Russell named Orland Person of the Year

No one was surprised when Mayor Bruce Roundy announced the 2009 Orland Person of the Year Award at Saturday’s July Fourth celebration in Vinsonhaler Park.

Gene Russell, affectionately known as “Doc” because of his doctorate in education, accepted the award with humility.

After the ceremony, he told the Orland Press-Register, “There are some impressive names on the list. It’s an honor to be in the same class as those people.”

Among those people was Russell’s father, J.A. Russell, who was named Person of the Year in 1980.

He said he knew for sure that he was getting the award when his children and grandchildren started showing up. Russell’s wife Shirley let them in on the secret, so they traveled from Washington and Oregon to attend. Also at the ceremony were his mother-in-law Fern Sliger and sister-in-law Florence Burdick.

Russell is getting used to collecting honors. Just one week before, he received an award for individual merit from the Conference of California Historical Societies.

An Orland native and graduate of Orland High School and California State University, Chico, Russell taught industrial arts at OHS until he retired in 1999. Since then, he has focused his attention the region’s history.

He has written five books and innumerable articles about Orland and the surrounding region. His latest book, “The Land of Orland,” is part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing.

The book chronicles the town’s history from the pre-Gold Rush 1840s to 1965, using vintage photographs from the Alta Schmidt House Museum on Fourth and Yolo streets and other local collections.

“I always thought my legacy would be my books,” he said.

“The Land of Orland,” $20, is available for purchase at the Alta Schmidt House Museum, from Russell or online bookstores.

Winners

Orland’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration in Vinsonhaler Park brought out more game contestants than in recent memory, according to master of ceremonies retired Judge Angus Saint-Evens. Below are the winners.
Junior decorated hat
First place: Danielle Drewry, 8
Second place: Jacquelyn Hubbard, 6
Third place: Daisy Alston, 11
Adult decorated hat
First place: Kristi Stephenson
Second place: Marion McKinzie
Third place: Cheri Johnson
Decorated pet
First place: Codie, chihuajua mix, owned by Kay Booth
Second place: Ruby the pig, owned by Jennifer Drewry
Third place: Sadie Anne, Pomeranian, owned by Linda Trimble
Fourth place: Boomer, boxer, owned by Brandi Hubbard
Decorated bicycle
First place: Alicia Cabada-Zabala, 3
Second place: Emy Giddings, 10
Third place: Tre Emmick, 3
Fourth place: Jack Lackey, 4
Children’s foot races
Everyone was a winner and got a prize
Sack races
Ages 7 to 10
First place: Cameron Hubbard, 10
Second place: Emy Giddings, 10
Third place: Harrison Maurus, 9
Fourth place: Nickolas Polley, 9
Ages 11 to 15
First place: Maxmillian Lusher, 11
Second place: Justin Crewry, 12
Third place: not available
Fourth place: not available
Ages 16 to 19
First place: Ryan Polley, 17
Second place: Bret Schumann, 16
Third place: Christian Wathen, 14
Fourth place: Michelea Castro, 16
Ages 20 and older
First place: Jeff Hilstad
Second place: Joe Menan
Third place: Bill Wathen
Fourth place: Peter Polley
Egg toss
First place: Michelea Castro and Attila Bereczky
Second place: Virginia Kirkpatrick and Bill Wathen
Frog jump
First place: Chubby Checker, bought by Jennifer Drewry, 179 inches
Second place: Leaping Lena, bought by Nina Bates, 175 inches
Third place: Lucky Logan, bought by Greg Gebhart, 167 inches