1020 W. Starr Pass nonprofit org Tucson, AZ 85713 US postage open 8-5 Tue-Sat PAID Tucson, Arizona permit no. 337 Desert Survivors NURTURING PLANTS AND PEOPLE SINCE 1981 SPRING 2016 Executive Director’s Report Desert Survivors is 35 years old this huge success. Many more members of Directors. The Stonewall Foundation year, and it is one of the last small participated last year, and the cam- provides funds to support employment to “home grown” agencies left in the paign brought in $25,000 in Decem- three full-time workers, and funds to get service system in Pima County for ber alone! Since we don’t sell many new hires started while their State fund- VISIT OUR WEBSITE individuals with disabilities or men- plants in December, the campaign ing is in process. They provide over 750 desertsurvivors.org tal health issues. Most people now kept us financially flush. Over 25% of work days of support to several workers. Program Services Update receive services from large profit- our members went to our web page Stonewall funds also support school-to- making corporations. But, I am proud and used our Pay Pal payment system. work transition services. The Stonewall MEMBERSHIP: $50/yr that we, as a nonprofit organiza- If all of our 400+ members partici- Foundation is a Godsend to our mission. The time of rejuvenation on a daily basis. He has -newsletter semiannually -10% off plant purchases tion, put everything we have into the pated in the campaign, it would bring We are eternally grateful. is upon us once again. become a vital part of all year people we serve. It is my opinion that incredible financial stability to Desert At Desert Survivors spring Desert Survivors Pro- Spring has sprung, and we are looking -members’ day sale entry it is unconscionable to make a profit Survivors. Remember, all participat- forward to another season of produc- is always a magical time gram Services. Daniel from people in need of medical and ing members got their money “back” tion from our workers and sales to our of year, as we watch our Ronquillo has taken social services. There has to be other through the State tax credit system. I plants flourish and get the title of Lead Mentor DIRECTORY: customers. I receive fairly frequent calls ways to make a “buck.” Desert Sur- will have an even better offer for the ready for the spring sale. and assists David while from our members, and encourage you vivors is here to provide services and next holiday season. Thank you so We are working on lots of also leading the crews Richard Bechtold to call me directly at 520-609-8333 if products to our clients and customers much. new tasks in Adult Ser- out on the River Parks, Executive Director you have questions or suggestions. See 609-8333 as our first and only priority, as we vices, along with assisting which we maintain I want to draw attention to an agency you at the sale. have done for thirty-five years. our amazing Nursery staff through our contract Jim Verrier that provides outstanding support to Richard M. Bechtold with projects and with their with Pima County Natu- Nursery Director On to new and exciting happen- Desert Survivors--the Stonewall Foun- Executive Director 791-9309 lovely new retail building. ral Resources, Parks ings at Desert Survivors. Our 2015 dation, managed by Rick Small, his Going into our 35th year, and Recreation. We Karen Wilson Tax Credit Holiday Campaign was a mother Susan Small, and their Board I can honestly say we have are extremely lucky to Director of Programs never looked better. Here have them both, and all 884-8806 are some updates. our wonderful mentors David Garcia, who and workers. What an amazing team! DESERT SURVIVORS is was our Lead Mentor a unique human service Spring 2016 until recently, has been Hoop houses provide space for plants and Just a little history for work for those we serve. agency founded in 1981 promoted to the position you since this is our in and for the Tucson Plant Sale of ETEC (Ecology Train- 35th year; ETEC was community. Desert Survi- ing and Education Center) Manager. In this the name given to program services for MEMBERS SALE vors is a nonprofit orga- Sat., March 5 8am-5pm new position, he is not only responsible adults back in the early days of Desert Survi- nization combining the 20% off everything for all the Desert Survivor mentors and our vors. It is still a good description for what we appreciation and pres- crews of workers with disabilities, he is also do even today. This is why we choose the title ervation of the Sonoran GENERAL PUBLIC SALE responsible for assigning work to the vari- “ETEC Manager” for David. Desert with innovative ous crews, acts as liaison with our Nursery Tues. - Sat., 8am-5pm Last year we suffered a bit of damage during and effective services to March 8 - 12 Manager, and oversees all the paperwork the monsoon season. Our main hoop house enhance the lives of peo- for our crews and mentors, maintenance of 10% off to public was partially destroyed in a storm when a ple with disabilities. 