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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 2015)
Hermiston A4 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 Farmers Ending Hunger unveils SAGE Center exhibit Portland Mayor Hales makes trip for event By GEORGE PLAVEN Staff Writer By the time 2015 draws to a close, Farmers Ending Hunger e[pects to donate nearly 4 million pounds of fresh, locally grown food to the Oregon Food Bank for the year. That’s a single-year re- cord and about 1.5 million pounds more than the orga- nization managed in 2014, but E[ecutive Director John Burt said they can still do more. “There’s a big hunger is- sue in this state,” Burt said. “We need people to get in- volved.” A crowd of 85 people gathered Saturday eve- ning at the SAGE Center in Boardman to celebrate Farmers Ending Hunger, including Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and Oregon Food Bank CEO Susannah Morgan. The event also doubled as an unveiling for the new Farmers Ending Hunger e[hibit at the SAGE Center — Boardman’s visi- tor center and regional agri- cultural museum. Fred Ziari, president and CEO of IRZ Consulting in Hermiston, founded the nonpro¿ t Farmers Ending Hunger in 2004 after learn- ing Oregon was, at the time, the nation’s hungriest state. Today, one in ¿ ve Orego- nians faces food insecurity. Ziari said he hopes the mu- seum display will continue to galvanize Eastern Oregon farmers to help feed their neighbors. “Just knowing this was happening in our own state was a shock to me,” Ziari said. “This display will ed- ucate permanently for hun- dreds of thousands of people coming through here.” Farmers Ending Hunger represents a collaborative effort between more than 100 farmers, food proces- B USINESS sors and the Oregon Food Bank to deliver much-need- ed meals to families. On average, about 284,000 res- idents rely on emergency food bo[es for meals. Of those, 34 percent are chil- dren. Ziari said the organi- zation was born not out of charity, but a labor of love. He recognized Amstad Pro- duce for contributing 30 tons of potatoes per month; Hale Farms for contribut- ing 25 tons of onions per month; and Threemile Can- yon Farms for contributing 25-30 beef cows per month. Enough wheat has also been donated for roughly 5 million pancakes, Ziari said. Much of that food ends up on the west side of the state, and Portland Mayor Hales said he wanted to thank those growers in person for their generosity. Seventeen percent of Multnomah County’s pop- ulation is food insecure, Hales said, or about 116,000 people. “You are right on the forefront of an issue that profoundly affects the peo- ple I work for,” Hales said. “I so value the substance and the spirit of what you’re doing.” Morgan, who has served as CEO of the Oregon Food Bank since 2012, empha- sized hunger remains a big challenge in the state. How- ever, the problem isn’t that there’s not enough food, she said, but a matter of gather- ing and distributing dona- tions to the hungry. The Oregon Food Bank stands ready to partner with Farmers Ending Hunger into the future, Morgan said. “We will not rest until we’ve eliminated hunger,” she said. Saturday’s event ended with a $10,000 donation to Farmers Ending Hunger from Northwest Farm Cred- it Services. Non-farmers can also donate the organi- zation’s “Adopt an Acre” program. Downtown businesses seeing more customers on First Thursdays By JADE McDOWELL Staff Writer Downtown business own- ers in Hermiston have started looking forward to the ¿ rst Thursday of every month. The date is set aside for the Hermiston Downtown District’s monthly open house, which draws custom- ers with sales, refreshments, live entertainment and longer hours. “It’s been fun,” said An- dee’s Boutique owner Bran- di Howard. “It doesn’t even feel like work, it’s just been social.” The boutique is usually open until 5:30 p.m. but on Thursday it was open until 7 p.m. Sweaters were 20 per- cent off their regular price, and customers were greeted with a complimentary cookie. Howard said people who work until 5 p.m. like com- ing to shop on a First Thurs- day when they’re not as rushed. “I know it has brought people downtown,” she said. “And they spend longer in the shops.” Daniel Czayka of Ale[- ander Daniel Jewelry Works was offering 15 percent off silver and gold jewelry and free ¿ nishing and rhodium plating on Thursday. He said the First Thursday tradition, started by the Downtown Business Association earlier this year, has been a great success that the association plans to continue in 2016. “It drives a lot of people here,” he said. “Probably 60 percent of the people I get in on a First Thursday are new.” Ale[ander Daniel Jew- elry Works is also celebrat- ing its one-year anniversary in Hermiston this month. Czayka said being part of the downtown district has been a good e[perience and he has enjoyed getting together with other Main Street busi- ness owners to plan things like First Thursday and Christmas decorations. “I’m just looking forward 6TAFF 3H2T2 %< -AD( 0cD2W(// Lights come on in downtown Hermiston as two shoSSers maNe their way to DeÀ ning Details during November’s First Thursday open house. to ne[t year,” he said. “I hope we get more