A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2016
Our Community
IN BRIEF
Wildhorse
Foundation accepts
grant requests
There’s still time to ap-
ply for the next grant cy-
cle through the Wildhorse
Foundation — and the en-
tire process can be done
online.
Established by the Con-
federated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reserva-
tion, the foundation board
considers grants that cover
the areas of public health,
public safety, education, the
arts, historic preservation,
gambling addiction ser-
vices, salmon restoration,
environmental protection
and cultural activities.
Grants are awarded quar-
terly.
The next deadline to ap-
ply is Sunday, Jan. 1. To ap-
ply for funding, visit www.
thewildhorsefoundation.
com. For questions, con-
tact Tiah DeGrofft at 541-
966-1628 or tiah.degrofft@
wildhorseresort.com.
Resolution Run
provides head start
on new year
Whether you’re aim-
ing to accomplish fitness
goals for 2017 or just
want to start the year off
with family and friends,
the Resolution Run is for
you.
Providing a head start
for the new year, the event
is Saturday at 10 a.m. at
Riverfront Park and the
Oxbow Trail, Hermiston.
There is no fee. Families,
kids, strollers, and pets
are all welcome to partic-
ipate.
The main 5K course
follows the Oxbow Trail,
starting and ending at
Riverfront Park. An op-
tional detour through the
off-road trails north of the
park follows the river and
adds an extra mile to the
total distance. There are
no rules for how short or
how long participants run
or walk.
Sponsored by a group
of local runners, the finish
line usually greets partic-
ipants with high fives,
hot chocolate, water and
snacks. Resolution Run
T-shirts will be available
for purchase with pro-
ceeds going to the Herm-
iston High School cross
country teams. For more
information, contact Tim
Beal at timothybeal@
gmail.com or 509-954-
8778.
Dancing stars event
seeks youth dancers
Youth dancers are need-
ed for the upcoming Danc-
ing with the Hermiston
Stars.
To be eligible, kids need
to be between 6 and 12
years old. There is a need
for eight boys and 18 girls.
There is no charge for the
youths to participate.
Practices are Jan. 9-12
from 5-6 p.m. and the event
is Saturday, Jan. 14, at 7
p.m. at Hermiston High
School, 600 S. First St.
For more information or
to register your child, call
541-667-5018 or stop by
Hermiston Parks & Recre-
ation at 180 N.E. Second
St.
Ski bus to cruise to
Anthony Lakes
Catch a ride to An-
thony Lakes Resort for a
day of skiing or boarding
through Hermiston Parks
& Recreation.
The Ski & Snowboard
Days are Jan. 7, 21 and
Feb. 4 and 18. The cost is
$30 per ride or $100 for
all four dates. In addition,
discount lift tickets are
available for $17 or $12
for the bunny hill. Lift
tickets are free for ages
3-6 and those 70-and-old-
er. Discount equipment
rentals are $17.
The bus ride is open to
ages 3 and up, but those
13-and-younger must be
accompanied by an adult.
The school bus will de-
part at 6 a.m. from Herm-
iston City Hall, 180 N.E.
Second St. The anticipat-
ed return time is 7 p.m.
For more information
or to register, call 541-
667-5018 or stop by the
parks office.
Program identifies
pre-diabetes risk
One out of every three
American adults has
pre-diabetes — and 90
percent don’t know it.
Prevent T2 Info Ses-
sions will provide infor-
mation on how to prevent
or delay progression to
Type 2 diabetes. Partici-
pants can assess wheth-
er they’re ready to make
lifestyle changes.
The informational ses-
sion is Wednesday, Jan.
11, from 4-5 p.m. or 6-7
p.m. in Meeting Room
No. 2 in the Good Shep-
herd Medical Office Pla-
za, 620 N.W. 11th St.,
Hermiston.
Follow-up
Prevent T2 classes will be
scheduled to meet partici-
pant needs.
For more information
call Helena Wolfe at 541-
561-5443.
Get ready to rumba
People can learn how
to rumba, a graceful and
sensual dance step — or
take a sampler class that
features the cha cha,
waltz, 1-step swing and
more — during sessions
offered through Hermis-
ton Parks & Recreation.
