I sent this to IMS for publication in Bruit. They indicated it may be too late for the current issue.
Iowa Mennonite School Class of ’60 Kicks off 50th Year Since Graduation
The IMS Class of 1960 kicked off their 50th year since graduation by organizing and participating in a “mission trip” to Shell, Ecuador, January 16—31, 2010.
The trip was led by Omer (Class of 1960 president) and Mary Jane (Burkholder) Troyer. Fourteen people participated in the trip – 11 were IMS graduates and 3 were from Troyer’s church in North Port, FL. In addition, several other 1960 classmates participated by making donations that went to La Casa de Fe, the orphanage where they worked in Shell, and to La Escuela Esperanza, a church-sponsored school. Shell is located at the edge of the Amazonian rain forest and is about five hours south and east of Quito.
The two weeks were spent working at three main projects—construction of 60 school desks, childcare and tutoring at Casa de Fe, and working on construction of a new building for the orphanage.
Five or six participants worked mainly at constructing school desks for La Escuela Esperanza, where the Troyers had spent the 2007-08 academic year. This work consisted of grinding off the “burrs” left on the previously welded frames, and cleaning and painting the frames. Then they cut and bolted on plywood seats, desk tops and a drawer for books. All wooden parts were sanded and given several coats of polyurethane. A day after completion, the team visited the classrooms where the desks were already in use. The students thanked them profusely, promised to take good care of the desks, and wished God’s blessing on the team.
The women on the team worked at the orphanage taking care of toddlers, tutoring older children, caring for infants in the “baby house,” sorting clothes and other supplies, and doing other work as requested. Several women worked on the desks as time permitted. While the men split their time between working at the construction site or on the desk project, they also took opportunities to take some of the children for walks to a nearby playground. Work at the construction site consisted of digging and moving rocks for water and sewer lines, and doing electrical work.
Casa de Fe is an orphanage run by Patti Sue Arnold, an American who retired from the military and wanted to do something meaningful for the rest of her life. About eight years ago, she went to Ecuador and soon answered the call to take in a foster child. The requests for her to care for children kept coming and she now has about 60 children, ranging from infants to 12 years old,. A number of children have physical disabilities and other special needs. Although Patti Sue lives in a house with five infants and two pre-teen girls, the rest of the children live in a concrete structure that functions as dormitory, school and playground.
The current building is most inadequate, so she has purchased 3 hectares (a bit more than 7 acres) just outside of the town and has begun work on a multi-use building. Patty Sue’s vision is to have 15 cottages with 6 children and 2 house parents in each, surrounding the multi-use building now under construction. The entire operation is a venture in faith.
The initial contacts in Shell came from another 1960 classmate. After graduation from IMS in 1960, Phyllis Detwiler married Eldon Yoder, class of ’58. They were led to a career as full time missionaries in Ecuador with Gospel Missionary Union. Fast forward to retirement years when the Troyers met up with the Yoders in Iowa. This meeting resulted in Omer and Mary Jane traveling to Ecuador several times, once for a full academic year at La Escuela Esperanza, a school begun by the Yoder’s church near Shell. In February, 2009, Jim and Lois (Kieffaber) Bare, Goshen, Indiana, met Omer and Mary Jane, and Marvin Stoltzfus, Sarasota, Florida, in Sarasota. Omer broached the idea of a class of ’60 mission trip, the others were receptive to the idea, and the trip was planned.
One of the concerns of Team members was that jobs not be taken away from local people who were unemployed. On the last night in Shell, Patty Sue led the team in a “debriefing”. She was asked whether the team should have stayed home and instead sent the money that was spent on travel costs. Her response was “That is not God’s plan. Keep sending work teams”. The team’s goal was to help where needed, not to do for the people what they could do for themselves, and it was felt that this goal was accomplished. One illustration of this was the expressed astonishment among the staff of La Esperanza that 14 people, from various vocational backgrounds, and some who had not seen each other for up to 50 years, could see what needed to be done and go about doing it without someone telling them what to do.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Notice of 50 Year Class Reunion
The following email or snail mail went out to all class members today, February 18, 2010
Class of 60.
