Sisters salutes...

• The family of Stephen Connolly, who was severely injured in an ATV wreck last month, wrote:

The Sisters community continues to amaze us. This weekend, Randon Beech, Hayden Wester, Kaity Douglass and Ben Fullhart sold raffle tickets for original, framed Quilt Show 2009 artwork by Dan Rickards. They surprised us with a visit to the hospital and presented us with a very generous gift. We can't tell you all how touched we are!

Fr. Logan stopped by and shared with us an another amazing story of the generosity of the Sisters community. After Mass yesterday, the "Just Faith Group" (from St. Edward's) had a car wash to assist with Stephen's care. We want to thank everyone who was involved washing cars, and those who had their cars washed. Also, we want to thank Fr. Radloff and everyone else who helped coordinate this.

• Sisters schools superintendent Elaine Drakulich wrote:

I write this letter to you to express gratitude for Jeri Fouts, Susan Arends and Novella Swisher. Their work with Starry Nights has generated the funding source for the Sisters Foundation. The foundation has been a major supporter of the school programs our district is dedicated to providing for students. Our mission states:

Sisters schools collaborate with our community and capitalize on our surroundings to provide hands-on learning, rigorous academics, exposure to careers, and a broad curriculum that includes both core subjects and art, music, sports and vocational courses.

I am pleased to say that even though we have been impacted by the poor economic times of our nation; our schools continue to fulfill the above mission. Thankfully, we are able to do so because our community has supported their schools' financial needs in many ways.

Jeri Fouts, Susan Arends, and Novella Swisher have been the leadership team for Starry Nights for the past 12 years. They have been phenomenal planners and implementers. The entertainers they have brought to Sisters have been outstanding in their own right, but also amazing teachers and co-performers for our students. The almost $1 million for school academics, arts, music, athletics and technology has been a strong, steady reason why this school district is at "state of the art" status in all areas of study.

Although these ladies will say that Starry Nights success is due to many staff and community members, they need specific credit for their expertise and commitment to this school district. We would not be the same quality without them. My hat is off to all three of you. You are an amazing threesome.

• Joe Green, a 2005 Sisters High School graduate, received his Bachelor of Science degree in geography from Oregon State University.

On July 10, he was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant. He will attend training in Alabama and will enter the space and missiles program at Vandenberg AFB, California.

• DeLaney Green, a 2003 Sisters High School graduate, received her Masters of Science degree in speech-language pathology from Missouri State University.

She has taken a position as a speech pathologist with the Wallowa County Education Service District.