REGION
Thursday, April 13, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
CRITFC reveals
further details on
fatal boat capsize
East Oregonian
Contributed photo
Altrusa International of Hermiston officers for 2016-17.
Altrusa celebrates century of service
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
A century of working
together to create better
communities is being recog-
nized as Altrusa International
commemorates its 100-year
anniversary.
As two of the largest clubs
in District Twelve — which
encompasses Oregon, Wash-
ington, Montana and western
Canada — Pendleton and
Hermiston are proud of
their heritage. The district
includes 20 clubs with 639
members, said Sofi Smith
of Altrusa International of
Pendleton.
The Pendleton club was
chartered in October 1938
with 12 members, including
Jessie M. Bell as the first
president. It was described in
an Oct. 21, 1938 East Orego-
nian article as “a classified
and selective service club
of business and professional
woman executives” Altrusa
International of Pendleton
now boasts 83 members.
Sponsored by the Pend-
leton club, Altrusa Inter-
national of Hermiston was
organized May 14, 1977,
with 32 initiates. Six charter
members — Kay Bennett,
Nancy Brown, Margaret
Saylor, Janet Severson,
Pat Wheelhouse and Jean
Ruhl — still belong to the
club, said Connie Ferranti,
publicity chair. The club’s
current membership is 53.
“In the beginning, Altrusa
was very exclusive,” said
Pat McClintock, a longtime
member of the Pendleton
club. “You had to be a busi-
ness owner or manager or
professional. Now we have
members whose classifica-
tion was homemaker — they
didn’t have a career outside
the home.”
McClintock appreciates
the more inclusive nature
of the group. In addition,
she said it’s not as formal.
In years past, members had
to dress appropriately for
dinner meetings.
McClintock and Herm-
iston club president LuAnn
Davison attribute the orga-
nization’s longevity to the
support of members, who
give of their time, talents
and financial resources.
In addition, they receive
tremendous support from the
community.
“People can see what
you are doing,” McClintock
said. “They see the results of
projects we are working on.”
Individuals and busi-
nesses support Altrusa
fundraisers in both commu-
nities. The Altrusans, in turn,
Contributed photo
A 1950s photo from the archives of Altrusa International of Pendleton.
The Columbia River
Inter-Tribal Fish Commis-
sion released details of an
April 7 boating accident on
the lower Columbia that
killed a Yakama Nation
tribal member and injured
three others, including a
member of the Confeder-
ated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation.
According
to
a
Wednesday press release,
the four-member crew was
aboard a 26-foot CRITFC
research vessel near Bridal
Veil Falls, returning from
a morning sea lion count,
when a large wave broke
over the bow of the boat
and capsized it.
All four members, each
wearing flotation devices,
were able to exit the cabin
and cling onto the boat
until it sank. They were
retrieved from the water by
Gresham Fire and Emer-
gency Services.
Greg George, a fisheries
technician and a member
of the Yakama Nation, was
among the crew. He was
transported via a helicopter
ambulance to a Portland
hospital where he later
died.
The three remaining
crew members — Tyler
Simmons of the CTUIR,
and Maria Jim and Bobby
Begay of the Yakama
Nation — were treated for
mild hypothermia in area
hospitals and released later
that day.
Davis
Washines,
Yakama Nation General
Council chairman and
retired chief of CRITFC
enforcement, remembered
George, 56, as both an
accomplished fisher and
research technician.
“We are taught to
always treat one another
in a good way, because
we never know when
the Creator will call our
name,” Washines said in a
statement.
George worked on
fishery projects for the past
20 years for CRITFC, the
U.S. Geological Survey
and Pacific States Marine
Fisheries Commission. His
work for CRITFC included
measuring gas bubble
trauma in juvenile salmon,
removing northern pike
minnow and evaluating sea
lion predation on returning
salmon in the lower
Columbia River.
CRITFC is a Port-
land-based agency that
supports fishery manage-
ment policies composed
of four tribes — CTUIR,
the Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs, Yakama
Nation and the Nez Perce
Tribe.
EO Media Group
Contributed photo
Altrusa International of Pendleton received the President’s Award during the
Pendleton First Citizens Banquet in January.
“How we explain it is, you’re not a member
of Altrusa, you become an Altrusan.”
— LuAnn Davison, Hermiston Altrusa club president
pour that money back into
the communities through a
variety of projects. A person
would be hard-pressed
to drive through Eastern
Oregon’s two biggest towns
and not come across a project
or program that Altrusa
has touched in one way or
another.
Originally called Altrusa
Institute, Mamie L. Bass
founded the organization in
1917 in Nashville. The name
“Altrusa” is derived from
combining altruism and USA.
Bass, who was a partner
in her brother’s architecture
firm, had assisted him in
organizing a Rotary chapter.
However, Bass wasn’t able
to join Rotary, as it was an
all-male organization at the
time.
Founded as a service
organization for female
business owners, managers
and professional women,
Altrusa later expanded to
include all women, as well
as men. Within five years,
Altrusa had 20 clubs and by
1935 it became an interna-
tional organization when the
first group in Mexico was
organized.
It has continued to expand
beyond U.S. borders with
clubs created in Puerto Rico,
Chile, Ecuador, India, Korea,
Russia, Ukraine, Ireland,
Great Britain, Bermuda,
Canada and New Zealand.
In 1946, Altrusa sent its first
representative to the United
Nations.
Altrusa’s main focuses
include literacy, education
and environmental concerns.
Also, each club takes
on projects and support
programs, both in their
individual
communities
and beyond. From ensuring
school children have food
during the weekend and
providing scholarships for
higher education to giving
away books and providing
grants for community proj-
ects, Altrusa is committed to
giving back.
“How we explain it is,
you’re not a member of
Altrusa, you become an
Altrusan,” Davison said.
