Woodworking is a passion for Nick Ortega. The 11-year old Huber Middle School student has made a variety of intricate projects, including a pen and chili pepper grinder made from local mesquite wood.
 Xavier Zaragoza/Daily Dispatch photo Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords presents Nick Ortega with a commemorative coin given to him by General Patreus. |
On Monday, at the middle school’s library, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords presented Ortega with a commemorative coin and a photograph of Giffords and Petreus holding the chili pepper grinder.
It all started several months ago when Giffords hosted a meeting in Douglas. Ortega presented Giffords with the grinder. When Giffords traveled to Iraq she in turn presented it to Patreus.
Patreus was moved by this gesture. In return he offered the coin and took the photograph with Giffords. She then presented them to Ortega.
At Monday’s presentation, Giffords said, “We’re very proud of you. Keep up the entrepreneurial spirit and good things will happen.”
Ortega said he was nervous from all the attention but several good things came from the presentation at the library.
“At least I was able to get some of my friends out of class,” he said with a joking smiling.
Afterwards, 14-year-old Allison Ortega, president of student council, presented Giffords with a pen made from local mesquite wood.
Giffords spoke with the students about the electoral process and the federal government before heading off to a town hall meeting in Palominas.
Comments
George wrote on Feb 2, 2008 9:15 PM:
Shawn he said, sometimes we never know that we have it. After High School woodshop 40 years ago, I was only concerned about wood for the shop, or finding plans for woodworking or the right tools for woodworking. After I collected all these things, they sat for years. The secret was that I only specialized in getting tools, materials and machines at the right price. I wasn't concerned about an operation, a method, until I got.....
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Dinorah wrote on Jan 16, 2008 10:59 AM: