Every community needs caring young people...Valley Home has many! One of which is recent Oakdale High graduate Melissa Koppinger! Melissa who is talented in many areas has chosen to follow a career path in the medical field. Melissa enrolled in ROP during high school, which consisted of many ride-alongs with EMTs and paramedics. It was during this time she realized she was definitely where she wanted to be. Her strength and her skills for helping others have made her a natural for this demanding career. Melissa is the daughter of Debra and Jay Koppinger of Valley Home. This fall she will be attending Columbia College and is looking forward to an exciting future. You are awesome Melissa and Valley Home is proud of you! 

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Besta Osmundson reports that suspicious persons and a vehicle were in the area of Rodden Road and Horseshoe Road. Resident reports a paintball gun is missing. Vehicle is described as a grey pickup with a partial license plate number of W18. This incident happened on June 1. A very similar vehicle has been reported in the area under suspicious circumstances since then also. Please be aware!

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Excitement abounds for some very lucky, soon-to-be seventh graders at Valley Home School. Good friends RC Cope, Tyler Furtado, and Cody Bartholomew are spending this week in the tall, cool pines of the California redwoods. It is sure to be cooler there than here in sunny Valley Home! We hope they have tons of fun participating in activities such as swimming and zip-lining. Perhaps they will bring home some wonderful stories to share with everyone!

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We are very saddened to report the vandalism of young Mikayla Zwald's gravesite. Mikayla graduated from eighth grade at Valley Home School in 2008. She attended Oakdale High and has many friends in both Oakdale and Valley Home. Mikayla was loving, sweet, and kind to all. It is extremely hard to understand why anyone would do this. I recall sitting at Mikaylas funeral service, looking at the crowd of folks there to pay their respects to this beautiful young woman and I remember wishing that Mikayla could see all those people who care about her.

Please, if anyone out there has any information that may help right this terrible wrong give us a call, we will pass any information to Mikaylas family. “We love you Mikayla.”

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You may reach me at winniemullins51@gmail.com or by calling 209-985-5233. Until next time, "Happy trails to all..."