A10
LOCAL
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Longtime leader of Union County Safe Communities Coalition dies
By DICK MASON The Observer
CELEBRATION
OF LIFE
WALLOWA — Northeast-
ern Oregon lost a youth leader of
vision, who could see in young
people what they could not see in
themselves.
Robin Wortman, of Wallowa,
a former 4-H leader and a former
director of the Union County Safe
Communities Coalition, died Tues-
day, Aug. 2, at a hospital in White
Salmon, Washington at the age of
59.
“Robin pushed people in the
right direction. She was able to
get kids to see their potential, to
get them to realize they had abili-
ties they did not know they had,”
said DeAnne Mansveld, a member
of the Union County Safe Com-
munities Coalition’s executive
committee.
Wortman directed the coali-
tion from 2011 through October
2019. As its director, she helped
the organization implement a num-
ber of community events, such as
October’s Red Ribbon month and
an annual multimedia conference
for seventh graders to teach them
about online safety and the dangers
of substance abuse. She was also a
member of the coalition’s Youth
Council and worked with various
community organizations includ-
ing police, Grande Ronde Hospi-
tal, school districts and fi re depart-
ments to put on events.
The youth council, composed
of teenagers from school districts
throughout Union County, works
directly with middle and high
school students to create messag-
ing that peers will respond to.
Wortman
worked
closely
with programs like “Reward and
Remind,’’ where under age high
school students would go into con-
venience stores and attempt to pur-
chase tobacco. If the clerk did not
ask for identifi cation, their store
would be sent a letter from the
Youth Coalition reminding it that it
is illegal to sell tobacco in Oregon
to anyone under 18. Stores where
identifi cation was requested were
sent letters commending them for
adhering to the state law.
The program was popular with
program students.
“The kids loved it,” said Sheryln
Roberts, a member of UCSCC’s
executive committee.
A celebration of life ceremony
for Wortman will be conducted
from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday,
Aug. 20, in Wallowa at its senior
center.
Contributed Photo
Robin Wortman, far right, walks with friends at the old 12-hour Drug Free Relay at La Grande High School’s track
about six years ago. Wortman, of Wallowa, a former 4-H leader and a former director of the Union County Safe
Communities Coalition, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, at the age of 59.
Roberts credits Wortman with
doing an excellent job of making
the members of the youth council
understand that they did not have
to use drugs and alcohol to have a
good time, a message the students
conveyed to peers when they con-
ducted anti-substance abuse proj-
ects at Union County schools.
Wortman did an excellent job
putting students in leadership posi-
tions for Youth Coalition projects,
placements that brought out the
best in them, Roberts said.
“This built kids up, boosting
their self esteem,” she said.
Roberts said it was easy for
Wortman to make connections
with young people.
“Robin enjoyed kids and made
it fun for them,” she said.
Wortman found herself in the
role of an educator for not only
young people but also parents
while serving as the coalition’s
coordinator. Roberts noted that
when she was hired it was legal in
Oregon for parents to provide alco-
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hol to their children in their homes.
To counteract this, Wortman
helped the UCSCC conduct infor-
mation campaigns to inform par-
ents about how alcohol can aff ect
brain development in children and
“SHE EXCELLED
AT MAKING
EVERYONE FEEL
THAT THEY WERE
PART OF A GROUP
AND A TEAM.”
— Billie-Jo Nickens, UCSCC
executive committee member
teenagers. Speakers about youth
drinking were brought in and
information about its detrimental
impact was provided throughout
the community.
Wortman was able to tackle
many responsibilities and projects
at once because of her meticulous
attention to planning.
“She was so organized. She
always had every detail covered
no matter what. She had every bul-
let point written down — even the
most minute detail,” said Billie-Jo
Nickens, a member of the execu-
tive committee of the UCSCC.
Wortman was also known for
working long hours. She attended
all of the events and activities
run by the UCSCC, including its
12-hour Drug Free Relay at the
La Grande High School track, an
event that evolved into an annual
run at the Mount Emily Recre-
ation Area.
“She was not an 8 to 5
employee, she attended all of the
extra activities,” said Tracy Chris-
topher, a member of UCSCC’s
executive committee.
Wortman would not even let
health issues sideline her. Mans-
veld noted that in 2016, the
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UCSCC leader broke her ankle
shortly before a work-related trip
to Washington, D.C.
“She was such a trooper that
she managed to make the trip to
D.C. and attended the related
meetings in December with a cast
and crutches. She was very deter-
mined to follow through on any
commitment she made,” Mans-
veld said.
Members of Wortman’s family
were a common sight at the events
she helped put on, often assisting
her.
“She always included her fam-
ily in her work,” Nickens said.
“She was a huge advocate for the
family.”
Wortman was the guiding light
of the Union County Safe Com-
munities Coalition but she never
referred to herself at its leader and
did not like being referred to as
such. This refl ected her deep col-
laborative spirit.
“She excelled at making every-
one feel that they were part of a
group and a team,” Nickens said.
“She would never say it was my
project. She was community
minded that way.”
Not surprisingly, Wortman was
not one to seek the spotlight —
she felt strongly about others get-
ting credit for their contributions,
Nickens said.
Sometimes this meant Wort-
man’s
contributions
were
overlooked.
“There were many times that
she should have been in the lime-
light, but she stepped back when
she really should have gotten the
recognition,” Nickens said.
Wortman dodged the spotlight
even though she was good at artic-
ulating UCSCC’s mission.
“She was a great communica-
tor, she drew people into the coali-
tion,” Christopher said. “She was
defi nitely amazing and defi nitely
an inspiration.”
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