The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Sisters Rodeo board of directors has selected Chief Don Mouser and Chief Charles "Chuck" Cable to be the Grand Marshals for the 1996 Sisters Rodeo.

When the Sisters Rodeo clubhouse burned March 24, firefighters from Sisters/Camp Sherman RFPD and Cloverdale RFPD responded to the scene. Though the building was destroyed, the firefighters were able to save irreplaceable artwork and items that are a part of the rodeo's history.

The chiefs were selected in part as a gesture of thanks for their departments' efforts in the rodeo fire, and in part as an appreciation of the ongoing work of the departments in the community.

"This is a way for us to honor these men for their service in the past and what they are doing today," said Bert Murray, a member of the rodeo board. "They have been a great help to us, not just with the fire, but also over the years. We want them to know that they are really appreciated in the community."

Don Mouser has been in the Sisters area since the 1950's. He remembers selling pop at the rodeo and looking for change under the bleachers as a child.

"I used to crawl under the bleachers to look for change that would fall out of people's pockets. That's how I made some money as a kid," he said. "Then someone told me to watch these two guys that came every year and got really drunk.

"They would put their money under their beer cups and sometimes the wind would blow while they were taking a drink. Then I would really make some money."

Mouser started fire fighting in 1965 as a volunteer. Twelve years later, in 1977, he became Sisters first paid fire chief. The district has four full time firefighters, two part timers, two students and 38 volunteers.

Chuck Cable is chief of the Cloverdale RFPD. He has been serving in that position for nearly two and a half years. His district has two fire stations, nine fire fighting vehicles and 17 volunteer firefighters.

Cable has been fighting fires for nearly 18 years. He moved with his wife Sharon from LaPine to the Sisters area to fill the position that he currently holds.

He is an avid outdoorsman, and a blackpowder shooting enthusiast.