REGION
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
HERMISTON
East Oregonian
Page 3A
HEPPNER
Fair volunteers give back to community
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Photo contributed by Misty Baltazar
Violin students at Harris Junior Academy. From
left to right: Jermy Blanco, Eros Figueroa, Monica
Figueroa, Sanyana Felipe, Gajer Leavitt, Ethan Es-
trada, Marlene Felipe, and Susan Mizushima.
Woman passes on
the gift of music
By ALEXA LOUGEE
East Oregonian
Three years ago Paula
Oltman was retiring from
her administrator position
at the Rose Arbor Assisted
Living Facilities and trying
to decide what to do with
the rest of her life. It was
at this time her son, Jonas
Oltman, was moving back
to town with his family.
Her grandson, Bjorn,
enrolled in kindergarten
at
Hermiston
Junior
Academy. That’s when she
got the idea to teach violin
to the school’s students.
Oltman,
who
has
been playing the violin
since she was 9 years
old, approached principal
Jordan Lindsay about
starting a violin program
at the school. He was very
receptive and the violin
program began. Oltman
and her husband, Guy,
purchased the instrument
sets.
“We thought there
would be just a few who
would be interested, but it
turns out the whole school
was interested,” Oltman
said. The couple purchased
43 violin sets and Oltman
now offers lessons every
Monday during the school
year and several times
during the summer. The
violin lessons will expand
this school year to home
school students in the area.
Adults come to learn, too,
“I just want to
instill in the
kiddos that
playing the
violin is a gift.”
— Paula Oltman,
violin instructor
including a former kinder-
garten teacher in her 80s.
Lessons are free, but
students are asked to pay
$10 a month to rent the
equipment.
Hermiston
Junior Academy is a
private school teaching
students from preschool
through the eighth grade
and is operated by the
Seventh-day
Adventist
Church.
Her violin students
perform at local churches
and nursing homes.
“I just want to instill in
the kiddos that playing the
violin is a gift,” Oltman
said. “As we accept that
gift we need to give
back and be a blessing to
others.” Those interested in
joining the string program
can call Paula at 541-567-
9625 or Hermiston Junior
Academy at 541-567-8523.
Lessons start back up for
the school year on Sept. 29.
———
Contact Alexa Lougee
at
alougee@eastorego-
nian.com
The Morrow County Fair-
grounds were buzzing with
activity Tuesday as volunteers
prepared for the 103rd annual
event.
Kay Proctor, a longtime
volunteer, said she enjoys
helping out each year, saying
it’s a way to give back to
the community. Also, the
Heppner woman said the
annual summer event is a great
way to unite the communities.
“It’s a big county and it’s
smaller at fair time when
everyone gets together,” she
said.
Jackie
Alleman,
a
newcomer
to
Morrow
County, has been working in
the fairground’s Snack Shack.
Moving from Hermiston a
year ago, Alleman and her
family immediately felt
welcome in town.
“In Heppner, I’ve learned
everyone just takes their turn
volunteering,” she said. “I’ve
talked to people who have
worked for years in the Snack
Shack.”
In addition to donations
from
area
businesses,
Alleman said local residents
have stopped by to drop off
tomatoes and other items
grown in their gardens.
“It’s really a community
effort,” she said.
Alleman also stressed the
importance of family involve-
ment with volunteering at the
fair. Her husband and children
have pitched in to help. In
addition, her 11-year-old
granddaughter,
Lauren
Putnam, was assisting with
customers Tuesday morning
in the Snack Shack.
Lauren and her new friend
Celine Walters, a 10-year-old
who moved to Heppner a
couple of months ago from
Japan, were old pros behind
the counter. Both girls highly
recommend the biscuits and
gravy. Also, Celine said her
grandmother is partial to the
hamburgers.
The Snack Shack is open
daily for breakfast at 6:30
a.m. Alleman said it will be
open into the evening, with
even later hours during the
Friday and Saturday night
BRIEFLY
Candlelight vigil planned for
6WDQ¿HOGWHHQ
STANFIELD — A candlelight vigil is
planned for Raychel J. Campana, 17, who
died Monday after a Friday car wreck near
Walla Walla.
The vigil will be 7 p.m. Wednesday at the
6WDQ¿HOG6HFRQGDU\
School track.
Campana graduated
IURP6WDQ¿HOG6HFRQGDU\
School in June and was
set to take classes at
Walla Walla Community
College this fall in pursuit
of her goal of becoming a
pediatric nurse.
Her boyfriend of a
Campana
year and a half, Nick
Reisenauer, said he loved her creative and
spontaneous nature. He and Campana had
dreams of traveling together.
