FEBRUARY 20, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Egli continues tradition as
Keizer’s Merchant of Year
KEIZERTIMES/Lyndon A. Zaitz
Jerry Frank, owner of Salem’s Konditorei, awarded Joanne
Dibble with fi rst place in a cake contest at Willamette Lutheran
Retirement Community Feb. 11.
Cake icon goes with ganache
Oregon’s chocolate cake expert Gerry Frank kept a poker
face as he tasted and scored the 15 entries in the Willamette
Lutheran Retirement Community’s Taste of Home Chocolate
Cake Contest Feb. 11.
Frank, who judges the state fairground chocolate cake con-
test each year, was invited by Willamette Lutheran’s marketing
director Kay Hayes to judge their contest. Aside from being a
judge of cakes he owns Konditorei, Salem’s premier cake cafe.
The contest was open to residents as well as the public. The
display table was laden with 15 cakes of various sizes, heights
and color (one used white chocolate frosting to approximate an
igloo).
Frank started with the fi rst entry and made his way down the
table, carefully tasting each entry. In between bites he recalled
stories of past state fair cake judging and giving tips about mak-
ing a good cake.
“It should be fresh and moist. Start with the best ingredients,”
he said.
The cake he deemed the winner was baked by Joanne Dibble
of Salem whose cake featured ganache and large strawberries.
She won a trophy and a gift certifi cate.
After the contest all the cakes (with a tiny slice missing) were
moved into Willamette Lutheran’s lobby for residents and visi-
tors to enjoy.
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
It only looked like Joe Egli
was practicing scenes from
“Rocky.”
In reality, Egli was just a
tad nervous while delivering a
short speech Jan. 31 after being
named 2014 Merchant of the
Year at the Keizer First Citizen
and Awards Banquet.
Shortly after his name was
called by 2013 award recipient
Rob Miller, a surprised Egli
was on stage, trying to make
it through his speech when he
remembered some advice from
wife Shelly and started raising
his arms in the air.
“My wife taught me to
do this if I’m nervous,” Egli
explained as laughter fi lled the
room at Keizer Quality Suites.
Egli then looked towards his
wife at the back of the room.
“Did you know about this?”
he asked, regarding the award.
“No? OK, good.”
At that point, Miller joked
that wasn’t the case.
“Are you lying to me?” Egli
called out to Shelly. “You’re not
getting any tonight. That just
slipped out, I’m sorry.”
Egli, an agent at R. Bauer
Insurance, recently stepped
down after four years on the
Keizer City Council. He is
currently chair of the Iris
Festival and has helped out
with various Keizer Rotary
and chamber projects. In 2013,
he redid the letters at Newton-
McGee Plaza.
Before naming the winner
of this year’s award, Miller gave
a few clues to the identity.
“He’s a person who has his
hand in everything,” Miller said.
“To quote from a meeting with
Bob Zielinski, ‘He’s like s--- in
KEIZERTIMES/Craig Murphy
Joe Egli, an agent with R. Bauer Insurance, took home Keizer’s Merchant of the Year Award on
Jan. 31.
the barn because he’s always
there.’ This candidate knows all
about Keizer’ just ask him. He’s
always the life of the party with
his wife. They are so much fun
to be with. He’s always there
if you need him and he cares
about you, from public issues to
damages.”
Other nominees were Scott
and daughter Kalynn White of
Big Town Hero, Shelly Paddock
of Shelly’s Kids Preschool and
Daycare, Keizertimes publisher
Lyndon Zaitz and Larry Jackson
of Jackson Auto Body.
Egli gave credit to his fellow
nominees.
“Those people I really
admire and look up to,” Egli
said. “I’m very honored to be
mentioned with them. I love
each of you guys and all of the
people I’ve worked with in the
chamber.”
Afterwards, Egli admitted he
was shocked to win.
