WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3
COMMUNITY
Class gives blended and stepfamilies tools to ease transition
BY MAEGAN MURRAY
HERMISTON HERALD
Francis Gossler knows from ex-
perience the issues that may ensue
when two families come together to
form a blended or stepfamily.
Gossler said when she married
her husband, Dave Gossler, two
years ago, their children handled
the situation in very different ways.
While her daughter accepted it right
away, her son took a bit more time.
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children.
“You have two different families
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to the same parenting styles, same
rules,” she said. “There can be a lot
of resentment and tension.”
Gossler said while her children
were used to doing chores every
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follow the same routine. She said her
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having more activities such as sports
available at their disposal, while her
children were not.
Combine those differences with
varying disciplinary practices and
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families merging, and Gossler said
she and her new husband had to
develop a system of their own. She
said they worked together to create
a family dynamic that would allow
them to work out some of their dif-
ferences and come up with some
compromises, as well.
Gossler said she realizes it cer-
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of work is sometimes involved.
“It can be really hard,” she said.
In the last few years, the Goss-
lers had been involved in a divorce
care class with another couple, Tra-
cie and Jake Broyles, at New Hope
Broyles said the biological parent
needs to take the lead when it comes
to disciplining their own children,
while the stepparent needs to step
back.
“Just because your parenting
skills worked when raising your
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same with my daughter, and vice
versa,” Tracie Broyles said.
Jake Broyles said parents in
families frequently feel they can
just merge the two families togeth-
er, and everyone will be happy, but
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to compare it to something tangi-
ble, families are like ingredients.
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expect to be blended up together
in a blender where they will turn
out creamy and smooth. He said
families are more like a crock pot
MAEGAN MURRAY PHOTO — each person is a different ingre-
Francis Gossler, from left, Tracie Broyles and Jake Broyles offer a class for blended and stepfamilies each
dient, and everyone will cook at a
Wednesday night at New Hope Community Church.
different speed.
The couples hope the class will
Community Church. Last year, the parents and family members with a Tracie have been married now for provide parents and families with a
two couples decided the Hermis- set of tools they can use to ease the 14 years, they learn things from the few more ways to deal with certain
ton community needed a class to merging of stepfamilies, as well as book and the class they teach every issues that arise.
Gossler said the work to become
help provide tools for stepfamilies provide those families that have al- week. Many things, they said, they
to build stronger relationships and ready been established tools with ZLVKWKH\KDGNQRZQZKHQWKH\¿UVW a cohesive stepfamily is a never-end-
ing growing process.
¿JXUHRXWV\VWHPVWKDWZRXOGZRUN how to grow together. The book got married.
“I think through our whole lives,
for them.
costs $14, however if a family can-
Tracie Broyles said, between the
The class was so successful last not afford the book, the group can two of them, they have four kids, or we will still be working through
year that the two couples decided work out a way to get them one at two each. While three of the four things,” she said. “Dealing with
to offer the class again this year. no charge.
children were adults by the time she graduations, vacations, kids and
While the class, which runs for eight
The class is free to anyone who and her husband got married, Tracie grandkids. This is a life-long pro-
ZHHNVKDGLWV¿UVWVHVVLRQODVWZHHN is interested, and it takes place at %UR\OHV¶ GDXJKWHU ZDV LQ KHU PLG cess. This class helps give you some
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both couples said people can start 6 p.m. Wednesday nights at New teens at the time.
the class at any time.
Hope, 1350 South Highway 395, as
Jake Broyles said he quickly these home and used them in my
³,WGRHVQ¶WKDYHWREHLQFKURQR- SDUWRIWKHFKXUFK¶VIDPLO\QLJKW$ OHDUQHG KLV SDUHQWLQJ VW\OH ZDVQ¶W own home.”
Jake Broyles said the class may
logical order,” Jake Broyles said. home-cooked meal is provided to necessarily going to work for Tra-
“You can proceed through the book those who are interested at 5 p.m. FLH %UR\OHV¶ GDXJKWHU +RZ WR GLV- be a Christian-based program, but
however you want.”
before the class starts. The dinner cipline and communicate with their having a Christian background is
Broyles said the class follows costs $3 for adults and $2 for chil- step-children, he said, is one of the not necessary.
