The Oregon Story; Volunteer Town

Funding for production of the Oregon story was made possible through a generous grant from the United States Department of Agriculture - rural development. Got all your vegetables down here, girl. Whenever anything needs to be done in Union, Oregon somebody volunteers to do it. You're helping other people just because you want to see the outcome of it. Not because you want anything out of it other than the good that it's doing. In a small community people need help. And that's what holds a small community together. I have a big heart.

Even the mayor volunteers. [mayor] All done tonight. There's something that I can do, they're always bugging me to help them out. I feel like I gain as much as what I give. [Background cheering] Alright - here we go Helpin' the kids out. Right, keepin' the sports going. Rural America is the land of rugged individualism. There's no government money for frills or even almost basics. Union rules. Get it done. Several years ago we came up with the idea that we wanted to have a lighted football field That's actually led into a softball field and a baseball field in a building. Volunteers have been putting on the town's signature event, the Eastern Oregon livestock show, for nearly a century.

Whatever the season people pitch in, through parties on Main Street. Even when it comes to life and death the town relies on volunteers. There's There's not money for paid departments in a small town. Officially, Union is economically distressed and when money is scarce the stakes get higher. Volunteers want a bigger say in how their town is run and people start fighting city hall. Well, I think people realize that something's gotta...someone's got to change. change. CISU was formed with the primary goal of defeating measure 31-48 31-48, the strong mayor initiative. The

breakdown of community, vanishing civic involvement is an American dilemma that reaches far beyond rural areas. Only Union's heritage of volunteerism prevents it from fracturing completely. And if Union can't come together, what town can? Union calls itself a 19th century town with 21st century ambitions. That means transforming the past into something new. Volunteers from the varsity basketball team are building a new gazebo where one stood a century ago. This one will have a wheelchair ramp. There is one old picture that we found of the original gazebo that was here in the park and we just put it before the boys. Thirty, forty years ago I wasn't around to know what it was like. It just seems like

things aren't as tight knit as they used to be and so you'll find the gazebo and build it as close as we can to the old one. A lot of people here are very happy that that's happened. They can come back year after year. You know, they might move on. But every time they come home they can take pride and see another generation's play on it. I worked 25 years at Los Angeles County Sheriff. I was an army counter intelligence agency special agent. The Union County Sheriff's Department wants to crack three unsolved murders. And Jerry Dudley and John Clever have volunteered. In 1983, a young Eastern Oregon University student, Dana Dumars, was found in Candy Cane park, not far from her apartment in La Grande. Someone had attacked her with an axe. She died at the hospital. Now these ex-cops are excavating her personal history. When I look

at the shots from back then, I don't see how anybody could get to see anything at all, that dark at night. I'm going through the trial transcript right now. I'm trying to get the names and addresses out of here of potential people of interest to us. People who saw something, were there that night or whatever. Unlike any other crime, the victim of murder case can't speak for herself. She cannot complain. So that's our job, to speak for her. If they succeed they can put a piece of the past to rest. This is Katie Elright. Since the day she died til now there are always red flowers in her hands, and nobody ever knows who puts them there. We're going back into the older part of the cemetery right now. Volunteers are helping the crew with the town's Pioneer Cemetery erect

headstones for old unmarked graves. Hey we found this person by witching. There is no visible place that there is a grave. Sometimes it takes a dowser to find where all the bodies are buried. Until we get to here. You can chart the town's history all the way back to the Civil War when settlers followed the Oregon Trail to a place they named Union. The points of origin for most of the people who are settling here had been in Union territory, so they were partisans. Northerners stood against slavery but also for preserving the Union. French writer Alexis de Tocqueville declared America a nation of joiners and Union, Oregon dreamed of becoming an American utopia. A small city which would be vibrant with economic activity.

