A Sense of Space: Discovering Sacramento’s American River Parkway

Dianna Poggetto: [00:00:00] Sacramento's one of the most diversified communities, and I think the Parkway reflects that. Whether it's the family that's learning how to ride a bike that's out there, or what is amazing, if you go to certain sections of the parkway on a weekend, families having large barbecues, so they're celebrating togetherness.

Through family, through barbecue, through food, you'll have the groups like Zach Fit, that are teaching people how to run and to walk. You have fleet feet. That's a more advanced training, so you have this wide array of individuals.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion are simple. To highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our communities stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters [00:01:00] to the people they serve, to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

Through podcasting, we hope to amplify their voices, inspire connection, and give them one more tool to impact the hearts of donors. Partners and neighbors alike. This work is made possible through the generous support of our incredible partners. CAPTRUST offering fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations, Western Health Advantage, a local not-for-profit health plan that believes healthcare is more than coverage.

It's about caring core executive leadership and comprehensive support services. They work in it so you can work on it. Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years. I'm on the American River Parkway, three, sometimes four or five days a week. Cycling, running, kayaking, [00:02:00] watching the fog lift off the river in the early morning light.

It's easy to take it for granted. 23 miles of paved trail, 4,800 acres of open space, wildlife, river access, and room to breathe. Just minutes from home. But here's the part I cannot fathom. Only about 10% of Sacramento County residents even know the Parkway exists as a connected resource. In this episode, I sit down with Diana pto, executive Director of the American River Parkway Foundation to talk about what it really takes to protect the civic treasure.

We explore the 15,000 volunteer hours that keep it clean. The Title one students Experiencing the river for the first time. The Afghan families gathering for weekend barbecues and the reality that this beautiful space is also a working floodplain that can carry 88,000 cubic feet of water per second.

This isn't just a trail or a bike trail or a running path. [00:03:00] It's a unifier, an educator, a refuge. It's a living, breathing part of Sacramento's identity. If you are a Sacramento resident who walks, bikes, runs, or paddles. This episode is one for you, Diana pto. Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. 

Dianna Poggetto: Thank you.

I'm excited. 

Jeff Holden: So am I. And for a really good reason, I love this resource. I'm on it 3, 4, 5 times a week and I'm so looking forward to this conversation. 23 miles of paved trail, 4,800 acres of Nature River. Trails, wildlife, and so much more. Tell us about the organization known as the American River Parkway Foundation.

Dianna Poggetto: Well, if the American River Parkway did not exist. We would not exist. So it's really about how great the American River [00:04:00] Parkway is and how fortunate we are to live in an area where we have this great resource. And when you think about the Greater Sacramento region, the Parkway is about five to 10 miles from everyone's home.

And where can you go to have this respite right there? So what we do at the American River Parkway Foundation. Is really take care of that land. We put boots on the ground. We have over 15,000 volunteers a year that are out there working to remove invasive plants to paint, you know, ballasts the right color of yellow to repair a picnic tables to repair structures, to clear the trails.

So we're the ones putting boots on the ground up and down the entire parkway, all 23 miles, all 4,800 acres, and trying to make it be the best place, the best civic amenity within this region that it can be. 

Jeff Holden: And did I see someplace that. Really only about 10% of the population recognizes it's there. 

Dianna Poggetto: Yes, we did a survey in 2018 to the general [00:05:00] population of Sacramento County, which at that point was 1.6 million people.

And of those that were polled, only 10% knew the Parkway existed. What they did know was like if they had gone to Discovery Park, to a concert or something in Discovery Park, but they didn't know it connected to the other. Develop wreck areas, which, and a developed wreck area would be where there's parking.

So William Pond, different, the larger parks, the 11 larger park parks along the parkway. 

Jeff Holden: There's 11 parks along the parkway from Discovery Park up to. Natomas. 

Dianna Poggetto: So from Discovery Park, which is at the confluence of the I five and the river, 

Jeff Holden: right. 

Dianna Poggetto: All the way to Hazel Avenue. So once you cross Hazel Avenue, that becomes state parkland.

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Dianna Poggetto: So the work we do is from Hazel Avenue West. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. So Lake Natoma would be post past. 

Dianna Poggetto: That would be 

Jeff Holden: post past the Hazel. So you're right, right up to it. Yes. Okay. And then that picks up in, it's, it's federal and state? 

Dianna Poggetto: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And that's our [00:06:00] sacramental portion. Which is still 23 miles. So it's a 46 mile jaunt if you start down at Discovery Park and take it up and back.

Dianna Poggetto: And what's interesting when you put it that way, there are so many Olympians that actually train on the parkway for that very fact that they can run, they can cycle for 23 miles without a car interrupting them. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: And if you're a train, you know, if you're training for the Olympics, whether it's running or cycling, that's what you want.

