FROM PAGE ONE
A6 — THE OBSERVER
TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022
VIGIL
Continued from Page A1
Today, Devin is
responding to the dev-
astating loss by starting
a series of prayer vigils
named “Shine A Light”
aimed at rallying Union
County residents to stand
up against opioid use and
get more people to sup-
port those fi ghting opioid
addiction.
“This problem aff ects all
of us,” he said. “We want to
raise awareness of it.”
The fi rst of these prayer
vigils was conducted Sat-
urday, March 5, early in the
evening at Max Square. The
prayer vigil was the fi rst
of about six Devin hopes
to help to put on through
April.
Devin told the 25 people
who attended the vigil that
if his actions can save one
life it would ease at least a
small portion of the guilt he
feels.
SKIER
Continued from Page A1
Rescue Coordinator Nick
Vora.
Search and rescue
teams from the Union and
Baker county sheriff ’s
offi ces, plus crews from
the La Grande and North
Powder Rural fi re depart-
ments, U.S. Forest Ser-
vice law enforcement and
the Anthony Lakes Ski
Patrol all responded to the
accident.
In addition to the
responding ground
resources, a Life Flight
medevac helicopter was
ordered, along with a
hoist-capable medevac
helicopter from the Oregon
Army National Guard
due to the steep terrain
and reported severity of
injuries.
The helicopter’s hoist
equipment would have
allowed Carr to be pulled
into the aircraft while it
was hovering. Vora said it
would have been impos-
HISTORY
Continued from Page A1
The Bobcats relied on a
strong showing from their
seniors to defeat Salem
Academy. Senior guard
Callie Glenn led all scorers
with 20 points, while
senior forward Kaylin
Nowak scored 16.
“It was extreme bliss,
like living out a dream that
I’ve had since I was a little
girl,” Nowak said. “Every
single person on the team
wanted it equally as bad.
It’s a feeling of being so
proud of the team and
being able to represent the
community.”
The Bobcats capped
off an immaculate season,
fi nishing the year 25-3.
Despite entering the state
tournament as the No. 3
seed and facing the top-
ranked Crusaders, Union
found itself cutting down
the nets.
Union head coach
Jordan Klebaum-Johnston
did not mince words before
the start of the season,
expressing confi dence in
the team’s potential. In
fact, the Bobcats’ coach
saw the vision well before
this year’s senior class
even entered high school.
“I told their parents in
seventh grade that there
is a state championship
in this room,” she said.
“Thank God I wasn’t
wrong.”
Throughout the season,
Union has leaned on the
senior group of Glenn,
Wells, Nowak and Audrey
Hill to lead the way.
Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group
Jay Devin, organizer of the Shine a Light prayer group, hands out printed song sheets of “Amazing Grace”
at a gathering in Max Square, La Grande, on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Devin plans a series of prayer vigils
with the aim of raising awareness of opioid addiction.
Devin, who has lived in
La Grande since the 1980s,
said the prayer vigils are
needed because people in
Union County are dying as
a result of opioid overdoses.
“Opioids are killers, they
take over your mind and
body,” he said.
Devin believes the key
sible for a helicopter to
land at the site.
About one hour and
20 minutes after the ini-
tial call of the accident
was received, a ski patrol
and Anthony Lakes staff
managed to climb up the
approximately 38-degree
slope and reach Carr. They
assessed the situation,
and then initiated trans-
port down to the base of
the peak where arriving
La Grande Fire Depart-
ment paramedics, search
and rescue teams from the
Baker and Union County
sheriff ’s offi ces, USFS law
enforcement and addi-
tional ski patrol personnel
had begun accessing the
area.
Tracked utility vehi-
cles and snowmobiles were
used to reach the base of
the peak, but the slope of
the peak itself was acces-
sible only by foot due to
hazards and the steepness
of the terrain. The team
of ski patrol and Anthony
Lakes staff navigated
down the steep slope and
met with incoming SAR
and medical personnel. It
was confi rmed by para-
medics that Carr had died
at the scene from inju-
ries sustained in the ski
accident.
Glenn, Wells and Nowak
combined for 45 of Union’s
52 points, providing a big
spark to overcome an early
defi cit and closing out the
game in the fi nal minutes.
The Bobcats trailed 8-2
early in the game, with a
heavy dose of Salem Acad-
emy’s defensive pressure
focused on Glenn. The
Blue Mountain Confer-
ence fi rst-team player aver-
aged just under 20 points
per game in the state tour-
nament and has been the
focal point of the team’s
off ense.
Trailing early in front of
a packed house at the Pend-
leton Convention Center,
Union’s mindset was to
stick to its game plan.
“It was just about taking
a deep breath and realizing
that we can do it,” Wells
said. “We’ve been playing
basketball for a long time
and we know how to do it.
We just took a deep breath
and knew that we were
there for a reason.”
Despite going score-
less in the fi rst half, Glenn
managed to get teammates
involved to overcome the
defi cit.
“I have confi dence in
every single player on our
team,” Glenn said. “We all
have that confi dence that
anybody can step up at
any given time. Our whole
entire team played a strong
game in the state champion-
ship and everybody contrib-
uted in one way or another.”