Solid institutions, churches, fraternal orders, chambers of commerce, newspapers, city government, fire department, all the kinds of things needed to make a community healthy. For at least some years they succeeded. Back then they didn't need a name for volunteerism. In those days, if somebody needed help, they needed help. And so you did that. It isn't the same. Misgal Gail is 105 years old. Her father was a doctor. So we helped everybody. We never got any pay because nobody had any money. Her grandfather came out on a wagon train. He said, this is where we stop. I go no father. This is land

that will produce, and this land that we want. Misgal Gale grew up alongside the Union Pacific Railroad. So did Vern Draper. His grandfather settled here in 1862. I can remember when I was a kid and stand beside the track watch the old steam engine as it went by. It was one of the main things through here that was the only transportation. They didn't have trucks or anything then. Supplies for the saw mill, flour mill, and I imagine a lot of the groceries and stuff came in. The railroad changed Union. Tying the town to the rest of America and offering a tantalizing glimpse of prosperity. In 1884, the railroad was expanding and Union wanted the train to

come right through town. The surveyor suggested that a little cash under the table might secure the route for Union for the Catherine Creek Route and the mayor or leaders said that sounds like bribery to me. No thank you. So the railroad bypassed Union. Neighboring La Grande grew and then took the county seat away from Union, and then the interstate. And I still don't have that friendly view of La Grande. It's been in me all these years. Union is still struggling. Even independent people here sometimes need a handout. They might get $500 from Social Security and spend

$300 on their medicine. You know there isn't any industry here at all. They took the mill out and the took the lumber, the greenmill, there's nothing. We'd like to see a little gradual growth but the census for the last time brought our population down. But people disagree on how to turn things around. The city administrator dreams about bringing back industry. But I think that window of opportunity is not going to last forever. Union could market recreation. That's why the police chief wants to retire here. It has everything. The first day I came through town there was a 12-year old boy pulling a steelhead out of Catherine Creek right behind the library. And I thought hallelujah this is- I've found it. This is the place.

City Councilor Gary Graham thinks tourism is the answer. He wants to restore main street just like he's restoring his own Victorian. This ghost sign is on the side of what we call now the busbar that belongs to the school district. It looks like graffiti in a way but it's times graffiti, it's beautiful. Take a stroll with him and you'll learn much of downtown's on the historic register. Oh the hotel it's, it's a grand old structure. I think I was built about 1920 1921. There used to be an old Pullman coach car here I guess even in the 50's and 60's right down this way. I wish that was still here to be honest. It would be a great restaurant. What I'd love to see is street lights. Old style street lights even you know acorn style lights. This building right across the street on Main is the old Knight's of Pythius hall. We had a roller rink here back in several

years ago from what I understand, before my time. Knock on any door and you'll discover most merchants are also volunteers. D an D's smokehouse lounge. We are Don and Debby Spradlin. We've always volunteered locally for any local functions, you know. The Christmas parade, I was always dragging the trailer with the hay bales. In the snow and Santa Claus on it. That in that brick building is the old Union Republic newspaper office. Our goal is to let the community know is happening. It's a wonderful little gift shop and antique store now. Now I am Dixie Gray and I'm the owner and operator of the Little Gray Hen. I just started with the museum. The Museum right here, this is a great old building, this is the old I think First National Bank of Union. I am a volunteer. I've done it since 1969. It's amazing the amount of history that's here. If someone doesn't take the time to put it out no one ever knows. There's enormous

potential. The buildings are sound. They just need some TLC. It can be done. Tourists already come for the annual stock show. This spring volunteers are installing new barns and closed circuit TV cameras for Off creek betters. My name is Ray McDaniel. I've been involved with the Eastern livestock show since 1957, believe it or not. Right now the place is real quiet. You come back the first full week of June and there'll be two to three thousand people running around here for that week. [music] Then Then, during the show all the volunteers will do the cooking and serving here and everything is all volunteer. [music] It's so unbelievable. The amount of volunteers that help out with this show

For the kids, is the reason I do it. Kids they show their animals, and stuff and over the years that I've been involved. Any of the kids that showed here has never gotten in trouble. Smile at me, I can't see you, Katie! Tippie, tippie toes! Perfect. The oldest rodeo in the Northwest. And we're coming up on 97 years. That time we've had chariot races and they'd have Roman riders. They stand on the back of horses and they had trick riders.

The girl's name was Loreena Tricky and she was a trick rider. She would jump off a horse and jump back up on it. So the Stock Show was just two years old when Nell Croslin was born. People didn't live so close together they sometimes come from miles around. Have their sandwiches and they'd have pie socials and baskets. It was the progressive era and Union was flourishing. There were two blacksmiths shops. There was a jewelry store. There was a milliner store. We had more businesses in Union then, then we do now. The big draw was a few miles out of town. The Hot Lake Sanitarium was nicknamed the Mayo Clinic of the West. Noa Crosland gave birth there. I had two in Hot Lake,

one in La Grande. What was it like having a baby in Hot Lake? Well it's tough enough having them anywhere. I saw people come there who couldn't walk and take a series of baths and rub downs and then they would walk back to the train. I helped carry their luggage bag and put them on the train. One lake was full of cold water and the other hot water and they didn't have all those lilies that they have in it now. There was just water. Time changes everything it seems like. Hot Lakes' heyday, the Progressive Era, gave birth to a populist movement that spread from farms to cities. It was a time of great wealth and grinding poverty. A time of wrenching change.

