Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 5, 2000 - FIVE Top quality Quarter Horses in town for auction Heppner MS Walk set April 15 By Merlyn Robinson On Sunday, April 8, at 11 a.m. the Jim West horse auction sale gets underway in Heppner at the Morrow County Fairgrounds inside the Wilkinson Arena. The West families aren't just "horsing around" when they bring to town a remuda of around 56 top-quality Quarter Horses for their annual production sale. During the past 20 plus years the Wests' stallions and brood mares have been selectively chosen to produce working horses that have the conformation and ability to perform. While many of these horses could compete successful at halter, the main focus is to produce solid ranch or rodeo mounts used by themselves and for others. In addition to introducing new bloodlines, many of their horses carry well-known foundation breeding, including the Driftwoods, Hancocks, Music Mount and King Fritz lines. "Pedigrees are only a guide," says Jim West, adding that the proof of any breeding program is the performance of the offspring. All breeders like "braggable" pedigrees, good heads and dispositions, along with popular colors, but it's what's under the hide that makes a horse athletic. Along with good conformation, sound feet and legs, it takes stamina and "want to" for a horse to get the job done. Contributing to sound feet and legs is the fact that these unpampered, range-raised horses are also challenged during their schooling years on terrain ranging from sandy desert soil to rocky, steep hills in brushy timber. Besides the young fillies and colts offered in this sale, there is a selection of schooled horses including stallions, mares and geldings that have been ridden and performance tested under those conditions. Helping to condition and train the West horses are trainers Chris and Virginia Anderson. Also putting miles on these horses besides Jim are his sons, Clay and Wade. With the West's large F ro n t row (le ft to right): J e s s ic a R e, R ylee K o llm a n , W h itn e y M a tth e w s . B ack ro w (L-R ): S u s ie R e, Jan e t G ree n u p , A m y K o llm a n , B rian K o llm a n , M e rile e M c D o w ell, K ay F o w ler, G e o rg e J e ffe rie s , S ara G ree n u p , M a rie V an Etta. For gardeners, spring means tulips. For sports fans, baseball. At the Oregon Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, milder weather heralds an opportunity to raise funds and to promote awareness of multiple sclerosis at the annual MS Walk 'n' Roll, Rain or Shine, presented by Sunshine Dairy, on Saturday, April 15, beginning at 9 a.m. at the All Saints Episcopal Church in Fleppner. Sponsored in part by AT&T, this year's MS Walk is expected to recruit 3000 walkers who will raise $325,000. "We're very excited about this year's walk. It'll be bigger and better in many ways," says Oregon chapter events coordinator Kristin Mihalko. "We are working hard to recruit more walkers and volunteers so that we can raise more money to help people with MS and to eventually find a cure for the disease." Last year, 2,200 walkers raised over $280,000 at over 16 walk sites throughout the state of Oregon. Walkers collect pledges for completing the walk, a 5K and 10K route designed to be accessible to walkers of all ages and abilities. Walkers who raise $50 or more and turn in their pledges before May 26 receive prizes; anyone raising $250 or more receives a Norm Thompson gift certificate or another promotional item. Volunteers are also needed to help register walkers, host rest stops, cheer on participants and more. Every walker and volunteer helps the society in its mission to end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis, said a news release. Walk proceeds fund both national research and local client programs, which help the 5200 residents in Oregon and Clark County, Washington, and their families who are affected by MS. To register for the Heppner area walk, call the special registration line at 1-800-368-2124. Questions can be directed to 1- 800-FIGHT-MS, ext. 1, or visit the website at www.orcnmss.org for more details. Walkers may register at any time, including the day of the event. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms are fickle; they come and go without warning or pattern and range from weakness Forest Service recruits youth for YCC program Four young people between the ages of 15 and 18 are being recruited by the Forest Service, Heppner Ranger District, for summer employment in the Youth Conservation Corps. The work will include tube removal from tree seedlings, wildlife habitat improvement, and campground and trail maintenance. The duration of the program will be eight weeks from June 12 to August 4 and pay the Oregon minimum wage rate of $6.50 per hour. Applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Monday, April 17. Participants will be selected on a random basis on April 17 at approximately 4:15 p.m. No previous experience is required. Applicants must be 15 years old and will not reach age 19 during the term of employment in the program. They must have a social security number or have made application to obtain one. Applicants must also obtain parental or legal guardian consent to enroll in the program. Applications may be obtained from the Forest Service in Heppner or local high schools. For more information, call the Forest Service at 676-9187. Ducks Unlimited Banquet Fri The annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet will be held this Friday, “Summer is closer than you think. Now’s the time to join Weight Watchers." Sarah, Duchess of York With 1*2*3 Success, our easiest plan ever, you can eat any food you crave and still lose weight. How? We've assigned every food a /V IN T S ® value — even pizza and ice cream. Stay within your daily PO INTS range and lose weight. Start now and make this summer what it's supposed to be: fun! *rv\ and fatigue to blindness and paralysis. MS strikes more women than men, and is usually diagnosed in young adulthood. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports more MS research and provides programs, education and public policy for more people with MS than any other national voluntary MS organization, according to the release. Since its founding in 1946, the society has invested more than $260 million in research and over one million volunteers across the country work to meet the needs of Americans with MS. For information 24 hours a day, visit the national web site at www.nmss.org. Ask A b o u t e xtra Savings W ith O u r G o ld C a rd ! FREE FIRST M EETING *! Join before April 22 and SAVE S12.00! April 7, at the Heppner Elks Lodge. Children as well as adults are invited to attend. Activities begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. The prime rib dinner will will get underway at 7 p.m. and the auction with raffles and games at 8 p.m. Dinner tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children up to age 12. Early bird tickets purchased before April 7 will include a dinner ticket and five raffle tickets for the price of four for $35. Numerous items will be raffled off, including guns and sporting goods. Ducks Unlimited memberships may be purchased for $25 for adults and $10 for "Greenwings." With a Greenwing membership, the purchaser will receive one raffle ticket and has the option of purchasing up to four additional raffle tickets at $5 each. Pay only the registration fee of *20.00 SCRA TCH PA D S HEPPNER: $1.00 lb. United Methodist Church • 175 West Church Thursdays 6:30 p.m. HERMISTON: Senior Center • 435 West Orchard Mondays 6:30 p.m. Join a n y m eeting anytim e! For m ore information call w eekd ays 8:30 a m to 5:00 pm (503) 297-1021 (or toll free 1-877-297-1021) •Subsequent Weekly fees ($ 12.00) apply V. i I k I üt p art* iputing l«w .ition* f«*r lim iu n l n m t (&)2tMiinJU iyht Walt hvr> Inu-m atH xul Int O w m -rn fth v WF.K.IIT « ATC HERN i n t k mark All n ^h f* rvM -m xl Heppner Gazette-Times Farm Residential Commercial Flatwork Foundations S ervi »o A ll O r U matilla & M orrow C o u n t ie s Willow Creek Symphony concert The Willow Creek Symphony will present their spring concert on Friday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Heppner Elementary School auditorium. The program will include a variety of musical selections from classical to blues to contemporary. Some of the selections include: "Cowboy Rhapsody", "Symphony in F Major" by Carl von Dittersdorf, and Allegheny Holiday. In addition to the Friday evening concert, the orchestra will also present a young people's concert for local students on Thursday morning, April 13, at 9 a.m. at the Heppner Elementary gym. Area schools have been invited to attend. The school program will include an educational narration introducing the sections of the orchestra and the musical selections. The Willow Creek Symphony, now in its fifth season, has grown to 50 members for this spring concert. The group is directed by R. Lee Friese and assistant conductor Anthony Marks. The concert is free to the public and is funded by the Morrow County Unified Recreation District through the Arts Council for Morrow County. The symphony is also supported by donations from Waste Connections, Inc. (operators of the Finley Buttes Landfill) and Wesley and Diane Hickey, and by a grant from the Morrow County Commission on Children and Families. W e s t R anch h o rse s 1999 cattle and sheep operations, horses are a necessary part when it comes to trailing, gathering or head and heeling for branding or doctoring. As major livestock producers, the Wests are committed to perpetuating the ranching industry that is dependent on good stewardship of the natural resources upon which they Heppner FFA attends state FFA convention K risti W o rd e n The Heppner FFA Club attended the 72nd Oregon State FFA convention in Ontario from March 17-20. The theme for this year's convention was Celebrate Success. According to FFA advisor Lynn Harmonson, "A very full four days of activities took place, including many competitions, state level career development events, state proficiencies as well as the conferring of the State FFA Degree upon 206 members." At the second session of the convention, Heppner FFA was recognized as having the best increase in membership with a 126 percent increase over last year. Knsit Worden, past president of Heppner FFA and freshman at Eastern Oregon State University, accepted the award on the behalf of Heppner FFA. "Heppner FFA has been chartered by the Oregon Organization of the Future Farmers of America since March 28, 1937," added Harmonson. "Sadly, the Morrow County School District has seen fit to close down this chapter of the FFA." Commission plans meeting The monthly meeting of the Morrow County Commission on Children and Families will be held on Tuesday, April 11, at the Imgon Fire Station in Imgon, from 7-9 p.m. The main topics of discussion will be the approval of requests for proposal and the problems associated with children expelled from public school. The public is invited to attend and participate in the discussions. For more information call 676- 9675. SPRING FLING Paint It Fix It Up Clean It Up A C depend. In turn, the production of good horses is a means of helping to get their work done efficiently. Their production sale gives others a chance to capitalize on their breeding program. Lunch will be available on the grounds and, for early-comers, the "Critters With Attitude" 4-H Club will serve breakfast. l p in e C oncrete o n s t r u c t io n We ve Got You Covered Heppner Hardware ^ € io e P “ eten ot* (S41) 676-8024 CCB# 110121 1 A a JJF 10« E. May Ave. • 676-9961 7 a x u l/a £ u £