Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1999)
• » BESSIE O F OR E 'cerf Maci Childers a princess on 1999 Pendleton Round-Up Court WE T Z r R L l F. By Msrlyn Robinson VOL.118 NO. 5 8 Pages Wednesday, February 3,1999 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Matt Jepsen Voice of Dem ocracy winner Nancy Jepsen of Heppner. He was also the first place District 8 winner last year, so this will be his second chance to compete at the state level. lone booster, Cardinal Clubs merge Matt Jepsen ' Matt Jepsen, a 12th grade Heppner student, will travel to Salem February 5 and 6 for the VFW Voice of Democracy State Speech Contest. The Voice of Democracy Speech Contest has been sponsored annually for 52 years by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary. Jepsen was chosen in December as the first place winner o f District 8, which includes Umatilla and Morrow counties. He was awarded a check for $100 by District 8 VFW chairman, Clarence Martin o f Hermiston. The theme for this year's contest was "My Service to America". The speeches were aired on KUMA Radio in Pendleton in December and were evaluated by the contest judges. Jepsen's speech was chosen over those o f other finalists from Heppner, Hermiston, lone, Pendleton, Riverside, Athena and Ukiah. After district contest, the winning speeches were re-taped and forwarded on to the state committee. The state winners are actually chosen in January based on their recorded speeches. However, since none o f the students know who has been chosen, they still have to be prepared to give their speech if they are announced as one of the top five winners in Oregon. Jepsen, along with 15 other district winners, will be treated to a day o f activities in the Salem area. The state winners will be announced Saturday evening at a banquet. The state winner will receive over $ 1,000 and a five-day trip to Washington, D.C. and his or her tape will be sent on to compete for a share of the $125,500 in national scholarships. Last year's Oregon winner, who was from Newport, went on to win first place in the national finals and received over $25,000 in scholarship funds. Jepsen is the son of Bill and I lone Booster Club met Monday, February 1, at the lone High School library. President Debbie Radie reported work is ready to begin on the lettering for the state volleyball board. There is enough lumber left to make three district boards. The club agreed to replace the poster board sign for the 1980 district champion boys' team. Members o f that team are asked to make donations to the club to help defray the cost of the lettering. Dean Robinson, athletic director, contacted Debbie Crafton about making state championship flags for the gym. The smaller size would cost approximately $70 each. Members agreed to look into other options. Club members voted to merge the booster club with the Cardinal Club. Jannie Allen has agreed to continue emceeing the fall teacher reception to encourage parents and staff to volunteer for Cardinal Club projects. The club agreed to continue with the community calendar money making project. They are currently looking for someone to supervise that activity. Members voted to change the name of lone Booster Club to Cardinal Booster Club. The basketball quilt made by Loa Henderson will be raffled during the Helix game Saturday. Laurel Cannon is organizing a shopping cart raffle for the Friday game with Condon. Community members are asked to bring a food item to help fill the cart. Radie mailed out 168 letters asking community members to designate what activities they could help with. Club members encourage people to respond to the survey. Extra copies are available from Radie. Robinson and coach Dennis Stefani have used football and track shoes available for students to use. Anyone with good quality shoes their children have outgrown or no longer use. are encouraged to donate them to the school. Stefani will order a plaque for the boys' basketball program to show stat leaders every year. He will be in charge of updating the engraving. Robinson announced that starting next year, the lone basketball teams will play each team on the other side of the district once in a league counting game. They will continue playing the east side teams twice. League play will start January 2. The baseball dugouts have been condemned. It has been proposed to rebuild them at the north end of the field so the pitcher's mound doesn't interfere with the football field. The lack of spirit at ball games was discussed. Several suggestions were made, including the creation of a pep squad to lead cheers. Radie presented the volleyball video she made. Members agreed to take orders for the video at $10 for one and $15 for two. The next meeting of the Cardinal Booster Club will be Monday, March 1, at 7 p.m. at the lone High School Library. Siren set off by mistake The CSEPP siren system in Morrow and Umatilla counties was accidentally activated this morning during a routine maintenance check on January 29. The sirens sounded for about 45 seconds before the system could be shut down. Ed H ig u re a , the state communications coordinator, said the event occurred at 6:36 a.m.. Higurea said that the event occurred as he was logging onto the system. A full activation system check is a normal part of the maintenance program on the siren system, but this is the first time the sirens have been activated accidentally. Tom Worden, the state CSEPP public information officer, said that a number o f people called dispatch centers concerned about the siren activation. The state is in the process of updating the activation system. Mills wins GT football contest Larry Mills came out on top in the GT football contest, picking 136 correct games versus only 59 wrong. Second place ended in a tie between George Koffler and Kim Gutierrez, both ending with a 133 right 62 wrong record. Princess Maci Childers is a member of Queen Josilyn Evans' 1999 Pendleton Round-Up court. She is the 18 year-old daughter o f Harvey and Bobbi Childers, lone, and also a South Morrow County native. As a former pennant bearer, princess and the 1998 queen of the Morrow County Fair and the Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo, this will be Maci's fourth summer of promoting western traditions and events that stem from her heritage. Maci's great grandfather, Antone Vey, Jr., was a rodeo buff and held rodeos at his Buttercreek ranch until 1936. He was also a long-time contestant at the Pendleton Round-Up and at Heppner and other rodeos where he roped