It was the industrial revolution and globalization and immigration. Americans were on the move and foreigners were moving in. People felt rootless, disconnected from the old country and the old home town. So they consciously took the old idea of community and reinvented it. In a very short period of time - about 15-20 years, most of the major civic institutions in American life today, were invented. The Boy Scouts and the Red Cross and the League of Women Voters and NAACP and the Urban League and the Knights of Columbus and Rotary and Kiwanis and and it's actually hard to name a major civic institution, a major collective institution in American communities today that was not invented, in about 20 years at the turn of the last century. Union was young then, but everywhere you look there's evidence of the Progressive era.

You can still see the old sign for the International Order of Oddfellows and the Masons still meet at the old Masonic Temple downtown. These days the stock show is the ultimate example of civic engagement. We've been averaging We've been averaging about 16-18 hours a day for two months, just to get this show done. People join volunteer groups today for all the same reasons they joined a century ago. Happy Birthday dear Charlotte It's fun to socialize. Anybody here knows somebody related to somebody, maybe been overseas defending our country. Socializing is also a way to pull the community together around common goals, common values. People in groups can show their affection for each other. Ladies and gentlemen

your 2004 Eastern Oregon livestock show queen, Frina Lee Bowman. Joining groups can help some people build their reputation. Here's the Union FFA Chapter And sometimes volunteer groups act out of sheer altruism. Like paying extra for a hog because it's homegrown. [inaudible] [inaudible] Call it civic pork. I sold that hog for nine and a quarter down here. [music] Big hand Milton Freewater posse, they had a big trip over here to see us. In fact the stock show parade is one long succession of civic groups that all

got their start during the Progressive Era. Seems like the whole little community just kind of blooms for this. I've been gone from here for 20 years and yet I still come back and knowing that stock show is always going to be here for ninety seven years and ninety seven more. But across the country these connections are fraying. Americans have gone into isolation. Nationally, membership has plummeted to civic groups. Labor unions are collapsing. Most Americans don't vote. All the old alliances are unraveling. Take the Shriner's Started in 1872, peaked in roaring 20's, dipped during the Depression and surged back after World War II, Only to fizzle in the 1960s. A similar

story for the Lions Club, a meteoric postwar peak, and again a crash in the 60s. Even 4-H has declined. Instead of a nation of joiners, America is becoming a nation of spectators. Robert Putnam calls this phenomenon, bowling alone. Bowling Bowling is very popular. More Americans bowled last year than voted. So, bowling is big. But, bowling leagues, bowling teams, is off by about 6% Bowling leagues, volunteerism and voting. All down nationally. But not Union, not yet. Unions bowling alley closed long ago. But they do have golf. To bring in tourists, the city council made a golf course out of a landfill.

But the city underestimated construction costs and the county had to bail Union out. Some folks say that's when the trouble started. We ran a recall election in February. And recalled two city councilman. Things escalated fast. The city administrator quit, and came back. And then he suspended the police chief. The chief resigned. The mayor tried to make peace but the political turned physical. I attended a city council meeting and there was a lot of stuff going on. I went to the meeting because of the talking about the raise in the water rate. People stood up in comment section and just blistered the mayor. I mean Dave Thomas is a nice guy. And then on the way out then Jerry said there's a bunch of morons in there I meant it.

It was a very moronic meeting. Things Things being said shouldn't have been said this kid turned around said well I was in there and Jerry says So I guess you're a moron. And he pushed me. I push pushed Jerry Dudley. Next thing you know I'm on the ground and this 350 pound man is laying on me. Angry residents put an ordinance to change Union's Government on the presidential primary ballot and two volunteer groups got ready to face off. Well we have to make sure our tone is decent. That we answer constructively and in a manner that is reasonable and easy to understand. And just drips sincerity. One group, Take Back Our Town and Leadership Total, wants the volunteer mayor to run the town. We volunteer to do this for the city of Union. Another group - Citizens in Support of Union - CISU, wants to keep the paid city administrator.

