Wyoming Rural Electric News July 2023

ELECTRIFY AND SAVE

IS A HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER RIGHT FOR YOU?

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are available in multiple sizes to fit any household, or commercial application and have fast recovery to keep hot water flowing. HPWHs use electricity to move heat from one place to another rather than generating their own heat like a traditional electric water heater. This makes them 2-3 times more efficient when properly installed.

+ ENERGY SAVINGS WITH MORE CONTROL

HPWHs can offer up to 4 modes of operation including an auto-mode for daily use, a vacation mode to maximize energy savings when you are gone, and a high demand to boost heat recovery when you have a large number of guests overnight. Whether you want to save or need a little extra hot water, you are in control.

+ A SAFE ALTERNATIVE FOR YOUR HOME

HPWHs are all-electric and combustion-free, removing a source of carbon monoxide and potential gas leaks in your home. Also, HPWH’s do not generate heat, so they remain cool to the touch.

+ A HPWH COSTS LESS TO OPERATE THAN PROPANE WATER HEATERS

Water heating makes up about 18 percent of U.S. residential energy use. HPWHs can use up to 70 percent less energy than traditional electric water heaters when installed correctly.

VISIT US AT www.tristate.coop/BE

It Takes a Village

STORY BY ILENE OLSON

Mentoring services help Wyoming youth navigate the twists and turns on their path to adulthood. Read about programs across the state on page 17.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF INDEPENDENCE DAY

Happy Birthday America! It would be easy and appropriate to use my column this month to talk about the birth of America and what our forefathers might think about our country today. But instead, I want to write about May 11, 1935, and May 20, 1936. Together those days marked the beginning of independence for rural America.

On May 11, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 7037, which created the Rural Electrification Administration or REA (today known as the Rural Utilities Service), and a little over a year later, Congress enacted the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. Saying these Acts gave rural America our independence may be a little dramatic, I know. It’s not as if the ranchers, farmers and citizens of rural America were being ruled by a foreign monarchy or being denied any rights that perhaps those living in the more populated parts of the country enjoyed. Rather, it was a different kind of independence and one that would change America, and if I might be so bold as to say, it also changed the world to some extent.

I know in the past I’ve written about a conversation I remember having with my grandma, shortly after I started working at WREA, when she recalled “the day the lights came on!” and how it completely changed the family’s dairy operations, and those of their

neighbors and their neighbors’neighbors. This “modern-day convenience” completely changed the agriculture industry and gave farmers and ranchers the independence to grow their businesses and begin to not only feed and provide for their families, but the world. According to feedandgrain.com, “the United States is the leading agriculture commodities exporter, topping the list for corn, seed cotton and rice. The U.S. ranked in the top three for 10 out of 21 of the most common agricultural commodities in the world.”

I know it’s about so much more than food production, but just as our country’s independence for almost 250 years has provided so much good to the rest of the world, rural America’s independence has done the same and will continue to do so.

I hope everyone had a great Independence Day!

SHAWN TAYLOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

QUARTER HORSE WITH AN ABSAROKA VIEW

PHOTO COURTESY OF BARRIE LYNN BRYANT ARAPAHO RANCH ON OWL CREEK WEST OF THERMOPOLIS

THIS 14X21 INCH ARCHIVAL PIGMENT PRINT IS NOW PART OF THE WYOMING STATE MUSEUM COLLECTION. TURN TO PAGE 12 TO LEARN MORE.

THE WREN MAGAZINE WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS

The official publication of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association

The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, volume 69, number 6, July 2023 (ISSN 1098-2876) is published monthly except for January for $22 per year by Linden Press, Inc., Periodicals postage paid at Cheyenne, WY (original entry office) and at additional mailing offices.

WREN Magazine is owned and controlled by rural electric cooperatives in the interest of the economic progress of rural areas specifically and the entire population of Wyoming and the nation generally.

WREN Magazine has a total average monthly paid circulation of 41,346 for 11 months ending September 2022. WREN Magazine is delivered to rural electric member/consumers and other subscribers throughout the entire state of Wyoming and the nation.

Acceptance of advertising by WREN Magazine does not imply endorsement of the product or services advertised by the publisher or Wyoming electric cooperatives.

WREN STAFF

Publisher: Linden Press, Inc.

— Editorial Team —

Maggie York

Alison Quinn

Becky Freismuth

— Design Team — Dixie Lira

David Merkley

Shawna Phillips

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

High West Energy, Pine Bluffs –Michael Lerwick, President Big Horn REC, Basin –John Joyce, Vice President

Wheatland REA, Wheatland –Sandra Hranchak, Secretary/Treasurer

Basin Electric, Bismarck, ND – Paul Baker

Bridger Valley Electric, Mountain View – Ruth Rees Carbon Power, Saratoga – Kenny Curry

Garland Light & Power, Powell – Scott Smith

High Plains Power, Riverton – Brett Gardner

Lower Valley Energy, Afton – Scott Anderson

Niobrara Electric, Lusk – J.D. Wasserburger

Powder River Energy, Sundance – Mike Lohse Wyrulec Company, Torrington – Dewey Hageman Deseret Power, South Jordan, UT – Gary Nix Tri-State G&T, Westminster, CO – Julie Kilty

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

$22 per year, Single copies $2 each

ADVERTISING

To purchase call (307) 996-6552.

OFFICE OF WREN OWNER 2312 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001

ADDRESS CHANGES

Please contact your local cooperative to update your address. Paid subscribers contact publisher.

PUBLISHER 307-286-8140 wren@wyomingrea.org

POSTMASTER

— Send address changes to — The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, c/o Linden Press, Inc., 121 E Mountain Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80524, [970] 221-3232. Include 3-digit co-op code.

YOUNG CREATIVES

ADAPTABILITY BASIN ELECTRIC

POWERING THROUGH WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY

Each day brings its own challenges, and Basin Electric will help you power through all of them. We have the strength and versatility to adapt so you can keep your operation running, your business doors open, and your family safe and sound. Reliable Energy for Our Way of Life.

Throw Yourself a Bone

Full tang stainless steel blade with natural bone handle —now ONLY

Thevery best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature. If you’re on the hunt for a knife that combines impeccable craftsmanship with a sense of wonder, the $79 Huntsman Blade is the trophy you’re looking for.

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The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world.

This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers.

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Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price. Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Huntsman Blades for this ad only. Don’t let this beauty slip through your fingers. Call today!

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*Discount is only for customers who use the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price.

California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product.

• 12” overall length; 6 ¹⁄2” stainless steel full tang blade

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Updates From Your Co-ops

HERE ARE SOME RECENT UPDATES ON WHAT’S HAPPENING AT OUR LOCAL COOPERATIVES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AS A MEMBER-OWNER, WE HOPE YOU STAY ENGAGED IN YOUR LOCAL COOPERATIVE NEWS AND ATTEND THEIR LOCAL MEETINGS!

Carbon Power & Light Hosts 82nd Annual Meeting – June 24

Carbon served a BBQ lunch for their membership. The election resulted with no changes to the Board. Member-Owners who were present at the business meeting were entered in the drawings.

PEDIATRIC CARE Anywhere,

Cheyenne Regional Medical Group’s SmartExam has the pediatric care your family needs without the waiting room!

• Use your computer or smart device to answer questions about your child’s non-life threatening symptoms, anywhere, anytime!

• Get a diagnosis and a recommended treatment plan from a CRMG provider within an hour.*

• SmartExam can be used for children ages four and older!

*During business hours M-F, 7 a.m – 9 p.m., Sat, Sun & Holidays, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

YOUR VOICE TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

Many great door prizes were given away. One lucky winner walked away with $500 CASH!

Will This Strange Antarctic Squid Solve America’s Memory Crisis?

New Deep Sea Discovery Proven to Be The #1 Natural Enhancer of Memory and Focus

Halfa mile beneath the icy waters off the coast of Argentina lives one of the most remarkable creatures in the world.

Fully grown, they’re less than 2 feet long and weigh under 10 pounds…

But despite their small size, this strange little squid can have a bigger positive impact on your brain health than any other species on the planet.

They are the single richest source of a vital “brain food” that 250 million Americans are starving for, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

It’s a safe, natural compound called DHA – one of the building blocks of your brain. It helps children grow their brains significantly bigger during development. And in adults, it protects brain cells from dying as they get older.

