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YOUR EO NEWS
East Oregonian
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Hermiston man named OSP superintendent thanks Riverside students
The “Exploration of
‘American Patriot’
Law Enforcement” class
A World War II veteran
from Hermiston was
recently recognized as a
2017 American Patriot of
the Year.
Willard “Bill” Runion
received the recognition
March 21 from the Amer-
icans for Constitutional
Liberty, formerly known
as The Conservative
Caucus.
The
award
recognizes Runion for his
support for patriotic causes
and pro-freedom activities.
Founded in 1974, the
political
organization
mobilizes
conservative
strength at the state and
congressional
district
level to make a difference
in Washington, D.C. It
encourages its members
and all citizens to call,
visit or write their elected
representatives.
Runion said he lied
about his age when he was
16 to join the military. He
served with the U.S. Army
during World War II.
He has been a member
of Veterans of Foreign
Wars, Disabled Amer-
ican Veterans and the
American Legion. In
addition, he has served
on the honor guard in
hundreds of veterans’
funerals.
For more about the
Americans for Constitu-
tional Liberty, visit www.
conservativeusa.org.
Blood drive collects 36 units
The American Red
Cross blood drive held
Feb. 20 at Good Shep-
herd Medical Center in
Hermiston collected 36
units.
Volunteer
Patti
Perkins said the canteen
was furnished by the
Community
Women’s
Group of Irrigon. Service
groups
interested
in
canteen duties for June,
July and/or December for
blood drives in Hermiston
are encouraged to call
Perkins at 541-571-5372.
Blood products are
always in high demand,
Perkins said, especially
after the harsh weather
this past winter brought.
A donation of blood can
help save the lives of up to
three people, she said.
For information about
upcoming blood drives
throughout the region,
visit www.redcrossblood.
org/give. While walk-ins
are welcome, people are
encouraged to make an
appointment by calling
800-448-3543.
THANK YOU
Family of Staff
Sgt. Austin Bieren
express thanks
The outpouring of
love, honor, and respect
for Austin and his wife,
Rachel, that we have
received from the United
States Air Force, Gov.
Kate Brown, U.S.
Congressman Greg
Walden, the Umatilla
Police Department, the
Pasco Police Department,
the Umatilla Fire
Protection District and
others this past week was
amazing.
The “Patriot Guard
Riders” and their captains,
Gary David and Rod
Runyon, have our utmost
gratitude for escorting
Austin’s remains from the
Pasco airport to Umatilla
and for their honor guard
at his service on Saturday.
Words cannot express
how much that meant to
us. Their stated purpose is
“to honor the veteran and
family” and they certainly
did that.
To all the community
that took time out of their
Easter weekend to attend
his service, the women
and men who prepared
and served the food for the
attendees, and to Austin’s
friends that came from as
far away as Minot, North
Dakota, a very special
thank you to each of you.
While some of you
may not have had the
opportunity to publicly say
goodbye to Austin at the
service, please be aware
that Austin and his family
know that you loved and
respected him.
Please keep his wife,
Rachel, in your prayers that
God continues to give her
the strength, courage and
grace to go forward down
whatever path the Lord has
chosen for her.
Austin was proud to
be a warrior from small
town America and it
was important to him to
protect and serve this great
country. This weekend the
Umatilla community came
together to honor one of
their own fallen warriors.
A reminder to all of us that
our freedom is not free.
Thank you,
John and Amber Bieren
Barbara Bieren
Pam Bieren and the family of
the late Brent Bieren
Brenda (Bieren) Schlepp
Jill (Bieren) Holt
Patty (Bieren) Estes
Lions thank
sponsors for
auction success
Earlier this month the
Pendleton Lions Club held
our 65th annual Radio
Auction on KUMA. The
Lions wish to sincerely
thank the many businesses
whose generous donations
made the auction possible,
and the many people who
bid on the items offered.
