A6
COMMUNITY
East Oregonian
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Traveling through PFOL book sale returns to convention center
Volunteers needed
ominous valleys
for Aug. 25-27 event
MARC
MULLINS
MARC’S REMARKS
M
any are familiar
with Psalm 23
from the Bible.
At the very least, most
have heard it quoted at
funerals. The twenty-third
Psalm speaks about rest-
ing in green pastures and
being restored beside
still waters. It also speaks
about a “valley of the
shadow of death.”
Did you know that
there really is a valley
called the “shadow of
death” in Israel? I’ve
traveled there myself no
less than seven times. It
lies between the ancient
city of Jericho and the
city of Jerusalem. It’s the
setting for Jesus’ parable
of the Good Samaritan
found in Luke 10:25-37 in
the Bible. In that story a
Samaritan man stopped to
help an unfortunate soul
who had fallen victim to a
gang of thieves. The man
was robbed and left beside
the road to die.
The setting for that
story is known as the
“valley of the shadow of
death” for a reason. First,
it was a place of great
danger. Its landscape then,
as now, featured a long
and winding fl oor beneath
steep rocky cliff s on either
side. Set within the steep
rocky cliff s are deep dark
caves where thieves would
wait until travelers were
somewhere in the middle
of the valley. At such
times it wasn’t unusual
for such thieves to block
both ends of the valley
fl oor and trap the travel-
ers to rob and even kill
them. So the “valley of the
shadow of death” becomes
a metaphor representing
anything that threatens,
intimidates or frightens
us.
Many have found
themselves, at one time or
another, walking through
their own personal journey
in the valley of the shadow
of death. But Psalm 23
gives hope. We don’t have
to fear the valley or cower
in the shadows.
In the ancient world, as
in ours today, shepherds
were herders and care-
takers of sheep. Thus, the
phrase, “the Lord is my
shepherd,” acknowledges
the fact that God, as our
good shepherd, cares for
and guides us through the
diffi cult, troubled and hard
stretches we may encoun-
ter in life.
The Psalm contin-
ues by talking about life
and it concludes, “Surely
goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days
of my life.” Ultimately,
goodness and mercy shall
follow us because the Lord
(God) is a good and care-
giving shepherd to us.
———
Marc Mullins is pastor
of the First Christian
Church of Pendleton,
where he also utilizes his
gifts as a musician, singer
and songwriter.
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — After
two years without its larg-
est fundraiser, the Pendle-
ton Friends of the Library is
turning the page as it prepares
for its annual book sale. With
more than 50,000 books and
media available for purchase,
people of all ages can find
something that interests them.
PFOL members can view
and purchase items before
the event opens to the general
public. The fundraiser kicks
off with a member preview
sale on Thursday, Aug. 25,
7-9 p.m. at the Pendleton
Convention Center, 1601
Westgate. To take advantage
of the fi rst selection, people
can register as a member at
the door or in advance via
www.pendletonfriendsofthe-
library.wordpress.com.
East Oregonian, File
Anna Oliver looks through a book with Warren, left, and Ju-
dah on Sept. 28, 2019, during the Pendleton Friends of the
Library book sale. The primary fundraiser for the nonprofi t
organization returns after two years Aug. 25-27, 2022, at the
Pendleton Convention Center.
The public sale begins
Friday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to
8 p.m. and continues on Satur-
day, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event ends with a bag sale
on Saturday, Aug. 27, 3-5 p.m.
Shoppers can purchase all the
books they can fi t into a bag
for $1.
A nonprofi t organization,
PFOL provides assistance to
the Pendleton Public Library.
Money raised by the group
goes to support programs,
purchase materials and
other needs of the Pendleton
library. During the height of
the pandemic, its membership
hosted smaller fundraisers,
including a mini book sale at
the library, a winter raffl e and
its annual Adopt-a-Magazine
campaign.
Because of the large-scale
eff ort it takes to organize the
event, PFOL President Sean
Degan is seeking volunteers
interested in helping. Assis-
tance is needed during three-
hour shifts on Aug. 23-24 with
arranging books on the tables.
Also, additional manpower
can be used for two-hour
blocks of time throughout the
fundraiser.
To learn more about volun-
teer opportunities, text Degan
at 541-561-6410 or email pend-
letonfriendsofthelibrary@
gmail.com. For additional
information about PFOL,
search www.facebook.com/
pendletonfriendsofthelibrary.
COMMUNITY BRIEFING
Free concert features
folk troubadour
PENDLETON — Dustin Hamman,
referred to as “Pendleton’s favorite folk
troubadour,” will perform during the
upcoming Live @ Great Pacifi c.
As part of a free concert series, the
show is Saturday, Aug. 13, 6-8 p.m. at
Great Pacifi c Wine & Coff ee Co., 403 S.
Main St., Pendleton. Sponsored by The
Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub, three of its
beers will be available on tap. The event
is open to all ages.
Frontman for Run On Sentence,
the Portland-based musician’s inter-
ests vary widely — everything from
American Indian singing and early
punk to the blues, swing and big band.
Although, Hamman’s roots are fi rmly
embedded in folk music.
For more information about the
concert series, call Addison Schulberg
at 541-276-1350 or email Sounds Like
Entertainment at bookpendleton@gmail.
com. For more about Hamman, search
www.facebook.com/runonsentence.
Program seeks volunteers
to assist aging veterans
SALEM — People interested in serv-
ing aging veterans in their own commu-
nities are encouraged to participate in
a training for the Veteran Volunteer
Program.
Coordinated by the Oregon Depart-
ment of Veterans Aff airs, the program’s
goal is to equip volunteers with infor-
mation so they can help educate and
connect veterans to their earned bene-
fi ts and other potential resources.
Training for interested volunteers
in Umatilla, Morrow, Union, Wallowa
and Baker counties will be held virtually
Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 17-18,
9 a.m. to noon. Participants must attend
both days to complete the training.
The program is open to anyone 18
years or older. Volunteers are asked to
commit to serving eight to 10 hours per
month. A background check must be
completed (at no cost to the volunteer)
before being permitted to work with
veterans.
To register or learn more about the
program, complete the online interest
form at www.oregonvetvolunteer.com
or contact Mark Newell, veteran volun-
teer coordinator, at 971-720-8911 or
ODVA_veteranvolunteer@odva.oregon.
gov by 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15.
— EO Media Group