Because DHA is so important, lacking enough of it is not only dangerous to your overall health but could be directly related to your brain shrinking with age.

With more than 16 million Americans suffering from ageassociated cognitive impairment, it’s clear to a top US doctor that’s where the problem lies.

Regenerative medicine specialist Dr. Al Sears, says thankfully, “there’s still hope for seniors. Getting more of this vital brain food can make a life changing difference for your mental clarity, focus, and memory.”

Dr. Sears, a highly-acclaimed, board-certified doctor— who has published more than 500 studies and written 4 bestselling books — says we should be able to get enough DHA in our diets… but we don’t anymore.

“For thousands of years, fish were a great natural source of DHA. But due to industrial fish farming practices, the fish we eat and the fish oils you see at the store are no longer as nutrient-dense as they once were,” he explains.

DHA is backed by hundreds of studies for supporting razor sharp focus, extraordinary mental clarity, and a lightning quick memory… especially in seniors.

So, if you’re struggling with focus, mental clarity, or memory as

you get older…

Dr. Sears recommends a different approach.

THE SECRET TO A LASTING MEMORY

Research has shown that our paleo ancestors were able to grow bigger and smarter brains by eating foods rich in one ingredient — DHA.

“Our hippocampus thrives off DHA and grows because of it,” explains Dr. Sears. “Without DHA, our brains would shrink, and our memories would quickly fade.”

A groundbreaking study from the University of Alberta confirmed this. Animals given a diet rich in DHA saw a 29% boost in their hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory. As a result, these animals became smarter.

Another study on more than 1,500 seniors found that those whose brains were deficient in DHA had significantly smaller brains — a characteristic of accelerated aging and weakened memory.

PEOPLE’S BRAINS ARE SHRINKING AND THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW IT

Dr. Sears uncovered that sometime during the 1990s, fish farmers stopped giving their animals a natural, DHA-rich diet and began feeding them a diet that was 70% vegetarian.

“It became expensive for farmers to feed fish what they’d eat in the wild,” explains Dr. Sears. “But in order to produce DHA, fish need to eat a natural, marine diet, like the one they’d eat in the wild.”

“Since fish farmers are depriving these animals of their natural diet, DHA is almost nonexistent in the oils they produce.”

“And since more than 80% of fish oil comes from farms, it’s no wonder the country is experiencing a memory crisis. Most people’s brains are shrinking and they don’t even know it.”

So, what can people do to improve their memory and brain function in the most effective way possible?

Dr. Sears says, “Find a quality

DHA supplement that doesn’t come from a farmed source. That will protect your brain cells and the functions they serve well into old age.”

Dr. Sears and his team worked tirelessly for over 2 years developing a unique brain-boosting formula called Omega Rejuvenol

It’s made from the most powerful source of DHA in the ocean, squid and krill — two species that cannot be farmed.

According to Dr. Sears, these are the purest and most potent sources of DHA in the world, because they haven’t been tampered with. “Omega Rejuvenol is sourced from the most sustainable fishery in Antarctica. You won’t find this oil in any stores.”

MORE IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

Already, the formula has sold more than 850,000 bottles. And for a good reason, too. Satisfied customers can’t stop raving about the memory-boosting benefits of quality-sourced DHA oil.

“The first time I took it, I was amazed. The brain fog I struggled with for years was gone within 24 hours. The next day, I woke up with the energy and mental clarity of a new man,” says Owen R.

“I remember what it was like before I started taking Omega Rejuvenol… the lack of focus… the dull moods… the slippery memory… but now my mind is as clear as it’s ever been,” says Estelle H.

“My mood and focus are at an all-

time high. I’ve always had trouble concentrating, and now I think I know why,” raves Bernice J. “The difference that Omega Rejuvenol makes couldn’t be more noticeable.”

And 70-year-old Mark K. says, “My focus and memory are back to age-30 levels.”

These are just a handful of the thousands of reviews Dr. Sears regularly receives thanks to his breakthrough memory formula, Omega Rejuvenol

WHERE TO FIND

OMEGA REJUVENOL

To secure bottles of this brainbooster, buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at 1-800-9667630. “It takes time to manufacture these bottles,” says Dr. Sears. “The Hotline allows us to ship the product directly to customers who need it most.”

Dr. Sears feels so strongly about this product, he is offering a 100%, money-back guarantee on every order. “Send back any used or unused bottles within 90 days and I’ll rush you a refund,” says Dr. Sears.

The Hotline is taking orders for the next 48 hours. After that, the phone number may be shut down to allow for inventory restocking.

Call 1-800-966-7630 to secure your limited supply of Omega Rejuvenol. Readers of this publication immediately qualify for a steep discount, but supplies are limited. To take advantage of this great offer use Promo Code OMWREN723 when you call.

MEMORY-RESTORING SENSATION: The memory-saving oil in this Antarctic squid restores decades of lost brain power starting in just 24 hours.

Showcasing the HeART of Wyoming

During their 28 years together, the couple merged their talents into a unique collaboration. A.B.’s art spanned imaginative realism using paintings, collages, constructions and assemblages. Bryant handcrafted picture frames and environments for her art. They traveled over 25,000 miles a year to attend festivals, exhibitions and conventions across the country, and their work earned them the reputation of creating inseparable “total works of art.” The couple maintained an open studio in their home, which Bryant still operates by appointment.

BY JADE KIMBELL SMITH

For more information about Bryant’s work, see his Instagram

@BARRIELYNNBRYANT OR CONTACT

HIM AT 307-921-2330.

When A.B.’s health became complicated in 2012, Bryant also became her primary caregiver, continuing their work and teaching classes in framing, the vanishing art of gilding and documentary photography, with some assistance from the Wyoming Arts Council.

Following A.B.’s death in April 2022, Bryant went ahead with his $24,473 grant from the Arts Council and taught a documentary course concurrently in each of the four Bighorn Basin counties. Citizen photographers in Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties received nine classes over a three-month period at

no charge. At the conclusion of the course, their project portfolios were submitted to the Wyoming State Museum for consideration. The Director of the museum, Kevin Ramler, and his colleagues selected 38 citizen-photographers’ works and seven of Bryant’s.

Bryant then used his framing talents to personally make frames for all the photographs. He created reproductions of Thomas Molesworth style frames and Shou sugi-ban style scorched cedar frames for the exhibition. After they had been exhibited in each of the four counties, Bryant delivered the exhibition to

BARRIE LYNN BRYANT AND HIS LATE WIFE, ARTIST ANNABELLE “A.B.” WORD, MADE A LIFE-CHANGING MOVE FROM THE BUSTLING CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, TO THE QUIET LITTLE TOWN OF KIRBY, WYOMING, IN THE FALL OF 1994.

“A Bed of Ram’s Skulls” from the photo essay “The Load Out” is a 14x21 inch archival pigment print, now part of the Wyoming State Museum collection.

Barrie Lynn Bryant at the Arapaho Ranch Field Station Mansion premier exhibition on October 22, 2022.

COWBOY STATE BUZZ

Cheyenne and donated it to the Wyoming State Museum for their permanent collection. Ramler then notified Bryant that the museum would hang the exhibit in the Wyoming State Capitol Annex for public viewing on December 28, 2022, and that it will remain on view until fall 2023.

Presently, Bryant is working on a similar documentary-style project with the Wyoming Wool Initiatives at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, part of which was displayed in Kemmerer, Wyoming during the inaugural Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival June 30-July 2. Bryant also currently documents the history of and activities at the Arapaho Ranch Field Station in rural Hot Springs County where he is the Program Coordinator and Grounds Keeper.

In Bryant, Wyoming has gained a great advocate to share a glimpse of the heart of rural Wyoming with not only its citizens, but with the world.

SHOPPING LODGING HISTORY

HIKING FOOD

Greybull Greybull Greybull

Explore Explore Explore WITH US WITH US WITH US

Welcome to Greybull, where everyone is greeted with a smile. We have a wide variety of shops and boutiques for you to browse through to get some great handcrafted Wyoming gifts, souvenirs, and clothes. You can grab a bite to eat, at one of our fifteen restaurants or kickback and relax reading a book in one of the coffee shops. Feel like staying the night? No problem! We have 9 different hotels and campgrounds to choose from. Come take a short (or long) break from the hustle and bustle of reality in the Hub of the Big Horn Basin

Devil’s Kitchen: Located just 5 miles East of Greybull, Devil’s Kitchen is a 115-acre geological feature best known for its uniquely colored rock bands and eerie, other worldly rock structures as far as the eye can see. It is a great place for easy hiking and some climbing.

| 307-765-9431 | TownofGreybull.com

Bryant with the Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival committee in front of his exhibit at the Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival in Kemmerer on July 1, 2023.

