Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 16,2007 - NINE
The Wedding o f their Dream*)
Nick Christman and Cara Kennedy.
E d ito r’s Note: The
following story> was written
by Tammy M algesini and
ran in the Sunday, May 13,
ed itio n o f the E a st
Oregonian. Nick Christman
a n d C ara K ennedy are
finalist in “The Wedding o f
their Dreams" contest. All
entries can be found on the
East Oregonian website. To
vote fo r Nick and Cara, fill
out the voter form in any
East Oregonian paper May
15 through June 6 and send
it in. The winner will win a
wedding valued at more than
$30,000 and will take place
July 22.
Nick Christman had
a crush on Cara Kennedy
when he was 8 years old, but
was too shy to talk to her.
And Kennedy, who grew up
in Lexington, had no clue the
quiet third-grader from lone
had a crush on her until half
a dozen years later.
"N ick 's mom told
me, ‘Did you know he had a
crush on you back in third
grade?’ ” Kennedy recalled.
They both attended
AWANA, a Bible Club, held
at W illow C reek B aptist
Church in Heppner.
“That's when I first
started
ey ein g
h e r,”
Christman said with a smile.
The young couple
finally got together in the
seventh grade. Kennedy was
curious about the quiet and
mysterious young man.
“He w asn’t rowdy
like the other guys," she said.
Kennedy likes the
fact th e ir m orals and
convictions are compatible.
The couple grew up
attending the same church
and their Christian faiths are
important to them.
Their first date was
spent four-w heeling with
family at Anson Wright Park.
D uring their early
courtship, they often did
things with each o th e r’s
families. A short split-up
even had an impact on their
families.
“Our moms became
really good friends and when
we broke up it was really
hard on them ,” Kennedy
said.
C h ristm an had a
change o f heart and
attempted to reconcile with
his first love. But Kennedy
wasn’t ready to dive back
into the relationship.
“She was stubborn
and w o u ld n ’t give in ,”
Christman said.
But that didn’t stop
the young suitor.
Kennedy finally told
Christman she would only
resume dating him if he was
serio u s in d ev elo p in g a
future together.
The co u p le knew
they wanted to get married
during their senior year in
high sch o o l; how ever,
decided to wait two years.
“A lot of people go
off to colleg e and grow
apart,” Kennedy said.
C h ristm an
is
finishing his second year at
Whitman College in Walla
Walla, studying electrical
engineering. K ennedy is
stu dying to becom e a
physical therapist at Walla
Walla Community College,
but took this term off to earn
additional money for school.
Christman lives in a dorm in
Walla Walla and Kennedy
lives in Milton-Freewater,
where she works for Premier
Physical Therapy.
K ennedy said she
envisioned a romantic dinner
as the settin g w hen
Christman would pop the
question. But Christman had
other plans. He took his
soon-to-be fiance up Rhea
Creek outside of Heppner.
Covered in mud after
four-wheeling to a remote
waterfall, Christman tried to
get behind her and kneel
down to present the ring.
“I thought he was
going to push me in the
water,” she said with a laugh.
K ennedy
said
winning the EO’s Win the
Wedding of Your Dreams
contest would be the icing on
their wedding cake.
“We obviously don’t
have the money to have a big
fancy wedding,” Kennedy
said. “We live on Ramen
Noodles.”
Unbeknownst to the
couple, Christman's paternal
gran d m o th er,
B etty
C h ristm an , en tered the
contest on their behalf.
The couple wants to
share their vows at the lone
C ity Park, an e ffo rt to
maintain their south Morrow
County roots.
John Day navigation lock to
close May 22 for inspection
This is the essay submitted
to EO wedding contest:
First of all, what a
wonderful opportunity this
is! Especially in these times
when weddings can really hit
a n y o n e ’s b u d g et. Your
newspaper and all the local
m erch an ts
w ho have
d o n ated d eserv e m uch
recognition.
