A Free Pair of Bauer’s

I buy a majority of my athletic shoes and clothing at our local Habitat for Humanity store. It’s both a pleasure and necessity these days. And, having spent many years working in the athletic footwear industry, I know that the “landed” cost (what a manufacturer pays to produce and ship an item to the U.S.) of most items is pretty close to what I pay at the Habitat store.

For me, in this economic climate, that’s about the right price to pay for non-US made products.

Buying at Habitat feels good for several reasons. I know I bought something, albeit used, that I really need (not just want) and got a tremendous deal on it. And my purchase helps local families achieve the American dream of home ownership. With the threat of losing my own home still hanging in the balance, it’s comforting to know my purchase is helping someone buy an affordable home. Purchasing from a big box retailer just doesn’t have the same immediate pay back.

And, as one of the forty-five plus million people without health insurance, I consider my purchases of athletic gear (mainly shoes and running apparel) to be my “insurance premium.” Much less expensive than traditional health insurance, I’m hoping that my proactive approach to wellness will pay off. (Unless, of course, I get hit by an eighteen-wheeler while cycling down Cascade Avenue.)

OK I admit it; I’m addicted to shopping at Habitat. But I’m not alone. Many locals make a weekly trip to the store hoping to snatch an item before someone else does.  

Back to my story about those Bauer’s.  

One of the bonuses at our Habitat store is the “free” table located just outside the front door. These are items that just don’t sell. Mostly it’s filled with knick-knacks.

Leaving the store after a recent visit, I glanced over at the table and was shocked at what I saw. There sat a pair of Bauer Supreme men’s hockey skates.

Now, for those who didn’t grow up in New England playing ice hockey, this is like finding your very first car, forty years later and in perfect condition, parked in downtown Sisters. I wore this same model during my high school and college playing years. And youth ice hockey in New England is as popular as soccer is here in the Northwest.

Standing there stunned, I was instantly transported back to my youth hockey days in the Boston area. Stunned because, had these appeared in a Habitat store in Boston, grown men would have been fighting over them. (If that culture is foreign to you, listen to Car Talk sometime on National Public Radio, Tom and Ray joke about crazy Bostonians a lot.)

Back in the 60’s and early 70’s, Boston-area youth hockey players wore the skates that their professional hockey player idols were wearing. If you were a hard-hitting defenseman you probably wore Bauer’s. But if you considered yourself to be a flashy forward you likely gravitated toward CCM Tacks. 

Picking the Bauer’s up, my first impulse was to smell the leather. Bauer’s have rich, deep leather smell that’s unique to skates. And hockey arenas have their own distinct smells which permeate everything. Sweat-soaked equipment mixed with the sickly sweet smell of the popcorn machine. And, of course, in the larger arenas, the scent of spilled beer. If only these skates could talk.

Old rink rats like me can smell a skates’ history - the dank concrete locker rooms with rubber mats all around where they were laced-up. Transported back to the late sixties, I swear I smelled a player’s sweat, mixed with the sweet smell of Gatorade splashed on the boot after a hard period of play.

The compression and curl of the padded tongue told me how tight the player laced his skates for competition. I ran my fingers down the blades, feeling for nicks that told me these skates had glided only over indoor ice, not frozen ponds, and had been used in light competition, perhaps a senior no-checking league.

Standing there in front of Habitat, memories of Massachusetts high school hockey flooded my brain. Lugging a large duffle bag full of gear into Lynn Arena for 5:00 am practices – the only ice time available. Practicing on Phillips Andover Academy’s outdoor ice rink in January, with the temperature hovering around twenty degrees, fearing that a slap shot would hit your nearly frozen foot.

Like playful wolf cubs, on the team bus we practicing our fighting skills (a part of hockey that, unfortunately, fans love even today) by pulling another guy’s jersey over his head – so you could then pummel a straight-jacketed opponent. Again, a part of hockey culture foreign to most North westerners.

Our Habitat store serves many functions in our community. It’s making the American dream possible for many who could not otherwise afford it, provides gently used clothing and household items at reasonable prices, and it’s providing a place for volunteers to serve the local community in a meaningful and direct way.

And for me it’s a place where wonderful memories are rekindled. 

Emil Smith – Fifty Years in Sisters

This article was published in the 10/26/11 Nugget Newspaper
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Talking with Emil (pronounced “Eeemil”) Smith is both entertaining and educational. You’d never guess that this spry man with the lilting voice was seventy-eight years old.

Throughout our conversation I couldn’t shake the similarities between the actor Robin Williams and Emil – the little boy charm, sparkling eyes, and quick wit. Almost leprechaun-like in demeanor, Emil is an engaging and intelligent man that can talk for hours about his life’s passions and adventures.

Born in Brighton, Colorado in 1933, Emil had three siblings – a brother, Eastburn, born in 1935, sister Karen in 1940, and another sister, Kristin, in 1944. Emil’s mother, Doris, was a homemaker and Emil’s father, Marvin, was a federal forester.  Marvin’s vocation meant the Smith family moved frequently, something many children don’t appreciate.

But not Emil. An inquisitive boy, he cherished the educational opportunity of being exposed to new cultures and learning experiences. “I was very curious so new locations were fascinating to me,” said Emil.

In 1933 Marvin was transferred from Montrose, Colorado to Park Falls, Wisconsin, located in the Chequamegon National Forest of northern Wisconsin. The family spent six years there until 1939 when, at age six, another transfer brought the family to Springfield Missouri.

