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The Heppner
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Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
VOL. 96 NO. 22
HEPPNER, OREGON
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1978
12 PAGES
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29 area students recieve
Carl Troedson scholarships
Carr W. Troedson scholar
ships for the coming school
year have been awarded to 29
students from Morrow Coun
ty. Announcement of the
awards to graduating seniors
were made during graduation
ceremonies at the county's
three high schools last week.
Heppner High students re
ceiving the awards were
Kristi Edmundson, Diane Hol
land, Cathy Palmer, Joan
Warren and Bruce Young,
lone recipients were Grace
McEUligott, Jan Peterson,
Jeanie Piening, and Natalie
Tews. Students from River
'Pure and simple love9 makes
Irrigon foster home happy
, by Elane Blanchet
Billy and Sammie Griffin of
Irrigon feel that the most
important ingredient in being
a foster parent is pure and
-simple love.
The couple has five sons of
their own, ranging in age from
9k to 18, but since 1972 have
found room in their home and
hearts for a total of nine other
youngsters, temporarily sep
arated from their natural
parents for a variety of
reasons. .
Sammie feels that part of
her empathy with her foster
children stems from the fact
that her mother died when she
was eight years old: I was a
very lonely child and I think
that's why I related to these
kids, because they're all
suffering from a lack of love
and are hungry for love."
She mentioned "love" se
veral times within the space of
a few minutes, with husband
Billy sitting nearby in silent
agreement. "You may think I
overemphasize love, but if
these children had a secure
home With enough love, they
wouldn't be in a situation
where they had to be placed in
a foster home."
The Griffins have been
taking care of their present
Three shows highlight
weekend Junior Rodeo
The first of three Morrow County Junior
Rodeo performances will get underway
Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Fairgrounds in
Heppner, wilth over 170 young cowboys and
cowgirls competing in the 1978 contest.
Saturday and Sunday rodeo action will
start at 1 p.m. with awards to be presented by
the Junior Rodeo Court after Sunday's
performance. The Friday night show begins
at 7:30 p.m.
No Cowboy Breakfast is planned this
year, but snack shacks will be manned by
Heppner Lions' Club members during all
performances.
A dance featuring music by the Jim
Ackley Band will be held from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
in the Fair Pavilion after Saturday's show.
This year's contestants will compete in 11
events: bareback riding, saddle bronc, cow
riding, goat tieing, pole bending, team roping,
bull dogging, girls' calf riding, break-away
roping and barrel racing.
Awards will be presented in each event,
side receiving the; scholar
ships were Cally Broadbent,
Penny Conboy, Marilee Hell
berg and Tammie Rock.
These students may apply
for renewal of their scholar
ship grants, provided that
good academic standing is
maintained during their first
year of college or other
post-high school training pro
gram. Morrow County students
who have previously won the
grants and successfully ap
plied for renewal include
Arlene Cannon, Carl Christ
man, Darla Cooper, Linda
Cooper, Joan Doherty, Kate
foster child, now 2xk years old,
for the past year. Andy
(fictitious name) calls Sam
mie and Billy "Mom" and
"Dad", and points with pride
to his "brothers" in ball team
photographs displayed promi
nently on the television set.
"He's a Griffin", they said
fondly.
One of the hardest parts in
being foster parents for the
Griffins in the past has been
the moment of separation,
when the children are reunited
with their natural parents the
end goal of the foster home
program.
Even though they know that
moment will eventually come,
Sammie commented, "We
don't take kids with the
thought that it is temporary.
We want them to be part of our
family and we treat them just
like we do our own boys."
Andy presents a slightly
different situation for the
Griffins, in that he has been
thef youngest charge, and
they've had him for the
longest time. A child abuse
case, Andy will be placed up
for adoption if a rare termina
tion of parental rights proce
dure goes through circuit
court. If this happens, the
Griffins have discussed adopt-I
with an all-around trophy given to the best
boy and girl performers in both senior and
junior divisions.
A Jody Ruggs memorial award will be
given to the senior girl trophy winner. A
special rotating trophy will be presented to
the best all-around performer in memory of
Harold Erwin, well-known Morrow County
cowboy who died in 1976.
Bob and Bev Steagall, chairman and
secretary respectively, are coordinating this
year's rodeo. Directors in charge of different
events include: Bob Mahoney, riding; Bob
Montgomery, roping; Kite Healy, track;
Jerry Dougherty, dance; Dick Sherer,
grounds; and Judy Eckman, donations and
awards.
Joe Nichols of Echo will be announcer for
the rodeo shows, with stock provided by
Howard Johnson and John Rattray of Condon.
Reigning over the action will be the
Morrow County Junior Rodeo Court, Queen
Cindy Dougherty and Princesses Kathleen
Van Schoiack and Jana Steagall.
Evans, Linda Jones, Ashley .
McCabe, Catherine McElli
gott, Theresa McElligott,
Dawn Peterson, Chris Rauch,
Mark Sargent, Linda Skoubo,
Tim Skow and Jerry Zielinski.
The scholarship funds come
from interest earned on an
initial grant from the late Carl
W. Troedson, an lone area
wheat grower. Selection of
recipients is performed by a
committee made up of the
Morrow County School Super
intendent, the pastor of Valby
Lutheran Church, and the
Morrow County Judge, as
stipulated in Mr. Troedson 's
will.
County foster homes in rare su
ing Andy but haven't made
any decision. "Billy's nearing
retirement age, and we won
der if he might not be better
off with a younger couple.
Emotions really get in the
way, but we'd have to decide
what would be best for him,"
Sammie said.
In the Griffin's home all
decisions about taking any
foster chijd is made by the
whole family. "We have a
unique system everyone in
the family votes and there has
to be 100 per cent agreement.