Looks like we are about 6 months away from "the event". So here is all you ever wanted to know about the details. Well, most all you wanted to know.
First, for those of you with failing memories (probably most everyone) the date is August 27-28-29. Friday evening through Sunday noon. (Martha, don't forget to write it down this time). The place is Crooked Creek Camp near Wayland and on Sunday from 10:30 AM on, at IMS.
The general outline of activities is:
Friday afternoon and evening: A lighter evening meal. Bring snacks for later. This is a time of informal visiting. There is no formal program.
Saturday morning: Brunch will be served at 10:00 AM. The coffee pot will be on early. More informal visiting
Saturday afternoon: Jim and Lois Bare will lead a session where personal stories are told. Of special interest is the fact that many people feel their stories are uninteresting. The word is that there is no such thing as an uninteresting story. We want to hear from everyone!
Saturday evening: We are hopeful that some pictures from the past may be located. Also, the six class members who went to Ecuador last month will share a bit. For those of you who turn blue and shiver at the thought of class prophesy and class wills, save your color turning and shivering. THERE WILL BE NONE OF THIS!
Sunday morning: A continental breakfast will be served. By 10:30 AM, we want to arrive at IMS. Our worship time will be a matter of sharing spiritual journeys and we want to remember those who have passed on since graduation. There will be no formal speaker. Please come prepared to share your journey; rough roads and smooth ones.
Sunday noon: A dinner will be catered in. Some time between our Sunday service and this meal, we hope to have the school open for tours. Many of us have not seen the interior of the school for many years. People will leave IMS on their own schedule during the afternoon.
And now for the dollars involved in this venture.
Approximately 32 people can stay in the Retreat Lodge at Crooked Creek. This means that each couple will have a private room. One floor has bath in the room and one floor has two "community baths" for men and women. the rates are:
Room with bath= $27.50 per person per night. ($55 per couple per night)
Room with community bath = $25.50 per person per night. ($51.00 per couple per night)
Camping with your own RV is $16 per person per night ($32 per night per couple)
The meal costs are as follows:
Friday evening lighter meal (soup sandwiches, etc) $7.50
Saturday morning brunch $9.00
Saturday night dinner $9.00
Sunday morning continental breakfast $4.00
Sunday noon catered dinner at IMS $10.00
It looks to me like a couple who stays in a room with a bath and is present for all meals will pay about $189.00. Singles $94.50.
PRINT OFF THIS EMAIL so you have the information and clip off the reservation form. Once you have a total of what you want to purchase, please write a check to Omer Troyer. Identify on the enclosed form what you are buying. MAIL THE RESERVATION AND CHECK TO ME, NOT CROOKED CREEK. They will only take payment once and will NOT keep a tally of people who register. I will write them one large check.
DEADLINE: The check and what you are purchasing must be mailed to me by JULY 30. A late mailed check will result in a problem as we will probably be driving to Iowa the first week in August to see family. So your check is here in Florida with no way to retrieve it.
My mailing address is PO Box 7400
North Port, FL 34290
We hope to see a great turn out for this event. Hopefully, schedules have been arranged for some time as the dates were announced a year in advance. As some of us discovered in Ecuador, it is great to get to know people you thought you knew.
My phone number is 941-429-7573
Omer Troyer
Class of 60 Reservation Form
NAME__________________
Item | Cost Per Person | Number of People | Number of Nights | Total Cost |
Room with bath
| $27.50 |
|
|
|
Room without bath
| $25.50 |
|
|
|
Camper/RV
| $16 |
|
|
|
Meals |
|
|
|
|
Friday evening
| $7.50 |
|
|
|
Saturday brunch
| $9.00 |
|
|
|
Saturday evening dinner | $9.00 |
|
|
|
Sunday continental breakfast | $4.00 |
|
|
|
Sunday catered meal | $10.00 |
|
|
|
Total Amount Of Check to Omer Troyer
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Service in Ecuador Over View
To the Class of 60 members in Shell, Ecuador, service might mean attending the Friday morning assembly of praise and awards in the much too crowded Casa de Fe (House of Faith)
It might mean preparing the desk frames for painting. Some 60 desks were built for the students at Esperanza Eterna (eternal hope)elementary school.
