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OKANOGAN VALLEY
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Get ready for rodeo and fireworks on Fourth of July
PLAYING WITH FIRE
BY GARY A. DE VON EDITOR@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
NORTH COUNTY – Independence Day will be celebrated with fireworks and a rodeo again this year in the North County with the 73nd Annual Chesaw Fourth of July Rodeo and the community fireworks display in Oroville, this year featuring an expanded list of activities. The rodeo events take place on Saturday and start at 10 a.m. with the small sports. The parade is at 12:30 p.m. and the rodeo follows at 1 p.m. The rodeo again features two forms of saddle bronc riding this year. Along with the regular saddle bronc riding, there will be ranch-style saddle bronc. While similar to professional bronc riding, the differ-
ence between that and ranch bronc riding is that the cowboys ride using their everyday work saddle, rigged like they were going to go to work on the ranch that morning. The rodeo also features bareback and cow riding, as well as barrel racing and wild cow milking events. The junior events, which can be entered at no fee, are cow roping, calf roping, barrel racing and the calf scramble. For the kids there’s also the chicken catching event. The books have been open for a week to sign up for the senior and junior rodeo events. Entries will be accepted 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. only by calling Field at Mary Ellen Field at 509-485-3223. The books close when events are filled and must be paid by 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 2.
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Rich Fewkes Chesaw Rodeo Grand Marshal
Katie Teachout/staff photos
Above, Alisa Milan and Ian McFeron perform the opening concert for this year’s Music in the Park series., held in Tonasket’s History Park.
BY KATIE TEACHOUT KATHERINE@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
This year’s Chesaw Rodeo will be presided over by Grand Marshal Rich Fewkes. Born in Tacoma on November 4, 1946, Fewkes was less than a week old when his family moved to the Okanogan Valley. He graduated high school in Omak, and has been active in the community serving on many boards and announcing at many types of Rich Fewkes events, including the Chesaw Rodeo for 23 years, the Tonasket Founders Day Parade, serving on the fair board for eight years and announcing the horse races at the Republic Fair for twenty years.
Right, Galen Lichterfeld, formerly of Tonasket, performs Fire Poi during Music in the Park Friday, June 26.
Fewkes is well known for his 32 years in the car business, starting with Damsko Ford in Omak for three years before coming to work as a salesman at OK Chevrolet, where he’s been since. Prior to that, he worked for the Jobs Corps in Republic for seven years; lived on the Olma ranch where they ran cows with Leonard Hedlund; and fished professionally in bass tournaments for 20 years. “We went all over—Banks Lake, Roosevelt, the Potholes, Moses Lake. It was tournament fishing where you have a partner and keep the five biggest fish you get all day. Some of the tournaments had 100 to 125 teams,” said Fewkes, adding, “When you’re young it’s fun, but when you’re older it’s just hard work.” Fewkes celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife Lorene last Thursday, June 25. Lorene, also an Omak high school graduate, is five years older
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New commissioner takes a seat on North Valley Hospital board BY KATIE TEACHOUT KATHERINE@GAZETTE-TRIBUNE.COM
Adam Tibb was sworn into the vacant position on the North Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners Thursday, June 25. A special meeting was held June 18 by board members to interview candidates and make their decision. Marylou Criner and Leon Alden were also running for the position left vacant by Theresa Hughes. Tibbs was born in Tonasket, and helps to run his family farm and apple orchard. He said he wanted to serve on the board because “I’m getting to an age where I wanted to support the public, and the staff here at the hospital.” Tibbs said volunteer work for the community he has performed in the past includes coaching a boys’ AAU basketball team and helping with the football team.
Employees honored Patient Financial Services Director Jana Symonds honored employees Krista Zabreznick, Patrick Plumb and Jill Baber (present over the phone) at the June 25
meeting, asking them to stand and be recognized for the work they have done in turning the department around. Symonds said she was “happy and amazed” with the caring staff and that without the “sacrifices made by all of them we would not have made the great turnaround we did.” Symonds said the goal set in 2009 to see accounts receivable at less than 50 days, and three million dollars in the bank had been achieved. “When I first came onboard, I saw it took a team approach to get financials out of the red and into the black,” said new CEO Mike Zwicker. “I’m seeing the hard work and due diligence individuals are performing; making us financially viable in a time when it is really hard to do so.” “These are the core members, the Make-it-Happen folks,” said Symonds of Zabreznick, Plumb and Baber. She said Hardin came in with no experience to work in admitting, then moved up to working with private pay collection and charity care. “Krista is a great role model. She is personally driven and tries to constantly one-up herself,” said Symonds. “She has
OKANOGAN VALLEY GAZETTE-TRIBUNE Volume 111 No. 27
proven her loyalty to me and the hospital district time and time again.” According to Symonds, Baber started in billing and excelled in her position. She is now employed as a patient services rep with the hospital. “I told her the paychecks are in the balance of your actions, so don’t let us down. She is a true warrior,” said Symonds. Plumb has been employed at the hospital for over 13 years. “He knows how to make things happen. He is a methodical expert on improvement, thinks outside the box and rises to the occasion when called upon,” said Symonds. “I am very honored and proud to work with these three.” “This is a huge,” said Commissioner Clarice Nelson. “I just came from a conference where they said 47% of Critical Access Hospitals are in the red.” Board Chair Helen Casey said 2001 was the last time the hospital had cash on hand for 50 days. “It’s been a long time. I commend each one; it takes a team,” Casey said. “Without Jana Symonds’ experience and knowledge, we wouldn’t have known what to do,” said Plumb. “She has been responsible for a $7 million turnaround
Katie Teachout/staff photo
Adams Tibbs is sworn in as a North Valley Hospital Commissioner June 25 by Human Resources Director Jan Gonzales, as witnessed by Board Chair Helen Casey on the left. in five years, which is unheard of in rural healthcare. I think she set an example for how a patient financial services director can instill a culture change that is able to bring together clinical and financial services departments to maximize reim-
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bursement in the absence of increased patient volume. Our volume of patients has stayed static over these last five years.” Plumb attributed the turnaround to a
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