Swiss exchange student delights
American hosts
Just about as sweet as the
chocolate for which her country is
famed, Swiss-born Brigitte Neff is
capturing the hearts of Americans
with her enthusiasm and engaging
disposition.
Brigitte, 27 years old on Sept. 26,
is an International Foreign Youth
Exchange student who has been
traveling in California and Oregon
as a part of the 4-H IFYE exchange
program.
With an insatiable appetite for new
experiences, Brigitte seems to be
having a wonderful time. “ 1 love to
travel,” she said. "And I love to
speak with the people.” And speak
she does, in almost fluent English,
despite limited English lessons. Her
native language is German and her
second language taught in the
schools, is French.
Brigitte, her three brothers and
three sisters grew up on a dairy farm
in the village of Buhler in northeast
Switzerland. The family has a farm
of about 18 acres, some of which her
father owns and some of which he
leases. They keep around 20 head of
Swiss browns, 10 pigs, and 40
chickens. Because of government
restrictions her father cannot sell his
milk, but instead breeds cows and
pigs. “ Our farmland at home is a lit
tle like a toy,” said Brigitte, com
pared with large American farms.
She says that an American farm of
10,000 acres is almost as big as a
state in Switzerland.
“ My father ‘learned’ us to work,”
she added. “ You know you have to
work for your money. But after a
heavy
day we enjoy to play. We
have no TV. We have action and
VOL 108 NO. 39______ Wednesday, September 26, 1990
Heppner 25‘
8 Pages
don’t have time to look. We are all
the time busy.” For ten weeks every
year her father stays with their cows
at the family’s cabin, which has no
electricity.
Volunteer Program and a unique
Obviously no stranger to work.
program, the Morrow County
Brigitte has worked with a family as
Disaster Relief Fund. In the last two
a nurse’s aide; was employed in a
years over $2,500 has been
hospital as a Red Cross aide; cared
distributed to county residents who
for her grandmother who was ill;
have had catastrophic financial
worked as a farmer in an area
obligations due to fire, medical ex
without electricity and milked cows
penses, etc. from this fund.
by hand; attended a special farm-
Of United Way’s contributions to
wife school in which she learned
the EMT Morrow County Am
sewing, bookkeeping, weaving, pot
bulance Fund, Carl Lauritsen, EMT
tery, small farm animal husbandry,
III says, “ United Way has helped us
gardening and cooking up to seven
a lot. We’re getting newer and bet
course meals; worked with apple
ter trauma equipment with the , farmers and spent six years as a
monies. It doesn’t just benefit us-it
family aide.
makes our job easier, but it helps
Brigitte says that the farm-wife
everyone in the community.”
school was very difficult and, at the
Local businesses contributing to
end of the training, students were
Morrow County United Way include judged on the skills they had learn
Morrow Co. Grain Growers, U.S.
ed. Brigitte says that she aspires to
West, Boardman Laundromat, Van
be a midwife, for which she is re
United Way of Morrow County
Marter & Kahl Insurance, Bank of
have aided the Heppner Senior
quired to complete three more years
kicked off its annual campaign drive
Eastern Oregon, Morrow County
Citizens, Inc., the Boardman Child
of training and pass a- test.
last week at the Portland General
Development, Irrigon Early Learn em ployees. Bank o f America
Brigitte says that of her town of
Electric Coal Fired Plant near
Federal Savings Bank (formerly
ing and Heppner Day Care centers,
2,000, only 800 are Swiss. The re
Boardman. The campaign runs un
Benjamin Franklin Savings & Loan),
local Christmas Basket programs,
maining 1,200 are foreigners who
til November and the board of direc the Columbia River EMT, Irrigon
Pioneer Memorial Hospital, First In
work in the textile industry making
tors is hoping to meet or exceed its
Ambulance Service and EMT Mor terstate Bank and Portland General
carpets, or make jewelry boxes or
$18,000 goal for this year.
Electric. “ Many individual citizens
row County Ambulance funds, the
kitchen cupboards.
