Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1993)
Chamber honors first citizens, educator p T s p I E W E T Z E N U CF ORF , ...... . L l HEPPNER 35C azette imes VOL. 112 NO. 3 6 Pages Wednesday, January 20, 1993 Morrow County Heppner, Oregon Bank of Eastern Oregon business of year 1 r ¥ * * •* % > 1 , ■ft j m « -------------- 1 5 & M Bank of Eastern Oregon president Gerald Pierson (I) and Bill Jaeger, chairman of the board of directors, accepts award from Meg Murray. The Bank of Eastern Oregon Street renovations, but always by was presented the business of the supporting with the time and ef year award at the annual Hepp fort the many organizations that ner Chamber of Commerce Tow n contribute to the quality of life and Country Days dinner. that we enjoy.” Presenter Meg Murray com In 1945, the Gilliam County mented that the business "has not Bank in Arlington was capitaliz only grown and propsered in our ed for $25.000. At that time Arl community, but has helped the ington had been without a bank rest of us do the same.” Murray since the 1930’s. In 1957, the noted that the bank has “ fur Heppner bank was opened, and it became necessary to increase thered the progress of our rural area, lately by helping fund the the capital to $120,000. The Senior Citizen Center and Main directors called on the people of the county and raised the needed funds in just one day. The prime movers in the Heppner area were John Krebs and Phil Mahoney, said Murray. The Heppner bank opened in a corner of the Empire Machinery Company. At the time, the bank had two employees, plywood counters and a cannon ball safe. The Empire Machinery Company was located where Morrow County Abstract and Title and the law offices of Kuhn and Spicer are located today. The bank later purchased the building that had been a blacksmith shop and built the bank in its present location. The bank has been remodeled and expanded several times, because of increased bank activity. The bank now has a branch* in lone and Arlington. On December 31, 1957, the total assets of the Bank of Eastern Oregon were $2.5 million. On December 31, 1991 the bank lists $33.7 million in assets. The bank has had only three presidents since its inceptions, L.C. Buckner, Gene Pierce and Gerald Pierson. Two members of the original board of directors are still living. Howard Bryant and Frank Anderson. Both still reside in Heppner. Maryan McElligott The Heppner Chamber of Commerce presented its annual awards at the Town and Country Banquet held Jan. 13 at the Hepp ner Elks Club. Maryan McElligott received the woman of the year award, George Koffler the man of the year. Bank of Eastern Oregon, business of the year an Linda Shaw, citizen-educator of the year. The Rev. Grace Drake received a special award for her work in the local summer recrea tion program for children. Award presenter Bill Kuhn noted that McElligott raised a family of eight children and still found the time to be a communi ty leader. She had 19 years in volvement in 4-H; has supervis ed many lone fund raising din ners. including those at the Fourth of July and American Legion; has been a member of the Cardinal Club, serving as com mittee chair and president; has been member of the school district computer planning com mittee; worked voter registration for 20 years; chaired U.S. Air Force women’s clubs; and taught cooking and cake decorating through Blue Mountain Com munity College. McElligott has also served as beef spokesperson for the Cattle Women, is an organizer of the district “ Make It Yourself with Wool, is an active member of St. Williams Catholic Church; has been president of the St. Williams Altar Society; and has been a catechism teacher for over 25 years. She also Itakes and. decorates cakes for the communi ty. She and h6r husband, Jerry, have eight children, Terry Grace, Janet. Patty, Bridgett, Mike, Vin cent and Matthew. George Koffler Man of the year, George Kof fler, was a member and past president of the Heppner Lions Club, is a past president and long time board member of the Hepp ner Chamber of Commerce; was instrumental in the Heppner hotel project; was past president of Lit tle League and coached Little League for three years; was a member of the city of Heppner budget committee; has coached Colt basketball; is a member of the Elks Club and is on the Elks scholarship committee; is a member and officer of the Odd fellows Lodge; was a member of Heppner Vision 2000. a com munity economic development organization; is a member of the H eppner United M ethodist Church and is currently vice chair of the Heppner Coordinating Council and is helping to spearhead the Morrow County Fairgrounds development project. He was also involved in the H eppner downtown im provements and the football field lighting. Koffler and his wife, Debbie, have two sons. Rick and Brian. Vice president of the Bank of Eastern Oregon, Koffler will become president of the bank when current President Gerald Pierson retires after this year. When it became apparent that the Heppner swimming pool would not open this past summer, Grace Drake organized a summer education and recreation program for area children. The project started out as a program for underprivileged children, but became available to any in terested child. Eventually almost 60 children participted in the five- day-a-week, month-long pro gram. "The children were taken on trips to Monument, McNary Dam, Cutsforth Park, Bull Prairie, the Oregon Trail and a potato plant, among others. Drake found volunteers, made travel arrangements and made sandwiches,” commented Kuhn. "Amazing’ Grace Drake is a community asset beyond value,” he added. Drake is a former pastor of the United Methodist Church in H eppner. She raised four children, Doug, Susan, Richard and Gwen. Citizen-educator of the year Linda Shaw earned a bachelor of arts degree with a Phi Beta Kap pa and a master’s degree at the University of Oregon. She taught English at North Eugene High School, in the Monument. Kin- zua and Fossil area and in the Morrow County Schools. She is currently the reading specialist for Heppner Elementary/Middle School. Shaw serves on the Mor row County School District Testing Committee and the talented and gifted committee. Shaw has been instrumental in organizing the Retired Senior Volunteer Program at the school, which recruits senior citizens to help with the school reading pro gram. She is a member of Hope Lutheran Church, serving at least six years on the church council and acting as secretary and chair of that group. She has served on the Heppner T.V. Inc. board and was a member of the Hepprfer ci ty council. She has a son J.J. Past w inners of the first citizen awards are: 1991 man and woman Jim Farley and Birdine Tullis; educator Betty Rietmann; business, Kinzua; 1990 Bill Rawlins and Claudia Hughes; educator, Dick Allen; business. Court Street Market, 1989 Don Bristow and Gladys Hobbs; educator, Jim Bier; business, Peterson's Jewelers; 1988 Bill Kuhn and Dot H alvorsen; educator, Cara Costa; business, Murrays; 1987 Dr. Wallace Woff and Justine W eatherford; business. Shoe Box; 1986 Larry Mills and Jane Rawlins; 1985 Bill Collins and Jean Nelson; 1984 Forrest Burkenbine and Francine Evans; 1981 Jerry Peck and Theta Lowe and 1980 Oscar Peterson. Queen and court crowned at banquet L-R: princesses Rondi Robinson, Donita Sharp and Queen Elizabeth Doherty pner Elks Club. Morrow County Fair and Queen Elizabeth Doherty is the Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo Queen daughter of John and Doris Elizabeth Doherty and her court, Doherty, who live in Morrow princesses Rondi Robinson and County near Pilot Rock. Princess Donita Sharp, were crowned at Rondi Robinson is the daughter the annual Town and Country banquet held Jan. 13 at the Hep of Kirk and Delia Robinson. Heppner. and the granddaughter of Don and Merlyn Robinson. Princess Donita Sharp is the daughter of Mickey Sharp and the granddaughter of Earl Papineau. The hatbands were given to the court from the Ladd family. Lor raine Ladd is a longtime fair and rodeo supporter, her son Richard has been a member of the fair board for several years and daughter, Sylvia Ladd is a former Morrow County Fair and Rodeo Queen and was Miss Rodeo Oregon. The queen and her court were presented buckles by the Bank of Eastern Oregon, represented by George Koffler. First Interstate Bank, represented by Jackie Allstott. and Inland Empire Bank, represented by Larry Mills. Debra Ledford. Heppner. was the winner of the Black Hills Gold ring drawing sponsored by the court. Linda LaRue. lone, won the drawing for a gemstone, which was donated by Peterson’s Jewelers. Missoula Children’s Theatre to present Pinocchio The M issoula C hildrens’ Theatre, remembered from their visit to Heppner with "Jack and The Beanstalk” in May 1990. is coming back to town. This time, their week-long residency will culminate in a pro duction of "Pinocchio” . featur ing as many as 50 local per formers. on Saturday. February 13. Audition notices and further in formation will be distributed within the next week. The M issoula C hildrens' Theatre is sponsored by the Mor row County Museum, the Mor row County School District’s artist-in-residence program and gate receipts from ‘ ‘Jack and The Beanstalk.” Housing is being sought for the two actor-directors during their six-day stay. They require only two separate sleeping areas and a reasonable amount of privacy. Anyone interested in opening their homes to the artists is ask ed to call Marsha Sweek at 676-5524 or 676-5121. Bill Kuhn presents award to Grace Drake Shoe Box host business after hours Seminar planned on advance directives A community seminar on ‘Ad vance Directives’ has been scheduled for Thursday. Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at the St. Patrick Senior Center. ’Advance directives’ instruct physicians in advance as to a pa tient's wishes in the event that the patient needs life sustaining pro cedures. Power of Attorney health care will also be discuss ed. Speakers for the seminar will be Dr. Jeanne Berretta and at torney Bill Kuhn. For more information contact Russ Demianew, seminar coor dinator. 676-9133. Jerry and Joyce Kay Hollomon, owners of the Shoe Box. will host the second Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours this Thursday from 6 to 7p.m. All business owners and managers in the area arc invited to attend for visiting and getting to know your fellow business owners and their products. Mex ican snacks, wine and coffee will be served. Bank of Eastern Oregon HOME LOAN PROGRAM Rates as low as 7.25% OF m a stern Oregon Arlington • Heppner • lone )**/ m Itu lt'fH t h h m i i i 'i n t v O w n t tJ H .u ik Member F D I C
