Wallowa County Chieftain
Opinion/News
wallowa.com
Planning the ice rink’s future
GUEST
I
was disheartened to read in the
Chieftain that some folks think that
the Wallowa Valley Community Ice
Rink has been closed for lack of effort
or motivation on the part of those who
volunteer to maintain it.
Many people may not know that
everything about the rink –– the fund-
raising, the setup, the maintenance and
the takedown –– comes from an all-vol-
unteer force. These volunteers have jobs,
families and busy lives outside of the
rink.
Some of us even take time off work
and use vacation hours to get things run-
ning or to address emergencies at the
rink.
In addition, there is a huge contingent
of unsung heroes when it comes to main-
taining the rink. Several times this year,
I drove over to the rink after work and
found that some person or group of peo-
ple had shoveled the ice. This is at least
a two hour undertaking for one person.
I would be remiss not to mention
the members of the rink committee and
hockey team. Without their enthusi-
asm and continued persistent efforts, the
rink would disappear. Thank you all,
and the many others who put in count-
less hours, donated money and equip-
ment and bought advertisements to keep
things going.
As Paul mentioned last week in his
column, it truly has been the fault of
weather that the rink has been so infre-
quently open. Following any rain, sleet
or snow event during warm conditions,
it takes at least eight volunteer hours
to get the ice back into safe and usable
condition.
COLUMN
Ryan Oberhelman
When it is sleeting and snowing
every day for two straight weeks and
the daytime highs are above 30, it is
simply not possible to keep the rink
open.
I will offer these suggestions:
If you enjoy the rink and want to see
it open more, there is a concerted effort
by the rink committee and the City of
Enterprise to acquire funding to make
improvements that will offer a longer
and more consistent skating season.
We hope to build a covered structure
over the rink to protect it from precipi-
tation, put a slab of concrete underneath
it to prevent cracking and heaving and
purchase a tractor-pulled Zamboni to
turn resurfacing from a two-hour ordeal
into a five-minute chore.
However, none of this can happen
unless our potential funders are over-
whelmed with a sense that the entire
community uses, enjoys and benefits
from this rink.
If everyone who uses the rink
(including kids) took five minutes to
write a letter about what the rink means
to them and why they support a better
facility, we have a good shot at secur-
ing the funds necessary to make consis-
tent quality skating a reality in the near
future in Wallowa County.
Describe the value that the rink
brings to your life. Then, explain how
frustrated and sad you are that you
couldn’t skate as often as you wanted.
Ask for help funding our rink to
solve this issue. Give these letters to the
folks at the Enterprise City Hall. They
will keep them on file to use every time
we apply for a grant or solicit a private
funder.
Flood our Facebook page with photos
that you have taken at the rink. Families
and kids with smiling faces are hard for
funders to turn down.
Also, we will begin circulating a peti-
tion soon to show large-scale community
support for this project. Stay tuned.
Talk to your elected officials and let
them know that the rink is important to
you and your quality of life. These folks
want to support projects that make you
and your family happy and healthy, but
they need to know that you want these
projects in the first place.
Spread the word. Tell everyone you
know that now is the time to get on
board and get a community-wide effort
to improve the rink. A couple minutes of
effort from everyone to voice their sup-
port is the most persuasive way to con-
vince others that we deserve better rink
facilities.
And lastly, thank you for using the
rink, taking care of it and most of all
enjoying it. It might not be until Decem-
ber, but I can’t wait to see you all back
out on the ice.
Ryan Oberhelman is leader of the
Wallowa Valley Community Ice Rink
Committee.
Elk continue to be problem in the county
I found the recent “Year in Review”
photo of elk on feed in the Troy area
interesting. The fact that the state can
find the funding to feed elk in the Troy
and North Powder areas year after year
and yet plead lack of resources or take
no responsibility when elk were starving
and raiding hay barns during last year’s
severe winter does not make good man-
agement sense.
Following the trial in Circuit Court
on charges of illegal elk killing (plea bar-
gained), I was led to believe that a com-
mittee was to be formed or meeting to be
held to seek changes in the elk manage-
ment policy.
Because it does not appear at this time
that the 2018 winter will be as severe as
2017, the nonimpacted observer might
conclude that the problem has gone away.
Nothing could be further from the
truth.
Upward of 400 head of elk come to
the lower valley each summer commenc-
ing around Aug. 10 and continuing until
the first Bull Elk Rifle Season in the fall.
This migration has been occurring for
at least the past 30 years. At the onset of
the hunting season, the elk tend to leave
the irrigated ground to travel a few miles
north where they continue to feed on pri-
vate land.
In addition, around 50 cow elk now
come to the lower valley in early spring
to have their calves. Many of these ani-
mals stay in the valley all summer.
I will admit that I am somewhat biased
on this issue since I have suffered consid-
erable financial losses due to elk damage
over the past 30 years. Local game biolo-
LETTERS to the EDITOR
gists are well aware of these issues.
