OFF PAGE ONE
Thursday, March 17, 2022
Shelter:
Continued from Page A1
received a flyer in the mail
about the tournament.
“We have never done this
before,” she said. “We get
invited to lots of things, but
we’re a small rescue shelter
… we don’t have any full time
employees. So some fund-
raisers are just way too big for
us. But this looked fun, and I
thought sure, we’ll do it.”
She brought it to the board,
which agreed with her to jump
in and at least try.
The tournament began
March 1 with 64 shelters
across the United States.
Pendleton in Round 1 faced off
against the Humane Society of
El Paso in El Paso, Texas.
“To be honest, I freaked out
when I saw we were against El
Paso,” Beers said, because the
city has a population of almost
700,000. Pendleton’s is about
17,100.
Beers said she even
contacted the tournament
organizers to make sure the
matchup was correct. She
said she found out a computer
selects the competitors at
random. But she also said
organizers assured her size
does not always matter. Last
year’s winner was a small
no-kill cat shelter.
“So that was really crazy,”
Beers said. “We totally knew
we were the underdog, so we
used that in our social media.”
It worked. When the round
closed March 3, El Paso
reported raising $4,222.69.
Pendleton won with $4,728.12
“I was just thrilled,” Beers
said. “I did not think we could
beat El Paso, they are just so
big.”
And Pendleton has contin-
ued knocking off the compe-
tition.
In Round 2: Thrilling 32,
Pendleton faced off against the
Floyd County Humane Soci-
ety in Floyd, Virginia. This
time, Pendleton was the big
dog against little Floyd, popu-
lation about 725.
Still, the small town gave a
doggone good showing, rais-
ing $1,431.44, just not enough
to oust Pendleton, which
brought in $1,699.81
Pendleton in Round 3:
Snuggly 16, took down the
Animal Friends Humane
Society of Hamilton, Ohio,
$2,019.47 to $1,701.16.
And in Round 4: Excellent
8, Pendleton again took down
a bigger player, but with its
smallest dollar amount so far.
The Gulf Coast Humane
Society in Corpus Christi,
Texas — population about
326,000 — raised $836.83,
while Pendleton raised
$931.48.
Now Pendleton takes on
Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shel-
ter and Sanctuary in Tucson,
Arizona, in the Furry 4 begin-
ning Thursday, March 17, and
ending two days later.
Hermitage looks to be
Pendleton’s toughest oppo-
nent yet.
In Round 1, Hermitage
faced Stray Rescue of St. Louis
in St. Louis, Missouri. Stray
Rescue raised $22,054.21 —
more than what PAWS has
raised through the tournament
so far. But Hermitage raised
$24,885.81.
While Hermitage has
continued to trounce its oppo-
nents, its fundraising also
dropped to an average of
$4,551.48 across the last three
rounds.
Still, Beers said, Hermit-
age appears to have donors
with deep pockets.
Spreading the word
To generate interest in
supporting PAWS, Beers,
who handles most of the
social media for the organiza-
tion and shelter, has been post-
ing on Twitter and Facebook
about animals the shelter has
rescued.
“We’ve had great stories,”
she said, including about
Astrid and Butch and their
five puppies.
PAWS received tips about
FEEL THE SPEED,
EVEN AT PEAK TIMES.
MARCH MUTTNESS
The Pioneer Humane Soci-
ety and Pendleton Animal
Welfare Shelter have made
it to the Furry 4 in the March
Muttness Tournament, in
which 64 animal shelters
nationwide compete to out
fundraise one another until
there is a champion.
Rounds last 60 hours each,
from 8 a.m. the day they
open to 8 p.m. the night
they close two days later.
Round 1: All Tails In! 64
March 1 to March 3
Round 2: Thrilling 32
March 5 to March 7
Round 3: Snuggly 16
March 9 to March 11
Round 4: Excellent 8
March 13 to March 15
Round 5: Furry 4 March 17
to March 19
Round 6: Championship
March 21 to March 23
As of Wednesday, March 16,
the participating shelters
raised more than $207,000.
For more information
and to support PAWS
in the tournament, visit
MarchMuttness.org.
people feeding a female dog
with puppies that lived in a
junk yard behind the Pendle-
ton Walmart.
“There’s a junk yard there,”
Beers said, “and this gentle-
man had the mother dog,
father dog and five puppies
under his RV.”
The man agreed to let
PAWS rescue the whole lot,
and the shelter took them
in Feb. 21, when overnight
temperatures were again
dipping into single digits.
