Bighorn news: Oasis Offerings, FFA updates

Richard McCartney is continuing the legacy that his late wife Chris McCartney built helping people and kids in the Fallon community in need.

McCartney is a faithful donor to the Oasis Academy Food Pantry, Oasis Offerings. Bringing in items weekly, including both food and clothing for families.

“I first heard about the Oasis Food Pantry from friends whose children attend the school. I spoke to Oasis Counselor Mrs. Shelley Kelly about the needs their families have and knew I wanted to help,” McCartney said.

He is partners in Fallon Livestock Processing and regularly donates much needed meat to the pantry including hamburger and sausage. During the 2022-23 school year, he donated an entire beef.

“I think we’ve all been in situations where we just need a little bit extra help in one way or another,” he said. “I know I have. It makes helping when you can even more important.”

Melissa Mackedon, Oasis CEO said McCartney is truly the embodiment of a good Samaritan.

“One day he just showed up with a shopping cart full of food, then shirts, then coats — all brand new with tags on. I asked the staff, ‘Who is this man?  Do his kids or grandkids go here?’” Mackedon said. “The answer was, ‘No, he just does this.’ Almost weekly he just arrives with food and clothes which we are then able to give for free to families. Every week I am humbled by his generosity.”

Oasis Offerings is typically open every other Thursday during the school year. Last year alone, the pantry served 208 Oasis families and distributed a total of 22,946 pounds of donated food. Along with generous individual donors, the pantry works in close partnership with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

“Giving was a passion of my wife’s and I’m happy to continue her legacy by helping the students of Oasis Academy,” McCartney said.

To learn more about Oasis Offerings Food Pantry or to make a donation, contact Shelley Kelly at skelly@oanv.org.

Karina Davis joins Oasis Academy

Karina Davis is happy to be back teaching in the city where she grew up. The Fallon native has been teaching now for seven years and has taught in Nevada, Virginia and California.

“I was born and raised in Fallon,” Davis said. “My husband was in the Navy for 10 years, so we moved across the country a couple times.”

She will teach seventh grade math and pre-algebra to eighth graders this fall.

“I knew I wanted to be a teacher starting in second grade, but I really enjoyed my junior year in pre-calculus, and I’ve always liked numbers,” Davis said. “How they can be manipulated in so many ways to get the same answer makes my brain happy. My favorite part of teaching is helping my students build a relationship with math that they may not have had before.”

Davis has two children, ages five and one. In her free time, she enjoys making cards, crocheting and spending time with her family.

FFA Officers hold retreat

On July 15, the newly installed officers for the Oasis FFA Chapter held their annual retreat. Along with team building activities the group also focused on planning for the upcoming school year. The group closed out the day making rye dyed shirts.

“The goal of the officer retreat was to get the officers more comfortable working with each other,” said Oasis Chapter President Ruby Hiskett. “We did a lot of team building activities, and talked and bonded a lot of the time. After the retreat, I have confidence that our team is going to have a very successful year.” Jackie Bogdanowicz, Oasis Chapter FFA adviser, said the retreat is important for setting the chapter up for a successful year.

“These students were able to get to know one another better and really set a foundation for the year to come,” she said. “They have some amazing things planned and I’m so excited.”