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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2018)
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Sisters celebrates Grooney retirement By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief He showed up in his paja- mas and bathrobe, with mis- matched socks and a scarf. No one among those who gathered at Spoons last week to celebrate the official retire- ment of Bob Grooney was surprised. A wry sense of humor has always character- ized the Sisters entrepreneur. “I got some strange looks,” he said. “But what are you gonna do?” Grooney is 89 years old and has been working since he was a 9-year-old paperboy. For decades he worked in the grocery industry for Ralph’s. He and his wife, Claudia, dis- covered Sisters in the 1970s. “I couldn’t keep from coming here,” he said. “It was like a magnet.” He and Claudia opened The Gallimaufry in Sisters in 1979, and in 1984 they started selling liquor there. Grooney was the Oregon Liquor Control Agent for Sisters, and his retirement from that slot as of May 1 is what occasioned the com- munity gathering at Spoons. Grooney’s grandson Spud Shaw is now the temporary agent and is eligible to take over the slot permanently. “It’s been a long time since I was out of work,” Grooney said. “I waited too long to retire; I should have done it 25 years ago, when my Social Security came due.” Grooney’s life in Sisters was at least as much about community service as it was about work; he served the community in many capaci- ties, including being on the school board when Sisters got its own high school — a key element in knitting the community together. “It made us whole,” Grooney said. Bob served with Sisters Kiwanis and chaired CATS (Community Action Team of Sisters). But he is perhaps best known for his long-time service to the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce. That service started early. “I went to my first Chamber meeting at The Gallery at the bar and came out the incoming president — and I said ‘What?’” Grooney led the Chamber for years – and enlivened many an annual awards banquet as the Master of Ceremonies. The great affection and appreciation the community holds for Bob Grooney was evident at the retirement party. Interrupted while get- ting beat by his computer at cards, Grooney reflected: “It was just great to be part of this town and seeing it grow and aspire to do the right thing.” PHOTO COURTESY SUZANNE CARVLIN Bob Grooney celebrates retirement with Earl Armbruster. 15 Fun and funds raised for Amber By T. Lee Brown Correspondent Ever been to a medi- cal fundraiser with somber speeches and a lot of sad faces? Amber Alvarez Lara’s recent fundraiser at Sisters Elementary School was exactly the opposite. Lively Mexican music filled the air while kids in bright costumes took to the stage. Dozens of families chatted and mingled, eating delicious food and waiting to see who might win the raffle. Patrons donated $10 per plate to help offset medical, travel, and other costs asso- ciated with Amber’s two spi- nal surgeries in Portland this spring. Friends of the family served up quesadillas, tacos, tostadas, and generous bowls of pozole, a hearty soup of pork and hominy. A poster drawn by Amber’s friends hung near the door, signed with encouraging words like “Hope you feel better. We love you Amber!” and describing the second-grader as “loving fun and full of joy.” Schedule online! Sarah Conroy, Chiropractor Don’t let pain slow down your gardening. Call 541-588-2213 392 E. Main Ave. SistersChiropractor.com Located within Bigfoot Wellness Shena Fields LMT#7439 Harmony Tracy LMT# 21211 PHOTO BY T. LEE BROWN Local women prepared food for a fundraiser for Amber Alvarez Lara, who is undergoing treatment for spinal bifida. Amber is a Sisters Elementary School student who was born prematurely with spina bifida, a severe condition in which a baby’s spinal cord develops abnor- mally. She can often be seen zooming around the SES campus in her motorized wheelchair, greeting people with a friendly wave. After finishing their postres, attendees watched Shalom Rebolledo and Zenas Ortega dance the “Santa Rita,” a dance from Chihuahua. Then the kids headed outside to play soc- cer and scale the playground equipment while adults gath- ered up the evening’s festive decorations. Readers can find out more about fundraising opportunities and Amber’s surgery recovery in forth- coming issues of The Nugget. PAINTLESS DENT REMOVAL Saves you MONEY & TIME • Independently owned local business, 24 years experience • Save hundreds of dollars on your repair versus going to an autobody shop • Fast – most repairs are completed in under an hour • We offer mobile service that comes to you • Estimates 541-588-2299 are free
