Ruth Obenchain Recreation Center

10/05/2026

Thank you for your support! We have three new advertisement banners up in the gym!

10/05/2026

We are in need of candy donations again for the Halloween party at the Bly Gym. You can contact me or drop off at the Main Street Mercantile. Thank you.

06/19/2026

Here are a few photos of the lower locker room roof sections that were recently replaced with new metal roofing. With this project completed, the entire roof has now been replaced and is built to protect the facility for many years to come.

Projects like this are only possible because of the continued support of our members, donors, volunteers, and community. Thank you to everyone who supports the Ruth Obenchain Recreation Center.

A special thank you to John Fanning for the excellent work on this project.

05/25/2026

We had to get the fire department ladder to change one of our light bulbs.

“How many firefighters does it take to change a light bulb?” - Daniel Thomson

The answer is four firefighters and a 30’ ladder.

These bulbs use just 54 watts, replacing the original 300-watt bulbs once used in the facility. At $51 each, we’re thankful the Energy Trust of Oregon covered the entire lighting upgrade back in 2018.

They were estimated to last 35,000 hours which, based on our gym sign-in records, should equal about 58.11 years of use.

This bulb fell far short ☹️

05/24/2026

05/21/2026

Find the membership that matches how you use the facility. Start a new membership in minutes, or sign in to manage your plan anytime.

05/12/2026

Here is our new sign, proudly displaying the name dedicating this facility to Ruth Obenchain. A bronze plaque will soon be installed as well.

03/06/2026

I wanted to share a memory from August 27, 2016, not long after we first received the keys to the gym. In the downstairs hallway, people had signed their names in the wood over the years. Wanting my name to stand out, I grabbed a pair of needle nose pliers and used a hammer to carefully tap my name into the wood.

As I was doing it, I started to notice a faded name just below where I was working. When I looked closer, I realized it was my great grandpa, Bill Nixon. Without knowing it, we had both chosen the exact same spot to leave our names, 61 years apart.

- Quentin Nichols

03/05/2026

Who Was Ruth Obenchain?

(Recently we received an email from someone who came across our site with a question that was long overdue for an article. The following has now been added to our website.)

Ruth Obenchain (1912–2002) was a longtime Bly educator, ranch wife, and community leader whose life became deeply intertwined with the town and its people. After marrying into the historic Obenchain ranching family, Ruth helped raise her family near Bly while dedicating nearly four decades to teaching local students. She taught multiple grade levels and served as a principal, becoming known as a firm but caring teacher who shaped generations of Bly’s youth.

Beyond the classroom, Ruth was actively involved in community life, local history, church activities, and youth programs. She believed strongly in education, community connection, and preserving Bly’s heritage.

The Ruth Obenchain Recreation Center was named in her honor to recognize her lifelong service to the community and her lasting impact on the people of Bly. Today the center continues the spirit of her work by serving as a place where the community gathers for events, recreation, and connection.

The Ruth Obenchain Recreation Center sits in the middle of Bly, Oregon. For many years it was known simply as the Gearhart Gym, a place where people played ball, gathered for events, and spent time together. Its history is tied closely to the town, and the effort to bring it back shows what a small....

03/05/2026

Here are the newest advertisement banners that will be displayed inside the Ruth Obenchain Recreation Center (RORC). We are grateful to the businesses and individuals who purchased new banners, as well as those who recently updated their existing ones.

Banners can be ordered and viewed on our website. Eventually, all banners will also be featured on the site.

https://www.ruthobenchainrc.com/sponsors