SOAR leaders are Citizens of the Year

Bill Willitts presented the Key to the City to School Superintendent Steve Swisher. Photo by Jim Cornelius

A stunned Bonnie Malone accepted the honor of being named Citizen of the Year by the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, February 20.

Malone is a founding board member of the Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation (SOAR). She shared the honor with SOAR Director Tom Coffield, who was unable to attend the chamber awards dinner held at the Clubhouse at Big Meadow, Black Butte Ranch.

Malone's speech was rife with praise for Coffield and for the Sisters community that has supported SOAR in its mission to provide positive recreational and educational activities for youth in Sisters.

"The best decision I ever made was to take my horse and my dog and come over here," Malone said.

"I can't wait to call my mom."

RE/MAX Town & Country Realty won honors as Business of the Year. Previous honoree Dorro Sokol reflected on RE/MAX partner Arnie Swarens' long career in Sisters, noting that he asked her about selling her Pine Meadow Ranch property decades ago.

Peter Storton introduced the RE/MAX staff to the audience and noted that he and his wife have found many friends since moving to Sisters in the 1990s.

RE/MAX Town & Country Realty moved into a new headquarters in the former Soda Creek Gallery building, remodeling the facility into office space last year.

The Chamber honored Sisters Schools Superintendent Steve Swisher with the Key to the City -- an award designed to recognize a public servant who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the community.

Swisher, who will retire this year, noted that his success came easier because of the involvement and support of an active, supportive community.

Bob Grooney -- in a manner that has become a tradition -- provided a highlight of the evening in his acceptance speech for the President's Award. He noted that his wife Claudia had asked him to list his community involvements and accomplishments and typed them up in their computer.

To considerable laughter, Grooney described the paranoia that ensued... he was sure the list was for an obituary.

The evening marked a changing of the guard as Ed Fitzjarrel handed over the gavel to new president Chuck Fadeley.

Fadeley acknowledged the turmoil the chamber experienced over the past year, with personnel problems and dissatisfaction from some vendors at events.

"Through some really significant, serious challenges, we've stayed the course," Fadeley said.

Fadeley accepted the challenges of turning things around, noting that community service is part of the vibrant fabric of Sisters.

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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