WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
COMMUNITY
Tassie retires (sort of) after 37 years on call
By JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN
Staff Writer
For Kevin Tassie, fighting
fires was a family thing.
“When I was three or four
years old, my dad was a vol-
unteer firefighter,” said the
Umatilla County native, who
retired on Jan. 30 after 37
years as an on-call firefighter
with Hermiston’s fire district.
“I remember going to the sta-
tion with my dad — he was
one of the first career fire-
fighters for the city of Herm-
iston.”
Tassie, now 55, followed
in his footsteps: in 1979, he
joined the department as a
volunteer, and has been at
fire stations within Umatilla
County ever since.
“I actually got to go into
my first structure fire with my
dad,” Tassie said. “That was
pretty fascinating.”
Though he’s retiring from
fighting fires, Tassie plans to
stay on part-time, driving the
water tender and the ambu-
lance when he can.
“Thirty-seven years is
hard to leave,” he said. “I’ll
miss the camaraderie the
most. Getting up at 2 a.m. —
I don’t miss that.”
Scott Stanton, Umatilla
County Fire District 1 chief,
said Tassie’s presence will be
missed at the department.
Though Tassie spent the
last few decades balancing
a full-time job — he works
at Two Rivers Correctional
Institution, Umatilla — and
working on-call for the fire
department, he admits he’s
seen a drop in the number of
volunteers for the department.
He thinks it comes down
to time commitments.
“Before, when I started in
1979, it was just basic train-
ing you had to go through
to fight fires and respond to
emergency scenes,” he said.
“As the years passed, they
started to require just about
the same (amount of training)
for volunteers and paid staff.”
The job can take an emo-
tional toll, too, Tassie said,
something he thinks may
keep people away.
“It’s not for everyone,”
he said. “Motor vehicle ac-
cidents, finding a body in a
burning building — you have
to handle all that.”
But Tassie said he’s found
it to be rewarding.
“It’s an adrenaline rush,”
he said. “You can’t really ex-
plain it, you’ve got to experi-
ence it.”
tinted pink and special
pink-themed jerseys will be
auctioned off.
The Pink Ice Night
match-up is Friday, Feb. 24
at 7:05 p.m. at the Toyota
Center in Kennewick. Tick-
ets are $17 for adults, $11
for teens and $9 for youths
ages 3-9. To order tickets,
visit https://secure.goemer-
chant.com/secure/custom-
payment/tricityamerican-
shockey/4340/default.aspx.
Things will heat up as
the Portland Trail Blazers
take the hardwood against
the Phoenix Suns during
Hermiston Parks & Rec
Night at the Moda Center.
The special event is Sat-
urday, April 1 at 7 p.m. in
Portland.
Ticket prices are $36,
$72 or $85. In addition,
there’s a $5 handling fee. To
get the reduced-price, tick-
ets must be ordered by Fri-
day, March 3. Visit www.
rosequarter.com/Hermiston
and click on “find tickets”
to select seats. Be sure
to enter the promo code
(HERMISTON) to access
the group pricing.
Also, as part of the spe-
cial Hermiston event, 20
kids will have a chance to
take the floor for an hour in
the afternoon to exchange
high-fives with their favor-
ite players.
For more information,
call the parks department
at 541-667-5018 or stop by
the office at 180 N.E. Sec-
ond St., Hermiston.
Those interested in the
opening scramble need
to register by Thursday,
March 9 by contacting the
golf course at 541-922-
3006, megan@golfbigriver.
com or stop by the club-
house at 709 Willamette
Ave., Umatilla.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY SCOTT STANTON
Kevin Tassie, right, puts out a fire. Tassie retired Jan. 30 after
37 years as a volunteer and on-call member with Hermiston’s
fire district.
IN BRIEF
Library party features
Valentine’s fun
Cookie decorating, a craft
table, games, refreshments
and a story time are all includ-
ed is a free Children’s Valen-
tine Party at the Hermiston
Public Library.
The free event is Friday
from 4:30-6 p.m. at 235 E.
Gladys Ave., Hermiston. Par-
ents are encouraged to bring
their kids for a fun evening of
free activities.
For more information,
call 541-567-2882 or visit
www.hermistonlibrary.us.
Tooth Wisdom provides
oral health info
Whether people have den-
tures or their own teeth, a free
class about oral health care is
being offered by Good Shep-
herd Medical Center.
Tooth Wisdom is available
Tuesday, Feb. 21 or Tuesday,
Feb. 28 from 10-11 a.m. in the
hospital’s medical plaza, 620
N.W. 11th St., Hermiston.