Music was a shared love in the Smith family and Emil’s humor was evident while recalling a family decision in their new town. “My parents chose their church in Springfield based on which one had the best choir,” recalled Emil. (A choir member to this day, Emil also played the clarinet and piano, becoming an accomplished trombonist at Cass Lake High School in Minnesota, winning several prestigious awards.)

Five years later, in 1944, the Smith’s were on the road again. Eleven years old, a fifth grader and avid Cub Scout, Emil was thrilled to learn they were moving to Cass Lake, home of the Chippewa Indian Reservation in Northern Minnesota. 

 “As a Cub Scout I thought I had died and gone to heaven because I really admired all the Indian skills – tracking and all their natural abilities I had heard and read about,” said Emil.

Stoking Emil’s interest in the concept of “community,” the seven years spent in Northern Minnesota lit a spark that burns to this day.

“I really began to appreciate the value of a community where everybody knew everybody and you were exposed to a very diverse population. The Native Americans in that area were very poor, and the surrounding logging and railroad community barely eked out a living,” recalled Emil.

Common threads throughout Emil’s early years were a love of the outdoors, music, and literature. He recalled reading an issue of Life magazine in which Oregon was featured.

“I just drooled when I was the photos of Mt. Hood and Timberline Lodge. I was really into cross country skiing and the biggest ‘mountain’ in Wisconsin was 400 feet high,” said Emil.

The Smith’s remained in Northern Minnesota until 1951 when they relocated to Portland and Marvin assumed the position of Deputy Operations Chief for Oregon and Washington. Recalling the Life magazine article he read about Oregon, Emil couldn’t wait to move.

But college was his immediate future and, the very day they landed in Portland, Emil boarded a bus for Eugene to begin his college years at the University of Oregon. Torn between his love for music and his affinity for the sciences, Emil could not decide on a major after his sophomore year. And he didn’t want to stay in school simply to avoid the draft. After all, these were the Korean War years - June 1950 through the “cease fire” in July 1953.

Although a cease fire had been called the war was not yet over so, in October of 1953, Emil joined the “Volunteering for the Draft” program which limited military service to two years. “The advantage was that you knew when you were going to be called into service, and it would only be 2 years,” recalled Emil.

Soon after his eight weeks of basic training in Southern California the Korean War officially ended and Emil was transferred to Fort Devens in Massachusetts. While waiting for his next assignment he learned about the shortage of qualified people for the “Army Security Agency” (ASA.) Composed of soldiers with high scores on Army intelligence tests, the ASA was tasked with monitoring and interpreting military communications from the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, and their allies around the world. 

Emil applied and was accepted into the army’s language school in Monterey California in 1954. 

Already well-versed in German (his father and grandmother spoke it regularly); Emil studied both German and Russian, becoming fluent in both. “My Russian is a little rusty now but I’m trying to keep it up,” said Emil.

Having attained fluency in two languages, Emil was reassigned to Bamberg Germany, north of Nuremberg, for two years 1955-1957.

Following his two years of service Emil returning to the states in 1958. His military experience had clarified his life’s path. “I went into the Army because I couldn’t figure out what to major in. I came back to the states fluent in two foreign languages. I loved the cultural dimension of languages and I knew I wanted to be a teacher,” said Emil.

Taking his time crossing the country, he stopped in Cass Lake, Minnesota for a very special reason – he asked his high school sweetheart, Nancy, to marry him. “She didn’t accept right away but she eventually came around and accepted,” said Emil wryly.

The couple returned to Eugene in 1958 so Emil could complete his German language degree at the University of Oregon. Once completed Emil applied for a position with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency.) This turned out to be a frustrating experience.

“The CIA was very slow in responding and I needed a job so I applied to teach high school-level German in Boulder Colorado. I didn’t get that position so Nancy and I decided to go on an adventure,” recalled Emil.

The couple decided to embark on a month-long bicycle camping tour, starting in Eugene and finishing at Crater Lake. Bicycle touring was not well known in the fifties, the basic equipment almost nonexistent.

“We were oddities for sure in 1958. We had 3-speed bikes and had to engineer all our own gear. The hardest part was the climb up and over the McKenzie Pass. Thankfully several car campers helped us along the way. We had a great time,” recalled Emil.

International and national events during the fifties would play a role in helping Emil determine his path. First it was the Korean War, and then came the launch of the first artificial satellite to be put into Earth’s orbit. Sputnik 1, as the Soviet Union dubbed it, was launched in October 1957, igniting both the “space race” and playing into the “cold war” between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

With a national desire to surpass the Soviet Union’s accomplishments, the U.S. government passed the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) in September of 1958 as a means of expanding the number of students in universities studying sciences, math, and foreign languages.

Knowing that he could tap into the “G.I. Bill” to take his language education to a higher level, Emil applied for and received a year-long NDEA grant to study German at the University of Colorado. After obtaining his Master’s degree Emil was hired as a teacher by the university to supervise the teaching of first-year German students.

Comfortably situated in Colorado with his new wife and growing family (Rebecca Hilary was born in 1959; Randy in 1960, and Rachel in 1962,) Emil felt he was doing what he loved career-wise in a place that he loved environment-wise.

Oregon, however, had never left Emil’s mind and the couple wisely invested in Sisters land in 1962.

“I had a sense back then that Californians were ‘discovering’ Oregon; and as a result the prices of land were already going up faster than my salary. So we found a landowner that sold us directly, under contract, seven acres of land on Whychus Creek for four thousand dollars,” recalled Emil. Returning each summer during the school break period in Colorado, Emil built a comfortable “cabin” on the property.

