Ruth Sparks:
Volunteer Extraordinaire

Story by Debbie L. Holmer

Volunteers—plant the seeds of kindness

In 2007 the Paul Bunyan Days Committee saluted Ruth Sparks as one of the coast’s many local heroes. As her longtime friend and former employee Sue Ellington wrote, “Pollyanna—that’s Fort Bragg resident Ruth Sparks in one word! This tireless, community minded senior, forever sees the glass as ‘half full!’ Ruth’s efforts in her community have included reworking the Fort Bragg directory of services, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden in many capacities, Point Cabrillo Light Station docent, Fort Bragg Library windows, Mendocino Study Club president for two years, Kelley House docent, and ‘card queen’ at Paul Bunyan Thrift Shop for six years.
Those are just some of her projects. A community hero and a ‘Pollyanna’ sees ‘needs’ and does anything they can.
There are many who can attest to Ruth being that kind of person. Whether it is food for an event or someone in need, there is Ruth. Flowers, to make someone smile, there’s Ruth. Kids needing clothes, here comes Ruth with a bag.”

I first met Ruth Sparks about twelve years ago when she was a coordinator and I was a volunteer at the Redwood Elementary School Readers Program. She’s been a “spark” in my life ever since.

Let’s get personal
Born and raised in San Jose, California, her mom was a busy school nurse, however, Ruth remembers that she always found the time to do a lot of baking for various organizations. Graduating from Campbell High School, Ruth received a scholarship to Stanford, majoring in cartography and geography which she’s had fun with her whole life. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Washington State College after she was married. She started teaching kindergarten when her youngest entered kindergarten—and then went back to graduate school (she didn’t quite finish, she still had about five units to go when she married Joe Sparks). She also has the qualifications of an interior decorator.

Ruth has three sons by her first marriage (Gary, Greg and Grant Amaral) and Joe has two daughters (Virginia “Ginger” and Lisa), sort of a “Brady Bunch” household! Following a whirlwind courtship, Ruth and Joe wed onboard the SS Oronsay docked at Pier 35 in San Francisco almost thirty-seven years ago (they went on a two-week honeymoon cruise to Vancouver, British Columbia, Victoria and the Queen Charlotte Islands). They have eleven grandchildren, and one great-grandson who is three years old. Ruth’s mother, Esther Johnson, who is 103 years old, lives in Cupertino, California. They visit her frequently.

Joe was a physicist at the U.C. Lawrence Livermore Radiation Lab. When he retired, they decided to open a travel agency in Castro Valley. Ruth also taught several travel and tourism courses at Chabot Junior College in Hayward for years. They lived in Pleasanton, California until moving to the Mendocino coast thirteen years ago and have traveled throughout the world.

While running the travel agency along with Joe, Monday afternoons Ruth would show films and “talk travel” to patients at the Pleasanton Convalescent Home. In a June 7, 1975 Tri-Valley Herald newspaper article by Kitty Archibald, Ruth said, “As a little girl, I always loved to travel. I have vivid memories of making trips from my home in San Jose to North Dakota and Minnesota with my parents. It was an important part of growing up.”

Pleasanton’s very own ‘Happiness Chairman’
While living in Pleasanton, Ruth was active in many organizations. She became active in the Pleasanton Library and the Pleasanton Women’s Club. She was appointed to the Alameda County Mental Health Advisory Board, also serving on the Medical Institutions Commission and the Health Care Services Agency in Pleasanton. She was even “Happiness Chairman” for a KQED [public media for northern California] auction, assisting with greeting, training and placement of volunteers at the Cow Palace in the 1960s.

In Pleasanton, Ruth was active in rescuing an adobe building at the old Meadowlark Dairy. There was an old historic church in Dublin, California that needed saving—Hawaiian singer Don Ho came to raise funds for that. She also spearheaded a group called Rural Foothill Defenders (RFD) to save an old scenic road in Pleasanton from over development.

Although Ruth was active in the Amador Livermore Valley League of Women Voters for many years she says, “I just haven’t had time ‘yet’ to join this wonderful group on the coast.”

A doer not a talker
When Ruth and Joe moved to the Mendocino coast about thirteen years ago they had to build their lovely home “in the woods” outside of Fort Bragg to find one that was one story. They love the weather and the small-town community. Of course, Ruth immediately became involved in many projects here on the coast. She possesses boundless energy which she uses in all that she undertakes. If projects undertaken do not always turn out as anticipated, she seldom becomes discouraged, but bounces on to another channel of energy and proceeds to the best of her ability and knowledge. Joe laughingly calls her his “Everready [Energizer] Bunny©!”

Ruth is a Master Gardener and once was known to say, “If I had one more day left on this earth, I’d want to spend it digging.” Ruth loves to share the flowers from her garden with others. Ruth took the sixteen-week Master Gardener course through the U.C. Cooperative Extension in 1989. Master Gardeners at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden lead docent tours at the garden, develop educational programs, assist with nursery questions, staff information tables at the local farmer’s markets, develop displays for the county fair, staff information sites at the garden, and more.

She’s been involved in so many volunteer projects throughout her years here on the Mendocino coast and in 1998 was a Mendocino County Outstanding Volunteer of the Year (MCOVY) nominee.

Ruth has always been an avid historian so nowadays she is a docent at Kelley House Museum in Mendocino, a docent at Point Cabrillo Lightkeeper’s House Museum (she’s currently involved in the exhibit to celebrate their hundredth birthday), and a docent at the Guest House Museum in Fort Bragg (among the five house museums of the Mendocino coast).

Ruth is also a member of Friends of the Garden (F.O.G.). At the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, Ruth is currently involved in their “Seed Group”—where along with others (Claire Tavares, Sharon Brayton, Carole Shoptow, Sue Ellington and Karen Clayton) she gathers seed, packages them and sells them at the garden for two dollars a package. She’s been doing that for twelve years. Ruth and Joe developed and funded the Quail Trail at the Botanical Garden, a special new guide for children created to identify special places of interest to children. On a colorful handout guide, children are asked to listen for the call of Quincy the Quail, “CHI-CA-GO, CHI-CA-GO” and to follow Quincy through Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden. A charming quail image painted by prominent wildlife artist Penny Edwards Fortune, formerly of Fort Bragg, depicts Quincy the Quail. Black cut-out metal quail markers are in place to help families and school groups find the nineteen special places identified on the guide.

Ruth is also a member of Friends of the Fort Bragg Library. The Friends of the Fort Bragg Library was organized as a nonprofit corporation in 1977 to provide funding and other support for special programs to complement the basic services provided by the Mendocino County Library system to the Fort Bragg Library.

Both Joe and Ruth were volunteers at the Mendocino Community Library for eight years and Ruth was on the board of the Mendocino Music Festival.

Ruth has been an active member of the Mendocino Study Club since 1996, serving in many roles including president for two years. As part of the Mendocino Study Club’s Centennial Celebration in 2008, Ruth and the other members of the Centennial Committee were instrumental in compiling a Walking Historic Mendocino guide which features twenty-nine of the eighty-six Mendocino Historical District Category 1 buildings. The brochure was designed by Nan Walter featuring Sev Ickes’ Mendocino Study Club Centennial painting. The map information was provided by research at Kelley House Museum.

To celebrate their hundredth birthday, the Mendocino Study Club’s Centennial Committee launched a project to link and promote the five historic house museums of the Mendocino Coast: the Kelley House, Ford House, Guest House, and Point Cabrillo Lighthouse and Lightkeeper’s House. Four of the five house museums are unique from other museums in that they are all located in the homes of local historic families. The fifth house is a lighthouse that provided a roof over the heads of many lightkeepers during stormy nights when they were on duty. The attractive guide was also designed by Nan Walter. They also obtained permission from the Mendocino Historical Review Board for building owners to put date plaques on their historic buildings.

These days Ruth is busy assembling the upcoming art exhibit at Mendocino Art Center’s Abramson Gallery entitled “A Variety of Views”—which will depict the historic buildings of Mendocino. This exhibit is sponsored by the Mendocino Study Club and funded by Harvest of Mendosas in celebration of Harvest’s centennial in conjunction with Mendocino Coast Heritage Days coming in May 2009.

Preserve America Community… Mendocino
On the day that I interviewed Ruth for this article she was excited about Preserve America Community honor for Mendocino. How did the idea form? Ruth’s response: “When celebrating the Study Club Centennial, Preserve America happened because the Kelley House Museum needs a new furnace and the Ford House Visitor Center is in desperate need of paint. It just seemed a logical step to apply since all the pieces were in place: Mendocino being on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971, being protected by the Mendocino Historical Review Board, being named in 1973 a Historic Preservation District, and the MSC Centennial historic preservation projects.”

Preserve America is a national initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of Preserve America include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, stronger regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. In addition to Preserve America communities and grants, the program includes an award for preservation efforts by communities and federal agencies, as well as awards for teachers of history.

Benefits of designation include White House recognition; eligibility to apply for Preserve America grants; a certificate of recognition; a Preserve America Community road sign; authorization to use the Preserve America logo on signs, flags, banners, and promotional materials; listing in a Web-based Preserve America Community directory; inclusion in national and regional press releases; official notification of designation to state tourism offices and visitors bureaus; and enhanced community visibility and pride.

