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Newsletter of the Rancho Los Alamitos Volunteer Service Council

Co-editors Dorothy Russell and Roxanne Patmor

June 2026

At Rancho Los Alamitos, change has never meant leaving our roots behind. It has meant caring for them well enough to ensure that future generations can experience the place we all love.

The Rancho has evolved many times across its long history. Today, we are again being called to respond thoughtfully to a changing environment. The cost of preserving historic buildings and landscapes, caring for collections and animals, welcoming school groups, and offering meaningful public programs is rising at a pace we have not experienced in years. Meeting those realities requires us to be both responsible and creative.

That is why we are exploring new ways to strengthen the Rancho’s long-term sustainability, including enterprise activities such as the Little Adobe Café and an expanded site-rental program. These efforts are not a shift away from our purpose. They are tools that help us protect it. Every decision begins with the same question: Does this help us remain a welcoming public place where people can connect with our region’s history, landscape, and one another?

The answer will always guide us. We will not pursue growth for growth’s sake, nor will we compromise the character, care, or accessibility that make the Rancho special. Instead, we will seek thoughtful opportunities that support the mission and give us greater capacity to serve our community.

Our volunteers are central to that work. Thank you for your steadfast support, your insight, and your willingness to grow alongside the organization. We are all here because we love the Rancho and believe it deserves a strong, vibrant future.

With Gratitude,



Tim

Adobe Days Andres Pico House Mission Hills June 13, 2026. Seated: Dorothy Russell, Pam Santelman, Donna Ingleson, Mary Ellen Kunoth  Standing: Roberta Rogoff, Joanne Tajima, Nancy Schwartz, Sofia Ingegno

Robo-Tech Festival & STEAM McBride High School May 16, 2026 Normajean Janssen, Dorothy Russell, Roberta Rogoff 

Long Beach Health & Human Services August 12, 2025 Joanne Tajima, Dorothy Russell, Marilyn Fox, Roberta Rogoff

52nd Annual POW WOW At CSULB March 15, 2026 Dorothy Russell, Mary Ann Cullen, Roberta Rogoff, Janette White, Nancy Schwartz 

Native Gathering and POW WOW CSUDH April 18, 2026. Kaj Malmsten, Mary Ann Cullen, Dorothy Russell, Roberta Rogoff, Pam Santelman 

Long Beach Poly Festival of Gardening & Butterflies May 21, 2025 Joanne Tajima, Dorothy Russell, Roberta Rogoff 

Naples Chocolate Festival February 15, 2026. Roberta Rogoff, Andrea Burchett, Dorothy Russell, Nancy Schwartz, Joanne Tajima

Martin Luther King Celebration January 17, 2026. Seated: Mary Ellen Kunoth, Dorothy Russell  Standing: Yvette Newborn, Donna Ingleson, Roberta Rogoff, Nancy Schwartz, Rosa Ranaud

Naples Pancake Breakfast June 6, 2026. Mary Ellen Kunoth, Dorian Rose, Joanne Tajima, Dorothy Russell, Roberta Rogoff, Donna Ingleson, Kaj Malmsten, Nancy Schwartz

Rancho-to-Rancho Walk September 20, 2025. Seated: Roberta Rogoff, Joanne Tajima, Rosa Ranaud, Megan O’Connor Standing: Dorothy Russell, Mary Ann Cullen, Chris Fountain, Margarete Villalobos 

Rancho-to-Rancho Walk September 20, 2025. Marilyn Fox, Roberta Rogoff, Rosa Ranaud, Dorothy Russell, Mary Ann Cullen

Other Community Outreach Volunteers not pictured: Connie Najera, Karen Marshall, Tracy Lane, Jeannie Battung, Elaine Swift, Rebeka Kang, Karen Pruett, Stan Castle, Patrick Coil, Jo Anne Charmack, Lola Rizkallah

Normajean Janssen has been a Rancho volunteer for many years, beginning while she was still working and could only help at special events. Then, last year, she began working with the crafters, and in the fall, took the docent class so she could give tours to visitors.

When Barbara Keenoy stepped down as lead Crafters representative to spend more time with her grandchildren, Normajean volunteered to take her place. At the time, Normajean was serving as the Steering Committee's Recording Secretary.

If you see Normajean, please take a minute to thank her for her time and dedication!

