Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 8, 2003
Page 7
Survey seeks answers to
how it’s going down on
the farm in Oregon, U.S.
(Front from left) WB Red Cain, Junior. Deacon; Don Griffith,
Treasurer; Max Holleman, Senior Warden; Tom Shubert,
Master of the Lodge; Kyle Kirchner, Junior Warden; Taz Al-
len, Senior Deacon. (Rear from left) WB Randy Kent, Trus-
tee; WB Dave Neisz, Trustee; George Richards, Chaplain;
and Michael Yanase, Secretary.
(Photo by Belt Lodge)
Kerby Belt Masonic Lodge installs officers for 2003
By STUART MEPHAM
On Tuesday Dec. 7,
Kerby Belt Masonic Lodge
18 held its installation of offi-
cers for 2003; the 145th in-
stallation since the lodge was
instituted in 1858.
Worshipful Brother (WB)
Walter Wiltfong presided
over the opening of the instal-
lation service.
The to-be installed offi-
cers entered the lodge room,
with their wife or an escort by
their side. The U.S. flag was
marched up to the platform
by three officers of the Order
of the DeMolay from Grants
Pass, a special Masonic Order
for young teen-agers until age
21. Everyone participated in
the Pledge of Allegiance.
Recognition was given to
past Hiram Award winners of
the lodge. Those present were
WB Orval Seat, WB Les Ba-
sham, WB Wiltfong, and WB
John O’Brocto.
Recognition was fol-
lowed by the invocation
prayer given by WB Seat,
installing chaplain.
The installing officers
proceeded with the installa-
tion. Right Worshipful
Brother (RWB) Rynd Miller,
Deputy for the Grand Master
of OR for District 27, pre-
sided over the installation.
The rest of the installing
officers were WB Seat as
chaplain; WB Dave Neisz as
secretary; WB Graham Baker
as marshal; and Cindy
Ouellette as organist.
The ‘03 officers installed
into their respective offices
are Master Tom Shubert as
master of the lodge, Max Hol-
leman as Sr. Warden, Kyle
Kirchner as Jr. Warden, Taz
Allen as Sr. Deacon, WB Red
Cain as Jr. Deacon, Michael
Yanase as secretary, Don
Griffith as treasurer, honorary
worshipful brother (HWB)
Bud Hunold as Sr. Steward,
George Richards as chaplain,
Grahm Baker as marshal, WB
Jim Whitman as Tiler, Wilt-
fong as historian, and WB
Randy Kent as trustee for
three years.
Absent for the installation
ceremonies was WB Ted
Crocker as Jr. Steward, who
will be installed later.
Before the presiding in-
stalling master handed over
the gavel, some special pres-
entations were made.
The newly installed mas-
ter of the lodge, WB Shubert
then took over and presided
for the rest of the service. He
thanked all who had come for
“this very important mile-
stone in his Masonic life.”
He introduced his family
members who were present,
gave his installation speech,
and proceeded to close the
service, including the closing
prayer given by WB Seat, the
installing chaplain.
Everyone proceeded to
the social hall where the
women had prepared a ban-
quet of food and non-
alcoholic drinks.
The most ambitious and
important agricultural survey
of all is getting under way in
Oregon and the rest of the 50
states as the 2002 Census of
Agriculture reaches out to
every farmer and rancher in
the United States.
Phil Ward, director of the
Oregon Dept. of Agriculture
(ODA), is encouraging the
state’s producers to cooperate
with the census being con-
ducted by the U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture’s National Agri-
cultural Statistics Service
(NASS).
“It is vital to the well-
being of our farmers and other
agricultural interests that in-
formation be collected and
compiled on a variety of farm-
related activities to help the
industry and policy makers
with various important deci-
sions,” said Ward.
The Census of Agriculture
is conducted every five years,
and even though this one is
considered the ’02 census, the
actual results and reports
won’t be completed until early
’04. That’s because of the
huge amount of information
and details that need to be
gathered and analyzed.
