Community Resources During COVID-19
Thank you for supporting Rogue Riverkeeper. These are trying times and we hope that all of our members, supporters, partners and allies are healthy and safe, wherever you are. We are actively monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as it relates to our work and the health and safety of our staff and community. Staff are currently working from home and all events through May have been postponed, cancelled, or rescheduled online. Please check our events, blog and Facebook pages for updates on “virtual” events, campaigns and ways in which you can engage to continue to protect the Rogue. And if you have the means to do so, please help support our work to protect and restore clean water and healthy communities in the Rogue River Basin.
This page is meant to be a community resource for those looking for helpful information and activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that you find it helpful and informative and as always, please contact us if you have questions or want more information.
*This page is not to be used as a definitive health resource. If you are having a health emergency, please call 9-1-1.
For your health and safety…
We have created this page to assist our community in finding the latest health alerts, precautions and state orders. We hope that everyone can do their part to “flatten the curve” so that we can slow or stop the spread of this pandemic. The faster we do, the sooner things will be able to return to normal.
…and sanity!
We’ve also compiled some of our favorite resources for keeping yourself busy, entertained, and sane during this time. From music to books to online health classes, there’s a TON out there to keep your body and mind as healthy and happy as possible during this time. We hope you enjoy!
Health Resources
For the latest information on the coronavirus, precautions, prevention and more, please check out the links below.
For information on the current Stay at Home orders for the state of Oregon:
For the US and state by state status and orders:
Think Globally, Act Locally!
While we face a global health pandemic, here in the Rogue Valley, we are doing our best to “flatten the curve”. Below are county and city resources for more information about what you can do locally to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Go to your city’s webpage and click on their COVID-19 link for more information:
Other Ways You Can Help
You can stay safe by staying home but you can also help others in need during this time. Here are a few ways you can support your neighbors and community.
Donate personal protective equipment (PPE) for local medical professionals (face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, etc)
If you live in Ashland, consider Adopting-a-Neighbor to support someone or get support if you are in need.
Know how to sew? Make face masks for you, your family and community members with these simple and easy tutorial videos and patterns provided by local non-profit Talent Maker City.
Making the Most of Staying Home to Save Lives!
Rogue Riverkeeper staff want you to stay healthy, safe and sane so we put together a list of fun, active resources for you and your family. Some of these are for the home, your health, your entertainment or to keep you engaged in our work to protect clean water and our communities! Enjoy.
Stay Connected!
Just because we’re all at home doesn’t mean we can’t make a difference. Help us protect and restore clean water, native fish, and healthy communities by taking action!
Check out our latest At-Home-Activism Blog to learn how you can Take Action from home.
Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and share the love!
Stay Active, Entertained, and Sane!
Recently, the Rogue Riverkeeper team compiled a list of some of the activities we are doing to stay healthy and active during this time. Check out our blog about Making the Most Out of Staying Home to Save Lives. Whether you’re home by yourself or with family, friends, or kids, we hope you’ll find some of these resources useful and fun!
Here are a few more that we’ve put together for your enjoyment.
Time to Read!
Robyn put together a list of her favorite books about water, rivers, and the natural world. We encourage you to order any new or used books from your favorite local bookstore as they are being heavily affected by this pandemic. Thank you!
Illahee by Kay Atwood
Rogue River Journal by John Daniel
The Rogue, Portrait of a River by Roger Dorband
Riverwalking by Kathleen Dean Moore
My Story as Told By Water by David James Duncan
The River Why by David James Duncan
River Teeth by David James Duncan
The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko
The Secret Knowledge of Water by Craig Childs
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Totem Salmon by Freeman House
Get Healthy!
Over the years, Stacey has explored some different health resources that are coming in handy right now. Here is a list of her favorite online classes for staying fit in both body and mind.
Fitness Blender - Want to get your heart rate up with minimal space and equipment? Check out one of my favorite free online workouts, Fitness Blender. You can pick from a range of HIIT, cardio, and strength training videos that are all easy to do at home!
YogaGlo - Back when I used to teach yoga, I used this program all the time. Right now, YogaGlo is offering several free online yoga, Pilates, and meditation classes open to everyone.
Head Space - Looking for a few minutes to center yourself right now? I’m a big fan of the Headspace app, which is offering some additional free guided meditations called “Weathering the Storm” to help us handle these new challenges.
Also, check out these local, Rogue Valley health and wellness links to keep you healthy and happy while staying at home.
Keep the Kids Engaged!
Sara is working from home with her two little ones so having lots of great activities for them is a must! Check out these fun and engaging resources for kids (and you parents!).
Yoga + Movement
Although we are spending most of our time inside these days, keep the kids moving! The Cosmic Kids Yoga channel (Youtube) is filled with yoga, mindfulness, and relaxation videos designed for kids aged 3 and older. I also stumbled across this GoNoodle site bursting with silly, yet educational, dance videos.
Reading + Storytime
It hadn’t occurred to me to have OTHER people read to my kids before social distancing - brilliant! Listening to Josh Gad read his favorite books aloud, daily, on his Twitter feed is downright hilarious. And also! Who doesn’t want to hear a bedtime story from an astronaut?! Check out Story Time from Space.
Art + Crafts
Get out the markers, the watercolor paper, and of course - GLITTER! Check out McHarper Manor for live art tutorials that kids can do in real time. The videos come out daily and expose kids to a variety of mediums.
Cooking + Growing Food
A personal favorite...cooking! Enter, Spatulatta! The website features over 350 step-by-step video recipes featuring kids making the food! You’ll find kid-friendly recipes, basic cooking skills, creative projects, and virtual tours.
It’s also a great time of year to start baby plants for either outside gardens or inside containers. It can be intimidating but truly all you need is seeds, soil, water and sun. Check out The Spruce for how to grow veggies indoors.
Virtual Tours
Did you have any idea this existed?! I didn’t! Google Earth provides MANY virtual tours of our national parks, while many museums, zoos and aquariums offer either virtual tours or live cams. Very cool.
Movie Time!
Well, with all the time many of us have on our hands, why not watch some good films. There are SO many out there but we’ve selected a few River themed films to share with you. Enjoy!
The River Wild (filmed on the Rogue!)- Starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, John C. Reilly and David Strathairn
A River Runs Through It - Starring Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer and Tom Skerritt
Damnation (Documentary) - Directed by Travis Rummel & Ben Knight
A River’s Last Chance (Documentary) - Directed by Shane Anderson
The River and the Wall (Documentary) - Directed by Ben Masters
And check out the Wild & Scenic Film Festival’s “films for social distancing” page for more inspiring and entertaining choices.
And the last of our favorites is watching Jimmy Fallon conduct the Tonight Show from his home with his two daughters, wife and dog Gary. :) Enjoy!