retail (down- town).” Shannon Snyder, owner of De¿ ning Details, echoed her fellow business own- ers’ sentiments that First Thursday open houses were drawing e[tra shoppers downtown, including a lot of ¿ rst-time customers. “I think it’s growing ev- ery time,” she said. Snyder said she is e[cited for the Dec. 5 open house, when businesses will be decked out in lights for the holidays and Santa is e[pect- ed to make an appearance. If all goes well, she said, the event will also introduce people to the planned light show on the side of the old RoeMark’s building being put together by the city of Hermiston’s Parks and Rec- reation department and the Downtown Business Asso- ciation. BRIEFCASE Space Age Fuel wins industry award and plans to e[tend that to its other Oregon locations. Space Age Fuel in Herm- iston was recognized by Con- venience Store News for the best mid-sized remodel in the business. The Hermiston station is the chain¶s À agship location. Convenience Store News, a national magazine that publishes industry re- search and trends, gave the award based on several de- sign elements of the travel center, including its sepa- rate entrance for diesel fuel customers. It also noted the fresh and nutritious ready- to-go meals for sale and the “farm-to-table” approach that keeps the convenience store stocked with fresh pro- duce year-round. The magazine stated Space Age Fuel updated the Hermiston location’s brand by “reimaging of colors, ¿ n- ishes, lighting, cabinetry, ¿ [- tures, graphics and signage” U.S. Bank foundation awards grant Inland Northwest Musi- cians recently announced it received a $2,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation. The money will be used for operating e[penses during its 2015-16 season. Since 2008, the foundation has provided Inland Northwest Musicians with more than $24,000 in grants. The award was presented by Kara Taylor, branch man- ager of U.S. Bank in Herm- iston, to R. Lee Friese, direc- tor of the Inland Northwest Musicians ensembles, during the July B2B luncheon of the Hermiston Chamber of Com- merce at McKenzie Park. Inland Northwest Mu- sicians is a nonpro¿ t orga- nization whose mission is to bring live orchestral and HERMISTONHERALD.COM choral music to the commu- nities in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. The organization does not charge for its performances, but does accept donations. For more information, contact Salli Ketchersid at ketchersid@eotnet.net, 541- 314-5833 or visit www. inlandnorthwestmusicians. com. Gym off ers Veterans Day workout A free community Boot Camp Workout is offered in recognition of Veterans Day at Higher Power Fitness. People are encouraged to wear red, white and blue and join the crew today at 5:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. at 1055 S. Highway 395, Suite 202, Hermiston. In addition, all veterans are eligible for a free month of group workouts throughout the month of November. 6TAFF 3H2T2 %< -AD( 0cD2W(// Pulled pork sliders were on sale for a dollar apiece at Country Gourmet & BBQ during November’s First Thursday event downtown. VOLUME 109 ɿ NUMBER 60 Gary L. West Jade McDowell Editor gwest@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4532 Reporter jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com 541-564-4536 Tammy Malgesini Sean Hart Community Editor tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com 541-564-4539 Reporter smhart@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4534 Family Care Health sets open house Sam Barbee Jeanne Jewett Sports Reporter sbarbee@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4542 Multi-Media Consultant jjewett@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4531 An open house is planned at Family Care Health, a Medicare Advantage Plan, which recently moved to its new of¿ ce location. Family Care members and anyone curious about what a Medicare advantage plan is, and how it differs from stan- dard Medicare or a Medicare supplement, is encouraged to stop by. This is especially timely with the current Medi- care open enrollment period, which ends Dec. 7. The open house is Thurs- day from 3-7 p.m. at 433 S. Main St., Pendleton. The of- ¿ ce is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 541-278- 3484. Kim La Plant For more information, contact 541-289-5483 or info@higherpower¿ tnessllc. com. Multi-media Consultant klaplant@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4530 To contact the Hermiston Herald for news, advertising or subscription information: • call 541-567-6457 • e-mail info@hermistonherald.com • stop b\ our of¿ ces at 333 (. 0ain 6t. • visit us online at: hermistonherald.com The Hermiston Herald 8636 242220, ,661 8750-4782) is published weekly at Hermiston Herald, 333 (. 0ain 6t., Hermiston, 25 97838, (541) 567-6457, FAX (541) 567-1764. 3rinted on recycled newsprint ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Delivered by carrier and mail Wednesdays ,nside 8matilla0orrow counties .......... $42.65 2utside 8matilla0orrow counties ....... $53.90 3eriodical postage paid at Hermiston, 25. 3ostmaster, send address changes to Hermiston Herald, 333 (. 0ain 6t., Hermiston, 25 97838. 0ember of (2 0edia *roup &opyright 2015