Jeff Holden: Those are the people that are always smoking me on my bicycle. Now I understand and there is a speed limit. We all know that, but in many cases we're 

Dianna Poggetto: it's, it is supposed to be 15 miles an hour. 

Jeff Holden: Right? Right. Aside from just going to the trail and cycling and walking and hiking and jogging and paddling, what are some of the programs that you offer?

What does the Parkway Foundation actually provide to. Let's say the the consumer, the person who uses the parkway. 

Dianna Poggetto: So what we are most famous for, I [00:07:00] would say just because we've done it since 1983, is our cleanups. So we have operated trash, cleanups, debris removal, especially back in 2019, 2021, the number of unhoused that were on the parkway.

That was a huge, huge undertaking where we were removing at least 150. Thousand pounds of trash. Oh my gosh. Which is just, and, and to think that volunteers were doing this, I think that speaks a lot about the value of the parkway to the community, but our real emphasis right now is to bring people out to the parkway.

How do we bring youth, how do we bring families out to the parkway? So. That percentage can grow from that 10% you talked about earlier to 50%. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: So we have a program called Parkway Connect, and what we're doing is we're working with a number of different nonprofits throughout the region, whether it's Sisters of Nia, United, cerebral Palsy, single Mom Strong, but we're working with them in bringing them out to the parkway to whether it's for painting, they wanna learn how to fish, it's for, uh, [00:08:00] nature and from so many of these individuals and the families.

They've never been to the parkway. So for them to experience it for that first time, it's like overwhelming to them. And they just wanna see the butterflies and the water and the trees, which is great. And so that's a large program of ours. And then we have our volunteer programs, like I said, so some of them are rebuilding structures.

Mm-hmm. So looking for key volunteers or types of volunteers to help with that. All the trails. If you are a runner and you're out on the multi-use trails, the dirt trails, we maintain all of those. So we cut them back and make sure that they're passable. And especially when it's high grass time, you know, you're not gonna step on a snake or something.

So the trail work we're doing, the cleanups. We also remove all the invasive plants along the water's edge. So the brooms and the red ci spania not a very exciting, just like in our own homes, we don't wanna pull weeds. We're pulling the weeds on the parkway and we have some restoration projects we're working on too.

Jeff Holden: Yeah. Those plants that you just mentioned, I'm sure somebody knows [00:09:00] like, like Sacramento Splash or whatever. 'cause they teach the kids about all that. Yeah. And the organizations you mentioned are people we've also had in the studio who share the same thing. These kids have never even been to the park, they've never seen the river.

They're absolutely blown away when they see fish in a river. Swimming and alive and the ability to just see the nature and as you mentioned, the butterflies and the birds and the sounds. And it really is, it's, it's quite amazing. 

Dianna Poggetto: It's, it's what's interesting, we have run a program through Sacramento County Office of Education at our, at the River Bend site.

It's a Riverbend Outdoor Education Center and. I will say, I don't know if it's more surprising to see the kids come off the bus or the adult chaperones and how they respond and there was a dead skunk carcass and that was, I, I will tell you, that was like, they were just stopped going. They had never seen one.

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Dianna Poggetto: So to see that change of a little bit afraid at first and then to [00:10:00] actually enjoy being out in nature, it's, it's a real transformation in four hours. 

Jeff Holden: You know, something I've seen on occasion is you have the sheep. Mowing down the vegetation and it's all fenced off and everything. Is that something that is the Parkway Foundation's responsibility, is that something you do as well?

Dianna Poggetto: That That is the Sacramento County, so the landowner okay. Of the parkway is Sacramento County, their regional parks department. And so the sheep or goats, depending on what they get, that is really to cut down on flash fuels because the parkway. As we know it burns. We had been a number of fires, and so in order to control some of the, the fire damage and the threat of fire, 

Jeff Holden: okay, 'cause that's an amazing site too.

Dianna Poggetto: In, in last year, they came off the, the transport hauler. Right in front of our office and it was fascinating to watch and how the dogs, you know, really were hurting them out into the area. Yes, it was fantastic. It was a good 45 minutes we watched it. 

Jeff Holden: I, I agree. It's, it's just amazing. I'll pull [00:11:00] over and stop and stare at it just because it's, you're looking, this is really happening.

This is how we're mowing it down and they, you know, two weeks later it's pristine. It is just amazing what happens there. They eat 

Dianna Poggetto: away. They eat away. 

Jeff Holden: And great for the kids to see that when they have the opportunity. You mentioned a couple of organizations, and I would imagine that happens quite often.

Who are some of the. Nonprofit organizations, the other organizations that you deal with in conjunction with what you do on a day-to-day basis? 

Dianna Poggetto: You know, there's a lot of stakeholders on the Parkway, so there's us as the Parkway Foundation. Soilborne has their area, Sacramento Valley Conservancy, and then FEI, nature Center.