Left to right: Micah Most, Alison Crane, PhD, Heather Jones, Marie McClaren, Barrie Lynn Bryant, Cat Urbigkit, Lindsay Conley-Stewart, Gwen Geis and Whit Stewart, PhD.

BY ILENE OLSON

LOCAL AND STATEWIDE PROGRAMS MENTOR YOUTH TO HELP THEM SUCCEED

Navigating the path from youth to adulthood isn’t easy for anyone. It’s a journey fraught with changes, emotions and growing pains.

To ease that journey, several organizations in Wyoming provide mentoring services that help smooth out some of the twists, turns and bumps in that path.

POSITIVITY OUTWARD

The newest program is Positivity Outward, an online mentoring service for youth. It was envisioned by Founder and Executive Director Zariah Tolman, 25, of Otto, who took two years to organize the program before it launched in January.

“Pilot data is very promising,” said Tolman, who recently finished the first year toward her doctorate degree in developmental psychology. She is a Montana State University neuroscience and business graduate.

“I grew up in Otto and graduated from Burlington High School,” Tolman said.

“There are a lot of really amazing aspects of growing up in a rural community, but mental health is not one of them.”

Tolman said she started feeling anxious and depressed in eighth grade, but didn’t know how to reach out for help until she was a junior in college.

She started Positivity Outward to

connect volunteer mentors with youth who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the support they need.

To date, about 70 people have signed up to mentor youth.

“We’re working with about 70 students, mostly from lower-income backgrounds and first-generation college students,” who often feel very alone, Tolman said.

Participating students are in Wyoming, Montana and California.

“They get to choose their mentors and advocate for themselves and have autonomy. These high school students know what they need and want for support.”

Mentors are nationwide and are listed on the Positivity Outward website. They must complete a certification program that includes training on mentorship, suicide prevention, how to guide students and other relevant topics.

They also must pass a screening as well as criminal and sex-offender background checks.

The online mentoring system flags conversations of concern, such as students expressing suicidal thoughts. When needed, professional counselors are brought in, Tolman said.

Delaney Stine is a mentor for Positivity Outward. She is a chemical engineer who works at Advanced Test Reactor in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Stine currently mentors three students through video or audio calls, or text chatting. The students choose how they wish to communicate.

“I talk about my career and any schools that I would recommend, then answer additional questions as they come up,” she said. “I just figured it would have been nice if someone had been there to have done it for me, and it makes me feel good, too. It’s been a really great experience.”

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN THERE TO HAVE DONE IT FOR ME, AND IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD, TOO.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS

Wyoming Big Brothers Big Sisters is a statewide program (part of the national organization), designed to “ignite the promise of youth,” said Community Relations Officer Hanna Eslinger of Laramie. “We know that they’re full of potential and have everything they need to succeed. We’re just providing the support for them to reach that potential.”

The program matches an adult volunteer with a child in the same community. The match is based on personality and interests to help a solid foundation form between the pair.

Bigs and Littles, as they’re called, can participate in a community-based program where they do things together in the community such as bowling, fishing or hiking. Or they can participate in a site-based program, where they meet at the same time and place every week.

Bigs go through a training process that gives them the skills they need. They also undergo reference checks and extensive third-party background checks.

Any youth can participate in the program. Partnering with Bigs improves educational engagement, success in the classroom and relationships with friends and family. It results in higher levels of self-actualization, as well as less risky behavior, substance abuse and violent behavior, Eslinger said.

“We’re not trying to ‘fix’ anybody,” she said. “We focus on what’s already the best in children. We help them do what they want to do.”

Volunteers also find it rewarding.

“They often come back and say, ‘I gained so much from this experience — far more than I could have given.’”

THEY’RE FULL OF POTENTIAL AND HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. WE’RE JUST PROVIDING THE SUPPORT FOR THEM TO REACH THAT POTENTIAL.

Dawson Berg and Bentley, who is holding an onion and a flower from their garden.

Hanna Eslinger, director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wyoming.

Jennifer Just of Powell is the Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Park County.

“One of our Big Brother mentors has been teaching his Little Brother how to grow a garden,” Just said.

That Big Brother, Dawson Berg of Powell, said he enjoys doing things will his Little Brother, Bentley, who is 9. “This is our second year of growing a garden,” Berg said. “We’re learning a lot of lessons in between.”

The duo also enjoys fishing, going to museums and other things together.

“I lead by example,” Berg said. “When I go to a restaurant, I say, ‘Thank you,’ and he says, ‘Thank you.’ He sees me doing something kind for someone, and he wants to do something kind. I enjoy teaching him stuff. I show him a lot of experiences that he doesn’t usually do.”

One Big and Little Sister match has been together for nine years, Just said, since the Little was in kindergarten. She will enter high school this fall.

“The Big Sister attends the Little’s swim meets, soccer games and band concerts, encouraging the Little throughout any activity she tries,” Just said. “The Big Sister talks about how much more confident her Little Sister has become.”

BRIGHT FUTURES MENTORING

In Cody, Bright Futures Mentoring brings fifth graders together with high school students who serve as their mentors.

The program aims to build character and emphasizes respect and kindness, said Program Director Diane Ballard of Cody.

Bright Futures introduces fifth graders from three elementary and two rural schools, aiding their comfort level when they enter middle school.

“We think of fifth grade as a milestone year and a pivotal time to prepare to navigate relationships in the upcoming school environment that will be more academically rigorous and socially challenging,” Ballard said.

Ballard said high school volunteers are vetted to make sure they’re good role models, and they participate in mentor training. A handbook for the high schoolers and a poster on display at activities outline the rules and responsibilities for both student groups.

Charlotte Quick participated in Bright Futures last year as a fifth grader. Her mother, Amy Quick, said Charlotte enjoyed being with the high school mentors and with kids her own age from other schools.

Bright Futures Mentoring.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIGHT FUTURES MENTORING

“They tackled some really great issues with grace and in a way that they could understand,” Amy Quick said. “She really learned and gained a lot personally. The character work that they do is phenomenal.”

Charlotte Quick said she enjoyed the after-school monthly meetings. “We would always start out with a craft, then an ice breaker, then we would have a presentation. Then we would have pizza,” she said with enthusiasm. “I liked it. It was a good way to [prepare for] middle school.”

Grace Capelli, who will start college this fall, said she enjoyed serving as a high school mentor. Capelli, who plans to major in elementary education, said the monthly Bright Futures meetings helped her prepare for her future career.

Bright Futures also has a smaller, oneon-one mentoring program that takes place monthly during lunch. Capelli worked with a fifth grader in that program as well.

“He was painfully shy,” she said. “It was really, really hard getting conversations started with him. By the end of the year, he had opened up much more.”

SHE REALLY LEARNED AND GAINED A LOT PERSONALLY. THE CHARACTER WORK THAT THEY DO IS PHENOMENAL.

Program Director Diane Ballard works with one of the participants.

Participants working on indoor craft activities.

Bright Futures participants at an ice skating outing.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRIGHT FUTURES MENTORING

LONGTIME MENTORS MADE HELPING YOUTH A WAY OF LIFE

Ronn Jeffrey has been mentoring youth in Cheyenne for half a century. “From the time I was a little kid, I grew up in a community of doers,” Jeffrey told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in a 2021 article when the newspaper presented with him the annual Community Spirit Award.

Jeffrey helped create Youth Alternatives and became its first director more than 50 years ago. The organization continues to provide adult volunteer mentors for youth ages 6 to 17. The Youth Alternatives mentoring program serves 124 children through 28 mentors. Combined with the Foster Grandparent Program, Youth Alternatives serves 800 children in Cheyenne.

For the past 15 years, Jeffrey has served as the city’s municipal court juvenile judge, where he continues to help youth and their families.

One of his most impactful skills is finding ways to help young people grow from their mistakes and make meaningful changes in their lives, WTE reporter Kruger said. “Ronn believes raising people is as important as raising funds.”

Since the 1980s, he’s volunteered as a mentor, a counselor, a parenting resource, a coach and a public speaker.

