From owning and operating a 45-employee computer business to managing a 10-unit resort at Wallowa Lake is a major step, but Doug Buska, with the help of his wife Patti, made the leap official last Friday morning. It was at 9 a.m., says Buska, when they officially signed the papers with Sam and Susan Collett for the purchase of Collett’s Cabins and Fine Arts LLC of Wallowa Lake.

The Buskas have owned a home at Wallowa Lake for the past three years and have been traveling from Richland, Wash. every other weekend to enjoy their home away from home. Now it is their home and the couple are happy with the change.

On Friday afternoon the couple was sitting in a vacant gift shop with retained employee Janet Butler making plans for the months ahead. The plan is to encourage artists from the area to bring in consignment items for sale, items such as metal, textiles, photographs and paintings. Doug adds that they are “pet friendly” and will sell a few pet supplies on the side.

Going under the new name of Wallowa Lake Resort, the couple will advertise primarily over the Internet. In addition to the 10 units which host anywhere from two to nine guests, the Buskas already manage six vacation rentals in the lake area. Many, if not all of the weekends for the summer of 2004, have already been booked at the Wallowa Lake Resort.

Patti spent the last eight years working in health care before the move. She is a native of Bellevue, Wash. while Doug grew up in the Spokane, Wash. area.

Doug received his masters degree from Washington State University in 1993 and built up his own computer business called Enabling Technology. He expects to find the time to do some computer consulting in the future.

The Buskas have already worked out an arrangement with local wildlife artist Gene Hayes where Hayes’ artwork will be displayed in all 10 units and be sold on a consignment basis.