Tremendous effort

A big thank you to Wallowa County for the tremendous outpouring of support for the recovery of our daughter Mischelle Hileman. The Search and Rescue Unit was on scene within minutes after getting my call with people and dog. They worked around the clock despite the adverse weather, extremely cold temperatures, snow, sleet and rain. Though their efforts were not successful, their example had trained the volunteers that were left in an excellent fashion to carry on. Their efforts are to be applauded and should be supported by all.

The tremendous outpouring of support from the merchants, churches, organizations and individuals who are too numerous to mention sustained us both physically and mentally through this ordeal. We wish to thank you one and all from the bottom of our hearts.

Jan and Benny Hileman

Wallowa

Well treated

I wanted to send a letter of thanks to the families of Wallowa County for their kindness to my family over this past year.

As we have suffered the loss of my grandparents, Gayle and Ina Stockdale, we have felt the love and support of my parents’ friends from Joseph and the surrounding areas. The wonderful meals and the hundreds of cards that have arrived on Russell Lane have warmed our hearts during a time of mourning.

It is easy for me to understand how my great grandmother and my grandmother held Joseph and Enterprise so dear to their hearts for so many years. My mom and dad, Judy and Shirley Bothum, were warmly welcomed back into the fold of mom’s hometown community quite a few years ago. While I was sad to see them sell our childhood home, I understand now what a special place Wallowa County is and why they were drawn back there. Those same friends have been at our family reunions to allow us more time together by selflessly lending helping hands with meals and whatever else needed to be done.

Yes, the scenery is beautiful, spectacular actually, the shopping is fun, the galleries are superior, but what I love about Joseph, are the generous residents. Thank you so much to all of you.

Sheila Bothum-Klausen

Bainbridge Island, Wash.

Baby killers

Another election has come and gone and very few care about the unborn babies as usual. The 4,000 abortions a day does not disturb people enough to change their voting pattern. People do not care that babies are partially delivered, arms and legs torn off and skulls crushed during late term abortions.

The “economy” is the biggest issue on people’s minds. People are worried about their retirement and social security checks. What about the 1.5 million babies per year that are slaughtered, or the 43 million since Roe vs. Wade? Hitler would be proud. Kill those undesirables! We all go about our business as usual, ignoring the bloodshed. We keep pro-abortion politicians in office to protect “women’s health.” But ask a woman who had an abortion how healthy it was. We ignore the abortion-breast cancer link, the unregulated abortion clinics, the deaths from the abortion pill and all the permanent complications from abortion to defend this “right.” I pray for our nation that we will one day wake up.

Thomas Messe

Groton, Conn.

Sorry Mischelle

I’m sorry Mischelle. We haven’t met but I feel I know you. You are a daughter of Wallowa County and that should be all that I need to know. I’m sorry for my own conduct. As an able bodied Wallowan and an experienced outdoorsman, I should have been out helping find you. Frankly I was more concerned about my self-employed business, working on prospective client calls and in short, searching for the almighty dollar rather than searching for you. Please accept my profound apology for not having the right priorities when one of our daughters was at risk.

I’m in awe of those who did have their priorities right. Since September 11, I vowed never again to use the word ‘hero’ in the same sentence with a professional sports figure. Heroes are those who do the right things at the right time without regard to their own plight. We know who the heroes in New York City and Washington, D.C. were. My list of heroes has increased by two. Bill Lehr of Wallowa simply dropped what he was doing to become the voluntary leader of the search effort when the search and rescue team had left. He’s a hero. What comfort it must have been to hear Bill’s voice answer yours as he found you. Marilyn Seifert, our Wallowa postmistress, used her personal vacation days to stay out and continue the search. She’s a hero.

My sense of sorrow extends to others beside myself who could have helped. Mischelle, I think it’s fair to say several people had concluded it was impossible for you to have survived those many cold nights. Only now with the clarity of hindsight do we know how wrong we were. We did not appreciate how your previous hunting experiences had taught you how to survive those deadly nights. Of course our assumptions were wrong. Bill didn’t care what common sense told him. To be honest Michelle, he was mentally prepared to bring you home in whatever condition you might be found rather than let you stay behind into the winter. Why couldn’t more of us have thought about how we would want to treat one of our daughters, regardless of the outcome?

Who beside myself seemed to be missing during those horrific days? After the search and rescue team had left, who might have helped? Where were the professionals who make their livings in the woods? Where were the foresters, wildlife enforcement officers and wildlife management personnel, law enforcement officials and others who know these woods and call Wallowa County their home. Like myself, were they too caught up in their own searches within their professions rather than out searching for you. Could some of them have donated their vacation time and expertise to help? Could their respective supervisors have ‘donated them’ to the search? Have job descriptions become so rigid and inflexible that we can no longer step outside of our respective ‘areas of expertise’ and help in such circumstances? Have we become so enamored with worries about ‘resources,’ job descriptions, jurisdictions, budgets, etc., that we discontinue our search for you when any parent’s good sense should dictate otherwise? To the heroes who continued their search for you, I salute them. For the rest of us, Mischelle, we could have done better. We let you down and I’m sorry.

David Lattin

Wallowa

THANK YOU

A special thank you to all of Ruth Dressler’s friends who offered prayers, food, and friendship during this time of her sickness and death. God bless you all.

The family of Ruth Dressler

THANK YOU

We wish to give our sincere thanks to the caring people who sent cards, flowers, calls, prayers and to those who helped in any way during our loss.

Thanks to Father Peter Ferando for officiating at the graveside services.

Our thanks to the LDS ladies for serving the luncheon, our sincere appreciation.

The families of Doria Audet

THANK YOU

To our family, friends, and patrons, words can’t express the gratitude and thanks in our hearts to all of you. Thank you so much for all your prayers, rides, meals, and support in my episode with cancer.

Thanks for all your patience and support for Bunk in his putting up with me.

Thank you and God bless you all.

Bunk & Penny Sasser

Valley Barbers