Yet in other cases it meant renewing friendships from previous service trips to the area.
Skills not used for a while came to life as wooden seats and tops were cut for the new desks.
And, skills developed while playing with your grand children became very useful in caring for children at Casa de Fe. Hopefully, the blog site will feature some "in our own words" statement of what service meant to each of us.
Monday, February 1, 2010
6 Members of the Class in Quito, Ecuador
At this writing, the mission work trip to Shell, Ecuador is history. The picture shows the six class members on the steps of the mission guest house before making the five hour bus trip to the rain forest. Trips like this have a tendency to change people in many ways. This experience was no difference. The fact that six members came together to volunteer their efforts 50 years after graduation was not lost on the young staff of teachers at Esperanza Eterna elementary school. I was fortunate to have the privilege of managing the group of 14 people who were the very definition of cooperation and service. More to come later
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Ecuador team report
We have been here in Shell four days, busy, interesting days. We are staying in a really nice "hostelria", owned by an Ecudoran woman who has worked in New York City. Even has a swimming pool, but none of us have used it yet. We are working at 3 sites - the orphanage, La Casa de Fe, a new building site for Casa de Fe on the edge of town, and in the hospital's workshop, building school desks for La Esperanza, a school run by a local church. For the desk project, the metal frames were welded together before we arrived, but we had to clean them, paint them and add tops, seats, seat backs, and a box under the desk top for books etc. Means a lot of sawing , sanding, coating with polyurethane, etc. The shop we are working in has all the equipment we need, in fact we wonder if the hospital has a woodshop or if the woodshop has a hospital! The first day at the building site we off loaded 1300 cement blocks, by hand, passing or tossing them from person to person to the stack (and 2/3 of them went to second floor). At the orphanage, we are doing basic child care, taking kids to to the playground, or tutoring. Lois said this afternoon she sorted clothes.
A major concern of all of us is that we are not doing things for the people here they could be doing for themselves, or hiring someone to do. Well, Patty Sue, who began the orphanage, is operating basically on faith, so there is no money to hire more child care workers. She has several "tias" as child care workers to whom she pays probably less than minimum wage. She has 60 kids! There apparently is little or no unemployment in the area. So I don't think we are taking a job away from anyone. But we need to keep asking the question.
It rains every day. They get 15 feet of rain per year here! But the sun shines each day as well, but so far its been more cloudy than sunny. We noted the temperature was 73 deg. F right after lunch. This evening, it was bit breezy, too cold to sit outside, believe it or not.
The team seems to be quite compatable. Some of us are renewing acquaintances from long ago, some we have met for the first time (the 3 from Omer and Mary Jane's church in Florida). For the record, those here are: Jim and Lois Bare, Omer and Mary Jane Troyer, Marvin Stolzfus, and Anna Hochstetler (class of '60), Jim Hochstetler (class of '59), Daniel Kieth and Shirley Yoder, (Class of '58), Dan and Marlene Miller, (class of '62), Jimmy and Marilyn Haar and Harry Hildebrand, (from North Port, Florida).
We'll add photos later, and write more. I knew some of you are probably checking the blog to see what is happening. Thanks to those of you who have contributed to the cause. It's not too late , you can still contribute. I think we would vote for all contributions to go to Casa de Fe, there is a real need there. I'd like to see a 100 % participation from the class of '60 in this project, even if it's a $5 contribution.
That's all for tonight, Hasta luego!
A major concern of all of us is that we are not doing things for the people here they could be doing for themselves, or hiring someone to do. Well, Patty Sue, who began the orphanage, is operating basically on faith, so there is no money to hire more child care workers. She has several "tias" as child care workers to whom she pays probably less than minimum wage. She has 60 kids! There apparently is little or no unemployment in the area. So I don't think we are taking a job away from anyone. But we need to keep asking the question.
