FOOTBALL
DAWGS PREPARE FOR FINAL HOME GAME | PAGE A9
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017
INSIDE
CLOSING TIME
HERMISTON FOODS
EMPLOYEES PREPARE FOR
PLANT SHUTDOWN
PAGE A3
HermistonHerald.com
$1.00
VETERAN CONNECTION
FIBER ARTIST
HERMISTON WOMAN
FEATURED IN MACHINE
QUILTING UNLIMITED
PAGE A6
Ron Jardine, an
unlikely VFW post
leader, gives veterans
a place to meet
FALL’S FINEST
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
HERALD READERS
CAPTURE FALL BEAUTY
PAGE A13
BY THE WAY
Dinners move to
high school during
senior center
construction
The
Community
Fellowship Dinner in
Hermiston — which is
held on Thanksgiving
and Christmas Day —
will serve up free holiday
meals in a new location.
Since the old senior center
has been torn down and
the new facility is under
construction, the organi-
zation’s board of direc-
tors announced the meals
will be held this year in
the main commons at
Hermiston High School.
Board chairman Gary
Humphreys said volun-
teers are excited about
the new venue, which
offers improved access,
additional seating space
and enhanced kitchen fa-
cilities. Read more about
the upcoming Thanksgiv-
ing meal, including how
you can help, in the Nov.
15 edition of the Hermis-
ton Herald. For immedi-
ate questions, contact the
board at cfdhermiston@
gmail.com,
541-371-
9772 or search Facebook.
• • •
They’re cute, they’re
cuddly, and they’re going
to the sharks.
Slumberkins, a hybrid
stuffed
animal/blanket
that comes in a variety of
themes (including sloth,
fox, yeti and, appropriate-
ly, hammerhead), will be
featured on the ABC tele-
See BTW, Page A14
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
HERMISTON HERALD FILE PHOTO
(Top) Ron Jardine is a Vietnam veteran and active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4750 in
Hermiston. (Bottom) A fl ag is folded on Memorial Day 2016 while members of VFW Post 4750 and American
Legion Post 37 stand at attention during a ceremony at the Hermiston Cemetery
hough he only found out
about the Veterans of For-
eign Wars seven years ago,
that hasn’t stopped Ron
Jardine from taking a leader-
ship role for local veterans.
“I never looked for veterans
services,” said Jardine. “I never
knew about them.”
In fact, Jardine, a Vietnam
War veteran, seems an unlike-
ly candidate to lead VFW Post
4750, given his background.
After starting work for Union
Pacifi c Railroad out of high
school, 19-year-old Jardine was
drafted in July of 1966. After
nine and a half months in Fort
Bliss, Texas, he spent a year in
Vietnam.
When he returned to Utah in
May of 1968, Jardine kept in
touch with a few of his buddies
from basic training, but didn’t
stay connected to many people
he served with. Since moving
to Hermiston in 1998, he hadn’t
been in contact with anyone.
“I don’t come from a mili-
tary family,” Jardine said. “So
that was a whole new thing for
me.”
But he discovered, almost by
accident, a whole community
of veterans and, along with it,
programs that could help him
and others who had served.
Jardine became involved
with the local VFW post in
2010 when he was at the Uma-
tilla County Fair and saw its
booth.
“I walked by, and the man
asked me if I was in the ser-
vice,” Jardine said. “I said I was
in Vietnam, and he asked me if
I was getting benefi ts. I said I
didn’t really know about them.”
Jardine learned that he could
get tested for Agent Orange,
PTSD, diabetes and other ser-
vice-related health issues
He now serves as the com-
mander of the local VFW,
helping other veterans fi nd the
services he didn’t know about
before.
The post also serves as a
social gathering for veterans.
See VETERANS, Page A14
Organizations are planning events to honor vets
HERMISTON
•The annual Veterans Day
Breakfast is Friday at 8 a.m. at
the Hermiston Conference Cen-
ter, 415 S. Highway 395.
Sponsored by the Hermiston
Chamber of Commerce, the free
event includes guest speakers, a
slide show, singing and a local
dance group. Family members
and friends of veterans are invited
to attend. For more information,
contact Kelly Schwirse at 541-
567-6151 or kelly@hermiston-
chamber.com.
•A free Veterans Day S.O.S.
Lunch for all active and retired
veterans and immediate Gold Star
family members is available Sat-
urday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
the Chuckwagon Cafe, 81027 N.
Highway 395, Hermiston.
Assistants who transport dis-
abled veterans to the meal can
also eat for free. People are invit-
ed to bring medals, photos, mem-
orabilia and stories to share. For
more information, call 541-567-
6329.
•Note, due to unanticipated
maintenance expenses, Hermis-
ton Elks Lodge No. 1845 will not
be hosting its annual dinner this
year. For questions, call 541-567-
6923.
BOARDMAN
Local veterans will be hon-
ored Thursday at 10 a.m. at Sam
Boardman Elementary School.
The event includes music, words
of gratitude and guest speaker
Sgt. Andy Kimmell of the U.S.
See EVENTS, Page A14
FILE PHOTO
Echo School District students represent the U.S. Army during a 2016
Veterans Day parade.