REGION
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3A
HERMISTON
Veterans, loved ones remembered on Avenue of Flags
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
East Oregonian
It was a picture-per-
fect day for the annual
Avenue of the Flags at
the Hermiston Cemetary.
About 50 people gathered
at the cemetery’s covered
pavilion to honor those who
died serving in the military.
The presentation, organized
by the Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post 4750, American
Legion Post 37 and the
U.S. Army Honor Guard,
included a short speech by
VFW member Ron Jardine
reading the names of all
local veterans who died in
the past year, the playing of
“Taps” and the presentation
of the colors.
Several
Gold
Star
Mothers
were
also
recognized at the event.
June Spearman, Shirley
Huston, Jane Poole and
Paula Trueax were named
in honor of their children
who died during military
service. Spearman and
Huston were present at the
event.
“Today we pay a tribute
of respect to our fallen
comrades,” Jardine said.
“The self was forgotten in
cause of the greater good.”
Jardine said between 700
and 800 flags were installed
on the cemetery grounds
for Memorial Day, with
help from Boy Scout Troop
630 and the Hermiston
High School football team.
The names of 71
veterans who passed away
this year were read during
the roll call.
Several other people
were also roaming the
cemetery grounds, putting
down flowers, or setting up
chairs and chatting near the
graves of loved ones.
Staff photo by Jayati Ramakrishnan
ABOVE: The annual Avenue of the Flags ceremony at Hermiston
Cemetery was Monday morning, and included between 700 and 800
flags installed around the grounds.
RIGHT: A member of the U.S. Army Honor Guard plays “Taps” during
the Avenue of the Flags ceremony at Hermiston Cemetery on Me-
morial Day.
PENDLETON
Staff photo by Tammy Malgesini
Lorie Morrison looks on while Sarah English and
Chelle Hankinson, facilitator of Lovin’ Spadefuls,
connect a drip line May 23 at the Hermiston com-
munity garden.
Community garden
plows into summer
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Travis and Trish Lundquist and sons Rhys, Elliott and Zac stand Monday during a Memorial Day ceremony at
Olney Cemetery in Pendleton.
Considering the sacrifices of others
Never too young to recall those lost serving their country
By KATHY ANEY
East Oregonian
The Lundquist family
stood out during the Memo-
rial Day ceremony at Olney
Cemetery.
For one, Travis and Trish
Lundquist and their three
sons, Zac, 12, Rhys, 9, and
Elliott, 7, were decades
younger than most of the
others who came to honor
veterans and embrace their
inner patriotism and pride
of country. Each carried a
miniature version of Old
Glory. The boys wore flag
shirts that Trish had found at
J.C. Penney.
“There was only one shirt
left in each of their sizes,”
Trish said with a laugh.
While most everyone
else escaped to the shade of
some of the nearby trees,
the Lundquists parked their
lawn chairs in the sun with
a straight-on view of the
action.
They watched as two
members of the VFW Let’er
Buck Post 922 posted the
colors.
The boys stood
during the national anthem
and bowed their heads during
the invocation by pastor
Chris Clemons. The trio of
boys focused hard during a
speech by state commander
and local VFW member
Richard Halverson.
“Today,” Halverson said,
“we pay tribute to those
heroic patriots who made
the ultimate sacrifice, who
bravely rose up and fought
for something greater than
themselves, protecting a
home to which they never
returned. We honor their
service, mourn their loss and
remember the families they
left behind.”
The Lundquists and about
50 others on the cemetery
lawn watched as a wreath
was laid and listened to the
haunting notes of “Taps”
coming from the bugle of
Dave Chorazy, who stood off
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Dave Chorazy plays “Taps” during the Memorial Day cer-
emony Monday morning at Olney Cemetery.
in a grove of trees.
Afterwards, as the Lund-
quists folded their chairs and
got ready to go, Travis and
Trish said the boys hadn’t
been wildly excited about
coming, but had willingly
agreed. Travis explained why
they had pushed their sons to
attend.
“It’s an appreciation of who
was here before us,” he said.
“We get to do this. We get to
have the choice. Others don’t.