calves and steers on horses that he had trained. Tony was known as colorful, cigar-smoking cowboy who flew airplanes to help manage his vast holdings ranging from Big Buttercreek to the Starkey region. At one time his ranches supported large bands of sheep, but in later years he turned to cattle ranching. In the late 1960s, Tony was selected as grand marshall of the Pendleton Dress Up Parade. Maci's grandfather, the late Robert Schiller, was a nephew of the Veys and he was raised on the Vey ranches. The Schillers continued the ranch operation after Tony and his wife, Mabel Schiller Vey, both passed away. Maci's grandmother, Marilyn Schiller and family members carry on with this ranching tradition. So it's there that Maci spends her summers helping with ranch activities. However while attending college, Maci has been employed part time as filing clerk with the firm of Kottkamp and O'Rourke in Pendleton. Maci is a Heppner High School graduate and currently attends Blue Mountain Community College with an eye on a nursing degree. During high school, Maci received _ the 199.8 Citizenship award, was a prom princess, a member o f the National Honor Society and an FFA Outstanding Ag student, She also participated in volleyball, basketball and tennis. She says in her spare time she enjoys all ball sports, horseback riding and water skiing. During summers, her family often takes to the water in their boat. She also enjoys shooting trap with the dad and brother, Kacy. Maci has also been an involved 4-H member through the years with cooking, swine and horse Police set to crack down on seat belt law As part o f "Buckle Up America”, a campaign to increase the use o f seat belts across the country, local police on Feb 12- 21 will be cracking down on people who don't use their seat belts. "Everyone pays the higher health care and insurance costs that result from unbuckled drivers and passengers involved in crashes," says Merle Cowett, aassistant chief of police for Buckle Up Heppner. Governor to visit Heppner Governor John Kitzhaber will be visiting Heppner next Tuesday, Feb. 9 to discuss the Kmzua Mill closure. Kitzhaber will be meeting with county officials, local mayors and other political officials. The meeting will begin about 10:30a.m. at the courthouse. The meeting is not open to the public. Pendleton Round-Up Maci Childers Princess projects. Her community service included volunteering with class members to participate in community functions. She has also taken an active role in lone's annual church auction and the July 4th celebration. Maci's aunts, Bonnie Grant, Verma Schiller and Laurie Barrow, are former Morrow County royalty members. Her family also includes paternal grandparents, Cleo and Marilyn Childers of lone. For her Round-Up court appearances on horseback. Maci will be mounted on a registered Quarter Horse, Chuck's Fritz, affectionately nicknamed "Baby." Baby is wise to the ways of parades and grand entries since this is his third year of appearing with Maci. It will be easy to spot this vivacious, pretty brunette who says she is excitedly looking forward to a whirlwind of events to promote the Pendleton Round-Up and the heartland of her roots. Heppner in the eyes of a visitor Mema DeBolt, the 1999 Town and Country speaker who por trayed Lucy Meriwether Marks featured Heppner in her “Museum Musmgs” column in the Skamania County Pioneer (Stevenson, WA) newspaper. She mailed the en closed to the Heppner Chamber of Commerce. “It’s good to have a reminder of what we have right under our noses as seen through the eyes of a visitor,” said Claudia Hughes, chamber manager. "Museum Musings" Skamania County Pioneer Jan. 27, 1999 By Merna DeBolt Hometown gatherings have a special charm. I rediscovered this recently when Lucy Meriwether Marks was invited to speak in Heppner, Ore. The Chamber of Commerce was putting on their yearly Town and Country Banquet and honoring their outstanding citi zens. Awards are given for Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Businessman of the Year, Educa tor o f the Year, and Lifetime Achievement. One hundred and ninety people crowded the banquet hall, and many w'ho had put off purchasing their tickets had to be turned away at the door. One said he supposed the youth o f today see as their heroes those with lots o f zeroes in their sala ries; but, he reminded them, the real heroes are here tonight. These everyday citizens who regularly volunteer their time and talents without any thought of rec ognition or monetary reward. Ev ery recipient received a standing ovation. I could actually feel the love of that audience reaching out to those they had chosen to honor. Heppner had just received no tice that its lumber mill w'ould close. The rumors were true. It was official. The mill would shut down in 60 days. Larry Mills, the master o f ceremonies, broke the news to the crowd. I'm not sure what I expected him to say. I sup pose I thought he would express his anger and bitterness. Heppner sits way off the beaten path. Driv ing to the Tri-Cities or to Pendleton for employment will not be prac tical. Much to my surprise, his words contained no anger, no whining or even any disrespect for the envi ronmentalists. His words were full of hope. “It’s a big blow to our econ omy,” he said, “but we can sur vive by helping the people most affected by this closure. We must come together as a community and seek new ways to develop our future economic growth." I was amazed at their reaction to this most discouraging news. They seem to think they can sur vive. Like the unsinkable Molly Brown, they ain’t down yet. These are descendants of Irish immigrants who came to this area as a result of the potato famine in Ireland. I learned a lot about these Irish Oregonians. I learned of their love and respect for one an other. I learned they are a posi tive people. For a few minutes I wanted to move to Heppner. The museum was closed when we got there, but they offered to open it so Merle and I could see the heritage they are preserving. They are proud of their past. They are accepting their present situa tion, and they are brav ely looking ahead, confident about their fu ture. Could there be a lesson in all this for us? NEWS DEADLINE 5 p.m. Monday GROWERS CHEMICAL MEETING Friday, February 12 ~ 8 a.m. to noon w ith lunch follow ing at Willows Grange, lone (Chemical Applicator Credits Applied) S po nso red by : M o r r o w C o u n t y G r a in G r o w e r s Lexington 989-8221 • 1 -800-452-7396 for farm tquipmtnt, vmt our wtb site at www megg net t \