Carl and Linda Jones of Ralston worked with more than 150 boys over the past 60 years. Some just needed direction; others needed what Carl refers to as “the Jones tune-up.”

“I told them my goal is to make them appreciate their home and a good job when they got it,” Carl said.

Carl taught them how to build fences, often on farms, in forests or in other very rural settings.

“He didn’t give them a lot of sympathy,” Linda said. “If they didn’t do a good job, he made them do it over.”

Carl’s advice to them: “If you stand out of line with a fence, it will be crooked. If you stand in line with it, it will be straight. That’s the way it is with life. If you get out of line, you’re going to have problems.”

When not out camping at a job site, the boys lived in the Jones’ home, where Linda applied a gentler approach. She filled more of a counseling role, while Carl was the tough guy.

Carl Jones

PHOTO BY ILENE OLSON

Ronn Jeffrey, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

PHOTO COURTESY OF WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE

LEARNING ACTIVELY MENTORING PROGRAM

Aprogram at the University of Wyoming indirectly mentors youth by mentoring those who teach STEM courses to students.

“We train college educators from all our statewide institutions in a really immersive way,” said Program Director Rachel Watson. “We’re trying to show that it’s not just more important for student learning, but also students’ feeling of inclusion in their classes.”

That training begins during a weeklong LAMP (Learning Actively Mentoring Program) Camp in the summer, where mentors help educators find ways to teach that involve active learning, such as writing or drawing.

“This year, we … worked in teams to solve a real problem. They got to feel like a student learning in an environment that is not passive,” Watson said.

During the school year, mentors continue to work with their assigned educators. Additional workshops take place in the fall and the spring.

“It’s a full year of really immersive training,” Watson said. And all that mentoring finds its way to supporting the education of Wyoming’s younger generations. W

Ilene Olson is a freelance photographer, writer and editor in Powell.

THEY GOT TO FEEL LIKE A STUDENT LEARNING IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS NOT PASSIVE.

Immersive training at LAMP Camp.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAMP PROGRAM

Finally, the Perfect 3-in-1 Chair

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LITTLE WYOMING

BE NICE TO MOMMA

EARWIG!

GOOD FOR THE GARDEN

Earwigs got their unflattering name from old English folktales that claimed they enter into ears of sleeping people. That’s possible, but highly unlikely. However, earwigs do seek dark places during the daytime, which is why we find them under logs, in hoses and among the garden mulch. At night, they come out to feed. Earwigs are valuable predators of aphids and other garden pests, and most will chew on anything they find, making them important contributors to decomposition and nutrient cycling.

Earwigs may be your least favorite insect — they pop up suddenly from dark places, brandishing a scary-looking set of pincers at their tail end. You may jump — that’s OK! But then take a good look at this misunderstood insect with strong family values.

GOOD FOR THE FUTURE

Those scary-looking pincers are too weak to cause much pain, should you happen to get pinched. Earwigs use their pincers to maneuver their food, fold and unfold their wings, and to caress and hug their mates. Earwig wings, which are well hidden, are so elegantly folded that they are being used as inspiration for new technologies. With only a single up-and-down stroke, the wing expands to 10 times its folded size!

GOOD TO EACH OTHER

One more amazing thing about earwigs—they are doting mothers! Earwig moms tend their eggs and their babies (called nymphs) until at least their first molt, which may take several weeks. Mom cleans the eggs, removing mold spores and other harmful bits, and covers the eggs with chemicals that inhibit the growth of molds. Once the eggs hatch, she provides food until the kids are ready to leave home and forage for themselves. All of this tender care increases the likelihood that the tiny nymphs will survive to adulthood. Such doting behavior is extremely rare among non-social insects. So next time you see an earwig be kind — she may have a lot of children waiting on her return.

BY DR. MEGAN BEAVERS

All Creatures Great and Small

As a rural veterinarian it kind of comes with the territory that you will see lots of different animals. I was not really prepared for the range of pets that would include.

In veterinary school the exotic animal rotation was an elective; which means it wasn’t required to complete the degree. On the outside looking in, it was a fun rotation looking at lions, tigers and bears. Since I had planned to return to Wyoming and we are fresh out of lions on the prairies and tigers among the pine trees, I thought I could get more benefit from other rotations. Little did I know. Surprisingly, there are a lot of folks that have strange and exotic little pets. And it seems, as time goes by in practice, I keep seeing more and more critters I had honestly no idea even existed.

One of the strangest little things I’ve seen came in a stainless steel stock pot covered with the lid. My techs plopped the water-filled pot on the counter and told me my next patient had arrived. I opened the lid apprehensively and gazed upon what appeared to be a meaty chunk of chicken floating around in soup. Then it moved. She was an albino African clawed frog that came to the clinic that day for being bloated. I kind of just stared at her, as she did me, for several moments. Where do I even start with this? She appeared outwardly healthy. But the owner was concerned that it appeared bloated, so we visited on her husbandry and diet and what we could do for her. The first struggle was just trying to grab her out of her pot for an exam. The water was cool and her froggy skin made her super slippery; it was like holding a wet bar of soap. It took some finesse but we were able to finish the exam. She was fat. Very fat. To confirm we decided on an x-ray … by placing her in a plastic Tupperware container with some water. Yep, she was just fat.

I have also seen a fair share of sugar gliders. These little pocket pets really prefer to stay in a pocket.

Their owners bring them in small fleece zippered pouches with straps to be worn like a purse. The wideeyed nocturnal beasts aren’t huge fans of being woken in the daylight, and they let you know. They make an alarming squeal that is pretty hard to replicate. Sugar gliders are designed to glide. They have a flap of skin between their front and back legs that allows them to catch the breeze and sail to the next tree. Neutering sugar gliders is a common thing to prevent breeding and certain aggressive behaviors. I learned some anatomy lessons when I did my first sugar glider neuter; I was surprised to find that these tree-dwelling little boys have jewels that are not as close to their bodies as one would expect. Especially considering a branch could snag things on the way by.

Chameleons, boa constrictors, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, tortoises, turtles, iguanas, bearded dragons, parrots, parakeets, racoons, bobcats, foxes, geckos and goldfish are just some of the exotic pets I’ve seen or treated in rural Wyoming. I reflect daily that I probably should have taken the exotic rotation in school. Even though I’m still yet to see a tiger, I get to play with all creatures great and small every day, even some in stock pots. W

Dr. Megan Beavers is a veterinarian in Farson and Green River.

Chameleons, boa constrictors, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, tortoises, turtles, iguanas, bearded dragons, parrots, parakeets, racoons, bobcats, foxes, geckos and goldfish are just some of the exotic pets I’ve seen or treated in rural Wyoming.

FINGER FOODS

PICKLE WHEELIES FINGER-FOOD

Pat dry ham slices and the pickles. Spread ham with cream cheese. Place pickle on the cream-cheese covered ham and roll up tightly. Use two slices of ham for each pickle. Secure with toothpick and let them set in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Slice into 1/2” to 3/4” slices and serve. These were my kids’ favorites when they were little. I take them to carry-ins often, and there are NEVER any leftovers!

ANNE METZLER RIVERTON

1 PKG CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED

Chop olives and save juice. Mix with softened cream cheese, add olive juice. Serve on Ritz crackers. Yummy.

DOROTHY WOOD HULETT

AVOCADO TOAST WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA VIRGIN

BACON WRAPPED DATES

1 BAG OF PRE-PITTED DATES

1 PKG BACON

1 PKG BLUE CHEESE (THE FANCIER THE BETTER)

1 PKG GLAZED WALNUTS TOOTHPICKS HONEY BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until caramelized. Add the balsamic vinegar to the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, mash the avocado, oregano and a little more salt and pepper, with a fork until smooth. Toast your 2 slices of bread. Top with avocado mixture. Top this with caramelized onions and enjoy!

THE WREN STAFF

Cut your bacon into 1/3 sections. Crunch up the walnuts. Slice open one side of the dates. Stuff the date with a small amount of blue cheese. Wrap the date with a 1/3 slice of bacon. Insert the toothpick to keep the bacon in place. Make as many dates as you can and lay them on a baking sheet. Put them on wax paper if desired to help with clean up. Do a slight drizzle of honey on top all of the dates. (Optional step: Add a slight sprinkle of rosemary on top of the dates.) Set the oven to 400°. Put the dates in and cook for about 25 to 35 minutes, depending on how they are looking. About every 10 minutes, take the dates out and flip them over. Halfway through cooking, add the crushed walnuts on top the dates and stick them back in the oven. When they are done add a drizzle of balsamic on top or just put it on the side for people to dip in.

