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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2019)
COMMUNITY BlueMountainEagle.com Wednesday, February 13, 2019 A3 Grant Union pep band rallies the crowd By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Grant Union pep band members help generate excitement at the Prospec- tor basketball games, play- ing energetic songs such as “Eye of the Tiger,” “Iron Man” and the school’s fight song. The band, directed by music teacher Levana James, also start the games off with a stirring rendi- tion of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” James said the band encourages school spirit and unity for fans watching the game and those playing the game. “It’s the pep squad build- ing enthusiasm for the team,” she said. The pep band played during the football season as well. There are usually 10 band members playing, ranging from seventh-grad- ers to seniors, with sev- eral on trumpet and clari- net, plus bass clarinet, flute, baritone, French horn and drum set. Pep band players tackle a different style of music in an atmosphere much dif- ferent than their formal concerts. “It’s something a little more enthusiastic and not as strict — even though it has its own challenges,” James said. “The songs aren’t nec- essarily easier, but the stu- dents catch on well to the tunes.” Songs are played sponta- neously, during the 30-sec- ond timeouts, when they cover snippets of their selections. “They have to watch me because we might cut off early or I might have them play it again,” she said. Cheerleaders perform a routine while the band plays the fight song, and they play full versions of their songs before the games and Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Grant Union pep band members Matthew Shorts on saxophone, Carle Wright on bass clarinet and Alex Finley on trumpet (in back) entertain the crowd at the Prospector basketball games. Grant Union pep band members perform at the Jan. 26 Prospector boys and girls basketball games. From left: Katie Allen, Bradlee Smith, Amelia Hall, Emily Finley and Alyx Schlarbaum. The Grant Union pep band keeps the beat with director Levana James during Prospector basketball games in John Day. during halftime of the boys and girls games. Sophomore saxophon- ist Matthew Shorts said he enjoys playing in the gym with the crowd and the teams. “I like being able to sup- port the team and the school and being able to watch the game while doing that at the same time,” he said. “It gives exposure to playing in front of an audience. I like all the songs.” Levi Carpenter, a soph- omore on the trumpet, said his favorite song is “Spider Man.” “I like being able to hang out with my friends and Grant Union pep band member Samantha Floyd on trombone entertains the crowd at the Jan. 26 Prospector basketball games. support the teams,” he said. Bass clarinetist Carle Wright, a senior, said she also enjoys supporting the teams. “It’s a different kind of environment for us to play in, instead of just in the band room or at a con- cert,” she said. “We play more modern music, which is fun.” Grant received for kiddie park and splash pad New facilities expected to be completed by June By Richard Hanners Blue Mountain Eagle The John Day-Canyon City Parks and Recreation District is seeking 20-30 volunteers for a “communi- ty-build” project for a new playground in April. The district recently was awarded a $243,083 grant from the state Parks and Recreation Department, which will be used to build a new kiddie park, splash pad and exercise stations at the Seventh Street Complex in John Day, executive director Art Thunell told the Eagle. Kiddie park Ground preparation near the restrooms on the east end of the complex for the 6,800-square-foot kiddie park will begin in late Febru- ary and early March, Thunell said. Parts for the playground have arrived, and the play- ground designer will be here in April to oversee construc- TREAT YOUR FEET tion of the kiddie park on April 12-14, he said. T h e RC Huerta “community build” will include pouring concrete footings and assembling the playground equipment. Vol- unteers who can commit to one to three days are asked to apply at the district office at 845 1/2 Bridge Street in John Day. “We want people to take pride in the construction of this playground,” Thunell said. “We want kids to know their parents had a hand in building it.” The kiddie park will offer two playground areas, one for ages 2-5 and one for ages 5-12, with swings, tube slides, a climbing wall, plat- forms, monkey bars and an ADA-compatible swing, program director RC Huerta said. The playground surface will be a pour-in-place rubber that will resist wear and tear and temperature variations, Thunell said. The thickness of the rubber surface will Our Services Include: vary from 2-6 inches depend- ing on the type of playground equipment nearby, he said. Splash pad Construction of the sea- sonal 87-by-37-foot con- crete splash pad near the kiddie park is expected to be completed by June. Thunell said similar facilities exist in Redmond and Portland, and the designer modeled the district’s splash pad on one at an Air Force base in Boise. Splash pad features will include three 7-inch water rings, three bucket dumps, one unit with seven ground sprays, a wildfire hose, a question mark and a hitch- ing post, Huerta said. A water dome in the center will fea- ture a six-foot high mush- room-shaped fountain. Users will push a pneu- matic button to activate the splash pad for several min- utes before it automatically shuts off. City water will be used in the various fountains and spray features. The water will not be recycled and will instead drain to a holding pond used for irrigating the complex. bluemountainhospital.org cise stations could be done by recreation district crews or community volunteers, Thunell said. He said he has spoken with local exercise trainers about the equipment. The total cost of the three projects is $363,590, leav- ing a $120,496 match for the state grant. The city of John Day and the recre- ation district each will put in $50,000, and the remainder of the match will be made up with in-kind donations of labor, equipment and mate- rials, Thunell said. Lisa Weigum wrote the grant application for the district. Several years ago, the district used a grant to build restrooms at the east end of the sports complex and com- plete the walking trail. Staff changes Huerta became the dis- trict’s program director last August. He grew up in Red- mond and left the area to play college baseball after graduating from high school in Redmond. Returning to Redmond, Huerta started a family and took a number of jobs, including assistant superin- tendent at the Juniper Golf Course for five years. He’s coached basketball and football for middle school, freshmen and junior varsity teams in Redmond and will be the assistant coach for the Prospectors baseball team this year. Huerta said his grand- parents lived in Prairie City, and he visited here often in the summertime. He and his wife have three children in elementary school. Kimberly Ward has left the district after nine years serving as the office man- ager and pool manager. Sabrina Howard will be the new pool manager as well as the John Day Swim Team coach. 541-575-1648 - Skin Inspection Call for an Appointment - Nail Trimming $35 fee - Callus and Corn Reduction - Electric filling of thick, hard to cut nails Services available at - Basic foot care provided by a trained CNA Home Health Office, - Advanced foot care provided by a Certified Foot Care Specialist 422 W. Main, John Day. - Monument/outlying foot clinic every 8 weeks Blue Mountain Hospital We provide Basic and Advanced foot care nursing based on current medical FOOT CLINIC Walking trail Fifteen exercise sta- tions will be installed along the Jimmy Allen Memorial Walking Trail that circles the sports complex. Just under a mile long, the trail is used by walkers, runners, adults with baby strollers and adults teaching children to ride a bicycle. The new mountain bik- ing trail on the hill above the sports complex is located on Grant School District 3 prop- erty and is not maintained by the recreation district, Thunell said. Bicycles are not allowed on the walking trail. Signs at each station will explain an exercise. Some stations will feature exercise equipment such as a vault, parallel-bar arm walk, beam walk and hop over. Thunell said the stations will be a nice addition to the trail for all ages. Installation of the exer- research and professional guidelines. Reduce your risk for foot infection and injury by scheduling with our professional staff today. Brad, Mary, Owen & Eli Armstrong 541-620-2007 Bob & Lauri Armstrong 541-620-0051
