Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current, November 30, 2016, Page 3A, Image 3

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    Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • november 30, 2016 3A
NEWS IN BRIEF
James2 Kitchen expands outreach
POLK COUnTY — James2 Community kitchen serves those who
are hungry on Tuesdays and Thursdays each month.
Meals are served from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at st. Philip Catholic
Church on Tuesday nights, and at the Dallas United Methodist
Church from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays.
A meal was added this summer to Falls City on three Tuesdays
of each month at the United Methodist Church.
James2 is extending outreach to more families with children
and to the Hispanic community.
There is no charge for meals; guests are not required to give
any financial information.
For more information, find the organization on Facebook.
Pope honors Indy businessman
POrTLAnD — The Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon,
on behalf of the Chair of saint Peter, announced that Pope Francis
has named Elie Kassab a Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order
of st. Gregory the Great.
Kassab received the letter and insignia at a Pontifical Mass held
on Oct. 30.
Kassab, the owner of Independence Cinema, received the
honor for his contributions to the st. sharbel parish in Portland
and the Maronite Monks of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Castle rock,
Wash. and for his assistance to the Holy see.
Most rev. A. Elias Zaidan, Bishop of Eparchy of Our Lady of
Lebanon, of Los Angeles, presented the letter and insignia to
Kassab.
The Knights of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of st. Gregory the
Great was established in 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI. It is one of the
five orders of knighthood of the Holy see and one of the highest
honors awarded to a layperson by the church.
CSC to host orientation at Henry Hill
POLK COUnTY — The Community service Consortium will host
an orientation at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at its office in Henry Hill Edu-
cation support Center, 750 s. Fifth st., Independence.
The CsC specializes in helping youth and young adults with at-
taining a GED, filling out FAsFA applications, building resumes,
preparing for college, attaining work experience, and finding a
job, among other things.
The program serves youths aged 16 to 24; high-school
dropouts; youths who are pregnant or parenting; and veterans.
For more information: Mona K-Hinds, mhinds@community-
servies.us, or 541-704-7820.
March of Dimes helps teens in Polk
sALEM — March of Dimes, Greater Oregon Chapter, made a do-
nation to the Fostering Hope Initiative to provide support for
pregnant and parenting teens and young women in Marion, Polk
and Yamhill counties.
Catholic Community services, lead partner of the Fostering
Hope Initiative, said the project will provide outreach services to
pregnant and parenting women in the targeted neighborhoods;
connect them with health care resources; support them to build
“strengthening Families Protective Factors”; and help them find
safe, stable, affordable housing, among other goals.
For more information: www.cssp.org.
Oregon State Parks permits on sale
sALEM — The Oregon state Parks Department will reduce the
price of day-use parking permits for the month of December. Visi-
tors and holiday shoppers may buy a permit for $25, regularly $30.
Parking costs $5 a day at the 26 Oregon state parks unless you
have a 12- or 24-month permit or same-day camping receipt. The
24-month pass is $50. Permits are transferable from vehicle to ve-
hicle.
To purchase a pass, or for more information: store.oregon-
stateparks.org.
Visit us online at polkio.com
AArOn YOsT/Itemizer-Observer file
Children sing as the angel choir of heaven during the final performance of Rickreall Christmas Pageant last year.
Pageant retires after 75 years
The Itemizer-Observer
RICKREALL — A local
Christmas tradition for gen-
erations, the Rickreall
Christmas Pageant’s 75-year
run is over.
The pageant, a classic
telling of the Biblical Christ-
mas story, would have run
Dec. 8-10 this year, but the
inability to find a new direc-
tor and choir director made
it impossible to continue.
Milt Serafin, who served
on the pageant’s board and
was a longtime performer,
said the decision was offi-
cial late this summer.
“We’ve been looking at it
for the last year, year and
half,” Serafin said. “There
was no response.”
At least none that would
have kept the pageant in
Rickreall, which was impor-
tant to the board.
Serafin said a private
company was interested in
taking over, but wanted to
move the performances.
“We chose to dissolve it,”
Serafin said.
eant, he said that will be
missed.
“You’ve got a lot of peo-
ple, the new generation,
that don’t realize the
longevity,” he said.
Serafin thanked volun-
teers and cast members for
their loyalty to the pageant,
which was run as a non-
profit and depended on do-
nations.
Volunteering for and per-
forming in the pageant
spanned generations in
some families, he said.
That history may be kept
alive in a sense. McCarron
said the Polk County Muse-
um, also located in Rickre-
all, is interested in sharing
the story of the pageant.
The pageant began in
1938, staging in what was
Rickreall School’s gym.
A four-member commit-
tee planned the scenes and
picked Bible verses to build
the story around for that
original performance.
In the years since — the
pageant took a break during
World War II, 1942-44 — not
much changed.
The school is now known
as the Rickreall Event Hall,
but the story told in the
nine scenes and almost 30
songs remained the same.
Serafin said he’s sad to
know the show has come to
an end, but “at the same
time, knowing that the tim-
ing was right.”
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Timing already forced
pageant directors to make a
major change last year. For
years, the Rickreall Fire Sta-
tion employees helped with
parking for the pageant, but
the event coincided with
others at the Polk County
Fairgrounds & Event Center.
The station couldn’t do
both, so the pageant had to
be moved to the next week-
end.
“There are so many other
things to do now — activi-
ties, more competition,”
Serafin said.
He and retired director
Mary McCarron said ending
after 75 years seemed fit-
ting.
“Last year, our 75th,
ended on a high note with
many in attendance, tears,
hugs, and sharing the time
with family and friends,”
McCarron said.
Serafin said, for his fami-
ly, the pageant opened the
Christmas season with a re-
minder of the story behind
the holiday for decades.
After more than 30 years of
involvement with the pag-
By Jolene Guzman
503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266
Joseph
Emmy
440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351
www.winterssewing.com
Serving Polk County 16yrs
Business, Community, and You
UNFORGETTABLE YOU:
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Wednesday, December 7
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Adrienne Fritze, M4S
Over 3 decades experience in product development, brand building, client management,
event creation, fundraising and business development.
Windermere’s 2016 “Share the Warmth” Coat & Blanket Drive is coming
up soon and this year we would like to get an early start on it! This year’s
donation drive will start on Monday, November 7 and go until Friday,
December 9. Seven Locations; Windermere – Monmouth; Windermere –
Dallas; Monmouth Fitness; Les Schwab – Monmouth; Independence Library
Les Schwab – Dallas; World Gym
Sunday, Dec. 4 • 9-3
Early Admission Sunday 6am-9am $5
Regular Admission $1 ★ Free Parking
All workshops 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Henry Hill Education Support Center
(750 S 5th St., Independence)
Cost per workshop: $15 for MICC Members
$20 for Non-Members (Includes lunch from Critelli Sweets)
Register: www.micc-or.org • 503-838-4268
Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center
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Across the street from the courthouse • Mon-Fri 9-5:30 • Sat 9-4