Then, in 1970, fate intervened again to alter Emil’s path. The University of Colorado didn’t renew his teaching contract and Emil was faced with a decision. Remain in Colorado and seek a new position – or move back to Oregon and his cabin on the Whychus?

The family chose Oregon. “I figured that I could at least substitute teach in Central Oregon if nothing else surfaced,” said Emil.

But fate again intervened. As the family was packing-up for the move, Emil received a phone call from Bend Senior High School. Would he be interested in teaching foreign languages at Bend High?

“I told them I was packing right now and jumped at the opportunity!” said Emil.

A long teaching career (1970 until retirement in 1991) in the Bend school system once again allowed Emil to pursue his career and lifestyle passions.

Emil recalls Sisters as being a much different place in the 60’s and 70’s than it is today. “A four-room Army Quonset hut was the elementary school, located at the same location where the new one now stands. It contained one or two grades,” recalled Emil.

Downtown Sisters was also unique. “The main food market, Leithauser’s, was located where Sisters Drug is now and the Post Office was right next door to that (the parking lot of Sisters Veterinary Clinic)”, said Emil.

Present-day Sisters has a state-wide reputation of being tourist-friendly and community-oriented. But was it like that back in the 60’s and 70’s?

“Even back then people would comment on how ‘amazingly friendly’ Sisters was. Early on I wasn’t that aware that it was – but over time it became clear to me. Neighbor helping neighbor, strangers helping strangers. And to this day I believe this is one of our hallmarks, our strength, a real motivator for people moving here,” said Emil.

Although Emil’s teaching career was based in Bend he’s always made a point of using his skills, experiences, and energy to benefit the Sisters community.

A member of the Sisters School Board from 1976-1980, Emil served when local taxes primarily supported the schools and there was very little state funding. “We were making a big push to get a bond passed. Our goal in 1978 was to get a replacement high school. After extensive research, we split the bond issue so that some funding would go to both an elementary school and a new high school. Unfortunately only the funding for the elementary school bond passed,” recalled Emil.

Having lived in and experienced a number of diverse communities and cultures, in 1999 Emil became active in the growth and development of Sisters by joining the Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS.)

CATS was a group of about twenty community volunteers representing a wide range of values, views and backgrounds. The group’s goal was to create a “vision statement” that would form the basis from which the community would determine priorities and establish goals.

“I got involved with CATS because I didn’t want to see Sisters follow Bend’s example – no foresight in planning and growth. It was pretty clear to me - did we want growth by default or design?” said Emil.  

Over the years CATS continued to work on the Sisters Community Visioning Project, resulting in the Sisters Country Vision Statement and the Sisters branding project in 2007. The Vision Statement, posted throughout town in public buildings, is now widely used in community goal setting and decision making.

In October 2010 CATS dissolved its non-profit status and transferred its remaining assets to a community grant fund managed by the City of Sisters.

When asked how he would characterize his fifty-plus years of living in Sisters, Smith said “I’ve always felt that Sisters was like living in my personal Lake Wobegon.”

Sisters Born & Bred - Georgia Gallagher

(This article first appeared in the 5/28/08 issue of the Nugget Newspaper)

There aren’t that many people living in Sisters today that can say they were actually born here. Georgia Gallagher is one of them and, at eighty-six, her positive spirit and good health is a testament to the ranching lifestyle she was born into.

Georgia was born in 1922 on the 640-acre Edgington Ranch which was located about two miles south of Sisters, west of South Elm/Three Creeks Lake roads and south of the present-day Patterson Ranch. Georgia Edgington became the youngest child in a family of four children born to Ellis and Ellen Edgington. Oldest brother Bob was born in 1915, sister Jean in 1917, and youngest brother Jesse in 1918.

“I was closest to Jesse because we were closer in age, my sister Jean used to get irritated with me always wanting to tag along with her,” mused Georgia.

Georgia’s father, Ellis, was born in 1884 and grew up in Wasco County (Maupin/Tygh Valley area.) A single man in the early 1900’s, he traveled to Oregon State University in Corvallis to take agricultural courses. He traveled through Sisters Country on his journeys to and from Corvallis.

“Dad worked harvesting wheat in Wasco County and decided to file on a 160-acre homestead claim at the “old Tumalo reservoir” site (next to what is now the Tumalo Reservoir.) He worked that land in the early 1900’s when he wasn’t harvesting wheat in Wasco County or in school,” recalled Georgia.

In 1910 the lure of farming in the Sisters area motivated Ellis and his cousin to “partner-up” and purchase the land that would become the Edgington Ranch. “The land had been the site of one of the many saw mills in Sisters at the time, most of which burned down,” said Georgia.

Ellis also purchased parcels of land from Sam Johnson who was acquiring forest parcels in exchange for his timber work in Sisters Country. The total of Ellis’ land acquisitions eventually equaled about 640 acres. Ellis’ cousin began to lose interest in the venture and moved on, leaving the Edgington Ranch to Ellis.

Ellis Edgington met Ellen Crawford about 1912, most likely at one of the “Elocution Club” gatherings that took place at the Plainview school. Elocution Clubs were popular at the time, community gatherings where poems and writings would be learned and recited.

Ellen Crawford had moved to the Plainview area with her mother and five sisters after trading a ranch in Ashland for a ranch in the Plainview area (near the site of the present-day stone house on the Bend highway.) “My grandparents moved to Ashland (from Palouse, WA) for health reasons but sadly both my grandfather and their only son both died, recalled Georgia.

