Judi DeSantis, Secretary

I have always lived in Oregon. I grew up on the Oregon Coast but have lived inland since I was an adult. As a child, my family came to visit Silver Creek Falls and I grew to love those excursions.

I taught elementary school after college. One of my favorite memories was bringing 200 fifth and sixth graders to Camp Silver Creek for outdoor school. Our team was one of the first to implement outdoor school in Salem. We slept in the cabins with the kids and taught classes, organized food, crafts, activities, etc. It was a full five days with the students and we did it several years. It was such a perfect place and I know many of the children would not have experienced camp without the program.

My family moved to Silverton in 1978. I often took my children to the park, especially the Christmas party that was held in the Lodge. I owned several businesses in Silverton but knew exactly where I wanted to volunteer when I retired from my Frame Shop. It has been a big part of my children’s life and mine.

I married my husband, Jim, in 1985. Our family’s blended and we had five children. His grandpa Luigi, with his brothers, had immigrated from Italy. They settled and farmed near the falls. The big house on the North end of the park currently being renovated was his Uncle Tony’s house. Many family reunions were held at the ranches.

Earl McCollum

Earl taught High School Vocational Agriculture for six years in Ontario and Dallas Oregon. After he was an administrator and teacher at Treasure Valley Community College for twenty years. He also wrote grant proposals for the college and got three federal grants approved. He taught wildflower identification, cross country skiing, and backpacking. His last administrative job was Dean of Vocational Education.

After thirty years of teaching, he retired. He and his wife, Betty, began traveling the world with the Elderhostel program. They took thirty trips with Elderhostel and later took ten trips with a local company called Oregon West.

They lived in Bend for six years. While there, Earl led plant identification hikes for the Forest Service.

Earl and Betty moved to Lebanon, OR to escape allergies to Juniper trees and while in Lebanon, Earl spent time climbing mountains with family and friends. He climbed Mt. St. Helens twice, South Sister twice, Middle Sister, Mt. Thielson twice, and Mt. Rainier.

In 2005, they downsized their home and moved to Sublimity. At that time Earl started leading hikes in Silver Falls State Park and began serving on the Friends of Silver Falls Board. He continues that today, as well as volunteering in the Nature Store.

Earl likes to make people smile and enjoys finding out where people are from and why they come to Silver Falls. He is also fond of telling visitors that he and the park are the same age.

Ann Kitchel, Vice President

As a native of the prairies and farmlands of Nebraska, I continue to be in awe of the beauty of the mountains, ocean and forests of Oregon.  I came to Oregon in 2013 to work as a law librarian at Willamette University in Salem.  I live on a small acreage outside of Silverton just a few miles from the park.  The park is practically in my back yard!  I have enjoyed hiking the trails and taking in the scenery over the years.  I began volunteering at the park working in the Nature Store and it was then that I truly began to appreciate what a special place Silver Falls State Park is.  At the store I meet people from every state in the country and from countries all over the world.  What I hear from our visitors is always the same:  Silver Falls is one of the most beautiful places they have every seen.  Experiencing their sense of wonder gives me great joy.

When I was offered the opportunity to serve on the Friends of Silver Falls Board of Directors, I was honored to accept.   This organization is made up of amazing people who love the park and work collaboratively with the State Park to support park operations and fund projects that enhance the experience of our visitors.  As we approach the 100-year anniversary of the park, I am excited to be involved in the work of the Friends of Silver Falls.

Allison Barrows

I grew up in Massachusetts with much of my family in Oregon. Each summer I was shipped to Sweet Home, Oregon for several weeks to stay at my grandparents' farm. I explored the fields and forest on their property, played in the Calapooia River and fell in love with Oregon. I moved to attend Oregon State University and twenty something years later, I'm still here. 

I have hiked and biked all over Silver Falls State Park. I hike with my dog so most of my time is spent away from the waterfalls and the forest here is magical. I'm also a sucker for historic lodges and CCC buildings and always stop to admire the craftsmanship. 

Since I spend so much time here I wanted to give back to the park and share my favorite place with others. I started volunteering at the nature store summer of 2022 and I love it. It's exciting to talk with visitors from all over and share our appreciation of this beautiful place. 

In my spare time I enjoy traveling and hiking with my dog, who has been to 42 states!  

Mike Niemeyer, President

Like our other board members I have a longstanding love for Silver Falls State Park, a beautiful place populated with fun and happy staff and visitors.

As a Trail Ambassadors my wife Jackie and I enjoy interacting with visitors: A cosplayer, a bridal party taking pictures, a sister guiding her out-of-state family around the falls, a man with a life-size Yoda, birders, equestrians and mountain bikers and families speaking every language on the planet.