Mm-hmm. Those are the main stakeholders that actually have locations on the parkway. We are working with a, a number of different organizations. Organizations from United Cerebral Palsy to Eschaton. Mm-hmm. And Rivers Edge, because we really wanna bring some of the seniors out to the parkway. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, what a nice thought too.

Yeah. Taking just to get 'em a break and Yeah. Experience nature. 

Dianna Poggetto: [00:12:00] And for so many of them, they grew up in the Sacramento. Region, or they lived in the Sacramento region and they all participated in going to the parkway or going on the trails. So for them to come back out, it's really, really exciting to see.

There's a number of organizations throughout. We're working with Reta, some of the refugee organizations. Mm-hmm. And we're working, we work with all the CASAS as well. So those are a little bit different on how we work with, with the CASA organizations because of the confidentiality. A lot of developmental disabled organizations just to get them back out into nature and to, you know, help improve their mental health.

Jeff Holden: Well, in so many cases too, especially if you're in a chair, a wheelchair 

Dianna Poggetto: mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: You have the ability because you have a paved trail. Yeah. You can really walk them and let them experience something over some period of distance. To little micro ecosystems of what's there, depending on where you are on the trail.

Dianna Poggetto: And you know, they've said, oh, to see a, a butterfly or to actually be able to ride their bike. We did a big [00:13:00] bike event with United Cerebral Palsy and we did a lot of it in a parking lot just because sometimes, you know, as you said, people speed on the trail. That you've got people, first time writers, you, you get, you have to watch out where they're going and how fast.

It's, it's always fascinating to me. And I think what's even more fascinating is when their families come out. 'cause they get to see their child, their adult, I don't wanna say normal, but being able to enjoy that sense of freedom again by riding a bike. 

Jeff Holden: Yes, yes. 

Dianna Poggetto: And to be able to do it on the parkway and have, have the beauty around you, it's even better.

Jeff Holden: So volunteers. You said 15,000 volunteers. The first 

Dianna Poggetto: 15,000 hours, I will correct 

Jeff Holden: myself 15,000 hours. Okay. I I, I might have picked it up wrong too, but, but still that's a lot. And is that when I see the, the bins or the, the bags after they've done the cleanup and everything that's coming from volunteers.

And I know there's been, you know, parkway excursions from other nonprofits where you go down and clean the water's edge and everything. [00:14:00] Those are all coordinated through the foundation? 

Dianna Poggetto: Yes, so we do two large cleanups a year. I mean, besides our normal cleanups through our mile stewards or through, you know, volunteer groups, you know, corporations that wanna contribute our spring cleanup.

Which is in April of every year, and it's April 18th. This year we average about 800 individuals that come out between nine and noon to clean, and we have seven different locations this year. And then our large cleanup we do in conjunction with the California Coastal Commission. And that is the third Saturday of September.

And 

Jeff Holden: every year? 

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah, every year. Yeah. And we have over 2000 individuals that come out, and it amazes me every year to see the number of people that come out from. Two year olds, up to 90 year olds, and it says to me how much they care about the parkway because I think personally, what I spend my Saturday morning going out to clean up trash on the parkway and these [00:15:00] individuals do year after year after year.

Jeff Holden: I've gotta make a commitment to do that as well because I use it so much. It's, it's one of the ways I can give it back. 

Dianna Poggetto: And that's important. And a lot of corporations participate in these too. 'cause it's a great team building. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: You know, and then it's a game of, oh, I found this, or you found that.

You know, and it's also a challenge and, you know, we all like competition, so this is where it's good for Yeah. For the different businesses to participate. 

Jeff Holden: Tell me about funding for the organization. How, how is it funded? 

Dianna Poggetto: So we receive $16,000 a year from Sacramento County, and that's for their transit occupancy tax, and that is through their board appropriated transit occupancy tax, and we raise $1.2 million a year.

And so we raise those funds through 1 0 1 solicitation through our membership, through our special events, as well as through grant funding. So every year we know we start with 16,000 and go from there. 

Jeff Holden: Is there one event that is the, the biggest [00:16:00] fundraiser for the organization? 

Dianna Poggetto: The, our largest fundraiser is our, is our event called Summer Solstice, and that is held in June, June 20th.

It could either be at the hottest day of the year, or it could be a beautiful day, like it was in 2025. And we, everyone wears white and it is a farm to table. Family style meal. There are silent auctions, live auctions. It's a great time because you can wear, as a male, you can wear shorts and flip flops.

And as a female you can wear, you know, shorts or a sundress, but you don't have to get extremely dressed up. Mm-hmm. And it's a beautiful evening, and that event raises between 180 and $200,000. Oh wow. For the foundation. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. That's a significant, significant event. 