Ellen was teaching in the Plainview School when she met Ellis. “In those days teachers were not supposed to get married, if you did you had to quit,” said Georgia. So after “courting” for awhile Ellen Crawford became Ellen Edgington in 1914. Their wedding was filled with fun.

“Dad had a bunch of “homesteading buddies” who loved to play tricks on each other. With their wagon hitched to the horses, loaded down with food and supplies, and ready for the honeymoon trip to Crane Prairie (south of Bend), his “buddies” decided to unhitch the horses and scare them off to the far end of the ranch. My Dad had to round them all up while his “buddies” all had a good laugh at his expense,” recalled Georgia.

Throughout the 1920’s and into the depression era the Edgingtons ran cattle and dairy cows on their property, selling cream to a dairy in Redmond that would come out once a week to pick it up. Horses were a regular part of their ranch life as well.

“We rode horses to school, doubled-up with me behind my sister and my two brothers together. I’d hold tight around my sister’s waist when she rode faster but, one time, she didn’t tell me she was going to speed up and I fell off right in the middle of the road!” recalled Georgia.

“Mostly you didn’t ride for pleasure in those days, you either had a job to do or you had to get somewhere,” added Georgia.

The family was active with the Presbyterian Church which was located where the Church of Christ is today. Ellis Edgington was also active with the Civic Club and a member of the Sisters Rodeo Association, helping to organize the rodeo when it was held at the site where Hoyt’s Hardware sits today.

“Mom objected to Dad working on the rodeo so much. She felt he should have been home working on the farm,” recalled Georgia.

Georgia graduated from Sisters High School in 1939. The school was located at the site of the present-day City Hall and Library. She went on to college at Oregon State University to study Foods & Nutrition, graduating with her degree in 1944. Returning to Sisters she was named Sisters Rodeo Queen in 1944, an honor she remembers well to this day. “I had to go around to all the Sisters businesses and convince them I was the one they should vote for. I guess they agreed,” said Georgia.

During her senior year at OSU Georgia met a man in Corvallis, Vince Gallagher, an enlisted Army man also studying at OSU. Sparks flew but they were not destined to be together in the short term. Vince had overseas war duty and Georgia still had an internship to serve as part of her education. In 1945 Georgia took the train from The Dalles to Chicago for a year’s “Dietician Internship” at the Michael Reese General Hospital on the south side of Chicago. The entire experience was eye-opening for a young woman from Sisters Oregon.

“The hospital was basically located in a slum at the time. I had never experienced city life like that. We worked hard, cooked meals, cleaned, etc., because it was wartime and it was hard to get help in the hospitals,” said Georgia.

After the war, Vince and Georgia’s relationship blossomed and they married in June of 1946. A native of Bayonne, NJ, Vince had a good job waiting for him with the General Cable Corporation as an industrial engineer so the couple decided to move back to New Jersey. They stayed a year in the state before Vince heeded the advice of a relative “You’d better take that girl back home.”

This was just fine with Georgia, who was pregnant and it was difficult to find a good apartment anyway with all the returning veterans from the war. In 1947 they relocated to Redmond for six years, then to Salem for 22 years where Vince found a job with the highway department and Georgia worked at three different state institutions. The Gallagher family grew to five with a girl, Nora, and two sons, Dennis and Vince. All three still live in Oregon.

By the mid-1950’s Ellis and Ellen Edgington decided to move into Sisters, purchasing a home right next to the Village Green. Around 1970 the family sold the Edgington Ranch property to Don Frisbee, the present owner. After Ellis and Ellen passed away Georgia and Vince acquired the home in 1975, the same year Vince retired from the highway department. Vince passed away in 1981 and Georgia still lives in the house to this day.

Georgia served the Sisters community as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) from 1981 – 2000 and is still a member of the Garden Club, helping to beautify the various gardens and gazebos around the city. In 2006 she was named Grand Marshall for the Sisters Rodeo, a tribute to her contributions and heritage in Sisters Country.

Recently Georgia received another honor when she was named the Deschutes County Pioneer Queen for 2008 by the Deschutes Pioneer Association, a group of approximately 900 people who’ve lived in the county for over 40 years. The association researches the heritage of prospective queens very thoroughly before naming one each year. Georgia was notified of her nomination last December and is thrilled by the honor.

“We had a wonderful dinner in January and I was awarded my queen’s tiara and cape. This summer I ride in a number of parades including the Sisters Rodeo, Bend’s 4^th of July, the Veterans, and the Deschutes County Fair. I was very surprised and honored,” exclaimed Georgia.

It won’t be hard to recognize Georgia in the parades this summer. She’ll be the vibrant woman sitting in a classic car with a big beaming smile and wave for everyone she passes.

Edith Leithauser – Pioneering Sisters Retailer

(This article first appeared in the Feb. 13th, 2008 edition of the Nugget Newspaper)

Edith Leithauser recalled, “Must have been about 1944, I was in another part of our store (Leithauser’s Grocery on Cascade Avenue) when I heard my two young children, Frank and Joanne, giggling wildly with a customer in one of the aisles.”

“Thinking they were bothering the customer I apologized to the pleasant-looking man as he approached the cash register.”

Smiling, the man said, “They’re not bothering me at all. I was talking with them in my Daffy Duck voice and they thought it was hilarious!”

The man was Mel Blanc, the well-known voice actor behind the animated characters of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, Tweety Bird, and many others.