It rains every day. They get 15 feet of rain per year here! But the sun shines each day as well, but so far its been more cloudy than sunny. We noted the temperature was 73 deg. F right after lunch. This evening, it was bit breezy, too cold to sit outside, believe it or not.
The team seems to be quite compatable. Some of us are renewing acquaintances from long ago, some we have met for the first time (the 3 from Omer and Mary Jane's church in Florida). For the record, those here are: Jim and Lois Bare, Omer and Mary Jane Troyer, Marvin Stolzfus, and Anna Hochstetler (class of '60), Jim Hochstetler (class of '59), Daniel Kieth and Shirley Yoder, (Class of '58), Dan and Marlene Miller, (class of '62), Jimmy and Marilyn Haar and Harry Hildebrand, (from North Port, Florida).
We'll add photos later, and write more. I knew some of you are probably checking the blog to see what is happening. Thanks to those of you who have contributed to the cause. It's not too late , you can still contribute. I think we would vote for all contributions to go to Casa de Fe, there is a real need there. I'd like to see a 100 % participation from the class of '60 in this project, even if it's a $5 contribution.
That's all for tonight, Hasta luego!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Pictures From Richard Swartzendruber
My wife LaVonne relaxing on a cruise ship
The helicopter we owned for 15 years
Several thousand people waiting in the park below our house for a speech from President George W. Bush
President Bush motorcade arriving by a side entrance because demonstrators were at the main gate.
December 2004 snowfall remains
Yes we do get snow in Reno, but usually not 8 feet in two weekends. This picture was two weeks after the snowfall.
My wife LaVonne during a road trip of southwestern states.
Arches National Park during the southwestern states trip
Inside the mobile command center are 8 radios, 1 satellite phone, 3 cell phones, 2 TVs, 2 VCR sets, 1 computer, 1 copy machine and hundreds of maps.
I also transport and operate this command center when needed for searches, hostage cases or wild fires.
A view of the city of Reno fireworks on the 4th of July just below our house in the park. Reno casinos are in the background.
Our home from the highway below. We built it in 1986. The shop was built in 2005. It is large enough for the helicopter and a 29 ft travel trailer
Our home. A view from the driveway
Everyone raised on a farm should have a tractor. This one is used to plow snow.
It is time to go on patrol. Another pilot picks me up at my house and delivers me home again
Alaska Glacier
An excellent day trip on the Klondike Express out of Whittier, Alaska. Approximately a 4 and a half hour trip. A meal was served and 26 glaciers were seen up close.
On the Alaska cruise. Left to right Retired Dr. David Serviss, LaVonne, Richard, Patty Serviss.
Just me!
A nice day for flying. Big county budget cuts are making for a lot less flying.
I constructed this 32 ft tall cross in 1987. It has red neon lighting up the pole and on the 19 ft cross arm. In 22 years it has become a landmark in Reno plus it serves as a night landing light for my FFA approved helicopter landing area to the right of the cross on the black top.The Life & Times of Richard Swartzendruber
1960 Graduation.
1961 Enlisted in the Army with Pat Harney. Six months later, honorable discharge from the Army with a crushed ankle.
1963 Traveled to Albany, Oregon to visit my sister Gladys. I liked the west coast so much that I got a job and stayed in Albany.
1964-1967 I worked as a police officer.
1968 I received a grant to attend the new Linn-Benton Community college in Albany,Oregon toward a degree in criminal justice. While there I helped organize a student government and in 1969 I ran for and was elected the very first student body president of LBCC.
1970 I received my AA Degree from Linn-Benton Community College. Then I also married my wonderful wife LaVonne who is from the Albany area.
1972 I received my BS Degree in criminal justice from Oregon College of Education in Monmouth, Oregon.
1975 I was hired as a Deputy Sheriff for the Washoe County Sheriff's Dept. in Reno Nevada. At this time we moved from Albany, Oregon to Reno.