For more information,
contact altrusapend@gmail.
com,
hermistonaltrusa@
gmail.com or visit www.
districttwelve.altrusa.org.
In addition, both clubs have
Facebook pages.
———
Contact
Community
Editor Tammy Malgesini at
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.
com or 541-564-4539
A bill requiring water measurement devices for
Oregon irrigators has passed the House Energy and
Environment Committee.
Oregon water measurement
bill passes initial committee
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Irrigators
would be required to install
devices to measure their
water usage in Oregon under
a bill that’s won approval
from an initial legislative
committee.
The House Committee
on Energy and the Environ-
ment voted 7-1 in favor of a
“do pass” recommendation
for House Bill 2705 during
an April 11 work session.
However, the bill won’t
immediately be voted on
by the full House. It has
first been referred to the
House Rules Committee,
where bills aren’t subject to
the same legislative dead-
lines for action as regular
committees.
Proponents of HB
2705 argue the measuring
requirement is necessary for
the Oregon Water Resources
Department to effectively
manage the state’s 89,000
water rights.
Farm and irrigator groups
are opposed to the bill,
arguing that water devices
will be expensive to install
and will overwhelm OWRD
with data that it lacks the
resources to analyze.
The committee delayed
taking action on two other
measures related to water:
House Bill 2706, which
imposes a $100 annual fee
on all water rights, and HB
2707, which appropriates
an unspecified amount
of money for additional
groundwater studies.
A work session on those
two bills was rescheduled
for April 12.
BRIEFLY
CTUIR accepting comment
on transportation plan
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation is hosting a public
comment period and public meetings about
the Tribes’ transportation plan.
Meetings are scheduled for April 27 at
10 a.m. and April 28 at 2 p.m. at the CTUIR
Public Transit Center meeting room, 46322
Timine Way. The purpose of the public
meetings is to give the public an opportunity
to comment on the coordinated human
services public transportation plan.
People can also submit written comments.
That comment period is set for April 17-
May 1. Copies of the current plan are
available at the CTUIR planning department
and at www.ctuir.org under the planning
department tab.
For more information contact Susan
Johnson, planning office manager, at 541-429-
7525.
Red Cross announces area
blood drives
People can give the gift of life through an
American Red Cross blood drive.
Donations of all blood types are needed.
To donate, people need to be in good health,
at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent)
and weigh at least 110 pounds.
While walk-ins are welcome, donors can
make an appointment at www.redcrossblood.
org or by calling 800-733-2767. Upcoming
area blood drives include:
•Monday, April 17, noon to 6 p.m., St.
Anthony Hospital, 2801 St. Anthony Way,
Pendleton.
•Monday, April 17, 12:30-6 p.m., Good
Shepherd Medical Center, 610 N.W. 11th St.,
Hermiston.
•Tuesday, April 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Pendleton City Hall, 500 S.W. Dorion Ave.,
Pendleton.
•Thursday, April 27, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church,
565 W. Hermiston Ave., Hermiston.
Local author to address
Weston library friends
WESTON — The annual membership
meeting of the Friends of Weston Library will
feature a presentation by John Groupe.
A columnist and author of the book “My
Eastern Oregon,” Groupe will speak and share
slides of hunting bighorn sheep in Oregon’s
Eagle Cap Wilderness. Copies of his book
will be available for purchase.
The meeting, which is open to the public,
is Monday at 7 p.m. at Weston Memorial
Hall, 214 E. Main St. People can renew their
FOWL membership for 2017 or join for the
first time. Refreshments will be served.
Established in 2000, the organization
provides support for special Weston Public
Library programs and projects. Dues and
donations to FOWL are tax-deductible.
For more information call the library at
541-566-2378.
Young Life announces
upcoming fundraisers
PENDLETON — A Pendleton Young
Life fundraiser is teaming up with Abby’s
Legendary Pizza.
A portion of the proceeds from food sales
Tuesday, April 18 from 5-8 p.m. will go to
the faith-based organization. People who are
eating at the restaurant or getting carry-out can
help in providing support to youth activities
sponsored by Young Life. The restaurant is
located at 828 Southgate, Pendleton.
In addition, Young Life is accepting
donations for an upcoming yard sale. People
are encouraged to do some spring cleaning
and donate gently used items for the event,
which is planned for Saturday, May 20.
Nothing is too big or too small — they want
it all. From kids toys and kitchenware to
boats and recreational vehicles, Young Life is
interested in donations.
For more information, contact Loretta
Thomas at 541-379-9168, Chris Thatcher at
541-969-7277 or visit www.facebook.com/
pendletonyl.
NARFE seeks new members
PENDLETON — April is membership
month for the National Association of Retired
Federal Employees (NARFE) and the local
2115 branch is seeking federal employees,
working or retired, to join the association.
Thursday’s monthly meeting begins at 11:30
a.m. with a no-host lunch at Shari’s Restaurant,
319 S.E. Nye Ave., Pendleton, followed by a
guest speaker from St. Anthony Hospital.
NARFE is a 501(c)(5) nonprofit
membership organization dedicated to
protecting and enhancing the earned pay,
retirement and health care benefits of federal
employees, retirees and their survivors.
For more information, call Janet at
541-980-3268.
Banquet shines on Irrigon
IRRIGON — The Irrigon Citizen
Recognition Banquet honors the people and
businesses that make the town a special place
to live and work.
People are invited to help celebrate during
Time to Shine. The event is Friday, April 21
from 5-8 p.m. at Stokes Landing Senior Center,
195 N.W. Opal Place, Irrigon. Tickets are $25
in advance or $30 at the door, which includes a
meal prepared by chef Donna Eppenbach.
For more information or tickets, call
541-922-3857. They also can be purchased at
the Bank of Eastern Oregon in Irrigon.