TWO The Heppner GateUe-Timet, Heppner. Oregon, Thursday, February 11, 1M2
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
'5xis Th O"1 Nwpopr of It
1
City of Heppner ana me
County of Morrow
"" The
GAZETTE-TIMES
Kirriw CiMty's Rwu-Cwifi Weekly NnrsMNr
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Published every Thursday and entered as
second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner,
Oregon under the Act of March 3. 1879. Second-class
postage paid at Heppner, Oregon.
Office at 147 West Willow Street. Telephone (503)
676-922R.
Address communications to the Heppner Gazette
Times. P.O. Box 337. Heppner. Oregon 97836.
$10.00 in Morrow, Umatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam
counties:
$12.00 elsewhere.
IDavid and April Hilton Sykes, Publishers J
Hardly felt
To the editor:
The president's trade sanct
ions against Russia for its part
in the establishment of mar
tial law in Poland was,
according to President Rea
gan, an attempt by the United
States "to speak for those who
have been silenced and to help
those who have been rendered
helpless."
But the bottom line is that
the sanctions will hardly be
felt by the Russians. That is
apparent when the effect of
" the sanction against further
negotiations on grain sales is
analyzed.
Once again our grain has
been used as a sanction
against Russia's crackdown
on freedom, and once again it
has been more detrimental to
our farmers than to Russia.
Russia will continue to get our
grain at prices less than our
farmer's cost of production.
And Russia will continue to
blatantly snuff out freedom
whenever it appears within its
sphere of influence.
Under previously signed
agreements, Russia still has
U.S. permission, even en
couragement, to buy up to 23
million tons of our grain
during 1982. They will do so at
below the cost of production.
The suspension of negotiations
on further agreements only
means that Russia will be
come just another customer,
like any other nation, on
September 30, 1982. That
means they can buy grain at
rock bottom prices, just like
the other countries do.
The president's grain sanct
ions aren't the first time grain
sales have been used in such a
manner. When Russia invaded
Afghanistan, President Carter
imposed an embargo on grain
sales to Russia. However.
Russia simply went to the
nations that had originally
purchased our grain at give
away prices and bought it
from them for millions more
than they would have paid the
U.S. had the embargo not been
in effect! The foreign nations
and international grain com
panies were making whopping
big profits by reselling grain
we should have sold at higher
prices ourselves.
Wouldn't it make more
sense to charge Russia more
for our grain so farmers could
make a profit? Since Russia
can still buy the grain
anyway, wouldn't higher
prices be a better sanction,
making them spend their
Picture this
To the editor:
I wish to picture for you the
Neighborhood Center as I see
it as a volunteer, and not "just
a bunch of old ladies playing
cards."
Shortly after I returned to
my childhood home six years
ago, I was invited to the
Neighborhood Center (then in
the old Gilliam and Bisbee
building) to see a school
friend. In a few weeks I was
learning to be a volunteer
from the Neighborhood Cen
ter. Each week I went to the
nursing home to help with
crafts and recreation. I am
still going each Wednesday to
play bingo with my nursing
home friends.
I took large print books from
the library to nursing home
readers, holiday favors made
by their Thursday friends at
' the center, and many a sack of
clothes from the center for use
by low income patients. My
favorite pleasure has been the
taking of small animals to
visit the nursing home, and
seeing the delight in one
woman's eyes as she reaches
for a kitten and the others
Heppner
limited money supply on food
instead of more weapons and
, more oppression?
I have always felt it would
be better. Better for our
farmers. Better for our for
eign policy. That's why I
offered, with bi-partisan sup
port, legislation last year to
create an Export Grain Bank
that would set prices for grain
which reflected our OPEC-like
dominance of the interna
tional grain trade. It would be
a fair price for our farmers. It
would bring $20 million more
dollars for our grain products.
And it would be a more
effective way of combating
Soviet aggression than sanct
ions that express indignation
but do little else.
The legislation allows the
Secretary of Agriculture to set
a minimum price for export
commodities like wheat, corn
and soybeans. It allows the
Secretary of Agriculture to
collect the difference between
the free market domestic
price and the minimum export
price. This money is then
stored in the Export Grain
Bank and returned to farmers,
pro-rata, based on their yearly
production.
The lobbying efforts of the
international grain compan
ies, who benefit from our
generosity, killed the bill. But
I believe the Polish crisis and
our lack of options to respond
provide further examples of
why the bill is needed, so I will
continue to push for it.
