Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 12, 2020 -- SEVEN
Friends Helping Friends prepares for St. Pat’s walk/run
A large crowd of walkers and runners gathered for a photo right before the run/walk started last year.
The Friends Helping
Friends group is in high
gear. Come rain, snow,
flooding water or shining
sun, a Remembrance walk/
run fundraiser and social
hour are once again going
to start off Heppner’s St.
Patrick’s Day Celebration.
With just a month to go, the
committee is in full swing.
Over the past twelve
years, a group of wom-
en, now nine strong, have
worked hard to provide a
fun morning that starts off
with a social hour at Hep-
pner’s Methodist Church
basement. Doors will open
March 14 at 8 a.m. with
homemade eats and treats
for everyone. At 9:30, the
runners begin their run and
walkers start a trip down
memory lane, viewing over
500 personal shamrocks
made in memory of loved
ones. Additional shamrocks
can be viewed in the church
basement and at 2 Old Hags
Pizza on Court Street as
well.
Donations can be made
to the 2020 “Pot of Gold”
by mailing to Friends Help-
ing Friends, Kathi Dicken-
son, PO Box 566, Heppner,
OR 97836. Nearly $70,000
has been distributed over
the years to local health
care and to assist other com-
munity needs. All money
collected stays local.
The St. Patrick’s Day
fundraiser began in 2009, in
memory of Donna Schon-
bachler, the local Pioneer
Memorial Hospital Home
Health and Hospice RN
who lost her life to cancer.
Just recently, the committee
used money that was con-
tributed to the Pot of Gold
in 2019, with a donation to
Pioneer Memorial Home
Health for needed wheel-
chairs.
The 2020 Remem-
brance event is sponsored
by Pioneer Memorial Phys-
ical Therapy, Bucknum’s,
Community Counseling
Solutions, James and Kathy
Casey, Phil and Kathy Carl-
son and TREO Ranches.
Their sponsorship helps
Friends Helping Friends
with expenses and the pro-
motion of a fun filled event.
“We look forward to
meeting and greeting each
year, as we roll out the
welcome mat for those
coming into town to share
hugs, love, laughter and
teary eyes, as we honor and
remember those who are
loved so dearly. It warms
our heart to see three to
four generations taking
part, with many grand-
mas, grandpas, children
and grandchildren enjoying
their time together.”
The committee is al-
ways looking for extra help
in putting up and taking
down shamrocks. Con-
tact Susan Hisler 541-676-
5878, or any other commit-
tee member, if you’d like
to volunteer with this St.
Patrick’s activity.
Janelle Ellis has
mapped out a nice, easy-
paced 5K run through the
streets of Heppner. Ev-
eryone is encouraged to
pre-register for the event.
The cost is only $5 to walk
or run. Children walking or
riding bicycles are free with
parents. Dogs are welcome
on a leash.
Flyers were not sent out
this year, the committee is
asking everyone to spread
the word to friends and fam-
ily members. Information
and updates are available
on social media. Any and
all donations are greatly
appreciated. Grab a friend,
bring your team, family and
neighbors for a good time.
Heppner Mustangs battle at Pine Eagle Invitational
The Heppner wrestling
team traveled to Halfway,
OR on Saturday to compete
in the Pine Eagle Invita-
tional. The team was down
three wrestlers due to Suzy
Cason competing at the
Women’s Regional qualifier
in Hood River and sickness.
Roen Waite, Edward Ells-
worth, Jace Coe and Conor
Brosnan competed for the
Mustangs.
Roen went 0 and 2 with
his first match against Riley
Lundy from New Plymouth
(Idaho). Riley is a very
dynamic wrestler and he
defeated Roen by major
decision. Waite’s second
bout was against a wrestler
from Crane that Roen had
beat earlier in the season
but, unfortunately, Jack
Roath evened up the score
with a pin.
Ellsworth wrestled at
152 and went 2 and 2 for
the tournament. Edward
won his first match with a
tech fall over Jacob Mills
from Baker/Powder Valley.
He would lose his second
match to Mykail Foster of
Imbler by fall in the third
round. The third match
would put Edward back in
the win column with a vic-
tory by major decision over
Kiernan Caldwell from
New Plymouth. His final
match would be a loss by
decision to Ty Hammond
of Union who is currently
the number seven ranked
wrestler at 152 in 2A.
Coe had another stellar
tournament going 2 and 1
with a second-place finish.
He beat David Creech from
Union by major decision
and Malaki Lopez of New
Plymouth by decision. Jace
would wrestle in the finals
against Hunter Beus from
New Plymouth. Hunter
came into the match with
a 36 and 5 record and he
demonstrated why with a
major decision over Jace.
Conor wrestled at 170
and went 2 and 2. He gained
redemption for his sin-
gle loss last week at the
BEO Invitational by beat-
ing Clayton Hammond of
Elgin by decision. His next
match was against Josiah
Campbell of New Plym-
outh. Josiah came into the
match with a 37 and 11
record and he notched his
belt with one more victory
by pinning Conor late in
the second round. In Bros-
nan’s next match, he lost
to Imani Schaefer, a senior
from Crane that is currently Jace Coe wrestling David Creech. -Photo by Damon Brosnan.
ranked number nine in the
state at 170. He lost this
match at the end, 5 to 3. His
final match was for fifth/
sixth place and he faced
off against Ronny Morello
from Joseph/Wallowa that
is currently ranked number
seven. He won this match
with an 8-2 decision.
The team travels to
Union this Friday to com-
pete in districts. The action
is scheduled to begin at 2
p.m. and continue on Sat-
urday beginning at 10 a.m.
Roen Waite wrestling Riley Lundy. -Photo by Damon Brosnan.
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