Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 5, 2017
A View from the Hill
By Doris Brosnan
Three times recently
the timing of some events
and circumstances have
resulted in good fortune
for the Willow Creek Ter-
race, which the Community
views as positive portents
for life on the Hill.
On March 27, the po-
sition of head cook was
filled after several months
of searching. Melissa Wol-
ford worked at the Terrace
in the past but moved from
the area. When she vis-
ited in Heppner last month
and happened to get in
touch with manager George
Nairns, she did not know
about the open position, but
she happened to mention
to Nairns her then-current
work as a cook in a facil-
ity, and the rest is history.
Melissa has moved back to
Heppner, she says she has
a passion for cooking, and
her interest in being a team
player with the Staff and
Residents has been imme-
diately apparent.
The timing of a dona-
tion in memory of Bob
Jepsen and the building
active gardeners will be
contributing fresh produce
to the Terrace menus.
And today, the reading
and sharing of the Gazette-
Times returns to the Ter-
race, after several months
of its being missed. A
“homegrown girl” recently
returned to Heppner, after
having lived elsewhere for
over fifty years, and Sandra
(Jones) Blake has spent
some time with the odds
and ends of moving and set-
tling into a new home. Now,
however, Sandra is eager
to become more involved
with her new neighbors.
Through the years, Sandra
has fulfilled a desire to
work as a volunteer for
many organizations and
seems to have a calling
to minister in a variety of
ways to individuals. She
learned that the Terrace has
had no shared reading of
the Gazette and was eager
to offer her services. Her
warmth and her sense of
humor will be welcome at
the Terrace. She has noted
that anyone who would like
to share this service with
WCT resident Barbra Struthers and administrator George
Nairns are both looking forward to working garden produce.
-Contributed photo
expertise of Dave Fowler’s
TSA members at Heppner
High School have resulted
in what will soon be a raised
garden bed accessible to all
Residents, with or without
walkers or canes. When
the weather broke from
the long winter chill, the
students were able to begin
construction a week ago
and only have the fencing
wire and a gate to add to
the construction. Then, by
coincidence, Erin Heide-
man called last week to ask
if her horticulture students
in Ione could work on a
project at the Terrace and
was pleased to learn of the
need for top soil, fertilizer
and plantings. The addi-
tional coincidence was the
inquiry by the Bedortha
family about a donation
they could make in memory
of their mother, Betty. They
will be adding pavers to
the center of the U-shaped
construction and creating
some movable, overhead
planters for the cultivation
of strawberries. Soon, the
her on an occasional basis
is encouraged to contact
George Nairns at 676-0004.
Other news from the
Hill includes the moving in
of a new Resident on March
27: Ray Harper is new to
the area, having moved
from the other side of the
mountains. Ray is now
closer to his son, Terry, and
family. The Community
is happy to welcome Ray,
eager to explain some of the
opportunities the Terrace
offers, and they are eager
to do the same again if and
when another new neighbor
moves into the one avail-
able apartment.
The Staff at WCT is
pleased with the newly-
rearranged “med room” and
administrative office spac-
es. Separating the two has
resulted in more space for
both and created the ability
for the manager to handle
administrative business and
hold confidential meetings
without interruptions.
The Staff recently wit-
nessed a demonstration
NOW
HIRING
DRIVERS
of a new, technologically
improved “Nurse Call Sys-
tem” and now have the
improved communication
system at the top of their
wish list. The new system
for alerting caregivers to a
Resident’s need of any sort
would offer features that
improve communication
between caregivers, make
responses more time ef-
ficient, and offer better im-
mediate coverage through
the use of individual pen-
dants worn on the wrists or
on necklaces. With a price
tag of about $40,000 the
system may not become a
reality for some time.
But reality at the Ter-
race has seen eight Resi-
dents attending the St. Pat-
rick’s drama produced by
Fr. Gerry Condon—which
they said they enjoyed
very much—and five Resi-
dents braving the inclement
weather to attend the Great
Green Parade on St. Pat’s
Day.
Reality has seen the
outside spiffing-up that
Jerry Baker does and the
plantings of seeds in starter
pots for later transfer to the
beds and planters.
And very real on April
1 were the sight and sounds
of the March Madness
semi-final basketball game
between the University of
Oregon and North Carolina.
Many Residents watched
the game in their rooms
and didn’t bother to turn
off their TV sets when they
went to dinner, where they
watched the sun-room TV
while they ate, before re-
turning for the nail-biting
finish and Oregon’s loss by
one point. The situation was
definitely one of facility-
wide stereo sound. (How
fortunate for new neighbor
Harper, who was able to
answer one of Gladys Van
Winkle’s first questions
with, “Yes, I am a Ducks
fan!”)
April will continue to
bring along some fun days
and some interesting con-
versations around the morn-
ing discussion groups. No
rainbow sighted on Find-a-
Rainbow Day (April 3), but
the same dry weather made
4-H club sews up library
project
Sew Fantastic 4-H Club members sewed and filled 45 colorful beanbags for the Oregon Trail
Library District to use for preschool story time as a community service project. Pictured from
L-R: Katie Spivey, Sage Jensen, Harley Anderson, Aubri Rodriguez, Lynn Williams, Grace
Ogden and Hannah Palmer. Girls not pictured who also sewed beanbags: Grace Smith, Kylie
Boor and Madison Orem. -Contributed photo
Walking Day (today) entic-
ing to several Residents.
