REGION
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
East Oregonian
HERMISTON
Neon Nights run to beneit
trainer ighting rare cancer
By WILL DENNER
East Oregonian
Pat Bentz will soon have a new
perspective on Club 24’s Neon Nights
5K run.
The personal trainer has worked
at the club’s Hermiston gym for ive
years, teaching classes and working
one-on-one with clients. Bentz is
accustomed to helping run the annual
event with Club 24, which often
donates some of the proceeds to a
cancer organization. This year, Bentz
will be the beneiciary.
She was diagnosed with a rare
form of cancer known as Waldenstrom
lymphoma in March. While Bentz was
in Mexico receiving treatment, Club
24 decided to donate all proceeds from
the Neon Nights 5K to her as a way to
support their co-worker and friend.
“So many people wanted to help her,
but we didn’t know how,” said Darla
Irwin, manager of Club 24’s Hermiston
location. “We thought this would be the
best option to start off.”
The event will take place at its usual
location, Hermiston’s Oxbow Trail,
1100 SW Elm Ave., at 10 p.m. on
Saturday. Tickets cost $25 for adults,
$15 for children ages 6 to 15 and $10
for those 5 and under. Entrants will
receive glow-in-the-dark accessories
with their race packets.
Irwin’s inspiration for starting the
event came years ago, when a close
friend was diagnosed with breast cancer
while pregnant with her third child. In
2013, Irwin and her Club 24 staff put
on the irst-ever Neon Nights run. The
gym donated approximately $2,000 of
that year’s proceeds to Sisters Inlu-
encing Survivorship, a local non-proit
organization that raises awareness for
and supports people affected by breast
cancer.
In 2016, the cause hit Club 24 closer
to home.
Bentz had taken time off from work
to care for her mother, who was ighting
brain cancer. Bentz was starting to get
back into a routine after her mother
passed away, but it was soon interrupted.
Bentz’s doctor noticed she had an
unusually high iron count when she
went for a routine check-up in March.
She then visited an oncologist for blood
work and a bone marrow biopsy that
EO ile photo
Patricia Bentz, wearing 75 pounds of turnout gear, treads the stairmaster
in February 2014 outside the Hermiston Club 24 itness center during a
fundraiser for cancer research. Bentz will be the recipient of funds raised
Saturday at the Neon Nights run on the Oxbow Trail.
revealed a positive test for advanced
Waldenstrom lymphoma.
“I just buried my mom,” Bentz said.
“How could this be me?”
At irst, Bentz was in denial of the
diagnosis. She lived a healthy life and
kept in good shape for her job.
After seeing her mom go through
chemotherapy and radiation, Bentz
knew she didn’t want to explore those
treatments.
A friend of Bentz’s referred her to
the documentary series, “A Truth About
Cancer,” which explores alternative
forms of treatment. The documentary
mentioned Hope 4 Cancer Institute, a
non-toxic cancer treatment center with
locations in Tijuana and Cancun.
Bentz ultimately traveled to Mexico,
where she received treatment at the
institute for four weeks.
When Bentz heard of Club 24’s plan
to give her the money raised at Neon
Nights, she felt honored. Bentz, who is
accustomed to motivating and encour-
aging clients, suddenly found herself
receiving the same boost from clients
and Club 24 staff members.
“I always want to be the rah-rah and
giver for everybody,” Bentz said. “It’s
very humbling to sit back and say, ‘My
gosh, they’re doing this for me.’”
In addition to proceeds from
tickets, Club 24 is taking donations
from companies and individuals to
put together several rafle drawings,
which will be drawn after the 5K run.
Club 24 member Tiffany Maddox, who
befriended Bentz through the gym four
years ago, is part of the committee
collecting rafle items and selling
tickets.
“She’s always encouraging and
helping people, making them feel good
about themselves,” Maddox said.
“I know she would do (the same) for
me if I was in her situation.”