THE WREN STAFF

FREMONT COUNTY NATIVE DEPICTS

What a True Cowboy Is

A Wyomingite since his Riverton birth in 1940, Bob Bessey learned and practiced the cowboy trade early in his life, and in 2022, he was inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame.

According to his daughter, Barbara Jacobs, who nominated him for the induction, Bob’s father, Lyle, worked as a livestock trucker and “brought mustangs home for Bob to break and train.”

“This was the beginning of Bob’s true passion; riding and training horses,” Barbara wrote. That passion continued for decades.

“I can remember as a little girl, about 4 or 5, standing outside the round pen watching him train broncs that weren’t broke at all,” she told WREN Magazine. “He bought and sold a lot of horses, and we’d usually go on those little expeditions with him. We all l earned a lot that way, too. They raised and bred a lot of foals over the years.”

“We had a lot of really good horses over the years,” Bob said.

He used some of the stock for work, some for riding enjoyment and others for chariot and cutter racing, which Bob said he did during the colder months for “something to do in the wintertime.”

“He sometimes raced three teams,” Barbara said. Bob was a member of the Fremont County Chariot Racing Association and helped with the scheduled racing meets.

Racers came from throughout the state and beyond Wyoming’s borders, Bob said.

“You wanted to see how your horses stacked up against those from around the country,” he said.

SHEEP, GUIDING AND CATTLE WORK

Bob worked at many ranches in Fremont County, starting with sheep ranches during the 1950s. He also guided hunters and anglers into areas around Dubois.

During the early 1960s, Bob broke colts and horses for various ranchers, and in 1964, he worked on a cattle ranch near Kinnear where, according to Barbara, he “managed 400 head of cows.” The work included calving, branding, doctoring and “general ranch work.” He also worked with feedlot cattle for several years, and he continued working with cattle through 2006. During the later years of his cowboying work,

BY GAYLE M. IRWIN

PHOTOS

Bob doing ranch work.

WYOMING COWBOY HALL OF FAME CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

Bob served as ranch manager for Red Canyon Cattle Company near Lander, a spread of 112,000 acres plus another 100,000 acres of leased and deeded ground. He held that position from 2007 until 2016.

“At that time, they had 800 head of mother cows,” Bob said.

“My dad worked really hard on other people’s ranches,” Barbara said. “He always put a long day in. He would leave before daylight and be home after dark, so we held down the fort at home a lot because he was off working on other people’s places.”

She added, “During calving season, he would always have a high percent calf rate with a very small loss of calves, and he admitted his mission was to save every calf that he could and take the very best care of all the livestock that he was in charge of.”

He was also diligent in his passion for working with horses. Living at Buckhorn Flats near Riverton starting in 1967, Bob not only bought and sold horses, but also trained them. In her induction form, Barbara explained her father “raised quality quarter horses, including the bloodlines of Poco Bueno, Blue Valentine, Driftwood, Smart Smoke, Three Bars, Tiny Watch, Mr. Bar None, Silver King, Gray Dream and Judge Hancock.”

The latter was one of Bob’s favorite horses.

“He would go do the work he needed to do; he was a multi-purpose horse,” Bob said. “He knew his job, and he was a nice horse.”

A FAMILY MAN WHO HELPED YOUNG PEOPLE

Bob met and fell in love with Rayola Weber while they both worked at the CM Ranch near Dubois in 1961. They married the next year. Together they had three children: Barbara, Brad and Jeanne, each of whom continued their father’s legacy of working with livestock in various ways.

The Besseys encouraged young people in addition to their own by helping sponsor the Riverton High School Rodeo Club and serving on the Winter Fair Board in Lander.

The family also hosted events, including team pennings in which Bob provided the cattle used for stock.

“These events were well attended and always a fun family event,” Barbara said.

WYOMING COWBOY HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

For Bob, being inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame was “quite an honor.” The event took place last September in Cheyenne.

He especially enjoyed meeting the governor and presenting him with saddlebags that had belonged to the governor’s grandfather, Charlie Moore, founder of the CM Ranch in Dubois.

“I just feel like Bob really deserved it,” Rayola said. “He cared about the

animals. He did the best he could do. He was a working manager; he was not the one who sat on the bench. Whatever the cowboys did, he did. He’s a very, very good man.”

Daughter Barbara agreed.

“I think he’s very deserving of that award. I think he depicts what a true cowboy is. He was a very capable cowboy and would do whatever it took to get the job done –it didn’t matter how long the day was –and he passed his knowledge on to other people. I think that’s what keeps the cowboy heritage going is someone that’s willing to do that, passing their knowledge on to the next generation.” The 2023 Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame induction event takes place in Casper in September, according to Candy Moulton, executive director for the organization. W

Gayle M. Irwin is a freelance writer based in Casper.

Bob chariot racing.

Please submit high-quality digital files* or an original we can scan, as well as details about the artwork, the artist’s name, and the co-op. *Use the highest quality setting on your camera, or save digital artwork as a .jpg or .tif file with at least 300 dpi resolution.

If you would like your work returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

FEATURED EVENT

SOUTHEAST

CENTENNIAL ONGOING

Nici Self Historical Museum: Museum grounds and exhibits open Thu-Mon 12-4p. Free. Info niciselfmuseum.com.

CHUGWATER

THURSDAYS

Acoustic Jam Session: Stampede Saloon & Eatery music venue open for Thursday night jam session. Info 307-422-3200, stampedefun@aol.com.

ONGOING

Live Music: Stampede Saloon & Eatery music venue open for Thursday night jam session and weekend performances. Info 307-422-3200, stampedefun@aol.com.

ENCAMPMENT

AUGUST 11-12

Tramway Days: 8a. Grand Encampment Museum. GEM History SymposiumLand of the West. Info 307-327-5308.

AUGUST 19

G.E.M.’s Annual Trek: This year we will be going to Elk Mountain area to learn the history of Big Nose George. Vehicles with high clearance advised. Bring a lunch. Info 307-327-5308.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL

EVANSTON  AUGUST 26

Experience the magical sight of floating lanterns as they reflect messages of love, hopes and dreams. Enjoy vendors’ tasty food and specialty merchandise, kids zone, beer garden and music by DJ Named AJ.

Location: Bear Ponds

Time: 5-10p

Cost: Free

Purchase your lanterns at the Chamber at 1020 Front Street.

Presale: $10 each Day of Event: $15 each

(Supplies will be limited day of event)

For more information call 307-783-0370.

SOUTHWEST

ONGOING

Grand Encampment Museum: Main Gallery and GEM store open Tue-Sat 10a-4p. Info 307-327-5308.

LARAMIE

AUGUST 1-3

2023 Week of Academic Vision for Excellence Conference (WAVE): 8a August 1 to 11:30a August 3. University of Wyoming Gateway Center. Tickets $350-$450. Join the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), Special Education Programs Division for the in-person event. This conference is relevant for special education directors, administrators, educators, parents and other Wyoming stakeholders. State and national presenters will cover topics such as behavior, literacy, specially designed instruction, social/ emotional, trauma informed care, IEP process, special education law, and fiscal policies and procedures. Register: bit.ly/WDE-WAVE-Tickets. Info Deana Smith 307-777-5326, deana.smith@wyo.gov or Jennifer Duncan 307-777-3530, jennifer.duncan@wyo.gov.

HAWK SPRINGS

AUGUST 9

Annual Community Hamburger Fries: 5-7p. Grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade salads, desserts and drinks. Ice cream social on August 9. The Torrington fiddlers will be playing for the event. Adults $7, children 3-12 $3, children under 3 free. This is a nonprofit event, all proceeds go back into maintaining the building throughout the year. Info 308-641-9578.

AUGUST 12

19th Annual Chili Contest and Fundraiser: 11:30a-3p. 3987 Highway 230. Benefits the WYCO Volunteer Fire Department. Food and beverage, raffles, silent and live auctions. Come join the fun! Info 970-305-2020.

MEDICINE BOW

ONGOING

Museum and Gift Shop: Open daily 8:30a-4:30p. 405 Lincoln Highway. Info 307-379-2383.