I d id n ’t see in the
ru les that som eone else
couldn’t enter The Wedding
o f Your D ream s for the
happy couple. Saying that, I
am the grandmother of the
waiting groom.
Nick and Cara fit the
picture of a perfect loving
couple. They are young, but
have been going together
eight years. Both sets of
parents are a one marriage
family, so these two have
been raised with very strong
values and family support.
Both fa m ilies live here
lo cally , and have spent
countless hours volunteering
to
m ake
w hat
our
community is today.
They met at the same
Sunday school and worked
together in a youth group.
Living in a rural area, school
and church is the backbone
and meeting place of the
community. Even though
they atten d ed d ifferen t
schools, sports and church
kept them close. It was no
surprise that a favorite family
g ath erin g place in the
mountains was the perfect
setting for the proposal.
Both have set very
high standards and goals for
themselves and recognize
that sh arin g a loving
m arriage and happy life
together would be a major
step.
N ick is attending
college full-time, working
for an electrical engineering
degree. He has worked every
summer since junior high,
building on his bank account
for his college. He has a very
good work ethic.
Cara is continuing
her train in g in physical
th erap y w here she has
worked for several years.
Cara’s strong work ethic is
one that few young women
have.
Winning the dream
wedding would be such a
great rew ard and a
wonderful start for these
young adults as they look
forw ard to a new life
together as a married couple.
Betty Christman
WPPNTO
G -T
i am w . M i i i . m
Pictured is the 2007 Heppner High School Jr. High track team. The team is coached by Susan
Hisler and Larry Palmer.
-Photo by Sandy Matthews
By Larry Palmer
The Heppner Junior
High track team traveled to
Stanfield to participate in the
U M M SA A
D istrict
Championships on Friday,
May 11. The team faired well
as the 6th and 7th grade boys
brought home their first ever
d istric t c h am p io n sh ip ,
according to Coach Susan
Hisler.
There were several
in d iv id u al
d istric t
championships as well: Josh
Williams 100m, 200m, long
jump (7th grade boys); Cody
Orr high jum p (7th grade
boys); Brooke Thompson
100m (8th grade g irls);
K eshaw na T alam antes
discus (8th grade girls);
Natalie Rauch discus (7th
grade
g irls);
C arrie
Haguewood high jump (7th
grade girls); and the 7th
grade boys 4x200m relay
team consisting o f Cutis
Martin, Chase Milner, Seth
Palmer, and Justyn Peck.
Team scores were as
follows:
8th grade boys
U m atilla
188,
Heppner 87, Stanfield 66,
Weston 58, Riverside 50,
Pilot Rock 36, Echo 29, lone
24, Irrigon 25.5, and Helix
4.
8th grade girls
U m atilla
136,
Riverside 80, Heppner 75,
Pilot Rock 65, Stanfield 44,
lone 36. Irrigon 32, Weston
31. Helix 16, and Echo 1.
6th & 7th grade
hoys
H eppner
151.5,
Stanfield 102.5, Umatilla 94,
lone 88. Riverside 70, Pilot
Rock 28, Irrigon 16, and
Helix 13.
6th & 7th grade
girls
Umatilla 169.5. lone
111, Heppner 93. Stanfield
79.5, Weston 32, Riverside
29, Echo 19, Pilot Rock 12,
Helix 11, and Irrigon 8.