Rafle items include a tool basket
from Pioneer Transmission, a hair
product basket, a free session with
Hermiston-based
photographer
Ashley Seibel a growler and gift card
to Neighbor Dudes tap house. Rafle
tickets can be purchased at Club 24
in Hermiston, Saturday afternoon at
Hermiston Funfest on Main Street and
at Neon Nights.
Bentz plans to put the money raised
from Neon Nights towards her cancer
treatment expenses. When she comes
out to Neon Nights, Bentz expects it to
be an emotional night.
“I’ll probably bring out the tissues,”
she said.
Interested participants can register
for Neon Nights at www.club24it.com.
Musician releases ode to Bowie
Song, music video
available on YouTube
By GEORGE PLAVEN
East Oregonian
Mandi Miller had just
taken a sabbatical in January
to write new music with her
bandmate, Mark “Android”
Wilson, when they heard
David Bowie died.
“David Bowie was such
a legend,” said Miller,
who lives in Christchurch,
New Zealand, but grew up
in Pendleton. “He started
almost fantastical imagina-
tions in rock.”
The news moved Miller
and Wilson to create their
own tribute, titled “Starman
in the Stars: Ode to Bowie,”
which was released on June
22. The original song and
music video are available on
the band’s YouTube channel.
The single also features
a children’s choir made up
of Miller’s singing students
from Christchurch. The
video was ilmed in studio,
with a dash of spacey visual
effects. “Starman in the
Stars” is a play on Bowie’s
hit song, “Starman,” which
gave rise to the alter ego
Ziggy Stardust.
“(Bowie) was just as
much an actor as he was a
musician,” Miller said. “He
had characters. ... That sort
of revolutionized the way
people thought of and made
music.”
Miller graduated from
Pendleton High School in
1988 and from Blue Moun-
tain Community College in
1990. She has spent the last
18 years in New Zealand,
where she has been a part of
two solo acts, a four-piece
rock band and now her latest
collaboration with Wilson.
Between gigging and
teaching local schoolchil-
dren, Miller said music is
her sole occupation. She’s
hoping the Bowie tribute can
earn her and Wilson some
additional exposure while
they work on recording
more original music.
“I know my hometown
Contributed photo by Hal Tapley
Pendleton native Mandi Miller and her bandmate,
Mark Android, perform their ode to David Bowie, titled
“Starman in the Stars.”
will get behind me on this.
They always have,” Miller
said.
Writing “Starman in the
Stars” came with its own set
of unique challenges. Apart
from the title, the song
makes several references to
Bowie’s work, which means
she had to be careful to avoid
copyright infringement.
In some cases, Miller
said they had to make
tweaks to their lyrics, but
they’re thrilled with the way
the song came out.
“I think it’s just as good
or better,” she said.
Miller describes the
music as a cross between
soft rock and adult contem-
porary. She said the choir
adds another rich layer to
the song, which begs to be
listened to on high quality.
“The most important
thing is to listen to it on the
best sound quality you can,”
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he family of Donald
“Donny” Briggs would
like to extend our sincere
gratitude to friends and
family for their support
and friendship during
our trying time.
hank You to Ron and Val
at Pendleton Pioneer Chapel
for their guidance through a
very diicult time, and hank
You to John Rehberg for oiciating.
A Special hank You to Jackie
and her group at the Eagles for the
wonderful dinner they provided
ater Donny’s service.
A Very Special hank You to the
staf at Ashley Manor-Athens for
their devotion and care that Donny
received while he was there.
BRIEFLY
Worker rescued
from inside onion
hopper
HERMISTON — A
Columbia Basin Spreaders
employee had to be cut
from an onion hopper
after getting stuck inside
Tuesday morning.
Emergency crews
responded to the call of a
male stuck inside a bin near
Hermiston at 9:30 a.m.
According to Jim Davis
of Umatilla County Fire
District 1, the man had
apparently been trying to
use a stick to unjam the
hopper that drops onions
onto a conveyor belt.
