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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 2018)
REGION Friday, November 2, 2018 East Oregonian Shoebox presents share gifts, love of Christ National Collection Week is Nov. 12-19 By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian Most kids in the United States wouldn’t be very excited if they opened a Christmas present and found a toothbrush. However, chil- dren in countries beset with war, poverty, natural disas- ter, famine or disease are often thrilled when they receive such gifts through Operation Christmas Child. Each holiday season shoeboxes are filled with personal hygiene items, toys, clothing, school sup- plies and more by a min- istry of the international relief organization Samar- itan’s Purse. The gifts are distributed to needy chil- dren across the globe. Barb Wattenburger, the area drop- off location team leader, has heard stories about kids hav- ing to share personal hygiene items in orphanages in third world countries. Something as basic as a toothbrush, she said, can bring a smile to the face of a child. “They received a box and it included toothbrushes. The kids were just ecstatic because they had their own toothbrush,” Wattenburger said. “You can’t even under- stand that in this country.” As National Collec- tion Week approaches, area churches, businesses, ser- vice clubs and individuals have been busy gathering items and packing shoe- boxes. Dave and Dorothy Smith, owners of O So Kleen in Hermiston, have turned the project into an employee team-building activity. While involvement isn’t mandatory, Dave Smith said all of his employees partic- ipated this year. Earlier this week, the O So Kleen got together for breakfast and packed boxes. “We had an hour of food, fun and fellowship before we went to work for the day,” Smith said. The Smiths initially got involved with Opera- tion Christmas Child while Contributed photo Employees at O So Kleen in Hermiston show off the shoebox gifts they packaged for Operation Christmas Child, which provides presents to needy children across the globe. Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week drop-off sites Pendleton •Calvary Chapel, 1909 S.W. Athens Ave. •Nov. 12-13, 15-17; 4-6 p.m. •Nov. 14, 19; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. •Nov. 17; 7:30-9 a.m. •Nov. 18; 1-3 p.m. Denise Skeen, 541-443- living in Richland. Chil- dren at the church that the couple attended helped in increasing awareness and enthusiasm for the proj- ect — presenting the shoe- box packages in front of the church before they were sent to the collection center for shipping. “It impacted me seeing that the children were the ones giving to other kids,” Dorothy Smith said. When the couple moved to Hermiston, Dorothy served as the children’s ministry director at New Hope Community Church. While the church had been involved in the shoebox gift project, Wattenburger said it soared when kids got involved with helping. Wattenburger said her interest in the program is 2882, 541-377-2103, denise@ ccpendleton.com Hermiston •New Hope Community Church, 1350 S. Highway 395 •Nov. 12-17, 19; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. •Nov. 13, 15; 5-7 p.m. •Nov. 18; noon-2 p.m. Barb Wattenburger, 541- 626-3159 Milton-Freewater •Milton Adventist Church, 1244 N. Elizabeth St. •Nov. 12-16; 5-8 p.m. •Nov. 17; 9:30 a.m.-12:30 centered around reaching out to children — to let them know they are loved. It opens the door to share about Jesus Christ, she added. “A gift is a tangible way that shows that we love them and that God loves them,” Wattenburger said. “There are people in the community that follow up with the kids. They aren’t just throwing a box at them and driving up to the next place.” After gifts are distrib- uted, local ministry partners in many of the countries invite the children to enroll in “The Greatest Journey,” a 12-lesson discipleship pro- gram. The idea is to estab- lish longterm relationships with the children and their families. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has deliv- By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian Crafts show fills TRAC Center PASCO, Wash. — Hand- crafted items, original art- work, specialty foods and more offers people a chance to find unique Christmas gift items. In its 23rd year, Custer’s Christmas Arts & Crafts Show is Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from Wife faces felony charges for allegedly assaulting husband that she punched him three times in the face while she was driving and he was the Natasha Mable Wat- passenger. Roberts said son of Pendleton faces fel- Watson bloodied her hus- ony charges for band’s nose that time. allegedly assault- ing her husband Police also during a two- interviewed neighbors, Rob- week span. erts said, and Pendleton virtually all of Police Chief Stu- art Roberts said them said they witnessed Wat- officers are famil- iar with Watson, son punching and her arrest Watson her husband. He the night of Oct. said one even 26 led to the revelation of recounted Watson hold- ing a child and delivering a multiple assaults. Roberts said Watson’s blow to her husband’s face. Roberts described the husband used Facebook Messenger that night to tell situation in the home as a family member his wife “volatile” and said Wat- assaulted him, and he sent son’s alcohol use and a digital photo of his inju- abuse plays a role. ries. The family member The district attorney’s office presented evidence called police. Watson was reluctant in the case Wednesday to to let officers inside the a grand jury, according to apartment, Roberts said, court records, which issued and after she did, they saw an indictment with the fol- where she slapped her hus- lowing charges: one count band on the face. Rob- of misdemeanor fourth-de- erts said the