A8
Wildfires
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Hay help is here for local livestock
Donations are
being stored at
Grant Western
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Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Help is
pouring in for the largest pop-
ulace in Grant County — live-
stock.
“Hay for John Day” is a ven-
ture striving to provide ranchers
with hay for horses and cattle
that either have been displaced
and moved to other locations
or whose hay storage burned
during the wild¿ res.
Kristin Currin, of La Grande,
and Jim Hamsher, of Prairie
City, are the hard-working pair
behind the donation effort.
Early on in the disaster, Cur-
rin, who was trying to get some
hay down to John Day, and
Hamsher, who was looking for
hay donations, met via social
media and coordinated their ef-
forts into one force.
Hamsher is handling the lo-
cal end of things — coordinat-
ing inquiries from people who
need hay, those who have hay
to donate and people who have
equipment and vehicles to help
get all the bales moved accord-
ingly.
Deliveries can also be ar-
ranged. Displaced horses cor-
ralled at the fairgrounds in
John Day are already bene¿ t-
ing from meals of donated hay.
Grant Western Lumber
Company in John Day is serv-
ing as the hay storage location.
The hay is available 24 hours a
FAMILY
HEALTH
Ryan Brown helps make
advertising signs for
the “Hay for John Day”
effort.
Contributed photos/Jim Hamsher
Steve Parsons, with a backhoe, helps unload donated hay at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
Brad Campbell gets ready to move a couple of bales
of hay he and Pam Campbell brought to John Day
from Central Oregon.
A full load of donated hay is ready to be unloaded at
the Grant Western Lumber Company storage area,
thanks to several volunteers — Bard and Cheryl
Wishard and Jan O’Rorke for the donation, and
George Hamsher for use of the truck.
day, seven days a week. People
should contact Hamsher in ad-
vance to make arrangements,
and, if needed, he can arrange
al Grant County locations and
as far away as Baker, Bend,
Redmond, Prineville and the
Burns area. More loads are
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MICHAEL RUSHTON, DPM
Podiatric physician & Surgeon
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Cross/Blue Shield and a Medicate participant.
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OFFICE HOURS: EVERY OTHER TUESDAY
The doctor speaks Spanish - El Doctor habla Espanol.
manpower and vehicles for
loading and unloading.
According to Hamsher, do-
nations have come from sever-
coming later from Sandy and
Salem.
“The Lord is just guiding
all these people to me,” said
Old West fund swells
to nearly $50,000
Fire victims
urged to come
forward
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Donations
to Old West Federal Cred-
it Union’s fund for Canyon
Creek Comple[ ¿ re victims
have been pouring in.
According to Ken Olson,
Old West CEO, the Commu-
nity Fire Relief Fund total
was “just shy of $50,000” as
of Aug. 24.
Money has been coming
in not just from throughout
Grant County and Oregon,
but from all corners of the
country, Olson said, as peo-
ple open their wallets, check-
books and credit cards to do-
nate to the account.
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He is organizing a com-
mittee to help determine peo-
ple’s needs, and on that note,
the committee needs victims
to reach out for help.
“Our top priority is to get
the word out to people that
the help is here,” Olson said.
They don’t need to have
lost their home any ¿ re vic-
tim who had damage to home
and/or property is urged to
come forward.
A form is available where
donors can designate their
donation to go to the general
fund, or to a speci¿ c person,
family or agency, so getting
names of those impacted is
critical.
Olson said advocate
groups also will be created to
be spokespersons for those
who don’t know what they
need. Vouchers for immedi-
ate needs are available at the
fairgrounds pavilion, which
people can then exchange for
VISA gift cards at Old West.
The Old West account is
set up in partnership with the
Fairgrounds Relief Effort.
Donations may be made
in person at any Old West
branch, by mail to 650 W.
Main St., John Day, OR
97845, or over the phone
via credit card by calling
541-575-0264 or 1-888-575-
0264.