Dianna Poggetto: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: How many people? 

Dianna Poggetto: 260. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Dianna Poggetto: Only It's a very small, okay, so it's limited.

It's limited. Okay. We have one chef that cook prepares the whole meal out there. At the park and then we, [00:17:00] a national charity league helps us and they are our servers for the night, the moms and daughters, and they serve and we have volunteers that help with check-in and checkout. But it's just, it's a beautiful evening under the stars and you get to sit and, you know, it's long tables and, and it's great for networking and we have a longer.

Cocktail hour because everyone wants to chitchat. 

Jeff Holden: Sure. 

Dianna Poggetto: Which is, which is what it's about. And hopefully bid on those silent auction items. Right, right. So it's people like coming to the event because it is a small and intimate event 

Jeff Holden: and you are outside, 

Dianna Poggetto: you are outside, 

Jeff Holden: you're, you're taking in everything.

That the Parkway Foundation stands for 

Dianna Poggetto: it. It is. It is beautiful. And then this year we're doing a second year event. We started it last year and it's our burger battle. It's called the American River Burger Battle, and that takes place at Discovery Park. And this year we have eight chefs and both Sac City and SAC Metro Fire, and they all compete for the best burger.

Jeff Holden: Oh, 

I 

Dianna Poggetto: love that. So there's a judge's choice, [00:18:00] and then there's the people's choice. And so last year the Judge's choice was Sam Schaefer with Kimpton Sawyer 

Jeff Holden: Uhhuh. 

Dianna Poggetto: And then the People's Choice was Pedro with Seventh Street Standard. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Dianna Poggetto: So, and it's, and there is some competition there for, for bragging rights.

So that is May 16th this year. 

Jeff Holden: And who doesn't love a good burger? 

Dianna Poggetto: And you can have unlimited burgers. So if you can eat all 10 burgers, more power to you. 

Jeff Holden: So in 2026, it's May 16th. It is always in May. That event, it's always 

Dianna Poggetto: in May. 

Jeff Holden: Okay, great. Love that. 

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Now I'm seeing cattle grazing on the side. 

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah, 

Jeff Holden: just the side of the tray.

No, 

Dianna Poggetto: no cattle. That would be a good site though, 

Jeff Holden: right? And people wonder what the heck just happened here. 

Dianna Poggetto: That would be fun. 

Jeff Holden: We'll be back with more from Diana PTO as we explore the American River Parkway Foundation and the value it brings to our region right after we hear from those businesses who care deeply and support this work.

James Beckwith: I'm [00:19:00] James Beckwith, president and CEO of Five Star Bank. We're dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations who advocate for the strength, resilience, and vitality of those they serve. When nonprofit organizations thrive, our community does too. By supporting the nonprofit podcast network, five Star Bank is amplifying the voices and meaningful impact of our nonprofit community.

We're Five Star Bank, a trusted nonprofit partner. How can we help you? 

Darrell Teat: We are really excited to be part of the family and contribute to the work that you all are doing. Core provides fractional and interim executive services along with comprehensive back office solutions that go into our client sites and do the work to give them the capacity they need in order to move through transitions, whether that's planned or unplanned, or companies also work with our accounting and finance.

Back Office solutions, human resources, technology and [00:20:00] administration. The reason why our back office solutions add value is because we save them time and money anywhere from 20 to 30% of what they would spend on that back office solution. We work in it so they can actually work on it. CXOR e.com and contact me directly at DTE a t@cxoe.com.

Jeff Holden: If you're interested in learning more about how CORE may help your organization, visit CXOR e.com. 

Scott Thomas: Hello, this is Scott Thomas with CAPTRUST in our Sacramento office. I specialize in working with local nonprofits and associations annually. We survey private and public nonprofit organizations across the country to better understand challenges they see in today's environment.

In our more recent survey, we heard concerns about proper board governance, mission aligned investment, and how to implement alternative investments. If you would like a copy of the survey or to [00:21:00] discuss your organization, look me up, scottThomas@captrust.com. 

Jeff Holden: At Western Health Advantage. Healthcare isn't just a service, it's a shared value.

As a nonprofit leader, you need a health plan that understands the importance of mission-driven work. Western Health Advantage is a local not-for-profit health plan that supports organizations like yours with affordable, flexible coverage options for your team. But what truly sets them apart is their commitment to community supporting nonprofits like the American Heart Association, Sacramento Ballet, and the Crocker Art Museums.

Pay what you Wish Sundays with access to top tier providers and dedicated local support. Western Health Advantage is more than a health plan. It's a partner in your purpose. Explore your options today@westernhealth.com. Western Health Advantage, healthcare with heart. Designed for those who give back [00:22:00] funding.

No object. Let's say you have a nature lover. He her them, they come and they say, Diana, we, we love this trail. We wanna give you a blank check. What would you do with it? 

