The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Joel Miller of Sisters played left tackle in the annual Oregon Shriners East West Football Game on August 3.

The 67-year-old event is an all-star game and a fundraiser for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Participation in the game is a high honor for young athletes. Roy Gannon and Abbey Busick also participated as senior cheerleaders.

“I was actually an alternate in the beginning and got a call to come down,” Miller told The Nugget.

Miller played on the West team, which won the contest 43-10.

The week leading up to the game was filled with practices and other team-building athletic activities from volleyball to kickball. The athletes also visited the Shriners Hospital.

“It was a cool experience,” Miller said. “I became pretty good friends with people who were in our league.”

Busick said, “I’d say that the Shriners was by far the best cheerleading experience I’ve ever had, and I was so honored and thankful to have been a part of something so amazing. And Roy would say she loved being able to cheer for such an amazing organization with everyone rooting for the same cause, win or lose.”

The 18-year-old 2019 Sisters High School graduate departed last weekend for College of the Siskiyous, where he will play football this fall. He played defensive tackle and right guard for the Outlaws, and he anticipates playing on the defensive line in college.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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