All local results listed below:
Boys Results
100 Meters - Varsity • Finals
1268
4
Nick Kempas
DQ
Ian Murray
• Finals
100 Meters - Junior Varsity ■
12.49
1
Josh Williams
4
Curtis Martin
13.20
Camron Day
13.49
6
25
Garret Gibbs
16.86
200 Meters - Varsity - Finals
2
Nick Kempas
25.37
Jordan Wright
28.46
12
14
28.92
Daniel Jeffreys
200 Meters - Junior Varsity - Finals
26.71
1
Josh Williams
27.87
3
Curtis Martin
Justin Bailey
DQ
Camron Day
DQ
400 Meters - Varsity - Finals
1:00.92
3
Nick Kempas
400 Meters - Junior Varsity - Finals
1:11.89
4
Chase Milner
14
Justin Pranger
1:28.55
Zech Hintz
1:29.86
15
Josh Williams
DQ
800 Meters - Varsity - Finals
Brett Harrison
2:39.08
5
800 Meters - Junior Varsity - Finals
6
Cody Orr
2:38 58
Seth Palmer
2:43.77
8
Coleman Clark DQ
John Nelson DQ
1500 Meters - Junior Varsity ■
• Finals
5:29.77
3
Cody Orr
Coleman Clark
6:06.64
7
Cody Nelson
8
6:13.48
100 High Hurdles - Varsity - Finals
Kyle Fuchs
17.55
3
17.64
4
Jared Hedman
14 Brett Harrison
21.02
100 High Hurdles - Junior Varsity - Finals
Camron Day
2
19.01
14 Justyn Peck
21 05
20 Cody Nelson
23.02
23.55
22 John Nelson
300 Int Hurdles - Varsity - Finals
56.14
10 Brett Harrison
300 Int Hurdles - Junior Varsity - Finals
Seth Palmer
1:00.02
6
John Nelson
1:03.80
9
1:05.08
10 Cody Nelson
4x100 Relay - Junior Varsity •■ Finals
Garret Gibbs
1:06.40
7
Zech Hintz
Justin Pranger
Justin Bailey
4x200 Relay - Varsity - Finals
1:58.34
6
Kyle Fuchs
Jared Hedmen
Daniel Jeffreys
Alex Pickles
4x200 Relay - Junior Varsity •■ Finals
2:04.17
1
Curtis Martin
Chase Milner
Seth Palmer
Justyn Peck
Shot Put - Varsity - Finals
Jordan Wright 2'07.00
6
Ian Murray
30’06.00
9
Joe Armato
2202.50
25
Brent Brosnan 21'01.00
26
Shot Put - Junior Varsity - Finals
26 03 00
Zech Hintz
5
2307.00
10 Jacob Moore
1810 00
18 Bryce Fowler
Discus - Varsity - Finals
Jordan Wright
8706
6
87'04
7
Ian Murray
59'11
24 Brent Brosnan
5703
25 Joe Armato
Discus - Junior Varsity - Finals
72 05
4
Zech Hintz
54 10
13 Bryce Fowler
5100
16 Jacob Moore
Javelin - Varsity - Finals
130T0
Ian Murray
3
111 08
10 Alex Pickles
9609
Kyle Fuchs
12
86'08
17 Joe Armato
Javelin - Junior Varsity - Finals
144'07
Cody Orr
2
10604
Justin Pranger
7
9305
12 Garret Gibbs
9209
13 Justin Bailey
High Jump - Varsity - Finals
Daniel Jeffreys 5’02.00
2
5'00 00
Kyle Fuchs
3
404.00
Jared Hedman
6
High Jump - Junior Varsity - Finals
1
Cody Orr
408.00
408.00
2
Chase Milner
Justyn Peck
402.00
6
Long Jump - Varsity - Finals
1607.00
Nick Kempas
2
Alex Pickles
1602.00
3
DQ
Cory Silvia
Long Jump - Junior Varsity - Finals
1
Josh Williams 16 00 00
2
Camron Day 15'08.00
4
Curtis Martin 14'01.00
5
Justyn Peck 13 09 00
Triple Jump - Varsity - Finals
5
Ale* Pickles 32 00.00
6
Daniel Jeffreys 3001.00
11 Brett Harrison 24 10 00
Triple Jump • Junior Varsity ■ Finals
3
Chase Milner 28 08.00
5
Justin Pranger 26'09.00
Shane Smith DQ
Girls Results
100 Meters - Varsity - Finals
1 Brooke Thompson 13.74
4
Kelsl Putnam
14.58
5 Lindsay Cutsforth 14.61
6 Afton Clark