Dianna Poggetto: I would say there's three things we could do. It's kind of ties into the foundation just going through this whole strategic plan and we had this big blue sky, you know, funding No object.

Just like you said. One of them would be, there's a, there was a private in holding down in the Atoma area and it was the Yia, old mine, Sacramento area. Flood Control has purchased that site. To me, it would be phenomenal to create it almost as a Swan Lake and like they have in Golden Gate Park, have little paddle boats out there and really open up the parkway to the Natoma region and be able to have that interaction where people from that community can just walk, walk over to, to have that.

It's a different site. It's a reason to come [00:23:00] to the parkway. I would say the other would be able to create some sort of small. Amphitheater or small venue where you could do plays, you could have people, because here again, we do summer solstice on a beautiful evening night, who wouldn't wanna go see, you know, Romeo and Juliet in a small amphitheater on the parkway?

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: Similar to like, you know, sand Harbor, how they have Yep. Have the concerts to be able to have something like that. And I would say the ultimate would be. Continued funding for the Parkway, whether that's a third party that manages it, or just some sort of partnership agreement to have continued funding.

So as the budget cycles change, the Parkway always has some funding. 

Jeff Holden: Is there any sort of endowment sitting out there for the foundation? 

Dianna Poggetto: We have reserves. We don't have an endowment just because of how much we would be able to to spend, but we have reserves. Some of those reserves will be going into, some of our reserves will be [00:24:00] going into some of the program that we have coming up.

You know, I look at the parkway and you look at great parks across the United States, 

Jeff Holden: right? 

Dianna Poggetto: And you know, from Central Park, which is only 10 acres and everyone knows about it, to the Austin Parks, to even Golden Gate Park. What do they all have? They have this sense of place. And to me the parkway is more than just a sense of place.

It's a sense of space. And I say that because we need to have activities that will generate people coming to the parkway as well as appreciating it. Mm-hmm. And if they just think it's a place that people, you know, ride their bikes or they run, which is phenomenal, 

Jeff Holden: right? 

Dianna Poggetto: But there needs to be a little bit more, 'cause we want it to be the great civic community within this region.

Jeff Holden: Back to reality. What is the greatest need? 

Dianna Poggetto: I would say the greatest need. I mean, of course you can always say the greatest need is funding, but I would say the greatest need is [00:25:00] for the community to speak up about how important the parkway is and what they wanna see on the parkway, and how the parkway can evolve and change with.

The communities as, as our population grows. So really taking a stake within the parkway and ensuring that it's here for future generations. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. When you look at the, the community, you're out in the community, how do you tell the story? 

Dianna Poggetto: The story's always evolving, and it depends who the audience is, right?

And so how do people interplay with the parkway? Do they just drive over the river, uh, over a bridge, or do they actually enjoy it? To me, the parkway also unites all of the communities that it runs through. You know, it runs from Sacramento to the unincorporated portions of the county, to Rancho Cordova to Folsom.

How does that unite our community? [00:26:00] And I think that's the story because it is a, it is a uniter, whether, you know, you're out there three to four days a week, you meet people out there. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: But they might be, they might not be cycling, they might be riding, or they might be a first timer. So how can we tell those stories about why people find it special?

You know, is it because you love fishing or is it because you're just looking to do yoga? And so I think that's how you tell the story of how important it is. You know, you think about other great cities that have waterways and they've developed them. That can't happen on the parkway because of this piece of legislation that governs it.

Call the The Parkway plan. So you can't build condos or or buildings on it, but you can still create that sense of space. 

Jeff Holden: Put some faces on the parkway for me. Who? Who do you see? What do you see? What do they look like? What are some of the stories you hear back 

Dianna Poggetto: the parkway? I would say is, you know, is the melting pot of Sacramento.[00:27:00] 

Sacramento is one of the most diversified communities, and I think the Parkway reflects that, whether it's the, the family that's learning how to ride a bike that's out there, or what is amazing. If you go to certain sections of the parkway on a weekend, the number of Afghan families having large barbecues, so they're celebrating togetherness.

Through family, through barbecue, through food. You have the cyclists that think they might be Lance Armstrong, um, or training for the Olympics. Uh, who are you 

Jeff Holden: pointing at? 

Dianna Poggetto: Me. I'm just saying there's, and then you have the runners. You have the, those that are learning. You have the groups like Sacramentos, fitt, that are teaching people how to run and to walk.

You have fleet feet. That's a more advanced training. So you have this wide array of individuals. You also have individuals that use the parkway as their canvas. You have phenomenal photographers that are selling their photos of the Parkway, phenomenal painters that are painting the parkway. [00:28:00] So it depends how people use it, as well as nature lovers.

