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| Issue: # 015 |
July 1, 2008 |
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Wenatchee Valley Sports Council News
 Greetings!
As we welcome in the month of July we also embrace what comes with it. Community wide Independence Day celebrations, family fun in the sun, visitors enjoying our beautiful valley and so much more. As we head into the heart of the summer we look forward to coordinating the O'terry's softball tournament which will benefit the sports foundation scholarship and fund and the local special olympics program. We hope everyone will get out and enjoy the beauty and recreational opportunities our valley offers. STAY COOl!!
Best Wishes
Caryl Morrell - Sports Council Board President |
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 Sports Foundation Chair Lucky to Be Alive The Chair of the Wenatchee Valley Sports Foundation, Executive Board Member of the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council and the Greater Wenatchee Regional Public Facilities District was discovered in the middle of Squilchuck Road by motorists who said he was tangled up with his bike. According to Kelly, he suffered a broken clavical, cracked ribs and a head injury "which had me worried the most...I'm very tired and still groggy."
Kelly was taken to Central Washington Hospital in critical condition. The following morning, he was upgraded to satisfactory condition and, according to friends, cracking jokes and talking about going home. "I didn't even realize I was in the hospital until the second day after the accident...and then I was ready to get out of there and go home," said Kelly. Kelly added, "I've been able to walk a half-mile the last two days, which seems strange. I guess you never fully appreciate your health until you don't have it. Before, I would have never even THOUGHT about walking a half-mile...now it's a challenge."
Kelly has been surrounded by son Michael and good friend Pat O'Hara since returning home last Saturday. He says his friends and co-workers and the community have been incredible. "I want to thank everyone for their support. It's been amazing. All the food...although I don't eat much, Steven (Ames) is enjoying it," said Kelly. Ames is a pitcher for the Wenatchee AppleSox and Kelly is his host family while playing here this summer.
Kelly added that he wants to encourage others to wear helmets, "...I've always been a big proponent of wearing helmets when I ride. Now, it's especially important since this happened to me. If I had not been wearing my helmet, well, I don't even want to think where I'd be now." Kelly says he doesn't have any idea what caused the accident..."I've ridden that route a hundred times and never had anything happen before. I've even had flat tires coming down the hill and not lost control."
Dan says he hopes to return to work at Washington Growers Clearing House next week. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we're happy you're OK Dan. Just take it easy! |
 World Harmony Runs Through the Wenatchee Valley The recipients are: Marco Azurdia; Harriet Bullitt; Dennis Johnson; Ron Johnston-Rodriguez; Mariachi Wenatchee and Director Ramon Rivera; West Mathison, the Mathison Family and Stemilt Growers; Bob Parlette; Mike Utley; Dr. Gene Sharratt; Darci Waterman and Gretchen Woods and Barb Woods and the Woods Families and the Wenatchee World Newspaper.
The World Harmony Run is a 50-nation torch relay to promote international friendship and understanding through athletics. The team of World Harmony Runners were assisted around the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail by several local, volunteer runners. Following their stop in Wenatchee, the World Harmony Runners were off toward Waterville and Spokane en route to New York in August. (photo provided by Linda Herald) |
 Bumper Salmon Run Heading Our Way! State Fish & Wildlife Biologists predicted a run of 52,000 summer chinook over Bonneville dam for the entire season. As of this newsletter, 60,000 adults and 10,000 juvenile summer chinook have passed over Bonneville, and we're just getting started!
According to Dave Graybill, the Fishin' Magician and member of the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council Board of Directors, "we could pass the record run of 94,000 back in 2004. That should lead to great fishing on the Columbia between here (Wenatchee) and Brewster for the next two months!"
The limit on sockeye and chinook salmon is six per day, with only two adults and a minimum size of 12-inches. Be sure to check the regulations with the Department of Fish & Wildlife before you go fishing.
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 Washington Winter Games in Wenatchee? Coule Be! The Wenatchee Valley Sports Council is entertaining the idea of bringing the Washington Winter Games to Wenatchee. During a visit by the Washington Association of Sports Commissions here in June, the Sports Council arranged a sit-down with interested local parties and organizers of the Washington Games. The discussion was about whether Wenatchee would be a willing host of the winter games in 2009.
Ralph Morton, Executive Director of the Seattle Sports Commission and Commissioner of the Washington Games, expressed interest in Wenatchee because of its convenient proximity to various venues, including downhill skiing at Mission Ridge, skating at the Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center and cross country skiing in Leavenworth.
Also present at the meeting were Wenatchee City Executive Services Director Allison Williams, Mission Ridge Marketing Director Jerri Barkley, Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center General Manager Rob Cline, Sports Council President and Wenatchee Parks Recreation Supervisor Caryl Morrell, Karen Boyce and Louise Kapeikis from the Wenatchee Figure Skating Club and the Sports Council's Eric Granstrom.
Morton described the Washington Games as a "turn key" operation, with his organization providing t-shirts, medals and promotion..."all you have to do is provide the manpower." The idea of Wenatchee hosting the Winter Games was greeted with enthusiasm by the group. Further meetings are needed to discuss the possibility future. Anyone interested in voicing an opinion should contact the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council at 509-663-3723.
(photo provided by Dave Graybill, The Fishin' Magician) |
 O'Terry's Lads & Lassies Signups Underway
Cost is $225 per team with a five-game guarantee. This is an NSA-sanctioned event, so teams must be registered with the NSA. You can do so on their website at www.playnsa.com. Deadline to enter is August 8th.
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 1st Weekend in June Busiest of 2008 Nearly 6,000 people took part in seven separate sports events the first full weekend of June. Of those, 2,592 were tourists from outside the area. According to data collected by the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council, that equates to more than $309,000 impact on the Wenatchee Valley economy.
For the first half of 2008, the sports business in the Wenatchee Valley was up across the board. What made the valley so popular that weekend? The AppleSox opened a new season with a three-game series against the Okanagan All Stars, the Wenatchee Valley Rams had a playoff game against Tri City, there were two Grip It and Rip It Tournaments in town and it was the Sunrise Rotary Apple Century Ride. All these people in town despite cool temperatures and winds to 60-miles per hour.
Through the first six months of 2008, in 79 sports events, a total of 21,856 sports tourists came to the Wenatchee Valley. Those 79 events took up 100 rooms nights at area hotels. Averaging $99 per day spent on accommodations, food and entertainment, sports tourists contributed $4,225,667 directly to the Wenatchee Valley Economy.
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July 1 Bellingham Bells at Wenatchee AppleSox, 7pm
July 8-10 NCW Jr. Champs and A's Tennis Tournament at the WRACJuly 12-13 Powerball VIII Men's and Women's Softball Tournaments at Walla Walla & Hydro July 19-20 Eastmont Classic Softball Tournament for Men & Women at Walla Walla & Hydro |
 Summer Guides Now Available The Summer Guide has all the info on fun activities and tours, attractions and restaurants and places to stay while in the Wenatchee Valley. There's also a fold-out map to help you get there.
For your free copy of the Wenatchee Valley Summer Guide, stop in at any area hotel/motel, or our Visitors Centers located in the Apple Commission Office at Olds Station or downtown in the Grand Central Building next to the Owl Soda Fountain. Or, if you'd like a Summer Guide mailed to you, email your request to: info@wenatcheevalley.org. 
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Thank you for being part of the Wenatchee Valley Sports Council on-line community. If you'd like more information about the Sports Council, go to our website!
Sincerely,
Eric Granstrom
Wenatchee Valley Sports Council |
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