WHEATLAND

SATURDAYS (THROUGH SEPTEMBER)

Farmer’s Market: 8-10a. Historic downtown Wheatland on 700 block of 9th Street. Baked goods, frozen beef, crafts, floral arrangements, produce and seasonings available for sale. Info bit.ly/WheatlandMarket.

NORTHEAST

BANNER

AUGUST 19

Fort Phil Kearny Day: 1a-2p. 528 Wagon Box Rd. Step back in time to experience history through hands-on activities! Food will be available to purchase from noon to 1:30p. Info 307-684-7629, fortphilkearny.com.

BIG HORN

AUGUST 26

Bighorn Rendezvous Quickdraw, Dinner and Auction: 9a. The Brinton Museum. Quickdraw starts at 9a with the Bighorn Rendezvous artists painting on the grounds. Visitors are encouraged to stroll the property and watch art being created en plein air. Join The Brinton for a ticketed dinner and art auction. Info 307-672-3173, thebrintonmuseum.org.

BUFFALO

THURSDAYS

Bluegrass Jam Session: 6:30p. Occidental Saloon. Free. Info 307-684-0451.

DAYTON

AUGUST 1-7

Dayton Days: All day. 45th annual festival celebrating the community of Dayton. Info Town Hall 307-655-2217, daytonwyoming.org.

GILLETTE

AUGUST 5

NEW FARRM (Northeast WY Farmers, Artisan, Ranchers, Regional Market): 5-7p. 819 Country Club Rd. Info Joanne 307-299-7497, facebook.com/ GilletteSaturdayFarmersMarket.

ONGOING

Ava Community Art Center: Info 307-682-9133, avacenter.org

MOORCROFT

AUGUST 9

Chamber of Commerce Rib Rally: 11a-3p. Diehl’s Supermarket parking lot.

AUGUST 15

Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting: Noon. Moorcroft Museum.

AUGUST 21

Historical Society Meeting: 6p. Moorcroft Museum.

WEDNESDAYS

Moorcroft Branch Library

Activities: Storytime 10a. Afterschool Craft 4p. AA meetings 7p. Please use downstairs entrance. Info 307-756-3232.

ONGOING

Senior Center Events: Coffee and rolls 9a Wed. Toenail clinic 9a fourth Thu, dinner 6p fourth Thu. Info 307-756-9550.

NEWCASTLE

FRIDAYS

Bingo: 7:30p. VFW Hall. Free.

SECOND AND FOURTH WEDNESDAYS

Gigi’s Closet: 9a-1:30p. First United Methodist Church. Gently loved clothing available for babies to adults. Info 307-746-4119.

SHERIDAN

AUGUST 3-5

Crazy Days: All day. Sheridan’s annual summer clearance event. Downtown retailers clear out stock to make room for incoming inventory. Info Downtown Sheridan Association 307-672-8881.

ONGOING (THROUGH 2023)

No Time For Tears: The Life & Art of Dixie Lynne Reece Exhibit: Campbell County RockpileMuseum. Features nearly 70 works of art from Campbell County artist Dixie Reece (1936-2018). Info 307-682-5723, rockpilemuseum.com.

HULETT

ONGOING

Hulett Museum and Art Gallery: 8a-4p Mon-Fri. Free. Info 307-467-5292.

Senior Center Events: 145 Main Street. Carry-in dinner 12:30p third Sun. Rolls and coffee 9a Thu. Info 307-467-5743.

THIRD THURSDAY OF MONTH

Adult Book Club: 1p. Moorcroft Branch Library. New book each month. Stop by the library for your copy. Info 307-756-3232.

ONGOING

West Texas Trail Museum: Now open year-round 9a-5p Mon-Fri. Info 307-756-9300.

AUGUST 11-12

Murder at the Mansion: 5:30p. Trail End Historic Site. Be part of a murder-mystery party on the lawn, where every guest will play a part! Tickets must be purchased in advance and go on sale in July. Info trailend.org.

AUGUST 11-13

Sheridan Speedway: Aug 11 5-6p; Aug 12 6p; Aug 13 6p. Sheridan Speedway. Quarter midgets will run at 5p for the rest of the season. Full program prior to stock cars. Info sheridanspeedway.com.

DOUGLAS

AUGUST 15-19

111th Wyoming State Fair and Rodeo: 11a. Wyoming State Fairgrounds and Event Complex. Ranch Rodeo, PRCA Rodeo, $10,000 Figure-8 Race, 40th Demolition Derby, exhibitors, carnival, food and so much more. $8 for 13+, $3 for 12 and under. Info 307-358-2398, wystatefair.com.

Collections & Exhibits featuring:

The Famous Garden Spot Dance Pavilion & the Big Band

Era ~ Ghost Towns ~ Pioneer Ranches ~ Tie Hacks

Odd Fellow's Skeleton

World War I & II

Fort Halleck ~ Local History

AUGUST 11-13

Sheridan County Rodeo: Sheridan County Fairgrounds. Annual rodeo open to contestants of all ages. Events include several types of roping, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, pole bending, goat tail tying, sheep mugging and wild cow milking. Prizes for winners of each event include saddles, belt buckles and money. Info bit.ly/SheridanCountyRodeo.

AUGUST 17

3rd Thursday Street Festival: 5-9p. South Main St. Enjoy family fun, food, live music and fabulous vendors on the 3rd Thursday of each summer month in Downtown Sheridan. Free admission. Info 307-672-8881.

AUGUST 26

11th Suds n’ Spurs Brewfest: 2-7p. Whitney Commons Park. Join us for this region’s largest brewfest. Enjoy unlimited beer sampling, music and food. Vote for favorite brews in the People’s Choice category! Info Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce 307-672-2485.

AUGUST 27

Sheridan Speedway

Championship Night and Fan Meet and Greet: 5p. Sheridan Speedway. Quarter midgets will run at 5p for the rest of the season. Full program prior to stock cars. Draw closes at 6p. Info sheridanspeedway.com.

TUESDAYS IN AUGUST

Concerts in the Park: 7:30p. Kendrick Park. Enjoy the Sounds of the Summer Concerts in the Park. Free and open to the public.

SATURDAYS

Landon’s Farmers Market: 9a-12p. Landon’s Greenhouse, 505 College Meadows Dr. Info 307-672-8340, info@landonsgreenhouse.com, landonsgreenhouse.com.

STORY

AUGUST 25-27

36th Annual Story Days: Join us in the mountains for family fun, parade, food, live entertainment and much more! Free. Info Sally Johnson 307-224-4454, storywyoming.org.

SUNDANCE

AUGUST 19

WEDNESDAYS

Storytime: 10:30a. Crook County Public Library. Info Tonia 307-283-1008.

UPTON

FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS

Bingo at Senior Center: 6:30p, $10 for 10 cards. Info 307-468-9262.

ONGOING

Senior Center Activities: 1113

2nd St. Lunch is served at noon

Mon-Fri for $4. Call for reservation before 9a at 307-468-2422 or 712400-9056. Coffee and treats at 9a on Tues. Exercise program at 9a every Tue and Fri. Card elimination and potluck every third Mon at 5:30p. Ask about medical equipment loans. Info 307-468-9262.

03 | NORTHWEST

ANTELOPE BUTTE

AUGUST 25-27

Antelope Butte Music & Art Summit: Antelope Butte Rec area.

CODY

THURSDAYS THROUGH AUGUST 24

Cody Concerts in the Park: 6:30-8:30p. City Park. Free.

AUGUST 8

Annual Tie Hack Trek: 9a-3p. Dubois Museum. Follow the tie hacks up the West Dunoir Valley to see where they harvested ties, stacked the ties, and where the main headquarters were. A Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series. This is a difficult long hike, about 6 miles. Bear and bug spray, hiking boots, water crossing shoes/sandals, trekking poles, water and lunch required. Advanced registration required. $15/person. Info 307-455-2284.

AUGUST 15

History of Union Pass: 9a-3p. Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series with Steve Banks. This driving trek starts at the Dubois Museum, ends on top of Union Pass. Minimal walking. Learn who else has used the pass in the past and why. Provide your own transportation or carpool. Bring water, lunch, bug and bear spray and sunscreen. Advanced registration required, no exceptions! $15/person. Info 307-455-2284.

