Voices from the Past

October 13, 1922

Take Me Back to Powder River

Out where the hill tops meet the sky

And the sun beams down all day;

Where the gold old Powder River,

Goes slowly on its way,

Out in the cattle country,

The land I love the best,

Is a little three-roomed shack,

My little home in the west.

CHORUS

Take me back to Powder River,

To my homestead on the plain,

Where at noon the landscapes glitter

With fields of golden grain,

Where alfalfa’s purple blossoms

Give a perfume sweet and rare,

Take me back to Powder River,

And my little homestead there.

2.

I’ll soon be speeding homeward

To Powder River’s shore;

I’ll find no better country,

Tho’ I look the wide world o’er,

I love her fertile valleys,

Her plains where cattle roam,

Always on Powder River,

Will be my home, sweet home.

-T.M.

October 12, 1972

1972 Hawk Homecoming King, Queen Crowned

Gaylene Phillips and Larry Richards were crowned their respective titles Friday afternoon. The outgoing Queen and King, Donna Richards and Floyd Mitchell, turned over their crowns to start Homecoming festivities.

Queen Gaylene and King Larry were escorted by runner-ups Barbara Hensley, Terri Riley, Peggy Traub, Greg Gardner, Donn Randall, and Roger Stabio.

Kelly Greens Work Hard

The drill team is really working hard this year. They performed at the Broadus vs. Circle football game and during Homecoming.

The Kelly Greens consist of sixteen girls. They are: Louise Capra, Linda Janssen, Rena Wetherelt, Rosemary Williams, Carol Carter, Honalaura Stradtman, Judy Denson, Xan Williams, Johanna Brost, Charlene Hayes, Norma Turnbough, Cindy Jesse, Lora Jesse, Katie Cossitt, Leona Schneidt and Leora Schneidt. The coach is Mrs. JoAnn Cunningham, and the manager is DaLonda Turnbough. They all seem to enjoy working in the Kelly Greens.

October 9, 1997

Manor Celebrates “20 Years of Loving Care”

By Nancy Stoddard, Administrator

Powder River Manor is the result of the vision of eight area women who recognized the need for a nursing home to care for the aged and infirmed of this area. These women spearheaded the project and Powder River Manor was constructed and opened its doors in September of 1977. It now celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

The Manor is a free-standing skilled nursing facility. It is operated by the Powder River County Commissioners and a non-profit Board of Directors which is the Powder River Healthcare Association. The facility is licensed to care for 41 residents and is equipped and staffed to provide Skilled and Immediate Care.

In 1983 an addition to the facility was built to improve the efficiency of the building and to provide a larger dining area.

The concepts of Adult Day Care and Respite Care were pioneered by this facility under the administration of Jim Spady and served as a model for this type of care in the state of Montana. Ironically, in later years, state regulation of Nursing Home Day Care made it impossible to provide that type of care in this facility.

The facility staff spearheaded the drive to make Physician Assistants a more effective provider of Medical Care in Montana. Administrator Jim Tavary led a lobbying effort to change state regulations, giving PA’s prescriptive powers. This led to the growth of Physician Assistant outposts in rural Montana medicine.

During a period of acute nursing shortage, the Manor Administrator, Verlin Buechler, and Powder River Healthcare Association established the Nurse Education Program which gives financial aid to nursing students in return for their agreement to return to Powder River Manor to practice their profession.

In 1994, Powder River Healthcare Association and Administrator, Nancy Stoddard, established the Powder River Manor Charitable Trust to endow the nursing home. It is the goal of this trust to raise and invest capital to provide income for the facility and end the need for taxpayer support.

This facility has provided leadership and support for medical care in Powder River County for 20 years and looks back with pride on 20 years of accomplishment.

Powder River Manor Facts:

20 Years of Administrators: Rich King; Jim Spady; Eric Deiter; Steve Stanley; Tom Robertson; Jim Carlson; Milton Benge; Jim Spady; Jay Toth; Joe Rude; Vanessa Lund and Phil Gorby, Co-Administrators; Kurt Hanson; Jim Tavary; Verlin Buechler; and Nancy Stoddard.

20 Years of Directors of Nursing: Blanche Brooks; Jan Martin; Blanche Brooks; Linda Sue Hammond; Helen Viker; Darlynn Williams; LaDonna Earley; and Doris Rockel.

Memorial Committee: Ella Mae Ferguson; Gladys Linville; Margaret Tipton; Betty Smith; Thelma Taylor; Doris Jean Emmons; Anita Wetherelt; and Louise Popp.

Powder River Healthcare Association Members: Howard Best; Claire Shamley; Mary Gay; Ella Mae Ferguson; Jay Mellor; Lucille Randall; Anita Wetherelt; Lex Denson; Phyllis Bryan; Diana Edwards; Dee Mobley; Chris Mangen, Sr.; Mary Rose Kolka; Dolores Carter; Lew Janssen; Ted Smith; Doris Jean Emmons; Mike Copps; and Wayne Wetherelt.

Total Number of Admissions to Facility: 537.

First Resident Admitted to Facility: Mary Altena Snarr (Mother of Marge Onstad).