Community
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
A3
W HAT ’ S H APPENING
The deadline for What’s Happening items is 5 p.m. Friday.
Call Cheryl at the Eagle, 541-575-0710.
THURSDAY, JULY 9
MNF open house
• 5-7 p.m., Supervisor’s office, John Day
All are welcome to the informational open house to dis-
cuss wildland ¿re suppression on the Malheur 1ational )or-
est. M1) of¿cials will Ee on hand to answer Tuestions and
provide information on long-term ¿re situations, seasonal out-
looks, aviation, dispatch and initial attack, and where to get
updates as ¿re season kicks up. Smokey Bear will also Ee on
hand to help youth learn how to prevent wild¿res. 7he Super-
visor’s of¿ce is at 1 3atterson Bridge 5d. )or more infor-
mation, visit www.fs.usda.govmalheur or call 51-575-000.
SATURDAY, JULY 18
dren 12 and under; at-the-gate prices are $2 more. Children
under get in free. 7he annual event is sponsored Ey the
Whiskey *ulch *ang. )or more information, call 51-575-
02 or email farrelhugh#yahoo.com.
SUNDAY, JULY 19
26th annual Demolition Derby
• 7 p.m., *rant &ounty )airgrounds, John Day
Watch local competitors smash and crash as they vie for
a variety of trophies and prizes, including $1,500 for first
place, $1,000 for second and $500 for third. Entry fee is
$50 per car, which includes the driver and one pit crew per-
son pit passes are $0 a person. &ar inspection Eegins at
p.m. 3resale admission is $10 for adults and $ for chil-
40th annual Ritter schools reunion
• 1oon, 5itter +ot Springs
)ormer students, families and friends are welcome to
the 0th annual reunion for 5itter, 5ange and 7hree-Mile
schools. A potluck will Ee at noon, with coffee, lemonade,
paper goods and silverware furnished. )or more informa-
tion, call 9ivian Morris, 51-21-88.
Program assists folks in the ‘golden years’
Let’s do lunch!
Meals for
all ages are
served in three
communities
%y &heryl +oeÀer
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photo
From left, Billy Drinkwater, Jean Kline and Dorothy Blasing chat after lunch at
the Strawberry Grange Hall in Prairie City.
Contributed photo
The Eagle/Cheryl Hoefler
The Eagle/Cheryl Hoefler
Cook Lisa Pereira sets
out the silverware prior
to a meal at the John
Day Senior Center.
riety of functions: meetings, fu-
neral potlucks, family reunions
and other celeErations, commu-
nity holiday dinners and more.
See the sideEar Eox for meal
days/times, rental fees, contact
information and more, for each
of the centers.
7he Grant County Senior
3rogram was launched 0 years
ago in John Day, in 175. At
that time, the group rented the
Alec Gay +all on Southwest
Dayton Street in John Day,
where they met for meals and
other activities twice a week.
7wo years later, the present
John Day center on 1orthwest
Dayton was Euilt, opening for
its ¿rst meal in July 177.
According to Weddle, the
program in John Day is funded
through a trust estaElished Ey
+elen Bogart, and her late hus-
Eand, .en, which takes care of
the day-to-day expenses, utili-
ties and insurance.
Other funds for the meal
program come from excess
money the Eingo Eoard donates
to the senior center Eoard.
In the early years, the John
Day facility was open from
a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-)riday.
With pool and card taEles,
lounging areas, and hot coffee
often ready, it served as a daily
hang out and gathering spot.
7oday it’s open on a regular
Easis for senior meals two days
a week, Mondays and 7hurs-
days. 7he centers in 3rairie City
and Monument are open for
Shay Lewis loads baked
potatoes into the oven
at the John Day Senior
Center.
meals once a week. 7he Mon-
ument center was Euilt in 1,
on the site of an old grange hall.
Longtime resident Jack Caven-
der donated adjacent property
to add to the project.
7he John Day cooking crew
has added catering to their ser-
vices. Meals can Ee arranged
either at the John Day Senior
Center or catered at another
location. Anyone interested
should call the John Day center
for details.
Weddle also reminds peo-
ple that the John Day center
maintains a supply of duraEle
medical goods availaEle to loan
out, such as canes, crutches,
wheelchairs and more. 7here’s
no warranty, and Eorrowers use
the items at their own risk. 7he
service is free, though dona-
tions are accepted.
Caring for our seniors and
disaEled community memEers
is something in which we can
all Ee involved, she said.
Weddle encourages the
community to Ee watchful and
aware of anything unusual.
1eighEors, delivery people and
shop clerks can all Ee vital eyes
and ears if they notice some-
thing out of character with a
person they know, such as con-
fusion and forgetfulness at the
check-out line, mail accumu-
lating at a house, or simply an
unexpected or lengthy aEsence
of an elderly friend.
Anyone who sees some-
thing out of the ordinary can
give her a call.
NO ONE KNOWS YOUR EQUIPMENT BETTER.
Your AGCO Parts Dealer has the parts you need when you need them.
Hardware, chain, batteries, tillage, belts, cutting parts. We have the quality
parts you need to keep your AGCO equipment running smoothly during
the demanding harvest season.
Highly trained service personnel at AGCO Parts make it all come together,
so you can rest easy. Visit your AGCO Parts Dealer and get the parts and
services you need to “Keep you in the Field” this season. Find out more at
agcoparts.com.
Not for seniors only –
community members of
all ages are welcome to
the weekly, fresh meals.