It is a bit tiring to be asked two to
three times a week by friends traveling
Hwy. 82 past my property, “how are your
elk doing” or “your elk herd looks like
they are in good shape.”
At the same time, the state sells tags or
raffles permits to fund their budget while
expecting the private landowner to raise
their product.
In my humble opinion, it is time for
the state to take the lead in developing
new management guidelines for elk. Per-
haps it is time to elevate the elk depreda-
tion problem to the same level as the wolf
program where payments are being mage
to individuals who have suffered damage
attributable to wolf pack or do wolves
rank higher than elk in policy?
I and other landowners are awaiting
positive action and leadership on these
issues by the state, although after 30-plus
years, I am not holding my breath.
Dale F. Johnson
Wallowa
Joseph student’s project
went above-and-beyond
I recently had the pleasure of work-
ing (long-distance) with a young woman,
Alexis Sykora, a Joseph Charter School
Senior.
For her senior project, Alexis first
organized a kindergarten to 8th grade
Jog-A-Thon, conveying the message
that exercise is important as well as
fun. The kids were divided into grade-
groups, and she had prizes for two kids
in each group –– one for the most laps
and one for the person who raised the
most money.
Now, here’s the rest of the story:
Alexis then used the money she raised
to purchase athletic shoes to be given to
students at her school who might other-
wise not be able to have them. She has
already given away part of her inventory
and she had enough money left for her
project to be continued throughout the
year or even after she graduates.
She told me, “It is important to me
because sports and staying active have
been a part of my life, and I want all
kids to be able to participate and feel
confident.”
Not only did she conceive this idea,
she used extremely persuasive negoti-
ating skills to acquire a large discount
from a reputable athletic shoe manufac-
turer. She did the shopping herself over
Christmas vacation, and she continues to
be a star performer on the Joseph Girls’
Basketball Team.
Congratulations, Alexis, I have no
doubt you are going to be a huge success
in whatever you do in your future, and
it makes my heart smile to see some-
one with such foresight, compassion and
ambition. This was no easy feat.
Susan Benson Sturm
Newberg, Ore.
Sturm is a graduate of Joseph High
School and lists her occupation as “pole
dancing instructor at the nursing home.”
February 7, 2018
A5
Living longer with
your Valentine
F
ebruary is Heart Health
Month. It’s also the
month with Valentine’s
Day in it.
The connection? Love
your heart. Your heart is prob-
ably one of the hardest work-
ing muscles in
the human body.
It’s responsible
for circulating
oxygenated blood
throughout your
body, to nourish
all vital organs
and cells.
According to the Library
of Congress, the human heart
has the capability of beating
three billion times during the
life span of an average per-
son. Yet, many people neglect
their heart.
In America, heart dis-
ease and high blood pressure
are on the rise. Heart disease
among women is increas-
ing and heart disease, accord-
ing to healthfinder.gov, is the
leading cause of death in men
and women. Both of these,
high blood pressure and heart
disease, for the most part,
with lifestyle changes, are
preventable.
You may think it is too
early to think about the heart
health of your children, but
it’s never too early to estab-
lish lifelong eating and phys-
ical activity habits that will
ensure your children grow up
to be healthy adults.
Cardiovascular disease is
actually a group of diseases
that affect the heart and blood
vessels. It can start early
in life, but being active can
decrease the risk of develop-
ing this disease.
An active child is also one
that will listen in school, sleep
better, build healthy bones
and muscles and have better
self-esteem.
Here are some things
that will help your heart stay
healthy and will ensure you
enjoy many more Valentine’s
Days with those you love:
If you smoke, one of the
lifestyle changes you can
make is to quit. Maintaining a
desirable and healthy weight
will also help stave off future
heart problems. Being phys-
ically active, even for as few
as 30 minutes a day on most
days of the week will also
reap rewards
Eat a diet low in satu-
rated fat. An example of sat-
urated fat is butter or the
white marbling found in most
red meats. Protein choices
should mainly come from
lean sources (i.e. poultry or
fish as well as dried beans and
legumes.) Eggs, once thought
to be a no-no, can be a part of
a healthy diet.
The same thing is true
of dairy choices. Healthier
choices come from the fat-
free or low-fat section. If you
currently use whole milk and
the idea of going “low-fat”
is not in the picture, try mix-
ing whole milk with one per-
cent or two percent and grad-
ually transition to a lower fat
option.
EATING
HEALTHY
Ann Bloom
In recipes calling for
cheese, a little goes a long
way, so use full-fat cheeses in
moderation.
It goes without saying that
fruits and vegetables are a big
part of a diet to combat the
development of heart disease.
These two food groups can
be consumed fresh, frozen,
canned, pureed or dried.
