PAGE3A2,3KEIZERTIMES,3FEBRUARY33,32017 KFD honors excellence with annual awards presented by DRIVE A LITTLE – SAVE A BUNCH! 3893 COMMERCIAL ST SE • SALEM MORE INFO AT NORTHERNLIGHTSTHEATREPUB.COM Valentine’s Romantic Dinner Movie LIVE STAND UP COMEDY Lights, Comedy, Laughs! Saturday, Feb 4 AUGGIE SMITH & GARY JONES will perform at 7pm and 9pm. Admission is only $10. Ages 21 & over only. Reserved seating for this show. Purchase tickets at box offi ce or at our website. MON & TUE, FEB 13-14 —–———— 6:30 PM —————— Enjoy a full service dinner by candle light, while watching a romantic movie. Nominated for 3 Oscars in 2016. Admission$27.50 PER PERSON includes movie, 4 course dinner and drinks. Reservations available at web site. UFC208 - Sat, Feb 11 Holm v. Randamie WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT 9 FIGHTS IN ALL ON THE HUGE SCREEN Live Fights at 5:00 (21 & Over) - Tickets $13 Reserved Seating Available Now Online. Today in History U.S. Marine jet fl ying low over the town of Cavalese in the Italian Alps severs a ski-lift cable, sending a tram crashing to the ground and killing 20 people. — Feb. 3, 1998 Food 4 Thought “Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.” — James A. Michener, author. Born Feb. 3, 1907 The Month Ahead Continuing Through Saturday, February 11 Noises Off, a comedy by Michael Frayn, at Pentacle Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Show continues through Feb. 11. Visit pentacletheatre.org for dates and tickets. Saturday, February 4 Keizer-Salem Area Senior Center pancake breakfast. 8 to 10 a.m. All-you-can-eat for $4. Children 5 years and younger are free. Monday, February 6 Keizer City Council meeting, 7 p.m., 930 Chemawa Road N.E. 930 Plymouth Drive N.E. in Keizer. Tuesday. February 7 Keizer Economic Development Commission meeting, noon, 930 Chemawa Road N.E. Free admission all day at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 8 Keizer Planning Commission meeting, 6 p.m., 930 Chemawa Road N.E. Thursday, February 10 Keizer Homegrown Theatre presents Love Letters by A.R. Gurney starring Mary Bauer Opra and Joe Egli, 7 p.m. at Keizer Heritage Center, 980 Chemawa Rd. N.E. Tickets are $15, available at the door or by visiting brownpapertickets. com. Saturday, February 11 Millstream Knitting Guild meets at Arrowhead Mobile Park Community Center, 5422 Portland Road N.E. in Salem,10 a.m. to noon. New members welcome, $24 membership per year. For more information, visit millstreamknitting. wordpress.com. Celebrate Oregon’s 158th birthday in the state capitol Galleria. Enjoy birthday cake, historical characters and entertainment. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, February 11 – Sunday, February 12 Pinot and Chocolate at Willamette Valley Vineyard, 8800 Enchanted Way S.E. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. both days. Tickets are $15 ($10 for members). wvv.com, 503-588-9463. Sunday, February 12 Keizer Homegrown Theatre presents Love Letters by A.R. Gurney starring JoAnne Beilke and Jerry McGee, 2 p.m. at Keizer Heritage Center, 980 Chemawa Rd. N.E. Tickets are $15, available at the door or by visiting brownpapertickets. com. Monday, February 13 Keizer City Council work session, 5:45 p.m., 930 Chemawa Road N.E. Tuesday, February 14 Valentine’s Day By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes Keizer fi refi ghter Matt Dryden pinches himself all the time. “I always wanted to work at Keizer Fire District,” Dryden said. “I’m ecstatic to be here. I was tripping over myself to get my application in. It is truly a huge gift to me, just to work here.” That enthusiasm is just one reason Dryden was voted both Keizer Fire’s 2016 Rookie and Employee of the Year by the district’s captains and chief of- fi cers. “Matt is always very happy and cheerful and smiling,” KFD Public Education Spe- cialist Anne-Marie Storms said. Dryden also has a strong work ethic. “You ask him to do some- thing, he’s going to see it to the very end,” Captain Aaron Pittis said. “You never have to worry about any issues whatsoever. Say it once and it’s done.” Dryden, who grew up on a farm between Monitor and Woodburn, moved to Keizer in 2001. He started at KFD as a volunteer in 2005 as a way to meet people and get involved in the community. “I had no envision of mak- ing it a career,” Dryden said. “I caught the bug and after a year or so thought I would really like to make this a career. It’s a great way to make a difference in people’s lives.” Dryden remained a volun- teer fi refi ghter for fi ve years and began taking classes at Chemeketa Community Col- Submitted Keizer3Fire3District3Chief3Jeff3Cowan3congratulates3fi3refi3ghter3Matt3Dryden3on3one3of3his3two3 awards3Monday,3Jan.323.3 lege, where he earned his as- sociate’s degree. Dryden was then hired as a career fi refi ghter and main- tenance offi cer at Stayton Fire District. After fi ve years, a paid position at KFD opened in December, 2015. Coming back to Keizer was an easy decision. “I always loved it here,” Dryden said. “It’s where my kids go to school. It’s central for me, great people, great de- partment.” Dryden was surprised to win even Rookie of the Year, much less Employee of the Year. “I was pretty shocked,” he said. “I was very humbled to receive it. I just come to work and do my job and