Veterans
Blue Mountain Eagle
Help for veterans
and their families
Blue Mountain Eagle
Veterans and family
members often need sup-
port and advice on a myri-
ad of issues.
Here are a few local re-
sources where people can
get help:
Grant County Vet-
eran Services: Open 10
a.m.-4 p.m. every Mon-
day, Wednesday and Fri-
day, and by appointment.
The office is located in the
southwest corner of the
Grant County Courthouse
in Canyon City. Call Vet-
eran Services Officer Erin
Osgood at 541-575-1631.
Veterans and family
services: Every Wednes-
day, the Burns VA clinic
provides PTSD counsel-
ing at the John Day Elks
Lodge. A veterans group
meets from 9-10:30 a.m.,
family members from
10:30-11:30 a.m., and in-
dividual sessions from
12:30-3:30 p.m. The
Lodge is at 140 N.E. Day-
ton St. To sign up or for
more information, call the
Burns clinic at 541-573-
3339, ext. 2000.
Burns-Hines VA
Clinic: Services are avail-
able for Grant County
veterans including immu-
nizations, minor surgical
procedures, blood pressure
and diabetes monitoring,
group therapy for combat
PTSD, sobriety and other
issues. Lab draws are done
on Wednesdays. Nursing
staff and therapy is avail-
able Monday through Fri-
day. The clinic is at 271 N.
Egan Ave. in Burns. Call
541-573-3339.
Wanted: Gifts for vets store
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY – Un-
wrapped items for the
veterans “store” at the
Portland Veterans Adminis-
tration Medical Center are
still being accepted through
Saturday, Nov. 14, at Mosi-
er’s Home Furnishings in
John Day.
The Veterans
Gift
Shop project, organized
by the Ellis Tracy Unit
of the American Le-
gion Auxiliary, allows
veterans at the Portland
hospital, many of whom
have little or no income,
to be able to “shop”
for free gifts for their
families.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Local crocheter
shares warm heart
Lois Wacken donates 48 afghans for vets
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY – Lois
Wacken crochets year round
to donate warmth to veterans
and their families.
Last week, she dropped
off 48 colorful afghans at the
Veterans Gift Shop window
in John Day.
The blankets will be de-
livered to the Portland Veter-
ans Administration Medical
Center this weekend.
“Usually, I have 50-60 af-
ghans, but this year, I made
10 or more baby afghans for
the gift shop at the hospi-
tal,” she said.
If there is extra yarn lay-
ing around, at thrift shops or
friends’ closets, she uses it.
“People donate yarn,”
she said, adding she dislikes
seeing it go to waste.
Blue Mountain Hospital
also donated the yarn for
her baby afghan project.
Wacken is a John Day
resident and a retired teach-
er, instructing local grade
school students for 27 years
– her students now have
children, grandchildren and
even great-grandchildren of
their own.
She said she’s been cro-
cheting since she was a
kid and takes up the hobby
while watching ball games
on TV – her favorites are
the Seattle Seahawks for
football and Mariners for
baseball – she also likes the
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Lois Wacken of John Day visits the Veterans Gift Shop window at Mosier’s Home
Furnishings to donate 48 handmade afghans. She works on the project year
round. Contributions of gifts, from gloves to small appliances, may be dropped
off until the morning of Nov. 14 for the gift shop, which will allow veterans to shop
for free this holiday season.
Portland Trailblazer basket-
ball team.
When the local Grant
Union High School Prospec-
tor teams are playing, she’ll
crochet while she listens to
those games on the radio.
“It’s a good way to keep
me busy,” she said.
She added she enjoys do-
nating the blankets to veter-
ans each year – she’s been
contributing the afghans for
vets for 10 years now.
“It feels good,” she said.
“My dad served in World
War I, and my brother served
in the Army.”
When Wacken dropped
off the afghans Monday,
Nov. 2, she wasn’t ready to
slow down and take a break.
“Today, I’ll start again for
next year,” she said.
Area events to honor veterans
Blue Mountain Eagle
Take time this Veterans
Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, to
honor those who have served
in our country’s military.
Here are a few of the local
events scheduled:
11 a.m. – Flag ceremony
in Prairie City at the Àagpole
on Front Street near city hall.
Presented by American Le-
gion Post 106 of Prairie City.
11 a.m. – Memorial ser-
vice at Seventh Street Com-
plex in John Day. Organized
by John Day Elks Lodge
1824, with salute provided by
American Legion Ellis Tracy
Post 77 of John Day. A free
lunch, open to the public,
will follow at the John Day
Elks Lodge, 140 N.E. Dayton
St.
5 p.m. – Potluck dinner
at the Strawberry Grange in
Prairie City. Organized by
Legion Post and Auxiliary
Unit 106 of Prairie City, who
will provide ham and turkey.
Those attending are asked to
bring a side or dessert dish.
Local veterans will be recog-
nized.
On Friday, Nov. 13, the
Elks Lodge will be serving
“leftover smorgasbord” for
dinner. Veterans who bring
or wear part of their uniform
will get $5 off their meal. For
more information, call the
Lodge at 541-575-1824.
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