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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2015)
Y OUNG V OICES A12 Hood River News, Wednesday, May 6, 2015 www.hoodrivernews.com ‘Interacting outdoors helps us appreciate each other and Oregon’ ‘FRIENDS IN THE OUTDOORS’ by Rosalie Dillon, age 14 With the theme “My Commu- nity Makes Me Better,” youths from around Oregon submitted photos this winter to the 2015 Oregon Youth Photo Con- test, and Rosie Dillon of Hood River is one of the winners. Rosie, a ninth grader at Hood River Valley High School, is the daughter of Dr. Kristen Dillon and Mayor Paul Blackburn of Hood River. The contest helped mark Oregon Public Health Week in April, and was sponsored by Northwest Health Foundation and the Oregon Public Health Divi- sion. View all the photos at www.northwesthealth.org. Rosie said, “I kind of take pic- preciate each other and Oregon.” tures whenever I see something I (While the photo has a certain think would be good or precipitous quality, for Instagram, so usual- Rosie explained that be- ly when I’m with friends cause of cropping, the at the water. photo makes it look like “I was honored,” she she was higher than she said. “I looked at the was.) other photos and they A total of 95 entries were pretty good.” were received, accord- Rosie wrote of her ing to the foundation. contribution, “I took The 20 finalists were this photo when my picked by a panel of Rosie Dillon friends and I were hik- judg es with back- ing at Wahtum Lake last grounds in art, health summer. When we do things in equity and public health. The nature, we create community by three winners were picked from spending time together. Interact- among the finalists by a panel of ing while outdoors helps us ap- youth judges. For her 15th birthday, this teen gives to others By SUSAN FROST Providence Hood River Most 15-year-old teenage girls have a long list of birth- day wishes; maybe the latest cell phone or trendy clothing item. That is not the case for McKenna West. On her 15th birthday this year, West wanted only one thing: to help ease the pain for pa- tients undergoing chemotherapy. West has been there. Not as a patient, but as the daughter of a mother bat- tling breast cancer. She saw it all. She saw her mother suffer and fight, but ulti- mately succumb to the dis- ease. On her birthday this year, West brought four baskets of goodies to the Providence Hood River infusion center. “I got the idea right before Christmas last year,” said West. “I was looking on Pin- terest at cool baskets of items that might help people feel more comfortable when they are sitting in an infu- sion center. I put healthy snacks, personal care items that you might find in a spa and a little note from me. My hope is the patients will feel some relief.” Most kids want to receive gifts on their birthday, but this bright-eyed teen wanted the gift of what it feels like to share love and hope. “I know my Mom is proud of me,” said West. “We used to al- ways do things together that benefitted others, like choos- ing names off a giving tree at the holidays and buying gifts for families in need.” West had many infusion nurses, pharmacy techs and other caregivers in tears as she told them about why she was bringing in these bas- kets of hope. “McKenna is such an inspiration,” said Mark Stanfield, pharmacist. “Even with her busy life at school, playing three sports and being part of a large family, McKenna wanted to remember her Mom and truly give to others. She pro- vided special inspiration to four patients today and turned much of her own pain into hope for others.” Submitted photo MCKENNA WEST with one of the care baskets she created for infusion patients at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital. W ORKING I T HRVHS juniors Jonathan Bolanos and Edgar Alvarez shovel grass Wednesday, cleaning up a pathway at the Seven Oaks Bed and Breakfast on Barker Road in Hood River for the HRVHS Summit Career Cen- ter’s Community Work Day on April 29. HRVHS junior Uvaldo Bolanos weeds the main garden at Seven Oaks. HRVHS students spread out around the county to help at businesses and private homes, with all “salaries” going to local non-profits. Photos by Patrick Mulvihill
