News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The inaugural members of the Outlaw Hall of Fame.
Outlaw Spirit was running high in Sisters last week.
A group of Outlaws boosters inducted the first class of Outlaws into the Outlaw Hall of Fame at a banquet at FivePine Lodge & Conference Center on Thursday night. The next day, many of the inductees and attendees from the banquet turned out to put their Outlaw Spirit into action at Aspen Lakes during the Outlaw Open.
Bob Macauley was one of the inductees and also served as keynote speaker for the inaugural event.
Recently retired from Glencoe High School, Macauley was principal at the "renewed" Sisters High School from 1992 through 2011. He served as head football coach from 1992 through 2009, earning multiple coach-of-the-year honors and state championships. He was also instrumental in creating the Outlaw Open as a key fundraiser for Outlaws athletics and other co-curricular programs.
"I'm looking at who else is going in and I'm thinking, 'Wow, I'm a lucky guy,'" Macauley told The Nugget. "Just being associated with the people of Sisters has been a highlight of my life."
He said Thursday that he was looking forward to seeing old friends and then "hitting a few balls into the woods" at the Outlaw Open.
Don Pollard, one of the organizers of the event, said that it was an emotional occasion for everyone.
"Wayne Rowe, the presenter to the Class of '93, he had a really nice presentation and he even got a little choked up," Pollard said. "It was great to see the passion and how much it meant to the inductees and even the presenters.
"Seeing the younger kids present for the older generation and seeing that bond - that always creates spirit and links generations together."
Inductees included:
• 1996 Volleyball Team: 1996 3A State Champions (in the 1A-4A system). Dominant team that was the first state championship team in the new school's history, and the first girls' championship team ever at SHS. Many collegiate players.
• Ron Phillips: Four-sport star in 1954-57 (football, basketball, baseball, track). First SHS athlete to get 16 letters. Class and student body president. Linfield College athlete. Coach (28 years) and teacher (30 years).
• Susan Hyde: Three-sport star 1992-96 (track, cross-country, basketball). Valedictorian SHS 1996. Linfield College. UCSD masters and PhD. Brookings Institution and Princeton fellowships. Extensive research accomplishments and honors. Presently Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Yale University.
• A.J. Demaris: Three-sport star in 1958-61 (football, basketball, track). Shrine All-Star Game starting quarterback and defensive back. University of Oregon. Wildlife biologist.
• Stan Williams: Four-sport star in 1957-58 (football, basketball, baseball, track). Shrine All-Star and All-State. Linfield college star. Coach and teacher (30-plus years). Honor Society. Class president.
• Leonard Langeliers: Three-sport star in 1954-57, and record-holder (track, football, baseball). Class president. Pacific University. Optometrist. U.S. Army 22 years (Lt. Col.)
• Sisters Starry Nights: Special contributor category. Sisters Starry Nights first started in 1997 and has been instrumental in raising funds for the Sisters School District. Jeri Fouts and Susan Arends and their many, many volunteers have netted more than $1 million for Sisters schools through their concert series and special events, including visits by Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo', Amy Grant, Kenny Loggins, and Michael McDonald, along with other special benefits and innovative programs. Equally importantly has been the involvement by these artists during their visits with various Sisters School District programs.
• John Justin: Dominant three-sport star 1995-1998 (track, football, basketball). All-State all three sports when SHS transitioned from 2A to 3A (smallest 3A school in state). Honor Society; student government. College basketball player at Westmont College and Warner Pacific, and now director of service management at Nike.
• SHS Class of 92/93: Special contributor category. The class of '93 was the first senior class to graduate from the new Sisters High School after a 26-year absence (SHS having closed in 1967). For 26 years, the community bused its students to Redmond before bringing its students home in 1992-93. The decision to come back to SHS was difficult for many - leaving friends, established relationships, and academic and athletic roles behind in order to help pave the way and re-start SHS.
The event also honored Dennis Dempsey, who shepherded SHS through its first years as principal and as a coach. Dempsey was emcee of the event ans a surprise inductee.
Jeri Fouts and Susan Arends spoke on behalf of Starry Nights:
"We are humbled and grateful to have Starry Nights inducted into this inaugural Hall of Fame class alongside these great Outlaws and all that they represent. Since our first show in 1997, Starry Nights has succeeded because this is a community that works together in harmony. People have generously given their time, their creativity and their support in a multitude of ways over the last 18 years - whether they were on the planning committee, a volunteer, a performer, a sponsor or bought a ticket to a show. Starry Nights is a reflection of a community that cares about kids, education and the arts and we feel so honored to be a part of that."
Pollard said that the event will happen again next year. There are certainly plenty of worthy candidates.
Friday's Outlaw Open, which is the biggest fundraiser for Outlaws co-curricular programs, was fully subscribed, with local golfers braving the hot weather for a fun day on the links for a good cause.
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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