You need to point out we've had some momentum until the totalitarians have caused this. So the momentum will stop by this process. They keep saying all the time that total has well here in this first statement, that total has caused dissension in the town. There's dissension in any election. Look at all ads that we see for president on the TV for heaven's sake. Are we a divided nation because we're electing a president? We have received email from Debbie asking Mary for our questions and stuff of the questions that we think our members are going to supply. She didn't offer to give hers, we're not giving ours. That's their proposal. What has happened is an unintended consequence of a city where people pitch in. Volunteer activists feel a sense of ownership, a stake in their town's future.

So they speak up. And nothing draws an audience quite like a good fight. Heads. Tails. We will go first. Can we get everybody to take a seat, please? Moderator Mary Nixon lays out the rules. Please no hissing, booing, clapping or other expressions of agreement or disagreement. What the audience is supposed to do is ask questions about the difference between a city administrator and a strong mayor. And they do have questions. Provocative questions. So Mary Nixon tries to cool things down. When will the healing process start? I would ask that we really keep to our points and hopefully not get into personal opinions and personal value systems. To the councilperson: do you think sitting seating on the CISU panel is showing or representing

all of Union's residents? And do you think it is ethical? I'd love to answer it. I would prefer that you didn't, Mr. Green please. Thank you. This is to both groups. Who will a police chief answer to if this mayor proposal passes? The council and the mayor would be in charge of the head of department. Ordinance though, it says states very plainly. Bobbie, I believe that ordinance has been read and this is not to be a debate going back and forth. This is a question for the total group. Do you consider the job description of Union's administrator to be complex and difficult and does it require specialized knowledge and training. It's not rocket science. I mean a good manager can learn to do almost any kind of environment. That's my personal opinion anyway. With a professional city administrator, that position is non-political.

It's apolitical. It's not beholden to one group or another. We weren't asked enough questions. We came to the forum loaded for bear and we just didn't get the answer enough questions. I feel good. I think it went very well. I think it was very civilized and I was very happy and pleased for that. But Debbie Clarke's group loses the election. Voters decide they need a city administrator. I think the biggest thing that has to happen is people have to let go. And in small rural communities that's tough. There are enough people with memories like elephants. The Horizon's group is neutral turf. People on both sides meet here to find a common vision for unions future. It has to be something that you also are excited about because. Mary Nixon's helping them enlist new community leaders. Why are you going to take the time and do it? I have been through three leadership courses I think every time I've learned something new it's it's a refresher and it is

great. This is what I tell people. This is your opportunity to help learn how to be. Hard getting this on in the same direction. This would be my first leadership thing. I'm getting old. [Laughter] Oh yeah. And, I guess I feel that my generation is going to be the future. This community is going to be the next leaders the next Sue Brigs and so on and so forth the next people that get involved. And I want to be one of them. Some folks like the volunteer fire and ambulance crews, don't have time for politics. When I first got started it was just to help the community out. So that's the theme for this month. Next class I think will be on CPR And doing the IVs. You haven't done pharmacology. Yes, we're just getting through that. Being a volunteer EMT meass being on call day and night.

Especially, night. The reason I started this I was on my way to work one morning and there was a car accident and there were three little kids. A good friend of mine was hit by snowmobile and broke both her legs. And I was the first one there. It helps when you know more people are trained in your area so you don't have to wait 15 minutes while you're choking on something or you know, waiting for your last breath of air. It's a really self satisfying thing to know that you have the education to be able to help somebody, in probably the worst times of their lives. They say transporting 1, code 1 is Onboard. The nearest hospital is 14 miles down the road in La Grande. Many on the volunteer ambulance squad have taken this trip with someone they love. You have like a second family. Especially with my father.

The last couple of months with the stroke and two heart attacks that he's had. Three people of the people on the crew right now, have one or two with my father. So you know this is kind of emotional to me. Todd the other day was going out and I think Todd and I think Diane. So they have been there for me. My son was involved in a serious car wreck and I was first on the scene. It just made it so much easier. The EMT in me held me together, and I trust these guys with my life. And it was nice to know I had friends coming. I was one of the friends that was coming. And we, I was the second one on scene for you know after she was there. And it's nice to be able to help people that you know personally. And then watch them recover and then to come out and say thanks

