorn Park
Submitted by the Rotary Club of Yreka
The past year has been difficult for not only individuals and small businesses but also civic organizations. Yet through these trying times, the Rotary Club of Yreka has continued to honor its commitment to serving community needs.
Four new concrete picnic tables were recently delivered to Upper Greenhorn Park in February, replacing several tables that were beyond repair. The Rotary Club of Yreka purchased the new tables at a cost of $1,000 each, and they meet ADA standards. This project started last summer when the club meetings were moved outdoors to Greenhorn Park to enable the club to meet the new “social distancing” requirements mandated by the State of California.