If you wanna go out and see Deer, coyote being able to just experience being outdoors it. There's so many different faces and I think we see, you know, our office is actually on the parkway, so we're at the entrance to William Pond Park. So we see everybody go by, whether it's an individual, you know, the groups like bike hikers or you know, an organized ride, but just the individual that's driving in to go have lunch.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: So it's. It's nice to see it being utilized in so many different ways. 

Jeff Holden: When you mentioned artists, we have a very famous one. Gregory Condos has done many pieces of the parkway and or the river off of the parkway. So many just beautiful, beautiful settings at various times of the day, and they differ every time during the year and nothing is ever.

The same to me when I'm on it is always different. You know, the sky is different, the light is different, the people are different, [00:29:00] the trail is different. You know, the only thing that's the same is that piece of pavement that goes from point A to point B, 

Dianna Poggetto: and there's nothing more magical if you get out in the morning and you see the fog just rising above the, the water and just, it's like this mystical event and especially if as it goes through the tree.

Yeah. So it is, it is a gorgeous, gorgeous. 4,800 acres to be able to visit and to visit that you can walk into. So many people are able to walk in from their homes 

Jeff Holden: free to access. Diana. It's free. 

Dianna Poggetto: It's free. 

Jeff Holden: That's the beauty of this, right? 

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah. It's free and, and it's for all of us. 

Jeff Holden: And the other thing that we, it, it's not a part of, but it's certainly influenced by is, is the water itself.

While we don't, the parkway doesn't control the water flow, but the water flow is different every single day. As it's determined on the release from, you know, Folsom Lake into Lake Natoma, into the river. And [00:30:00] I'm always amazed at it. I had done EPIs for a long, long time, many, many years. And you know, at that period of time in the year, from summer when you're starting to training, let's say from about April till July, every day you're looking at the river, okay, flow is good.

I'm gonna get in the river today 'cause I have to practice my paddling. And you just look at it and you, you become. Almost obsessed with what the river flow looks like. 

Dianna Poggetto: It's on, 

Jeff Holden: on any given day. 

Dianna Poggetto: It is amazing when you see, it was funny, I had a memory that just popped up on my phone yesterday from nine years ago, and that was when we had 88,000 CFS flowing through.

It was the heavy, heavy, heavy storm. 

Jeff Holden: Yep. 

Dianna Poggetto: 88,000 CCFs flowing through the American River. The entire parkway was pretty much closed down and 

Jeff Holden: CFS is cubic feet per second of water. Yes. So people understand 

Dianna Poggetto: and it is, that is a lot of water and. The parkway was closed because 

Jeff Holden: sure, 

Dianna Poggetto: 95% of it was flooded and, and for people that don't know, the parkway is first and foremost a flood [00:31:00] conveyance zone.

So if. It is meant to flood and it's closes for everyone's safety. And you can't go on the bike trail or go into the parks because it's flooded. And of course, down in the Discovery Park area, you get the pushback from the Sacramento River also. Sure. But nine years ago was when logs were going so fast down that it was taking.

Power poles down within the parkway and Smud, pg e and Western Area Power, all have power poles on the parkway and they were actually doing helicopter exercises to actually erect new poles. Hmm. It was amazing to see it. And just the. The artistry in, in making sure that no one's electrocuted and how you put those down.

But here again, here's another use of the parkway. 

Jeff Holden: Yes, 

Dianna Poggetto: the easements that go across the, the parkway from the utility companies as well as the up lines. The Union Pacific Railroad lines. 

Jeff Holden: Right. And anybody that's been here long enough recognizes that that river flow is very different, especially in very, [00:32:00] very wet times.

And to your point, I remember that year it took out a piece of the sunrise footbridge. I mean, just so much was coming down. It was over the footbridge, which is a rare, rare, rare occasion to see it that high. But it's amazing to see just the power of nature, which is the American River Parkway Foundation.

Yeah. It's that whole. Experience as the executive director of an organization that is nature. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And, and many people, you know, their, their solace is nature. I wanna get out to nature. You're in nature every day. You're managing nature. That's, there aren't a whole lot of people that get to do that. What do you do to relax?

How do you, how does Diana pto. Chill. What's her thing? Don't 

Dianna Poggetto: ask my kids. Um, and they're adults and growing. You know, for me it's travel. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Dianna Poggetto: It is travel. I love to [00:33:00] travel. I've been fortunate to travel the world with my, one of my adult sons, who is a competitive water skier. So it's been great to be able to travel and I, I have this itch to continue to travel, but even more simple, I think.

It's to me to be home and have it quiet and to cook or to garden. And I have two big dogs. So you know, we're always out walking and being around or going up to Tahoe and just relaxing and being with friends. But travel is my, I. Travel's my bug and I, you know, for some of us, we have to keep working so we can continue to travel.