The
classes
are
Wednesdays from Jan. 11
through Feb. 22 (there’s
no class Feb. 8). The sam-
pler class is from 6:15-
7:15 p.m. and the rumba
is from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in
the basement at the Herm-
iston Public Library, 235
E. Gladys Ave. The cost
for either class is $30 for
Hermiston residents and
$38 for non-residents. It’s
open to ages 14 and up.
No prior experience
is required. Participants
should wear comfortable
shoes.
For more information,
visit www.hermistonrec-
reation.com. To register,
call 541-667-5018 or stop
by the recreation office,
180 N.E. Second St.,
Hermiston.
Tai chi classes offered
for health benefits
The Tai Chi: Moving
for Better Balance pro-
gram will be offered free
of charge at two Hermis-
ton locations this winter.
The classes assist in
reducing the risk of fall-
ing in older adults. Each
group meets twice a week
for 12 weeks. Participant
may join within the first
three weeks. Classes are:
•Monday and Wednes-
days (beginning Jan. 16)
from 9-10 a.m. at the
Good Shepherd Wellness
Center , 610 N.W. 11th
St. Space is limited to 15
participants. To register,
call 541-667-3509.
• Tuesdays and Thurs-
days (beginning Jan. 17)
from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the
Hermiston Senior Center,
435 W. Orchard Ave. No
registration is required.
Participants
should
wear comfortable cloth-
ing and shoes with flexi-
ble soles. No experience
is needed; former partici-
pants are invited to rejoin
a class.
For more informa-
tion,
contact
Helena
Wolfe at 541-561-5443 or
hwolfe@capeco-works.
org.
E-mail your community news items to:
community@hermistonherald.com
Trio of funny men to yuck it up in the new year
Melonville Comedy
Festival is Jan. 28
By TAMMY MALGESINI
Community Editor
A pair of regulars on
the Bob & Tom Show will
return to the Melonville
Comedy Festival stage af-
ter the new year.
Dwight Slade, who per-
forms on some of the big-
gest comedy venues across
the globe, will headline the
show. Gabriel Rutledge,
a past winner of the Seat-
tle International Comedy
Competition, is the middle
act. The pair previously
brought laughs to Hermis-
ton about 10 years ago. In
addition, Chase Mayers,
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
an up-and-coming funny
man from Louisiana, is the Gabriel Rutledge returns as the middle act during the Melonville Comedy Festival.
opener and will serve as
master of ceremonies.
Slade, who grew up in
a Houston suburb, got his
start in comedy as a teen-
ager — much to the cha-
grin of his parents.
“My parents at one
point said, ‘Why don’t you
go out and drink like you
other friends,’” Slade said
with a laugh.
Riding a bicycle to a
club in Houston, Slade and
a buddy told their parents
they were going to the li-
brary to study. Instead,
they stood outside waiting
to be motioned in when it
was their time to take the
stage.
Slade looks forward
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY WILL RADIK
to performing in Hermis-
ton again. The small town Dwight Slade is the headliner for the
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
stage, he said, is fun to per- Melonville Comedy Festival Saturday, Jan.
form on.
28 at the Hermiston Conference Center.
Chase Mayers is the opener for the
“It’s a unique market,” Tickets are now on sale for $35 each.
Melonville Comedy Festival.
he said. “They don’t see
the funny bone. Hilari- at the time, Smith assisted
a lot of live comedy, but making people laugh.
“I certainly thought I ous and entertaining, the with booking national acts
they are used to laughing.”
In addition, Slade is was funnier than the class show may not necessarily to the fair’s Main Stage.
looking forward to sharing clown,” he said with a laugh. be politically correct but it Bringing comedians to
Rutledge
admires won’t be raunchy or inde- town, he said, was cheaper
the show with Rutledge.
A favorite among audi- Slade, saying he’s one of cent, he said.
than arranging for bands
The Melonville Com- because they didn’t come
ences and comics, Slade the comedians that helped
said Rutledge pushes those him when he was coming edy Festival is Saturday, with lots of equipment or
Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. at the a big entourage. Because
around them to bring their up through the ranks.
Conference of that, Smith took on pro-
“I looked up to him,” Hermiston
A game.
“He’s a wonderful Rutledge said. “He sort of Center, 415 S. High- ducing the show when the
stand-up,” Slade said. showed me how to become way 395. Tickets for the fair board decided to dis-
21-and-over show are $35 continue the festival sever-
“You don’t dial it in, you a comedian.”
