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January 2004
 Member
Profile: Maurice Keller
As Maurice Keller tells it, he was
ready to quit Boy Scouts as he entered his late teens. His parents wouldn’t
hear of it. “They told me; ‘We had to scrimp and save $10 for that uniform! And
there’s plenty of good use left in it so you’re not about to quit now.’”
There’s no telling how many Boy Scout uniforms he has
bought since then, although he said the original one still fits him. At 86,
Maurice has been associated with Boy Scouts of America longer than all but a
handful of other men. He joined at age 12 and he is still affiliated with
scouting as a Commissioner with the Washington/Oregon Cascade Pacific Council.
An Eagle Scout himself, with 40 earned merit badges,
Maurice has participated in more than 710 “Court of Honor” ceremonies in Oregon
alone, where the Eagle Scout is given his award. “My goal is to attend 1000,”
Maurice said. In addition to being a model for scouts, Maurice also inspires
older men to become scout leaders themselves.
Asked what values scouting fosters, Maurice talked
about charity drives, community projects, morality and patriotism. He talked
about how Boy Scouts broadens a young man’s horizon, affording the opportunity
to become something more than his parents might have dreamed. He mentioned
eight Eagle Scouts he knows from Oregon who have gone to West Point, Annapolis,
the Air Force or Coast Guard Academies. Others have become physicians, civic
leaders and business owners. Tears welled up in his eyes as he recounted how
recently, at the Lancaster Mall, a man approached him and held out his hand.
“Mr. Keller,” the man said, “you were at my Court of Honor. This is my son and
grandson,” the man continued, “and you were at both of their Courts of Honor as
well.”
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Maurice moved with
his family to Washington, California and Oregon following the trail of big
hydroelectric projects in the early to mid 1900s. “My father was in dam
construction,” he said, “and an uncle was, too.” He fondly recalled being a
passenger in his uncle’s pickup truck, driving around the site as the massive
Boulder Dam outside Las Vegas was taking shape. “My uncle was in charge of the
‘high line’ work,” he said. “Dangerous work, they lost a lot of men.”
During World War II, Maurice was first involved in
field artillery as a communications specialist. “Walkie talkies in those days
weighed 35 pounds,” he said. He also trained officers in first aid. Later, he
became a turret gunner on a B-17, patrolling the coastal waters off California.
After the war, he returned to Oregon and the scouting
life – as a troop leader and District Commissioner. He moved to Salem and
worked until his retirement at Truitt Brothers cannery. “The girls called me
‘Sugar Daddy,” Maurice laughed. His job was to make and blend the syrup
mixtures used in canned fruit. For a time, he also owned the Lincoln store,
which has a very rich history as a supply depot for both stagecoach and ferry
lines in the Willamette Valley.
Though strong and tall in his advanced age and proud,
too, of his continued role in helping young men become strong leaders, Maurice
was wistful about having just lost his driver’s license. “I’m hoping to find an
inexpensive electric scooter so I don’t have to depend on rides everywhere,” he
said.
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THANKS!
Thank
you for your donations to the Salem Poli ce
Toy Drive.
This was the sixth year that Salem Electric was a drop-off point for this
annual event and we collected dozens of toys. Through your generosity, many
kids had a happy holiday season.
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Electric
Technology
 Each
year Salem Electric (SE) provides an Electric Technology Grant to a high school
that educates students who live in the SE service area. The school must
satisfactorily complete an application and explain how their project will
benefit students.
West Salem High School (WSHS) was the recipient in
2003 for their participation in the Lego Robotics Challenge. The national
competition stresses teamwork, finding solutions, fun and tests students’
engineering skills.
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Best
Wishes Nancy Horn
Nancy
Horn has left the board after six years of service. She was
appointed to the board in June of 1996 and served as President in 1999 and
2000.
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Post Holiday
Electrical Safety
 With
the holidays behind us, it’s time to take down those seasonal decorations and
put them away for another year. Salem Electric urges you to focus on electrical
safety before you stuff those holiday lights back into the box or place those
animated displays back into storage. The safety precautions you take now can
prevent hazards from occurring in the future.
Here is a checklist of some post-holiday precautions
to take for a safer new year.
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When using electrical toys or appliances for the first time, carefully read and
follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s use and care booklet. Make sure
electrical toys and appliances have been tested and certified by a nationally
recognized certification agency.
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Don’t pull plugs from electrical outlets by the cord. Unplug holiday light
strings and decorations by using the gripping area provided on the plugs.
Yanking or tugging on the cord can damage the cord’s wire or insulation and
could lead to an electrical shock or fire.
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When putting away electrical decorations, take time to inspect them for damage.
Check each light string or decoration for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or
bare wires and loose connections.
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SE
Receives Award
The
West Salem Business Association presented the 2003 Community Partner Award to
Salem Electric for contributions to the West Salem community. With one of our
five goals being “Good Community Relations”, it’s nice to receive such
recognition.
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Traffic
Changes
You
now have a new
way to get to our office. The City has constructed Taggart Drive, which
connects Seventh Street to Wallace Road. The advantage to using this new access
road is that there is a signaled left turn onto Taggart Drive from Wallace
Road.
You can still use the Seventh Street and Wallace Road intersection if you
prefer.
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