1982 After a two year process, I received my State of Nevada Private Investigators License and my State of Nevada Repossession License. Both licenses were used to start a new company named Pathfinder Technology Inc. I operated this company from Reno for 21 years and then I sold the company. My wife LaVonne worked for Safeway stores Inc. in their District Office here in Reno, Nevada.
1986 We bought two and a half acres on the north hill overlooking downtown Reno. There is one other two and a half acre parcel on the west side of our lot. There is a regional park that goes all the way around both our parcels so there is no other private land near us and we have a beautiful view of downtown Reno and the mountains southwest of us. Also we have two daughters who are married and live in Reno. Our first grandchild [a daughter] was born on my birthday in 1986. We are now blessed with two grandsons and four grand daughters.
1990 We bought a Hiller Helicopter through our Pathfinder company. This helicopter would carry a pilot and two passengers. Back when we lived in Oregon in 1970 we were half owners of a hiller helicopter and I at that time had received my private helicopter license. Washoe County Sheriff's Dept. has a large search and rescue department made up of volunteers all controlled by a Sergeant and a Deputy. There are nine different groups within this body,such as ATV, Four Wheel Drives, Snowmobiles, Ski Team, Water Dive Team, Search Dogs, Man Tracker ,communications and the Air Squadron. I joined the air Squadron with the helicopter. There were about 18 airplanes and our one helicopter in the squadron at that time. Each aircraft is privately owned and is called out for a search as needed by the Deputies. All search time is a donation to the county with a motto "So Others May Live". This was very rewarding for me to be able to fly helicopter and also help people in distress in so many different ways. "Yes we do save some lives". When called out, each aircraft must have the pilot and one observer.
1992 I received my commercial helicopter license and was able to do for hire work in addition to the sheriff dept. activities. The sheriff dept. did not own a helicopter until about 1997 so I got to do a lot of police activity for about seven years.
1992-2004 Lots of work and not much else to brag about so lets get to the end of this story already.
2004 At the end of December the business was sold and I became somewhat retired. The last two weekend of December 2004 we got four foot of snow each for a total of eight feet. That was the most we have ever received at one time since we have lived in Reno.
2005 Built a 1500 square foot shop at home to keep the helicopter in but later this year we sold the helicopter. I finally had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder and it healed very well. LaVonne retired from Safeway after 35 years of loyal service.
2006 We went on an Alaska Cruise which was the best so far out of three. We bought a 29 foot fifth wheel Montana travel trailer which now sits inside the very nice shop. We do local camping and several trips to Oregon with the Montana.
2008 We did a Caribbean cruise which was A OK but not like Alaska.
2009 In the spring I went in to have my annual pilots license physical and was informed that I had prostate cancer. God was looking out for me because I learned that here in Reno we have a leading Institute For Cancer Center where they have the newest Tomo Therapy Radiation treatment. This is where they kill the cancer cells and leave all the good cells live. I went through eight weeks of Tomo Radiation treatments. Now my PSA numbers are going down and the Doctor says the cancer is gone. Once this was done we took a cruise up the St.Lawrence sea way and back down to Boston. Then we rented a car and drove to Niagara Falls and back to Boston to fly home from there. I have been working part time for the Sheriff's Dept. as a court security officer and I used to fly the Sheriff helicopter once in a while BUT right now I am doing nothing because on December 10,2009 I had surgery on my right shoulder to repair a large rotator cuff injury. It is now almost four weeks and I am doing well but there was more pain and longer time to heal than when I had the left side done. I guess you could say this is my reason why I cannot go on the work trip this month. I am hoping that 2010 will bring less stress and more relaxation. I will be 10-42 for now.
A series of pictures will follow in another posting.
1961 Enlisted in the Army with Pat Harney. Six months later, honorable discharge from the Army with a crushed ankle.
1963 Traveled to Albany, Oregon to visit my sister Gladys. I liked the west coast so much that I got a job and stayed in Albany.
1964-1967 I worked as a police officer.
1968 I received a grant to attend the new Linn-Benton Community college in Albany,Oregon toward a degree in criminal justice. While there I helped organize a student government and in 1969 I ran for and was elected the very first student body president of LBCC.
