Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 8, 1993 - THREE
Farm computer courses offered
Computer courses for the
beginner will be offered through
the Farm Business Management
Program. Classes for farm
managers interested in learning to
keep records by computer will be
offered Dec. 20, 21 and 22 from
1 to 4 p.m. in Emigrant Hall
computer lab, room 105D.
The classes provide an in
troduction to the Farm Business
Management Program, which
starts in January. The regular
program is designed for the farm
or ranch owner, lessee, or
manager, as well as anyone
responsible for operation record
Christmas concert
at BMCC Dec. 10
keeping. Systematic training is
emphasized in various phases of
tarm financial management. The
program features the newest
Blue Mountain Community
financial management techniques, Cdllege choirs will present their
on-the-farm/ranch conferences fall Christmas concert on Friday.
and consultations, development Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Pioneer
of records to aid in decision mak Theater. There is no charge for
ing, and computer analysis. Cost the concert.
of the entire program is $150.
The choral will present a J.S.
To register for the three day Bach cantata “ Uns 1st Ein Kind
computer classes or the entire Geboren” accompanied by a
program, contact your local local string quartet. O ther
BMCC area coordinator or Alan seasonal music including “ Shall
Nelson, Farm Business Manage I Mother” , with soloist Lief
ment Program coordinator, Egertson, will be performed.
276-1260 ext 323.
The Blue Jazz will present a
varied program with selections
including “ Love Is” , “ Walking
in M em phis” , “ F reddies
Walkiin” , “ Have Yourself a
Merry Little Christmas” and
either place by December 13.
songs
made famous by Manhat
Cash prizes will be awarded to
tan
Transfer,
Blenders, Amy
first through third places for pre
Grant,
Forrester
Sisters and
school through Kindergarten;
Hoagy
Carmichael.
Soloists will
first and second grades; and third
include
Josh
Vorvick,
Jenna
and fourth grades. Winners will
be notified and asked to attend the Mason, Margaret Harp, Alisa
December 16 noon meeting at the Bounds and Becca Lemmon.
Heppner Elks club to claim their
prize.
Coloring contest underway
A Christmas picture has been
distributed to area schools for
children pre-school through
fourth grade to participate in a
Christmas coloring contest spon
sored by Soroptimist International
of Heppner. Pictures may be
picked up at the H eppner
Elementary school or Murray
Drugs and need to be returned to
Crushed Rock For Sale
3/4” minus
1” minus
3” base rock
Clean Fill Material
Can be picked up at pit or we will deliver. Pit 6 V 2 miles up from mouth
of Lower Rhea Creek, Brenner Canyon. Contact Roger Britt 676-5096
Willow Creek Baptist Church
Sponsors
A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Saturday, December 18
7 p.m.
Heppner High School Cafeteria
Presentd by the youth and adult choirs of Richland
Baptist Church, Richland, Washington
IUCC to hold
two special
Christmas
services
Two special events mark
Christmas at lone United Church
of Christ. A Christmas play,
“ With Every Christmas Card I
W rite” , will be presented by the
children and youth on Sunday,
December 19 at 5 p.m., follow
ed by a potluck supper and
caroling.
December 24, a candlelight
C hristm as Eve service o f
readings, carols and communion
will be held at 6 p.m. Everyone
is invited to attend.
Creative Arts Club
to meet Dec. 13
The Morrow County Creative
A rts club will hold th eir
Christmas meeting on December
13, at the home of Beulah
Ogletree. The meeting will begin
at noon. Those attending should
bring Christmas goodies. A gift
exchange will also be held. Gifts
should not cost over $5.
f j Great Name Gifts for the
Guys & Gals on Your list!
•S P
*1
3 :
Top ’em off
with the comfort,|
style & quality
of shirts &
blouses from
Wrangler.
Faith pulls family through desperate times
It’s often said that faith can pull
you through. For the Alberta and
Ralph Akers family of Board-
man, that has proven true.
On July 5, 1992, the Akers got
the telephone, call that every
parent fears. Their two sons,
Ralph and Raymond, and a third
young man, Tyler, whom they
consider as close as a son, had
been in an auto accident.
The boys had been driving their
pickup around a curve. They had
swerved to avoid a car coming at
them in their lane and Ralph, who
had been driving, lost control of
the pickup.
Tyler emerged
from the accident with a few
scratches and Raymond suffered
a concussion. But Ralph was ad
mitted to the hospital with severe
head injuries. His seat belt had
come undone and his head had
gone through the driver’s side
window. The pickup rolled on
his head. Alberta says that it
head. Alberta says that the pickup
had to be jacked up and logs plac
ed under it to enable emergency
personnel to get him out.
Ralph, senior, and Alberta im
mediately drove from their home
in Boardman, to Spokane where
the accident occurred. Ralph, II,
had been working there prior to
the accident.
The doctor at the hospital
where Ralph had been taken said
that he would surely die if he
didn’t have surgery. They also
said he would die if he did.
Ralph did make it through
surgery and for the next two and
a half months the Akers virtual
ly lived in the intensive care unit
to be near their comatose son.
