A8
History
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
O UT OF THE P AST
75 years ago
C. of C. entertains foot-
ball champions with turkey
banquet
A turkey banquet was
held in honor of the state “B”
championship football team,
the Grant Union high school
Prospectors and their coach,
Tommy Johnson, in conjunc-
tion with the regular week-
ly meeting of the John Day
Chamber of Commerce at the
Scout hall, Monday evening.
The president, W. Glen
Chandler, acted as a toast-
master and called upon
Mayor W. B. Prophet, A. H.
Haberly, superintendent of
Grant High, Coach Johnson
and others, as well as the se-
nior class football boys for
short talks. The boys were
highly praised for their re-
markable record and espe-
cially for their sportsmanlike
conduct both on and off the
football field. Coach Johnson
stated that this was his first
state championship team in
his 10 years of coaching, and
he added, “considering not
only playing ability but also
sportsmanship and gentle-
manly conduct, it is the best
bunch of boys I have ever
10 years ago
had under my supervision.”
Stan Phillips, captain of
the Grant team, as well as
the other players who spoke,
expressed appreciation to the
chamber group as well as all
businessmen and others from
outlying districts who have
so generously supported the
team this season.
25 years ago
Christmas bazaar is set
to go!
More than 60 area crafts-
people will offer their hand-
made items for sale Saturday
during the Annual Christmas
Bazaar sponsored by mem-
bers of the Blue Mountain
Hospital District Auxiliary.
The bazaar will be held
at the Trowbridge Pavilion
at the Grant County Fair-
grounds from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This year’s Christmas
bazaar marks a milestone of
sorts — it will be the 20th an-
niversary for an annual event
that has grown to become
synonymous with the holiday
shopping and gift-giving sea-
son in Grant County.
The origin of the auxilia-
ry’s annual fundraising proj-
ect dates back to 1973 when
Eagle file photo
From Dec. 2, 1993: The holiday season got an official start
Saturday with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, James
Moran and Jeanette Walker, during the Christmas Magic
Parade hosted by the John Day Merchant’s Association.
members opted to stage a
flea market at the Alec Gay
Hall, and although their first
endeavor was largely a suc-
cess, the flea market concept
bombed the following year.
Looking at their strategy,
auxiliary members decided
to drop the concept of a flea
market, and decided instead
to concentrate on homemade
and handcrafted items.
It was a marriage made
O utlook
in heaven, and as the saying
goes, the rest is history.
The annual bazaar soon
outgrew the confines of the
Alec Gay Hall and moved
to the senior center. Soon
too large for that location,
it moved to the fairgrounds
where Saturday it again will
offer a wide assortment of
items ideal for everyone’s
holiday shopping needs.
Ho, ho, ho – Stores dress
up with holiday sales
The merchants’ mantra
this Christmas shopping sea-
son is similar on every corner
in the community: “Shop lo-
cal.”
Although the local econ-
omy is in a slump this year,
store owners remain hopeful
for a good holiday turnout
and that customers will check
out their bargains before
heading out of town or online.
“I’m keeping the prices
as low as I can because of
the economy,” said Canyon
Creek Candle Company own-
er Tina Stearly in John Day.
A new item will be on her
store shelves next week.
With the big state football
win for Grant Union High
School, she’s designed a new
State Championship candle to
celebrate the event.
A football and cheerlead-
ing uniform display celebrat-
ing the Prospectors football
season can be seen as cus-
tomers walk through the front
door of Mountains Depart-
ment Store.
Last weekend’s football
games — the Prospectors at
the state championships, and
the annual Civil War between
the UO Ducks and the OSU
Beavers — had manager Troy
Thomas a little worried that
local shoppers might be lured
to big-city stores when they
traveled to catch the games.
“It’s a catch-22 for retail-
ers,” he said.
He says business is down
by about 12 percent this year,
but he still anticipates a de-
cent season, “even though gas
prices are going down.”