Nowak in the fi rst half
hit four three-pointers to
help Union go on a 23-7
run to take a 25-15 lead
into halftime.
“I just fell in a rhythm
and let it fl y,” Nowak said.
“In my mind I just had
to believe it’s going in,
instead of hoping not to
miss.”
It was only a matter of
time for Glenn to fi nd her
way onto the score sheet,
making a huge impact in
the second half. The senior
scored fi ve points in the
third quarter and converted
12 out of 15 attempts at the
free-throw line as the Bob-
cats looked to hold off any
late comeback attempts.
There is no better end to
a basketball season than to
cut down the nets, which is
exactly how things trans-
pired for the Bobcats.
Union’s core of seniors
ended their careers on top,
while Klebaum-Johnston
coached the Bobcats to his-
tory in just her second year
as head coach.
“It just felt so good to
end it that way with my
best friends,” Glenn said.
“It feels good to do some-
thing great for our commu-
nity. It’s amazing to be a
part of something that will
be history forever.”
After breaking a his-
toric championship
drought, the Union girls
basketball team’s accom-
plishment will not soon
be forgotten by those
involved.
“Every time I walk back
in that gym, our banner
is going to be hanging up
there,” Nowak said. “Hope-
fully one day I can show
my children and they can
be proud of me. I’ll always
remember these memories
for the rest of my life.”
to stop opioid overdose
deaths is education. Devin
said that if laws were in
place that required people
to attend classes on opioid
abuse each time they over-
dosed on them, the problem
would be improved.
“You have to educate it
out,” he said.
Devin said people who
want to tackle the opioid
overdose and addiction
problem must be pre-
pared to address the issue
tirelessly.
“There can be no quit-
ting,” he said.
Zoe Cleveland of La
Grande, who also spoke
at the prayer vigil, urged
people to reach out to those
battling drug addictions.
“We have to be there
for each other,” she said.
“All we really have is each
other.”
Cleveland said the Shine
A Light prayer vigils have
the potential to make a
diff erence.
“I think if people are
genuine about making a
change, then change will
happen,” she said.
Julie Bean, a drug abuse
counselor, also spoke at the
Baker City Herald, File
Anthony Lake refl ects (left to right) Gunsight Mountain, Lees Peak and the Lakes Lookout in this 2006 pho-
to. A 20-year-old woman died following a ski accident on the northwest slope of Gunsight Peak, southwest
of the Anthony Lakes Ski Area, on Saturday, March 5, 2022.
Carr had gone up to
Gunsight Mountain by
using backcountry ski
equipment, including skis
with a fabric that allows
skiers to go uphill, Vora
said.
“Gunsight Mountain is
a fairly popular place for
people to ski,” Vora said.
“It is not uncommon for
people to traverse up the
mountain.”
Vora said many places
prayer vigil. Bean said it
is critical that people who
want to help recovering
addicts understand what
they are going through.
She said, all recovering
addicts are just a moment
away from falling back
in the abyss of drug
addiction.
Bean said there is a core
of people those struggling
with addiction can turn to
in Union County for help.
“We will fi ght for you
when nobody else will,” she
said.
The next Shine the
Light Prayer Vigils set for
6 p.m. on Saturday, March
12. Devin said that if the
turnout increases, the vigils
may be moved to the Union
County Fairgrounds.
The First Presbyterian
Church was represented at
the March 5 prayer vigil.
Devin said he will be
inviting all churches in La
Grande to send delegations
to upcoming Shine A Light
prayer vigils.
in the Anthony Lakes
area do not have cell cov-
erage. He said Carr’s
companion was likely
able to get cellphone ser-
vice because of the height
of Gunsight Mountain,
which has a top elevation
of 8,342 feet.
“If he had been lower
he might not have been
able to get cellphone ser-
vice,” he said.
Vora said weather in
the area at the accident
site was cold but good
overall for rescue opera-
tions because no snow was
falling.
“Overall there was good
visibility,” he said.
Vora credits mem-
bers of the Anthony
Lakes Ski Patrol and the
Anthony Lakes Moun-
tain Resort staff with
getting to the accident
site quickly. He said
without their help it
would have taken at least
an hour longer for rescue
personnel to reach Carr.
“I can’t thank them
enough,” he said.
Union County Business Grants Available
The 2022 Union County Business Assistance Grant Program is currently
accepting applications from small businesses financially affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible applicants may receive up to $10,000.
Applications, eligibility requirements, and additional information is available
on the Union County website at www.union-county.org or by calling 541-963-
1001. Completed and signed applications packets must be received via email
at bizgrant@union-county.org or hand delivered to
1106 K Avenue by 12:00 noon on Friday, April 1, 2022.
This grant program is being made available due to federal funding received from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.
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Locked
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La Grande
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Sat. March 12 • 9 to 5 & Sun. March 13 • 9 to 1
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Background checks will run and ATM on site.
Breakfast and lunch to be served Saturday.
In Memory of Shelia Evans who did so much for our community.
Sponsors & Vendors call Kayla at 541.786.7210
Charles & Eileen
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10304 A 1st St.
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cstewartpc@gmail.com
541.910.5435
Pay cash or
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