Participants are invited to
bring a lunch or make their
own arrangements to purchase
one at the hospital cafeteria
prior to the meeting. The ses-
sion will include a chance for
people to ask questions and
everyone will receive a free
goody bag.
For more information, call
Helena Wolfe at 541-561-
5443.
Folklife network seeks
traditional artists
To help ensure tribal, cul-
tural, religions and occupa-
tional traditions are passed
on, traditional artists are be-
ing sought to teach their art
form to others.
The Oregon Folklife
Network is looking for peo-
ple accomplished in tradi-
tional folk arts, including
American Indian basket
weaving and storytelling,
old-time fiddling, working
cowboys, saddle makers,
Norwegian cooking and
baking, African-American
gospel singing, southeast
Asian dancing and more.
The Traditional Arts Ap-
prenticeship Program offers
a $3,000 stipend to teach
their art form to apprentic-
es.
Oregonians engaged in
living cultural traditions are
encouraged to apply. The
program does not fund his-
toric re-enactments, do-it-
yourself crafts or those who
practice traditions that are
not part of their own cultur-
al heritage.
Applications are due
Wednesday, March 1. For
eligibility
information,
contact Brad McMullen at
ofn@uoregon.edu,
541-
346-3820 or visit http://ofn.
uoregon.edu.
Recreation department
teams up with
Americans, Blazers
Hermiston Parks & Rec-
reation is teaming up with
a pair of regional sports
teams to offer families an
opportunity to attend games
at discount prices.
Get ready for some fast
action on pink ice as the
Tri-City Americans take on
the Seattle Thunderbirds
during an ice hockey game
that will include a benefit to
help the Tri-Cities Cancer
Center Foundation. During
the game, the ice will be
Ladies league gets
ready to hit the links
Shopping center
announces youth
scholarships
The opening golf scram-
ble for the Big River Ladies
Golf Club is open to all
women interested in joining
the club.
The event is Saturday,
March 11 at 9 a.m. at Big
River Golf Course in Uma-
tilla. A brief informational
meeting will provide de-
tails about the club, dues
and season. The shotgun
start is at 10 a.m. The cost
is $15, plus green fees and
cart rental, if desired.
The Big River Ladies
golf club plays each Tues-
day from April through Sep-
tember, with both morning
and evening groups. Ladies
of all skill levels are invited
to play 9 or 18 holes.
High school seniors who
live in the service area of
a Simon mall property are
eligible to apply for the
Simon Youth Community
Scholarship Program.
Due to the proximity of
the Columbia Center Mall
in Kennewick, students in
Umatilla County can submit
an application for $1,500.
Students must be United
States citizens, demonstrate
academic promise, par-
ticipate in extracurricular
activities, community in-
volvement and have finan-
cial needs. In addition, they
must plan on enrolling in a
college, vocational of tech-
nical school program in the
fall of 2017.
Along with the appli-
cation, students need to
submit responses to essay
questions. For more infor-
mation, including an online
form, visit syf.org/scholar-
ships.
The deadline is Wednes-
day, March 1. For ques-
tions, contact Erin Brown,
public relations for Co-
lumbia Center, at 206-971-
0707 or erin.brown@cura-
torpr.com.
Hermiston Kiwanis
offer scholarships
The Hermiston Noon
Kiwanis Club is accepting
applications for its Perry
Johnson and Russell Dor-
ran post-secondary edu-
cation scholarships.
Current seniors at
Hermiston High School
or graduates of Hermiston
who are attending college
in academic programs are
eligible to apply for the
scholarship awards.
Applications
are
available at the HHS
counseling office or the
Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce, 415 S. High-
way 395. Important fac-
tors in the evaluation of
applicants includes aca-
demic record, community
service, leadership quali-
ties and financial need.
The scholarships are
given in memory of a pair
of past Kiwanis members.
Johnson also was a Bap-
tist minister, who cham-
pioned youth services and
supported education. Dor-
ran was a charter member
of the club, as well as the
Hermiston Elks Lodge,
Hermiston Development
Corporation and Blue
Mountain
Community
College board, and served
on many other area boards
and committees. He was
recognized at the cham-
ber awards banquet in
1963 and again in 1990.
The applications must
be submitted by Friday,
March 31. Interviews
with potential scholarship
recipients will be sched-
uled.
For more information,
contact George Clough at
541-567-6024 or Hermis-
ton Noon Kiwanis Club,
P.O. Box 375, Hermiston,
OR 97838.