United Way of Morrow County is
also contribute on a one-time or on
lone Fire Department, Domestic
She says she became involved in
an annual basis. Contributions are
Violence Services, the Morrow Co.
a non-profit organization whose
Rural Youth, what we call 4-H. in
funds are entirely raised and disburs Neighborhood Council, the Irrigon- tax deductible, and can be designated her canton or state, where she was
Boardman Emergency Assistance to a specific fund,” said the spokes a leader. Only 14 out of 6,000 Swiss
ed within Morrow County. “ Ninety-
six cents of every dollar contributed Center, Stokes Landing Senior person. Contributions may be sent to
Center, Oregon Trail Campfire and P.O. Box 501, Boardman, OR
goes to the agencies and groups we
Blue Mt. Council of Boy Scouts, as 97818. Anyone wanting more infor
support," said a spokesperson.
mation about Morrow County
well as local troops and packs,
"Only a very small amount is used
Pioneer Memorial Hospital Home United Way is encouraged to contact
for campaign and fund-raising pur
Health, Morrow Co. residents who a board member: Patti Allstott,
poses.”
belong to the Retired Senior 676-5216; Judy Eckman, 989-8498;
The Tourism Committee is
By supporting the local United
Lisa Rietmann, 422-7181; Cathy
holding a picnic get-together on
Way, businesses and individuals
Bauska 481-7047 and Dick Foidel
Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. at the
922-3130.
Morrow County Fairgrounds
Those attending are asked to bring
a main dish and a dish to share.
Drinks will be furnished. The public
is invited to attend.
The memory of a slain police of
After more than 50 phone calls
A former lone boy, Dalton Quinn
ficer has finally been laid to rest
and a run around from the Corpus
Tullis, of Rainier, died Sept. 23
almost three years after his death-
Christi police, the Oregon State
following a dirt bike accident at
thanks to the efforts of the Morrow
Sheriff s Association agreed to buy
Rainier Beach.
County Sheriff Roy Drago.
the headstone, at Drago's request.
Quinn is the son of Tim Tullis of
Corpus Christi, Texas, Police
But that spurred the Corpus Christi
Ranier and Linda Tullis of lone.
Charges of disorderly conduct and
Sergeant J.D. Bock, who was rais
department “ to take care of our
Grandparents are Garry and Birdine criminal mischief have been dismiss
ed in Boardman. was shot to death
own,” and they finally sent the
Tullis of lone and Harold and June ed against John Steagall, Ty Zeller.
on Sept. 9, 1987. Bock, 40 years
headstone which says, “ A Corpus
Hamblet of Sweet Idaho. He attend Russell Britt, Bill Hays and four of
old. had stopped a speeding car and
Christi Police Officer killed in the
ed school at lone before he moved five juveniles charged as a result of
in the confrontation which followed
line of duty.” The stone includes
to Rainier four years ago.
an April 4, 1990 incident. The inci
was shot and killed with his own
Bock's name, dates of his birth and
dent
occurred in Heppner when a
gun.
death, and a replica of his sergeant’s
motorist claimed that students had
Bock was buried in the Riverview
shield.
“ Mark your calendar. Reno night
blocked her travel path and damag
Cemetery in Boardman, where he'd
‘‘One day I came to the
is
coming,”
said
organizer
and
ed
her car.
said he wished to be buried. Board-
cemetery," said Drago, “ and there
According to Morrow County
Booster Club mem ber Susan
man police officers and sheriff s
it was. There was a feeling of great
District Attorney Jeff Wallace, fur
Johnston.
deputies held a memorial service at
relief."
ther investigation, including con
The annual Booster Club fund
the grave site in May 1988, in an an
sideration of the results of polygraph
raiser is planned for Sat., Oct. 13.
nual ceremony honoring officers
starting at 7 p.m. at the Heppner
examinations,
led to the dismissals.
killed in the line of duty, but no
Elks Club.
Due to the pending charges against
headstone had been placed on Bock's
The evening will feature an auc
the remaining juvenile, further
grave.
tion, 21 tables, roulette and other
details
cannot be disclosed at this
In May of the following year,
lone High School classes of
gaming tables.
time. No hearing date has been set.
when another memorial was held,
1950-65 will hold their fifth reunion
the headstone had still not been
on Saturday. October 13. beginning
placed.
at 6 p.m. at the Thunderbird Inn at
Drago then decided to take action,
the Quay, Vancouver, Wash.
taking responsibility for the
Registration is $30 per person
Beginning next week the Heppner
headstone since at one time Bock had
payable to Judy Rea For more in Gazette-Times will cost 35 cents at
applied for a job with the Morrow
formation call her at 422-7445.
the newstand. Subscriptions will also
County Sheriff s Dept But, at that
Anyone interested in attending and raise to $15 in Morrow. Gilliam and
reminiscing with IHS Alums is Wheeler Counties and $9 senior
time there was no opening in the
welcome to attend.
citizens.
department.
