Hi and Welcome to the 1^st edition of Nike News….all the comings and goings of Site SF 88!

Many of you have asked to be kept in the loop regarding the happenings around the site. The Nike News welcomes news from all of our family of Volunteers, Rangers and Friends of the Site. Please email me at al_blank@nps.gov

Now for what’s happening around the site:

Our June Open House had 504 visitors stop by. Sincere thanks to Alec, Gordon and Rod for being there. We opened at Noon with our extended hour program for the summer and by our normal opening time of 12:30 we already had in excess of 100 visitors. Wow!

The site had some special groups come by. On June 5^th, we had the Air Force War College from Alabama and on June 6^th, the Sandia /Lawrence-Livermore Interns from New Mexico. Thanks to Don, Alec, Jerry, Clinton, David, Rod, Travis and Mary for your great assistance. Both groups had a fantastic experience and were completely blown away. Great job by all!

Upcoming Special Groups:

Here is an updated list of groups coming to the site. Please let me know if you can help out at any of these:

Friday, June 20, 11 A.M., Cornerstone Day Camp, 30+

Sunday, June 22, 11 A.M., No. California Packards, 40+

Monday, June 23, 1 P.M., U.C. Berkeley, 40+

Thursday, June 26,

12 Noon,

Road Scholar, 25

1:45 P.M., Mt. Lassen, 25+

Thursday, July 3, 12 Noon, Road Scholar, 25

Monday, July 7, 1 P.M., U.C. Berkeley, 40+

Friday, July 11, 2:30 P.M., Vandenburg AFB, 15

New and Old Faces Around The Site

You may have noticed some new Park Service folks roaming about the site and listening intently to every spoken word. Travis, our new Summer Seasonal Ranger and Mary our new Intern are eager to learn and help out at the site. Please make them feel welcome. Krista, an old face from last year will be returning as a Summer Seasonal Ranger. Make sure to say hi when you see her!!

News From The Site

Frank has been working feverishly on our old trusted Army Truck. Scuttlebutt tells me we might hear the engine roar in the next couple of weeks.

John Ryan has been brought in by Cultural Affairs to act as Project Manager to help us get some projects completed. Heading the list is fixing our hydraulics and getting all of our sump pumps operational. New siding on the Assembly Building, doors on A Magazine stairwell, painting and general repair are some of the items he will be working on.

We got the okay to wash the missiles, move a shipping container over to the Assembly area and to look at repainting the yellow lines back on the ground that were covered over by the blacktop.

Additionally, Cultural and Natural Resources are working on a plan to eliminate the foliage and bring the site to its 1960’s appearance.

Susan Ewing-Haley is starting an Oral History Program. I hope that all of the volunteers with Nike Service will participate. Your stories are important and we want to make sure they are never forgotten. I will be providing forms to all of you regarding your participation.

We are actively working on getting an Ajax from Alabama. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Will keep you posted.

Everything Else

The summer is once again upon us. Nike Site SF 88 is experiencing a visitation explosion. We have a fantastic story to tell. Think about it…………from something that started as a means to shoot down jet planes to become America’s last line of defense in the Cold War. All of us play an important role in telling not only the story of Nike, but the Cold War and all that we did as a nation to combat the Soviet threat. Thank you to all of you for insuring that this period in American history is not forgotten. A little tidbit. In the 2013 attendance figures for all National Park sites, GGNRA which includes Muir Woods National Monument and Fort point National Historic Site was the most visited. People know we are here!

Our next Open House is Saturday, Jul 5th from 12 Noon until 4 P.M.

I want to end with a copy of the “Organic Act” which is the mission statement of A National Park Ranger. As we approach our 100^th Birthday, it is good to be reminded of our mission. Thank you to all of you for helping to fulfill it!

The "Organic Act" of August 25, 1916, states that "the Service thus established shall promote and regulate the use of Federal areas known as national parks, monuments and reservations . . . by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."