July 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
July is a time to enjoy the local area! After celebrating Midsummer, the desert is drying and heat is a reality. We hear constant reminders to use care with anything involving fire and sun exposure. This includes you and your pet! That quick run across the street or sand with no protection can burn!
We have so many things to celebrate at the Museum! We are in the midst of our Matching Donation fund drive as well as encouraging new membership. We are all overwhelmed by the support being shown by our members. Members keeping the lights on makes a difference!
Everyone can make a difference. We make a difference in the culture of Ridgecrest and we welcome those who want to contribute not only to the Maturango Museum but to Ridgecrest and its neighbors. If you have some time to donate, come see us. We are all better as a community that helps each other and shares time together
We are enjoying our monthly events. 2nd Saturday continues to be a great opportunity for families to come to the Museum with no entrance fee. The Docents continue to be the best source of fun information for the kids! Keep an eye on our events calendar for some fun activities.
We have started a new campaign for our Fundraising Bricks; buy your own piece of history.
Have a great July, please be safe as you explore our desert and respect its wildlife, and Be Well!
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June 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
June is an energizing time for the Maturango Museum. From June 1 to July 15 we will be having our Matching Funds Drive. This is a great time to donate and double your impact!
We are also reminding our friends and neighbors how important and beneficial it is to be a member of the Museum. As a local non-profit, the work that we do benefits our community and our visitors. Have you come by to see us lately? Please stop by to see the work we’ve been doing; each month on 2nd Saturday, the admission is free and we often have activities for children. This is posted on our sign and on the events calendar on the website.
We were glad to welcome our new volunteers. They are the reason we can carry on our programs and outreach. A big thank you to all of our volunteers and everyone who supports them!
Take care and keep water nearby!
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June 2025 pdf (2)
April 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
“No rain, no flowers.” – Haruki Murakami
There is a certain repetition in the concept that, as I write of April, the desert wind is my companion. More often than not during these months it is a fact. We were fortunate to have had a few chances for the spitting cold of March to bring a few rains and a bit of snow touched the feet of Robber’s Roost. It certainly won’t bring the intense greening of 2024, but there will be a greening and flowers will bloom. We will all watch for the small flags of color as each plant continues its cycle. There is no doubt that there will be a change but we will watch and admire as it happens. We hope that you can come by the Museum for the Wildflower Exhibit on March 28, 29 & 30 for some of the events planned.
At our Annual Meeting we offered our heartfelt thanks to Renee Lesniak for her time on the Board, her abilities with being the Secretary, transcribing minutes and a video and hope she will continue as one of our History volunteers who work with Elaine. We welcomed our new Board member, Alisha Mondragon, and appreciate that she is willing to give her time to us as well as her family and business.
Elaine Wiley gave an interesting presentation on the history of the Wildflower Exhibit with all of its names and many of the faces. It was fun to see the transition throughout the years.
After the Meeting we held a ribbon cutting for our Solar Power Array with Bea and Lloyd Smith. When we were done Lloyd flipped the switch! We are still doing some paperwork but it is ready to make a difference. We were also able to share the new Alternative Energy Display with the Membership who came to the event. It was a good day with good food and friendly people! Thank you all!
Our Annual Report can be found on the Newsletter page on our website.
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March 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” Abigail Adams
In reflecting on these words penned by Abigail, I watch our docents leading groups of students through the gardens and the Museum; I think of the inspiration they offer to everyone at any level of learning. Our new Renewable Energy interactive display is a great addition to this process and was tied to our solar field construction and our thoughts of being able to see the energy being produced. It’s informative and fun!
This is the time of year when the docents are being requested at schools and for Museum tours. If you are inspired to become a docent please contact Nora or come to a docent meeting on the first Tuesday of the month.
If you are a member, which I hope you are! Our annual meeting on March 16 at 2pm, is an opportunity to learn about our current activities and future plans.
When you go by the Museum you will see the progression of our beautiful protective fencing. Many thanks go to the donors and the installation team of Museum volunteers.
We are busy planning and hopeful that the Wildflowers will bloom!
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March 2025 (2)
February 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
“Where there is love there is life.” Mahatma Ghandi
As we follow the Earth’s cycles we find concerns and hopes in the activity of the weather and the lack of rains and our flowers and plants in the Spring. At the Museum, we are setting up contingency plans for some of our Spring activities. It will be informative, educational and fun!
Thank you to our members and supporters who are there for and with us as we carry on our mission in the Indian Wells Valley and our protection and stewardship of the Maturango. Your support makes it possible. Coming out to help on some of our projects is a fantastic way to meet other people with similar interests. For more information about these projects or to sign up on “a list”, please send an email to info@maturango.org. We have some projects coming up that may interest you and may be a reason to get that new drill or hammer!
