WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3
COMMUNITY
Local vocalist qualifies for national festival
Hayden raising funds
to travel to Florida
Fundraising
Vocalist Mya Hayden, 12, Herm-
iston, qualified to participate
in a national fine arts festival
in Orlando, but she must raise
$1,000 by May 22 and $2,500
total to attend. Hayden is raising
funds a variety of ways:
• She is conducting a can and
bottle drive.
• She is available for yard work,
housework and childcare. Email
her at mya2orlando@yahoo.
com.
• She is selling baked goods
at the Hermiston Farmers
Market, Funfest, the Fourth of
July celebration and Umatilla’s
Landing Days.
• People can also donate online
at gofundme.com/mya2orlando.
BY SEAN HART
HERMISTON HERALD
Mya Hayden has been
singing since she was 5, and
her vocal talent may now
take her farther than she has
ever traveled.
At the Oregon Fine Arts
Festival last month, Hayden
TXDOL¿HGWRDWWHQGDQDWLRQDO
festival in August in Orlan-
do, Florida, and she is trying
to raise funds to be able to
go.
Hayden, 12, Hermiston,
was one of two people se-
lected to attend the national
festival out of about 20 con-
testants in the junior high
solo female vocalist cate-
gory at the Oregon festival
in Albany. The festivals are
sponsored by the Assembly
of God Church, and Hayden
said she enjoyed the experi-
ence.
³,¶YH QHYHU GRQH D ¿QH
arts festival,” she said. “It
was pretty cool. My mom
did it when she was younger,
and she got to go to nation-
als.”
FFA selling plants in fundraiser
SEAN HART PHOTO
Mya Hayden, left, sings as Jacob Looper plays piano Monday
at Hermiston $ssembly of *od $t the 2regon )ine $rts )es-
tiYal in $lbany, Hayden TualiÀed to attend a national competi-
tion in 2rlando, )lorida, and is raising funds for the trip
Hayden said she practiced
for an hour or two every day
for about a month to prepare.
She sang “Walk on the Wa-
ter” by Britt Nicole but will
choose another selection for
the national festival.
Jacob Looper, adviser for
the SUM Bible College of-
fered at Hermiston Assembly
of God, was the state festival
coordinator, and he is now
working with Hayden and
helping her select a song.
Looper won the state vocal
competition during his youth
and has since served as a
judge at the national event.
“The whole point of the
festival is for the students
to develop, discover and
deploy their gifts out into
the real world,” he said.
“It’s not just about a one-
time festival. They’re try-
ing to further their abilities
in real life.”
Looper said the event fea-
tured 75 different categories
with about 600 entries this
year.
He said he is impressed
with Hayden.
“She has got an amazing
voice,” he said. “She has a
huge range. She’s got really
good talent. I really see the
potential in her. I just think
she’s really going to go far
with it.”
JESSICA KELLER PHOTO
Hermiston High School sophomore Kayla Holt and freshman
Edith Pulido, students in the school’s plant propagation class,
untangle allysum ÁoZers they greZ from seeds at HHS last
ZeeN ,n addition to ÁoZers, the students greZ fruit and Yegeta-
Ele plants and herEs in the class, Zhich Zill all Ee sold in the an-
nual ))$ plant sale 7he Hermiston ))$ Plant Sale Zill Ee from
pm to pm )riday and from am to pm Saturday
or until all the plants are sold Plants may Ee purchased in the
HHS greenhouse, S )irst St, on the north side of the high
school 7he plants for sale include hanging EasNets, ÁoZers
and YegetaEles, each cultiYated Ey the plant propagation and
horticulture class at Hermiston High School, in Zhich students
learned eYerything from hoZ to create the Eest fertili]er to hoZ
to raise plants from cuttings of other plants 7he money raised
from the plant sale Zill EeneÀt the high school ))$ program
NEWS IN BRIEF
National Day of
Prayer event slated
Masons hosting
fundraiser
Residents are invited to
attend a National Day of
Prayer gathering, featuring
prayer and a live band, be-
ginning at 6:30 p.m. May
7 in the Hermiston High
School gymnasium, 600 S.
First St.
Hermiston
Masonic
Lodge is hosting a Bikes
for Books yard sale and
silent auction from 7:30
a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at
the lodge, 200 W. Orchard
Ave., Hermiston. The silent
auction will begin at 11 a.m.
and includes a 64-ounce
from Hermiston
Garden club selling Growler
Brew Company that can be
¿OOHG IRU IUHH RQFH D ZHHN
plants
for a year. Yard sale items
The Bloomer Girls Gar- are being accepted through
den Club is hosting its Friday. People can arrange
annual plant sale from 10 to have items picked up by
a.m. to 4 p.m., or until the calling John Perkins, 541-
last plant is sold, during the 861-0301. Proceeds of the
Eastern Oregon Arts Festi- event will go toward pur-
val Saturday in Hermiston. chasing bicycles to be dis-
The club will have lots of tributed to children who
ÀRZHULQJSODQWVDVZHOODV meet reading requirements
veggies, herbs and other as part of the lodge’s Bikes
plants available for sale. for Books program.
