T IMES
July 26, 2019
Dino Shindig July 27 & 28 Carter County Museum
BAKER, MONTANA
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$1.00
July 26 & 27
Father Thomas Tobin with his Knights of Columbus Priest of the Year award. Fr. Tobin just completed his 60th year as a priest.
Father Thomas Tobin accepts his award for Knights of Columbus Priest of the Year. The award is in its second year.
Father Tobin named 2019 priest of the year Courtesy of the Ekalaka Eagle
Last year, the Montana Knights of Columbus Council instituted a Knights of Columbus Priest of the Year award to be given to a Priest who is a supporter of the KCs, is a leader in the church, and is a true person of charity and a man devoted to his brother knights. In this second year of the award, the Montana Council selected Fr. Thomas Tobin as the 2019 Priest of the Year. Fr. Tobin just completed his 60th year as a priest, with almost all of those years serving the Eastern Diocese of Montana. Matthew Gappa Council #6294 stated they are extremely proud to call Fr. Tobin a brother Knight. About Fr. Tobin Father Tobin was ordained in a small country church in Knock Grafton, Tipperary, Ireland on Sunday, June 14, 1959. Following his ordination in Ireland, Father Tobin came to Montana where he was an assistant at St. Pius X in Billings in September of 1959. Fr. Tobin has served parishes in Billings, Hilger, Livingston, Big Sandy, Baker/Plevna, and Ekalaka. He served more than 38 years in the parishes of Baker, Plevna and Ekalaka. He is currently retired but still says Mass and lives in Ekalaka. From a very young age, Thomas Tobin pledged his loyalty to the Pioneers, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart. Roman Catholic children reaching Confir-
mation were encouraged to “take the pledge” to foreswear alcohol until age 18 and maintain a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. To this day, Fr. Tobin continues his loyalty to the Pioneers and his dedication to the Sacred Heart. Fr. Tobin joined the Knights in 1959, receiving his 2nd and 3rd degree when he came to Baker in 1977. He later became a 4th Degree member of Msgr. Hennessy Assembly #1865 in Glendive, MT. He has served as Chaplain of Council #6294. Fr. Tobin has been a strong supporter of all Knights of Columbus activities and programs. In particular he has been a strong Pro-Life advocate; from the pulpit, the Right to Life March and in promotion of ProLife activities. When the KC Supreme Council took up the cause of the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and the rebuilding of Karamlesh on the Nineveh Plain in Iraq, he pressed the Baker Council to donate to the cause and donated a large sum of his own money to be added to the cause. Fr. Tobin has been active in the instruction of youth. He has taught classes and guided all in the instruction of youth. When the opportunity arose, he purchased some land where the abandoned Catholic Church sat in Ismay (Joe), Montana. Prior to the 4th of July dedication of Ismay as Joe, Montana, he hired the youth of the parish to paint up the abandoned church in Notre Dame blue and gold. Years earlier, he had tak-
en the opportunity to attend classes there and considered it his alma mater in addition to Joe’s. The following year, he erected a beautiful petrified wood Grotto of the Holy Family on the spot. He made many mini-pilgrimages to the site and Parishes hold an annual picnic there. Fr. Tobin made but a few trips home to Ireland but when he did, he returned more Irish that ever. The brogue was thicker for few weeks but he certainly had the congregation’s attention with his freshened Irish wit. After a long stretch in local parishes, he decided to take a long awaited vacation to New York City and flew east in September, 2001. As those terrifying events of 9/11 unfolded, no one heard from him. Five days later, as the parish began to fear the worst, they found that he was there doing what he does. He’d fortunately visited the Twin Towers the day before and spent the following days praying, ministering and, of course, making life-long friends. He was fine and there was no need to call home. Well known in the community for his chipper Irish personality, he is known by many out of the church community as well. He’s always willing to stop and chat. He talks of the folks in Baker, Plevna and Ekalaka as all being his parishioners. In fact, when he celebrates Mass in Baker it is not uncommon to have a few non-Catholics sit through to see him. The golf
See TOBIN Page 5
FMC brings in a new Occupational Therapist By Shannon Johnson
Fallon Medical Complex is welcoming a new Occupational Therapist to their Rehab Department. “A lot of people say that Occupational Therapy is the profession to help people become more independent by giving them tools and equipment to do tasks in their every day lives,” explains the new team member, MiKenna O’Donnell. O’Donnell is a Baker native. She was born to parents Kim and Vance O’Donnell and raised for her whole childhood in Baker with her two older brothers Payton and Derrick. Before graduating high school in 2013, she was an active member in her school, participating in Student Union, Student Council, FFA, Close Up, and FCCLA. She also
Baker’s
played basketball her freshman year and competed in Speech and Drama and golf throughout high school as well as being the volleyball manager. After graduating high school, O’Donnell moved to Bismarck to attend college at the University of Mary. She knew right away that she wanted to go into Occupational Therapy after a basketball injury sparked her interest in the field at a young age. “When I was in 8th grade I had to get a shoulder surgery and I participated in rehab with Cynthia Tronstad,” she mentioned. O’Donnell graduated in April of 2018 and continued to finish her clinicals in Bismarck before officially becoming an Occupational Therapist in December of 2018. She moved to Marmarth, ND and
Days
By Shannon Johnson
This weekend come downtown to enjoy the excitement of the growing event that is Baker Crazy Days! There’s bound to be plenty of familiar smiling faces downtown on Friday and Saturday while folks browse through the sales that Chamber retailers are offering. This year on top of the sales, the Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture is hosting a 3 on 3 basketball tournament in downtown Baker for kids in 3rd through 12th grade, starting at 9 a.m on Friday, July 26! The 3 on 3 tournament isn’t the only new event. On Saturday there will be a bike parade starting at Mom’s Laundry at 10:30 a.m. Come to downtown Baker this weekend and root on the 3 on 3 teams, see the kids’ decorated bikes and stop in the stores to do some local shopping!
High: 86 Low: 60
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Inside Files of the Times.............2 From the Bench...............5 Villa Happenings..............3 Crossword........................6 Crazy Days Sales...............4 Classifieds........................9
16th Annual Lights of Life By Shannon Johnson
Sunday, July 28 the Friends of FMC Foundation will hold their 16th annual Lights of Life at 7 p.m. at the Fallon Medical Complex Dining Room. The Friends of FMC Foundation holds this event yearly to celebrate the lives and memories of loved
ones who have passed on. You can give a tax-deductible gift of any amount to the Friends of FMC Foundation and the name of your loved one will be placed on a luminary bag with a candle inside that will be lit during the ceremony. Everyone is welcome to come and listen to the
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guest speaker and see the power point presentation or spend time with friends and neighbors while you listen to music and enjoy the refreshments that the Knights of Columbus are providing. We’ll see you there, as we celebrate the lives of our friends, relatives and loved ones!
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began to work at Fallon Medical Complex. “Before I went to college, I was getting told that I should come back here because there wasn’t a full-time,” she acknowledged. “I like the small community and my family is here so then I get to see them too.” O’Donnell is a rancher’s girlfriend, so during her down time she likes to help her boyfriend, Steven, with things like fixing fence, feeding the cattle and horses, calving and branding. When they aren’t busy on the ranch, she can be found spending a lot of her time with her family and friends as well as getting outdoors. “I’m glad that I started here at Fallon Medical Complex,” smiled O’Donnell. “There are a lot of familiar faces.”