Long time resident Joe Malay has been announced as this year’s Grand Marshall for the Weiser Fiddle Contest and Festival Parade this June. Malay moved to the area around 1950 and was part of the last Weiser High class to graduate from the Institute in 1967. He along with his wife, Mary raised their daughter here in Weiser and he jokingly shared that he has lived here for a long while stating, “Indianhead was flat when I moved here. I watched the sand dunes go up on the hill and create the Chief. It was pretty cool.”
Joe Malay has been very active in the community in helping to support various organizations and groups. He has played many roles helping in the community such as the Easter Bunny, Cupid, the Judge for Jail & Bail, Auctioneer and even has tried his hand at wild bull milking during a local rodeo. Malay has been on different boards throughout the years some include the founding Memorial Hospital Board, Men’s Golf Association Board and the Wishing Star Foundation Board.
One of Malay’s more noted relationships in the community is his long time friendship with Santa Clause. Malay and Santa have been friends for years, but for about the last fifty years Malay has helped Santa out right here in the Weiser area. Malay started the Santa Fund that helps support the local Ho Ho Express that brings Christmas magic to local youth in the community, including the annual Ho Ho Express shopping trip.
Anyone who knows Malay, knows that along with his love of Weiser is his love for the game of Golf. Recently it was announced that Malay along with six others, including Payette’s, Scott Masingill, will be entered into the Idaho Inaugural Golf Hall of Fame later this year in October. “They just created this Hall of Fame from a variety of facilities from the Rocky Mountain section to the Idaho Golf Association. There’s a ten to twelve member selection board who came up with the qualifications. There were close to seventy nominations and they narrowed it down to seven. Three of them are deceased and only four of us will be able to be there in October for the awards and presentations,” shared Malay. Along with Joe Malay, Scott Masingill, Jean Smith and Karen Darrington, the other three golfers who have passed, Shirley Englehorn, Arnold Haneke and Wayne Berry, will be recognized in the Idaho Golf Hall of Fame.
Malay wanted to keep the game of golf going for the youth in the community so he created and founded the Junior Golf Foundation that raises money for kids who are underprivileged, helps with golf tournaments and helps with scholarships for kids. Malay shared, “I enjoy the kids! I go to the tournaments with the kids. Through my foundation I have some funds that allow me to buy prizes for them. Kids are my weakness! It’s why I’m there and it’s why I am Santa’s helper. It’s to help out the kids.” Giving back is very important to Malay, he commented saying, “I have a lot of time, a little bit of talent and an active tongue so, I’m pretty quick witted and it works out well in helping.”
Joe Malay has seen many changes throughout the community through the years, but still loves his community, “Weiser is a wonderful place to grow up and learn. Weiser is growing and everyone is trying to make it better, and that’s a good thing.” Malay shared his thoughts on being this year’s Grand Marshall stating, “It’s an honor. When you say Grand Marshall it’s a title I’m not too comfortable with, I am just Joe Malay from Weiser. The things I have done, I didn’t do anything more than to help out.” He continued saying, “There is a We in Weiser and an I in Weiser and I enjoy all of it. Something I have always said about Weiser is that you can Fish, Farm, Fiddle, Work, Worship and Widdle here in Weiser. It’s a great community. It is small enough you can know everybody or they know you. We are very blessed.”
Malay gave kudos to his wife Mary for receiving this honor stating, “Without her I wouldn’t be who I am. I need to tip my hat and open the door for her because it’s a blessing to have her on my team.”
Congratulations to Joe Malay on being the 2024 Fiddle Contest and Festival Parade Grand Marshall!