This is just one of the many interesting stories that Edith Leithauser, eighty-nine and a resident of Sisters since 1941, relates about the early days of owning and operating a retail store in Sisters.

Born in 1919 in Boring, Oregon, Edith was the second of four daughters born to Floyd and Viola Lake. Boring, at the time, only had an elementary/middle school so all four girls attended and graduated from Sandy High School.

The depression affected many families in the area but the Lakes’ fared better than most. “My father was a postal carrier in the area so he had consistent employment throughout those years,” she recalled.

Steady employment, however, couldn’t prevent her mother’s debilitating illness during that time. Even after all these years Edith still gets emotional when she remembers her mother’s pain.

“My mother was bedridden with peritonitis so I had to step in and take care of my sisters, getting them ready for school, putting the cow in the pasture, and preparing meals. I learned about responsibility at a very early age,” she recalled.

Edith’s mother eventually had surgery in a Portland hospital with a full recovery and lived to be ninety-five years old.

Following graduation from Sandy High, Edith Lake attended Behnke-Walker Business College in Portland to obtain basic business skills. Her stay at the College, however, was short-lived as she caught the eye of another student, a young man raised in Sisters by the name of Pete Leithauser.

“Pete was ahead of me at the college so he was more prepared for what was ahead of us,” Edith recalled.

Edith had never been in Sisters before visiting Pete’s family in the late 1930’s. Trading barbs about each other’s home towns, Pete would call Boring “a lighted up cemetery” and Edith would counter that “Sisters was a wide spot in the road.”

Pete and Edith married in 1938 and soon after made their first move to Sisters. This initial move didn’t work out and they departed, only to return again in 1941. With one child in tow (Frank, born in 1940) the Leithauser’s began the process of buying Pete’s father’s grocery store, Leithauser’s Grocery, which was located at the present site of Sisters Bakery on Cascade Avenue.

“We lived in the back of the store in a large room, it had everything we needed and it was convenient because we worked all the time, all my kids too!” recalled Edith.

As the 40’s rolled into the 50’s and the Leithauser family grew to five children, Pete simply expanded the store to accommodate both an expanding product line and his growing family. “We built on a couple of rooms in the back so our family could have more room,” laughed Edith.

The store name changed as well to keep up with the changing times. Initially named Leithauser’s Grocery, the new store became known as Leithauser’s Supermarket.

“Seems like we were always expanding, moving stock, bringing in new items to meet the needs of people at the time. I listened very carefully to what folks wanted because there wasn’t anywhere else locally to get certain items,” said Edith.

Interestingly there were three food retailers in Sisters at the time. Residents were generally very loyal and “traded” (a term used at the time for “purchased”) items with one retailer. This may have been due to family relationships, business ties, proximity to the store, or the availability of credit from the retailer.

“I was always very friendly to my customers and, as a result, we had a loyal following. I even made a point of remembering tourist’s names – folks who only came in once a year,” recalled Edith.

Leithauser’s Supermarket operated from the early 1920’s to 1977. After operating the store for thirty-six years, Pete and Edith sold the store to Art Tennell, who then transformed the store into the first Ray’s Supermarket, eventually moving it to its present location in the Three Winds Shopping Center.

Edith and Pete moved into a new home they built on forty acres just outside the city limits north of town in 1977.

Early promoters and volunteers with the Sisters Rodeo, Edith fondly recalls cutting out pieces of oil cloth to use as numbers for the contestants in the 1942 rodeo which took place in the field just north of the present site of Conklin’s Guest House.

“A few of us did everything, from making numbers to operating the chutes, seems like everyone in town got involved in some way,” remembers Edith.

In recognition of their heritage with the Sisters Rodeo, both Pete and Edith were honored by being named Rodeo Parade Grand Marshals. Pete in 1986, Edith in 2005.

Recalling the experience, Edith said “They treated me so well! A beautiful jacket with my name on it, wonderful seats at the rodeo, and being parade marshal, it was so nice!”

Sadly, Pete did not live long enough to see his wife receive her honor. He passed away in 1990. At eighty-nine Edith still enjoys all that life has to offer. She’s active in her church, attends senior events in the community, and enjoys Model A Fords, a passion she shares with her family.

Be sure to watch for Edith Leithauser’s bright smile and shining eyes in next summer’s rodeo parade – she’ll be riding in a Model A Ford, waving to everyone, just like she does every year!

Agriculture and Energy Efficiency in Sisters

(This article appears in the 7/20/11 issue of the Cascade Business News)

For the past few years Marc Thalacker, General Manager of the Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID), has been facing a challenge.

Thirty irrigating farmers along Hurtley Ranch Road in Sisters have not been receiving irrigation water for their crops on a consistent basis. There were times when nineteen couldn’t get any water at all. And they weren’t happy about it.

“We were getting about six complaints a day from landowners during the irrigation season,” said Thalacker. The complaints mainly involved inconsistent water flow from the existing irrigation pumping and piping system which had been installed many years ago by a private landowner in the area.

The flow problem was the result of incorrect sizing on two of the pumps combined with pipe sizing and locations that were inconsistent throughout the system. Four landowners, located south of the pumping plant, were on a 30hp pump; twenty-six, north of the pump station, were on a separate 30hp pump. And pushing water north meant an uphill climb for the water before reaching the twenty-six properties.

“We even tried putting the landowners on a rotation system but it wasn’t working. Rotation only works if people will honor the system,” said Thalacker.

