FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 22,2006
St. Patrick’s Parade winners
Cruz-In sports over 50 vehicles
Heppner Elementary’s 6,h grade hand- Best Music in parade
Judge’s Choice winner- Rusty Roe with Pat Sweeney.
The St. Patrick’s Catholic Church float, highlighting Father Condon’s St. Brigid play, took best
Antique Vehicle float.
The winners for the 24th annual Wee Bit O’ Ireland celebration parade held March
18 were as follows:
Antique Vehicle- St. Patrick’s Catholic Church;
Mustang Award winner- Mark Magnusun with Pat Sweeney.
Music- Heppner's Sixth Grade Band;
Floats- Representative Greg Smith;
Golf Carts/Bicycles- Summit Springs Assisted Living Center;
Irish Character- Dominic Monahan; and
Parade Special Vehicles- Kolleen Chapa.
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CHEERS FOR ST. PAT S VOLUNTEERS!
o For The St. Patrick’s Players and Father Condon who chose to donate their proceeds
hack to the St. Patrick's Committee to keep the celebration ongoing for the 25th anniversary
next year. The entertainment was great, and ladies, the dessert was delicious!
o For Victor and Nancy Vander Does, the Pioneer Memorial Hospital Staff, and all who
put in many hours planning and running Luck O’ the Irish Casino night which contributes to
next year and marketing Oregon’s Rugged Country. “Are you tough enough?”
o For HeppnerT. V. displaying all the donations,
o For Nicole Mahoney and Barb Hayes for manning the ticket sales,
o For all the donors, dealers, and participants whose work and play keeps the entire
celebration ongoing. We hope you had fun!
o For the High School who put on the Lads & Lassies Teen Dance, funded by the St. Pat’s
Committee.
o For Laurie Murray and the Heppner High Associated Student Body who made and oversaw
all the lucky button sales.
o For Renee Devin, Cyde Estes, Carolyn Wiley and the ASB students who ran the
information booth and for the Lion's Club who set it up.
o For KUMA, Tom Melton, JJ Ford, and the Irish Singers who keep returning again and
again and for Michael Duffy, who MC’s the Ceili.
o For the amazing "leprechauns”, their high energy, and Marti Mitchell who keeps them in
tip-top condition.
o For Pat Sweeney. Bert Houweling, Meredith Walters and crew who made the Cruz-In
happen at the eleventh hour, and 60 showed! Thanks Steve Rhea for announcing.
o For Cliff Green, Brenda Sherrell and all their helpers and participants who put on the
Great Green Parade and to David Sykes for announcing,
o For use of the Elks for the Coffee Hour and the Ceili.
o For Dan Brosnan, Butch Laughlin and the City crew for getting the family flags put up,
and to Dan for driving the Paddy Wagon and Jim Hayes for seeing that it was spit and polished!
o For Duane and Kathy Jones and the Tom McElligott family who hosted “The Chancers”,
who have adopted Heppner.
o For Shanny Farley Miller for Grand Marshal arrangements,
o For Rusty and Karen Childs who stepped forward to take over the Sheepdog Trials,
o For Brian Thompson and family for hosting the Dog Trials.
o For Tim Daly and Doris Brosnan who got Irish Road Bowling off to its famous beginning,
o For the Morrow County Extension Office, Pioneer Memorial Hospital, the FSA office,
and Edmundsons for assistance with the last minute schedules.
o For the Heppner Gazette. East Oregonian, Hermiston Herald and ghost writers for keeping
the celebration in the news! Also to the Herald for offering a window to promote the event,
o For the Rodeo Committee pausing the Motocross for the parade,
o For the Museum. Courthouse, and others who went out of their way to make visitors feel
welcome.
o For the businesses and employees who stayed open extra hours,
o For all of the organizations who worked with the St. Pat's Committee on scheduling and
fulfilling needs for the weekend; especially all of the excellent cooks and servers!
o For Heppner Elementary School for use of the gym for the concert,
o For the Morrow County Unified Recreation District who funded The Trail Band. For
Peg Willis and Mulligan Stew who hosted the band.
o For City Manager Dave De Mayo. The City of Heppner. the St. Pat's Committee, and
the Heppner Chamber for their continued cooperation in seeing that this annual Irish event
keeps occurring
We hope those who were not "overworked and underpaid" enjoyed the entertainment
arranged for the weekend. We appreciate the musicians who share their time and talent for
musical events around town. New talent is always discovered. We know names are missing,
but we have tried to cover all who have worked with the committee providing mental, physical,
emotional, and financial support. Every chair of every event during the weekend has a long list
to be sure!
"Irish Blessings to All”
Claudia Hughes & Cara Osmin Co-chairs of a Wee Bit O' Ireland in Heppner. Oregon
Leprechaun's Choice winner- Larry Storment with the St. Pat's Leprechauns.
Fifty-five entries cruised down Main Street in Heppner on Saturday, March 18
during the sixth annual St. Paddy's Day Cruz-In. Winners of the Cruz-In were Rusty Roe
of Hermiston, taking the Judge's Choice with his 1957 Chrysler 300. The Mustang award
was won by Mark Magnuson of Hermiston with his 1968 Shelby GT 3. Leprechaun’s
Choice was won by Larry Storment of Hermiston with his 1955 Chevy Pickup.
Adult ELL students and children experience
Heppner heritage
Bill Kenny (standing) sings Irish songs to ELL students.
Five adult students, three from Mexico and two from Taiwan, in an adult English
Language Learner class, voluntarily taught by Mary Ann Elguezabal. have been studying
the history of Heppner and its Irish heritage. To bring the Irish heritage alive, Elguezabal
brought in three Heppner residents to speak with the students and their children, students
in Elguezabal's HES ELL class. Bill Kenny sang Irish songs, Winnie Flynn taught the
students some Gaelic words, and Shannie Miller told the story of how her father, Jim
Farley, started the Heppner celebration.