Jeff Holden: Travel, correct. Well, I bet you one of the challenges is when you're traveling, it's hard not to compare. Oh, this is like, this is like, it's, it's hard. Right? 

Dianna Poggetto: But you know what? I learned so much from traveling because you see how other cities in other parts of the world. What do they do? How are they attracting people?

How do, what are their green spaces like? And, and so I actually find it fascinating. So, you know, maybe I should use some of the travel for, [00:34:00] for business, you know, expenses. I don't know. Right, 

Jeff Holden: right. Yeah. Because you're absorbing and you're bringing things back and ideas, Hey, look what I saw in Italy or in France, or wherever you might've been.

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah, yeah, 

Jeff Holden: sure. 

Dianna Poggetto: I'm sure. I mean, it's, it's fascinating to see how various parts of the world, whether you're in Asia or even in Australia, how they work with. Nature. And I say nature because whether that's their coral reefs or it's their parks. It's really fascinating to see how so many countries are able to do so much with less dollars.

And I think it's kind of a paradigm shift that the US is gonna be going through. Mm-hmm. Coming in the near future. There's just not as many dollars out there to do the work we wanna do around the environment. So how do we do more with less? And I think that's the beauty though, of also the parkway and of those that care about it, we can do more with less because we have volunteers and we have a community that really cares.

Jeff Holden: And I [00:35:00] believe that key word community. It, it, so much of that community isn't necessarily just the cyclists or the runners or the exercisers. It's everybody, everybody. That it's the, the advantage of what that parkway represents, and to your point, people who have never been here before and they take 'em down to the parkway, they're blown away.

You know, and they tell that story. I mean, we gotta get 15, 20% of this population in the region to understand that that thing exists. Because I think once they do. They'll contribute to it in some way, shape, or form for its benefit. 

Dianna Poggetto: I think, you know, an overall marketing branding campaign of the Parkway is something that as the Parkway Foundation, we know is needed and it is one of our objectives.

We're gonna be. Working on in 2026 and 2027 to, to one, increase that number, but to, to bring people to the parkway. Whether that's, you know, we wanna have wide open walls out there or chalk it up out there. Sure. It's a different reason to bring individuals to the parkway. Mm-hmm. So [00:36:00] they can appreciate and enjoy it.

Jeff Holden: Well, and to your point about that recognition. That's demonstrable impact for your campaign. You know, you gauge that recognition today. If it's 10%, you do your campaign, two years later, it's 14, 15, 16%, 18%. And you know that that's part of what we're trying to do too, is to help these organizations not unlike yours, to be seen and heard.

You've got great stories. We know you're out there, but. You can tell 'em and to a void and nothing's gonna happen. 

Dianna Poggetto: Right. 

Jeff Holden: And so the beauty of that is that you've got the ability to do it. And I think you mentioned you're working on a a campaign now, right? A video campaign? 

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah, we have a video campaign. We receive grant funding from the Sacramento Cable Commission.

That is for 4 28 minute shows, and the first one is live, and that's on the American River Parkway Foundation's YouTube channel. The second one will be aired on Metro Channel 14, which everyone I know watches. And then once it's aired on there, it'll go to our YouTube [00:37:00] channel and then the. Last two are gonna be produced by the end of March of 2026.

Okay. So those will be out there. The first one is really fascinating 'cause it talks about the history of the Parkway, how was it created, what did Sacramento really look like back in the 1930s and forties and, you know, the Chinese camps that were down where the Discovery Park area is. So the, it's really a fascinating video and everyone that's watched it is like, oh, I've learned so much in this.

And then the second, third, and fourth are gonna talk more about the parkway. Programs and who they're impacting video. And so they're it. They're fun. And there's a good clip on Burger Battle and love it and too, so watch Metro Channel 14. 

Jeff Holden: Well, what you can do, as soon as that link is available, we can put it in the show notes for this episode as well, because this episode will have a shelf life of a year.

Okay. Easily. So we can drop it in there. So anybody who's view. Oh, there's, there's that link that they mentioned. 

Dianna Poggetto: Perfect. 

Jeff Holden: Wonderful. I love that. 

Dianna Poggetto: It's fun. 

Jeff Holden: What's the best way for somebody to find out about the parkway? 

Dianna Poggetto: The best way, [00:38:00] easiest way, is to log onto our website@apf.org that has information. We have a YouTube channel, which is the American River Parkway Foundation.

We also have, you know, Facebook. Instagram, we do have a TikTok and LinkedIn and so we're, our channels are all open, always information going out there. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And we'll have that in the show notes as well, so it makes it easy for somebody who's listening to say, I don't have to think about anything. I'll just click here.

Dianna Poggetto: And we also have, uh, new Burger Battle, just separate page on Instagram ar Berger Battle. 

