REGION Saturday, April 24, 2021       –—˜­‰  •– “ ””””” –—˜­‰  •  ™ ‡­    ‡ ‡­  ­€‚    œˆ ­  ž € †Œ‘ƒ…’ ‘…ƒ ” ‰Š…’ Š‹­ŒŠ‡ ­„…’† „ ’ƒ„  ­€‚’ƒ„ ‚ˆ…’ ‘’“ƒ ” ‚ˆ…’ Ž ‡ ‚‹…’ ‘•ƒ ” ‚†‡…’† „  ­ƒ ­„… ‚†‡… ˆ‡… ‰Š… ‚ˆ…  €… ‚‹… ŒˆŽ A3 ‰Š…’ ˆ‰   ­„…’† ‡ ›œ‚œ‘€‡Ž‘œ‡‘—‚†‚Œ‘‰˜—€‰‡‚‡‹‚Œ‚†‰Œ‡‚˜    ‹  •š €„   €  ­ƒ’… … ‘—‚ ‚Œ‘‰˜ —‡‘ƒƒ‰­€‡ Œ‚„‰€ €› †Œ‘ƒ™ …– €› ŒˆŽ™†Œ‘ƒ …– €› ŒˆŽ™†Œ‘ƒ …–      ­€€‚‚ š East Oregonian †Œ‘ƒ Community garden gets ready for planting season By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian HERMISTON — The Lovin’ Spadefuls Commu- nity Garden in Hermiston was abuzz with more than just the insects as volunteers recently held a work party to get the garden in shape. Onsite registration for plots at the garden, available on a fi rst-come-fi rst-served basis for $10 for the season, will be Friday, April 30, from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, May 1, from 9 a.m. to noon. The garden is located on the Elm Street side of the Good Shepherd Health Care System campus. Plots still available after the on-site registration days will be available for signup at the Umatilla Morrow Head Start/ WIC offi ces. As the garden celebrates its 10-year anniversary this summer, it boasts new ameni- ties, including 10 raised plots. Garden director Chelle Hankinson said the raised beds, lifted up a few feet off the ground by wooden boxes, are geared toward elderly gardeners and those with disabilities that make it diffi - cult for them to kneel in the dirt. “We’re helping every demographic we can,” she said. On April 17, volunteers were using wood stain to help protect the newly constructed raised beds, while others were putting together the irriga- tion systems for them. Other volunteers had already worked to lay out the painted bricks Jade McDowell/East Oregonian Uppa Shakya, left, and her husband Suva Shakya paint wood stain on the new raised beds at Lovin’ Spadefuls Community Garden in Hermiston on Saturday, April 17, 2021. that mark off each plot, and painted buckets with colorful inspirational messages. Husband and wife Suva and Uppa Shakya were work- ing together to spread wood stain over one of the raised beds. “We’ve been with the garden since the beginning,” Suva said. “Our daughter running around over there was in her belly when we started.” Uppa said they enjoy bringing their children to the garden each summer to teach them how to grow their own food. The family also enjoys the fresh produce they receive from it all summer, including tomatoes, beans, okra, garlic, onions and melons. As the garden prepares to open for the season, Hankin- son said the community continues to be incredibly generous. The new raised beds were paid for by a $4,800 grant from the Good Shepherd Community Health Founda- tion plus other private dona- tions, including lumber from Home Depot and irrigation parts from Elmer’s Irrigation. Hankinson said they plan to create a small oasis of grass, flowers and a bench in the center of the garden this year for people to rest from weed- ing or planting. Over the years the garden has also added a security camera system, a shed with tools for garden members to use, an improved irrigation system, a greenhouse, new signs and other amenities. The Master Gardeners program has a plot with culinary herbs that this year will include additional signs about how to grow and use the herbs. “I just keep reaching for the stars, and they just keep fall- ing into my hands,” Hankin- son said. LOCAL BRIEFING Helix resident honored at ‘Ageless Awards’ tour, was appointed as adjutant general of the Oregon National Guard in Rees 1987 by then-Gov. Neil Goldschmidt. He would become one of the state’s longest-serving adjutant generals over a period span- ning 17 years. HELIX — Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, of Helix, was one of four Oregonians honored at the ninth annual Ageless Awards, celebrat- ing community service later in life, according to a press release from the Oregon- based nonprofi t AGE+. The event, held virtu- ally on Thursday, April 22, recognized remarkable people 75 and older who redefine societal expecta- tions; live with purpose; and serve their communities, the press release said. “Every person, regardless of age, has the capacity to contribute to their commu- nity. This year’s Ageless Award honorees make the best of the gift of long life and generously share it in service to others,” said AGE+ founder and Chief Executive Officer Keren Brown Wilson. Rees, a Vietnam veteran who received the Bronze Star for his service during a particularly dangerous Hermiston City Council to discuss plan for stimulus HERMISTON — The Hermiston City Council will discuss the city’s plans for spending $3.6 million coming to the city from the American Rescue Plan during its Monday, April 26, meeting. The American Rescue Plan Act is the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package passed in March. One part of the act sends direct payments to cities and counties, to help them recover revenue lost during the pandemic and to VISIT US ON THE WEB AT: create local programs to help residents. Hermiston is slated to get $3.6 million — half this summer, and the other half in 2022. The city could also receive additional funds through state and federal grants being created through the act. According to the agenda packet for the meeting, some ideas staff have brainstormed include replenishing the city’s general fund to make up for lost revenue during the pandemic, providing relief funds to local businesses aff ected by pandemic regula- tions, creating an assistance fund for utility customers who fell behind on their bills, or funding capital improve- ment projects to help boost the economy, such as road improvements or broadband connections. The council will also discuss adoption of a master plan for the city’s sewer collection system. The meet- ing will take place at 7 p.m. at the Hermiston Commu- nity Center and will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube page. — EO Media Group www.EastOregonian.com Stanfi eld celebrates Arbor Day Eldon Marcum fl ips hot dogs at a Trucks, Tractors and Trees event hosted by the Stanfi eld Parks and Recreation Department at Bard Park in Stanfi eld on Thursday, April 22, 2021. 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