“I believe God had a plan for her and it
may be too soon but life is that way and life
isn’t perfect,” he said.
+HVDLGKH¶OODOZD\VUHPHPEHUWKH¿UVW
time he met her in December 2015 at the
0DLQ6WUHHW0DUNHWLQ6WDQ¿HOG³6KHZDV
smiling and happy and the most amazing,
beautiful girl ever.”
Campana worked as a receptionist at the
0DLQ6W\OLQ¶1RRNLQ6WDQ¿HOG$*R)XQG0H
page has also been set up by friends to help
fund a celebration of life.
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
Lauren Putnam, 11, and Celine Walters, 10, help in the Snack Shack Tuesday morning
at the Morrow County Fairgrounds in Heppner. The fair runs through Saturday.
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
Phyllis Olson, a floral judge from Dufur, and Heppner
resident Kay Proctor, floral department supervisor,
work in the floral department Tuesday morning at the
Morrow County Fairgrounds in Heppner.
rodeo performances.
Fair
secretary
Ann
Jones is thrilled with the
family involvement at the
fairgrounds. In addition,
she said the community is
supportive of area youths,
which helps in their overall
growth and maturity.
With a sense of pride and
anticipation, Jones enjoys
watching kids drop off their
fair entries. Then, she gets
to see them come back after
they’ve been judged.
“It’s something to see
— the smiles on their faces
when they see their ribbons,”
Jones said.
The Morrow County Fair
runs Wednesday through
Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10
p.m. The fairgrounds are
located at 74473 Highway
74, Heppner. Tickets are $4
per person or $2 for children
ages 6-12.
For more information,
contact
541-676-9474,
mcfair@co.morrow.or.us
or visit www.morrowcoun-
tyoregon.com.
———
Contact
Community
Editor Tammy Malgesini at
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
National
Thrift Shop Day
August 17th
IMESD reports lead levels
below acceptable EPA limit
The InterMountain Education Service
District found that water sources tested at all
of its buildings were “below the acceptable
(Environmental Protection Agency) limit.”
Samples from the IMESD building in
Pendleton, Lifeways Day Treatment Center in
Pendleton, Punkin Center in Hermiston, the
Joseph Building in La Grande, the Baker City
Learning Center in Baker City and Outdoor
School sites were tested by Table Rock
Analytical Lab in Pendleton and Magic Valley
Labs in Twin Falls, Idaho.
“The IMESD is pleased to report that water
at our facilities used by students does not
contain harmful lead levels. We will continue
to monitor this and keep communicating to our
parents and communities,” IMESD Superin-
tendent Mark Mulvihill said in a statement.
Results are available upon request at the
,0(6'3HQGOHWRQRI¿FHDW6:1\H
Ave.
@V\Y+VUH[PVUZ*OHUNL3P]LZ
3234 S.W. Nye Pendleton, OR
Join us at 5 pm on
August 18 th for our for our annual
ROUND-UP BBQ!
ROUND-UP QUEEN & COURT
HAPPY CANYON PRINCESSES
MAIN STREET COWBOYS
SIDE SADDLERS
GOOD FOOD
GREAT ENTERTAINMENT WITH
VENUES INSIDE AND OUT.
¸0^HZJVU]PUJLK0^HZ\UOPYLHISL
I was on TANF, I needed to get a job, I wanted to be able to
take care of my son and myself....by myself.
The way I was treated by Amy and Lindsay at Goodwill made
a huge impact on how I survived my daily job searches.
They were absolutely great in how they approached me
and my specific set of “issues.” They were both tough and
encouraging and they took the time during our appointments
to really talk to me. That is genuine
caring. That is very appreciated!
Sincerely, .....Someone who USED to
receive publicassistance, and now
supports her family herself!
+PK`V\RUV^^L
HSZV^LSJVTL
• Books, music and movies
• Cars, boats, motorcycles
and RV’s
• Computers and monitors
Dishes and glassware
• Furniture
• Jewelry, art and collectibles
Linens
• Small appliances
• Small musical instruments
(including electronic pianos)
• Land
0[HSSZ[HY[Z^P[O`V\Y
KVUH[PVU
318,665 DONATIONS
RECEIVED IN 2015
895,763 = NUMBER OF
CUSTOMER TRANSACTIONS
466 NUMBER OF COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS BUILT
70 NUMBER OF TRAINING SITES
590 JOB PLACEMENTS
3,189 NUMBER OF PERSONS
SERVED THROUGH MISSION SERVICES
BUY • SELL • TRADE & CONSIGN
We make
custom beds
made from wood
30654 Baggett Ln • Hermiston, OR
541.564.0298