So Thalacker had Greg Smith, owner of Thompson Pump and Irrigation Inc., come out and analyzed the total system. Smith quickly determined that the problem was one of system design and equipment.

“The basic pumps were incorrectly sized, the pipe size to the landowners was inconsistent, and there was a clear need for variable frequency drives which would even-out the energy usage required to deliver water consistently to all landowners,” said Smith.

Marc Thalacker was not surprised to hear this assessment from Smith. His concern, however, was how to fund the needed system improvements. The landowners had already been through a contentious law suit in the late nineties with the previous system owner and Thalacker wasn’t keen to re-ignite those hard feelings.

No stranger to seeking out state, federal, and granting agencies, Thalacker has shepherded many water and energy conservation projects since joining the TSID. Assembling a broad coalition of partner agencies, Thalacker is about half-way through completing the three-year Whychus Creek piping project.

Before recent improvements roughly 55 percent of the Whychus Creek water that entered the irrigation system was lost to evaporation and leakage.

The piping project will provide substantially more water for TSID users and will eventually reintroduce runs of summer steelhead and spring Chinook salmon.

“From a conservation measure, it is the ultimate; you are not only conserving water, but you are also conserving electricity," said Thalacker a few years ago.

For the Hurtley Ranch Road project, Thalacker reached out to a variety of partners for both technical and funding assistance.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service supplied system design services through their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) program. Thompson Pump supplied two new pumps, a 20hp for the southern properties, and a 40hp for the northern ones.

Thompson Pump also installed two Variable Frequency Drives which monitor and adjust the energy usage of the two new pumps. A Variable Frequency Drive acts like a “transmission” for an electric motor. It automatically adjusts a motor’s speed up or down. Motors often run at full speed when only partial speed is needed. With the varied flow and pressure requirements of the Hurtley Ranch farmers, the new Variable Frequency Drives will reduce electric usage; improve motor life, and overall system life.

Additionally, using a sophisticated computer analysis, Thompson Pump provided the energy savings analysis required by the Central Electric Coop’s (CEC) “Save Water – Save Energy” program, allowing CEC to provide the TSID with a substantial incentive rebate for the Variable Frequency Drive purchases.

Commenting on the ability of the Variable Frequency Drives to reduce energy usage, Marc Thalacker said “I don’t have the exact numbers but I can tell you that overall energy usage on the system is way down for May (2011 compared to previous months.)”

“And the beauty of Variable Frequency Drives is that they will extend the life of the new pumps,” added Greg Smith.

And maybe best of all, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) provided funding for the Variable Frequency Drive purchases using State Energy Program Recovery Act (stimulus) funds. The Wy’East Resource Conservation & Development Council, working with ODOE and CEC, provided energy savings calculations and project documentation.

With the new system up and running, landowners are now receiving irrigation water when and where they need it. “Regardless of when people turn on their water now they get consistent flow – and we’re not getting any complaints!” said Thalacker.

New system piping costs were substantial, accounting for 79 percent of the total project. The Deschutes River Conservancy, with assistance from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, the National Forest Foundation, the Oregon Governor’s Fund, and the Pelton Fund contributed 84 percent of the total grant monies received.

Here’s a summary of how the Hurtley Ranch Road project breaks-down cost and funding-wise:

Equipment & Labor Costs

Two new pumps (one 20hp, one 40hp) and two new Variable Frequency Drives $37,172

New Pipeline Costs $138,925

Total Costs $176,097

Funding Sources

Bonneville Power Administration/Central Electric Coop $4,800

Oregon Department of Energy $12,000

Deschutes River Conservancy (and partners) $89,600

Total Funding $106,400

Funding sources contributed 60 percent of the total project costs! The water and energy savings, over time, will be realized by both the TSID and landowners.

Vern Rice, Energy Services Supervisor with CEC, commenting on how other irrigation districts and agricultural operations can benefit from the installation of variable frequency drives, said “I encourage anyone that has significant variables of flow or pressure in their pumping operation to learn from the TSID experience. CEC’s agricultural energy efficiency rebate program is very simple and everything you need to know is on our website www.cec.coop. ”

John Gloeckner, a landowner on the south end of the new pumping station, is much happier this irrigating season. “It’s been a long time coming. We’re getting all the water we need so far. I raise cattle and bucking bulls and if I can’t get water consistently throughout the (irrigating) season it costs me money because I have buy hay to feed. This project has really been a blessing,” said Gloeckner.

Want to learn more about agricultural energy efficiency? Please contact your energy provider, local Resource Conservation & Development Council, Irrigation District, or your Soil & Water Conservation District for current programs and incentives.

Old pumps/meters facing north; New pumps/meters and VFD's post-installation

Leave a Window Open

Our son, Chris, was married this month to Rebecca, a wonderful woman. They live in New York City. Chris is an audio engineer with the News Corporation (FOX TV), Rebecca is a teacher.

What can make a mother (Jan) completely lose it? When her son, a musician, writes and records a song about his love and appreciation for her - and plays it during their dance at his wedding.

Performed with other members of his band, The Clatty Lads, Leave a Window Open is an emotional journey through Chris' childhood and shows how much he loves his Mom. (Harmonica: Josh Patch; background vocals: Rebecca Mintiens (Chris' wife).

Listen now!!

Kit Stafford - Artist, Dancer, Poet, Educator

(Click on the Sisters Talk podcast audio file above; about 40 minutes total)

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Kit Stafford, longtime Sisters resident, artist, dancer, poet, and arts education advocate for the Spring 2011 issue of 1859 Magazine. A fascinating woman, it's impossible to capture all facets of her life and work in a 500-word article. I think you'll find both the Sisters Talk podcast and the 1859 Magazine article (available on newsstands now) fascinating.

