CELEBRATING THE HISTORY
OF EASTERN OREGON
CULTURE & HERITAGE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
www.facebook.com/WallowaLakeLodge
This picture of refinishing the lobby floors received 65,000 views on the Wallowa Lake Lodge’s Facebook page.
Bringing visitors and locals
together at Wallowa Lake since
the 1980s, Summer Fishtrap,
a week-long writing workshop,
was held the last two years
online, but Lau said the lodge
is working with the literary
nonprofit based in Enterprise
to bring the event back to the
lodge next year.
On Saturdays, the lodge
partners with the Wallowology
Discovery Center in Joseph to
offer nature walks that highlight
cultural and ecological aspects
of the area. Free yoga classes
are led on the lawn on Sunday
mornings, and Gail Swart enter-
tains on the piano on Sunday
evenings.
Besides the deck rebuild, Lau
said the other big project this
year was refinishing the lobby
floors, which turned out to be a
popular decision by fans of the
lodge.
“We had 65,000 views of
our photos on Facebook of the
floors being buffed down,” Lau
said. “It was our most popu-
lar social media post, ever. It
proved to me capital improve-
LA GRANDE
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BAKER CITY
541-523-1533
ENTERPRISE
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19
AUGUST 18–25, 2021
ments are valuable and worth
investing time, energy and
elbow grease.”
Lau first came to the county
to work as an interpretive
ranger at Wallowa Lake State
Park in 2011, and the job piqued
her interest in the local history
and culture. A sixth-generation
Oregonian from Stayton, she
was traveling with her family in
Europe when the decision was
made to look for somewhere ru-
ral to settle down and raise her
young children. She brings her
love of history and culture along
with her background in event
planning to the lodge.
Beyond her own aspirations
for the lodge, she credits the
board’s support and the staff’s
dedication to keeping the busi-
ness running smoothly.
“We are feeling the staffing
shortage like everyone else,
and it takes long hours to make
this place run,” Lau said, “so it
makes me feel inspired and op-
timistic that the team believes in
what we are building.”
For the full calendar of
events, hours of operation and
rates, visit www.wallowalake-
lodge.com.