$OO SUR¿WV IURP WKH SODQW
sale will go to Domestic
Violence Services. If any- Lions Club hosting
one has plants they would murder mystery
like to donate to the sale,
please have them planted
The Umatilla Irrigon
in clean pots, labeled and Lions Club is presenting a
bring them to the plant sale murder mystery and potato
booth – in the parking lot bar at 7 p.m. May 15 at the
on the corner of Second Umatilla Senior Center and
Street and Gladys Avenue 7 p.m. May 16 at the Fam-
– by 9 a.m.
ily Worship Center in Irri-
gon. The cost is $5 per per-
son and includes a baked
Parking lot sale
potato bar and dessert, as
well as coffee and/or water.
Saturday
This is a fundraiser for the
Agape House is hosting Lions Club. For more infor-
a parking lot sale begin- mation on how to become a
ning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday member of the cast, please
at the Agape House, 500 call Cathy Putnam at 541-
Harper Road. The sale 922-3281.
ends at 10:30 a.m. Cloth-
ing items are priced three
for $1; books are three for Pet adoption open
$1; furniture is priced as house slated at
marked; and people can
name their own price for TRCI
Two Rivers Correctional
knick-knacks.
Proceeds
help Agape House serve Institution and the Rehabil-
the needs of low-income itating Offenders and Ca-
residents in the communi- nines program invites the
ty. Donations are welcome community to meet dogs
through Friday. Call Dave up for adoption at an open
at Agape House, 541-567- house at 1:30 p.m. May 16
8774, for more informa- at TRCI. People can meet
six dogs that were rehabil-
tion.
itated by inmates and need
homes at the event, which
will take place on the
lawn by the administration
building. Hot dogs and re-
freshments, along with in-
formation on how to adopt
the dogs will be provided.
Dogs can be adopted for a
$150 fee. For more infor-
mation, call 541-922-2029.
Merkley to have
town hall meetings
Bark for Life
coming up
ing and more are scheduled
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All
proceeds to go to the Ameri-
7KH¿IWKDQQXDO%DUN)RU can Cancer Society.
Life event will take place
at McKenzie Park May 16.
The day includes a 5-kilo- Key club, care
meter Fun Run/Walk, which facilities hosting
will begin at 8 a.m., and oth-
er events, including a silent senior prom
The Hermiston High School
auction, dog training, AKC
&DQLQH*RRG&LWL]HQFHUWL¿- Key Club, Ashley Manor Care
cation, dog wash, face paint- Facilities, Brookdale Assist-
Sen.
Jeff
Merkley,
D-Oregon, will hold town
hall meetings May 16 in
Hermiston and Irrigon. The
day will begin at 10 a.m.
at Irrigon-Junior Senior
High School, 315 W. Wy-
oming St., before shifting
to Hermiston High School,
600 S. First St., at 12:30
p.m. Merkley will answer
questions and provide an
update on legislation in
Congress.
Since joining the Senate
in 2009, Merkley has held
a town hall meeting in each
of Oregon’s 36 counties ev-
ery year.
“There are huge issues
facing Oregonians and the
best way for me to effec-
tively advocate for Ore-
gon’s families and busi-
nesses is by getting out on
the road,” Merkley said in
a statement. “I invite all
residents of Morrow and
Umatilla counties to come
discuss what we need to do
to strengthen our state and
nation.”
Both meetings are open
to the public.
Place a Yard Sale Ad
25 words, 3 days, private party only
$20.00 East Oregonian & Hermiston Herald
BUFFET
Sunday, May 10th
Brunch 11am-1pm
Lunch & Dinner 1-5pm
ers
w
o
h
S
!
o f $ $
Call Paula
541-278-2678
Mother's $10; Adults $12.95
Children (11 & under) $8.50
drinks not included • reservations suggested
First 48 Mothers will
receive a rose!
541-289-7414
125 N. 1st St.,
Hermiston
Yard Sale Kits - $5.00
Includes 2 signs & stakes,
price stickers & coupons
ed Living, Guardian Angel
Homes and Sun Terrace Assist-
ed Living are sponsoring “An
Evening in Paris” senior prom
for all seniors age 65 and older
from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 30
at the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, at the corner
of Highland and 11th Street in
Hermiston. People are invit-
ed to enjoy a free afternoon of
music, dancing, activities and
food.