Caden Howard of Prairie City is ready to head outdoors with the new .22 rifle he won at the Carrie Young Memorial.

JOHN DAY – “I’m blown away.”

That’s the response from Lucie Immoos, organizer of the annual Carrie Young Memorial, following the successful Dec. 5 event.

Immoos said more than $13,400 was raised in this year’s by-donation spaghetti dinner and auction, which benefits elderly and homebound seniors in Grant County

The following Sunday, she and a team of helpers – Lana Abarr, Dolores Young, Christie Winegar, Jenny Rookstool, Becky Sharp, Riley Sharp, Lucrezia Noseda, Abbey Fenton and Cheyenne Cobern – set out on a shopping trip “that one would have to see to believe,” Immoos said.

This year they were able to purchase four gifts each for 65 residents of four local care facilities.

Once all the wish lists were filled, a second team of Grant Union and Prairie City high-schoolers gathered at the federal building in John Day for the wrapping and delivery of the gifts.

That group included Anthony Hall, Triston Emmel, Emily Mosley, Carli Gardner, Riley Sharp, Justin Gravely, Wyatt Weaver, Leonard Radinovich, Garrett McConnell, Hayden Young, Alea King, Lucinda Harper, Lucrezia Noseda and McKenzie Wilson.

“It is quite an undertaking and takes lots of organizing skills,” Immoos said, adding, “The kids did an awesome job and were a lot of fun as well.”

She said many of the residents aren’t expecting any gifts, and are quite surprised.

“The elderly are so overlooked,” she said.

In addition to an array of auction items, there were drawing prizes, too. The Ruger American bolt action .22 rifle went to Caden Howard of Prairie City, and the cord of tamarack firewood went to Sally Fish of Prairie City – temporarily anyway.

Fish donated it back, to be given to an elderly person, Immoos said, in an “amazing gesture of kindness.”

The event has grown in success with each year since Immoos launched it following the death of her sister, Carrie Young, a local senior caregiver.

And she said none of it would be possible without a tremendous amount of help from all directions. Immoos said several volunteers worked into the late hours all week prior to the memorial planning, organizing and decorating.

She added the people of the county are to be touted as well.

“It’s overwhelming how much the community supports this,” Immoos said.