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Chouteau County dispatcher's composure wins her statewide award

IN THE PRESS!          IN THE PRESS!          IN THE PRESS!          IN THE PRESS!

Officers treat students to shopping spree as part of Shop with a Sheriff (By KIM SKORNOGOSKI Tribune Staff Writer)

Bike safety education program was held at F.E. Miley Elementary School in Big Sandy. (By the Mountaineer Staff Writer)

A bike safety education program was held at F.E. Miley Elementary School in Big Sandy Thursday, May 15.

 

Chouteau County Sheriff’s Deputies Fernando Venegas and Larry Ophus presented the program. Students in Grades K – 6 were given bike safety lessons and then participated in an obstacle course to practice there lessons.

 

Some students won bicycles helmets, and they all received reflectors for their bikes.

boys, Jadin and 9-year-old Damien Silverberg, whose excitement had him dancing in the store aisles and shouting, "oooh, these are cool!"

Venegas led the Chouteau County Sheriff's Department's first free Christmas shopping trip for six area students after hearing about the Shop with a Sheriff program from neighboring departments.

Teachers from Geraldine, Highwood, Benton Lake, Big Sandy, Warrick and Fort Benton chose students in need of a pick-me-up.

With the program just starting in Chouteau County, Venegas didn't have time to apply for grants, but Wal-Mart donated $50 in clothing and $15 for toys for each of the students.

Five of the department's nine officers, including the sheriff and Undersheriff, picked up the students in patrol cars and took them to Great Falls to shop, using a wish list created by their parents.

The students had a gleam in their eye outside the store before the holiday shopping spree, Undersheriff Curt Owen said.

"You could tell just by looking at them how excited they were," he said.

Most of the children weren't as indecisive as Jadin.

"She was pretty sure what she wanted," Deputy Justin Smith said of his shopping partner, Lilly Green.

The 8-year-old from Highwood picked out a pink, white and black coat that matched her sneakers and also settled on gray and brown wild mustang toys.

John Horst, 12, of Warrick was a practical shopper, picking out a coat he could wear to feed cattle and a Leatherman tool to take on hunting trips with his dad.

A set of pajamas with matching polar bear slippers, gloves and a black mask for sledding all made it into Phillip Norton's basket. The 10-year-old from Geraldine said he jumped around his living room when he found out about the shopping trip.

For Abby Sandlin, the trip meant spending time with Deputy Larry Ophus, who is based in Abby's home town of Big Sandy.

"I see her every day and wave at her, but I don't get a chance to spend time with her," Ophus said. "That makes this special."

The 6-year-old picked out pink snow boots, pants and a shirt for school and a play zone for plastic animals.

"This is a special treat," she said. "I really like toys, but my younger sister stole all mine."

Venegas hopes to expand the program next year, either by upping the shopping budget or bringing two students from each school.

With the limited budget this year, officers chipped in if the students chose toys or clothes over the donated amount.

Venegas said he couldn't turn down an excited kid.

"You'll have to take that home and wrap it," he told Damien as he pressed buttons on an R2D2 laptop.

"I'm not waiting until Christmas to open this," he said. "Thanks, Fernando."

Holding Darth Vader's starfighter Tuesday, Jadin Zackus eyed a Legos X-Wing.

"So many choices," he said, replacing the box to rub his hand on his head. "I don't know what I want."

The 10-year-old from Fort Benton eventually settled on Star Wars figurines, snagging the last Tusken Raiders from the top shelf — with a boost from Chouteau County Deputy Fernando Venegas.

Venegas had his hands full Tuesday with two