work hard and I always have and I always will. And I love coming to work and I love helping peo- ple out. I just do my job and there’s 32 paid guys here and we’re all doing the same work and we’re all doing our jobs KHT’s3Love3Letters3open3Feb.310 Keizer Homegrown Theater will open its 2017 season with Love Letters on Friday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. The play, directed by Linda Baker and written by A.R. Gurney, will take place at Keizer Heritage Center, 980 Chemawa Rd. N. It features two friends, Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, both born to wealth and position, whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank you notes and summer camp postcards. The piece is comprised of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confi dences. As the actors read the letters aloud, what is created is an evocative, touching, frequently funny but always telling pair of character studies in which what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down. Two additional performances are scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. Different well-known Keizer citizens will share readings: Mary Opra and Joe Egli on Feb. 10, Jerry McGee and JoAnne Beilke on Feb. 12 and Lore Christopher and Lyndon Zaitz on Feb. 14. Tickets are $15 and are Seed Exchange March 4 KEIZERTIMES/Andrew3Jackson Mary3Opra3and3Lyndon3Zaitz3will3take3on3roles3in3the3chang- ing3cast3of3Love3Letters,3a3Keizer3Homegrown3Theatre3Pro- duction. available at the door or online at http://www. brownpapertickets.com/ event/2830743. KHT is also offering season passes again for the 2017 season for $40, a savings of $20 off the cost of individual show tickets. Season tickets can be purchased at the door of Love Letters productions. Doors will open an hour before each performance for a complimentary cupcake happy hour with sparkling cider and coffee. sudoku Friday, February 17 – Saturday, February 25 Lear’s Daughters presented by the Willamette University Theatre Department at M. Lee Pelton Theatre on campus. Performances at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 25. Tickets are $12. boxoffi cetickets.com. Saturday, February 18 A night of music, art and wine as the Salem Symphony presents Pictures at an Exhibition at the Historic Elsinore Theatre. Art showcase and wine tasting at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $70. elsinoretheatre.com. Sunday, February 19 Afternoon Tea at the Library a fundraiser for the Keizer Community Library, 3:30 p.m., upstairs in the Keizer Heritage Center, 980 Chemawa Road, NE. Tickets $25. Loving Hearts dinner-dance, Keizer/Salem Area Seniors. Ham dinner, music by The Fantastics. Raffl e. Doors open at noon, dinner starts at 12:30 p.m. 930 Plymouth Der. N.E. ksacenter.com. Add3your3event3by3e-mailing3news@keizertimes.com. Marion-Polk Food Share will host the seventh annual Seed Exchange on Saturday, Mar. 4, from 10 a.m. to noon. The exchange will be hosted at the Marion-Polk Food Share, 1660 Salem Industrial Drive N.E. The Seed Exchange is an opportunity for home garden- ers to bring seeds to share and take home free seeds. The goal of the event is to distribute seeds so that local families can grow their own healthy, nutri- tious food. looking back3in the3KT 5 YEARS AGO E-Verify,3gun3 rightsThatcher’s top3goals Enter3digits3 from31-93into3 the3blank3 spaces.3Every3 row3must3 contain3one3 of3each3digit.3 So3must3every3 column,3as3 must3every3 3x33square. Keeping concealed handgun license holders’ information private and mandating state agencies screen potential employees for their immigration status tops Rep. Kim Thatcher’s 2012 legislative agenda. 10 YEARS AGO Fallen3protector Keizer Homegrown Theatre presents Love Letters by A.R. Gurney starring Lore Christopher and Lyndon Zaitz, 7 p.m. matinee at Keizer Heritage Center, 980 Chemawa Rd. N.E. Tickets are $15, available at the door or by visiting brownpapertickets.com. Free admission all day at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. above the level.” Other honorees at KFD’s annual banquet were: Mike Jensen was named EMT of the Year, Victor Hess was voted Volunteer Firefi ghter of the Year and Jared Caruth re- sponded to the most alarms. Four service awards were given: Amber Butler (20 years), Greg Biben (15 years) and Jeff Gallinger (10 years). Greg Rands was honored for serving on the KFD Budget Commit- tee from 2004-16. KEIZERTIMES.COM Web Poll Results Are3protests3still3 effective3in3creating3 change? 75% – No 25% – Yes Vote in a new poll every Thursday! GO TO KEIZERTIMES.COM Army Pfc. Ryan J. Hill of Keizer was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near the Humvee he was driving. During his high school years, Hill spent time working as a courtesy clerk for the Keizer Albertsons. He is remembered for his intense love and dedication to his mother, Shawna Hill who was a tireless advocate for him. 15 YEARS AGO Avid3volunteer3takes3 fi3refi3ghter3honor A fi refi ghter for the Keizer Fire District, Frank Bracken, was named volunteer fi refi ghter of the year. 20 YEARS AGO Schools3fi3ll3up,3new3 ones3needed Two middle schools — White- aker and Stephens — are overfl owing. The district wants to build a new middle school in the south end of Keizer. That could cost $16 million.