From left, Wallowa County Commissioner John Hillock presents water bottles emblazoned with “Outstanding Citizen Award” to Chad Stangel and Sam Magera for their efforts in the community at the commissioners’ meeting Wednesday, April 3, 2024.

ENTERPRISE — Two local men were honored Wednesday, April 3, by the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the county.

Chad Stangel and Sam Magera were presented by the commissioners with water bottles emblazoned with the words, “Outstanding Citizen Award.”

“From time to time, the county needs to recognize people who have really done good things for the community,” said Commissioner John Hillock as he presented the awards. “As far as I’m concerned, this one is way overdue. These two young men stepped up after the Elks suffered a severe fire in August of 2014.”

Randy Morgan, longtime secretary of the Enterprise Elks Lodge, said Stangel and Magera were instrumental in working with the contractors to get the building restored and usable again.

Commissioner Susan Roberts echoed Hillock’s congratulations and noted there were many who wanted to honor the pair.

“It’s good to have a couple of young people from the community come in and take over for the old folks,” she said.

“There were a lot of folks who were on board for nominating the two young guys there — who aren’t young anymore — for that award and I was really appreciative when John suggested we do something,” she said. “The people in the courthouse got together and decided that this would be much better instead of giving a plaque to hang on the wall. So, once again, on behalf of the entire community, and the government of Wallowa County, we thank you guys.”

Commission Chairman Todd Nash agreed, recalling in his youth going to different events at the Elks.

“To keep that going and having a place where young people can gather at, thank you very much for all the work you’ve put in there,” Nash said.

Morgan recalled that the fire started in a light fixture in the secretary’s office. Much of the office was burned, and the remainder of the building suffered smoke and water damage.

Stangel, who works for his family’s business, Stangel Industries, and Magera, who has a tree farm on Tucker Down Road, worked closely with the contractors repairing the damage. Both are now Elks trustees.

“They had a lot to do with putting the lodge back together,” Morgan said. “They were the ones who dealt with the contractors.”

But they didn’t just work with the contractors, he said.

“They did a lot of the down-and-dirty work themselves,” Morgan said.

The Elks may be a private club, but it often opens its doors to the community. The lodge serves as the clearinghouse for the annual Christmas food drive. But there are also projects like building backstops at the Jensen Ball Fields, holding dances and cornhole tournaments at the lodge, organizing the annual Easter egg hunt at the ball fields — the eggs are colored at Stangel Industries — and organizing golf tournaments for the lodge.

“They do a lot more than just the Elks Lodge,” Roberts said. “Chad’s always out building something and donating it.”

Morgan was eager to see the two honored.

“They’re good guys and they’re easy to work with,” he said.