International Beaver Day
(April 7) may create some
discussion of incidents with
our State Animal and may-
be of OSU. Garden Week
and Library Week occur the
ninth through the 15 th , and
hopes are high for a usable
and pets are sure to bring
out some fond memories
at discussion on Pet Day
(11 th ). The Easter-egg hunt
(16 th ) will follow a special
Easter breakfast and reward
finders with a variety of
treats in the plastic eggs.
Dinner will feature an Eas-
ter ham, of course. The
Doris Brosnan inspects Willow Creek Terrace’s new raised
garden bed. Brosnan, a retired board member, has worked to
bring this project to WCT. -Contributed photo
garden and for small plants
ready for setting out. It will
also be a reminder that the
Terrace Community appre-
ciates so greatly the shar-
ing of books from the city
library and the rotation of
books that the library staff
takes care of.
Siblings’ ears might
burn on Siblings Day (10 th ),
17 th will be a multi-topic
day because Daffy Duck
was born on that day in
1937, Haiku poetry will be
featured and shared, and
Patriots’ Day will surely
focus on the meaning of the
word “patriot.” Look-alike
Day (18 th ) is an opportunity
to share stories of knowing
LAURITSEN RETIRES
-Continued from PAGE ONE ner in crime and wife, Pat. couple was married in June
lives, and helped many oth-
ers,” says Allstott. “We will
miss him.”
In fact, the hospital
wasn’t going to waste the
services of a skilled EMT,
and Lauritsen was also on
ambulance duty during his
time with the health district.
He worked his way up
through the ranks of EMT
training, eventually becom-
ing a paramedic around
1995. He was Morrow
county’s only paramedic
for several years, he says,
until Tina Davidson also
achieved paramedic status.
He also served as emer-
gency medical services co-
ordinator for several years,
until Rusty Estes took over
that role, “whenever that
was,” Lauritsen says.
After several years go-
ing solo, Lauritsen met part-
She was living and working of 2009. Both enjoy hiking,
in the Tri-Cities, but they and have spent many vaca-
tions traveling and taking
photos—many of which
now grace the halls of Pio-
neer Memorial Clinic and
Pioneer Memorial Hospital.
“We like to hike,” says
Pat Lauritsen, which may
be an understatement for
a couple that has tackled
the likes of Peru’s Machu
Pichu.
“We just take pictures
when we travel. We’ll try
to keep it local,” Carl Lau-
ritsen says of their future
Aside from his official roles, plans, “but we’ll see.”
health district staff will also
In fact, the Lauritsens
miss Carl Lauritsen’s quirky
say
they’re
leaving soon to
sense of humor, on display in
take
a
loop
through Utah,
this photo from his retirement
party last Thursday. -Photo by Arizona, New Mexico and
Texas, including a stop in
Carmelo Di Salvo
Waco, TX to do some “ce-
met through the online dat- lebrity chasing” as they try
ing service eHarmony. The to spot Fixer Upper stars
Chip and Joanna Gaines.
LADIES NIGHT
WHEN:
Thursday, April
at 6:00 pm
SERVING:
6, 2016
BBQ Pork Ribs,
macaroni salad,
broccoli
coleslaw,
garlic bread
and fruit
cobbler.
- THREE
or hearing about “persons
who look just like you!”
More planting should be
successful if completed on
Earth Day (22 nd ), which is
also a day that celebrates
the Jelly Bean.
During the week of the
23 rd -29 th the Terrace Com-
munity will be especially
mindful of the many peo-
ple who share their time,
talents and/or treasures
with them—such a gift,
such a necessity in their
life. Reminiscences of First
Kisses should cause some
blushes and some smiles on
the 26 th . And the month will
end with discussions about
Bugs Bunny, born in 1938,
and Willie Nelson, born in
1933.
Of course, some foods
have their featured days this
month—cordon bleu, peach
cobbler, cherry cheesecake,
pigs-in-a-blanket, blueberry
pie—so the Residents know
what specialty they will be
having on those five days.
The Residents and Staff
view the many positives of
this month with eagerness
and hope that the better
spring weather is here to
stay for a while.
“Then, who knows,”
says Lauritsen. “Visiting
friends, picking up a dog
or two….”
As for dogs, the Lau-
ritsens say their retirement
plans also include building
a dog agility course on a
couple of lots they bought
behind their home, a project
Pat thought up, “for fun and
for exercise.”
Lauritsen says he’s re-
tiring now because, “I’m
ready. It’s renewal time
for paramedics,” he quips,
though he admits that he has
some back pain that might
have helped his decision.
With more than three
decades of history at the
hospital on the hill, he says
the thing he will miss is,
“The people. Harassing
‘em. Trying to make ‘em
laugh. Seeing if I can get
‘em to not take life so seri-
ous.”
Don’t Be Surprised!
Before picking up a shovel, pick
up the telephone ... Electric, water
sewer, natural gas, telephone and
cable television lines often are buried
underground .. One wrong move can
cause you and your neighbors to be
cut off from vital services - or cause
death or injury to you, from an elec-
tric shock or an explosion. At least
two business days before you plan to
dig, call your states one-call center,
or your local utilities. Affected utility
companies will come out and use
color-coded paint to mark the loca-
tion of underground utilities .. Calling
ahead not only is common sense. In
some states, it is the law?
COLUMBIA BASIN ELECTRIC CO-OP