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E O
AST
144th Year, No. 50
REGONIAN
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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.