LOCAL
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
A15
Plans are in full swing for Fair Lights 2021
By ANN BLOOM
For the Wallowa County
Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — The
plans for Fair Lights 2021 are
in full swing, with the same
number of exhibits expected
this year as last — 23. How-
ever, according to new Wal-
lowa County Fair Board
Manager Annett Connor, the
fair board is, “just starting to
recruit,” for exhibits, so there
could be more, she said.
The opening night for
Fair Lights is 5 p.m. Friday,
Dec. 17. The displays will
be located at the fairgrounds.
Cars enter through a gate off
Medical Parkway near Les
Schwab, drive around the
track to view the lighted, hol-
iday-themed displays, pro-
vided by area businesses and
organizations, and exit near
the indoor arena off Lyle
Street. The event runs from
5-8 p.m. each night through
Dec. 26. Fair Lights 2021
is free though donations
are appreciated. The fi rst
100 attendees on opening
night will receive a bag of
Wallowa County Chieftain, File
A message of hope from the Enterprise Seventh-day Adventist Church was the theme of a
Christmas display Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, at the Wallowa County Fairgrounds for the opening night
of Fair Lights 2020. A similar series of displays at the fairgrounds opens Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.
donated merchandise.
Details are still being
fi nalized, but according to
Connor some things being
considered for inclusion in
this year’s event are a pop-
corn stand and roasted chest-
nuts. Last year, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, a
local provider had some
chestnuts left over from a
canceled order and was able
to provide the chestnuts.
It is unknown if that is the
case this year. Santa Claus
also will be on hand the fi rst
night.
There is a contingency
plan for inclement weather.
“If the weather is bad, we
will have walk throughs, if
we can’t drive through,” she
said.
Connor, who is new to the
position of fair board offi ce
manager (she started Sept.
21), said she wants people
to, “just come and enjoy.”
And added, “the fair board
enjoyed meeting the com-
munity when they were there
passing out goody bags last
year.”
She came to the fair board
position from the Education
Service District in Pendle-
ton, working as an inter-
net technology server ana-
lyst. She said she wanted to
get out of IT, had relatives
in Wallowa County, “and it
(the job) seemed like a per-
fect fi t for me.” She said she
had been the secretary for the
Oregon Hunters’ Association
and, “it seemed like a lot of
what I was doing for them.
It was me getting back to my
roots.”
She admits the biggest
challenge of the job has
been, “wrapping my head
Wallowa School Board backs bike park
Still to fi nalize
location on
school property
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
WALLOWA — The
Wallowa School Board
expressed its full support
Monday, Dec. 6, for a Bicy-
cle Playground proposed
by Ron Pickens to be con-
structed on school property.
“They were totally sup-
portive,”
Superintendent
Tammy Jones said Tues-
day. “They passed a motion
to support it on the grounds
of we will talk further of its
location.”
Pickens, who teaches at
the Alternative School at
Building Healthy Families in
Enterprise, spearheaded the
refurbishment of the Enter-
prise Skate Park this summer
and is now proposing some-
thing similar for his home
community of Wallowa.
“My hope with it is that
when a kiddo pulls up and
sees it that it’s friendly, fun
and inviting, very much like
a playground,” he said in
September. “(Kids can) uti-
lize bikes, scooters, roller
blades and skateboards. It’s
this colorful space that kids
can play in.”
He approached the Wal-
lowa City Council and
received its support — and a
donation of $1,000 — Nov.
16.
But the playground is
planned for a site owned by
the Wallowa School District.
So Pickens took his proposal
to the school board Monday.
Initially, he had pro-
posed to have it constructed
in an unused fi eld behind the
school next to the school’s
greenhouse. But the school
board suggested a fi eld by
the current tennis courts also
might be a possibility.
Jones said there also have
been suggestions of resur-
facing the courts for use for
pickle ball, but a site will be
decided upon over the next
couple of months or some-
time in the spring.
“We’ll be looking where
the best place will be,” she
said.
Pickens said Tuesday
he’s not particular about the
location, though he thinks
the original site is a “great
location.”
“I’m open to anything as
to the location as long as it’s
on the school grounds,” he
said.
Jones said most youths in
Wallowa have not been to the
Enterprise Skate Park, given
the distance they would have
to travel.