Sisters Talk - interview with Christian Mintiens

This episode of Sisters Talk is special for me as host. Having the opportunity to interview one of your children is very special - and difficult at the same time. My son, Christian, is now 27 and living/working in New York City as an audio engineer for News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch's empire best known for the FOX cable TV stations. (News Corporation also has properties in film,

television, cable, magazines, and newspapers to name just a few.)

Having been raised in Sisters Oregon, a product of the Sisters School System, Chris is a good example of how a strong and vibrant arts culture, combined with many mentors and supporters, can guide and motivate young people to pursue their passions in life.

I hope this interview will be heard by both students and their parents.

I also personally believe that Sisters' current state designation as a "severely distressed community" can be turned around by an emphasis on expanding the already thriving arts and culture programs and businesses. It's clear that people who visit Sisters for an event are far more likely to move or start a business here.

So, in reality, I also have an agenda with my son's interview. We all need to remember and thank those mentors in our lives, those folks who took an interest and helped guide us in life - especially in these difficult times.

There are many stories like Chris' here in Sisters. My hope and dream is that, one day, all these talented young people will return to Sisters - bringing with them their talents and skills to collaborate, start new entrepreneurial ventures, and perhaps start families.

I hope you enjoy the interview.

Forum Highlights Candidate Differences

Photo by Jim Williams

Couldn't make it to the Candidate's Forum? Listen to the Sisters Talk podcast now!

This article was published in the 10/27/10 Nugget Newspaper

Approximately seventy-five residents attended the Sisters City Council Candidate Forum last Thursday evening at the High School auditorium.

Moderator Jim Cornelius, citing a smaller-than-anticipated audience, thanked those in attendance for choosing the forum over the evening’s numerous sports offerings. Cornelius was also quick to thank the candidates for their willingness to serve the community in a volunteer capacity. City councilors receive no salary or benefits.

“It takes a lot of courage and commitment to run for local office,” said Cornelius.

Hosted by the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, the event gave all six candidates (Wendy Holzman, David Asson, Virginia Lindsey, Sharlene Weed, Jacki Shepardson, and Jerry Bogart) an opportunity to express their views on a variety of issues.

Wendy Holzman was the only candidate not in attendance. A previously scheduled family trip necessitated her absence. Jim Cornelius read Holzman’s opening and closing statements.

The evening started with each candidate giving a two-minute opening statement citing their reasons for seeking a council seat and their qualifications.

Following the opening statements, each candidate had two-minutes apiece to answer five questions. The questions were compiled from those received by email from Sisters Country residents over the past several weeks. The candidates did not see the questions prior to the Forum.

Here is a summary of the questions and responses from each of the candidates present.

Question #1: “Why do you want to be a City Councilor and what business, government, or community involvement qualifies you to be one?”

David Asson cited his years of business experience as a CPA, involvement with the city’s budget committee, his home owner’s association, and friends urging him to get involved now that he was retired. “Meeting these people (in volunteer city government), seeing the dedication and long hours they put in, I was impressed, got the urge to try to help out, so I decided to jump in,” Said Asson.

Virginia Lindsey said “I decided to become a city councilor after working on the (city’s) budget committee for three years. Also, having been around Sisters for so long, I do want to see it recover and getter better and larger.” Lindsey also cited her extensive business experience in both large and small companies as factors that enable her to understand the needs of existing and potential businesses in Sisters.

Sharlene Weed has been a city councilor now for six years. Prior to her council role Weed served on the planning commission for four years. Commenting on why she was running this year Weed said “My Mom reminded me that there are a lot of people out there who don’t have a ‘voice.’ When you have the opportunity to have a voice you need to take it.”

Jacki Shepardson got right to her main concern about the present council. “I decided to run because I feel we lack diversity on the council. I come from the lower level of individuals that comprise 51% of our population, that’s a voice that hasn’t been heard on our council. Many of these people came to me and said ‘Jacki you really need to do this, you could be our voice,” said Shepardson.

Shepardson also cited her government experience as a local labor union president for the department of Motor Vehicles in Salem. “I’ve also been the site coordinator for the Sisters Brown Bag Food Distribution program for the last 8 ½ years,” said Jacki.

Jerry Bogart initially answered sarcastically “That’s a great question. The long hours, the great pay, the personal attacks that happened, those are the three best reasons. Honestly, though, I like Tom McCall’s statement ‘This is your community and it’s your responsibility to help out.”

Bogart has been a councilor for the past two years and also serves as Vice Chairperson with SBART (Sisters Business Acquisition & Retention Team.) Jerry is also the Sisters representative on EDCO’s (Economic Development for Central Oregon) board of directors and a small business owner for the past eleven years.

“I can identify with the problems that small business owners and citizens are facing right now,” said Bogart.

Question #2: “Describe a current council action that you would have handled differently. What would you have done?”

Virginia Lindsey said “Selling our garbage service to HCD (High Country Disposal.) The City enjoyed $85,000 a year profit from this service. HCD immediately raised rates and now we’re at risk of losing our recycling center. I fought against it but it passed anyway.”

Sharlene Weed cited the widely-reported controversy over the recently-hired Economic Development Manager Mac Hay. “To me that’s just poor government, poor process. It’s deceptive, not transparent, very bad process. I would have had a job description and a Council discussion before hiring,” said Weed.

