What’s Happening: 6.4.08

Published 5:00 pm Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Senior Center bingo

JOHN DAY – Bingo nights have started up again, at the John Day Senior Center every Tuesday. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the games starting at 6:45.

Book Fair

CANYON CITY – Humbolt Elementary’s “Buy One, Get One Free” book fair continues, Wednesday and Thursday, June 4 and 5 in the school library. The fair is open both days, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. More info: Bonnie, 575-0454.

Fiddling contest

JOHN DAY – Grant County Fair and Blue Mountain Old Time Fiddlers Contest will be held Saturday, June 7 at the Grant County fairgrounds pavilion. Special guest will be Katrina Pearce, 2007 Nashville Grand Master Fiddler. Preliminary competition starts at 10 a.m., with the championship at 5:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for students and seniors, and children under 5 are free. More info: 575-1900.

Mission trip presentation

MT. VERNON – Joyce and Loren Birmingham will give a PowerPoint presentation on their second mission trip to Togo, West Africa, on Saturday, June 7, at the Mt. Vernon Grange. The event is sponsored by the Historic Remnant Church and is open to the public. Lunch will be provided and will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the Mission Report (lasting about an hour) to follow immediately. More info: John Martin, 620-0340.

City wide garage sale

PRAIRIE CITY – There will be a town full of bargains at Prairie City’s “Get out of Hibernation” city-wide garage sale, set for Saturday, June 7.

’62 Days Celebration

CANYON CITY – Get ready for some old-fashioned fun at the Whiskey Gulch Gang’s annual ’62 Days Celebration in Canyon City, Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7. Some of the activities planned for Friday are an all-day treasure hunt and the first annual Chili Cook-Off at the Community Hall. Saturday’s schedule includes a pancake breakfast; a Gold Rush Run and Walk; parade at 11; barbecue; kids’ carnival at the Community Hall; and an old-fashioned pie social and yard sale at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. There will be live music at the Brewery featuring “Smoking Guns” both evenings, as well as a live drama production by Grant Union High School. More info: Tammy, 575-0509

Pie social

CANYON CITY – St. Thomas Episcopal Church will hold their 102nd annual pie social in conjunction with the ’62 Days Celebration, on Saturday, June 7. The social begins after the parade until 3 p.m. Free guided tours of the historic church will also be available at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The church will also be holding a yard sale 9 a.m.-3 p.m., both Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, to help send kids to summer camp.

Walk for babies

CANYON CITY – The First Annual Grant County “McKalee Madden March for Babies Walk” will be held Saturday, June 7, at Sel’s Brewery in Canyon City. Registration is at 8 a.m. with the walk starting at 9 a.m. Join a team, form a team, sponsor a walker or donate directly to the March of Dimes. More info: 620-0065, 240-1952, or www.marchforbabies.org/lindsaymadden.

Blood drive

JOHN DAY – A Red Cross blood drive will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints June 9, 10 and 11. Times will be: Monday, 2-7 p.m.; Tuesday, 12:30-5:30 p.m; and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Walk ins are welcome or call (800)GIVELIFE to schedule an appointment.

Volunteers are also needed to help with the blood drive. Please call Joan Bowling at 575-1248.

DAR meeting

LA GRANDE – The Lone Pine Tree Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host the official flag retirements at La Grande Fire Station at 10 a.m. Friday, June 13. The monthly meeting will be held at Denny’s at noon, with Mary Ann Spear as guest speaker. All are welcome to attend. More info: (541) 523-5646 or (541) 963-3388.

Truck and Tractor Pull

JOHN DAY – Get ready to “Rumble and Roar” at the Truck, Tractor and ATV Pull, coming up Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14, at the Grant County fairgrounds. The ATV Pull will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The Truck and Tractor Pull is set for 7 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for adults are $12 presale and $15 at the gate; for children, $8 presale and $10 at the gate. A special presale, two-day ticket for adults is $20 and for children, $12. More info: 575-1900.

Community market

JOHN DAY – A community market will be held in the Chester’s Thriftway parking lot, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, June 14. Local vendors will be available. More info: call T.J. Bremner or David Gill, 575-1899.

DAT training

JOHN DAY – Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) training will be Saturday, June 14 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in John Day. The all-day training starts at 9 a.m. The training is dependent upon a sufficient number of volunteers signed up to justify the training leaders traveling from out of town. To sign up, please call Joan Bowling at 575-1248 by 10 a.m. Monday, June 9.

Malheur’s 100th

JOHN DAY – Malheur National Forest supervisor Doug Gochnour invites the public to Malheur’s 100th birthday celebration, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at the Grant County fairgrounds. Prairie City Future Farmers of America will offer lunch – barbecue sandwich, salad and drink for $8, or $5 for just the sandwich.

Some of the fun-filled, family events include: cross cut saw demonstrations; Juniper Singers performance at noon in the pavilion; wildlife displays; “Legacy of Wildlife” art contest; wildland fire engines, firefighters and Smokey; and a “mystery” guest performance by a hisorical figure at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the pavilion.

Airport meeting

JOHN DAY – Due to scheduling conflicts, the June meeting of the Grant County Regional Airport Commission is being changed to 5 p.m. Monday, June 16. The media and public are welcome.

Geneaology Society

JOHN DAY – The Grant County Geneaology Society will host Tiina Allyce at the noon luncheon, Tuesday, June 17, at the Outpost. Ms. Allyce will share her mother’s autobiography about living in Estonia prior to and during World War II.

Child care class

CANYON CITY – The next class at Child Care Resource and Referral will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 in the Guernsey Building, 120 Washington Street in Canyon City. The topic will be “Dads Meet Mother Goose: Early Literacy Connects Caring Men with Children’s Lives.” A minimum of four confirmed are needed for the class to be held. There is no fee and a child’s book will be included. To preregister or for more information call 575-0251 or 1-800-956-0324.

Regional eventsGlobal Village Festival

ONTARIO -The Ontario Chamber of Commerce will host the American’s Global Festival on Saturday, June 7, at the Lions Park in Ontario. The Festival displays authentic cultural villages – Basque, Dutch, African, German, Japanese, Mexican, Native American, Pioneer and Scottish. Each will feature food, arts and crafts, cultural demonstrations and youth activities. The opening ceremonies will include a costumed parade and there will be cultural entertainment at the main stage all day. More info: (541) 889-8012 or (866) 989-8012.