“He surrendered them, so
we’re really grateful for that,”
she said.
PAWS has worked to find
homes for the dogs, and the
father dog, Butch, was a bit of
a worry. He is old, Beers said,
and blind, and perhaps even
hard of hearing. But a family
took him in March 15, with the
goal of rehoming him.
“We’re really hoping it
works out with him because
they have another blind dog,
and they know how to work
with special needs dogs,” she
said.
She also shared the story of
Grunter, who needed surgery
for a torn ACL.
The estimate for the
surgery was $1,000-$1,300,
Beers said, and a donor gave
an even $1,000.
Kennedy Veterinar y
Services, Milton-Freewater,
did the surgery, and Beers and
her husband and son picked
up Grunter on March 15 and
brought him to his foster
home.
Beers said PAWS is grate-
ful for the donation, and
she stressed every donation
matters, no matter the size.
And sharing content from
PAWS on social media also
helps.
“If people share our social
media posts, it makes a huge
difference — not just in dona-
tions, but getting lost animals
home, getting pets adopted,
etc.”
The stories help connect
people to the animals and
the work of PAWS and that
attracts donations. Beers
further explained PAWS has
to rely on social media for
promotions because the oper-
ation is so small it does not
even have an executive direc-
tor, let alone someone to head
up media relations.
“We have around five part-
time employees and lots of
volunteers,” Beers said.
As of March 16, the partic-
ipating shelters nationwide
raised more than $207,000.
To support PAWS, visit hssaz.
org/marchmuttness-2022 and
click on the PAWS logo. The
Furry 4 round runs 8 a.m.
March 17 to 8 p.m. March 19.
If Pioneer Humane Soci-
ety/Pendleton Animal Welfare
Shelter prevail, it moves to
the championship starting at
8 a.m. March 21 and conclud-
ing 8 p.m. March 23.
Get strong, fast Wi-Fi to work and
play throughout your home. ^
No annual contract.
Based on wired connection to gateway.
Power multiple devices at once—
everyone can enjoy their own screen.
East Oregonian
Tourism:
better caretakers of nature.”
Environmental education
is an important aspect of Go
Wild, showing clients how
to make the most out of an
outdoor experience while
appreciating the land.
“That component I think
is a big part of the narrative,”
Sizer said. “We talk about
growing up on this land and
how we use it, how import-
ant it is to use it in a certain
way so that we protect this
resource for generations to
come. In Eastern Oregon,
you’re connected to the value
of the land.”
Pat Vaughan joined Sizer
in 2017 with the primary
focus of crafting a gourmet
food experience for trav-
elers. Vaughan has since
moved on to nursing school,
but the culinary services he
introduced carry on in the
company. Go Wild: Amer-
ican Adventures partners
with local businesses, such as
Glacier 45 Distillery, Termi-
nal Gravity, Copper Belt
Wines and other area restau-
rants and businesses.
“What I think makes a
memorable trip is the people
you meet, the food you eat
and the experiences that push
the boundaries,” Sizer said.
“We’ve tried to instill really
cool things that you might
not do by yourself.”
Sizer and his crew have
a slate of summer events
already planned, while
custom trips can be sched-
uled on the Go Wild: Amer-
ican Adventures website,
w w w. g o w i l d u s a . c o m .
According to Sizer, the busi-
ness is planning to part-
ner with a mule packer this
summer, elevating the poten-
tial for high-end food experi-
ence as well as helping with
accessibility for those who
may not be able to carry a
backpack well.
On top of showcasing the
natural treasures of Eastern
Oregon, Sizer noted that Go
Wild: American Adventures
has helped create lasting
connections among partici-
pants and crew members.
“I think one of the cool-
est things,” Sizer said, “is
the community it fosters
within people.”
of the pilot program. City
Manager Robb Corbett
said one of the only ways
the city could determine
the financial impact of the
program was for Elite to
open its books at the end of
the period.
The council didn’t seem
to reach a consensus by the
time Mayor John Turner
ended discussion for the
night. The next step is for
staff to draft an ordinance
based on the proposal,
and Turner said the coun-
cil could decide whether to
move forward with the pilot
during discussions on the
ordinance.
Unlike most other ordi-
nances, which usually
require t wo meetings
before being passed, the
staff’s plan calls for the
council to unanimously
vote to waive that require-
ment, hold a public hearing
and then vote on the ordi-
nance. Should it pass, the
council would also declare
an emergency so that it
could take effect immedi-
ately.