One difficulty he’s facing
now is a requirement to pay
up front for shipments of
clothing, instead of having 30
days to pay for them. Because
of this he’s ordering in small-
er batches.
He’s encouraging shop-
pers to call ahead to find
out when the next shipment
comes in.
“It’s first-come, first-
served,” he said.
Santa will visit Mountains
Dec. 13 to have pictures taken
with the children, courtesy of
Saul Productions, and there
will be Arbonne makeup tips
by Debi Mecham of Prairie
City — both events are 11
a.m. to 3 p.m.
SENI R
As I write this it is only
30 days until
Christmas. Going to
have to get up in the
attic and go thru the
items that I have been
Rose Coombs
accumulating all year.
So Black Friday, Cyber
Monday, or like-
minded sales spiels hold no charms for me. Sometimes I am surprised
by what I’ve squirreled away for Christmas distribution… Oh, yeah. I
forgot about buying that at that yard sale. I did walk through all the
Christmas on the Prairie offerings, so I tried!
We had one glitch in our family Thanksgiving dinner – the Portland
contingent did not get to come due to the grandchildren catching colds
on Tuesday night. So – thanks to the miracle of the World Wide Web
– they attended via Skype. Isn’t that something? Agata chats with her
parents in Poland quite often using Skype. When I think of all the
immigrants of the past who had to wait for months for word from
overseas, I am so thankful that she can have this electronic connection.
So daughter-in-love made roast beef, baked ham, mashed potatoes and
gravy, green beans and bacon, carrots and beets (for me), and green
salad (for which I furnished five bottles of varied dressings). Joel
smoked a turkey and the in-laws from Lexington brought desserts and
other condiments. Michael baked a huge apple pie to add to the
occasion; a good time was had by all.
After dinner, Mrs. Temple and I began the task of teaching Joel how
Prairie City
Seniors
Monday, Nov. 19, we have
closed out our second
successful silent auction,
with the plan to begin our
next one in a few days with
some Christmas items! We
need to collect for the last
Nicky Essex
sales first and then start a
new one. I have given my
notice to stop writing this column the last week in December and we are still
looking for someone to take over. It has been a joy for me to do, helping me
get acquainted here and I have only had a couple of corrections requested,
where I have deserved many more! There is lots of help if you need it; call
Veanne if interested at 541-575-1825. Bonnie Kocis and Ron Dowse were our
greeters today, and our table service was provided by First Christian Church,
Karen Barrietua, Jan Ellison and Ron and Roberta Dowse. Home meal
deliveries were all made by our great friends from Step Forward, led by David
Gill and his sidekick, Rodney, with a total of 34 regular and 55 frozen meals
delivered to Canyon City, John Day and Mt. Vernon. Thanks to all of our dear
volunteers for supporting our Senior Center! Yog Harris opened our time
together by leading us in the pledge to our flag. Carol Roe won the Len’s
Drug gift card, Bruce Kaufman won the free meals and Ron led us in the
blessing for our meal. We enjoyed Shay’s super spaghetti, with veggies,
John Day
Seniors
Hope everyone had a
wonderful Thanksgiving.
We had a simple meal at
home and it was very low
key. Only had a couple of
friends and we just had a
simple meal and visited
Soo Yukawa
for a few hours.
For our Nov. 20 meal,
Terry Cade and Teawna
Jewell made us a nice meal of cornbread and chili, fresh green salad,
canned pear slices and some yummy cinnamon rolls.
Our greeters were Jimmy Cole, Linda Blakeslee, Kristi Guimont and
Bodean Andersen. Jimmy and Linda collected and counted the money,
Kristi checked in the guests, Bodean led us in the flag salute, made the
announcements and prayed the blessing over our meal.
We had 33 guests present and four takeouts. Lonny and Brian Davis,
from Mount Vernon, joined us for lunch. The Len’s Drug gift card was
given to Roger Lawrence. Judy Cavender and Jackie Sweek were the
lucky winners for a free meal.