“The census provides a
comprehensive snapshot for
Oregon all the way down to
the county level and gives all
kinds of information about the
farm population,” said Janice
Goodwin, state statistician
with the Oregon Agricultural
Statistics Service (OASS),
whose staff is responsible for
conducting the census in Ore-
gon.
Questionnaires are being
sent to all farmers on record.
Completed surveys are due
Feb. 3, ’03. Timely, complete,
and accurate responses to the
questions in the agricultural
report forms are essential.
Figures compiled by the
census are used to determine
funding for extension work,
research, soil conservation,
and other agricultural-related
services.
Private industry uses cen-
sus statistics to provide more
effective production and dis-
tribution systems --for exam-
ple, to locate feed mills and
farm equipment dealerships
where they will provide better
service and offer competitive
prices to farmers.
Information from such
statistical data dictated Ore-
gon’s share of federal dollars
used for a $2.9 million spe-
cialty crops grant program
administered by ODA.
“The census asks a lot of
questions about crops, live-
stock, land use, ownership,
equipment, chemicals used,
and demographic-type ques-
tions,” said Goodwin.
One item that folks some-
times overlook when
getting their affairs in order is funeral planning.
Prearrangements save money, and
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hills and mountains of Illinois Valley. This photo was taken on Friday, Jan 3 from the north
end of Downtown Cave Junction.
(Photo by Sam Newton)
Two tour companies denounced by attorney general
Attorney General Hardy
Myers announced the filing of
court actions in Jackson and
Josephine counties against
two Southern Oregon compa-
nies that mostly marketed to
older consumers promising
goods and services that were
either never received or were
exaggerated and misleading.
Named in Assurances of
Voluntary Compliance are
Christopher S. and Pamela M.
Geye, of Grants Pass, and
their business, Senior Solu-
tions, LLP; and Teri L. and
John E. Goodson, of White
City, doing business as Teri’s
Tours and Desert Rose Char-
ter Bus Co.
The agreements admit no
violation of law.
“Marketing a product or
service to seniors and then
not providing it won’t be tol-
erated in Oregon,” Myers
said. “Our ever-increasing
senior population must be
protected from unlawful ac-
tivity in the marketplace.”
In investigating 19 com-
plaints against Teri’s Tours,
Dept. of Justice investigators
found that the Goodsons re-
peatedly had scheduled tour
packages, took advance pay-
ments and either canceled or
changed the tour dates. Con-
sumers requesting refunds
were ignored until they filled
complaints.
Under their Assurance,
the Goodsons have 90 days to
provide restitution totaling
$12,644 to five consumers
who filed complaints with
Justice concerning canceled
trips. They also must refund
all outstanding balances to
consumers who have re-
quested refunds relating to
prepaid tours that were not
provided.
The Goodsons paid Jus-
tice $2,000 for the Consumer
Protection and Education
Fund and agreed to perma-
nently stop doing business as
travel agents and tour organ-
izers. However, Justice al-
lowed the Goodsons to con-
tinue to run a bus chartering
service.
In March 2002, Justice
received an advertisement for
a “senior financial survival
workshop” being held in the
Grants Pass area by insurance
salespersons Christopher and
Pamela.
On the flyer, the Geyes
titled themselves as “certified
elder planning specialists”
and “certified pension distri-
bution specialists” when in
fact the Geyes either over-
stated or misstated the certifi-
cates they do have.
Justice investigators
found that the Geyes had
taken a few hours of training
from various “schools” offer-
ing quick diplomas or certifi-
cates. These courses were de-
signed by Tyrone Clark of
Denver, Colo.
Although the flye r
claimed both the Geyes held
both titles, only Pamela Geye
has a certificate as an Elder
Planning Specialist, which is
a 36–hour home study course
from Clark’s Institute in Colo-
rado.
The Geyes also claimed
to be Certified Pension Distri-
bution Specialists. Clark’s
various schools do not offer
such a certificate and Justice
could not find any other
schools that offered a CPD
certificate.
For more information
telephone (877) 877-9392.
Don’t part company with your ideals. They are anchors in a storm. - Arnold Glasgow -
(541) 592-4128