“We need more stuff here
in Wallowa for our youths
and families,” she said.
For now, Pickens is still
working on raising funds
for the estimated $202,500
project. He told the Wallowa
City Council he has secured
$100,000 both in cash and
in-kind donations. He’s cur-
rently in the process of apply-
ing for grants to fi nish rais-
ing funds. He said Tuesday
he’s now at about $101,500
adding the city donation and
miscellaneous donations.
Pickens said anyone
interested in donating to the
Bicycle Playground proj-
ect can go online to oregon-
bhf.org and click on the “get
involved” link, which leads
to a “donate now” hyper-
link. Donors also can send
a check to Building Healthy
Families at 207 E Park St,
Enterprise, OR 97828 or call
541-426-9411.
Both the school and the
city have expressed unqual-
ifi ed support for the project.
“Our kids need something
positive and healthy to do,”
Jones said. “There’s been
lot of concern here in the
community of kids not hav-
ing things to do. … Here’s
Devin Patton holds up
a small Christmas tree
for his small Christmas
tree hunters, from
left, Caroline, Levi
and Joanna Patton on
Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021,
at a fundraiser for the
Liberty Grange. The
trees were donated
by Matt and Jane
Harshman.
Bill Bradshaw/
Wallowa County Chieftain
Than up k p y o o rt u ing
s
r
e
p
a
p
News ucation
for s
In Ed
NIE
Dr. Jason Follett,
Wallowa Valley Dental Care
Log House RV Park
Mountain Crest Apartment
Ponderosa Motel
Viridian Management
Community Bank
Heavenly’s
Umpqua Bank
Valley Bronze of Oregon
WC Grain Growers
Winding Waters
800-781-3214
Bronze Antler B & B
Minam River Lodge
Ready for Fergie
something positive they can
be engaged with.”
“It’s something we need
down here and if there’s any-
thing we can do to help you
out later, keep us informed,”
Mayor Gary Hulse told Pick-
ens in November.
As for the board’s reac-
tion, Jones said, it was
entirely positive.
“Defi nitely we’re a go,”
she said.
Pickens, too, was encour-
aged by the board’s support.
“It made me happy that
everybody seems excited
a project of this sort and
sees value of project of this
nature,” he said. “We’re very
excited to have that stamp
of approval from the school
board.”
In other business Mon-
day, the board:
• Approved a resolution
to authorize Jones as super-
intendent to dispose of sur-
plus district property. This
largely involves books and
equipment that are declared
surplus, she said.
• Approved the district’s
audit.
• Discussed contracts with
Architects West. Jones said
they will likely be approved
at the board’s next meeting
after they’re reviewed by the
district’s attorney.
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Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Scott Miller and Anette Christoff ersen size up some
skis Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at a ski swap held at the
Enterprise Odd Fellows Hall in preparation for ski
season. They said they’re still waiting for snow to fall
at Ferguson Ridge Ski Area.
A
GABBY DELAPEN ling
st
ted her Enterprise wre
Gabby Delapena star , Dec. 3, at the Enterprise
ay
career in style on Frid t only won all four of her
no
e
or
om
took
Kickoff. The soph
5-pound division, she s,
13
rls
gi
e
th
in
es
ch
mat
nent
nning all of her oppo
it a step further by pi three in the first round.
including
udly
Pro onsore d b y
p
S
OF
THE
Small tree, smaller hunters
around all the fair activities
and what’s involved in it. It’s
a lot in a part time job.” She
said what she has enjoyed
the most is, “getting to know
the OSU Extension peo-
ple. They’re so welcoming.
They’re fun and I’m enjoy-
ing every minute.”
Connor is quick to give
kudos to her predecessor,
Tera Elliott, who accepted
a position at the Wallowa
County Courthouse. “Tera
has been amazing,” said
Connor. Elliott has been
available for training and
questions during the tran-
sition. Connor said she has
big shoes to fi ll, and it will
take her awhile to fi ll them.
“She’ll be missed,” Con-
nor said of Elliot, “the court-
house is lucky to have her.”
Applications for display
space for Fair Lights 2021
are still being accepted and
can be picked up at the fair
offi ce located at 668 NW 1st
St. in Enterprise. For more
information contact Connor
at 541-426-4097. Applica-
tions will be accepted as long
as space is available.