Local man wants youth sailing club
HEPPNER
35C
Local kids gather at the dock to test the new sailboating club.
A lot of people talk about
creating activities to keep our
youth challenged and out of
trouble, but often, nothing
comes out of their good ideas.
Joe Wilhelm of Heppner not
only has the ideas, but the
determination and knowhow
to get the ideas off the paper
and to work in the communi
ty. And it didn't even take a
government study.
Wilhelm is in the process of
getting a youth sailing club
started, not only in Heppner,
Morrow County Heppner. Oregon but in Boardman, lrrigon and
Umatilla. His dream is to
eventually rotate regattas bet
ween the four communities.
Wilhelm says the regattas
would not only provide a
healthy activity for area
youth, but would also provide
a little spirited competition
between the communities and
would boost tourism dollars.
When people come with their
children to the regatta, they
probably won't leave the area
without visiting area stores.
,Sailboats on the lake would
enhance the eye-appeal for
visitors and users of the
developing RV park. Sailboats
are also compatible with the
environment, adds Wilhelm.
The sailing club would be
open to youth 12 to 18 years
old and children eight to 12
years old with parental par
ticipation. If there are enough
adults interested, classes
considering a future role as a could be scheduled to meet
grade school teacher. Follow the demand. Wilhelm says
ing high school graduation, that he wants to keep the
costs for youth participation
she is planning to enroll at
Western Oregon College in low or non-existent, so the
club wouldn't become ex
Monmouth.
When it comes to communi clusive to a small group. The
ty events, Kim pitches in club will be open to every kid,
both boys and girls, he says,
along with other lone
residents. When the town as long they follow the rules.
hosted over 2,000 Cycle Besides giving the kids
Oregon overnight visitors, something to do, Wilhelm
Princess Kim helped prepare says that the program will
give them confidence, teach
meals and lunches.
Fair and rodeo court ex them a skill that requires
periences are not new to cooperation and teamwork, is
Kim's family. Her older sister, fun and gets them outdoors,
Kristine, was a princess on the off the couch and away from
1991 court of Queen Jodee T.V. and video games.
Wilhelm, who has already
Ashbeck. That same year,
taken
several prospective
Kim served as a permanent
sailors
out
on Willow Creek
court pennant bearer. Wee
Lake,
became
interested in
morning hours, miles of travel
sailing
while
working
at the
and waiting in parade line
docks at Wilmington, CA.
ups are some of the
unglamorous parts of being a After Joe had an extremely
close call during the Los
court member.
Kim enjoys her role as a Angeles riots, he and his wife
court princess, meeting peo Marina decided to pack up
ple and making new friends. their three sons, Stacy, who
She says her goals are to be just graduated from Heppner
High School, Shawn, 15, and
successful and happy while
Travis,
14, and move back to
striving to be a positive role
his
home
town, where
model for younger girls. That
''things
weren't
so crazy."
attitude, shared by other
Wilhelm
has
located
members of this year's court,
sailboats
for
the
project,
at a
makes Princess Kim an
fraction
of
the
normal
cost.
A
outstanding representative for
Boy
Scout
organization
at
Morrow County.
Long Beach, CA. has agreed
imes
VOL. 113
NO. 31
Pages Wednesday. July 27. 1994
«M S
et
fïim
9
i& re a w i
Princess Kim accom plished rider
Princess Kim Bedortha,
lone, of the 1994 Morrow
County Fair and Oregon Trail
Pro Rodeo, is an accomplish
ed rider. This 17-year-old
brunette first became ac
quainted with horses when
she was carried horseback in
the arms of her parents Tom
and Anne Bedortha, who are
former rodeo committee
members.
Kim's first mount was a
pony named "princess." That
Shetland mare was her trus
ty steed for barrel racing,
playday events, moving cattle
and trail rides.
This year, Princess Kim's
court mount is a dark bay
11-year-old quarter horse
mare named "M olly." That
mare has also proven to be an
all-around type of horse, Kim
says. Perhaps this mare is also
one of the cleanest horses to
be found anywhere due to
weekly baths before parade
appearances.