Jacki Shepardson agreed with Weed but added “The contract (independent contractor) was inappropriate. I would have requested a more detailed contract and I would have requested the person be an employee of the city where we could supervise their actions and ask for deliverables,” said Jacki.

Jerry Bogart said “To tell you the truth I’m very satisfied with the way the council is right now. However, I did object to a large pay raise the council gave to one employee recently. I was the only one who voted against it. I didn’t think it was the right time to do this in this economy,” said Bogart.

David Asson also spoke to the hiring of the Economic Development Manager. “I don’t find anything wrong with the contract itself. It (the hiring process) could have been an opportunity to get more information out to the community; we should have gotten the people behind the effort, now we’re going to have to work harder to do that,” said Asson.

Question #3: “What are your views and what, if anything, will you do to help organizations like the Sisters Park & recreation District and the various charitable organizations in Sisters Country?”

Sharlene Weed said “One of the things that we can all do is share resources. We all don’t need to buy pop-up tents for our events, we can share those things. They can also help us (the city) by letting us know what they’re doing so that maybe we can fill-in gaps.”

Jacki Shepardson said “We need to go to those organizations, listen to what they’re needs are, ask them questions, and bring that input back to the council.

Jerry Bogart agreed with Weed and Shepardson, adding “We need to keep in touch with the stakeholders, have more meetings with the school district; right now the city gives $15,000 to charitable organizations and, if times get better, we should look at increasing it.”

David Asson said “I think we should support the organizations any way that we can but, right now, direct dollars for new parks or buying additional land – we’re just not there at this time.”

Virginia Lindsey said “I agree with that. The city has been very successful at raising grants.”

Question #4: Sisters Country residents are affected by decisions made by the city council on such cross-city-line issues as protection of Whychus Creek, traffic, air quality, development, etc. Yet sisters Country people do not get a vote on how the city is run. What say, if any, should sisters Country residents outside the UGB have in city matters? What actions have you or would you take to consider these residents’ views?

Jacki Shepardson said “Having lived in Crossroads for eight years and not having a voice, I would have quarterly town hall meetings, draw those people in, get their ideas and their input.”

Jerry Bogart spoke to the city’s comprehensive plan. “The comp plan is due for an update so we need to involve all the citizens just as we did with the Visioning process (2006). Let them have a say about how we reform the comp plan,” said Jerry.

“A lot of my supporters are non-residents (of the city.) and yet they run businesses and are affected by all of these decisions. I know it’s a (city) charter matter but I’m open to see if that could be broadened to see if they could have a vote of some sort,” said David Asson.

Virginia Lindsey said “I’d like to see representatives from various groups come to us and give us their concerns and their interests.”

Sharlene Weed reminded the audience that the Committee for Citizen Involvement (CCI) was formed about four years ago to garner feedback from both outside and inside the city. “The CCI has not been a priority of the current council, it’s floundered, membership has dwindled. It’s one of the things I hope to revitalize,” said Sharlene.

Question #5: “Sisters received a ‘severely distressed’ designation in March of 2008 from the state’s Economic & Community Development Department. Conditions have not improved. In fact we’ve lost employers and jobs. What do you believe are Sisters ‘economic drivers’ and what specific steps will you take to improve the Sisters economy?”

“The city of Sisters has always been a tourist destination, that’s the backbone. Along with that come construction, real estate, and the service industries. Those are our drivers. We need to support our Chamber of Commerce. The current council is going down the right path. We need to focus a little more on business retention and expansion,” said Jerry Bogart.

David Asson said “Tourism is important but that isn’t the complete answer. We need to develop some of the other assets around here, retired people with lots of information and a lot of contacts, as well as developing a database of people and resources in the community that we can draw on.”

“Tourism has given us our name but we need things that will keep people here. We need year-round living wage jobs, some type of industry whether it’s engineering, manufacturing, or distribution,” said Virginia Lindsey.

Sharlene Weed said “Our biggest asset is our natural environment, our clean air, water, mountains, ponderosa pines. Recreation, arts and culture are our biggest economic drivers. I’ve been encouraged by the ‘economic roundtables’ put on by the Chamber and encourage more of those for the other economic sectors in town. I think the city could take the lead in calling together a larger ‘economic summit’ to report ‘out’ on what’s going on in the various economic sectors.”

“I agree with Sharlene, it’s our environment, people, schools. We need to look at ‘microenterprise,’ look at cities like Maupin, Joseph, and Baker City. They’ve gone from small economically depressed towns to very vibrant towns. We need to look at them and see what they did,” said Jacki Shepardson.

Lightning Round Questions: The candidates were asked to give either a “yes” or “no” response to four questions.

Question #1: “Would you vote in favor of resolutions to write letters of support for destination resorts?” Asson: Yes; Lindsey: Yes; Weed: No; Shepardson: No; Bogart: Yes

Question #2: “Should System Development Charges and/or some city taxes be waived or deferred to attract or retain businesses which bring living wage jobs to Sisters?” Lindsey: Yes; Weed: Passed on question; Shepardson: No; Bogart: Yes; Asson: Yes

Question #3: “Did you/would you vote in favor of the city gas tax?” Weed: No; Shepardson: No; Bogart: Yes; Asson: Yes; Lindsey: Yes

Question #4: “If elected to the Council would you like to be appointed Mayor?” Shepardson: No; Bogart: No; Asson: No; Lindsey: No; Weed: Yes

Following the question sessions each candidate gave a one-minute closing statement.