The funds raised will
be spent locally to help
meet sight and hearing
needs, provide emergency
scholarships to BMCC
students, help the Oregon
National Guard’s Family
Support Group, provide
fl ags to Pendleton’s fi rst
grade students, plant trees
in parks and much more.
We especially wish to
thank Capps Broadcasting
for donating four hours
of air time every year for
65 years — a total of 260
hours to date — for this
project.
Looking ahead, 2017
marks the centennial of
the founding of Lions
International. On May
18-20, the Oregon
Lions will hold their
statewide convention in
Pendleton, culminating
with a spectacular parade
down Main Street on the
morning of Saturday,
May 20. Please come and
watch.
With our sincere thanks
and appreciation,
at Riverside Jr./Sr. High
School
in
Boardman
recently received a visit
from Travis Hampton of
the Oregon State Police.
The OSP superintendent
made the March 13 visit to
personally thank the high
school students for the time
and input they have given to
the SafeOregon project, a
new statewide safety tip line
for all schools.
The 15 students in the
class have been involved
with SafeOregon for several
months, offering feedback
about the name of the tip
line, the website colors and
functions, and how they
think students can promote it
in their schools.
“I want to commend
you all for a job well done
on a statewide effort,”
Hampton said. “You have
been engaged in something
in your young lives that has
already made a difference for
students, and that’s great.”
Oregon State Police
provided the students with
T-shirts and water bottles,
plus a donation of $250 from
the Oregon State Police
Offi cers’ Association.
Dirk Dirksen, Morrow
Photo contributed by Michele Madril
Oregon State Police superintendent Travis Hampton (kneeling, center) visited
Riverside Jr/Sr High School students March 13 in Boardman to thank them for their
work on SafeOregon, the statewide safety tip line.
County School District
superintendent, was also in
attendance and thanked the
students. He applauded their
efforts in helping SafeO-
regon become a reality. He
also expressed appreciation
for offi cer George Shimer,
Members of the Oregon Retired
Educators Association – Unit 9
recently awarded grants to local
teachers to enhance educational
opportunities for students.
In its fourth year of the program,
the group awarded fi ve grants totaling
$1,120. The money was disbursed for
the following:
•Schelle Bixler, $250 to help with
lodging for the Pendleton High School
marine biology trip to Newport.
•Ken Jacobs, $250 to purchase
new fi nish nail guns and assorted
brads for the Sunridge Middle School
wood shop program.
•Jessica Su, $240 to buy pom
poms for the new cheer squad at
Sunridge.
•Cindy Schimel, $180 to purchase
art supplies for her third grade class
at McKay Creek Elementary School.
•Laura Byrnes, $200 to buy art
supplies for her classroom at Pilot
Rock Elementary School.
Funding for the grant program
comes from donations and the
Holiday Bazaar sponsored each
Photo contributed by Lona Odom
Pendleton School District superintendent Andy Kovach, Schelle Bixler, Jes-
sica Su, Ken Jacobs and Laura Byrnes are pictured with Oregon Retired Ed-
ucators Association-Unit 9 president Bill Mayclin and treasurer Greg Hold-
en. The retired educators group recently provided grants to area teachers.
December by OREA-9.
For more about the retired educa-
tors group, contact president Bill
Mayclin at wmayclin@eotnet.net.
Photo contributed by Michele Madril
InterMountain Education Service District employees
Cheryl Palmateer and Linda Smith, accept donations
for the Children’s Rodeo from Terri Spriet of Swire
Coca-Cola and Shawna Nulf, Pendleton Wal-Mart store
manager.
Children’s Rodeo ropes in
donations from businesses
Each year kids with special
needs participate in rodeo
activities during the Chil-
dren’s Rodeo as part of the
Pendleton Round-Up.
Area businesses help make
this memorable event possible
for these pint-sized cowboys
and cowgirls by making
donations to the InterMoun-
tain Service District, which
coordinates the event.