afterwards. [Music] It's October. There are rumors that someone is going to buy Hot Lake and fix it up. Dean Mocca got a job as police chief in southern Oregon. And Union has a new city administrator who believes in volunteers. They're the answer to the question of how much government do you want to afford. It's election season. The nation is dividing more sharply. And so is Union. Seven people are running for city council and three are running for mayor. Dave Thomas is not one of them. It would be nice if we had some fresh faces there. Some new blood. I hope there is,

and some young blood would be nice too, there. I think that's the key. You invite people in who have never been invited before and you let them, anybody who comes forward that wants to participate, you let them do it. Debbie Clark is running for mayor. Leadership includes everybody. She and Sue Briggs are working together in the Horizon's group to revitalize Union's economy. But Sue But Sue Briggs is running for mayor to. One of the biggest complaints was that citizens didn't feel they were informed. And I would make use of everybody who ran for anything and put them on a committee. They're backed by different factions. So the election could derail Horizon's. There is a third candidate, D.J. Locherica is waging a write in campaign for mayor. A lady asked me have you ever been mayor before. And I said no. She said good. Right on. That's what I want.

You could say politics is volunteerism at its most basic. Would you like my pamphlet. Volunteerism starts when you're young. So maybe D.J. Locherica and even younger kids like April Savely will be the next connectedgeneration. She's one of the Union School system's reading buddies. [Child reading] Up a ladder through the floor... [Host] If their generation stays active, they'll help replace the generation of volunteers That's passing. ?Miscall? Gail died this spring. Her generation has always done the lion's share of volunteering. Every Tuesday volunteers serve lunch to seniors at the Methodist Church. I'm working a cook and waitress for quite a while here. Couldn't get away

from it. Ruby keeps threatening to quit. No we're just going to cut your wages. I'm going to try. And help my family. I enjoy it. Three hours is better than sitting around watching the boob tube. The satisfaction that I'm able to help others that's what I like to do best. I love to do it, get out of the house, and volunteer whenever they call on me. It's fun. I've volunteered ever since they started feeding meals in Union. I volunteer whenever Frances calls me. I like to come down because I love the girls that I work I work with. Once you offer to help, you get asked again and again. And we ask you to watch over the young men and women who were serving our armed forces, overseas. We say this in the name of Our Father son Jesus Christ. Amen. Now would you please stand and we'll do the pledge of allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic...

Turns out even those who find themselves accepting help from volunteers also volunteer themselves. I was the first volunteer driver that they had for the senior citizens. I drive, you know, Take people if they ever need a drive. I volunteer for the church. They keep me very busy. You use to drive the bus or Bauder. But I had a little stroke here some time ago. When people retire in rural America, they don't stop working. And the best we can figure out she was probably attacked. Somewhere right in here. The cold case squad is trying to retrace everything that happened on that lonely winter night two decades ago. The cops just don't have time. We're saying that she is very much a person. This brings it home as we get to reconstruct the person's life. She was 21 or 22 years old and she crammed a whole

lifetime into those 22 years. We did see some things that say hey, this case ought to be open and it worked because it just just wasn't right back then. I've seen the first two ways. The Jap planes came right over the top; you could hit em with a rock. [NARRATOR]: It's the VFW's is annual Pearl Harbor Day dinner to raise money for kids. We fill about 400 sacks to give away here. So we put apples in them, peanuts in them, candy and everything in them. It takes a lot to do that. Well done. But the bonds between Americans are loosening as the greatest generation ages. These volunteers are a byproduct of the time after Pearl Harbor when Americans grew victory gardens and held scrap drives. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Charitable giving and volunteerism soared. But it's not clear if

9/11 will permanently shape the next generation. [sirens] It's never hard to find volunteers willing to put on parades. Merry Christmas! But the day in day out grind of showing up for a volunteer group is harder to sustain. It seems like everybody's busy. You know. The. Man the wife are both working and they don't have time. Most of these clubs are full of old retired people. Scuse me, I didn't mean you. Thank you. Believe it or not Union is becoming the burbs a bedroom community for La Grande. Commuters volunteer less, and they shop where they work. That's why Union tries to boost local business with the annual Christmas lights contest. Union drug won again this year, but owner Walt Brookshire thinks in five years he'll be

