By Stephen Floyd For many Silvertonians, The Home Place Restaurant represents a rite of passage. It’s where they got to have their first big birthday party, where numerous teenagers got their first jobs, where generations of athletes gathered for pre- and post-game celebrations. Co-owner Debbie Bennett said the establishment is old enough now that customers bring their own families, talking […]
By Brenna Wiegand Otto Stadeli said you could have “knocked him over with a feather” when the Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce crashed his pinochle game to name him recipient of this year’s Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award. Stadeli, 93, says doing good business and volunteering are just part of being in a community. Born and raised in Silverton, Stadeli […]
By Brenna Wiegand Chuck White received the Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award at Silverton’s 50th annual First Citizens Banquet July 31. Born and raised in northern California, White came to Silverton shortly after his 1972 graduation from Willamette University in Salem. Looking back, Chuck has always been active in the community both as an educator and as a community volunteer. […]
By Steve Ritchie Every town could use a dedicated civic leader and tireless volunteer like the late Judy Schmidt. Or like Elmer Valkenaar. Known as “Elmo” or “St. Elmo” to the community, Valkenaar will receive the Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018 at the Silverton Chamber of Commerce First Citizen Banquet Feb. 16. St. Elmo, who turned 89 on […]
By Steve Ritchie In 1996, the Silverton High School Alumni Association decided to award its first scholarship. Association founder and longtime secretary Mason Branstetter, SHS ‘63, recalled it was a quite humble beginning. “Given the fact that we only had $900, we thought that we could only give out $50,” Branstetter said. “We established a policy of putting our emphasis […]