Recent donations were
presented to the Children’s
Rodeo from Swire Coca-
Cola
and
Pendleton
Wal-Mart, totaling $2,159.
Additionally, the Pendleton
Round-Up Association and
the Let ‘er Buck Room,
Jaqzen Cedar Evans.
SUBMIT
YOUR EO NEWS
Submit Your EO News infor-
mation and high-resolution
photos to: community@ea-
storegonian.com or drop off
to the attention of Tammy
Malgesini at 333 E. Main
St., Hermiston, or Renee
Struthers-Hogge at 211
S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton.
Call 541-564-4539 or 541-
966-0818 with questions.
Photo contributed by Michele Madril
Representatives from the Pendleton Round-Up
Association and the Let ‘er Buck Room recently made
a donation to the Children’s Rodeo. Pictured from
back: Tim Smith, Pendleton Round-Up director, and
his wife, Amy Smith; InterMountain Education Service
District employees, Karen Parker, Char Surber, Michele
Madril, Cheryl Palmateer; and Jill Ledbetter and Mike
Ledbetter, Let ‘er Buck Room director. Front: IMESD
employees Linda Smith and Jennifer Sweet.
presented a check for $2,964.
For more about the
Children’s Rodeo, contact
Michele Madril at 541-966-
3115 or michele.madril@
imesd.k12.or.us.
Pet of the Week
Little Mommy
John Taylor, project
chairman
Pendleton Lions Club
St. Anthony Hospital,
Pendleton
APRIL 11, 2017
NORLAND
—
Samantha Norland and
Brandon
Norland
of
Weston: a girl, Teagan
Louise Norland.
WINELAND
—
Corrina S. Miura and
Christopher J. Wineland of
Pendleton: a girl, Hayden
Lynn Wineland.
APRIL 12, 2017
DUNN — Sarah Dunn
of Pilot Rock: a girl, Leiya
Lanae Dunn.
staff or other members of
the public to anonymously
report and share confi dential
information of a threat or a
potential threat to student
safety. For more informa-
tion, visit www.safeoregon.
com.
Retired educators association helps current students
BIRTHS
Good Shepherd Medical
Center, Hermiston
APRIL 13, 2017
EZELL — Elizabeth
Dykkesten and Trent Ezell
of Hermiston: a boy, Silas
Milroy Ezell.
POTTER — Curstin M.
Potter and Blake M. Potter
of Umatilla: a boy, Easton
Alan Potter.
APRIL 15, 2017
EDWARDS — Natalie
Edwards and Jonathan
Edwards of Hermiston: a
boy, Jacob Lee Edwards.
EVANS — Stephanie M.
Bates and Johnny L. Evans
Jr. of Hermiston: a boy,
the district’s safety resource
offi cer, for taking the lead
with the class.
SafeOregon is available
to all kindergarten through
12th grade public schools
in Oregon at no cost. It
provides a way for students,
Are you looking for a sweet and
affectionate kitty to call your very own?
Little Mommy is an adorable 5 year old
domestic shorthair mix. She is very shy in
new situations and will take time for her
true colors to shine through. She’s good
with other cats and just loves people.
Come visit Little Mommy at PAWS and
give her a forever home! Her adoption fee
includes spay, tested negative for FELV/
FIV, current shots and de-worm.
Visit Little Mommy at the Pioneer Humane Society/Paws
Tues - Sat • Noon - 4pm • 517 SE 3rd ST, Pendleton
541-276-0181
Check out the PAWSABILITY Thrift Store
216 Pets
Adopte d
in 2017!
Pupcakes
Pet Grooming~Boarding
Day Care
125 S. M ain St.,
Pendleton
541-276-9292
541-429-8787 for Pendleton
541-910-2727 for La Grande
www.leterbark.com
#OR.1015
Pendleton
Take Off Pounds Sensibly
Weekly Meetings
For information call
Sherry 541-429-2808
Heather 541-969-6997