An active 4-H'er, Princess
Kim has been involved in
horse and sheep projects. An
avid sports lover, she also par-
Princess
Kim Bedortha
Height: 5 7 "
Eyes: Blue
Hair:Brunette
Parents: Tom & Anne
Age: 17 year old senior
Activities: 4-H, volley
ball, varsity basketball,
track, lifeguard
ticipates in volleyball, varsity
basketball and track at lone
High School, where she will
be a senior this year. Sum
mertime finds her serving as
lifeguard at the lone swimm
ing pool.
As an instructor for swim
ming lessons, Princess Kim
has lots of hands-on ex
perience when working with
youngsters. Presently she is
'"WP'9
i
m
i
i
Photo by Joyce Hughes
Lifeguarding doesn’t mean just watching the kids. Pool
maintenance is a big part of Kim’s job.
Harvest yields about average
This year's wheat crop is
"about average” , according
to Morrow County Grain
Growers manager Larry Mills.
Mills said Tuesday that
harvest was "pretty well over
the half way point" and the
average yield was around 40
bushels an acre. He said that
last year's average was over
30 bushels per acre.
"With the moisture condi
tions we had the early part of
the summer and the heat, I
think everyone's pretty pleas
ed ," added Mills.
Park District to
discuss pool
The Willow Creek Park
District, at its meeting Aug.
10, will consider placing the
issue of a Heppner-area
swimming pool before the
voters.
The meeting will be held at
7 p.m. at Kate's and is open
to the public.
0
* **
Shawn and Travis Wilhelm test sailboat in the waters
to sell him four 20-foot sailing
boats, valued around $4,500
each, at a cost of $600 each as
tax deductible contributions.
Wilhelm says that the cost per
community would come to
around $1,501). In addition to
the boats, Wilhelm estimates
that additional costs would in
clude $500 from each com
munity for a trailer, $300 for
freight, and another $100 for
miscellaneous costs. Motors
for the sailboats will be an ad
ditional $400, but Wilhelm
says a motor is not necessary
at Willow Creek Lake.
Not one to sit around and
wait, Wilhelm is already out
beating the bushes for con
tributions and has lined up in
structors. Mark Miller, a Mor
row County Sheriff's deputy,
and his wife, Elaine, who
have sailed the Pacific, have
volunteered their time to help
kids learn to sail, the Coast
Guard Auxiliary will be able
to come to each area to teach
boater's safety and classes can
be arranged to teach first aid
and CPR, says Wilhelm.
Wilhelm requires that each
participant have parental per
mission, supply his own life
jacket, complete a Coast
Guard boater's safety course
and demonstrate the ability to
swim with or without a life
jacket. One thing of vital con
cern to Wilhelm is getting an
emergency line at the lake in
stalled in the event of an
accident.
Anyone who has ideas
about funding or who would
like to contribute to the pro
gram or for more information,
call Wilhelm at 676-5171.
Street project moved up
The Oregon Department of
Transportation has moved up
its schedule to reconstruct
Main Street.
ODOT had originally sched
uled the street repair project
for 1997, to coincide with the
city of Heppner's plans for a
sidewalk renovation project.
But, when funds got tight,
ODOT rescheduled the pro
ject for 1998. The rescheduling
would have meant that
downtown Heppner's streets
and sidewalks would have
been torn up two years in a
row.
City manager Gary Marks,
Rollie Marshall and John Ed-
mundson traveled to Salem to
attend a State Transportation
Commission hearing June 15.
testified about the problem
and asked to have the street
renovation project moved
back.
Marks said that he learned
Friday that they granted the
citv's request and once again
have scheduled the project for
1997 to coincide with the
sidewalk renovation.
In the street project, Main
Street and May Street will be
reconstructed from the bridge
near the city park to the
bridge near Court St. Market
and storm drains will bo
installed.
The sidewalk project, fund
ed through the Intermodal
Surface Transportation En
hancement Act (ISTEA) will
consist of reconstruction of
Main Street sidewalks. The
project will include planter
boxes with trees and new
lighting. In addition, Marks
says that all telephone and
power poles will be moved off
Main Street.
HOURS
Lexington
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Sat.
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Mon.-Fr.
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