TWO - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 1, 2020
The Official Newspaper
of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U.S.P.S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
of Huson, MT, Brett Al-
ley of La Grande, Casey,
Chase and Justin Orr of
Winnemucca, Jaden Orr,
Megan (Orr) Fischer
of Hermiston, Cody
Orr of Isle, MN; sev-
en great-grandchil-
dren; brothers, Rob-
ert (Laura) Hire of
Heppner and Frank
Spivey of Baker
City; sisters-in-law,
Norma Roberts of Biggs,
CA and Earlene Dillard of
Bend, OR.
She was preceded in
death by her parents; sons,
Joseph Mattison and David
Orr; brother, Bill Roberts
and sister, Lois Colleen
Hire.
Memorial contribu-
tions can be made to Blue
Mountain Hospice through
Driskill Memorial Chapel,
241 S. Canyon Blvd., John
Day, OR 97845.
To leave an online
condolence for the family,
visit: www.driskillmemo-
rialchapel.com.
Superintendent Dirk
Dirksen has announced the
latest collaboration between
Amazon Web Services
(AWS), Morrow County
School District (MCSD),
Umatilla Electric Coopera-
tive and Hermiston Energy
Services who have donated
$25,000 in support of vir-
tual learning and connec-
tivity as the school district
prepares for the 2020-21
school year. This donation
is great news for Morrow
County School District’s
distance learning program
as it tries to enhance support
to students and families
with more virtual learning
opportunities and connec-
tivity.
AWS had just recently
donated 50 laptops to the
school district to support
distance learning. “These
donations are the latest in
AWS’s ongoing efforts in
Morrow County,” shared
Dirksen. “There is a long
history of AWS supporting
STEM related activities
for our county’s youth and
educators.”
Morrow County School
District’s plan is to use
these latest donations to
provide better technology
resources for students who
have factors that precipitate
the need to continue online
learning for extended peri-
ods of time during this next
school year.
“We have been very
fortunate in Morrow Coun-
ty to provide many exciting
opportunities for our stu-
dents in partnership with
many of the industries in
Morrow County. Amazon
Web Services (AWS) has
always stepped up as a ma-
jor supporter of programs
found in Morrow County
School District,” Dirksen
said.
These programs in-
clude:
-Girls’ Tech Day which
is a one-day event designed
to inspire and empower
young girls in grades three
to 12, and young women
18 to 24 years of age, to
pursue interests and careers
in technology. It is a series
of learning workshops fo-
cused on science, technol-
ogy, engineering, arts and
mathematics (STEAM).
The event is free, fun and
open to all girls and young
women in the area. Over
100 girls participated in that
event last year.
-At the Nuts, Bolts and
Thingamajigs Camp, AWS
provides a presenter as well
as staff to assist students
with a project during camp.
-Educator Externship
consists of meeting with
teachers from across Mor-
row and Umatilla Counties
to talk about data center
operations and career op-
portunities.
-Senior Career Days
for Morrow County School
District students provide
opportunities to meet with
AWS staff off site to learn
about AWS careers and
different education paths.
-AWS has provided
$25,000 in scholarships to
students who are enrolled
in Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College’s data center
technician program.
-New this year, AWS
is providing local summer
internship opportunities to
college students for Data
Center Technician, Engi-
neering Operations Techni-
cian, and Data Center Man-
ager roles. They offered 19
positions in total.
“Morrow County
School District is very for-
tunate to have a partnership
with a company that con-
tributes this kind of support
to students and families
in our community. Thank
you again to Amazon Web
Services (AWS), Umatilla
Electric Cooperative and
Hermiston Energy Ser-
vices,” shared Dirksen.
Oregon State Univer-
sity, Morrow County Ex-
tension office is currently
operating under phase two
and is open to the public
by appointment only. To
schedule an appointment
with a staff member please
contact the following em-
ployees via email: 4-H
– Erin Heideman (erin.
heideman@oregonstate.
edu); Agriculture – Larry
Lutcher (larry.lutcher@
oregonstate.edu); All other
inquiries – Julie Baker (ju-
lie.baker@oregonstate.edu)
SEARCH OLD COPIES OF THE HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES ON-LINE:
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/
Published weekly by Sykes Publishing and entered as periodical matter at the Post
Office at Heppner, Oregon under the Act of March 3, 1879. Periodical postage paid
at Heppner, Oregon. Office at 188 W. Willow Street. Telephone (541) 676-9228. Fax
(541) 676-9211. E-mail: editor@rapidserve.net or david@rapidserve.net. Web site:
www.heppner.net. Postmaster send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times,
P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $31 in Morrow County; $25
senior rate (in Morrow County only; 65 years or older); $37 elsewhere; $31 student
subscriptions.
David Sykes ..............................................................................................Publisher
Bobbi Gordon................................................................................................ Editor
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column inch. Cost for classified ad is 50¢ per word. Cost for Card of Thanks is $10 up to
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Obituaries
Sue Orr
Sue Orr, 74, passed
away at her home of 33
years in Prairie City sur-
rounded by her family on
June 17.
Sue was born
in Caldwell, ID
to Maurice Claire
Hire and Elaine K.
“Kitty” (Combs)
Hire on July 26,
1945. They named Sue Orr
her Claire Elaine
but always called her Suzy.
