NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
A2
Saturday, May 14, 2022
OHSU students in La Grande to embark to Honduras
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — A group of
nursing students in La Grande is
gearing up to take part in an inter-
national service project.
Nine students currently study-
ing at the Oregon Health & Science
University La Grande campus will
embark on a full-week service proj-
ect in Honduras this June, focus-
ing on health-related outreach and
sustainable development in places
in need. The trip is student orga-
nized, with extensive fundraising
efforts underway to afford the trip.
“For most of us, we are wanting
to be able to have more experience
caring for a more diverse popula-
tion,” OHSU student Jessica Norton
said. “We’d like to gain that experi-
ence with a more diverse commu-
nity and increase access to the care
that they’re unable to receive.”
The project is organized through
Global Brigades, an international
health and sustainable development
nonprofit organization founded in
2007. The organization operates
year round, organizing trips for
nursing students and other areas of
study alike. The students embark on
the fundraising and trip planning
process, while Global Brigades
organizes the service week and gets
the students where they need to be
to help those in need.
Diana Siltanen, a clinical
instructor at the La Grande OHSU
campus, helped bring the Global
Brigades trip to La Grande for
the first time. The partnership
stems from connections to other
Jessica Norton/Contributed Photo
Jessica Norton, right, a student at Oregon Health & Science University La Grande campus, drops off a meal to
Susan Lewis, left, during a meal-delivery event for the group of La Grande students who are set to embark on a
trip to Honduras through Global Brigades. The group of students will participate in a week-long service event
in the summer of 2022 in Honduras.
OHSU campuses in Klamath Falls,
Monmouth and across the state.
The nonprofit organization pioneers
service trips to locations such as
Honduras, Guatemala, Panama,
Ghana and Greece.
The group of La Grande students
consists of Kylie Kennedy, Brianna
Humeston, Sierra Ashley, Madison
Conklin, Morgan Bogart, Tiana
Williams, Amanda Vieira De Melo,
Jessica Norton and Lexie Johnson.
For Kennedy, the buildup to the
trip has been a worthwhile experi-
ence in creating a new-found cama-
raderie amongst OHSU students
after the pandemic has limited
in-person interactions over the last
two years.
“We’ve been in school online
for our first year and a half, so this
term has been our first term where
we have classes together in person,”
Kennedy said. “I think it’s been a
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great opportunity to really get to
know people.”
Fundraising is a key component
of taking part in the trip, which is
open to all current OHSU students
as well as recent alumni. Accord-
ing to Norton, the group has raised
$31,787 of the required $50,258
necessary for the entire trip.
“The students do their own fund-
raising and organize that process
entirely on their own,” OHSU
Diversity Coordinator Beckie
Juarez said.
According to Norton, the prepa-
ration process also includes sharp-
ening up on Spanish language
speaking skills and watching prepa-
ratory videos. In addition to fund-
raising for travel costs, the group
was required to raise roughly
$1,000 worth of supplies to hand out
during their time in Honduras —
the items include hygiene packs and
travel-size toiletries. Upon arriving
in Honduras, the group will be led
by Global Brigades organizers to
pinpoint projects in areas of need.
“It’s going to be very structured,
they have pretty much every hour
of the day planned for us,” Norton
said.
For Kennedy, the trip is an
opportunity to apply her studies in
a real-world setting. Hearing stories
from previous students who took
international service trips inspired
her to take part in a similar expe-
rience.
“I have gained skills working
through the healthcare field within
the last six years that I think would
be really beneficial in an area like
Honduras,” Kennedy said.
Juarez noted that a local group of
OHSU previously planned a service
trip to Thailand years ago, but the
pandemic put a halt on those plans
and the possibility of other service
trips over the last several years.
“I know students were disap-
pointed about that, then COVID hit
and took away those opportunities
altogether,” Juarez said. “This is the
first international trip students here
have been able to take since then.”
Community Connection of Northeast
Oregon has new executive director
By RONALD BOND
Wallowa County Chieftain
Warmer with a
couple of showers
An afternoon
thundershower
Cloudy
Times of clouds
and sun
Cool with rain and
drizzle
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
70° 49°
74° 57°
65° 46°
64° 44°
65° 46°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
75° 52°
77° 57°
71° 48°
67° 47°
69° 51°
OREGON FORECAST
ALMANAC
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
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TEMP.
