Old school lovers want a statue that remembers

Soon the Beavers, Tigers and Savages may make their marks on the new school.

There’s a drive afoot for some type of monument statue depicting the old Coulee Dam Beavers, Grand Coulee Tigers and Nespelem Savages.

Lonna Bussert, who was at the school board Monday night, asked the board for a space for the statue, somewhere on the new facility grounds.

“We think it would be neat for people to be reminded where the ‘Raiders’ came from.”

The three schools all funneled into what is now Lake Roosevelt Schools.

Bussert said that, with the board’s okay, alumni from the three school systems would start raising money for the statue monument.

The kickoff will be Aug. 5-7, with an all-class reunion being planned for the area.

Bussert said that Keith Powell, a local artist, will design and build the statue, and has already started drawings of what it will look like.

Bussert got strong support from the board, with board member Ken “Butch” Stanger adding his comments to the request.

The board quickly passed the request, with the location of the monument to be decided later.

One location suggested would be across the entrance area from the present “Raider” statue. Another location suggested is near where the new gym will be located.

The location was put on hold.

Bussert said the estimated cost of the monument would be from $12,500 to $13,000.

The all-class reunion will be for classes from 1935 through 1974. The group is already selling tables for different levels for the August get-together. The sponsorship table levels are Platinum, $250; Gold, $100 to $249; Silver, $50 to $99; and Bronze, $20 to $49.