Keeping a constant vigil at his
bedside, they along with Ray
mond, alternated sleeping in a
roll-a-way bed next to his in ICU
and on a couch in the waiting
room. They even showered at the
hospital.
With Ralph still comatose and
showing no signs of recovery, the
doctors approached the Akers
with one of the most important
decisions in their lives-whether
they should consider pulling the
plug on his respirator. Alberta
replied in no uncertain terms in
a letter to the doctor. Quoting
scripture. Alberta emphasized her
faith in God and related how He
had helped her through many dif
ficult times.
During this time they talked to
Ralph, held his hand, prayed with
him and massaged “ every little
knuckle and every little toe.”
They also learned how to operate
much of the equipment that
helped to keep him alive.
Declaring Ralph “ brain dead”
and offering no hope that he
would emerge from his coma, the
doctors recommended that he be
put in a nursing home. Since
Ralph had not given his parents
power of attorney before the ac
cident, he was made a ward of the
court and was assigned a guardian
by the state of Washington. The
state threatened to send Ralph to
a care facility in Michigan.
” 1 fought it,” said Alberta.
“ God gave him to me and could
have taken him. But it wasn't His
choice.”
The Akers became involved
with the Washington State Head
Injury Foundation, and. through
them, met a woman, Joanne
Townsend, who was able to help.
After learning how badly the
Akers wanted to keep their son
out of a nursing home, Townsend
opened her home to the Akers
family. The guardian reluctantly
allowed the Akers to take Ralph
to the Townsend home and they
moved him in, still comatose.
During their stay at Town
send's home Alberta or Ralph
would make a trip home once a
month to pay bills and set their
affairs in order. But they always
returned that evening. Before on
eof these trips home, they got
permission to bring Ralph’s black
labrador, “ Dog” , back. “ I took
the dog up and we put the side of
Ralph’s bed down. Dog did a lit
tle dance, you know the way dogs
do, and then he put his paws up
on the bed,” said Alberta. The
dog licked Ralph’s hand, and
nudged at his arm sometimes so
hard, they feared the dog would
break his arm.
On' the second day, the dog
started barking and getting real
ly excited. “ I said, ‘What's
wrong witht he dog?” said Alber
ta. “ Then dad said, ‘Ralph, are
you awake?” Ralph had. indeed,
awakened from a three-month-
long coma. “ I think it had a lot
to do with the dog,” adds
Alberta.
On September 8, 1993 the
Akers celebrated Ralph's “ early”
birthday at Spokane.
They were able to take him home
for his real birthday Sept. 14 and
spent 10 days there.
They
celebrated with “ over the hill”
balloons, not because he was old,
he was only 23, but because of
the challenges he had faced and
won. “ The next hill won’t be
quite as steep,” comments
Alberta.
Ralph can now remember
everything that happened right up
to about two or three weeks
before the accident. Because his
optical nerve was damaged, he
can’t open his right eye and does
not have full movement of his left
eye. Right after he emerged from
his coma, however, both eyes
were closed, so there is still hope
Roper, Laee-r
& Dress Boots
From our special
^ collection for Men ^
Photo By Joyce Hughes
Ralph and his mother Alberta Akers
for the right eye also. Ralph has
a metal plate in his skull and still
suffers from occasional severe
headaches.
The Akers brought Ralph home
for good a little over a month ago.
Since his return he has gone along
on rides in the mountains, which
he loves, and was able to go along
on a hunting trip. “ He can even
laugh now,” says Alberta. “ I
love to hear him laugh. It’s a
miracle. That’s all it could be. A
miracle of God’s love.”
The Akers would like to hear
from friends in the area. Write to
them at Rt. 1 Box 55 B2, Board-
man 97818 or call 481-2253.
Ralph senior grew up in the lone
area. His parents Wilbur and
Marie Akers had a ranch there.
Tax-Aide
program seeks
volunteers
Would you like to use your
math skills and help people? The
Tax-Aide Program, sponsored by
the American Association of
Retired persons and the 1RS, of
fers that opportunity.
Tax-Aide volunteers provide
free personal income tax
assistance to the elderly, low to
moderate income, and disabled
taxpayers. Volunteers, who are
trained in cooperation with the
1RS and Oregon Department of
Revenue, spend at least four
hours each week from February
1 through April 15 assisting tax
payers. Volunteers are reimburs
ed for mileage.
Instruction
classes
for
volunteers are scheduled to be
held in Janaury. Those in Board-
man and Irrigon are asked to con
tact Vivian Corp at 567-8054.
Persons wishing to volunteer in
lone, Lexington and Heppner
should contact Sherron Woodside
989-8166._________________
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JCHEVROLET
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Over the years some things never
change at a quality dealership
HONESTY-INTEGRITY-RESPONSIBILITY-SERVICE
STANDARD Or THE WEST
SINCE 187«
P.O. Box 205
Heppner, Oregon 97834
Doing business for over 45 years
in the same old fashioned way
SHERRELL CHEVROLET
Hermiston, Oregon
Phone 567-6487