RSVP ranchovolunteer@RanchoLosAlamitos.org

The Fred H. Bixby family moved into the ranch house in 1906, shortly after FHB’s mother died. Florence Bixby began redecorating the ranch house right away – partly to update her mother-in-law’s Victorian décor and partly because her sister-in-law, Susanna Bixby Bryant, inherited all of Susan Bixby’s furniture. 



Florence incorporated a number of late 19th and early 20th century design influences into her furnishings of the ranch house, including the solid, homey attributes of the Arts & Crafts movement, fanciful touches of the Aesthetic movement, and the exoticism of Chinoiserie and Japonaiserie. In the bedrooms, Florence turned to the comfortable traditions of American Colonial Revival. One of the outstanding features of the Girls’ Bedroom is a pair of maple twin beds with float work blue and white hand-woven coverlets. 

The original coverlets disappeared decades ago. However, when the Girls’ Bedroom was restored in 2012, members of the board of the Handweavers Guild of America helped RLA staff identify a master weaver to re-create the traditional blue and white coverlets for the beds.

Master weaver Marjie Thompson is from Cumberland, Maine – about 90 miles south of Skowhegan, Anson, and Norridgewock where the Bixbys and Hathaways “hailed from.” She is a former president of The Central Ohio Weavers Guild, Dean of The Weavers’ Guild of Boston (the oldest weaving guild in the country), and former president of Complex Weavers (an international weavers organization). 

Detail of coverlets in Girls' Bedroom, June 6, 2012

Ms. Thompson sent RLAF the catalog information

Girls' Bedroom Photos Above: 

Color Photo 2012, B&W Photo post-1933

The June 20 Volunteer Breakfast was an overwhelming success. It always starts with the buffet, this one featuring delights provided by the Crafters and Friday docents. A committee that included Dorothy Russell, Mary Ann Cullen, Andrea Burchett, Cass Henderson, and Roxanne Patmor was charged with arranging the details for the day.

They decided on a Summer Solstice theme using blue and yellow, which was carried out in the table settings with tablecloths, plates, and centerpieces made by Andrea featuring bowls with painted hydrangeas circling the rim, filled with Chinese asters, ivy, and decorative butterflies.

They agreed Dr. Craig Hendricks was a great choice for the day's speaker. Craig has spent many years researching local history as an author and professor at Long Beach City College and CSUs Long Beach and Dominguez Hills. He said he's always found the Bixbys and their role in the region's history fascinating.

Once plates were filled, and people were enjoying their breakfast, Craig informed and entertained the group with stories about Fred H. Bixby and his opinions and interactions with the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

One story came from his research at the National Archives. It was a report from the Army Corps of Engineers with a recommendation to rehabilitate the harbor using "one or more" atomic bombs. The goal was to remove "shoals" and debris. Craig is holding a copy of the document's cover in the photo at the bottom of this article.

The recommendation ignored the half-life of such radiation, which would render the city uninhabitable for 25,000 years. It suggested the cleanup could be completed within a couple of weeks using basic tools such as shovels and buckets. In an irony that brought laughter from the audience, Craig pointed out that the cleanup recommendations were written by H. W. Geiger, inventor of the Geiger Counter.

Following the presentation, Dorothy presented statistics about the 7,214 volunteer hours logged in the first five months of 2026. Using the national average of $36.14 per hour, the time was valued at $260,713.96.

She listed the hours submitted by each volunteer group such as docents, outreach, gardeners, and others. As she continued to share the data and what it meant to the Rancho, she noted that 1,443 hours were donated each month, meaning more than 350 hours were donated each week.

Dorothy also listed the professions of Rancho volunteers, including teachers, librarians, accountants, school principals, university science professors, flight attendants, and business owners, to name just a few.

It was amazing to hear how much time volunteers give to keep the Rancho looking beautiful and serving the needs of visitors.

As breakfast concluded, Dorothy announced that, in keeping with the Summer Solstice theme, the centerpieces would go to those with birthdays closest to June 21.

Based on the applause and post-event buzz, it was a great meeting!

The next VSC Breakfast is scheduled for August 15 with food provided by Faux Foodies, Bookworms, and Saturday and Sunday Docents.

Photos: RLAF Board Chair Deborah Castro

Jewel Box Children's Theatre mounted their production of Charlotte's Web for two sold-out nights in the Rancho's Barnyard. All of the actors, including the director, choreographer, and violinist, were Jewel Box students.