AUGUST 17

AUGUST 19

Sod Farm Music Festival: 2-9p. Green Side Up. The Sod Farm Festival features local musicians and supports Project Schoolhouse’s school and water projects. Info 512-651-5615.

AUGUST 21-25

Superior Livestock Auction Big Horn Classic: Ramada Plaza. Superior is the largest livestock auction in the U.S. and markets well over one million head of cattle annually. Info superiorlivestock.com.

Old Stoney’s 100th Birthday: 1p. Sundance Park. Join the celebration for Old Stoney, the Sandstone School built for Sundance school children in 1923. There will be music, entertainment, tours of the school, a silent auction and birthday cake! Info 307-283-3666.

TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS (JULY AND AUGUST)

Historical Walking Tour: 6:30p. Courthouse Gazebo. Come join the Crook County Museum Director in the evenings for a tour of downtown Sundance. Tickets $15. Info 307-283-3666.

ONGOING

Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9a-5p Mon-Sat. 836 Sheridan Ave. Info 307-587-3597.

DUBOIS

AUGUST 2 / 16 / 30

Music at the Museum with Packin’ the Mail: 7-9p. Join us in the backyard of the museum for an evening of western music and dancing. Free. Info 307-455-2284.

Firearms of the Wind River Valley: Well-Known to Where’d it Come From: 7p. Dubois Museum. Wyoming Community Bank Speakers Series presented by Danny Michael: Curator of the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. Discover how the technological advances and innovations of firearms influenced Northwest Wyoming through historic firearms and photographs from the Dubois Museum and Cody Firearms Museum, including recognizable frontier guns to the oddities that found their way up the Wind River and into Yellowstone Country. Free. Info 307-455-2284.

AUGUST 26

Kids Corner: A Closer Look at the Night Sky: Time TBD. Dubois Museum. Bailey Tire & Pit Stop Children’s Exploration Series program, includes a telescope set up to look at things in the night sky a little closer. This event is planned for kids, but who’s judging? $3/ person. Advanced Registration appreciated. Info 307-455-2284.

AUGUST 29

Lake Louise Nature Trek: 9a-2p. Dubois Museum. Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series, a day filled with pretty scenery and education. Hike is moderate to difficult, about 6 miles with about 1,000 feet elevation gain. Bring water, lunch, bug and bear spray, sunscreen, trekking poles and hiking boots. $15/person. Advanced registration required, no exceptions! Info 307-455-2284.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

LANDER

AUGUST 12

Historic Lander Houses Trek: North 3rd Street: 10a-12:30p. Meet in front of Noble Hotel at 3rd and Main. Wind River Visitor Council Adventure Trek with the Pioneer Museum. Learn the history of some of the historic homes on Lander’s Northside. About 1.5 miles of walking. $10/ person. Reservations required. Info 307-332-3339.

AUGUST 17

A Geological History of Fremont County: 7p. Pioneer Museum. Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series program with Stan Grove answers many questions on the geology and landforms of central Wyoming. Ever wonder what that rock formation is? Why the soil is red in some places? Join us! Free. Info 307-332-3339.

SATURDAYS

THIRD WEDNESDAYS

Wyoming Health Fairs

Monthly Wellness Screen/

Blood Draw: 7-10a. Dubois Medical Clinic. Appointments encouraged. Info 307-455-2516, whf.as.me/dubois.

FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS

Farmer’s Market: 2:30-4:30p. Headwaters Arts & Conference Center. Featuring local produce, baked goods and bread, dairy products, jams and jellies, herbs and salves. Info 307-455-2027.

FRIDAYS

Story Time: 11:30a. Dubois Branch Library, 202 N First St. Free. Stretches, story, songs, crafts and fun! Ages birth-5 years. Info 307-455-2992.

GREYBULL

AUGUST 12

Greybull Brew Fest: Come enjoy brews, burgers and live music. Town Park. Info townofgreybull.com/ visit-greybull.

SECOND SATURDAYS

Greybull Ladies Coffee: Greybull Library. Info 307-765-2100.

Acoustic Music Jam: 11a-1p. Lander Bake Shop. Info 307-332-3237.

ONGOING

First Friday: New artist and local musician each month. Art show reception 5p, music 6p. Middle Fork Restaurant. Info 307-335-5035, facebook.com/ MiddleForkCafe.

MEDICINE LODGE

AUGUST 27

Medicine Lodge Kid Outdoor Day: Medicine Lodge

Archaeological Site. Info bit.ly/ MedicineLodgeKidDay.

RIVERTON

AUGUST 12

Boysen State Park Historical

Adventure Trek: 9a-2p. 700 E Park Ave. Meet at the Riverton Museum for the bus. Historical Wind River Visitors Council

Adventure Trek guided hike around the scenic reservoir. Learn the history of the Boysen Dam! This trek requires a good amount of walking so please dress accordingly. Bring lunch and water. $20/person. Info 307-856-2665, rmsitemanager@ fremontcountymuseums.com, fremontcountymuseums.com.

AUGUST 26

J.B. Okie Manor Tour: 9a-2p. 700 E Park Ave. Meet at the Riverton Museum for the bus. Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek to the amazing J.B. Okie Manor. Experience a rare tour of the sheep tycoon’s mansion, built in 1901 in Lost Cabin, Wyoming. Hear stories from Okie’s life, history of the manor, as well as details about the home’s features. Bring and water. $20/person. Info 307-856-2665, rmsitemanager@ fremontcountymuseums.com, fremontcountymuseums.com.

RTESY OF FREMONT COU

WEDNESDAYS

Acoustic Music Jam: 6:308:30p. Holiday Inn Convention Center. Free. Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. Info 307-856-8100.

PreK Tales & Tunes: 10:30a. Riverton Branch Library. Ages 3-5. Free. Info 307-856-3556.

Starlight Storytime: 5:30p. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth-5. Free. Info 307-856-3556.

THURSDAYS

Toddler Move & Groove: 10:30a. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth-2. Free. Info 307-856-3556.

SATURDAYS

Farmer’s Market: 9-11a. Little Wind Center at the Fremont County Fairgrounds. Info 307-851-7562.

ONGOING

Library Activities: PreK Tales & Tunes Wed 10:30a; Starlight Storytime for birth-5 Wed 5:30p; Toddler Move & Groove birth-2 Thu 10:30a; LEGO Club grade 2-5 Thu 4-5p. Info 307-856-3556, fclsonline.org.

METEETSEE

AUGUST 5

Kirwin Historic Mining Tour: Leaves at 9a and starts at 10:30a. Meeteetse Museums. Learn about geology with geologist and board member, Lynn Sessions. Other pieces are still being planned so check Facebook and our website for updates. High clearance vehicle needed. Limited carpools may be available day of tour. Free; donations welcome. Info 307-868-2423, info@meeteetsemuseums.org.

AUGUST 26

Women’s Equality Day Presentation: 2p. Meeteetse Museums. Presentation by Dr. Amy McKinney. Free; donations welcome. Info 307-868-2423, info@meeteetsemuseums.org.

MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS

Meeteetse Recreation District: 10:30a yoga. Info 307-899-2698, meetrec.org.

MONDAYS

Toddler Storytime: Mondays after school. Meeteetse Library. All kids grades 1+ not in school. Legos, board games, crafts stories, songs and more. Info 307-868-2248.

TENSLEEP

AUGUST 11-13

Nowoodstock XXII Music Festival: Vista Park. Info Pat O’Brien 307-431-2022, nowoodstock.com.

THERMOPOLIS

AUGUST 5-6

Wyoming Discovery Days Folk Festival:10a. Hot Springs State Park. Free. Live music, children’s activities, food vendors, folk master craftsmen tent, variety of arts and crafts, Gift of the Waters Pageant at 6p. Info Audra Dominguez 904-974-2560.

AUGUST 12

The Demo Derby: 6p. Hot Springs County Fairgrounds. $20/person. Come and enjoy the fun. Info 307-864-3192.

SECOND SATURDAYS

Great Until 8!: 4-8p. This event showcases the businesses who are staying open until 8p or later in town. Shop after 5p and enter in for a chance to win $100 gift certificates. The $100 gift certificate will be valid at the business with the winning receipt. Info 917-589-7852, mainstreetthermopolis@gmail.com.

