Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Pre's sister brings funds to CB school
By Alexander Rich, Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 | 1 comment(s)
COOS BAY — It was a phone conversation with a woman from New Jersey that brought Linda Prefontaine back to Blossom Gulch Elementary School on Monday, more than 40 years after being a student there.
Bree Donovan had called Prefontaine last year to ask for help in writing a book about Prefontaine’s famous brother, runner Steve Prefontaine. As Prefontaine explained to the full-school assembly, she had initially been reluctant.
“I wasn’t really very interested until she said something else,” she recalled.
It was Donovan’s offer to give all the book’s proceeds to the charity of her choice that prompted Prefontaine to co-author the book and return to her alma mater. She wanted to share the good news.
“I wanted all the money to come to Blossom Gulch Elementary,” she said. “To all of you.”
Prefontaine said she made her decision because she has been discouraged to see cuts in programs she enjoyed as a student there — music, arts and athletic programs.
“Hopefully students will have opportunities that they don’t have now,” she said.
The book, “Steve Prefontaine: Rocketman” is written from the perspective of Owen Morgan, a fictitious classmate of Pre who becomes a sportswriter by following the Olympian’s example of hard work and dedication.
While the work is fiction, Linda Prefontaine helped to ensure the people and events were portrayed accurately and truthfully, from Pre growing up in Coos Bay, to his untimely death in Eugene in 1975.
Rick Edgar, a third-grade teacher at Blossom Gulch, was a senior at North Bend High School when Pre died. He was a baseball player at the time, but Pre’s story captivated him. He has participated several times in the Prefontaine Memorial Run and fills his classroom with memorabilia.
He gave a PowerPoint presentation Monday outlining Pre’s accomplishments to students. Pre was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He won multiple NCAA championships. He finished in fourth-place at the Munich Olympics.
Edgar also noted that Pre won the state high school cross country race, a feat duplicated last fall by Jared Bassett, who was in attendance with other members of the Marshfield High School.
Students were quiet practically throughout the presentation except when Bassett was recognized. It took several seconds for the chatter to die down before Edgar could continue.
All the while, he emphasized that Pre had gone to Blossom Gulch.
“I think he has a really important story for kids to understand,” he said afterward. “You can come from Coos Bay and be the best.”
Bree Donovan had called Prefontaine last year to ask for help in writing a book about Prefontaine’s famous brother, runner Steve Prefontaine. As Prefontaine explained to the full-school assembly, she had initially been reluctant.
“I wasn’t really very interested until she said something else,” she recalled.
It was Donovan’s offer to give all the book’s proceeds to the charity of her choice that prompted Prefontaine to co-author the book and return to her alma mater. She wanted to share the good news.
“I wanted all the money to come to Blossom Gulch Elementary,” she said. “To all of you.”
Prefontaine said she made her decision because she has been discouraged to see cuts in programs she enjoyed as a student there — music, arts and athletic programs.
“Hopefully students will have opportunities that they don’t have now,” she said.
The book, “Steve Prefontaine: Rocketman” is written from the perspective of Owen Morgan, a fictitious classmate of Pre who becomes a sportswriter by following the Olympian’s example of hard work and dedication.
While the work is fiction, Linda Prefontaine helped to ensure the people and events were portrayed accurately and truthfully, from Pre growing up in Coos Bay, to his untimely death in Eugene in 1975.
Rick Edgar, a third-grade teacher at Blossom Gulch, was a senior at North Bend High School when Pre died. He was a baseball player at the time, but Pre’s story captivated him. He has participated several times in the Prefontaine Memorial Run and fills his classroom with memorabilia.
He gave a PowerPoint presentation Monday outlining Pre’s accomplishments to students. Pre was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He won multiple NCAA championships. He finished in fourth-place at the Munich Olympics.
Edgar also noted that Pre won the state high school cross country race, a feat duplicated last fall by Jared Bassett, who was in attendance with other members of the Marshfield High School.
Students were quiet practically throughout the presentation except when Bassett was recognized. It took several seconds for the chatter to die down before Edgar could continue.
All the while, he emphasized that Pre had gone to Blossom Gulch.
“I think he has a really important story for kids to understand,” he said afterward. “You can come from Coos Bay and be the best.”
Student winners
Monday’s assembly at Blossom Gulch Elementary School also served as a recognition ceremony for the school’s top runners in its Laps Program.
Throughout the year, students have been encouraged to run during recess and keep track of their laps with punch cards. The top runners from each grade were recognized and received gifts from Nike and Linda Prefontaine.
Kindergarten: Henley Cleveland, Ammon Smith, Jordan Ward and Kaylee Delzotti
First grade: Grant Webster, Amy Annalorro, Troy Liggett
Second grade: Miles Wheeler, Dhiren Charitar, Jaycee Smith and Julie Golden
Third grade: Ian Emlet, Darrin Thompson, Hannah Berklund and Mary Emma Riley
Fourth grade: Isaac Smith, Daisy Caballero, Tori Hall and Isaiah Kingery
Monday’s assembly at Blossom Gulch Elementary School also served as a recognition ceremony for the school’s top runners in its Laps Program.
Throughout the year, students have been encouraged to run during recess and keep track of their laps with punch cards. The top runners from each grade were recognized and received gifts from Nike and Linda Prefontaine.
Kindergarten: Henley Cleveland, Ammon Smith, Jordan Ward and Kaylee Delzotti
First grade: Grant Webster, Amy Annalorro, Troy Liggett
Second grade: Miles Wheeler, Dhiren Charitar, Jaycee Smith and Julie Golden
Third grade: Ian Emlet, Darrin Thompson, Hannah Berklund and Mary Emma Riley
Fourth grade: Isaac Smith, Daisy Caballero, Tori Hall and Isaiah Kingery
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines