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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2020)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, July 1, 2020 A13 Community HEALTH BEAT Eagle file photo The historic Kam Wah Chung building in John Day. Visit Kam Wah Chung from home Museum launches new website that will feature virtual reality By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle COVID-19 has postponed the 2020 season for the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site, but physical limitations play no part in the online expe- rience on their new website. The Friends of Kam Wah Chung Museum worked in collaboration with the Astir Agency of Bend to develop and design the new website for Kam Wah Chung. The old website was a few years outdated, according to Katee Withee, the president of the Friends of Kam Wah Chung Museum board, but the new website provides a mod- ern look with potential. “We wanted something new, modern and clean and something we could grow and expand with us over the next few years,” Withee said. The new website plans to provide virtual reality expe- riences, 360-degree tours and interpretation opportu- nities. While not available at the moment, the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Depart- ment has been working on making VR available. The state plans to fund the VR filming and glasses, and the Friends group will provide the website to host the video, Withee said. “State Parks has a contract with a videographer to film more VR content for the web- site and have interaction where you can touch certain objects and read more about certain items,” Withee said. “It was canceled due to the budget with the pandemic, but it’s hoping to pick up next summer so you can have more interaction with the building itself or with our interpretive center or our archi- val space.” Along with the online fea- tures, the new website is also a place where current and ongo- ing research can be shared. “We’re learning more about the people who lived in that area and telling a different perspective or aspect of his- tory that is not always shared,” Withee said. “It’s kind of neat that we can update and share that information in real time via our website.” The team is currently work- ing on a searchable index cata- logue for all the documents and objects available at the site. “The website kind of fills the need for not being able to visit museum in person,” Withee said. Friends of Kam Wah Chung was able to provide the website by fundraising through a mem- bership drive, donations from visitors and a local grant from the Grant County Chamber of Commerce. People interested in donat- ing, volunteering or obtaining a membership can visit friend- sofkamwahchung.com. Crane superintendent named Administrator of the Year Blue Mountain Eagle The Oregon Small Schools Association has named Matt Hawley its 2020 Administrator of the Year. Hawley is the superin- tendent of Crane Elemen- tary School District and Crane Union High School in Harney County. Crane Union High School is a boarding school that serves students from a large geographic area. Hawley also serves as the public school sponsor for Silvies River Char- ter School and Oregon Family School. When Hawley took over the helm at Crane several years ago, the district was struggling financially and academically. According to Shannon Criss, superintendent of the Harney Education Service District, “Under Mr. Hawley’s leader- ship the districts are financially secure, the facilities have seen tremendous improvements and student achievement and opportunities are on the rise.” Criss said she was amazed at the number of projects Haw- ley had going to improve the grounds and classrooms, as well as housing for teachers. Criss said that Hawley is committed not only to stu- dents’ academic success, but to the “whole child.” “He understands that a stu- dent who is well-rounded is one who can excel both in and out of the classroom,” Criss said. Athletics have excelled at Crane, as well as offerings for students. Hawley worked closely with Silvies River Char- ter School to bring the Pax- ton Patterson Career classes to the charter school and to Crane Union High School, a big pos- itive for their rural and charter school students. “Matt Hawley is a super- intendent who possesses qual- ities that make him stand out from the rest. I have only known Matt a short time, but in that time have come to respect and admire his dedication and commitment to the betterment of education for all,” Criss said. Contributed photo Crane Superintendent Matt Hawley, who was named 2020 Administrator of the Year by the Oregon Small Schools As- sociation, poses with some of his students. Hawley will receive his OSSA 2020 Administrator of the Year award later this summer. “The OSSA board of direc- tors is very happy to honor Matt Hawley this year. He is an exemplary leader whose work has improved the success of students in Oregon’s small school districts,” said Michael Carter, OSSA board president. Hawley earned his Bache- lor of Education degree from Western Oregon State Col- lege and his Masters in Edu- cation Leadership from North- west Nazarene University. He received his Superinten- dent Endorsement/Education Specialist Degree from Uni- versity of Idaho and com- pleted his Continuing Admin- istration Licensure Program from Lewis & Clark Col- lege. Hawley began his teach- ing career at Hood River Val- ley High School, worked in the Vale School District