“I was very surprised,” he
said. “There was the (Zielinski)
reference to the barn. I really
thought he was talking about
Scott White. I felt Scott and
Kalynn were the obvious
choices. So I was really sure I
was off the hook. Then the
camera zoomed in on me and I
thought, ‘That’s not good.’ Then
Rob started talking about the
Iris Festival and I knew I was in
trouble. I wasn’t prepared at all
for the speech. “I’ve never really
been that speechless before.”
As an agent at R. Bauer
Insurance, Egli adds to the
company’s reputation. Ralph
Bauer was Merchant of the
Year in 1965 and 1971 and thus
established a trend for his sons;
Dick Bauer won the award in
1980 and Tom Bauer did so in
1984. Ralph Bauer was also the
1978 First Citizen, an award
also won by Dick in 1983, by
Dave Bauer in 1995, by Tom in
1997 and daughter Mary Opra
in 2002.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Egli
said of adding to the company’s
total. “There’s been fi ve First
Citizens in our offi ce. I’m pretty
honored. It’s a family fi rm. It
doesn’t seem like volunteering,
it seems like something you’re
just supposed to do. You take
care of the community that
takes care of you.”
Egli could recall his fi rst
experience with Keizer.
“I started coming to Keizer
in 1976,” he said. “My dad
would drive down here from
Aurora. We’d get off the freeway
in Brooks and take the back
roads to the Fortune Cookie,
which is now All Stars. I
thought it was the best Chinese
food around, but it turns out it
was Diners Club two-for-one
on Tuesday nights. I fell in love
with Keizer a long time ago and
I still love it. I love the people of
Keizer.”
Egli noted a number of
businesses were in Keizer before
the city became incorporated
in 1982.
“Our Keizer businesses are
our heartbeat,” he said. “There
are some Keizer businesses that
have been around 50-plus years,
while Keizer has only been
around about 30 years.”
Egli’s co-worker Nathan
Bauer, emcee of the event and
son of Tom, loved the Zielinski
comment and told attendees
not to ask for Egli by name in
the offi ce.
“I told Joe we were going to
start calling him 2014 Merchant
of the Year at the offi ce,” Bauer
said.
Ask Mr. Trash
Q. How do I keep my trash from blowing
in the wind?
©1986
A. Bagging loose trash and closing the cart lid will help prevent wind
related issues, keep pets and crows from spreading the waste, and
will even help with cart cleanliness. It’s also a good idea to roll
shredded paper up into a paper sack before placing it in your blue
cart for recycling. Please help us keep your neighborhood clean!
Serving Keizer for Nearly 50 years!
LOREN'S
VA L L E Y
SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC.
RECYCLING & DISPOSAL, INC.
503.393.2262
503.585.4300
WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit.
Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
John Knox Presbyterian Church
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY WORSHIP
8:30 am • 10 am • 11:30 am • 6 pm
PEOPLESCHURCH
4500 LANCASTER DR NE | SALEM
503.304.4000 • www.peopleschurch.com
Celebration
Services
Saturday Evening
6:00 pm
Children’s Programs, Student and Adult Ministries
1755 Lockhaven Dr. NE Keizer
503-390-3900
www.dayspringfellowship.com
452 Cummings Lane North • 393-0404
Father Gary L. Zerr, Pastor
Saturday Vigil Liturgy: 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:15 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
La Misa en Español: 12:30 p.m.
Rev. Dr. John Neal, Pastor
Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Education Hour - 10:00 a.m.
Nursery Care Available
www.keizerjkpres.org
Jason Lee UMC
820 Jeff erson St. NE
Salem OR 97301
9:00 am
Dr. Jon F. Langenwalter, Pastor
The church with the purple doors
10:45 am
Worship at 9:30 am • Child Care Available
Sunday Morning
and
503-364-2844
Faith Lutheran Church
4505 River Rd N • 393-4507
Sunday Schedule:
9:00 a.m. Children’s Church
9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Children’s Activities
Pastor
Virginia Eggert 10:30 a.m. Worship with Communion