The exact circumstances
were unclear to Davis, but
somehow the man ended
up in the equipment with
onions on top of him.
Seven people from the
ire district worked to get
the man free. Eventually
crews had to cut a hole in
the onion bin to loosen the
onions around him and
release the man. He was
then taken by ambulance
to Good Shepherd Medical
Center, though Davis said
the employee was doing
OK and had no obvious
injuries.
Columbia Basin
Spreaders declined to
comment.
Grange offers
meet-and-greet
potluck
LEXINGON — Aaron
Auer of ROAR Ministries
will be the special guest at
a meet-and-greet potluck
dinner Thursday at the
Lexington Grange, 66296
Marquardt Road. The
potluck begins at 7 p.m.
The community is
invited to bring a dish to
share and hear Auer speak
about the history of Oregon
and our future. Everyone is
welcome to attend.
For more information,
call Douglas Marquardt at
541-276-1736 or 541-429-
1456.
Jubilee Lake hosts
kids’ ishing day
PENDLETON
Miller said. “The full impact
is really what you want to
experience.”
Miller said she and
Wilson are already working
on a second single, and
striving toward a full
album. She said fans can
keep up with her work by
subscribing to her YouTube
channel and Facebook page,
where they will release new
material.
———
Contact George Plaven
at gplaven@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0825.
Page 3A
A pair of ishing events
tailored to kids and fami-
lies will be held Saturday
in Eastern Oregon.
The annual kids’
ishing day at Jubilee Lake
will run from 9 a.m. to
noon, sponsored by the
Tri-State Steelheaders,
Oregon Department of
Fish & Wildlife and the
Umatilla National Forest.
Jubilee Lake is located off
Highway 204, 12 miles
northeast of Tollgate on
Forest Road 64.
Kids 14 years old
and under are invited
to participate, and must
be accompanied by an
adult. Fishing rods will
be available to loan, and
volunteers will be on hand
to provide instruction
to irst-time anglers.
Activities include a
casting contest, with prizes
awarded for each age
group.
The lake will be
stocked with ish, and free
hot dogs and soda will
be available for everyone
who attends. For more
information, call Bill
Dowdy, isheries biologist
with the Umatilla National
Forest, at 509-522-6042.
The second annual
Family Fishing Day at
Anthony Lake in Baker
County will also run
Saturday from 9 a.m.
to 1 p.m. That event is
sponsored by ODFW, the
Powder Basin Watershed
council and Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest.
Kids over the age of 12
must have a valid ishing
license to participate.
For more information,
contact Kayla Morinaga at
541-962-8536.
Oldies Night
features 1971 hits
MILTON-
FREEWATER — Fans of
Three Dog Night’s “Joy
to the World” will want
to make tracks to Wesley
United Methodist Church
Saturday beginning at 7:30
p.m. as BJ the DJ (Bob
Jones) spins the hits of
1971.
Other chart toppers
that year include Michael
Jackson’s irst solo hit,
“Got To Be There,”
surprise No. 1 artist James
Brown, and other newbies
including John Denver,
Carly Simon, Cat Stevens,
Helen Reddy and more.
Jones brings three hours
of “cheap, trashy rock
‘n’ roll” to the church the
second Saturday of every
month, and it’s free to
attend. The Frogs supply
refreshments, and the music
is always family-friendly.
Comments, questions and
dancing are encouraged.
For more information,
contact Jones at 541-938-
7028 or dubuquer@charter.
net.
Hermiston woman
turns 100
HERMISTON —
Margaret Thorpe of
Hermiston is turning 100.
Thorpe’s family is holding
a birthday open house at
the ARC Building, 215 W.
Orchard, this Saturday.
The family asks that
you not bring gifts, but
stop by and visit with the
centenarian. People are
encouraged to come by
between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
to help celebrate.
The ARC Building is
located at 215 W. Orchard
Ave., next to the Hermiston
Post Ofice and McKenzie
Park.