Union County Retired Educators accept 4 new members into their ranks

UNION COUNTY – This past December, the Union County Retired Educators organization welcomed four new members, Becky Preston, John Preston (center right with Becky Preston), Paul Anderes, and Susie Eddie (Top Left). During the welcoming ceremony, guest speaker Judge Eric Valentine (Bottom left with President Gerald Hopkins) regaled his prior, and quite harrowing, experience falling down a steep grade near Oxbow in 2023. As written in a recent press release from Union County Retired Educators:

“Judge Erick Valentine was the guest speaker. Originally, Valentine was to speak on his recent trip to New Zealand. Due to slide difficulties, Valentine shared his experience of May 2023 when he slipped and fell down a 60–70-degree slope in the Oxbow area. On the way down, he lost a hearing-aid and cell phone but, ‘I didn’t smash my head and I didn’t roll into the reservoir.’

 A firefighter, retired nurse and Boy Scout Troop 77, who were canoeing the river, saw him and eventually came to his rescue. Valentine had two broken neck bones along with knee and ankle injuries. He was life flighted to Boise. Eric related, “As I was rolling down, I knew God knew where I was.” Boy Scout Troop 77 won the National Scouting Heroism Award and Eric spoke at their ceremony in Washington D.C. when the scouts were honored. Valentine had worked and trained Scouts for many years.”

Congratulations to all recently accepted members!

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