Seattle
Olympia
58/49
56/44
69/46
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
65/50
Lewiston
65/52
77/53
Astoria
57/50
Pullman
Yakima 72/45
60/47
64/48
Portland
Hermiston
66/54
The Dalles 75/52
Salem
Corvallis
62/50
Yesterday
Normals
Records
La Grande
64/44
PRECIPITATION
John Day
Eugene
Bend
65/51
70/45
66/47
Ontario
72/47
Caldwell
Burns
61°
39°
76°
46°
100° (1993) 33° (2004)
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
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Last year to date
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Albany
64/51
0.13"
0.81"
0.32"
4.70"
1.99"
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WINDS (in mph)
71/47
67/41
0.17"
1.16"
0.56"
6.78"
3.81"
5.90"
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
LOW
TEMP.
Pendleton 60/41
64/54
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
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HERMISTON
Enterprise
70/49
69/52
59°
36°
72°
46°
96° (1931) 30° (1903)
PRECIPITATION
Moses
Lake
62/48
Aberdeen
55/42
62/47
Tacoma
Yesterday
Normals
Records
Spokane
Wenatchee
61/49
Today
Boardman
Pendleton
Medford
73/51
Sun.
WSW 6-12
WSW 7-14
N 4-8
N 6-12
SUN AND MOON
Klamath Falls
68/41
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2022
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
5:25 a.m.
8:18 p.m.
6:51 p.m.
4:42 a.m.
Full
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First
May 15
May 22
May 30
June 7
NATIONAL EXTREMES
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 103° in Zapata, Texas Low 16° in Angel Fire, N.M.
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
LA GRANDE — Connie
Guentert knows she has big
shoes to fill as the new exec-
utive director of Commu-
nity Connection of Northeast
Oregon.
The outgoing director,
Margaret Davidson, was
right alongside Guentert as
she made the transition into
the lead role in the company,
a move that became official
May 1.
“Margaret has just been a
fantastic leader and teacher,”
Guentert said. “To be able to
follow in those large shoes
is a challenge, but also the
foundation of having her for
all this time, she’s imbued
in me those same values and
goals that we strive for in our
agency.”
Guentert has been a part of
Community Connection for
15 years, the last eight as the
county manager in Wallowa
County.
“Matter of fact, it’s like
eight years exactly. May 1
eight years ago I took over
as county manager — eight
years later, the new executive
director,” she said.
Guentert said she has been
“inspired” by Davidson, and
repeatedly praised her effort
fronting the agency, calling
her an “invaluable teacher”
and a person who leads by
example.
Guentert began as a front
office assistant in 2007. She
also spent time in transpor-
tation before moving into her
Contributed Photo
Margaret Davidson, left, outgoing executive director for
Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, stands next
to Connie Guentert, right, the new director. Guentert served
for eight years as the manager in Wallowa County prior to
stepping into her new role May 1, 2022.
county manager role in 2014.
Knowing as many of the ins
and outs of CCNO is valuable,
she said.
“Learning the program
from the ground up and grow-
ing up within the agency,
it has given me such a well
rounded perspective of what
this agency does for all the
communities that we operate
in,” she said. “It is so diverse.”
Guentert said the deci-
sion to step into the execu-
tive director role is one that
required a deep internal look.
“I loved my job as the
county manager,” she said.
“Did I want to drive to La
Grande everyday? Yea, it was
a lot of inner reflection. Did
I want to take that step and
continue on in the wonder-
ful culture and leadership
that Margaret has (not only)
led by example, but … really
infused through our entire
agency. It inspired me to step
up and have the opportunity
to continue the culture, the
foundation of our agency,
(and) the family of it.”
Guentert will continue to
live in Wallowa County, stay-
ing in an area she has grown
to love, and will make the
commute on a daily basis.
Guentert said she doesn’t
plan to make any alterations
to the way Davidson operated
CCNO, instead wanting to
continue the legacy the long-
time executive director built.
“I am definitely going to
operate it the same way she
has,” she said. “Being present
in the future, what our coun-
ties need, that is why we’re
here. We’re here to serve
people.”
Guentert also said she
hopes Community Connec-
tion Wallowa County names
her by mid-May.
IN BRIEF
Baker City man hurt in
motorcycle crash improves
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BAKER CITY — A Baker City man who
was seriously hurt in a motorcycle crash
May 4 is improving in a Boise hospital.
Terris Blain Webb, 50, who was in crit-
ical condition after being brought to Saint
Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise, had
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May 9, hospital spokesman Mark Snider said.
Webb was hurt when the motorcycle he
was riding went off Highway 86 along the
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Powder River and plunged down a 25-foot
embankment on the afternoon of May 4.
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