Old West is administering
the account at no charge and
will account for all funds it
receives to ensure donated
funds are used ef¿ ciently and
effectively.
The fund is a growing
collaboration of concerned
community individuals, part-
ners and agencies with the
goal to provide relief to vic-
tims quickly.
FACEBOOKERS:
Become an Eagle fan today!
Go to:
facebook.com/MyEagleNews
wee G o fishing in G rant C ounty, and
send in photos from your experience.
You Could
WIN $10 WEEKLY OR
$100 GRAND PRIZE
Open to all amateur photographers.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has stocked
some big ones in local lakes and waterways this summer.
This is your chance to catch supper and maybe win a
prize, in the 2015 Best Fishing Photo Contest sponsored
by the Blue Mountain Eagle, Boyd Britton Welding and
Prairie Springs Fish Farm.
• Photos will be judged for quality, content, viewer appeal.
Remember, it’s not the biggest fish – but the best fishing
photo that takes the prize!
• Photos must be taken this summer in Grant County.
• Digital format is best - e-mail to kristina@bmeagle.com or bring
in a disc to the Eagle office, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day.
• Deadline for submissions: Sep. 21, 2015 for the grand prize.
Fisherman’s Name:__________________________________________
Where the fish was caught:____________________Date taken: _________
Fish Species:____________________Weight & Length________________
Contact phone number:_______________________
Contact e-mail address:________________________________
For more info, call the Eagle, 541-575-0710 – and happy fishing!
A TTENTION G RANT C OUNTY V ETERANS :
Did you know Grant County
Veterans Services Officer is available
to assist YOU in applying for all VA
benefits you may be entitled to?
See your Grant County Veteran Services
Officer today for more information,
located at Grant County Court House.
Hamsher.
He said many ranchers
won’t be allowed to let their
cattle back on the land for
a long time, making this a
longterm need and donation
drive, possibly as long as three
years.
Don’t have hay or equip-
ment? Monetary donations are
also welcome.
Hamsher has set up an ac-
count at Old West Federal
Credit Union — account num-
ber 031, “Hay for John Day”
— to raise money for the en-
deavor. Funds will be used as
needed to purchase trucks full
of hay, and may be used to in-
sure the stored hay.
For more information, vis-
it Hay for John Day on Face-
book, or call Hamsher at 541-
620-2861.
OTEC
restores
major
power line
JOHN DAY – Crews from
the Oregon Trail Electric Co-
operative re-energized all of
the 138 kilovolt line that runs
through the areas hardest hit
by the Canyon Creek Com-
plex, Cornet and Windy Ridge
wild¿ res.
The 138kv line stretches
for 152 miles from Hines to
west John Day and over to
the Quartz substation in Bak-
er City. It was re-energized
incrementally as safe access
into the still burning areas be-
came available.
Now the cleaning and
clearing up begins.
“You will see OTEC crews
moving in and starting to re-
move debris and many haz-
ardous trees that are along the
right-of-way where we will be
rebuilding our lines,” said Pat
McCluskey, OTEC’s southern
district superintendent.
“We want to let property
owners know before they re-
turn that they may see timber
on the ground,” McCluskey
said. “The damaged trees are
dangerous to work crews, but
in some past instances, they
have been reclaimed by the
property owners for another
use. Either way they need to
come out.”
OTEC began restoration
efforts Aug. 18, delivering a
large shipment of utility poles
and materials near mile post 6
outside of Canyon City. More
crews arrived through the
weekend and will work until
all repairs are complete.
Open: Mon, Wed, & Fri 10 am - 4 pm,
by appointment.
Call 541-575-1631
We have been absolutely
overwhelmed by the tremendous
generosity of our community since
the loss of our home. The support
from family, friends and strangers
has been so humbling, and we can’t
put into words how much it means
to us. Your prayers and donations
will help us as we begin rebuilding
our lives.
Steve, Shae, Trejan
& Eli Speth
MyEagleNews.com
02597