Why should we spend bil
lions of dollars to defend
ourselves against Russia and
then turn around and sell them
grain at giveaway prices? It's
a monumental food stamp
program for Soviet aggres
sion. In fact, if American
farmers exported all of Rus
sia's import needs for wheat
during this marketing year,
that subsidy would pay for
every man in its Afghanistan
invasion force! Or enough for
the Soviets to buy more than
1.500 new tanks.
I agree with the president
that the United States should
step forward in the interna
tional community to hold the
Soviet Union accountable for
what is happening in Poland.
But why do we continue to feed
our enemy and not even
charge them a fair price for
our food?
Sincerely,
Jim Weaver
Member of Congress
holding the kittens, bantams,
bunnies, pygmy goats, etc.
My little pickup has had
innumerable loads to and
from the center. Among these
are (1) taking CETA trainees
to the center and youth
offenders from Juvenile Court
under the supervision of the
neighborhood center to
homes of senior citizens where
they did yard and house
cleaning while learning to be
of service to oldsters and
handicapped persons; (2)
loads of food and supplies for
the senior picnic at Cutsforth
Park (many nursing home
residents joined in the fun at
these picnics); (3) many trips
across town to get an elderly
lady who had to use a walker,
and bring her to the center for
a blood pressure check, meals
and other activities, and to
bring some residents from the
nursing home to the Elks
lodge and to the Center for
meals and activities (at no
cost) ; (4) calls received at the
center to provide trips to the
lone mealsite with their food
and to provide pictures; (6) a
trip to a corn field in
Hermiston with Pat Brindle
and some CETA girls to pick
My wish
To the editor:
I wish to make my feeling
known about our Heppner
Neighborhood Center. I feel
the $10.00(1 spent from Morrow
County Revenue Sharing
moneys was well spent and
worthwhile.
I know how much it has
helped many older people,
young people and, those in
between. Without the Neigh
borhood Center there will be
no more help with weatheri
zation of homes, fuel, and
emergency food and clothing.
Who will tlp time lo dress
Keep center open
To the editor:
Funding for the Revenue
Sharing Committee is zero for
the coming fiscal year, ac
cording to the report released
Wednesday night by Judge
McElligott and commission
ers Krebs and McCoy. Due to
federal cuts these funds are
necessary to carry on all the
listed programs now provided
by the Heppner Neighborhood
Center:
Gleaning vegetables and
fruits, free fuel wood for low
income families, weatheriza
tion information and assis
tance, fuel assistance, emer
gency clothing, food and
household goods, high school
classes, adult education
classes, English as a second
language class, emergency
referral service for special
cases, transportation to med
ical facilities for low income
families, relief for flood vic
tims, handy helpers for sen
iors who are unable to do yard
work, meeting place for area
non-profit organizations,
blood pressure clinic, a drop
in area where seniors who are
isolated can drop in for a few
words of encouragement and a
cup of coffee.
locked
To the editor:
I was shocked to read in last
night's paper that Morrow
County is not willing to carry
their, share of the cost of
support for the Heppner -Neighborhood
Center.
Services are definitely being
provided county wide, as Blue
Mountain Economic Develop
ment Council is a two county
community action program
and even covers five counties
with some programs.
The Heppner Neighborhood
Center and the Hermiston
Neighborhood Center have
always worked closely to
gether to handle the emer
gency needs of North Morrow
County residents. The Hep
pner Neighborhood Center has
provided meat, emergency
food, clothing, wood and
shared gleaned produce for
north Morrow County resi
dents since there is a travel
distance of 15 to 50 miles round
trip to Hermiston, while a
round trip to Heppner could be
100 miles or more, and low
income households cannot
afford to drive to Heppner.
Last year's Fuel Assistance
Program for north Morrow
County was handled at Board
man through the Hermiston
Center because it was more
economical and weatheriza
tion is handled by the Hermis
ton crew for the same reason.
Who is going to supply south
Morrow County residents with
the services requested from
the Heppner Neighborhood
Center, which are many and
varied? A great many of the
requests are not known
because of B.M.E.D.C.'s strict
confidential policy.
A very concerned person,
-ElmC.-Bloam
and bring back two huge loads
of corn for low income seniors
and the mealsite; (7) a big
load of foods given by high
school students to help make
possible Christmas baskets
made at the center for nearly
50 families in both ends of the
county; (8) loads to the center
from yard sales.
Many of my hours as a
volunteer were spent at the
Elks Lodge and the center
mealsites - cleaning gleaned
foods, serving and cleanup of
meals, delivery of meals to
shut-ins, making decorations
and favors, and providing
Thursday crafts. One day I got
to help Pat haul a load of her
wood to Hardman for a low
the dolls and prepare the
wonderful Christmas baskets?
