Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2015)
A14 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 FROM PAGE A1 HONORS: continued from page A1 sat on the Umatilla Coun- ty Planning Commission, Hermiston School Board, Blue Mountain Communi- ty College Board and the Umatilla-Morrow Regional Strategy Committee. With many of those, Hansell said, he has held a chairman posi- tion for at least one year. Additionally, Anderson has served as the director and secretary for the Hermiston Development Corporation, Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center Steering Com- mittee, the Umatilla Army Depot Reuse Authority, the Hermiston City Council and led the effort to get the city to create a Hispanic Advisory Committee. If that wasn’t enough, Anderson is also a decorated Vietnam veteran, where he served as a credentialed army counter intelligence agent and advised the South Vietnam- ese National Police. He is also married to his wife, Kar- en, and the proud father and grandfather or three children and three grandchildren. “You will never know, in- cluding George, how much pro-bono work he has done for charity, clients, causes and community projects,” Hansell said. “Perhaps one trait that consistently defines who George Anderson is, is his commitment to doing what is right.” When he got up on the stage to accept his plaque, Anderson quickly gave cred- it to not only his family, but to the families of many in the Hermiston community. “Tonight is a great testa- ment to what an unusual and interesting and growing place we have,” he said. “My fami- ly is a testament to that. I have three children and all of them now live in Hermiston ... They too will help make this a better place ... Many other families like Karen and mine, their children have done the same thing.” Anderson said he has been proud to see Hermiston grow through the years and expects that growth to increase. WOMAN OF THE YEAR Honored as this year’s Woman of the Year, Shirley Parsons has also given much of herself in an effort to help others and the overall Herm- iston community. Presenter Kelly Bissinger said Parsons was nominated for the honor because of her dedication to her career and clients, her community in- volvement, her love for fam- ily and friends and her faith in God. Bissinger said Parsons has held many jobs, but being a realtor is her calling. He said her favorite part of her job is helping first-time home builders. “Give her a young couple, and she lights up,” he said. Her role as a realtor is not only limited to selling real estate, however, he said. Par- sons was the 2014 president of Columbia Board of Real- tors, and she was recognized by her colleagues as realtor of the year in 2005. Bissing- er also described Parsons as a prominent member of the Na- tional Association of Realtors and a prominent figure for the Desert Sky Estates, one of the new subdivisions in Hermis- ton. With all her career accom- plishments, Parsons also pro- some is my family.” Parsons said her family stuck by her when she wanted to get her realtor license at the age of 50. “They have been so sup- portive,” she said. OUTSTANDING YOUNG CITIZEN MAEGAN MURRAY PHOTO Hermiston resident George Anderson speaks to audi- ence members after receiving the honor of Hermiston Man of the Year Wednesday night during the Distinguished Citizens Awards Banquet at the Hermiston Conference Center. vides more than enough time for her family, Bissinger said. “Her family comes first,” he said. “She has been known to sit in a gym watching a basketball game and, once it has ended, immediately head to another town to watch a dance recital.” Parsons has also been active in booster clubs, Hermiston Little League and basketball, watched her granddaughters show their pigs through 4-H, traveled all over to watch her grand- daughters’ dance competi- tions, hosted team dinners, put together goodies bags for trips to state basketball tour- naments and more. Bissinger said what guides Parsons is her faith. She is an active member of the Oasis Vineyard Church. Upon accepting her award, Parsons said she was speech- less for probably the first time in her life. “This is an awesome, awe- some feeling to be here,” she said. “What is the most awe- M RE Also during the banquet Wednesday night, Altrusa President Dorothy Smith presented Hermiston High School student Skylar Grigg as the club’s outstanding young citizen. Smith said Grigg always has a positive demeanor and is a well-rounded individual who cares about others and finds ways to help. “At age 14, our recipient began a recycling business, a lawn and landscape business to earn money to purchase a specific car to fix up and get ready to drive in two years,” she said. Grigg also teaches Sunday school at his church, volunteers at the Lions Club fair booth and also helps with the Lions Easter egg hunt. Additionally, he is a counselor for the Sunset Ele- mentary School