Staff anticipated the
council voting on the ordi-
nance at its April 5 meet-
ing. While the Reynens
and Johlkes were the only
people allowed to talk at
the podium on Tuesday, the
upcoming public hearing
will allow anyone to state
their thoughts for or against
the ordinance.
Continued from Page A1
Oregon toward interested
individuals from out of town
looking for an extended visit.
Sizer and his team of
four focus on guiding the
trips throughout treasured
spots in Eastern Oregon.
The crew helps the clients
have the most ideal outdoor
experience, by providing
services such as transporting
equipment, teaching fishing
lessons and serving high-end
campfire meals.
The business often helps
beginners or inexperienced
campers submerge them-
selves in a full-on backpack-
ing experience that otherwise
might be out of their comfort
zone. Sizer noted that many
car campers look to Go Wild:
American Adventures for a
more immersive camping
and hiking experience.
“My thinking is that if
I can provide a really fun,
comfortable experience
for folks if it’s their first
time sleeping in the wilder-
ness, then those people
have a greater understand-
ing and appreciation for the
outdoors,” Sizer said. “Ulti-
mately, I think they become
Taxi:
Continued from Page A1
use taxis ordinarily, mean-
ing the two sides might not
compete with one another
for customers.
“We’re talking about
two different markets here,”
she said.
Councilor Linda
Neuman asked how the
city would track the results
A7
Go Wild: American Adventures/Contributed Photo
Go Wild: American Adventures owner Dan Sizer, top right,
and lead guide Kaleb Lay, bottom right, former reporter
for The Observer, lead a private tour in the Eagle Cap Wil-
derness. The Baker City-based business curates outdoor
experiences in Eastern Oregon.
Win up to $1,000 CASH and your entry
to win a 2022 Toyota Tacoma!
Drawings every Friday and Saturday, 6–9pm
Entry Multiplier
Win
up to
5X
Entries
every Wednesday!
Swipe at an
to activate.
March 26
Actual truck model and color may vary.
DAB YOUR CALENDAR
Grab a friend and
join us for bingo!
Visit wildhorseresort.com for monthly bingo schedule.
Number of devices depends on screen size/resolution.
Over 99% reliability.
Excludes DSL. Based on network availability.
AT&T
INTERNET 100
††
45
$
/mo *
For 12 mos, plus taxes & equip. fee. $10/mo equip. fee applies.
Limited availability in select areas. *Price after $5/mo
Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills).
Limited availability in select areas. May not be available inyour area.
Call or goto att.com/internetto see if you qualify.
Contact your local DIRECTV dealer
IV Support Holdings
888-486-0359
INTERNET OFFER: Subj. to change and may be discontinued at any time. Price for Internet 100 for new residential customers & is after $5/mo. autopay & paperless bill discount. Pricing for first 12 months only. After 12 mos., then
prevailing rate applies. Autopay & Paperless Bill Discount: Discount off the monthly rate when account is active & enrolled in both. Pay full plan cost until discount starts w/in 2 bill cycles. Must maintain autopay/paperless bill and valid email
address to continue discount. Additional Fees & Taxes: AT&T one-time transactional fees, $10/mo. equipment fee, and monthly cost recovery surcharges which are not government-required may apply, as well as taxes. See www.att.com/fees for
details. Installation: $99 installation for full tech install, plus tax where applicable. Credit restrictions apply. Pricing subject to change. Subj. to Internet Terms of Service at att.com/internet-terms. ^AT&T Smart Wi-Fi requires installation of a
BGW210, 5268AC, or NVG599 Wi-Fi Gateway. Standard with Internet plans (12M or higher). Whole home Wi-Fi connectivity may require AT&T Smart Wi-Fi Extender(s) sold separately. ††Internet speed claims represent maximum network service
capability speeds and based on wired connection to gateway. Actual customer speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on several factors. For more information, go to www.att.com/speed101.
©2021 DIRECTV. DIRECTV and all other DIRECTV marks are trademarks of DIRECTV, LLC. AT&T and Globe logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
CASINO • HOTEL • GOLF • CINEPLEX • RV
MUSEUM • DINING • TRAVEL PLAZA • FUNPLEX
®
800.654.9453 • PENDLETON, OR • I-84, EXIT 216 • wildhorseresort.com • Owned and operated by CTUIR
Management reserves all rights to alter, suspend or withdraw promotions/offers at any time.
CAT11162-3