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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
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