and came to Harney County schools in 2015. OSSA recognizes one school administrator each year who excels in the lead- ership position. Criteria include integrity, leader- ship, commitment to com- munity, scholarship and stu- dent achievement. OSSA serves as an advocate for the benefits of rural education and small schools across the state. For more information, visit oregonssa.org. Quality Healthcare Close to Home 170 Ford Road, John Day • 541-575-1311 • www.bluemountainhospital.org Blue Mountain Hospital District Welcomes New General Surgeon, Dr. Jerry Guanciale to the team. Dr. Guanciale comes to Grant County with nearly 30 years of experience. “We are excited to have Dr. Guanciale joining our team at Blue Mountain Hospital District” - (Derek Daly, BMHD CEO) “He brings broad surgery experience and a diverse skill set to BMHD that will benefit our Grant County residents and the patients we serve.” He was raised in western Pennsylvania with three brothers and a sister. Following graduation from Penn State University, he completed four years of Osteopathic medical education at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Accepted to a premier Osteopathic surgical residency at the Grandview Hospital and Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Guanciale completed rotations at the Cleveland Clinic (OH) in Colorectal Surgery, Grant Hospital, Columbus, OH for Trauma Surgery and Dayton Children’s Hospital for Pediatric Surgery. Following completion of his residency, Dr. Guanciale followed his passion for rural medicine in Kentucky and South Carolina before settling in Myrtle Beach, SC for 12 years. He completed a Fellowship in Cosmetic Surgery in 2008 from a center in Beverly Hills, CA. The draw of the desert took him to Arizona and Nevada where he continued to practice rural surgery, while incorporating his skills with his Cosmetic Surgery training. Most recently he worked in Mesquite Nevada. Dr. Guanciale is board certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Surgery and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He has a passion for advanced endoscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopic, minimally invasive procedures, breast surgery, as well as cosmetic procedures. He moved to John Day with his wife Tina and their Boykin Spaniel, Desi. He has two daughters that live in Portland. In his spare time, Dr Guanciale loves exploring the outdoors, hunting, fishing, off-road cruising, water skiing, golfing, and travel. He has been enjoying the John Day Golf Club and is looking forward to exploring more of the wilderness. “The people here have been so welcoming and friendly!” Dr. Guanciale is looking forward to the possibility of providing additional services here in Grant County that aren’t currently available. Bend Ortho - Dr. Scott Jacobson 7/16 July Bend Neuro - Dr. Raymond Tien 7/17 Visiting Specialists Baker Podiatrist - Dr. Ruston 7/20 Bend Ortho - Korena Farris Larsen PA 7/27 Blue Mountain Care Center Resident of the Month Donna Wyllie Donna Wyllie was born to Robert L. Porter and Elma Lavelle Osborne Porter on October 27th, 1938 in Redding, California. She and her brother, Robert L. Porter Jr. were raised in Fall River Mills, California. Donna married Harry G. Santos and they had two children: Lindsey and Russell. After their divorce, she married Laurie Wyllie in 1960 and had 2 daughter, Lori and Jamie and a son Layton. Laurie had a young son, Kelly, and Donna loved him as her own. Donna and Laurie divorced in 1975. Donna worked as a housewife, a receptionist for PG&E, as a rancher, and at the Blue Mt. Eagle. She also worked for Chaney Asphalt and Pavement, was a dispatcher at Charlie Brown Trucking, worked at Ace Hardware for 20 years in Nevada and sold mobile homes for Pioneer Mobile Homes. Donna went to work as an aide at Blue Mountain Hospital on the second day it was open; her favorite part was working with the mama’s and their babies. While working for the Blue Mt. Eagle, she would drive to Prairie City on Tuesday nights to help Ruth Harris and Jerry Franklin with the Pioneer Press. She put together the Elk’s Bulletin each month and was an Elkette. Donna has lived in Nevada and Oregon. She and her family drove from Nevada to Gore, Oklahoma to visit her Aunt. Her favorite place to travel with her family was Burney Falls Park, California. Donna now has 14 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. She enjoys collecting teapots and salt and pepper shakers. She also enjoys doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and playing pinochle. She also got to see Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Diamond Rio, Neil Diamond and many others. She also met Bob Orisson a stuntman for the movies and Ron Ely who played Tarzan. In 1980, Donna was in Portland on her way to the Coast; when she heard about Mt. St. Helen’s; so she drove towards the mountain and got very close. She took several pictures. It was a good thing she ran out of film, as on her way out a police officer stopped and told her that she was only 12 air miles away from the eruption. There were deer running away from the area as well. “I got home and I knew I had been to Mt. St. Helen’s as there were ashes the car’s engine and everywhere”. She had the garage people help her with that. She kept some of the ashes in a baby food jar and they would sift through the lid if it wasn’t screwed on tight. Donna came to Blue Mountain Care Center on September 27, 2017. S195781-1