Jeff Holden: So almost 14 years you've been with the organization. What would you. Say to Diana's original self when you came on to today that you might do differently that you've seen over the course of that 14 years and said, boy, if you know, maybe then I would've done that.

If you knew then what you know now? 

Dianna Poggetto: You know, I think it's about the community [00:39:00] not understanding how important the resource was to the community when I started. And as I said, I mean the population has grown also. I would say engaging with various aspects of the community, not just those that use it for recreation, but really working with the different cities and the communities and bringing them all into the fold.

I, I believe our work at the foundation would be, I don't wanna say easier, but we'd have a. Greater representation and people would know about it. I would say one of the best things we probably did was start our River Bend Outdoor Education program working with Sacramento County Office of Education, and we are bringing Title One children out to the Parkway for the first time.

And before I got involved with scoe, I had no idea that 68% of all of all Sacramento County schools are Title one. I had no idea, 

James Beckwith: nor 

Dianna Poggetto: did I, 68%. So being able [00:40:00] to bring one child out to the parkway, two children, and I mean 66, come out at a time to expose it to them. That's how we're going to continue. We have to be able to expose and get children off their phones, tablets and get them out into nature for them to appreciate it.

So to me, that was probably the best in working more around the youth arena to really, and with families, I think really helps us bridge those generational gaps. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. And to your point, once the children understands it's there, understand it's there. Their children don't understand. Now you've got this, this legacy of awareness that didn't exist and that 10% should just organically grow because of the awareness of what's there and the wonder that those children experience every time, I can only imagine what they bring home to the parents that maybe have never been as they try to explain what they saw.

Dianna Poggetto: Yeah. [00:41:00] And, and it's for anybody and everybody, like, you know, you've mentioned fishing and the recreational, but we do an event with Sacramento Public Library and it's called Silent Reading. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Dianna Poggetto: And they hold it, we hold it out on the parkway. There's like 40 individuals there for two hours. A silent reading that.

But they're, they're reading with other people, so it's, we use it differently. Yes. Everyone uses the parkway differently, and I think that's the beauty. It's free and you can use it however you want. 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Dianna Poggetto: Except burning it down. 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Dianna Poggetto: Don't do that. Don't, don't that. Don't do that. 

Jeff Holden: Well, as we close, I, I have a very special place, you know, in my heart for this, this trail, and we've always lived around it since we've been in Sacramento a little over 40 years now, and my first orientation to it.

Has never separated. He was like, I've gotta always be around this trail because I love to cycle and run and [00:42:00] paddle. And then this thing, this great race that this guy held, you know this, this epi you kind of brought me in. And to your point of community. You'd see the same people every year. We'd all be out there training and, and we all got to know each other.

And then we'd be on the river and then again community. And to this day, 40 years later, we will still see each other. We look very different and, and the people that I would look at who were a little bit older. People on the trail or in the, in the, uh, in the event and be like, oh my gosh, we've all aged. It is, but we're all still out there.

Dianna Poggetto: It's one big Parkway family. And that's, 

Jeff Holden: it's exactly what it 

Dianna Poggetto: is, you know, and we have our office volunteers that come in and they've met each other and, and they just say, it's like a family, you know, we are treated like family. And I think that's, that's, that's what makes it special, right? 

Jeff Holden: To you, to your team for what you do to maintain this gem, this piece of Sacramento that so much is under, [00:43:00] what's the word I wanna use?

It's underestimated for sure, but it's, it's not as well known as it needs to be. This message has to get out. We need people to really experience it, to understand what it's all about, and that's what you do and you maintain it so that it's a beautiful place for all of us to experience. And I know it's not you, it's you, your team, and all the volunteers, but for what you do for us and the ability to enjoy that incredible experience.

Thank you. 

Dianna Poggetto: Oh, thank you. It's, you know what, if you haven't gone out to the parkway go, you can enter along 23 miles. Go out and enjoy it and experience it for yourself. 

Jeff Holden: Diana, wonderful conversation. I appreciate it. 

Dianna Poggetto: Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: Thank you for listening to the nonprofit podcast Network. We hope today's episode inspired you and gave you a deeper look into the work of our local nonprofits.

If you believe in our mission to amplify their voices, please take a moment to leave us a positive review and share this episode with a friend. [00:44:00] It helps more people discover the incredible work happening in our community. And don't miss future episodes. Subscribe to our weekly updates and monthly newsletter@nonprofitpod.com.

And if you're part of a nonprofit that would like to be featured. We'd love to hear from you. Just visit the guest tab on our website. The Nonprofit Podcast Network is recorded and produced at Hear Meow Studio with generous support from our outstanding partners CAPTRUST Fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations online@captrust.com Western Health Advantage Local Care with Community Impact.

Find the plan that fits@westernhealth.com. Core executive leadership and comprehensive support services. Visit CX OR e.com and Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years. [00:45:00] Five Star bank.com.