“This class is for anyone,” Tracie
the book “The Smart Step-Family,” dren.
most important tools he learned
Broyles said.
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Though Broyles said he and from teaching the class.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
Annual MLK Community Peace Walk
planned Monday in Hermiston
BY SEAN HART
HERMISTON HERALD
Since 2001, a local club
has honored Martin Luther
King Jr. with an annual
march in Hermiston.
Hermiston Black Inter-
national Awareness Club
President John Carbage
said people should begin
gathering for the MLK
Community Peace Walk
between 11:30 a.m. and
noon Monday outside the
Hermiston United Method-
ist Church, 191 E. Gladys
Ave.
After welcoming re-
marks by Carbage, the at-
tendees will sing “Lift Ev-
ery Voice and Sing” during
the short march west on
Gladys Avenue, before
turning south on North First
Street, east on East Main,
north on Northeast Third
Street and west on Gladys,
ending with a ceremony at
Hermiston City Hall.
From there, the proces-
sion will continue back to
the church for a ceremony
from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in
the sanctuary, followed by
refreshments in the fellow-
ship hall.
Carbage said Brandon
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Chapter president of Union
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Employee Network, will
deliver the keynote address
about how his life has been
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legacy.
“I think Martin Lu-
ther King opened a lot of
doors,” Carbage said. “I am
the manager of terminal op-
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be in the position that I am
in if Martin Luther King
had never took that walk ...
had never stood up for civil
rights. I would not be able
to vote today. I would not
be able to lead other people
that were not of my same
race. We would not have a
black president if it was not
for Martin Luther King.”
About 100 people usu-
ally attend the annual gath-
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work in civil rights for all
minorities, Carbage said.
Although the local African
American community is
comprised of only about 60
or 70 people, he said, the
we have in the community.
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for uplifting the black man.
He was for uplifting the mi-
nority, for minority rights.
At BIAC, we want to be an
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not just for blacks.”
People will gather between
Former BIAC president
11:30 a.m. and noon Monday
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outside of Hermiston United
ert
Davis
said, each year,
Methodist Church, 191 E. Gladys
the
walk
has
“a beautiful
Ave., for a march and ceremo-
response and participation”
nies honoring Martin Luther
from Hermiston residents.
King Jr. The community walk,
“It kind of warms my
culminating in a ceremony at
heart because it shows
Hermiston City hall, will take
there are passionate peo-
place from noon to 1 p.m. A cer-
ple around that are con-
emony will then take place from
cerned about civil rights
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the church,
and equality and fair hous-
followed by refreshments.
ing, fair living and raising
up awareness to the spirit
area is home to many mi- that Martin Luther King
norities.
was representing,” Davis
“You have such a broad said. “As a pastor and a ci-
melting pot here in Herm- vilian, he stood up for all
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based on how many Afri- quotes: He says that God
can Americans we have in is not just interested in
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on how many minorities in all men.”
MLK
Community
Peace Walk
22 nD ANNUAL
Tri-Cities Sportsmen Show
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
January 16, 17, 18
at
in Pasco
&RI PM s 3AT AM PM
3UN AM
M PM
Featuring
Carbage said the club
was started to promote the
MLK Community Peace
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largest event, but funds
are also being collected
to provide scholarships
for local minority students
who will attend a local
college. He said the club
will ask the students to
speak at the annual walks.
The club also supports
the Hermiston Warm-
ing Station and mentors
young men experiencing
domestic issues, he said.
Currently, about 20 people
are members of the BIAC,
which meets at 2 p.m. the
second Saturday of each
month at Starbucks, he
said.
“We do have members
from all races currently
holding positions in the
club,” Carbage said. “We
encourage all people to
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older members, so we
need some young mem-
bers to keep the club going
to keep the dream alive.”
For more information,
call Carbage, 541-701-
7073.
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