LOCAL
2A — THE OBSERVER
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019
Spreading the warmth
By Dick Mason
The Observer
Submitted photo
Boy Scout James Thurman stands on a footbridges he built at Morgan Lake.
New footbridges at Morgan
Lake, thanks to Boy Scout
By Dick Mason
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Walking and biking near
the shore of the north end of Morgan Lake
will be much easier when conditions are
marshy thanks to the efforts of James Thur-
man, a La Grande Boy Scout.
Thurman built two 30-foot footbridges at
the northeast end of the lake for his Eagle
project. The bridges replaced two similar foot-
bridges that were in poor condition. They were
starting to “fall apart and rot,” Thurman wrote
in a statement about his Eagle project.
Thurman stated it is important to have
the two new footbridges at the site because
in the spring conditions get marshy there,
making it diffi cult for bikers and pedestrians
to traverse through the area. He got the idea
for the project after talking with Stu Spence,
the director of the city of La Grande’s parks
department.
The Boy Scout said he began the project
by designing the footbridges with his father,
Greg Thurman. Next, he removed the existing
footbridges and installed concrete supports for
the new ones.
“This was defi nitely the most diffi cult part
of the project, as the ground was extremely
tough and rocky,” the scout said.
Thurman hauled lumber to the site and
cut it into desired lengths and constructed
the footbridges with the help of 30 fellow
Scouts, friends and community members.
Beeck Farms, the Beeck family and the
La Grande Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment donated funds to help with the build.
Thurman also said his father and Spence
played key roles in completing the foot-
bridges.
Thurman said he owes a lot to Boy Scouts.
“Although I have nearly completed my
time with the Scouting program, I will never
stop being a Scout,” he wrote. “Through-
out my seven years of involvement, I have
received important life skills, (met) great
friends and infl uential mentors and (made)
countless memories that I will carry with me
the rest of my life.”
LA GRANDE — More
than 350 Union County
families are in a better
position to weather the
frigid conditions now hitting
the Grande Ronde Valley
thanks to the La Grande
Lions Club and Soroptimist
International of La Grande.
The two teamed up again
to do what they do best —
help those who need a boost.
The La Grande Lions
Club provided coats to
families and Soroptimist In-
ternational provided gloves,
boots, hats and socks at the
Riveria Activity Center over
two weekends as part of
their combined “Coats and
Boots for Kids” program.
The coats were provided
by the La Grande Lions
Club’s annual Coats for
Kids program, which has
been operating in Union
County for more than
30 years. The coats are
purchased with money
from Lions Club fundrais-
ing activities and donated
funds. Local businesses are
among those who contribute
to the Lions Club Coats for
Kids effort.
Individual donors who
made a big impact this year
include one anonymous
individual who purchased
several hundred dollars
worth of new coats and
donated them to Coats for
Kids, said Linda Gleeson, a
member of the La Grande
Lions Club.
In addition, collection
boxes are placed in local
schools where parents can
recycle coats they no longer
need. The recycled coats are
given to Betty Sprenger of La
Grande, who does cleaning
and mending. Sprenger has
done this volunteer work for
years.
Submitted photo
La Grande Lions Club members Larry Glaze, left, and
Tanner Willson, show off some of the items provided
to families via the club’s Coats for Kids program. The
Lions Club works in conjunction with Soroptimist
International of La Grande to provide clothing to help
families get through the winter.
“She does an amazing
job. She works for hours
and hours,” said La Grande
Lions Club member Tim
Gleeson.
Soroptimist International
of La Grande purchases its
clothing items with funds
raised from club activities
such as the annual Fes-
tival of Trees, funds from
donations and with the
help of local businesses that
provide gloves, boots, hats
and socks at a discount. Di
Lyn Larsen-Hill, a member
of Soroptimist International
of La Grande, said it is very
fulfi lling to see the looks on
the faces of those leaving
the Riveria Activity Center
with new winter clothing.
“It is so wonderful to see
the smiles of children walk-
ing out out with new pairs
of boots (and other items).
They look so proud,” Larsen-
Hill said.
Agencies that assist the
Coats and Boots for Kids
program each year include
the Department of Human
Services, which sends out
postcards to more than 2,600
families throughout Union
County who could benefi t
from the giveaways, notify-
ing them of the event. DHS
also provides the postage
for these postcards, and the
InterMountain ESD does
the printing free of charge.
Community Connection of
Northeast Oregon provides
the facility to house the
distribution events.
For information about
making donations to the La
Grande Lions Club’s Coats
for Kids program, write to
the club at P.O. Box 1320,
La Grande 97850. Informa-
tion for making donations to
Soroptimist International of
La Grande can be obtained
by writing the Soroptimsts
at P.O. Box 3202, La Grande
97850.
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