Ol’ Jim York
Ol’ Jim was one of the original Lions Club members that helped to start the Woodchoppers Jamboree in 1960. He gave most of the credit for the original idea to Mike Hammer. Some of Jim’s stories were how hard Carl Vyvey could swing an axe, about how hard it was to get George Brugeman to bring his rodeo stock to Encampment for the first Jamboree Rodeo. He liked to talk about the penitentiary marching and dance band that came to the Jamboree in the 1970s. That band would play for the parade and help serve food at the picnic until a couple of the inmates just kept marching. That ended that.
Ol’ Jim was very community-oriented and was proud that a small community could start and keep up with an event like the Woodchoppers Jamboree and Rodeo for more than 50 years.
The Encampment/Riverside Lions Club is proud to add Ol’ Jim to the Jamboree Wall of Fame in 2013.
Martin Wascher
Martin Wascher moved to Encampment after he retired. He later joined the Encampment/Riverside Lions Club. Martin was the Energizer Bunny of the Lions Club for many years. He cut and stocked the firewood that the club raffled off almost single-handedly for many years.
Martin helped with every Lions project and when the Lions wanted to cover the bleachers at the rodeo arena, Martin financed the project.
When Martin died, he left the Lions Club $10,000 with the dividends to be used for a scholarship. This is given to an Encampment graduate every year.
Martin’s lasting legacy is a tribute to a very dedicated Lions Club member.
Floyd Robertson
Floyd Robertson married Josaphine in 1951 after being discharged from the Navy. They had five children and 14 grandchildren. Floyd worked for the Federal Aviation Administration in Alaska. He joined the Lions Club in 1963 and helped establish a new Lions Club in East River, Alaska.
He served three times as president. While there, he also helped establish a library and a fire department.
They moved to Castle Rock, Colo., and participated in several Lions projects, including auctions, selling melons, a health fair and the pancake breakfast.
They moved to Encampment in 1984 as owners of the Lazy Acres Trailer Park. As an Encampment/Riverside Lions Club member, he held several offices, attended state and international Lions conventions and was active in all club projects.
Floyd is one of many members responsible for the continuing success for the Woodchoppers Jamboree and Rodeo.
Dick Ament
Dick Ament was born in Iowa 88 years ago this July. Volunteering was a way of life for Dick and his generation. After high school graduation, he joined the Navy, and after his time in the Navy, Dick began to work for the Iowa Extension Service. He loved working with 4-H groups and rural youth.
He then began his college career at Iowa State University and after college worked in the dairy industry for 39 years. During his dairy career, he made butter and ice cream and dry milk. He was also a service engineer. His job led him to 40 states and into some of Mexico.
He came to Wyoming in 1980 and having been a Lions member in Caledonia, Minn., he naturally joined the Encampment/Riverside Lions Club.
During his 33 years as a Lion, he has held every club office including president, VFW Post Commander 13 times, held a VFW national office twice and volunteered a hunter safety instructor.
Dick has served as the Jamboree Parade Committee chairperson longer than he can remember.
If you find yourself at the start of the parade Saturday morning, you will see Dick doing what his life has been all about – serving and volunteering.
Ted Vyvey
Ted Vyvey spent countless years volunteering his time to the Encampment/Riverside Lions Club. He served as president, secretary, treasurer and chairman of the rodeo and queen committee.
In the early years of the rodeo, there was no WRA, so Ted took all entries at his house. He would even pay entry fees and give gas money so the rodeo was a success. If a queen needed a horse for the parade, he would have one ready. Ted became nervous when his grandsons got into steer riding.
Ted enjoyed the Woodchoppers Jamboree and was a major influence in the rodeo’s success. His favorite saying for the weekend was “Cowboys in town trouble expected.”
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