The Barnyard became a theater with a stage and plenty of seating. The Rancho Room became the backstage area, complete with a prop table, and plenty of space for young actors to rehearse and pose for photos.

Presented on two evenings, June 18 and 21, it was a hit with the audiences, the students involved in the production, and the volunteers and staff who worked the event.

Anna Kate Mohler and Andy Zacharais, pictured above with student Vanessa Reitano, are the organization's Executive and Artistic Directors. If those names sound familiar, they, with their students as carolers, have provided the holiday music for all three Rancho Voices programs, and have already signed on for the holiday event in December, 2026.

All photos, except the Rancho Voices above and two in the backstage area, were taken by Kayte Deioma of Kayte Deioma Creative. Captions below are top to bottom for each column

-The cast, director, costumer, tech members, and Anna Kate Mohler "backstage" before the show

-Tim Roberts thanking the students for their work, parents for supporting their children's work on the production, and the audience for attending the show

-Wilbur passed out at the County Fair as Zucker and Arable families look on

-Mr. Arable and Wilbur in front of the prop table

-Charlotte weaving her web

-Mayor Rex Richardson and family watching his daughter Mila who is one of the lambs

-Charlotte and Wilbur, with feathered goslings (left) and lambs (right)

-Charlotte's first message woven in her web to save Wilbur

-Charlotte's last message at the County Fair

Over the past three years, more than 2,000 guests have learned about the people who lived and worked at Rancho Los Alamitos through its Rancho Voices presentations. The holiday program was made possible by RLA's partnership with the Long Beach Playhouse, which provided the costumes and actors who told the stories.

For 14 years, the Playhouse has partnered with Harry Saltzgaver and Keesal, Young, and Logan (KYL) to put on the Radio Show fundraiser. Harry writes the scripts. KYL provides the venue and the food, and cocktails at no cost. Harry enlists local politicians and city leaders as cast members who gently roast the city with funny skits that are new each year.

This year, Tim Roberts, RLAF Executive Director, agreed to join the cast. In these photos (top, and left to right below) you can see Tim with Long Beach Symphony President Kelly Ruggirello, RLA volunteer Jane Nunn, Josh Lowenthal, Radio Show emcee and Rancho Voices actor Mitch Nunn; Councilwoman Kristina Duggan and Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal; City Attorney Doug Haubert and City Auditor Laura Doud; and with Madison Mooney, Playhouse ED and Rancho Voices actor.

The partnership between Harry Saltzgaver, the Long Beach Playhouse, and Rancho Los Alamitos brings great things to our city!

We continue introducing RLAF Board of Directors, this month two of our newer members, Brett Mascaro and Chase McClung.

California's Spanish Place Names:

What They Mean and the History They Reveal

By Barbara and Rudy Marinacci (2005)

Reviewed by Joanne Locnikar

This book looks at the European history of California through place names given by the Spanish explorers and colonists and subsequent residents of the state into the twentieth century.



I have to admit I found this a new way of viewing California history dating from the entrance of the Spanish explorers. I appreciated that the authors included the English translations of all these place names and realized that I know more Spanish than I thought I did.

The authors explore the place-naming process and why some names have survived while others have changed or vanished in the context of changing populations.

Spanish place names reflect the Catholic religion brought here by the padres with many places named after saints in the church, such as, San Fernando, San Gabriel, Santa Barbara. Names also memorialized people who settled here, like Anza (Anza-Borrego Springs), Pico, Yorba (Yorba Linda).

Many names described geographical features like Arroyo Grande, La Canada, Bolsa Chica. We can’t forget our own Los Alamitos. Sometimes an event became a place name, such as, Calaveras, where skulls were found after a battle. It is interesting to note that the Spanish incorporated indigenous place names also. One example is Napa Valley which means “home”.



Over time as other people settled here, the names changed or new names replaced them reflecting the different cultures and nationalities that now call California home.

The book sometimes reads like a textbook but they are attempting to get a lot of history in a small book. We learn a lot of new details about the people, events and places through the names given to geographical locations. At the back of the book, the authors have a list of Spanish-named places to visit in every county in the state. They also include a short primer on Spanish pronunciation and basic grammar. Finally, there is a complete glossary of Spanish names used in the book.

I recommend you take a travel through California history through the eyes of Spanish place names and add to your Spanish vocabulary. It is a trip worth taking. 

From Ugly Bug to Beautiful Dragonfly

Flame Skimmers at the Fountain

By Joanne Locnikar Garden Volunteer

In the Garden Now

What's Growing this Summer

By Deputy Director Andrew Chaves

Summer at Rancho Los Alamitos brings a quieter beauty to the gardens. While the main display of spring blooms has largely passed, the landscape remains full of growth and seasonal change for those who take a closer look.

Roses continue to provide color throughout the summer, while Agapanthus adds its familiar blue (and white) blossoms to the garden borders. You may also encounter occasional blooms among the Rancho's cactus and succulent collections, where flowers often appear unexpectedly and for only a brief time. The Rancho's pepper trees continue their seasonal growth through the summer, producing fresh foliage and extending their graceful branches during the warm months.

The riparian plantings are especially lush this time of year. Species adapted to streamside and wetland environments continue to grow vigorously through the summer, demonstrating a very different strategy from many California native and other Mediterranean-climate plants that slow down during the dry season.

One California native that is putting on a spectacular show right now—and one I encourage you to seek out—is Palmer's Indian mallow (Abutilon palmeri). While it is not located in the public garden areas of the Rancho, staff and volunteers may wish to take a moment to visit the planting behind the catering kitchen. There, you can observe not only the beautiful blooms, but also the wildlife they support. See what native pollinators you can find—the flowers are often visited by native bees and other insects, making it a wonderful place to witness the connections between plants and wildlife that help sustain healthy ecosystems.

Summer is also an excellent time to observe one of the most fascinating adaptations of California native plants. Many of the species found in the Rancho's native plantings evolved in a Mediterranean climate characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Rather than growing most actively during the hottest months, many native plants complete much of their annual growth in winter and spring and then slow down significantly as summer arrives. Some become partially dormant, while others may drop a portion of their leaves, a strategy known as summer deciduousness. These adaptations help plants conserve water and survive extended dry periods.

For everyone, summer offers an opportunity to become plant detectives. Notice which plants remain lush and green, which begin to take on golden hues, and which seem to pause their growth until cooler weather returns. Observe the differences between riparian species that continue growing vigorously and local native plants that have evolved to wait out the heat. New shoots, expanding canopies, developing seeds, and subtle seasonal transitions ensure there is always something new to discover here at the Rancho. 

Abutilon palmeri - Palmer’s Indian Mallow (west side of Rancho Center) Top: Close-up of its flower

Agapanthus africanus - African lily, south lawn.

Outside the Secret Garden at Rancho Los Alamitos an Allen’s Hummingbird darted gracefully among the blooming flowers, pausing to hover as it sipped nectar from colorful blossoms.

This tiny bird is known for its dazzling colors and remarkable speed. So fast that you almost can’t see the motion of the wings.

The male Allen’s Hummingbird displays a brilliant orange-red throat that flashes in the sunlight, along with a shimmering green back and coppery-orange sides. Its rapid wingbeats create a soft hum as it moves from flower to flower, bringing life and color to the peaceful gardens.

Elaine Swift has taught bird watching classes at OLLI, CSULB's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She said one of the treats was last spring, when her class of 26 students saw a bald eagle flying and landing in a tree in El Dorado Park.

"The past is really almost as much a work of the imagination as the future. "

-Mary Jessamyn West

Author, and in 1921, a founder of the Palmer Society, the first female society at Whittier College

NEW! Storytime on the Barns Lawn

Thursdays: July 16 and August 20

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Free admission and onsite parking with RSVP

Caregivers and children ages 2 to 5 will enjoy this new program! Presented on the Barns Lawn, this engaging "storytime" experience features themed stories inspired by the Rancho's animals, read by Livestock Assistant Sharon Conner. 

Families will also be invited to explore sensory play bins designed for hands-on discovery. So grab a blanket, and your friends and family, and join Sharon for a great morning of stories and Rancho atmosphere!

Note from Public Programs Manager Margarete Villalobos: Congratulations to Sharon on her first Storytime on the Barns Lawn! She did so well with our big turnout! We had 30 adults and 32 children, with many guests saying they will be back for the next one in July!

Forest Bathing: A Sensory Experience

Friday, July 17 Sunset Session

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Sunday, August 1

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

$30 per person or $25 per member

Recommended for ages 16 years and above, all materials are included.