My best to you all and please be well!
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January 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
Wishing all the best for the New Year! 2025 is on the doorstep and we will all be meeting it with our own plans and hopes. Many thanks to all of the supporters and volunteers who have made 2024 a year of many kindnesses and amazing accomplishments. Take care and come see us at the Museum!
My Best to you all.
Download the January Newsletter Now
https://maturango.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/January-2025-1.pdf
December 2024 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
We got to love one another… Todd Rundgren
Summer lasted too long and winter is pushing in quickly. As the Solstice approaches with its shortest day we have the chilly mornings of December when night comes too quickly. We celebrate it all at the Museum.
We celebrate our volunteers and our friends who have travelled with us and given us their time, energies and skills. This is what makes the Maturango Museum function as each brings their own thoughts and skills. Thank You.
We also celebrate each child who comes to the Museum and brings their awe and joy as they see something new and amazing, do a craft project, hear a story or run through the Labyrinth. You inspire us.
Thank you all and know we welcome you each time you stop by to see what we have going on at the Museum!
My Best to you all.
Download the December Newsletter Now
November 2024 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
Gratitude turns what we have into enough – Aesop
Some winds and clouds building around the Sierra Mountains with a mix of some beautiful warmth still in the day and the evening chills make the Indian Wells Valley the place to be in November. Sunsets of beauty and drama are sure to be on the calendar this month!
At the Maturango Museum we find many reasons to be thankful for our friends and our community. Even though we do not always follow the same path, we still pull together in ways that come from the heart. So often I am reminded of the generous and kind nature of many people in our valley and many who now live in other communities who still keep us in their thoughts. Many thanks for the messages and the visits. It’s a pleasure! The many people who work to make our programs appreciate the support and encouragement you give. It matters!
We give a great Thank You to all of those who made our Annual Dinner/Auction a success! Desert Valleys Credit Union, Hyla Nursery, Firequick, State Farm Insurance, our Friends and supporters and the Oasis Garden Club for beautiful décor. The catering by Casey’s and the amazing desserts in the auction were delicious and fun. Our very biggest thanks to Steve Morgan for making the journey to be our auctioneer. Truly the best. Thank you for everyone who made it happen, the wonderful attendees and the donations! Our greatest thanks from all of us at the Maturango Museum! Let’s do this again next year!
My Best to you all.
Download the November Newsletter Now
October 2024 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
October seems to hold the essence of being a time for preparation. The heat of the desert lets go enough so that we can enjoy outdoor activities and to prepare for the holidays to come. One of our favorite activities in October is the Open Studio Tour. It is the perfect joining of buying locally made gifts mixed with friendships renewed and new ones made. The artists are all inspirational and fun people. We hope to see many out for the weekend on the 26th & 27th.
I would like give a thanks from each member of the Staff and our volunteers to each person who has made our fundraising efforts worthwhile and fun. You are a big part of why we are here and why we work so hard to fulfill the mission of the Maturango Museum.
My Best to you all.
Download the October Newsletter Now
September 2024 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
“All at once, summer collapsed into fall.” — Oscar Wilde
I feel a certain gratitude for days where there are fewer fires filling our eyes and throats with the smoke and ash. It seemed that August had notifications each day. It is good that some of those big burns are showing the work of constant work done by the firefighters. I am grateful for the firefighters and their work. Please take care and check on roads and pass ability if heading out.
September is the month when we hold our Annual Fundraising Dinner Auction. We hope to see you there! Tickets are on sale on our website and in the Museum Store. It’s a fun event and we have a chance to be with friends and bid on some interesting items! It’s always a good time!
I hope you have a chance to come by the Museum and see our displays. The Soaring and the ARTifacts displays are not permanent, so if you have a chance, it’s worth the visit! We do have some talented and interesting people in the Indian Wells Valley! It is great fun to be inspired by the artifacts and by the artworks themselves.
At the Museum we are watching the growth of our solar field and the changes it will bring as we work towards its completion. The Solar Committee and Sidewinder Solar are working together to get the most from our field. Many thanks to all!
Enjoy these first reminders of cooler days and the beauty to be found around us. We are better together and we hope to see you come in for a visit, a walk around the garden or to volunteer! Thank you for everything you do to support the museum and for your time!
Remember the Bricks! The new walkway through the garden that leads to our new curation building makes the garden accessible to our visitors. If you are interested in buying an engraved brick that will enhance the walkway the information is on our website and in the Museum Store.
Download the September Newsletter Now
https://maturango.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/September-2024-up.pdf