Bob and Soo Yukawa’s
children keep busy while
waiting for lunch to be
served in Monument.
While exhausting, and
seemingly endless in need,
Weddle ¿nds her joE Tuite re-
warding.
“3eople are appreciative
and grateful,” she said. “And
ready to help, if you just ask
them.”
Grant County Senior 3ro-
gram hours are 7 a.m-5 p.m.
)or assistance or Tues-
tions, call 51-575-2.
MINIONS PG
Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited
by a super-villain who hatches a plot to take
over the world.
FRI - THURS (4:20) 7:20 9:35
TERMINATOR GENISYS PG-13
John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to
protect Sarah Connor, but when he arrives in
1984, nothing is as he expected it to be.
FRI - THURS (4:00) 7:00 9:40
MAGIC MIKE XXL R
Three years after Mike bowed out of the
stripper life, he and the remaining Kings of
Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on
one last performance.
FRI - THURS (4:10) 7:10 9:45
( ) = Bargain Matinee
$9 Adult, $7 Senior (60+), Youth
Contributed photo
The Monument Senior
Center, in addition to
being the site of the
town’s Tuesday senior
meals, is often the
community’s gathering
spot for meetings, family
gatherings and other
major functions.
2 Main St.
Meals are served on 7ues-
days. 7he cost is $ for seniors
and $.50 for other adults.
Children’s cost is Eased on age.
“Mexican train” card games are
played afterward and criEEage,
for those interested. 7he last
Saturday of the month is potluck
Eingo night at 7 p.m.
)or meal information or fa-
cility rental Tuestions, call 51-
-2700 on 7uesday mornings,
or 51--205 at other times.
Prairie City
StrawEerry Grange, 20 1.
Mc+aley Ave.
Meals are served on Wednes-
days.
A well-stocked liErary is free
to all.
)or senior meal information,
call 51-820-100. )or hall rent-
al Tuestions, call 51-820-701
or 51-820-50.
Debbie Ausmus
245 South Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845
OPEN WED. & THUR.
9 am - 5 pm
541-575-1113
24 hrs/7 days wk
debbie.ausmus@
countryfinancial.com
02314
Ah, the “golden years.” A
wonderful time of life.
But when those “golden
years” turn out to Ee not as
smooth and shiny as expected,
the *rant County Seniors 3ro-
gram can Ee a caring and help-
ful friend.
)ixed incomes, limited
physical and mental aEilities,
isolation, and the loss of fam-
ily and friends, are all factors
that can adversely affect people
in the senior season. 7hey are
also among the many ways the
senior program can provide as-
sistance.
Overseeing those services
is program manager Veanne
Weddle.
Weddle, who has led the
program since 2011, takes on a
multitude and variety of tasks.
On any given day, she might Ee
managing federal funds from
nine programs, seeking out
new services, presenting senior
needs to the County Court or
¿elding phone calls with re-
Tuests for energy or housing
assistance.
If it can improve the life-
style needs of seniors, Weddle,
through the Grant County Se-
nior 3rogram, strives to achieve
the goal.
A valuaEle component in
the overall program are three
senior centers in John Day,
3rairie City and Monument.
Aside from hiring cooks, Wed-
dle isn’t involved in the details
of those operations. Locals in
each town ± Eoth volunteers
and paid staff – are in charge
of the meals, facility rental and
arranging for servers, sponsors
and gift donors. InTuiries on
any of those services should
Ee made directly to one of the
centers.
+owever, Weddle is often at
the John Day meals, and pays
regular visits to the other two,
making announcements, ar-
ranging for speakers and help-
ing serve meals.
3roviding hot, fresh, nutri-
tious and delicious lunches ev-
ery week is just part of the se-
nior meal program. 7he meals
offer an opportunity for seniors
to socialize with others and
keep in touch with the commu-
nity, which can Ee dif¿cult to
do, especially in a rural area.
“It’s not just aEout the food
– it’s the camaraderie, too,”
said Weddle.
And weekly meals are 1O7
for seniors only. 3eople of all
ages are welcome to enjoy the
family-style lunches. 7he cen-
ters are for everyone, too, and
can Ee rented for a fee Ey local
groups. A valuaEle asset to the
community, they are often the
local gathering place for a va-
1ot just for seniors, meals
are served at noon at three senior
center locations in Grant County.
Each meal is served Ey vol-
unteers, with entrées sponsored
Ey local individuals, Eusinesses
and organizations. Drawings are
also held for prizes, such as free
meals or gift certi¿cates from
area Eusinesses. Birthdays are
recognized monthly with a cake
sponsored Ey local Eusinesses.
)resh or frozen meals can
Ee delivered to the homeEound.
Call the day Eefore or Ey 10 a.m.
the day of the meal.
Meals are not served on ma-
jor holidays.
)or more information, con-
tact the centers.
John Day
John Day Senior Center, 15
1.E. Dayton St.
Meals are served Mondays
and 7hursdays. 7he cost is $5
for ages 1-5, $ for people
over 0 and children ages -12,
and $ for those under . Bingo
starts at 1 p.m. after the 7hursday
meal.
5ental fees: +all, $0; kitch-
en, $0; Eoth, $0; card room,
$15. 1o fee for funeral potlucks.
Extensive free liErary of
Eooks, puzzles and other mate-
rials, organized and managed Ey
Linda Stoltz.
Other features include a
game room, large screen 7V and
an electric Eingo Eoard.
Call 51-575-1825.
Monument
Monument Senior Center,