The Year in Review

October

The Harrington Opera House elevator was installed and passed final inspection prior to a gala celebration held October 1 to dedicate both the elevator and the Boston grand piano designed by Steinway that had been purchased over the summer.

State representatives Tom Dent and Matt Manweller and state senator Judy Warnick were on hand for the event. Guided by Opera House Society member Gordon Herron, the three legislators cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the elevator for public use.

Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center convened a number of public discussion meetings in October to listen to residents’ perceptions and needs in terms of health care. The state Department of Health, the Washington State Hospital Association and the Washington State Health Care Authority assisted OMHC in fostering these discussions.

The Odessa High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America split the $25,000 Lead2Feed Challenge prize (one of six awarded nationally) and donated $12,500 each to the Odessa Volunteer Fire Department and to the Long-Term Recovery Group of Okanogan County. The Okanogan group is leading the drive to rebuild homes in the town of Pateros damaged in the Carlton Complex Fire in the summer of 2015.

The 15th annual Women’s Health Night was held in the fellowship hall of Heritage Church, with the local high school FBLA group providing a healthy dinner for the nearly overflow crowd. Odessa’s hospital administrator Mo Sheldon welcomed the guests before turning the program over to Jolene Erickson of the Lincoln County Health Department (and Odessa’s school nurse). The two medical providers residing now in Odessa, Rhonda Freeman and Rich Ervin, both family practice nurse practitioners, spoke on local health-related issues.

The Odessa-Harrington Athletic Booster Club fundraising dinner and auction was held in the Odessa Community Center.

November

The NAPA store in Odessa underwent a change of hands and moved back into its old location on First Avenue. The Horak brothers, Frank and Marcus, sold the NAPA store to a Davenport group which will operate the Odessa store. The brothers also sold the Finney Building in which they had operated the NAPA store to the owners of Etched Glass, which traded places with the NAPA store.

Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States in an election season that saw a brutal battle to the finish line.

The Odessa-Harrington football and volleyball teams both qualified to go to their respective state tournaments. The girls volleyball team lost their first-round match, won their second-round match and were then eliminated in the third round. The football boys continued to win their playoff games and made it to the championship game, losing finally to Neah Bay. They took home the second-place trophy.

The annual Lions Club Turkey Carnival once again offered bingo for frozen turkeys and raffle tickets for items donated by local businesses.

Newcomer to Odessa, Kathy Ashe, was introduced to the community through an article in The Odessa Record.

December

Odessa’s first snowfall of the winter fell in early December and lasted throughout the month, giving the town its first white Christmas in a long time.

Christmas Fest was held December 7 at the community center, bringing together shoppers and vendors with their wares.

The Lions Club Christmas Lighting Contest was won this year by Tammy Carlson Tokas. Pete and Lisa Martin came in second.

The Odessa Chamber of Commerce, citing concerns that there would not be much of a crowd, since the holiday fell on a weekend, decided to cancel the New Year’s Eve party it has sponsored for the past few years.