1970 I received my AA Degree from Linn-Benton Community College. Then I also married my wonderful wife LaVonne who is from the Albany area.
1972 I received my BS Degree in criminal justice from Oregon College of Education in Monmouth, Oregon.
1975 I was hired as a Deputy Sheriff for the Washoe County Sheriff's Dept. in Reno Nevada. At this time we moved from Albany, Oregon to Reno.
1982 After a two year process, I received my State of Nevada Private Investigators License and my State of Nevada Repossession License. Both licenses were used to start a new company named Pathfinder Technology Inc. I operated this company from Reno for 21 years and then I sold the company. My wife LaVonne worked for Safeway stores Inc. in their District Office here in Reno, Nevada.
1986 We bought two and a half acres on the north hill overlooking downtown Reno. There is one other two and a half acre parcel on the west side of our lot. There is a regional park that goes all the way around both our parcels so there is no other private land near us and we have a beautiful view of downtown Reno and the mountains southwest of us. Also we have two daughters who are married and live in Reno. Our first grandchild [a daughter] was born on my birthday in 1986. We are now blessed with two grandsons and four grand daughters.
1990 We bought a Hiller Helicopter through our Pathfinder company. This helicopter would carry a pilot and two passengers. Back when we lived in Oregon in 1970 we were half owners of a hiller helicopter and I at that time had received my private helicopter license. Washoe County Sheriff's Dept. has a large search and rescue department made up of volunteers all controlled by a Sergeant and a Deputy. There are nine different groups within this body,such as ATV, Four Wheel Drives, Snowmobiles, Ski Team, Water Dive Team, Search Dogs, Man Tracker ,communications and the Air Squadron. I joined the air Squadron with the helicopter. There were about 18 airplanes and our one helicopter in the squadron at that time. Each aircraft is privately owned and is called out for a search as needed by the Deputies. All search time is a donation to the county with a motto "So Others May Live". This was very rewarding for me to be able to fly helicopter and also help people in distress in so many different ways. "Yes we do save some lives". When called out, each aircraft must have the pilot and one observer.
1992 I received my commercial helicopter license and was able to do for hire work in addition to the sheriff dept. activities. The sheriff dept. did not own a helicopter until about 1997 so I got to do a lot of police activity for about seven years.
1992-2004 Lots of work and not much else to brag about so lets get to the end of this story already.
2004 At the end of December the business was sold and I became somewhat retired. The last two weekend of December 2004 we got four foot of snow each for a total of eight feet. That was the most we have ever received at one time since we have lived in Reno.
2005 Built a 1500 square foot shop at home to keep the helicopter in but later this year we sold the helicopter. I finally had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder and it healed very well. LaVonne retired from Safeway after 35 years of loyal service.
2006 We went on an Alaska Cruise which was the best so far out of three. We bought a 29 foot fifth wheel Montana travel trailer which now sits inside the very nice shop. We do local camping and several trips to Oregon with the Montana.
2008 We did a Caribbean cruise which was A OK but not like Alaska.
2009 In the spring I went in to have my annual pilots license physical and was informed that I had prostate cancer. God was looking out for me because I learned that here in Reno we have a leading Institute For Cancer Center where they have the newest Tomo Therapy Radiation treatment. This is where they kill the cancer cells and leave all the good cells live. I went through eight weeks of Tomo Radiation treatments. Now my PSA numbers are going down and the Doctor says the cancer is gone. Once this was done we took a cruise up the St.Lawrence sea way and back down to Boston. Then we rented a car and drove to Niagara Falls and back to Boston to fly home from there. I have been working part time for the Sheriff's Dept. as a court security officer and I used to fly the Sheriff helicopter once in a while BUT right now I am doing nothing because on December 10,2009 I had surgery on my right shoulder to repair a large rotator cuff injury. It is now almost four weeks and I am doing well but there was more pain and longer time to heal than when I had the left side done. I guess you could say this is my reason why I cannot go on the work trip this month. I am hoping that 2010 will bring less stress and more relaxation. I will be 10-42 for now.
A series of pictures will follow in another posting.
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