Met with Katie who was super helpful with maps and upcoming events. I have to say I have never been…read moreto this part of California but there is actually a lot to do and the County has a cool Western High Desert vibe that makes it a hidden gem. Very different from my day to day experiences in urban Oakland. I plan to come back.

Peace Corps volunteers know that their service never ends after two years, since they have a "third…read moregoal" obligation to help other Americans learn about their country of service and understand the culture and underlying problems there. The goal is lifelong. My country of service was Burkina Faso. Having returned, I keep in touch with what is going on with the country and the on-going aid projects by being a member of the Friends of Burkina Faso organization (http://fbf.tamu.edu/). Often current Peace Corps volunteers try to raise money stateside to support project proposals. These projects are typically focused on girls' education, AIDS awareness, and previously Guinea worm eradication. On the occasion of my 500th review, I want to draw everyone's attention to one such important project that is being administered through Global Giving. The link is here: http://www.globalgiving.com/projects/africa-food/?RF=widget_small1349. Basically, girls often have to walk long distances in order to be able to attend school. The journey can be as much as 4 miles and is done in oppresive heat. If a girl wants to attend school, they make the journey and forgo any food for the entire day until they arrive home in the evening. This is detrimental on grades and ultimately retention. This current project institutes free lunches for these girls. The data has shown that this helps considerably in retention rates. You may be surprised to learn that in Burkina Faso only 1% of the population attends university, and they are mostly men. So any effort to improve girls' education is viewed with utmost importance. I encourage fellow readers to learn more about the project and maybe make a donation. A little bit of money goes a long way, e.g., $15 will pay for 50 meals! I am going to forgo eating out tonight, and make a donation of the money I would have spent. There is no overhead in a cause like this, so you can be sure that all of your money is supporting girls at the grass roots level. Thank you for reading.

I just have to say this is one of the most hospitable, easy to visit forests in the country. The…read moreinterpretive sites are nice and have clean bathrooms and solid picnic benches, Hat Creek and other locations have excellent picnic sites, and most importantly, they are conserving ground water and lowering fire risk with extensive tree thinning operations. It's pretty easy to see there is a lot of work being done for the American people on this forest.

Almanor Ranger Station is located along Highway 36 East across from the airport as you are heading…read moreinto Chester. The Almanor Ranger District encompasses the southern end of Lassen National Forest. We found our stop at this station well worth it. The staff was helpful and answered our questions about road and trail conditions in Caribou Wilderness. They have maps, brochures and other useful information available for free. There are also books and assorted items for sale. Public restrooms are located inside the building.

Best postal folks ever!!!!! Friendly. Helpful. Professional. Efficient. Did I say FRIENDLY?! Thxread more

Love this library!! The librarian was super sweet to us! The kids section has so much to offer…read more Thank you so much for letting my daughter do story time!

A must see in Chester. A lot of local history and great information on lake Almanor and Butt Lake…read more Pictures from the towns and farms that are now at the bottom of the lake.