The Knights Ferry Odd Fellows Bald Mountain Encampment #4 announced the new officers for 2019. The installing officer, Jr Past Grand Patriarch, Fred Dolling welcomed the new incoming officers: Chief Patriarch Kurt Bryant, Senior Warden Shirley Watson, Junior Warden Jamie Gomes, Scribe Wendell Watson, Treasurer Fred Dolling, High Priest Tom Kopping, Past Chief Patriarch Ernie Albice, First Watch Pilar Kopping, Second Watch Steve Lyda, Third Watch Les Weir, Fourth Watch Ron Watson, Guide Glen Powell, Inside Sentinel Pam Powell, Outside Sentinel Brian Kopping, and Color Bearer Joe Lucero.
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Kaeli Sweet was nominated for the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce Junior Achievement Award. Kaeli has participated in many service projects in Knights Ferry such as leading multiple river clean-ups with River Journey, leading service groups for the Love Knights Ferry projects, helped with Vacation Bible School, helped with numerous community events as one of the first people on the job and last people cleaning up. Her most notable accomplishment is her participation in Operation Christmas Child. In about a year, Kaeli surpassed her goal of collecting and filling 150 shoeboxes full of life changing and encouraging gifts for children around the world. She spoke at numerous groups to share her story and to encourage group to get involved. The boxes included simple items like socks and fishing kits to fun items like stuffed animals. Kaeli saved every extra penny from her job at the Creamery, baby-sitting, dog-sitting, and house-sitting jobs and spent all her extra time between working, school, church activities, and family time on the floor in her room, organizing and labeling all the boxes and supplies. She even traveled to Livermore to pick up 150 pillow case dresses from a wonderful woman who wanted to help. After she filled a total 179 boxes for children ages ranging from 2-14, she drove down to the Processing Center in Fullerton, Ca to help process over 40,000 boxes in just one day. In March, she will embark on a mission’s trip to Mexico with Big Valley Church. Her group will train for weeks before they travel. Kaeli is the first person to raise her hand to help and continues to make Knights Ferry proud with her hard work and dedication to make this world a better place. Great job, Kaeli!
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Post Mistress, Dolly Haskell would like to remind you to pick up your forever stamps at the Post Office as soon as possible! Forever stamps and other postal prices will increase on January 27, 2019.
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Contact Nastasia Sweet with items for this column at nastasiasweet25@gmail.com.
