APRIL 10, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Benefi t planned for tutoring center ‘Retirement’ a temporary gig
Keizer-based Mid-Valley Literacy Center is
hosting a benefi t and award celebration Friday,
April 24 at the Kroc Center.
Tickets are $40 and attendees can RSVP by
calling 503-463-1488, sending the ticket fee
to 606 Dearborn Avenue N.E., Keizer, OR,
97303, or by visiting the MVLC website www.
midvalleyliteracycenter.org. At the website,
click “donate” and designate the purpose as
“dinner tickets.”
MVLC provides tutoring for adults seeking
a GED or furthering current skills and for those
seeking to take their U.S. citizenship tests.
Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul J.
De Muniz will deliver the keynote address and
former Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski will
present awards.
To date, MVLC has helped more than 120
students earn their GEDS and assisted numer-
ous others in achieving their U.S. citizenship.
Sponsors for the event are still being sought.
Call the center for more information. The Kroc
Center is located at 1865 Bill Frey Drive in Sa-
lem.
for longtime KCFB volunteers
Colored pencil works honored
at Keizer Art Association
Courtesy CJ Worlein Portraits
Stephanie, by CJ Worlein of Beaverton, won the Best in Show
award at the Colored Pencil Exhibition awards
Awards were presented
Saturday, April 4, to winners
of the 24th annual Colored
Pencil Exhibition at the
Keizer Art Association’s Enid
Joy Mount Gallery in the
Keizer Heritage Center.
The exhibit runs through
Wednesday, April 29.
Winners:
Best in Show: Stephanie by
C.J. Worlein, Beaverton
1st place: Siltwater by Pat
Averill, Oregon City
2nd place: Open to
Possibilities, Carol Morrison,
Portland
3rd place: NYC Refl ections,
Karl S. Rousett, Colton
4th place: Green and Silent
Valley, Dyanne Locati, Sun
City West, AZ
Four merit award winners
included: California Condor
(Pat Jackman), JT and Amati
(Claudelle Lyall), Tell Me Your
Story (Terri Neal) and Ping
(Bonny Wagoner).
The exhibit is staged at
the gallery by the Colored
Pencil Society of America,
Portland District Chapter
201. Thirty-seven artists
submitted 67 works of art.
The Keizer Heritage Center
is at 980 Chemawa Rd. N.E.
Gallery hours are 1-4 p.m.
Thursdays and Fridays and
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Laura and Ray
Ayers are taking
a step back
from their roles
as volunteers
at the Keizer
Community Food
Bank.
KEIZERTIMES/
Craig Murphy
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
The weeks revolve around
Thursdays for Ray and Laura
Ayers.
Except for lately.
The Ayers, who have been
married for 66 years, have
been volunteering at the
Keizer Community Food
Bank together for more than
12 years. Laura, 84, has been
serving food alongside her
88-year-old husband for 10
years.
Recently both of the Ayers
have had health woes. Thus,
instead of being at Faith Lu-
theran Church, they have
been in their cottage at Wil-
lamette Lutheran Retirement
Community.
Ray came down with
pneumonia earlier this year,
got better, then had a relapse
that left him in a hospital for
a while with fl uid in his back.
About a month ago Laura was
leaving the hospital one windy
day after visiting Ray when a
strong wind gust knocked her
down, injuring part of her hip.
As the Ayers recuperate at
home, they look forward to
returning to the volunteer
service they enjoy so much.
“My goal is to get back
there,” Laura said. “I miss it.”
It’s a similar tale for Ray.
“I’ll get back there too, if
it’s supposed to be,” he said.
“The pneumonia wasn’t as
bad as the relapse. Once my
lungs are working good again,
I’ll be back if they’ll let me.”
The two served commu-
nity members side-by-side for
many Thursdays. Ray handed
out items like tortillas, breads
and cookies while Laura
handed out fl our and soups.
More memorably, Laura also
handed out stuffed animals
to children, as profi led in the
Keizertimes two years ago.
Nancy Morgan is among
the fellow food bank volun-
teers missing the Ayers.
“It’s been wonderful seeing
them work together all those
years,” Morgan said. “They are
very devoted to each other.
They have worked right next
to each other. Our volunteers
have asked about them, how
they are doing. They are very
concerned and miss them
deeply.”
Laura is itching to get back
to her Thursday routine.
“Other than my home and
church, that is kind of a fam-
ily down there,” she said. “I
would have been down there
last week if they had let me.
This week I might go out and
give out toys, just the toys. I
miss it so much. When it gets
to Wednesdays, I start looking
forward to it. There are some
special, special people down
there. Some clients have been
down there the whole time
we’ve been there.”
Laura has a special connec-
tion with the youth.
“I miss the kids the most,”
she said. “I love giving them
the toys. I love the people we
work with. You miss every-
thing. It’s nice to know you’re
missed.”
Like his wife, Ray misses all
parts of the food bank experi-
ence.
“They are a good bunch of
people to work with,” he said.
“You know you are helping
people who are hungry and
need food. If you can be more
fortunate and help, why that’s
the way it should be.”
On SALE now
Images of
America: Keizer
Meet the author
Tammy Wild
April 16, 6:30 pm
Keizer Heritage
Center
Available at
Keizer Heritage
Museum and
the Keizertimes
WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit.
Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
John Knox Presbyterian Church
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY WORSHIP
8:30 am • 10 am • 11:30 am • 6 pm
PEOPLESCHURCH
4500 LANCASTER DR NE | SALEM
503.304.4000 • www.peopleschurch.com
Celebration
Services
Saturday Evening
6:00 pm
Children’s Programs, Student and Adult Ministries
1755 Lockhaven Dr. NE Keizer
503-390-3900
www.dayspringfellowship.com
452 Cummings Lane North • 393-0404
Father Gary L. Zerr, Pastor
Saturday Vigil Liturgy: 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:15 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
La Misa en Español: 12:30 p.m.
Rev. Dr. John Neal, Pastor
Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Education Hour - 10:00 a.m.
Nursery Care Available
www.keizerjkpres.org
Jason Lee UMC
820 Jeff erson St. NE
Salem OR 97301
9:00 am
Dr. Jon F. Langenwalter, Pastor
The church with the purple doors
10:45 am
Worship at 9:30 am • Child Care Available
Sunday Morning
and
503-364-2844
Faith Lutheran Church
4505 River Rd N • 393-4507
Sunday Schedule:
9:00 a.m. Children’s Church
9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Children’s Activities
Pastor
Virginia Eggert 10:30 a.m. Worship with Communion