20% off to members the grounds, and completion of tasks. And tree fell on it. As bad as it seemed at the there are many other things that David does design: LMBrewer/Bailiwik, Ink; continued on page 2 Above left, penstemon (Penstemon parryi); right, a selection of mammilaria cactus. Penstemon photo, K.G. Anderson. Mammallaria, Jim Verrier. Program Services: Featured Plants Spring 2016 continued from back page time, we have been able to replace the hoop house with money made at our sale. We had our amazing “handy- man” Geraldo Valenzuela, construct the new hoop house Workers removing an old shed. with assistance from David and another Mentor. We were able to salvage what was left of the damaged hoop house and in the next few months we hope to be able to use it again. In addition, we plan to build another hoop house with funds from a grant we have received through CenturyLink. My husband, who works at CenturyLink, nominated us for this grant. I thought it was a long shot, var. but went ahead and filled out the forms, and was surprised to hear in Dichelostemma capitatum subsp. Ericameria cuneata Plumbago zeylanica Euphorbia xanti spathulata (cliff goldenbush) (native plumbago, wild leadwort) mid-December that we had received the grant. Having another hoop pauciflorum (desert hyacinth, bluedicks) (Baja spurge) house allows us to grow approximately 3000 more plants every six This beautiful desert wildflower is one of the We are very excited to finally be able This attractive species is in its own This extremely showy euphorbia months. This will provide more work for our adults with developmental true treats of spring. The classification of this to offer this sister species to our native family (Plumbaginaceae) and is native (family Euphorbiaceae) is endemic disabilities and more plants to sell to you, our customers. The grant also lovely bulb has moved from family to family, turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia). to southeastern Arizona, southern to Baja California. It can handle covers the cost of three Tuff Sheds, which will replace the hand-built most recently the lily family (Liliaceae), before Also an evergreen in the sunflower family Florida, Texas, Mexico, Central and extreme heat and hot spots, but is a sheds we have used since moving to this site in 1986, and some other finally landing in the Asparagus family (As- (Asteraceae), cliff goldenbush is a much South America, and the Pacific Islands. bit frost sensitive. It probably doesn’t items. We are so grateful to CenturyLink for their recognition of every- paragaceae) like agaves, yuccas, bear grass, smaller plant, typically growing between Luckily, it can be abundant in south- suffer any frost damage until tem- thing we do at Desert Survivors Inc. sotol, and several other flowering bulbs. You 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet in both width and ern canyons of the Santa Catalina peratures hit the low 20’s, as the height (sometimes slightly bigger). The Mountains, along with many other Sky All this will contribute to our efforts to assist those we serve to find may notice that I am trying to encourage the mid to higher 20’s have not done other main difference between the two is Islands in Pinal and Pima Counties, competitive employment in the community when they are ready to move use of the less common ”common name” of any damage to plants at the nursery. that this species has much showier blooms southeastern Arizona. Pima, Ventana, forward from Desert Survivors. Toward this end, we are working closely desert hyacinth to minimize having to write or Ideally, this plant should be placed than the turpentine bush. Cliff goldenbush and Sabino Canyons (Santa Catalina with “WorkAbility,” an education program through United Cerebral speak the more common name—bluedicks! in a warm spot or at the edge of an has longer ray flowers (the outer flowers in Mountains) are wonderful places to Palsy. WorkAbility has a wonderful program called “Mia Patria,” which (Although there is another Old World desert overhead canopy for winter protec- aster flowers, that look like flower petals to view these plants in the wild. Native combines classroom and hands-on training, which is where Desert Sur- hyacinth, Cystanche tubulosa, it is not found in tion. Other than that, it is very hardy most people). The variety spathulata grows plumbago is typically found between vivors comes in.