If using canned fruit look
for those canned products
without added sugar. For
juice, drink juice that says it is
made from 100 percent juice.
Many juices have the
word “drink” after them.
These contain little, if any,
real fruit juice and no fiber.
High blood
pressure and heart
disease, for the
most part, with
lifestyle changes,
are preventable.
Finally, from the grain
group (i.e. cereals, grains,
bread) aim to make half of
your daily grain intake of the
whole variety. Whole grains
contain all the parts of the
grain, the parts with the nutri-
ents and are a healthier choice
than refined grain products
that are overly processed and
have the nutrients removed.
Whole grain products will
say the words “made from
whole grains” or contains
“100 percent whole grain.” If
in doubt, check the nutrition
label on the package.
And, as always, if you
have questions or concerns
about your health, you are
encouraged to consult your
primary care physician or
health care provider.
By staying physically
active, and making a few
dietary and lifestyle changes,
you and your children can
enjoy the benefits of good
health. And, remember, little
things do add up!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ann Bloom is a nutri-
tion program assistant for
the OSU Extension Service in
Wallowa County. She can be
contacted at 541-426-3143.
Wolfe appointed to new commission to protect farm, ranch lands
Woody Wolfe of Wal-
lowa is one of 12 members
appointed to the new Oregon
Agricultural Heritage Com-
mission, a program approved
by the legislature in 2017 to
help ensure well-managed
working lands can be passed
down to the next generation
and kept in production.
Wolfe, a farmer from Wal-
lowa, was recommended by
the Oregon Board of Agricul-
ture and will serve a three-
year initial term. The Oregon
Agricultural Heritage Com-
mission held its first meeting
in Prineville, Ore., Feb. 1.
Wolfe is a sixth-generation
Wallowa County native and
farmer and
entrepre-
neur. Over
the years,
he
has
found ways
to
main-
tain
and
expand his
Woody Wolfe
operation
in a period
when farm ground is increas-
ingly sold for development
and converted to nonproduc-
tive uses.
He has worked land con-
servation into his business
plan, completing two conser-
vation easements with Wal-
lowa Land Trust in 2011 and
Planning a get-away?
2017, protecting 463 acres.
These easements will ensure
the family farm remains in
production while conserving
key wildlife habitat.
In addition to serving on
the Wallowa County Grain
Growers Board for nine years,
he currently serves on the Wal-
lowa School Board. Woody
lives with his wife of 15 years,
Megan, and their sons, Liam
and Weston, on their family
farm.
“This commission is a
shining example of Orego-
nians coming together around
a common goal -- to pro-
tect Oregon’s rich natural
resources and agricultural her-
Without assistance
in passing on that
farmland, we
might lose it from
agriculture forever.”
— Mary Anne Cooper
Oregon Farm Bureau
itage,” said Kelley Beamer,
executive director of the Coa-
lition of Oregon Land Trusts.
“We are conservationists. We
are ranchers. We are farm-
ers. We are fishermen. We
are hunters. And we are Ore-
gonians. And we all have the
same goal: to see Oregon’s
resources sustained for future
generations,”
The new program will help
Oregon farmers and ranchers
access federal funding from
the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture specifically for agri-
cultural easements on work-
ing lands. A working land
easement pays farmers in
exchange for development
rights, keeping the land in
production while preventing
development and fragmenta-
tion of the land.
“With the average age of
Oregon farmers and ranch-
ers at 60 — higher than it’s
ever been — and a mas-
sive transfer of agricultural
lands looming over the next
two decades, we found it
imperative to get ahead of
the issue,” said Mary Anne
Cooper of the Oregon Farm
Bureau. “Without assistance
in passing on that farmland,
we might lose it from agricul-
ture forever.”
The Oregon legislature
approved the Oregon Agri-
cultural Heritage Program bill
during its 2017 session, and
Governor Kate Brown signed
it into law on Sept. 19.
~ Romance at the Lake ~
PASSPORT PHOTOS
in my Joseph studio.
24-hour turn-around for prints.
December-January Special:
$35 for two different images, sized
and printed to meet U.S. Passport
requirements. Call for appointment!
ELLEN MORRIS BISHOP
NATURE’S LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHICS
103 N. Main Street, Ste 5, Joseph * 541 398-1810 (voice or text)
paleobishop@gmail.com www.natureslightphotographics.com
Valentine’s Dinner
Best for Women
Dinner choice of:
Steak Oscar ~ $38 I Greek Salmon ~ $24 I Roasted Acorn Squash ~ $24
Fellowship Award - $2,000
Wednesday February 14, 2018
Includes dessert and a glass of champagne
Gail Swart
will be playing the piano during dinner
Come make a
memory!
Call (541) 432-9821 to make your reservation and dinner choice
Application deadline March 1, 2018
Soroptimist, P.O. Box 127, Enterprise, OR 97828
For More Information call 541-263- 0663