Forest Bathing is a guided sensory experience with certified Forest Therapy Guide, Meghan Pinyan. These slow and mindful walks offer an immersive sensory experience to explore your unique relationship with the earth. The event ends with light snacks and tea.

Summer Concerts are coming!

The next concert is June 28 and after that is August 23. Use code VOL26 for one free ticket.

We will also need volunteers to help with the events, contact Sofia for details!

The public can purchase tickets for $8 per adult, $5 per child, free for 2 and younger.

In the Spotlight

Karen Pruett

Karen Pruett loves to travel; this photo was taken in Cartagena, Colombia. The group's guide paid for the photo of local women in colorful costumes who earn money posing with tourists.

How long have you been volunteering at the Rancho?

I have been a docent at the Rancho for three years.

Please tell us a bit about what you do as a volunteer.

I am a docent at the Rancho and speak fluent Spanish. I have conducted four tours in Spanish.. I am also a member of the Volunteer Enrichment Committee.  

What made you decide to become a Rancho volunteer?

I decided to become a Rancho Volunteer by accident. I was a volunteer with OLLI (Osher LifeLong Learning Institute) at Cal State Long Beach. At one of our meetings, the coordinator mentioned that Rancho Los Alamitos was looking for docents. A week later I was attending an informational meeting at the Rancho. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try. It is a very special place and I wanted to be a part of that unique place. I was also retired and was looking for the right community to join.  

What do you like best about the time you spend here?

When I spend my time at the Rancho, the best elements include the beauty and peace of the Rancho. I enjoy feeling the wonderful camaraderie amongst the other docents. Also, seeing the animals at the Rancho is an absolute treat. I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to volunteer here. I do not think I have ever had a "bad day" at the Rancho.

What is the most interesting question you’ve ever gotten from a Rancho visitor?

The most interesting question or comment that I have ever received from a visitor at the Rancho is the number of people who are coming to the Rancho for the first time and many live in Long Beach. I often ask the question - who has been to the Rancho before. I also like meeting visitors from other countries. I had a French couple on my last tour. Although the adobe is very old by our standards, the French have buildings that are centuries old.  

What is something about you that people find hard to believe?

Something that happened to me that is hard to believe is that I appeared on Colombian TV. I was in the Peace Corps in Bogota, Colombia and worked with a famous priest, Padre Luna. When I arrived at my job, I saw the news vans. I hid, but stayed close enough to hear the interview. However, the reporter saw me and insisted on an interview. The children at my job pushed me to do it. I refused to do it at first, because my Spanish level was not ready for a TV interview. I knew I would feel nervous in front of a camera.  I did the interview and it was aired. 

What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I grew up, I wanted to be a Peace Corps Volunteer somewhere in South America. At age 12, I saw the Peace Corps commercial with an American in a farm field. I jotted down the Peace Corps address and requested an application. I wanted to find out the requirements to become a volunteer. Fortunately, I met the requirements, and was sent to Bogota, Colombia in 1979.  

What’s the one word your friends and family would use to describe you?

The one word that my friends would use to describe me would be thoughtful.   

What do you like to do when you’re not at the Rancho?

In my free time, when I am not at the Rancho, on a daily basis, I study Spanish, using the language app, Duolingo.  Every week I have a Spanish lesson with my former teacher from the Spanish Immersion school in Oaxaca. I also attend OLLI classes at Cal State Long Beach.

I love to travel and am more drawn to off the beaten track places. In February, 2025, I traveled to Cuba and found the people to be very welcoming and kind. I was grateful to be able to speak Spanish and communicate with them. This past February, I returned to Colombia after forty-four years. I felt a lot of joy to be back in Colombia.  

What else would you like us to know?

I would like you to know that I am very grateful and appreciative to have the opportunity to volunteer at the Rancho. I have volunteered with several agencies. The Rancho staff does an outstanding job of appreciating the volunteers. Most volunteers experience that intrinsic feeling by volunteering. However, it is nice to be appreciated and recognized for our effort. 

Excursions open to all Active Volunteers

For Field Excursions, an "active volunteer" means someone who has worked 40 hours at RLA in the past 12 months. New volunteers with less than one year can attend excursions with fewer than 40 hours until they've completed 12 months, after which they must meet the 40 hours worked threshold.  Only Rancho Los Alamitos volunteers or staff can participate in field trips.