gone. I can't compete to recruit a young pharmacist. I can't offer him the same wage benefits are going to get at a chain. Something worth celebrating is happening at Hot Lake. [music] Bronze sculptor David Emanuel and his wife Lee are turning the old sanitarium into a destination resort with the community's help. Some of them are have their hands out here and getting dirty some of them have their wallet. Some of them are staying home on their knees praying, but it's definitely a community project. People come out here all the time and want to want to help. And we found some really great help. Hot Lake could compete with Union's historic hotel. But locals believe volunteering at Hot Lake will pay off. Imagine skiing During the daytime and it's soaking in the hot springs at night. We've got one of the most beautiful golf

courses in Union, Buffalo Peak. It's January. [music] Sue Briggs is going to be president of the commercial club. We finished our 15 year plan in about seven. So, time to do it again. The former police chief was indicted for misconduct and using the company car a legacy of the town's political battles. I am very hopeful that we will prevail in court tomorrow. If not, I'll be back to sanding signs again I guess. Debbie Clark Slate. Practically swept city hall. I believe that honestly they wanted to run the city government of Union and that's where they are today. And it took them a year to get there. And now it's further out. Now the outsiders become insiders and the watchdogs watch them.

We're getting our city in the direction that it should be. And now we would like things out in the open. And I think it will be more so now. This town could come completely apart again. It may be worse than it did before or it could be healed with everybody working together. You did a good job today. I hope we did. I'm proud of you. If you reach down, I'll give you a hug. Ever since the conflict started, turnout has been high at city council meetings and tonight's the night volunteer activists and elected officials trade places. I'm real happy right now. About eight minutes I'm done. I'm gone. Dave Thomas isn't kidding. He didn't even stick around long enough to see the new mayor sworn in. And that I will faithfully perform and that I will faithfully perform the duties of mayor.

The duties of mayor. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. Thank you. [clapping] Being new We probably don't even have the first clue of what we're about to go through. And we know that it's been a tough year for for Gary and for for David and Brad. And Barbara as well. And we wanted to recognize that, and we wanted to thank them. DEBBIE CLARK wants to honor outgoing city councilors but only one came up for his plaque. With deep appreciation for Gary Graham for years of dedicated service to the community on the Union City Council. Thank you so much, Gary. [clapping] Can Union reunite? Thanks for being here. Civility is back. But if people just paper over their divisions to end the conflict nothing will

change. Even conflict is better than apathy. A lot of times you can't resolve questions about you know should this neighborhood change or not change without having a debate about it, so conflict is good. Robert Putnam wondered if any place in America was still bowling together. And he discovered Portland. In the 70s while the rest of the country was disconnecting. Activists here stopped a freeway led by visionary Governor Tom McCall. Oregonians pass the bottle bill that protected beaches, forests and farmland. And they weren't just from the city. I mean land use laws. Were created by farmers after all they were the ones that brought it to Tom McCall. Steven Johnson did the research. What is the common story we worked on together. What can we believe that we're working towards? The [inaudible] saw that years ago. He said that either people in America are going to learn how to work together in voluntary associations, or eventually they're going to live in a very procedural

republic made up -- a lot -- of government. When we do watershed work for example which is very grassroots. There are hundreds of watershed councils now in Oregon. People are coming together with government agencies, private partners and they work on the ground to do things like repairing streams and they work to find solutions across these boundaries. He says volunteerism creates what's called social capital. It actually saves money. [STEVEN JOHNSON]: And if we don't work together, here's the problem: we end up with more government. [NARRATOR]: Union is rich in social capital. Hank Rodman and Sue Briggs are busy with another civic group now. Grassroots puts on a summer street fair. I'd like to present to the grassroots incorporated $260 Thank you. Even if Union had a bigger budget folks would rather make a virtue out of necessity.

[DAVE THOMAS]: The volunteers work faster than the city does, because they simply go and do it. If it's wrong and they correct it. But what they don't stand around. Oh should we do? Shall we do that? Good morning, Georgia. Anything going on today? The cold case squad has a new home. The La Grande police department. What are you guys doing today? Just interviewing a couple of people, getting closer. What did you find out? One, that it certainly moved one of the persons of interest up on the radar screen from our standpoint. I think it's great. I wish we could have been more free to help. Both of those guys are on the case, on the cold case team, have lots of experience we're talking, 20 to 30 years apiece. Nice day today. Jerry Dudley is visiting Dana Domar's parents, Verne and Pearl.