The family lived in Cald-
well and Baker City. In
1952 her mom and stepfa-
ther, Harvey Spivey, moved
the family to live in a cozy
cabin at Camp 5 logging
camp. Her most cherished
memories were there, leap-
ing from the dock into the
lake.
Sue graduated from
Wheeler County High
School in Fossil, OR in
1964. She married Da-
vid Mattison and raised
two daughters in Kinzua
where she loved to play
pinochle, sew and crochet
until Kinzua closed in 1979.
She lived in Heppner and
worked for Central Market
until she married Gordon
Orr in July 1987. They
moved to Prairie City where
they had a lovely home and
yard. Sue spent 50 years
following the Portland Trail
Blazers.
Survivors include her
husband, Gordon; daugh-
ters, Jodi (Matt) Fergu-
son of Walla Walla, Robin
Mattison of Pendleton and
Pamela (Russ) Orr-Powell
of John Day; sons, Mike
(Gina) Orr and Greg Orr
of Winnemucca, NV and
Jeff Orr of Heppner; grand-
children, Connor and Brett
Ferguson of Walla Walla,
Mikaela (Alley) Conway
Morrow County Extension
open by appointment only
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By Fr. Thankachan Joseph SDB
“Give and it will be given to you,” (Lk 6:38) is a
promise from Jesus in last Sunday’s Gospel that holds
true. The giving is a freewill choice for all His believers.
Let us never forget the fact that “God knows the heart
of everyone.” He knows when gifts, whether material or
spiritual, are given joyfully.
Hospitality: In Sunday’s reading in Second Kings, we
have an appealing message of hospitality and its implica-
tions, from the life of Elisha. During the days of Elisha,
those who travelled beyond the territory of their family
or tribe for anything had to depend on the hospitality of
strangers to survive. Elisha is fortunate in his travels to
meet a woman who invites and welcomes him to break
journey and eat at her house. The hospitality must have
been good because Elisha then makes it a habit of stopping
at her place on his travels. Believing that Elisha is a holy
man and knowing that he travels regularly, the woman,
with the permission of her husband, builds a regular abode
so that Elisha can have his own room on his travels. Elisha
repays the woman’s generous hospitality by promising her
a very special blessing from God: the gift of a son, whom
she was longing for because they were a childless couple.
This anecdote teaches us that what we give to God and
God’s representatives always comes back to us. We are
also challenged to be hospitable to others, to move from
suspicious hostility to hospitality. We never know what
blessings God has in store for us if we open ourselves to
God, who may come to us in the attire of an alien, in a
most unexpected way.
Also in the Gospel, Jesus assures us that all those who
receive His word and welcome those who come in His
name will be well rewarded. Even the tiniest gesture, the
smallest action done for God, will not pass unnoticed and
will be acknowledged by God. We are called to be wel-
coming people, open to His word and open to messengers
of His word. In the sacred tradition of Israel, hospitality
was regarded as one of the chief responsibilities of a
caring people.
The stranger, the outsider was regarded as one need-
ing special care. The Book of Leviticus reminded the
Israelites of their duties towards strangers because they
too were once strangers: “For you were once strangers
yourselves in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). Ev-
erybody wants to be loved by other people. Everybody
wants to be needed by other people. Everybody wants to
be desired and longed for by other people. All Jesus is
asking us is to be good followers who are hospitable and
the cost of this discipleship will be a great reward – a
promise that God loves a cheerful giver.
The cost of discipleship and the great reward: In the
first part of Sunday’s Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus
spells out the cost of discipleship, while in the latter part
He reminds us of the great reward, not only to heralds of
the good news, but also to all who welcome the emissary.
While speaking of what it takes to be a disciple of the
Lord, Jesus is quite blunt and does not mince His words.
Jesus did not come to promise us a good time or a com-
fortable existence. To follow Jesus is not easy and not for
the faint-hearted. Self-denial, sacrifice, self-discipline,
austerity and asceticism are not fashionable words today.
Yet the Gospel tells us clearly that anyone who is not ready
to practice self-denial and accept the crosses of daily life
is not worthy of being called a disciple of Jesus Christ.
At times we can be great admirers of Jesus but be
hesitant to follow his example in daily living. Jesus
doesn’t want lip service. The Gospel of Mathew explains
it vividly: “It is not anyone who says to me. ‘Lord, Lord,’
who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person
who does the will of my Father in Heaven” (Mathew
7:21). That is quite demanding of Jesus when he speaks
about a true disciple.
We reflected on the theme “be not afraid” in the previ-
ous week. We are affected by all sorts of fears that tend to
paralyze us, such as fears of the pandemic, the silent and
invisible slayer around us. As we read and hear the daily
news, surely, we get a bit panicked now and then. Then
in our relationship with God, we tend to act out of fear
rather than out of love for God. God created us to live in
freedom and He does not want us to be intimidated. We
are challenged: “Be not afraid!” We can step forward, be
cheerful even in the midst of fear and anxiety.
Jesus fan or Jesus follower: If you cannot see the
suffering people around you and reach out to them, then
you are not His follower. He wants more followers to
accompany Him this way to the cross, even to the point
of death. “No one has greater love than to lay down his
life for his friends” (John 15:13).
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