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LOVELL, WYOMING • VOLUME 107 NUMBER 16 • THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 • 75¢
Lovell
Health
Fair this
weekend
BY PATTI CARPENTER
The 2012 Lovell Health
Fair will take place on Sat-
urday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m.
to noon at the Lovell Com-
munity Center. Wyoming
Health Fairs and North Big
Horn Hospital sponsor the
health fair jointly.
Individuals who took
advantage of the reduced
price blood draw program
over the past few weeks
can pick up the results of
their preventative tests at
the fair. Doctors and nurses
from North Big Horn Hospi-
tal will be available at the
fair to discuss lab results
and answer questions peo-
ple may have.
The health fair will also
offer information for indi-
viduals who did not par-
ticipate in the blood draw
program. Numerous health
booths, demonstrations
and free screenings will be
available. For parents, kid
safety booths and car seat
inspections will be avail-
able. Information about Vi-
tamin D testing, Lifeline
Medical Alert services, the
Donor Alliance, peripheral
artery and Alzheimer's dis-
eases will also be available.
The Children's Re-
source Center will have a
developmental screening
Work begins on Cowley Log Gyr00 renovation
BY DAVID PECK kids in school," the mayor said.
A project to renovate and re-
store the historic Cowley Log Gym
into a fully functioning communi-
ty center got under way this week
as workers began preparing for
work that will last throughout the
winter.
The project, funded by a
$991,960 Communities Facilities
Grant through the Wyoming Busi-
ness Council and the State Loan
and Investment Board, will in-
clude a new floor, newly insulated
roof, interior remodeling and seal-
ing and re-chinking the logs.
According to Cowley Mayor
Joel Peterson, the log gym was
finished in 1936, funded by a fed-
eral conservation and communi-
ty development program designed
to stimulate the economy during
the Great Depression. Logs for the
building were cut and brought to
Cowley from the Pryor Mountains.
A Swedish craftsman from Deaver
by the name of Anderson led the
project, Peterson said.
"The work was even done by
The historic Cowley Jaguar logo
in the middle of the old floor at
the Cowley Log Gym will be cut
out and preserved when the
floor is removed this fall.
"Shop kids put the first shakes on
the roof. That's one reason every-
one has an affinity for the build-
ing. It's been a part of lives from
its construction."
In its heyday the building "was
used for everything," Peterson said
- dinners, dances, school func-
tions, voting, church activities and
more. Built by the community, it
became school property and served
as the gym for Cowley High School
for more than 40 years until Rocky
Mountain High School was formed
in 1983.
"It was built free hand," Peter-
son said. "It's an amazing struc-
ture, custom cut with axes and
saws. Everyone says it's as solid
as solid can be. It will last another
100 years."
A small cinder block locker
room off the north side had been
added in 1970 and had no heat,
Peterson said, replacing and add-
ing to a lunchroom that had been
located on the north side. Before
that, he said, home teams dressed
in the adjacent high school build-
ing, the historic Big Horn Acade-
my building.
The building began to deterio-
rate after it was no longer used by
the school district, but in the late
1980s the Town of Cowley and nu-
merous citizens launched a proj-
ect to see if the building could be
saved. Over the years a new roof
was built, a new radiant heat sys-
tem was installed and the building
was re-chinked in order to make
the building usable, Peterson said.
"It's been used, but it's expen-
sive to heat," the mayor said.
DAVID PECK PHOTOS
Cowley Mayor Joel Peterson shows how chinking between the
logs at the Cowley Log Gym has cracked and broken over the
years.
After no longer being used by
the district, the pipes had also fro-
zen, Peterson said, and the north-
east corner of the building was
damaged and the floor settled a
bit.
"It was no longer usable for
sporting events," he said. "Now
there are a lot more sports, and
we'll be able to do all of that. It will
have all of the amenities."
PROJECT SCOPE
After the SLIB confirmed the
Business Council grant in April,
the design phase of the project
began with Pryor Mountain En-
gineering overseeing the project.
The project then went to bid and
was awarded in August to Synergy
Construction of Cowley.
See 'LOG GYM RENOVATION'
page 6
booth set up. Free blood
pressure checks and a "glow
germ" station will also be
featured at the fair.