The old red house there is there's. I'm trying to give him a little bit of closure. I'm not sure what closure means on something like this. Oh, hi Jerry. Hello Pearl, good to see you. Well how's it going, Jerry? We talked to probably 60-70 people and we're going way back to where she went to high school. We talked to high school students of hers. We do have it narrowed down at least three people. Who? It's going to take us some time. Well yeah. Well, I am amazed that you guys are doing this well and pleased. Well I'm pleased too. It gives me something to do, rather than watch TV all day. Or working in my woodshop. And then here is the plaque. That her classmates had made up at her ten year reunion.

One way Peal Dumars deals with her daughter's death is by volunteering. She does hospice work. And it's mainly making the person comfortable. Making things easy for them and helping the caregiver. You're just there to help. It just feels good. If a few people working together can bring about changes. What can an entire town do if they work together? Everyone in town is invited to tonight's meeting. It's a brainstorming session. Horizon's volunteers are asking people in both factions to share their best moneymaking ideas for Union's future. You know towns up in Washington that have got murals on every building they look great. The hotel is spectacular. A labor day rodeo maybe? I love to see a plan for the forest service. For example if they cross that line, divide. Yeah, but you're talking days you're not talking just one day. Ok my point is we're looking for ideas and not to

minimize an idea. People would have to stop in here buy something to eat, maybe do a little shopping. Get their trail map, get more information about the area where all the campgrounds are in detail. Tonight tests whether the town is starting to heal. Look at the drafts that are at city hall on the downtown revitalization study. Down in 1997 where there's photographs of the existing buildings and then architectural drawings of what they could look like. Most people have probably been to Disneyland the happiest place on earth the most happiest section of Disney Land is that little Main Street that they have. You know. Our downtown Union on Main Street could look very similar to be very vibrant very active. It's March, it's been a year since the fight. Hot Lake is opening up for a reception.

The bobcat boosters are putting in a new running track. The volunteer work is what has made this place. When you save fourteen thousand five hundred dollars in a project, in one day. Everybody's ears come up and say we got to go. Volunteers are deep into planning for the ninety eighth annual stock show. They want to ease off a little bit. You can't ease off in Union. Not in Union. You've talked about climbing vines around the coast. Talked about roses out front. Donna Patterson is starting a new garden club. Dean Muccow was vindicated in court. But the cold case squad still hasn't made an arrest. As of right now we don't Have a solid suspect. Maybe

that phone call will come in. [NARRATOR]: And Dave Thomas is moving to Arizona. [UNIDENTIFIED MAN]: Good evening. Tonight is the annual volunteer awards banquet Does someone want to volunteer to give the blessing on the food? It's been a tough year. [VOLUNTEER BANQUET HOST PRAYING]: We are thankful for all our City officials and our law enforcement here in this town and ask our spirit to be with them. Community action can come at a price. But the alternative, opting out, means giving up on community. You know the city's got to work together. Everybody has got to work together to to make it a better place to live. I think it's better. I think it's all better, now. I've learned.

Well we're going to get right into our first award folks. This year's outstanding civic organization is none other than Grassroots people here pledge allegiance to rugged individualism. But the conflict reminded them they need each other to survive. Win or lose the people that I met along the way the people that I really got to know, really got to know, I mean I'll never forget it. All right. I appreciate it forever. Sue Briggs our former mayor. She's my mentor and in one of my best supporters. I don't know what I would do without her. I think when you sit around a table and you're given a problem or a project you have to talk and intermingle. So, you find people have other ideas and they aren't always what you hear publicly. So you just get to know each other. The Little Gray Hen is going to be the business of the year. So would the Little Gray Hen lady come up? [music] [clapping]

Outstanding EMS volunteer to Laurie Testy, right here. It makes you really feel good to know you have neighbors that will volunteer to help you. Outstanding student volunteer of the year is none other than April Sately. Give her a nice hand. In the end, all the volunteers are fighting for a better future. I was kind of glad that the voters had the wisdom to not change the government. A city administrator really is a good idea. So I'm kind of glad [NARRATOR]: Union is still a work in progress, But win or lose. People here will keep on working. We built this country we built our communities. We want to be involved.

And the word is gazebo and the City Park. Volunteering is the thread that runs through all of Union's history. It ties the town to its past and to its future. People still care. A lot of supporters and even Betty Bronson who was my opponent and she won -- you know, she's asked me to be on a couple of her committees and things like that. Which I'm happy to do. And so you know it's not like you get defeated and disappear. That's the beauty of small towns, you're still involved. You're the government. [music] [music]

Funding for production of the Oregon story was made possible through a generous grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development.