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Happy 100th Birthday Madras!
Cake contest, historical skits mark centennial
In a skit on how Madras got its name, early-day citizens Max Wilson, Josh Hahn and Don Rea, played by Walt Ponsford, Mike Ahern and Jerry Ramsey, look around Hahn's store for ideas for renaming the settlement of Palmain. On the table are bolts of flannel, calico and Madras muslin cloth.
Table-sized cakes with street scenes, railroad cakes, and farm scene cakes were auctioned off and served to some 200 people at Madras' 100th birthday celebration Sunday, March 7, at Madras High School.
After a ceremonial blowing out of the candles on a cupcake by Madras Mayor Melanie Widmer, the winners of the cake baking contest were announced.
In the children's division: Shaneese Sicora won first place and Chloe Sicora took second. Four members of the Sicora family, all from LaPine, entered the cake contest.
Adults: Carol McDaniel, first; Wanda Kelly, second; Janet Sicora, third.
Businesses: Madras Pioneer, first; Yarrow, second;
Caron Smith puts the finishing touches on a table-sized cake, created with husband Darryl Smith, featuring historic buildings made of frosted Rice Krispie bars, the chocolate cake and more. It was served to the public.
Local groups: American Legion, first. Youth: Shadow Atencio, first.
As the audience stuffed themselves with the nonwinning cakes along with a limited Madras Crunch ice cream created by Eberhard's Dairy, skits featuring "Important Moments of Madras History," written by Jerry Ramsey, were presented by the Madras Centennial Players. The actors portrayed real people from Madras' early-day history.
Walt Ponsford, Mike Ahern and Ramsey depicted townsmen Max Wilson, Josh Hahn and Don Rea in a scene that showed how the name "Madras" was chosen for the town in 1904.
An uprising of Madras women over a 1992 hike in water rates was acted out by Judy Simmons, Reba Powell and Janet Farrell, portraying Grace Shugart, Estelle Snook and Hazel Arney.
The trio organized and nominated women for mayor and "to every position except dogcatcher," according to Ponsford, who played well-known townsman Howard Turner.
In a skit at Madras' birthday party, 1922 Madras housewives Hazel Arney, Estelle Snook and Grace Shugart, played by Janet Farrel, Reba Powell and Judy Simmons, nominate the first women candidates to Madras City Council and the position of mayor. Two skits were written by Jerry Ramsey.
Although women weren't elected that year, a few years later Millie Morrow, mother of Andy Morrow, 97, was elected to city council, and today, Madras has a woman mayor -- Melanie Widmer.
An auction of the first place cakes rounded out the festivities, raising $190 for the next centennial celebration, set for July 3 at Sahalee Park.