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Dear Perspective Oracle Dark Skies Committee Member:

It is my pleasure to accept the lead role for the Revitalized Oracle Dark Skies Committee. Mike Weasner was kind enough to solicit my assistance because as most of you know, he was very instrumental with getting the Oracle State Park designated as an "International Dark Sky Park". He has agreed to continue as advisor, however, he no longer will head up the committee. These are exciting times with a new designation, "DarkSky Approved Lodging", and the realization that we need more education and recognition of nocturnal wildlife and the impacts from human lighting, i.e. lights that shine brightly or lighting up habitat all night that provides homes and hunting opportunities for our nocturnal creatures as well as for other types of wildlife.

Between Mike and myself, we have many contacts and know that many of you would like to volunteer to help Oracle with the Dark Sky movement. This is an invitation to join this committee if you have an interest in conservation, gazing at our spectacular dark skies and seeing Oracle benefit from this designation. We would like to share new information with you, but also hear from you on your ideas for moving forward with Dark Sky designations. As I mentioned earlier, we are very interested in starting with the "DarkSky Approved Lodging" designation as we have a number of historic ranches, a new RV Park being developed on American Avenue, and this designation, once achieved, will be our beginning efforts to get the town of Oracle designated as an "International Dark Sky Community". We are very lucky to have Oracle State Park already in Dark Sky mode. I am certain many of you have experienced the "Dark Sky Events" at the Park. The Committee's efforts will not only complement our State Park Dark Sky efforts, but will also be an opportunity for Oracle (and Saddlebrooke Ranch) residents to help plan tourism efforts for our community which promotes conservation and preservation of nocturnal wildlife, protects human health, saves energy, and preserves Oracle's Dark Sky Heritage. Oracle is in a special position to clearly view the night sky because of our rural status unencumbered by city bright lights!

If you are interested and would like to learn more about being a committee member, please attend our first meeting July 10th, 5 p.m. at the Oracle Community Center. Please RSVP ASAP your interest and hopefully attend this meeting by responding to abristow1945@gmail.com. If you know of others who live in Oracle who might be interested, please share this information. Thank you!

Alicia Bristow
Chair, Oracle Dark Skies Committee

Mike Weasner
Past Chair, Oracle Dark Skies Committee

Update 11 July 2025

At the first meeting of the revitalized Oracle Dark Skies Committee (ODSC) on 10 July 2025, it was decided to continue with re-forming the ODSC. Becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization will be investigated as this will be required to receive grant money and disperse funds to pay for certain aspects of achieving DarkSky Approved Lodging and International Dark Sky Community designations. More efforts will be done to reach out to community members, both residents and business owners, to join the ODSC. It was noted that there is no "membership fee" to join the Committee. As protecting the night sky is important for more than just gazing at the stars, community members with interests in protecting wildlife (birds and animals), human health, the local nocturnal environment and ecology, saving money, reducing climate change and its impacts on wildfire behaviours, enhancing safety and security, supporting local tourism (adventures, astrotourism, ecotourism, etc), and supporting the community of Oracle in general are all welcome to attend the next meeting to learn more.

The next meeting was set to be held Thursday, 24 July 2025, 5-7 PM, at the Oracle Community Center (685 E American Ave, Oracle, AZ).

Update 15 July 2025

Unfortunately, Alicia Bristow has decided that she cannot continue as the Chair of the revitalized Oracle Dark Skies Committee. The meeting planned for 24 July has been cancelled. Anyone who feels they might be interested in chairing the committee to support the community of Oracle should contact Mike Weasner (mweasner@mac.com) to learn more.

Go back to the ODSC Home Page.