There have been children we
haven't taken because every
one didn't agree," Sammie
commented. A very Christian
oriented home, the family
prays for guidance before
voting on any particular child.
Sammie feels that caring for
foster children has been
beneficial for her own family :
"When my own kids see the
need, the loneliness of these
! kids and the communication
breakdown in their families,
they work harder to be close."
While the Griffins said
they've never had a real
adjustment problem with any
of their foster charges, Sam
mie points out that every child
Cont. on page 2
lone Church of Christ auction
and barbecue opens Saturday
United Church of Christ's
15th annual Auction and
Barbecue will be held June 3
at the Willows Grange Hall in
lone.
Activities will begin at 10
a.m., with the traditional
ringing of the cowbell, which
signals the opening of the
Country Store with its home
made sewing, fancy work,
arts and crafts, used but
useful household articles and
home-cooked foods including
bread, rolls, sweet breads,
cakes, pies, jam, jelly and
pickles.
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Little 'Andy' is held by his foster mother Sammie Griffin, while his foster dad, Bill, laughs during
a tickling session at their home in Irrigon. The Children's Services Division is looking for foster
homes in Morrow County to place youngsters who need to be seperated from their natural parents
on a temporary basis.
Morrow County 4-H'ers get
national delegate nomination
Two Morrow County 4-H
members, Jan Peterson and
Erin Evans, have been nomi
nated as delegates to the
National 4-H Congress ;o be
held in Chicago later this year.
Both girls have been active
in local 4-H home economics
projects, with Erin receiving
her nomination in the clothing
division, and Jan in foods -nd
nutrition. Both girl qualified
for their nominations during
recent :tdiewide competition,
based on 4-H project records.
The daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Herb Peterson of lone,
Jan recently completed her
senior year at lone High
School, where she was an
honor student, and served as a
home economics assistant
teacher. She was the lone
graduating senior from across
the state to win the $500
Oregon Wheat Commission
Scholarship, which will be put
to use this Fall when she
Areas of special interest to
children will include the Fish
Pond at 10 cents per cast; the
Kiddie Korner, featuring toys,
sporting goods, games, puz
zles and books at a fraction of
their original price; and the
Snack Shack, which will be
open all day with sno-cones
and pop.
Auctioneer Don Winks will
be calling for the first bid for
his 15th consecutive year on a
variety of new and used
articles, starting at 10:30 a.m.
Volunteers will begin serving
the pit barbecue dinner at
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Tickling session
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Erin Evans
enters Oregon State Univer-
sity. Jan has been involved
with 4-H since she was 9 years
old.
Erin, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Vern Evans of Irrigon,
12:30 p.m. in the Grange's
dining room. The meal will
include barbecued beef, a
variety of salads, baked beans
and garlic bread. The first two
places in line will be autioned
off just before the dinner.
Antique Alley and the Silent
Auction will feature items of
interest to the antique collec
tor. Silent Auction containers
will be opened during the
lunch hour, and large items
will be auctioned off just prior
to, then after, lurch. Included
in the sale will be old trunks, a
pressed back chair, an oak
l
inf. ,
V
Jan Peterson
just completed her junior year
at Riverside High School,
where she was an honor
student, a cheerleader, an
FFA member and active in
student government. Her 4-H
rocking chair, three drawer
dressers, a wicker rocking
chair, stained glass and many
other items.
Inside
Babe Ruth team wins
See ttory Page Four
Campers lost and found
See ttory Page Two
pply
CSD cites need for
foster homes
The Morrow County branch
of the Children's Services
Division in Heppner is putting
out a call for persons who
would like to provide foster
homes for youngsters tempo
rarily separated from their
natural parents.
At present, 16 children have
been placed through the office
in foster homes, but only
seven of these are within the
county.
"We're down to the point
where we really need more
foster homes in Morrow Coun
ty," commented local CSD
Caseworker Bill Sheirbon.
"It's not fair to ask other
counties to provide homes for
most of our kids. It cuts into
the number of homes avail
able for their own."
Sheirbon said that three
foster families from Heppner
recently moved away, reduc
ing an already low number of
homes in the county open to
foster children. "Ideally we
should have twice as many
homes available as we have
kids, to be able to fit the child
with the family." He ex
plained that some persons are
able to care for only a certain
kind of child on a short time
basis, and that he would feel
comfortable with 25-30 foster
project areas have included
horses and clothing.
County 4-H Extension Agent
Birdine Tullis noted that the
two Morrow County girls were
the only local applicants for
the nominations. "We know
they'll both be there when the
final winners will be an
nounced" in September, she
said.
Weather
Hi Low Prec.
Wednesday, May 24 62 40 .01
Thursday, May 25 66 40
Friday, May 26 66 36 .02
Saturday, May 27 71 45 .11
Sunday, May 28 65 45
Monday, May 29 65 37 .01
Tuesday, May 30 67 35
Special arrangements have
been made for self-contained
recreation vehicles to be
parked overnight on the
grounds.
homes to make appropriate
placement.
The Children's Services Di
vision licenses foster homes
according to guidelines that
include enough space for the
child or children, adequate
sewage and water supply,
adequate standards of cleanli
ness and other such criteria.
Sheirbon said he was look
ing for families who have
realistic ideas on how to raise
children, who know different
kinds of discipline techniques,
and who function well them
selves. "I'm not specifically
looking for middle-income
homes sometimes children
from low-income environ
ments have trouble fitting in,"
he commented.
While there is a stipend
ranging from $123 to $195 per
month, depending on age, paid
for caring for foster children,
the family is required to be
able to meet it's needs without
relying on the board payments
made on behalf of the foster
child.
The children themselves fall
into two categories: teenagers
from juvenile court and de
pendency children.
Sheirbon said youngsters
Cont on poos 2
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