As a first responder for the local fire Dept I also regularly see Park staff step up to aid lost and injured park visitors and evacuate guests when fire threatens. Silver Falls is a great place and I'm happy to be able to support it through the work of Friends of Silver Falls.

Susan Ransom

I love Oregon! I tried to move up here for 40 years before it became a reality. I visited Oregon frequently when my parents moved here in 1975. The goal was to move here as well but my husband would not leave his job. 40 years later, upon retirement we got up here as fast as we could! My daughter also moved to Oregon and she and I fell in love with Silver Falls State Park. We decided to volunteer so we could spend more time there and help support the park. We both work in the Nature Store and help out at special events. It is so rewarding to share our passion for this park with the visitors and we meet interesting people from all over the world!

(Suzie is the one on the right)

In addition to volunteering at Silver Falls, I also volunteer at Willamette Humane Society walking dogs. That is where I rescued the furry love of my life, Charlie. I am the Treasurer for my church, Oasis and in my pre-COVID life, led mid-week children’s Bible programs. I also enjoy kayaking, reading, gardening, and of course, walking Charlie. Retirement life in Oregon is AMAZING!

Jossi Davidson, Treasurer

I was awestruck by Silver Falls State Park when I first visited in 1972, and the falls and forest continue to inspire me and refresh my perspective on the world whenever I visit. I’m proud to have been a founding member of the Friends of Silver Falls State Park in 1986, and to serve again as a board member in the new millennium.

My wife and I have lived in Silverton for 48 years. We raised our family here, and now have grandchildren thrilled to walk behind the waterfalls. The park remains ever inspirational, and being a board member of the Friends provides an opportunity to express my appreciation for the place itself and the organization that maintains it.

Like all our state parks, Silver Falls faces a future of disrupted financing, shifting governmental priorities, environmental challenges, and increasing need for natural wild spaces. Friends groups like ours permit ordinary citizens to support our parks directly, not only by helping to fund and operate specific projects and programs, but by being informed as to the challenges facing our parks, and empowering to help advance solutions.

I am honored to be part of a group whose aim is to enhance the knowledge, experience, and understanding of a truly special place.

Patti Lindquist

From the time I could walk I loved the forest. My mother and Grandmother both took us to the redwood forest and taught us so many wonderful things! One of my first big words was pseudo-suga-taxifolia, at the time the scientific name for Douglas fir. We hiked the trails of Big Basin and Big Trees in the Santa Cruz mountains, and the love instilled there never left me.

My first teaching job was in Pacific Grove, where I furthered my nature education on the seashore. I also became passionate about sailing and bought a 14’ boat on the consideration that the seller teach me to sail it. He did, and eventually we were married. We lived aboard an 85’ schooner in Monterey harbor. The ship’s owner and family and the two of us left with a plan to explore the Caribbean - but alas, while in So Cal we were boarded by a sheriff - seems the boat owner had failed to bother with the IRS for 10 years. End of trip, but we spent 4 years there and bought a sailboat.

Next adventure was a year in Washington state living on a mink ranch. Here began my love of the Northwest.

In 1967 my husband and I took a freighter to Scotland, in pursuit of a boat to charter. Found it in Plymouth in October. We traveled the Channel and then through France to the Mediterranean, to Italy, and back through Switzerland, Belgium, and Holland, just the two of us on a lifetime adventure. Hence my second passion - to travel! As an aside, the first French words I learned were food words, navigation words, and swear words, the latter due to the barge captains! The climax to all that was 35 days coming home on a French freighter with numerous stops, wonderful food and wine, only 9 passengers.

In 1998 I retired and moved to the Sierras, just south of Yosemite. For the next 6 years I immersed myself in the flora and fauna of that region, spending endless happy days hiking in the Valley. My travel days began in earnest with my close friend. Probably my favorite trips were Antarctica, the Arctic, and Argentinian Patagonia. Both of us are Francophiles and have done 10 different road trips, covering all of France, plus several in Spain and Portugal. We’ve taken rental cars where they never went before!

All that brings me to Silverton and Silver Falls State Park. In the 80’s I had visited a dear friend who lived here - on the first day she took me to the Park and we did the whole ten falls - I was smitten! In due course it was feasible to move here, which I did in 2004, to my cozy retreat on Silver Creek.

I have always loved sharing what I know and learning from others - it was a natural to begin leading nature walks at the Park. I met wonderful people from all over. I have done other volunteer work, but none as happy and satisfying as at the park!

I am proud to be a member of the Friends of Silver Falls State Park, to help support the history and natural wonder of our special place.