14.64
100 Meters - Junior Varsity - Finals
12 AshleeAmes
15.58
18 Carrie Haguewood 15.81
18 Brittany Thompson 15.81
200 Meters - Varsity - Finals
2
Brooke Thompson 29.20
4
Kelsi Putnam
30.05
5
Afton Clark
30 90
Lindsay Cutsforth DQ
200 Meters - Junior Varsity • Finals
8
Ashlee Ames
33.11
12 Brittany Thompson 33.80
14 Carrie Haguewood 34.30
400 Meters - Varsity - Finals
Afton Clark
1:11.20
3
Kelsi Putnam
1:12.52
5
11 Lindsay Cutsforth 1:15.87
400 Meters -Junior Varsity - Finals
2 JoAnna Patton 1:10.18
4
Kellie Nelson 1:13.52
11 Andre Collins 1:24.18
800 Meters - Junior Varsity - Finals
JoAnne Patton
2:45.20
3
4
Courtney George 2:47.11
Kellie Nelson DQ
X Andre Collins DQ
100 High Hurdles - Varsity - Finals
Brooke Thompson DQ
100 High Hurdles -Junior Varsity - Finals
8
Brittany Thompson 21.93
4x100 Relay - Junior Varsity - Finals
5
Ashlee Ames
1:03.74
Courtney George
Carrie Haguewood
Natalie Rauch
4x200 Relay - Junior Varsity - Finals
2
AshleeAmes
2:15.90
Courtney George
Kellie Nelson
JoAnne Patton
Shot Put - Varsity - Finals
4
Keshawna Talamantes 2510.00 8
Shot Put - Junior Varsity - Finals
3
Natalie Rauch 23'07.00
5
Kellie Nelson 2106.00
Discus - Varsity - Finals
1
Keshawna Talamantes 75 07
Discus - Junior Varsity -Finals
1 Natalie Rauch 67'07 7
Javelin - Varsity - Finals
2
Keshawna Talamantes 96 00
8
Kelsi Putnam
81028
Javelin - Junior Varsity - Finals
3
Natalie Rauch
83 00
High Jump - Junior Varsity - Finals
1
Carrie Haguewood 4 06 00
2
JoAnna Patton
4 05.00
3
Courtney George 4 02.00
Long Jump - Varsity - Finals
9
Lindsay Cutsforth 12 02 00
11 Afton Clark
H ’11.00
Long Jump - Junior Varsity - Finals
4 Brittany Thompson 1102.00
Triple Jump - Varsity - Finals
7 Brooke Thompson 21 02 00
676-«l22t{
fax 676-921 1
2007 HHS golf team members go to state
1 4 ‘ i U ' r l u ‘i u l
I n v o li* « * «
The navigation lock at the John Day Dam facility
will close to river traffic from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 22 for
an inspection, the U .S. Army C orps o f E ngineers
announced.
The closure will allow the Corps to measure the
tension on wire ropes that were installed on the downstream
lift gate during recent maintenance. These measurements
will be used to determine the weight of the gate and
counterweights to ensure they are properly balanced.
The John Day Lock and Dam is located at exit 109
off Interstate 84. At this time no part of the dam is open for
t
HJH track team participates in district
C 4 ia * « l^
C o l« * r
fr'ly a -r* !«
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Pictured is the 2067 Heppner High School golf team. Five members of the HHS golf team went on
to compete at the state level. For the boys. Taylor Hodges competed individually Monday and
Tuesday at the Stone Creek Ciolf Club in Oregon City. The girl’s golf team qualified for state as a
team. Jenna Bowman. Maggie Armatto, Bailey Keithley. and Family Thompson competed on
Monday and Tuesday at the Eagle Crest Ridge Course in Redmond.
t
r