I know the Neighborhood
Center does all this and more.
Without It the Social Secur
ity person from Pendleton will
not be coming to Heppner.
I wonder what duplications
of services there were. What
other agency was doing all
these things? I haven't heard
of them.
I know the north end of the
county got Christmas baskets
and many other services,
same as Heppner.
and operating
Services are allocated for
all of Morrow Court -.y and in ;
case of emergency, due to
distance and economics.
Hermiston will provide emer-'
gency services for north
Morrow County. Part of the
funds for the Heppner Neigh
borhood Center are currently
being given to the Hermiston
Neighborhood Center for such
emergencies.
In light of all the services
provided to Morrow County
citizens by the Heppner
Neighborhood Center, we be
lieve that Morrow County
should provide sufficient
funds to keep it open and
operating.
Verlin and Naomi Matthews
Tom and Helen Riehl
Delia McCurdy
Ralf and Susan Schubothe
Betty McDonald
Charleen Isom
Harriet H. Evans
Ida Farra
Bethal and Paul Heinrichs
Doug and Sonia Smith
Gladys Connor
Frank Connor
Snoda Blake
Ramona Marshall
Merlin L. Cantin
Initia M. Cantin
Oregon in trouble
To the editor:
. Oregon is in trouble. We
rank third highest in the
nation in unemployment and
our mills continue to close.
Budget deficits threaten our
quality of life.
I am running for governor to
propose a practical economic
recovery program. I will
stress self-reliance and our
abilities to prosper in spite of
federal policies.
I propose the establishment
of a State Bank to make funds
available, at low interest, to
small business, and to keep
Oregon money in Oregon. We
must use our resoursces
wisely. Conservation and
weatherization programs in
home and industry will save
energy and make jobs.
We must enact plant closure
legislation. We must end raw
log exports and sell finished
lumber products, thus bring
ing money and employment
back to Oregon.
There are many ways in
which the traditional re
sourcefulness of Oregonians
can be focused. Fresh revenue
can come from the develop
ment of renewable energy
sources. I pledge to explore
and study all sane alternatives
lo our current nuclear energy
problems. Reforms must be
made. Federal and state
policies have exploited the
people and resources of our
beautiful state. We need a
change in leadership and a
change in economic policy. I
will work for these changes to
gain prosperity for the people
JOBS'": Sincerely,
Jerry Rust
Candidate for Governor
'2410 Madison
Eugene, Oregon .
income senior.
Of course I got to join and
enjoy trips provided by the
Soroptimist Club through the
center for seniors to Shaniko,
the Whitman Memorial and
John Day. '
I know that many volunteers
from the center may continue
their service to our commun
ity, even though the center
may be closed.
My one hope is that I have
given some moments oT
happiness to these oldsters
and to the many who have
passed on. Irene Anhorn
560 S. Main St.
P. S. I am only one of many
volunteers doing service.
Without the Neighborhood
Center wo will hi- doing a
great disservice to many low
income people and depriving
them of the funds that come
from the Blue Mountain Econ
omic Development Council.
Moneys that helped them to
exist in poverty level incomes
and less.
I hope people will let their
feelings be known to the
County Court and have them
vote to save our Heppner
Neighborhood Center. .
Verna Brinda
Shocked and dismayed
To the editor:
We were shocked and dis
mayed to learn that the
Heppner Neighborhood Center
may be shut down due to lack
of support and funding for the
coming fiscal year from
Morrow County Court.
As an agency that aids the
low income families, the
center has provided us with
services that cannot be re
placed. When our grandson, Billy,
was into special shoes through
the Crippled Childrens Divi
sion, it was Pat Brindle who
got the funding for them (she
also paid for the build-up on
the shoe out of her own
pocket.) She provided trans
portation, free of charge, to
and from Pendleton for Billy
and myself for medical atten-
Not right
To the editor:
I do not think it is right to
close down the Heppner
Neighborhood Center. It real
ly helped me. for when I first
went to work there I was on a
training program. I did not
feel comfortable going any
where or doing anything on
my own. I depended upon my
family for help around people
and talking to them I was not
sure of myself and even when
I started to work. I still was
not sure of myself, but lhartks
to the Neighborhood Center
staff. I am an independent
person.
When I started to work at
the Neighborhood Center. I
would help with the preparing
of the Senior Citizens' meals.