We’re trying to teach our kids
to be participants. There are
people who can’t participate
anymore – they sacrificed that
opportunity for us.”
Trish nodded at her
husband.
“It’s important for them
to see some of the faces of
people who’ve been there
and have known people
who’ve made the ultimate
sacrifice,” she said. “It just
brings it home a little bit
more. It makes it real for all
of us.”
The boys put in their two
cents, too.
“It makes me have a good
feeling,” Rhys said.
“We have freedoms,”
Elliott said. “In some other
countries, people can’t even
go to school.”
“Memorial Day was made
so we can respect the ones
who made the sacrifices
and gave us freedom in this
United States,” said Zac.
“The schools have this day
off so that we can respect
those who gave their lives for
us.”
Music to their parents’
ears. Travis and Trish, who
own Pendleton’s KOA
Campground, gathered up
their progeny and headed to
the car with smiles on their
faces.
———
Contact Kathy Aney at
kaney@eastoregonian.com
or call 541-966-0810.
Lovin’ Spadefuls, the
Hermiston
community
garden, is taking shape.
A community service
crew joined volunteers
recently to assist in erecting
a fence around the garden
and put the finishing touches
on the drip irrigation system.
“It’s coming right
along,”
said
Chelle
Hankinson, garden facil-
itator and a member of
the Healthy Communities
Coalition. “We’re excited
to have the help.”
Due
to
on-going
construction at Good Shep-
herd Medical Center, the
garden, which is in its sixth
season, is in a new location
on the hospital’s property.
Accessible from West Elm
Avenue, Hankinson is
hopeful the more visible
location will result in addi-
tional interest in the garden.
The garden, she said,
truly is a community effort.
In addition to donations of
materials from American
Fencing and Elmer’s Irri-
gation & Supplies, both of
Hermiston, master gardener
George Clough was able to
obtain additional supplies
from Toro of the Tri-Cities.
The garden, Hankinson
said, is a great resource to the
community. For people who
don’t have the space, live in
apartments or even people
who don’t want to deal with
remembering to water, the
garden provides the perfect
solution, she said.
“All people have to do
is plant, weed and then tend
to what grows in their plot,”
Hankinson said. “They don’t
have to worry about watering
— it’s all automatic.”
Currently, the garden
has room for about 48
plots — with room to grow,
Hankinson said. About 24
spaces are still available for
people to plant in. However,
Hankinson
encourages
anyone who is interested to
register as soon as possible.
“Right now is the best
time to plant,” she said.
Any leftover spaces are
filled with donated items
from Kopacz Nursery &
Florist. Food harvested from
those plots, Hankinson said,
are donated to Agape House
or families in need.
Anyone can register
for garden space. The cost
is $10 per plot, which is
approximately 12 feet by
12 feet. For an application,
visit www.umchs.com or
stop by Umatilla Morrow
Head Start, 110 N.E. Fourth
St., Hermiston.
To get to the garden, turn
onto the hospital property on
Elm Avenue. The access road
is across from the Peterson
Clinic, 1002 W. Elm Ave.
Also, some gardeners
share their bounty. A recent
posting on the Lovin’
Spadefuls Facebook page
announced tomato plants
were available in a bucket
by the garden’s shed.
HEALTHY FRIDAYS
FREE health screenings & health coaching: Blood
pressure checks, weigh-ins, body mass
index, cholesterol and glucose.
First Friday of every month
8am-11am
GSMC Conference Center 7 (by Education Dept)
TECHNIQUES OF RELAXATION
FREE class to effectively combat stress. Come learn about
different ways to relax your body and take some time for yourself.
8 weekly classes. Space is limited.
Mondays Starting
June 5th • 10-11am
Must pre-register, call 541-667-3509
BABYSITTING BASICS
For babysitters ages 10-15. Learn childcare
techniques, children's developmental stages and
what to expect, basic first aid and infant and child
CPR. $50, includes lunch & all class materials.
9:00am - 3:00pm
Join us today!
Apply Online:
June 10, Aug. 5 or Sept. 9
Must pre-register and pre-pay, call 541-667-3509
Text for more info:
Information or to register
call (541) 667-3509
or email
healthinfo@gshealth.org
www.gshealth.org