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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2020)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, November 18, 2020 A3 Christmas on the Prairie moved to Dec. 5 A kickoff to the Christmas Season delayed but happening By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle Santa had to postpone his visit to Prairie City, but it looks like he’ll now be com- ing to town for Christmas on the Prairie on Dec. 5. The holiday event was originally scheduled for Nov. 21, but the two-week state- wide COVID-19 freeze from Nov. 18 to Dec. 2 delayed the event, according to Wanda Winegar, a longtime merchant and one of several organizers of the event. The restrictions from the state mandate limited many activities, such as the shop- ping at bazaars and stores, so the event was moved to the first Saturday after the two- week period. Many activities originally listed in the event are still tentatively scheduled to happen, but the carriage rides are up in the air due to the carriage company possibly having another job in Idaho at the same time. Organizers had already decided to cut other events as well such as the 5K run and the kids crafts. However, Win- egar said there will be other events and sales at bazaars and shops that the community can enjoy. “I think things will be a lit- tle quieter, but hopefully peo- ple can enjoy the shopping, activities and friendship,” Winegar said. Winegar said Christmas on the Prairie is an import- ant event with a bazaar at the American Legion Hall as a fundraiser for the group and a bazaar at the community cen- ter for home vendors. It’s also a big day finan- Eagle file photo Santa shows 6-year-old Blake Jacobs that her name is on his list of good children. The jolly ol’ elf visited with a long line of children at the Teen Center during Christmas on the Prairie in Prairie City last year. cially for local stores in Prairie City, thanks to the movement provided by the event, while giving an opportunity for the community to socialize. “You get to see people that you haven’t seen in a while, and I think the public as a whole enjoys it because they can go to lunch with their friends and shop,” Winegar said. One activity the public can look forward to is a Christmas lyric scavenger hunt provided by the stores in Prairie City. Winegar said each par- ticipating store in Prai- rie City will have a lyric to a Christmas song, and par- ticipants will fill out a form of where they found the lyrics. Merchants also provided items and gift certificates to be awarded as prizes. St. Nick himself is tenta- tively scheduled to greet the public at the Teen Center at 11 a.m. and then at the tree lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. “We hope people come and enjoy the day and enjoy their friendship with other people and the sales going on,” Win- egar said. Contributed photo Thomas Dekany Strutting along in downtown Prairie City are two Per- cheron thorough- bred draft horses, driven by Jerry Wilcox of Wilcox Horse & Buggy of Vale, with his passengers. Skills for a lifetime Monument CTE teacher Michele Engle instructs on construction, greenhouses, welding By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle Arts and letters are import- ant, but for career technical education teacher Michele Engle, the goal is skills to be used outside of the classroom. Engle’s CTE class in Monument offers many top- ics from ag welding and con- struction to greenhouse care and management for students in middle school. Engle said students at the green- house raise many dif- ferent types of vegetable plants and Michele Engle flowers with more varieties available this year for sale. For welding, she said stu- dents can learn about various welding processes such as gas metal arc welding (MIG welding), shielded metal arc welding (stick welding) and gas tungsten arc welding (TIG welding). Students learn basic con- struction skills from the Pax- ton/Patterson construction program. They learn how to use various tools and apply these skills to plumbing, applying drywall, framing and more. Lessons on blue- print reading and taking mea- surements are also taught. Skills learned are then applied to projects conducted through the school year. There are 14 students enrolled in the CTE program with some students taking both welding and construc- tion classes. Engle said her goal is to help those students develop skills that make them more self-sufficient in their per- sonal life. “We live in a society where many people are not able to perform simple maintenance on their own homes,” Engle said. “This program gives them those skills, as well as allowing them the opportu- nity to develop interests in the different career fields.” Some of the projects her class completed were build- ing Adirondack chairs, tod- dler flip chairs and different types of benches, signs and stools. One project that the high- er-level students are build- ing is a chicken house, which Engle said looked like a min- iature barn. Engle said her stu- dents found the blueprints to construct the chicken house. “As with any blueprint, the students have had to make modifications,” Engle said. “I have been very impressed with their discussions about the changes and the decisions that they have had to make con- cerning them.” Her welding and construc- tion classes have built items to donate to the community of Monument. Her welding class built a barbecue with a stand that was donated to the local motel, and her students also constructed a sidewalk through Contributed photo Contributed photo Monument senior David How- ell welds in the career techni- cal education teacher Michele Engle’s class. Monument senior Mark Thom- as momentarily takes off his mask to smile with a family sign he made in class. Monument sophomore Gauge Jenks works during career technical education class. the local park in Monument. For three years, the stu- dents’ work has also been donated as auction items donated for auctions for Women in Timber, local first responders and the Monu- ment Senior Center. “I instill in my students the importance of giving back and helping with pro- grams that need individuals to help make them success- ful,” Engle said. Engle said a highlight of being the CTE instructor is watching her students learn, create and build personal projects that they can use. “I love the comments from parents and community mem- bers about how impressed they are with the knowledge that my students have gained while participating in the pro- gram,” Engle said. “I have been so proud to see how successful my students have become in many different types of vocational fields.” Contributed photo Happy Thanksgiving! We will be closed November 26th. Have a safe and wonderful holiday! THE JUNIPER ARTS COUNCIL / GRANT COUNTY CULTURAL COALITION IS SEEKING GRANT PROPOSALS FOR OREGON CULTURAL TRUST GRANT AWARDS The coalition has $7,000 from the Oregon Cultural Trust to distribute in Grant County to organizations for projects relating to culture and / or heritage. Applications are available from Karin Barntish, 131 W. Main Street, John Day, Oregon, or call Kris Beal at (541)932-4892 for more information or an application. Grant applications will be accepted until January 8, 2021 5 P.M. Huffman’s 541-820-3588 S216733-1 We’re your kind of store! MARKETS Fresh Produce - Cold Beverages - Complete Meat Department S215124-1 Prairie City