The evening will begin with a 6
Drago then called the Corpus
The price increase is necessary
p.m. no-host bar. followed by a buf because of increased production
Christi Police Department whose of
fet at 7:30. Dancing to live music costs at the newspaper, says
ficials believed that a headstone had
and
reminiscing begins at 9 p.m
Publisher David Sykes.
already been put in place
United Way kicks off annual campaign
Tourism committee
plans picnic Oct. 2
Memory of slain police
man laid to rest
were selected in the initial screening
to come to the U.S. through IFYE.
Out of the 14 only four were finally
chosen this year, three girls and one
boy. “ I was so glad and happy I
could come,” she said.
Brigitte says that she has spent six
days in the “ Big Apple,” four days
in Philadelphia, then went to
Washington D.C. where she met
other IFYE students from Europe
and South America. She then travel
ed to California, where she worked
her way up the state, staying with
seven different host families in
seven different cities before coming
to Buttercreek to stay with John and
Nellie Madison. During Brigitte’s
stay in Oregon she has seen Cannon
Beach and Seaside, A storia,
Tillamook. Fort Clatsop. Molino,
Heppner and Pendleton, where she
attended the Happy Canyon and
Round-Up festivities. Brigitte, who
is fascinated with native Americans
and art, says that the Round-Up has
been her most interesting ex
perience. “ The Pendleton Round-
Up, the Indian arts and crafts and the
crazy cowboys—that was just
wonderful,” she said.
Host families ranged from a nurse,
a teacher and a computer specialist
to a farmer, an apartment manager
and a resort employee. The current
hosts the Madisons, had a daughter
who traveled to Switzerland as an
IFYE.
Brigitte arrived in the U.S. on
May 28 and in the Heppner area
Sept. 7. The six-month exchange
program is divided between two
states with three months in Califor
nia and three months in Oregon.
After her stay at Buttercreek,
Brigitte will go to Klamath Falls and
then to Springfield, before traveling
George K offler graduates
from banking school
management and funds manage
ment. The last requirement is to
complete an original thesis on a cur
rent topic in banking.
Koffler attended resident sessions
in 1988, 1989 and 1990, graduating
with a concentration in general bank
management in August of 1990.
Koffler has been with the bank
since August of 1979. He is current
ly manager of the Heppner Branch
and a loan officer. He also has a
variety of administrative areas of
responsibility.
Former lone
boy dies
Charges against
students dropped
Reno night Oct. 13
IHS almuni
plan reunion
G-T prices
increase
to Washington, D C., for a meeting
with other IFYEs and then home.
Brigitte says, “ Sometimes I miss
my family, but I have so many nice
families here." During her stay in
a B uttercreek a friend from
Switzerland, Erica Pahler, has been
visiting. Erica has been working as
a nanny in Canada.
Brigitte says that she enjoys
American food. “ I try anything,”
she said, adding that her only bad ex
perience was in the “ Big Apple,”
where an encounter with a ham
burger made her wary of the
American staple.
The Swiss education system is a
bit different than the American, with
primary school students attending
school from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
and 1:30 to 4 p.m. Monday, Tues
day, Thursday and Friday. Wednes
day and Saturday students are
dismissed at noon. Secondary school
students attend from 7 a.m. to noon
and 1 to 6 p.m. School children have
only five weeks vacation in the sum
mer. After the ninth grade, students
may attend college or professional
school. In professional school
students work at their profession and
attend professional or home educa
tion school one day a week. In her
professional school Brigitte stayed
with a family, learning to become a
farm wife and spent one day a week
in school.
While here Brigitte represents her
country and her canton, speaking
with reporters and civic organiza
tions about her life in Switzerland.
In Heppner she spoke and showed
slides at Soroptimist and at the
Heppner Chamber of Commerce.
Those attending were also treated to
a beautiful and haunting yodeling
demonstration.
Market Report
Compliments of the Morrow County Grain Growers
\
* '
George Koffler
George Koffler. executive vice
president of the Bank of Eastern
Oregon, recently completed course
work and graduated from Pacific
Coast Banking School. The school
features a three-year resident session
at the University of Washington in
Seattle In addition, each student is
required to complete extension pro
blems for the areas of business,
finance, marketing, asset/liability
Tuesday. September 25
Soft White
Sept.
’3.10
Oet.
*3.ll/*3.13
Dec.
*3.18/*3.20
Jan.
*3.21
Barley
Sept.
*94
Oct.
*95/*97
Nov
»97
»98
Dec.
Jan.
’98
98 %
Pik
Government Grain
’312