Betty Richards had a fall the previous week and was in the hospital in
John Day. We pray that she would recover completely and quickly;
Donna Campbell was also in the hospital. We had Get Well Soon cards
for Betty and Donna.
Since Betty is out of commission at the moment, Kristi is currently in
charge of the rental of the senior center rooms. If you would like to book
Monument
Seniors
to play pinochle. She played 40 years ago with her grandparents but
did not like the game because she was never able to win. We got
through a short game and she won by 10 points!
The best response I heard to the question “What are you thankful for?”
was this: my dog, my job and my boyfriend. Take note of the order
and think about that.
Joel has been working all over the Grant County hinterland. We
commented that he left the asphalt canyons of Portland for the gravel
canyons of Grant County. He had a job out at the ol’ ranch, and said it
was really weird to go back there to see the changes that have taken
place in the intervening years. The frustrating thing is that when
people find out that he was born and raised here, they expect him to
know people and places and things that happened when he was not
here; but he’s getting up to speed on all that. He has been to places in
Grant County in the last six months that we haven’t been to in the last
60 years! Which brings to mind the saying “Don’t get so busy making
a living that you forget to make a life.”
The last I heard, dinner will be lasagna and green salad with garlic
bread on Nov. 28. The FFA banquet and auction during Christmas on
the Prairie really had the ol’ hall decked out. Good job Lindy, Debbie
and company.
There will be a board meeting on Nov. 28 as well. So if you are on the
board, please be in attendance.
Act 2:46 (The Message) “They followed a daily discipline of worship
in the Temple, followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration,
exuberant and joyful…”
spinach salad, baguettes and a wonderful Oregon blend berry cobbler!
We were closed here on Thanksgiving Day, and I have lots of space left to
fill, so I’d like to say how thankful I am for this wonderful place and all of
those who began it and have kept it going! We started coming for lunch
about three to three and a half years ago after a terrible death in our family,
followed by a terrible medical diagnosis for my husband. I was having
trouble recovering emotionally and wasn’t finding any real help. We found
friends here slowly, because most of the people didn’t know us and I was a
wounded soul, not sure if I wanted to stick around. Little by little, I felt more
at home here than anywhere else, and really enjoyed the fellowship; a word
I use for spiritual friendships, and that is what I have found. It doesn’t matter
what your religious history, there are people who have all struggled in life,
and find unfettered friendship here with very little discrimination and lots of
humor and acceptance. If you give us a chance, we’ll help you settle in here
and love you. We will be moving in late spring, and it will be hard to leave
those who have stretched out to be our friends! Thank you, so much, you all
know who you are.
Next Thursday, Nov. 29, we will enjoy mac and cheese with ham and a
three-bean salad.
John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life.”
the senior center, please give her a call at 541-934-2021.
Well, I went to Bingo for the last Saturday of November; I stunk. I
even got to stay for the whole time and I did not win even once. I
came oh so very close a few times at winning but I still had lots of fun
and I came home with a very full tummy. Apparently, I need to get
there way early to pick the “good cards,” not going to happen. LOL.
I know I say this every year but really, Christmas is literally around
the corner! I am guessing my friends who are really attentive and
organized will be sending out their Christmas cards very soon. It
almost seems like they have their cards all ready and waiting to send
out right after Thanksgiving. Those people seriously have way too
much time on their hands.
This week, I discovered a couple of fascinating YouTube channels. One
was this woman, and I think she lives in Thailand; she walks around
barefoot, carrying a basket with a clay plate, clay bowl, pestle and
mortar, dried chili and spices. She goes hunting for all kinds of stuff like
crickets, frogs and cicadas, to name a few. She then makes a fire, puts the
clay plate on the fire with some oil and cooks whatever she found. After
that, she makes a spicy sauce with the pestle and then eats it. I don’t
know why I torture myself, I shouldn’t be watching this when I’m
hungry because even those cicadas look good to me! I know, ewww. The
other intriguing shows were these Asian women totally changing their
look with makeup from homely to beautiful; quite amazing.
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.”
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