victim “mini- gree assault, two counts mized” the severity of the of felony fourth-degree pain, so police arrested assault and three counts Watson for the misde- of harassment, also misde- meanor domestic violence meanors. The state alleges charge of harassment. the crimes took place on “For assault, we have to Oct. 13, 17, 18 and 26. Watson remains in the prove substantial pain,” he jail. She has an arraignment said. Officers later ques- on the charges Monday. tioned the husband, who You can find local told them Watson punched information and help with him in the face some days domestic and sexual vio- before in front of their two lence at https://www. young children, accord- o c a d s v. o rg / f i n d - h e l p / ing to Roberts, and before by-county/umatilla. By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian p.m. •Nov. 18; 1-4 p.m. •Nov. 19; 9-11 a.m. 541-938-3066, miltonad- ventist@gmail.com —— For more information, about Operation Christmas Child and National Collection Week, contact Barb Wattenburger, the area drop-off location team leader, at 541-626-3159 or pau- landbarbw@gmail.com. Also, information on what and how to pack a shoebox gift is available at www.samaritanspurse.org. ered 157 million shoe- box gifts to children in 160 countries. This year’s goal is to reach another 11 million kids, said Cassie Roberts, a media relations associ- ate with Samaritan’s Purse. In 2017, Wattenburger said 1,871 boxes were collected in the Hermiston area and 1,092 in Pendleton. A donation of $9 is requested to offset shipping costs. Wattenburger said money is available if people can’t afford that. For more information about Operation Christmas Child, including guidelines for shoebox gifts and an option to virtually “Build a Box,” visit www. samaritanspurse.org/occ. ——— Contact Community Edi- tor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian. Hermiston FFA brings home medals Four Hermiston High School students attended the Future Farmers of America national conven- tion last week, competing against students from 43 other states. The competition was in Indianapolis, Indiana, and featured students from all around the nation, testing their skills in a variety of subjects. Hermiston’s Veterinary Sciences team consisted of Kennidy Baker, Adriann Stewart, Isel Tejeda Urenda and Jenna Wallace. Baker took home a gold medal, Stewart and Wallace got silvers, and Tejeda Urenda received a bronze medal. Overall, the group made the silver team. “With FFA, once you compete at the national level in a certain category, you’re never allowed to compete in it again,” said Baker, a junior. Tejeda Urenda, a senior, said each state’s compe- tition is structured dif- ferently, and Oregon fol- lows a layout similar to the national level. The chal- lenge, she said, is that the state and national compe- titions are almost a year apart. Page 3A Photo courtesy of Hermiston School District Kennidy Baker, left, Isel Tejeda Urenda, Adriann Stew- art and Jenna Wallace won medals at the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis last week. Baker and Tejeda Urenda said there are many tasks and categories in which students have to compete. In the identification com- ponent, students have to be able to identify 43 par- asites, around 130 tools, and 150 animal breeds, and will be quizzed on them at random. There’s a math sec- tion, where students have to solve problems, such as how much medication to give an animal based on their weight. A written por- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun- day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the TRAC Center, 6600 N. Burden Blvd. It’s located off Interstate 182 Exit No. 9, Pasco. It features more than 150 vendors. The entry fee is $7, which includes admis- sion all weekend. Children 12 and under are free. For more information, call 509-924-0588 or visit www.custershows.com. tion asked students to dis- cuss opioids and how vet- erinarians have to consider human abuse of the drugs when administering them to animals. There was a multiple choice test, a practicum portion, and an extempo- raneous speaking portion. In the latter, students had to work in a group to pre- pare a presentation about “fear-free feline medicine,” which discusses the ways vets can reduce stress and anxiety for animals going to the veterinarian. That anxi- ety, in turn, leads to longer recovery times for animals. Though not all of the students want to become veterinarians, some hope the skills they’re learning in FFA will transition to their desired careers. “I’d like to be a rumi- nant nutritionist,” said Tejeda Urenda. “Develop- ing feeds for cattle, lambs, anything with a four-cham- ber stomach.” Baker does want to be a veterinarian, and has started looking at colleges. “This is what I want to do with my life,” she said. Hermiston man dies in motorcycle crash East Oregonian A Hermiston man died in a motorcycle crash early Thursday morning. Oregon State Police Sgt. Seth Cooney said the driver was Michael James Wilson, 62, of Hermis- ton. Although there were no witnesses, Cooney said officers think around 1:55 a.m., Wilson drifted off the roadway and drove into a ditch where he struck a culvert and was ejected from the motorcycle. Wilson was travel- ing southbound on High- way 207 when the wreck happened at Milepost 19, near Buttercreek Road. Cooney said that area is known for being a high-traffic area for deer crossing, and there have been other crashes there due to deer. Cooney said about 10 minutes after the crash another driver came by and saw a headlight on SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS Submit information to: community@eastorego- nian.com in a nearby field from the motorcycle, but it took a bit longer to locate Wilson. Wilson died at the scene. 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