Hailing from Louisi- each. Midway Tavern will al years later.
don’t go on auto-pilot.”
Rutledge, who has been ana, Mayers is a comedy offer a no-host bar. In ad-
Tickets are available at
on the circuit for 16 years, club headliner throughout dition, athletes and coach- the Hermiston Chamber
got his start after an open the Gulf Coast region. His es from the local Special of Commerce or www.
mic night at the Comedy unique accent and mixture Olympics team will sell melonvillecomedyfestival.
Underground in Seattle. of storytelling and obser- food as a fundraiser.
com. For more informa-
The annual comedy tion, contact Smith at 541-
Although he didn’t con- vations draws audiences in
festival started in the ear- 561-7488, melonvillecom-
sider himself to be a class wherever he performs.
Warren Smith, the ly 1990s to raise money edyfestival@gmail.com or
clown growing up, he had
the potential. At a young show’s promoter, said the for the Umatilla County search Facebook for “Mel-
age, he realized he liked comics are sure to tickle Fair. Serving on the board onville Comedy Festival.”
Pregnancy center rings in new year
with move, fundraising banquet
By TAMMY MALGESINI
Community Editor
With the new year just
around the corner, Debbie
Cissna, executive director
of Pregnancy Care Ser-
vices in Hermiston, is ex-
cited about what’s in store
for the nonprofit organiza-
tion.
Established in 1993
in Pendleton, Pregnancy
Care Services opened its
Hermiston location in May
2011. Its mission is to em-
power women and men
through encouragement,
support and education in
making pregnancy deci-
sions.
While the organiza-
tion is hopeful people
will choose options that
are life-affirming, Cissna
said the goal is to provide
complete and accurate in-
formation on all options.
Clients are presented with
information about parent-
ing, adoption and abortion.
“I want to step away
from that stigma of divi-
sion,” Cissna said. “We are
pro-woman.”
Pregnancy Care Ser-
vices offers free confiden-
tial counseling for preg-
nancy options. Among its
services are pregnancy
FILE PHOTO
Pregnancy Care Services in Hermiston provides assistance
to women facing an uncertain pregnancy, including needed
baby items. The organization is moving to a new location
and hosting a fundraising dinner.
tests, referrals for free ul-
trasounds, parenting class-
es, and maternity and in-
fant supplies.
Tucked away in office
space at the Cornerstone
Plaza at the south end
of Hermiston, Cissna is
thrilled with the upcom-
ing move to a more central
location at the Granary
Square. A grand re-open-
ing event and ribbon-cut-
ting is planned for Thurs-
day, Jan. 12, at noon at 105
S.W. Second St., Hermis-
ton.
In addition, a fund-
raising banquet is set for
Sunday, Jan 22, from 5-7
p.m. at the Hermiston
Conference Center, 415 S.
Highway 395. Although
there’s no cost to attend,
registration is required by
Tuesday, Jan. 17, to ensure
enough food is available.
Kathy Barnett will pres-
ent a pork loin dinner and
a delicious dessert, Cissna
said. Those in attendance
will have an opportunity to
make a financial gift to the
organization. In addition,
sponsorship opportunities
are available for the event.
The keynote speaker is
John Ensor. For more than
two decades, he’s been a
leader, speaker and writ-
er for the pregnancy help
movement.
“He’s fairly well-known
in the pro-life communi-
ty,” Cissna said. “He’s a
dynamic speaker.”
Cissna, who previously
volunteered with the or-
ganization, has been the
director for the past two
years. She is a firm believ-
er in providing accurate
information for those who
seek services.
“We have found that
when a woman has all the
information, she is most
satisfied with her choice,”
Cissna said. “We give her
all the information and all
her options and the choice
is hers.”
Starting Tuesday, Jan.
3, Pregnancy Care Ser-
vices will be located at 105
S.W. Second St., Herm-
iston. It’s open Monday
through Thursdays from
12:30-5 p.m. In addition
to appointments, walk-ins
are welcome. For more in-
formation, sponsorship op-
portunities or to RSVP for
the fundraising banquet,
contact Cissna at debbie@
pregnancycareservcies.
com, 541-567-2393 or vis-
it www.pregnancycareser-
vices.com.