MAY 13, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3
Churches send
group to Mexico
A total of 19 adults and
youth from three local
churches recently served a
church and neighborhood in
Mexicali, Mexico for a week.
The trip was sponsored
by Lakepoint Community
Church, which meets at the
Keizer Civic Center on Sun-
days.
The caravan consisted of
three vans and a pick-up pull-
ing a trailer fi lled with sup-
plies.
Kevin Hohnbaum and Jane
Mulholland have led the team
for the past 15 years, working
with the same pastor in Mexi-
cali the whole time. The team
has helped plant and build a
new church and community
center in a poverty stricken
neighborhood, repaired and
painted four different church
buildings and remodeled nu-
merous houses.
This year’s work projects
included painting, remodel-
ing of the childrens area and
construction of a stage at the
host church Agua Viva (Liv-
ing Water) and painting and
cleaning a foster home for
children whose parents are
in rehab. The children in the
foster home practiced their
English on the mission team
and presented team members
a thank you note.
The Keizer part of the
team was joined in Mexico
2017 Iris art
by anywhere between 15 and
30 Mexican team members
for the work projects, Vacation
Bible School activities, meals,
worship and social times.
Afternoons were spent do-
ing craft activities, face paint-
ing, balloon animals, puppet
shows, skits, songs and play-
ing soccer in a community
park. The fi rst day there were
around 120 kids and adults
participating in the activities.
By the third and fi nal day the
crowd grew to more than 220.
The team also gave away near-
ly 300 Spanish Bibles.
The fi rst year the team
served Valle de Puebla, the
park was fi lled with garbage
and covered with graffi ti. Ev-
ery year the team has cleaned
the park and painted over the
gang graffi ti, attempting to re-
claim the park for the neigh-
bors.
The last full day in Mexico
was the team’s traditional play
day. The Mexican and U.S.
team members loaded into
vehicles for a two-and-a-half
hour drive to San Felipe, a
small tourist town.
After leaving, team mem-
bers shared how they went
on the trip with the intent to
make a difference in Mexico
and discovered the biggest
changes they experienced
were the changes in them-
selves.
KEIZERTIMES/Lyndon A. Zaitz
Salem artist Marren Garland’s Full Eclipse of the Heart
was chosen as the offi cial artwork for the 2017 Keizer
Iris Festival. It will hang at the Enid Joy Mount Gallery
throughout May. The theme of next year’s festival is
“Total Eclipse,” in tribute to the Aug. 21, 2017 eclipse
that will be visible in Keizer.
obituaries
Submit an obituary through our website at keizertimes.com
or send an email to: editor@keizertimes.com
Jerome D. “Jerry” Darras
Sept. 19, 1936 – April 30, 2016
A look at some of the Lakepoint Community Church team’s
recent annual trip to Mexicali, Mexico.
Photos courtesy
Kevin Hohnbaum
Jerry Darras, 79, passed un-
expectedly from an infection
at Salem Hospital on April 30.
Born Sept. 19, 1936 in
Noonan, North Dakota to
Louis and Malvina Darras,
Jerry went into the U.S. Army
with his cousin Dale, stationed
at Fort Sill, Okla.
Jerry later moved with his
family to Salem where he met
and married Doreen Handley
on Sept. 27, 1958. They cel-
ebrated their 50th anniversary
in 2008 and raised their family
on a small farm in northeast
Salem, keeping chickens and
cows for fresh eggs, milk and
beef. In 1974 Jerry bought and
operated Frank’s Power Ditch-
ing.
He was a Blazer fan and en-
joyed his children’s and grand-
children’s sports. He was an
avid reader, enjoying westerns
and mystery novels and loved
music, especially Neil Dia-
mond and Roy Clark.
His wife preceded him
in death in 2009 and son Je-
rome “Joe” Darras Jr. died
in 1991. Jerry is survived by
his sister Bet-
ty Melby of
North Dakota,
brother Jack
(Carol) Dar-
ras of Yakima,
Wash.
and
Darras
three children:
Ione,
Mike
(Carrie) and
Jay, six grandchildren and fi ve
great-grandchildren, eight of
which graduated from Mc-
Nary High School.
In lieu of fl owers, consider
donations to the Union Gos-
pel Mission or any Veterans
Association. A service will
be held Saturday, May 14 at
11 a.m. at City View Funeral
Home at 390 Hoyt Street
South in Salem.
CONCEALED CARRY
PERMIT CLASS
TUESDAY, MAY 24
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Keizer Civic Center, 930 Chemawa Rd NE
Cash or check payment will be made at the class. A driver license is all you need to bring.
2 PERMIT OPTIONS: OREGON ($45) -or- UTAH ($80)
Utah (valid 35-State, including WA), Oregon included no-fee.
Pre-class movie starts half hour prior to class, a new video
“NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home” (not required, just a great movie).
3 WAYS TO SIGN UP!
CALL: 360 -921-2071
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