On days we did not have
meals. I would help those who
needed hlep such as cleaning
house, yard work, or anything
else for them. On Thursdays,
they would have crafts. I did
not feel it was my place to
work with them. I felt that I
was taking something away
from the ones who came. It
took a lot of doing, but thanks
to everyone there, they
brought me out of my shell.
I am now living on my own
and am independent. I will
now visit with people and I feel
very comfortable.
I would also feel sorry for all
of the people like me that
would need the help that Pat
gave me. which they will not
get if the Neighborhood Center
is shut down due to lack of
county funding and support.
A concerned citizen.
Helen Graham
Romance
Gold heart pendants, rings, watches,
gold chains and more are available for
your gift giving.
Beautiful surprises begin with
diamond pendants, rings and earrings.
Certainly gifts she will cherish forever.
Shop now while selections are plentiful.
Jewelry ond Diomonds by '
eterson's
Heppner
Must not loiow
To the editor;
It is obvious that Dorothy
Krebs and Warren McCoy,
county commissioners, are
not nware of all the functions
of the Neighborhood Center.
They must not know that the
center is vitally important to
BMCC's Adult Education
classes; they must not know
that Adult Education classes
have been held weekly at the
Neighborhood Center for the
past ten years; they must not
know that I spend more than
seven hours per week using
lion from specialists.
When we had a very
low-income job. the center
provided emergency food and
clothing for us so that we
wouldn't starve and so we
would have a few decent
clothes. In fact it was Pat
Brindle who put us in touch
with our present employer so
we could get a better job with
better pay. thus raising our
standard from below poverty
level to a decent living.
Pat Brindle paid out of her
own pocket for emergency
medication for myself as I am
a diabetic and needed medi
cation desperately and there
was no other funding available
lo provide it.
I could go on forever about
the things that have been done
for us. And I haven't even
mentioned things like Fuel
Save the center
To the editor:
As a volunteer to the center
and seeing the benefits re-,
ceived by the handicapped,
poor and low income and
elderly people of Morrow
County. I strongly urge the
people of the county to make
known to the Revenue Sharing
Committee to pass the request
of $10,000 Revenue Sharing
moneys for the continuation of
the Neighborhood Center.
A concerned citizen.
Irene Swanson
Singspiration
slated Sun.
By Jl STINK
WKATIIF.lt FOKI)
For those who en joy singing
old-fashioned or contempor
ary hymns, a Community
Singspiration will be held at
the Heppner United Methodist
Church at 7:30 p.m. Sunday
evening. February 14. Every
one is cordially invited to
come sing with the groups
from the south Morrow County
churches who enjoy these
monthly musical events.
Mrs Doug Drake (Carley),
the regular organist at the
Methodist Church, says she
will play the organ for this
month's Singspiration.
Following the singing ses
sion refreshments will be
enjoyed in the church base
ment The motto "In God We
Trust" first appeared on
the 1864 two-cent piece.
Qjoui oie
Jewelers
,6769200
(he focililv to Instruct my
students: they must not know
thai all or BMCC's Adult
Education supplies and ma
terials arc housed at the
center : they must not know
that as many us 20 residents of
this county have used the
facility this year lo help
themselves improve their ed
ucation; they must not know
that I have a handicapped
student as well as three
English-as-the-second
language (F.SL) students.
Mrs. Krebs' and Mr. Mo
Assistance. Christmas Bas
kets, the gleaning program
and the help in putting us in
touch with agencies such as
juvenile counseling, children
Services Division. Welfare.
Social Security to help us in
many other ways.
Morrow County citizens will
be the losers if the center is
shut down. All Morrow County
will suffer without Pal Brin
dle. As members of this
cnnimunitv we believe we loo
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IIEPPImEU CAZETTE-TU.IIS 76-22
Coy's dissatisfied summation
of the Neighborhood Center's
program Is wrong. The Mor
row County Revenue Sharing
Committee needs to reconsi
der their motion. The Neigh
borhood Center Is definitely
needed in our community In
order for BMCC's Adult Edu
cation program to operate
successfully. And I know that
BMCC's Adult Ki program Is
just one of the many programs
the center supports.
Joy Kreln
Adult Education Instructor
have a right in the say of what
agencies should be servicing
our area. Keep the Neighbor
hood Center open. Let the
low-income. handicapped,
poor and elderly keep their
dignity. Please provide con
tinued funding and support for
the Neighborhood Center
through the coming fiscal
year.
Thank You
Chas Mackey
Neola Mackev
Counter Tops
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HERMISTON, OREGON
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