Sisters salutes...

•Kristina Sparling wrote: The Sisters High School coin drive for "Habitat for Haiti" was a huge success. Together, we raised $1,430.61!

Habitat for Humanity International/Haiti is in the process of cleaning up the debris and providing emergency shelter kits. They also are committed to building permanent homes for Haitian families. Habitat is providing real help for today and hope for the future for the multitude of people who were displaced by the earthquake.

So many people donated their time and money to this fundraiser. I want to thank principal Bob Macauley for supporting me and helping me get this started; Riley Barrett for sitting in the cold all alone in front of Ray's Food Place one Sunday to collect change; the groups of people from the high school who went door-to-door; Mrs. Rawls' leadership class at the high school for making posters and signs; my friends who helped me count change at lunch before I found out that we could just take it to the bank (thank you, Bank of the Cascades!); and most especially I want to thank the community of Sisters for your generous donations and support.

This little town has a huge heart and I am very grateful to all of you.

If you would like to find out more about what Habitat for Humanity is doing in Haiti, check out their Web site: http://www.habitat.org.

•Davis Christopher Rapp of Sisters, enrolled at Central Wyoming College, was named to a CWC honor roll for grades earned during the 2009 fall semester. Rapp was named to the President's Honor Roll by virtue of earning a 4.0 grade point average.

•From Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce events director Jeri Buckmann:

We want to thank everyone for attending our sold-out Black & White Gala on Friday evening.

It was a great success.

Thank you to our Title Sponsor, South Valley Bank & Trust; Entertainment Sponsor, Sisters/Bend KOA; Invitation Sponsor, High Country Disposal; Program Sponsor, RE/MAX Town & Country Realty; and Table Decoration Sponsors, Bank of the Cascades, Metabolic Maintenance, Sisters Coffee Company, Mountain View Insurance and Patty Vandiver.

Thank you to our silent auction donors: Canyon Creek Pottery, Sisters Cascade of Gifts, Attention to Detail, Metamorphosis, Stitchin' Post, Fullhart Insurance of Sisters, Sisters Rodeo Association, Sisters Folk Festival, Kathy Deggendorfer, High Desert Gallery, Clearwater Gallery & Framing, and to Ray's Food Place for the wine at the dinner tables.

To our award winners, John Rahm for Volunteer of the Year, Jen & T.R. McCrystal for Citizens of the Year, Sisters Kiwanis for Nonprofit of the Year and to the Business of the Year, The Nugget Newspaper. 

•Deputy Richard John, of Sisters, earned the Reserve Deputy Sheriff Most Valuable Team Member Award for 2009 from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy John is a familiar figure at large Sisters events that require a police presence.

In the award citation, Lt. Gary Decker noted that, "Deputy John has led all reserves with 330 hours of service (2009). He assisted Capt. Don Swift, Reserve Academy Administrator, with the 2009 Reserve Academy. He also has volunteered for almost every ballot box detail; Sisters events, such as the quilt show, rodeo and many other park patrols, activities and ride-alongs."