Outdoor Ed- ucation Program, is a member of the Hermiston High School tennis team, a member of Na- tional Honor Society and has a grade point average of 3.72. CHAMBER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Hermiston Chamber of Commerce CEO Debbie Pe- dro and Oregon Rep. Greg Smith presented Teresa Mon- crief with the chamber Volun- teer of the Year award. Smith said Moncrief has been an active participant in a variety of service organi- zations in the community, including Eagles Auxiliary, Elks, Relay for Life, Altrusa, the Emblem Club and Hos- pice. Pedro said Moncrief has also served as a chamber am- bassador for more than 20 years. “It seems like no mat- ter how busy she is with her family obligations and com- mitments, she finds time to give back to her community,” she said. “We all recognize this woman because she was Woman of the Year in 2008.” COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD Tom Denchel Ford Coun- try was honored with this year’s Community Service Award for its continuing con- tributions to the Hermiston community. The award was accepted by co-owner Tim Buffington. Presenter Peggy Ander- son said Tom Denchel Ford Country is expanding con- stantly in response to com- munity requests and special needs. “They go out of their way to assist the customer with anything they need virtually day and night,” she said. Anderson said the com- pany has also been active in supporting a number of youth programs, including youth basketball, baseball, track, football and golf. It has also supported Festival of Trees, the Hermiston Education Foundation, FFA, the Herm- iston Art Festival, the Laven- der Festival, Funfest, Agape House and many others. The company has also raised more than $60,000 for high schools in the region through its Drive One For Your School pro- gram. “While these things seem like little gestures, in the small community such as ours, these acts of compas- sion do not go unnoticed,” Anderson said. BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Affordable Family Eye Care owners Marcia and Al- lan Lambert were presented with the Bob Severson Rotary Business of the Year Award. Rotary President Bryn Browning said Affordable Family Eye Care exemplifies all that Rotary stands for. “This business owner reached out to our schools from day one, not only in Hermiston, but in our sur- rounding communities, of- fering to examine any student of any age that might have vision issues,” she said. Browning said many fam- ilies may lack the money for vision screenings and eye wear, but the business makes sure those families have those services regardless of their ability to pay. Additionally, Browning said the company has looked beyond the scope of Herm- iston and even the United States to help others with vi- sion problems. She said one of the owners returned last month from a South Pacific territory, islands without elec- tricity, after working with a group that has helped restore sight to hundreds of people in the region, some of them blinded by cataract for years. “This is the type of busi- ness that makes our commu- nity better in many, many ways,” Browning said. The Hermiston School District also recognized its educators of the year. FEBRUARY 2015 WINNERS. MORE OFTEN. SPIN THE WHEEL FOR YOUR SHOT AT $ 100,000! GRAND FINALE FEBRUARY 14 Qualify by hot seat and entry form every half hour from 1 – 5:30pm 2 GAME SHOWS EVERY SATURDAY: 3:00pm and 6:00pm. At each time, 3 guests will advance to play and spin for up to $ 100,000. Earn entries daily playing your favorite slot machine. Must have valid ID and be a Club Wild member. Must be present to win. Don’t miss our 20TH ANNIVERSARY FIREWORKS DISPLAY, Saturday, March 14 at 8pm A VA L E N T I N E W I T H T H E K I N G T HE UL ULT T I MAT M ATE AT E E LV V I S VA V AL A L EN ALEN ENT T IN INE E ’ S SH S H OW Sa a turr d ay, February 14 at 8pm | Doors Open att 7 p m TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Tickets $ 20 P c ha Pur as e tickets in person at the Wildhorse Gift Shop, wildhorsereso o rt.c c om m or by calling Box Office Tickets at 800-494-8497. YOU D L C OU E X T BE N Presidents Day Cash Giveaway MORE BENEFITS TO CLUB MEMBERSHIP MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16 It is so simple ... Play your favorite machine with your Club Wild card inserted, and you can win! 20 HOT SEAT WINNERS EVERY HOUR | 11am - 4pm BONUS SCREEN will appear while you play. FREEPLAY winners awarded daily. There is no limit to the number of times any player may win. Play your favorite slot machine with your Club Wild card properly inserted to win! C a s i n o • H ote l • G o l f • Ci n e p l ex • R V • M us e u m • D i n i n g • Tra ve l P l a za 800.654.9453 \\ Pendleton, OR \\ I-84, Exit 216 \\ wildhorseresort.com \\ Owned and operated by CTUIR. 342533.MM.1.15 Management reserves the right to alter, suspend or withdraw offers/promotion at any time.