Seniors Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 10, 2018 A7 G RANT C OUNTY S ENIORS John Day Seniors Nicky Essex Happiest New Year yet. It was very quiet at my house, but we did get a pretty big jig- saw puzzle together. It is my wish for you all that this year will be much more peaceful and prosperous than last year. Start by doing something nice for someone before this week is over. We had a mega shift of la- bor at John Day Senior Center Thursday. Shay rarely misses a day of work. He is really ill and was home in bed. Lit- tle Lisa and trooper Veanne came to the front of the line, though. When I walked in the kitchen to see what was up, Lisa looked like she had put in a full day already. Veanne was in her “uniform” apron, so I could see they had all the duckies in line. I am so proud of our group. When we come up shorthanded, everyone who can help steps up. Our friends from John Day Church of the Nazarene, Dale and Corinne Stennett, and Everett King did our ser- vice with a little help. Joan and Joel Tayles delivered the meals to John Day and Can- yon City, while David Gill and Rodney Brunson from Step Forward took the Mt. Vernon route. Altogether, they delivered 37 regular and 30 frozen meals. We enjoyed spaghetti with a fresh veggie medley of Brussels sprouts, green and yellow beans and carrots, bread sticks and, as always on the first of every month, cake for dessert to celebrate every- one who has a birthday in the month. We served lunch to 45 friends. Don and Deda Porter sponsored our entrée in mem- ory of Jim and Carol McGee. Everett King opened our time by leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. Our drawings produced winners: Gregg Starr won the Chester’s Thriftway cer- tificate, and Bill Choate won a free meal at Valley View. Dale Stennett gave the bless- ing on our food, and remem- bered Shay in prayer for better health. On Mondays after lunch, Everett will be sharing his game of “Accession” and in- vites everyone interested to come and play. He invented the game and plays to make it fun. We have played with him at the Train Barn, and it is re- ally enjoyable. I look forward to playing again. I picked up a card at the center, identified as “Oregon Senior Peer Outreach” with a toll free phone number, 1-833-736-4676, inviting anyone who is lonely, over 55 or disabled and living in rural Oregon to call and connect with a senior peer support spe- cialist for a weekly telephone conversation. This is part of Community Counseling Solu- tions. I don’t have any other info. Free call. Check it out for yourself. Next week, Jan. 11 we’ll have barbecue chicken bites with baked beans and spuds, and Jan. 14 we’ll have ham and beans with cornbread. Isaiah 1:16-17 “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek jus- tice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fa- therless; plead the case of the widow.” Monument Seniors Soo Yukawa Our cooks Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell prepared for us some macaroni and cheese with ham, fluffy dinner rolls, a fresh green salad, fruit and cookies for dessert. We appreciate all their hard work and efforts. Our greeters were Jim- my Cole, Debbie Reid and Judy Harris. Judy led us in the flag salute and made the announcements. Yours truly prayed the blessing over the meal. Jimmy and Debbie col- lected and counted the mon- ies. The free meals were won by Dennis Abraham and Bob Yukawa. Debbie Reid won the Len’s Drug gift card. We had 44 guests on the books and two takeouts. When we all came into the senior center on the first Tues- day of the new year, we were blinded by the beautiful, shiny floor. They sure looked really nice. The person who donat- ed their time to do this for us wanted to remain anonymous, so we shout a great big thank you to you for your work and generosity. The floors look amazing. We thank Jeanie Strange for some prizes she made and donated in appreciation for all the generous help and dona- tions for the senior center. The winners were Doug Sweek, Bruce Kramer and Phoebe Yukawa. Thank you so much, Jeanie, for all you do. There are some resource guides available for four counties on the back table. I was told it has information about “stuff.” We were proud to have new Marine Jess Hoodenpyl join us for lunch. He had just graduated from Camp Pend- leton down in San Diego and had a couple of weeks to come home and be with his family. We ask the Lord to protect him, and we also thank him for his service to our country. We are sad to announce that Sam Howell passed away recently. His celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Elkhorn tavern. There will be a potluck lunch. Darlene Forrest, who broke both her ankles a few weeks ago, is staying at The Dalles’ care facility and we are pray- ing for a speedy recovery. Her address is available if any- one wants to send her cards. She will be there for awhile. Please contact Judy Harris at 541-934-2244. Another important an- nouncement is that Brad and Julie Smith of Kimberly have graciously donated their first shoot of the year to the Monument Senior Center. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 20. There will be pulled pork, baked beans, clam chowder, a pie and silent auction. This is to help raise money for the many opera- tion repairs of the senior cen- ter and grant fund matching. We are asking for help in the donation of your pies for this event. We thank you and ev- eryone involved in advance. For more information, please contact Judy Harris. Our sewing class is sched- uled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat- urday, Jan. 27. There will be a potluck lunch shared. Jeremiah 17:10 "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Prairie City Seniors Rose Coombs And a happy new year to you. We started out this year with a meal to warm your in- nards after the cold of the holi- days: enchiladas, refried beans, rice, chips, salsa and a Mexican cheesecake called sopapilla. Wow, was it good. I’m certain that all 60 of us diners enjoyed it. I usually am unable to eat Mexican food, but I ate all of this meal. Good job, Marjean and Tom. Carlos, Larry and Ken did the home deliveries, and Joy helped in the kitchen, as usual. Bonnie and Del helped after- wards in the cleanup depart- ment along with Ken. Carla and I counted the money. Pam is our “greeter,” I guess. She is the first one you see when you enter the ol’ hall. Thanks to you all. The Three Amigas did their thing. We quit at noon, so if you want to hear us, you have to come by 11:30 a.m. Among us we have the joy of making music on piano, guitar, flute, violin, viola, cello and the Irish drum. If you want to join in, feel free. Lorna and Krystin brought Alma, Marilyn, Bud and Otho from the Blue Mountain Care Center. Our sympathies to the families of Joan and Lois. Also to the family of Bill Palmer. He liked to come to the Sunday af- ternoon church service and sit by the piano and “direct” me. The music never goes away. Harold led the flag salute, and Jack asked the blessing. Jean Kline was the winner of the $5 toward a meal at the Out- post Restaurant. Remember that later in the month we will vote on the new by-laws. I am very disturbed and up- set that somebody decided that Eastern Oregon didn’t need to have Boise TV channels on the cable. To have all four Portland channels is definitely overkill. They all have the same sched- ule during their news broadcasts (i.e., do their commercials at the same time), put the programs on too late for us early-to-bedders (I never know whodunit ’cause I went to sleep) and I certainly get tired of all the self-advertis- ing. They can’t all be “first, live and local.” Remember Marty on “Back to the Future” calling out the channels he wanted? You can do that now — if you are connected to the World Wide Web. Since I am not, I complain. Regarding sexual harass- ment, I would like to see wom- en learn to dress modestly and decently. Men are dressed fully clothed in most of their activ- ities. Again, who decreed that women can’t be? OK, so much for that soapbox. So the new year begins with a new round of medical ap- pointments. They are going to try physical therapy on Derrol’s back pain. He has to see a new ENT in Bend to prove that he needs a new Baha hearing ap- pliance. (One would think that is obvious if he has the stud stick- ing out of his head, but those are the rules.) Then we will start the process of getting his left shoul- der joint replaced. That was what was on the agenda when the stress test “interfered” and a triple bypass was performed instead. Ain’t life grand? Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” Church Services In Grant County Come Worship with us at