Numerous drawings for
prizes will take place. The
event is free and open to the
general public.
Flu shots
now
available
BY PATTI CARPENTER
When it comes time to
fighting the flu, the best
defense is plenty of hand
washing and, for some, get-
ting a flu shot.
The Public Health
Dept. is offering a walk-in
flu shot clinic at Senior Cit-
izens Center in Lovell today
(Thursday) from 7 a.m. to
9 a.m. and again on Oct. 5
from 10:30 a.m. to noon and
from i to 5 p.m.
The cost is $20 per shot
and may be covered for
some by Medicaid or Medi-
care Part B. Shots will be
administered by a public
health nurse. The Public
Health Dept. will also be
offering shots by appoint-
ment. To make an appoint-
ment call 548-6591.
North Big Horn Hospi-
tal is also offering flu shots
for the same price on Sat-
urday at the annual health
fair that will be held at the
Lovell Community Cen-
ter. Shots are also avail-
able through the clinic by
appointment.
LHS
homecoming
this week!
SEE STORY ON PAGE 3
Alzheimer's €00,:ent
raises awareness,
funds for research
BY PATTI CARPENTER
There continues to be no "survivor lap" at the annu-
al Walk for Alzheimer's, said organizer Denise Ander-
sen. Once diagnosed, an individual can expect a steady
decline in mental functions, usually over a long period
of time. Total debilitation as a result of the disease is
the end result. And there is no cure in sight.
The annual fundraising event, which was held in
the parking lot of the senior center in Lovell, was the
place to be on Saturday morning for a walk under sun-
ny skies designed to raise awareness and needed funds
to find a cure for the disease. As always, music and sil-
ly games like "hat laps" and "musical chairs" and poker
kept participants entertained as they showed their sup-
port for those in the community afflicted by the disease.
"We try to show that this is a growing concern," said
Andersen, who is also the Director of North Big Horn
Senior Center. "This is a disease that affects the elderly
and it is appropriate for our center to raise awareness
about the disease and to raise money to help fund re-
search about the disease."
The event, made possible by a core group of partici-
pants and volunteers, met and exceeded its $3,000 goal
to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association research
fund.
"I ultimately think that this type of event is suc-
cessful when it brings a personal face to the disease,"
said Andersen. "I don't think people realize the pain
and longevity of this disease until it hits their family.
This is the kind of disease that can tear families apart."
According to statistics provided by the Alzheimer's
Association 5.4 million Americans are living with Al-
zheimer's disease. One in eight older Americans has Al-
zheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is the sixth lead-
ing cause of death in the United States and the only
cause of death among the top 10 in the United States
that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.
More than 15 million Americans provide unpaid
care valued at $210 billion for persons with Alzheimer's
and other dementias. Payments for care are estimated
to be $200 billion in the United States in 2012.
The mission of the Alzheimer's Association is to
"eliminate" the disease and to "provide support to those
afflicted" with the disease. To date, the organization
boasts that it is the leading non-profit funder of Al-
zheimer's research.
Andersen and her crew organized their first walk to
raise funds for the organization 10 years ago and they
have seen steady participation over those years.
"The fact is that this event is a labor of love for so
many people here in Lovell," said Andersen. "I think
that what it comes down to is that we love the people in
our community and that's why we do this event. I think
that shows through in the fact that there isn't anybody
here at the event who isn't willing to do anything they
can to make this a special event.
"After 10 years, the event has become almost like
a reunion. You recognize when someone is here again,
when someone is not and when someone new gets in-
volved."
Above, Sam Cornia
enjoyed wearing a silly
hat during the "hat
lap" at the Walk to
End Alzheimer's held
at the North Big Horn
Senior Center in Lovell
on Saturday. Sam is a
member of the Harrison
family team that once
again was responsible
for raising more funds
than any other team
entered in the event.
Left, Phil Whaley
and Denise Andersen
participated in the Walk
to End Alzheimer's on
Saturday at the senior
center in Lovell. The
"event raised more
than $3,000 and raised
awareness in the
community about the
disease.
PATTI CARPENTER PHOTOS