WORLAND

AUGUST 5

Hometown Hootenanny!: 5p. Worland Community Center Complex. $10 cover charge (food and drink not included). Put on you’re dancin’ shoes! Come learn how to square dance with a professional caller in the airconditioned gym at 6p. Then, listen to some great swing dancing music by The Saddle Tramps at 8p. We’ll have raffle prizes, a le carte dinner options and homemade desserts! Info 307-347-4102, washakiemuseum.org.

AUGUST 18-19

Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival: Over 25 BBQ teams compete for prizes totaling $10,000! This event draws nearly 2,000 spectators. Info wyobbqandbluegrass.com.

Send complete

Please send events occurring in the month of November by September 15, and December by October 15 for inclusion in the WREN.

Also, be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event.

Photos are always welcome.

LYMAN

THURSDAYS

Storytime: 11a, Lyman Branch Library, all ages are welcome, free. Info 307-787-6556, uintalibrary.org.

Look

wyomingrea.org/news.

QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:

 wren@ wyomingrea.org

 [307] 286-8140

 214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001

 wyomingrea.org/ wren-submissions

MOUNTAIN VIEW

MONDAYS

Cub Scout Pack 7798 Meeting: 3:45p, Presbyterian Church on 3rd Street. We are always accepting new boys who are in 1st to 5th grades. Info MarNae at 307-677-2566.

WEDNESDAYS

Storytime: 11a, Uinta County Library. Info 307-782-3161.

ONGOING

Community Classes: Fitness, computer, workforce and kids’ classes are available. Valley Learning Center. Times and prices vary. Info 307-782-6401, valleylearningcenter. coursestorm.com.

SUBMIT AN EVENT

CLASSIFIEDS PUZZLE ANSWERS

PUZZLE ON PAGE 27

2

1. March 3, 2010

Coded Ethics Answers

1. Live each day [with courage]

2. Take pride [in your work]

3. Always finish [what you start]

4. Do what [has to be done]

5. Be tough [but fair]

6. When you make [a promise, keep it]

7. Ride [for the brand]

8. Talk [less, say more]

9. Remember some things [are not for sale]

10. Know where [to draw the line]

3. John Wayne

4. Roughstock events (bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding), timed event (team and tiedown roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing), racing on the track

5. Roughstock events; bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding

6. Charlie Daniels

7. True! In 2006, 2008 and 2009

8. Whatever way you take in the festivities, may you live each day by the Cowboy Code and be proud to be from the Cowboy State!

WREN CLASSIFIED ADS ARE $0.75 PER SIX CHARACTERS

 970-221-3232

FOR SALE

Aermotor Windmills and parts, cylinders, pipe, rod, submersible pumps, motors, control boxes, Hastings 12 ga. bottomless stock tanks, Shaver Outdoor Wood Boiler Furnaces and more. In business for more than 77 years. Herren Bros., Box 187, Harrison NE. 1-308-668-2582.

For Sale! Goulds 3ST1H1A4 Centrifugal Water Irrigation Pump 1-1/2” x 2” Never used. 3500 RPM. Internet cost: $3K to $3500. Asking $1500. Bought for house but pumps 175 Gal/Minute. Way too big! Have stats and wire diagram. Call John (307) 752-7028, Sheridan, WY.

New & Used Coal Stokers, parts, service & advice. Available for most makes. Thanks. 307-754-3757.

MISCELLANEOUS

Soon Church/Government uniting, suppressing “Religious Liberty” enforcing “National Sunday Law.” Be Informed! Free materials. TSBM, PO Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540, tbsmads@ yahoo.com, 1-888-211-1715.

WANTED

We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & non-producing. 800-733-8122.

Frontier Auto Museum Looking For Oil Company Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs. Also looking for general antiques for our antique shop. Please go to our website FrontierAutoMuseum.com. Located in Gillette WY, our passion is to preserve Wyoming history and the nostalgia of the past, especially Parco, Sinclair, Frontier, Husky and any car dealership along with all brands. We are also always looking for neon motel or store signs, WY license plates and WY highway signs and State Park signs. Please call Jeff Wandler 307-680-8647 wandlerfrontier@gmail.com or daughter Briana Brewer 307-660-2402 relics@frontierauto.net.

WANTED CJ or Wrangler reasonably priced. Any condition but rusted. 512-797-1664.

BY LARRY OSTERMILLER

WHO CAME TO STAY

Along came this funny looking stray and I guess it was meant to be.

The summer of 2002 was one of the hottest on record. The unceasing blistering heat dried and cracked the earth and shriveled and desiccated all the grasses and the leaves on the plants and trees. Outside activities would cease around 10 or 11 in the morning and many days would not resume until late afternoon or early evening. There were many days when the thermometer would rocket past the 100-degree mark. Day after day was followed by week after week of cloudless skies and no relief from the incessant torrid heat.

He arrived on July 4th, the day the temperature stalled at 113 degrees. His paws recoiled at each step from the fiery ground. He limped to the edge of the watered lawn and shyly laid down in the shade of the Russian olive tree. He rested his head on his front legs and just looked at us from a distance. The coloring on this 5- to 6-month-old pup reminded me of an artist’s palette splattered with grays, blacks and shades of brown. Neither rhyme nor reason to the coloration, just splattered, but he had a great face and the softest, brownest eyes. The eyes were also very sad eyes, the eyes of having been abandoned.

He drank three large pans of water that afternoon but refused all food. His physical appearance indicated that he had not been on his own too long. We phoned and visited with our closest neighbors, but he did not belong to any of them. At least, no

one claimed him. It appeared he was taken to the country and dumped, and our place was the one he limped into. After not being able to locate his owner, he was loaded into our pickup at the end of the day and transported to the animal shelter in town.

My wife and I found ourselves after a few days stopping by the shelter to see if anyone had claimed their lost canine. Each time we stopped, the dog was still there. At the end of the required 10-day stay, our youngest son paid the “adoption fee” and brought him back home.

The first order of business was to come up with an appropriate name for the dog. I was given the opportunity, or maybe I was appointed, to arrive at a moniker. After much discussion it was decided he would be named after who I thought was my all-time favorite baseball player.

Not much thought or discussion needed there, we would call him Hank. I don’t know how Hank Aaron, the once all-time major league home run leader, would have felt about a dog, a stray no less, being named after him, but Hank it was.

We had a 15-year-old sheltie and had vowed not to have any other dogs until she was gone. But along came this funny looking stray and I guess it was meant to be. This scratching, sniffing, rabbitchasing, 4-wheeler riding, fence fixing, bobtailed, four-legged fur ball was unlike any other dog I had ever seen. As long as he was a part of whatever was going on, he was plumb content and happy.

Our research indicated Hank was a McNab/Australian shepherd cross -

both herding breeds. We witnessed him trying to herd everything from horses to hounds to hares. He was one of the most intelligent animals I’ve ever dealt with. But his face and those eyes, as mentioned earlier, were his most striking physical features. Love and obedience oozed from his pores. His willingness to please and forgive was unparalleled. He gave so much and asked for so little in return. What a great example to us! What would mankind be like if we followed this example?

Hank had become family. He had transitioned from being an uninvited guest to overseer of his domain. Early on, I think, Hank feared being abandoned again. It took him a number of months before he became comfortable knowing that when we left home, we would return.

We were blessed to have Hank for almost 15 years. It makes me happy to think back on how he had become such an integral and important part of our lives. We all shed a lot of tears when it came time to say goodbye to him.

Now you have met Hank. He was the stray who came to stay and we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. We knew that Hank felt he had found a home as well. How do we know? It was in those big, expressive eyes. They weren’t sad anymore! W

Larry Ostermiller worked in the oil and gas industry for 18 years and in public education for 17 years, retiring in 2007. He and his wife, Dianne, have been Wyoming residents for over 40 years.

Larry and Hank.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY OSTERMILLER

ALPHABET HUNT

You will need a long piece of paper (or several pieces of paper taped together).

Using a marker, write out the alphabet across the paper.

Tape the paper to a wall in your house.

Write each letter of the alphabet on a sticky note.

Hide the sticky notes around your house.

Send your kids on an alphabet hunt to find the sticky notes.

When they locate a sticky note, they should come back to the alphabet that’s attached to the wall and match their sticky note letter to the wall letter.

Repeat until all the letters have been found!

This game can also be played with shapes, numbers, and words!

Whether you need an activity for a rainy day, for transition times, or to get their minds and bodies moving, this one will spark your kids’ curiosity, work their cognitive and attention skills, and it will always be a hit.