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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 2019)
PREP SOCCER: Edwin Pacheco and Neftali Pacheco named All-EO Players of the Year | SPORTS, B1 E O AST 144th Year, No. 50 REGONIAN $1.50 WINNER OF THE 2019 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD OUR NEW NEIGHBORS From Ghana to Eastern Oregon THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2019 HEART OF THE HOLIDAYS The gift of giving Care facility provides gifts to seniors through giving tree Researcher from Ghana arrives in Pendleton during Round-Up week Editor’s Note: This story is part of an annual series by the East Oregonian called “Our New Neighbors,” which introduces the community to people who have moved here in the past year. By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian PENDLETON — Kofi Boateng will never forget that he was born on a Friday. It’s easy, he says, because boys in his native Ghana, who are born on a Friday, are traditionally named Kofi . Boys born on Satur- day are called Kwame. And so it goes for every day of the week. Girls have different day-related names. That’s just one of the differ- ences between life in Ghana and his new world — Eastern Oregon. In September, the 35-year- old Ph.D. student traveled 7,000 miles from Ghana to work at the Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center near Pendleton. He arrived in town just as Pend- leton Round-Up week revved up. Boateng, new to rodeo, rustled up a ticket and sat in utter fas- cination as he watched the wild, colorful competition of bull and bronc riders, ropers, steer wres- tlers, barrel racers and his favor- ite event, Indian relay racing. The foray into the Wild West was a prelude to his fi rst day at the agricultural center where he would assist in studying crop pro- duction and greenhouse emis- sions. Boateng has a special inter- est in this research as it relates to his own Ph.D. studies regarding rice production and greenhouse gases. “We want to produce more rice without damaging the environ- ment,” he said, “but rice produc- tion comes with greenhouse emis- sions. We want more production without increased emissions.” The Oregon research project focuses on wheat, but Boateng says the principles of emission research are the same. When he isn’t analyzing gas and soil samples, he is explor- ing his temporary new home. The weather is colder in Eastern Staff photo by Kathy Aney Volunteer Troy Thomas chats with Joan Groene, left, and Ester Paxton at the Desire for Healing after the two opened gifts on Christmas morning. By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian ENDLETON — Most of the residents of Desire for Heal- ing in Pendleton are more than 50 years old, but a sense of giddiness still managed to pervade the residential care facility Christmas Day. Formerly known as Elizabethan Manor, staff from Desire for Healing gathered residents in the dining room and began distributing gifts. Anita Hughs tore into her gifts with delight, offering bits of commentary after the wrapping or tissue paper had been removed. “Mints!” she said. “They’re my favor- ite. I’m going to have to go easy on these.” Hughs wasn’t the only one in for a pleasant surprise on Christmas morning, with each resident getting several gifts. Staff photo by Kathy Aney See Gift, Page A10 Nona Jordan and John Dupuis, residents of Desire for Healing in Pendleton, open gifts on Christmas morning. P See Neighbors, Page A10 Fellowship aplenty at Hermiston’s annual community Christmas dinner By JESSICA POLLARD East Oregonian HERMISTON— It can be hard to measure how the Com- munity Fellowship Christ- mas and Thanksgiving meals impact Hermiston each holi- day season. “I still haven’t done the numbers from Thanksgiving,” said Community Fellowship Dinner secretary Makayla Humphreys. “It’s been very smooth today,” she added during the Christmas meal, which takes place each year at the high school. “Somehow, everything always works out.” The dinner served at least 250 people last Christmas. Organizers at the Community Fellowship Dinner organiza- tion, which has operated com- pletely on donations in Herm- iston since the 1980s, don’t know just yet how many peo- ple were served this holiday. But what cannot be quan- tifi ed can still be showcased through the stories of guests and volunteers that come from everywhere each year to enjoy Staff photo by Kathy Aney See Dinner, Page A10 Volunteers load plates Wednesday during the Community Fellow- ship Dinner on Christmas Day at Hermiston High School.