On November 5, 2008, in a letter from First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of Preserve America, Mendocino became a Preserve America Community. The letter reads, “Dear Citizens of Mendocino, Congratulations to Mendocino on your designation as a Preserve America Community. The preservation and enjoyment of your historical and cultural resources celebrate an important part of our nation’s heritage. You honor our nation’s past and inspire and educate for the future. President Bush and I applaud your achievement. You set a great example for others.”

On Friday, February 13, 2009, the Mendocino Study Club held a celebration at Preston Hall, in Mendocino introducing some of the primary participants in the application process and accepting the official highway sign and plaque from Fourth District Supervisor Kendall Smith, which went directly to hang at the Ford House Visitor Center.

According to Ruth Sparks, Mendocino Study Club Preserve America Coordinator, this was definitely a community effort with thanks going to the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce, which partnered with the five “House Museums of the Mendocino Coast,” Nancy Freeze of Kelley House Museum and Jenny Heckeroth of the Ford House Visitor Center who helped develop ideas and wrote letters, and Dennis Freeze who photographed Mendocino events that were included in the application. A resolution was adapted by Wendy Roberts to present to the [Mendocino County] Board of Supervisors and in all there were twenty-one letters of support collected from throughout the community that were included in the application. Ruth appeared before the Board of Supervisors three times and once before the Mendocino Historical Review Board.

Mendocino Study Club Centennial Committee members who developed the Preserve America Project along with Ruth were Marilyn LeRoy, Chair, Janet Barnes, Marion Bush, Jean Droz, Joan Eich, Janis Porter and Robin Wheat.
According to Ruth, the Mendocino Study Club is currently developing a request that Highway 128 be renamed “Stagecoach Road” which will require action by the California Legislature and resolutions from the Mendocino and Sonoma Board of Supervisors, along with letters of support from all of the Mendocino County museums and any interested citizens.

The lady with a ‘spark’
I truly believe that Ruth was born with an extra special “volunteer” gene. To Ruth, every day is something to look forward to. Ruth emphatically states that she is just “one example of the hundreds of volunteers on the coast that make the coast work,” but what an example she is! Let’s all join in giving Ruth Sparks a hug back for all the smiles she has given away!

* * * * * * * * * *

Following is some information on a few of the organizations that Ruth Sparks has been involved with on the Mendocino coast:

Kelley House Museum, located at 45007 Albion Street, Mendocino is an historic home built in 1861, which offers exhibits on the cultural heritage of the Mendocino coast. It interprets Mendocino’s logging and shipping industries and the unique Victorian architecture for which the town is recognized as a National Historic Preservation District. For more information, call 707-937-5791. Their Website address is www.mendocinohistory.org.

The Guest House Museum has displays on the history of the most productive lumber and fishing community in California. It is located at 343 North Main Street, Fort Bragg. For more information, call 707-964-4251.

Point Cabrillo Light Station, a California State Historic Park, includes the historic 1909 Lighthouse, the Lightkeeper’s House Museum, and approximately 270 acres of undeveloped coastal bluffs and prairie. For more information, contact info@pointcabrillo.org or 707-937-6122.

Ford House Visitor Center was built in 1854; now a welcoming museum and interpretive center for Mendocino Headlands State Park.The Ford House Visitor Center used to be the home of one of the founding families. Located at 735 Main Street, Mendocino. For more information, contact 707-937-5397.

Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden is the only public garden in the continental U.S. that sits directly on the Pacific Ocean. Their mission is to conserve plants suited to the climate of the Mendocino coast and display them for the enjoyment and education of their guests. Located at 18220 North Highway 1, Fort Bragg, for more information, call 707-964-4352. Their Website address is www.gardenbythesea.org. Friends of the Garden (F.O.G.) is a separate non-profit support organization for MCBG whose mission is to promote and advance the welfare and development of the Botanical Garden.

Friends of the Fort Bragg Library was organized as a nonprofit corporation in 1977 to provide funding and other support for special programs to complement the basic services provided by the Mendocino County Library system to the Fort Bragg Library. For volunteer information, e-mail fb.library.vols@gmail.com.

Mendocino Study Club, founded in 1908, is the oldest organization on the North Coast! The club supports two community projects: The Mendocino Community Library, and a scholarship program for graduating Mendocino High School students and re-entry students. For more information, e-mail mendocinostudyclub@yahoo.com.

Mendocino Community Library, founded by Mendocino Study Club in 1947, is located at 10591 Williams, Mendocino. For more information, call 707-964-5773.