A14 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
FROM A1
CENTER
Continued from Page A1
through a speech without
that,” Drotzmann said.
Several speakers at the
dedication ceremony dis-
cussed the history of the
new building, starting five
years ago after Umatilla
County sold the former
fairgrounds (where the old
senior center was located)
to Hermiston School Dis-
trict. The district agreed
to let the seniors lease the
property until 2016, but the
senior center board began
looking for a path forward
to a new center. Dennis
Doherty, who was a county
commissioner at the time,
told the audience that it
soon became clear that the
BTW
Continued from Page A1
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
A bronze statue of Pendleton Round-Up flag bearer Will Jons has been created to
commemorate Jons’ 100th ride-in ceremony at this year’s Pendleton Round-Up.
RIDE
Continued from Page A1
he said, adding that he’s
leaving the door open to
coming back.
In honor of his 100th
Grand Entry, a group of
Jons’ friends got together
and commissioned a bronze
sculpture. The statue, called
“Reign of Freedom,” is
almost 30 inches tall, and
depicts Jons riding a horse
and carrying an American
flag.
The pieces were made
by Rip Caswell, a bronze
sculptor based in Troutdale.
Caswell will make 50
pieces. The initial price is
$9,850.
Jons’ friend Kyran Miller
said the sculptures are
highly detailed.
“Right down to the types
of spurs and shoes he wears,
and the horse blanket,” he
said. He added that those
who have seen the sculp-
ture recognize Jons, as well
as Toes, the horse he has rid-
den for seven years.
Miller said Jons was
involved with every step of
the process in order to get
the details right.
He added that Jons puts
in a lot of work throughout
the year to prepare for the
event.
“He starts in April to get
the horse ready for Septem-
ber,” Miller said.
Jons said that has
changed over the years.
When he was still work-
ing as a cowboy, he said he
wasn’t as diligent about pre-
paring for the Grand Entry.
Now that it’s a hobby, he
spends several months get-
ting the horse ready.
The Round-Up Associ-
ation was not involved in
the commemoration, but
publicity director Randy
Thomas said they are proud
of all their volunteers.
“Will is among those
amazing volunteers, and
what he’s done is truly worth
appreciating,” Thomas said.
Jons said he was hum-
bled by the sculpture, and
has enjoyed his time with
the Grand Entry. “It was an
opportunity to help out in a
very unique way.”
Jons said he’ll continue
to volunteer.
“I’ve been there since I
was 13,” he said.
The Pendleton Round-Up
runs through the rest of the
week. For more information
see pendletonroundup.com.
bump in fuel sales to cus-
tomers who followed them
to Hermiston.
• • •
Construction will once
again start up at the East-
ern Oregon Trade and
Event Center after the city
council voted to put out a
request for proposals for
construction of new offices
and storage space for the
Umatilla County Fair
staff and improvements to
the RV park there.
City manager Byron
Smith said the new build-
ing is part of an agree-
ment the city made with
the county when it took
over full responsibility of
EOTEC.
Improvements
to the “very limited infra-
structure” at the RV park
could also lead to year-
round use and, by exten-
sion, increased revenue for
the center.
The city will use a bid-
design-build process that
brings in the contractor at
the beginning of the design
process instead of after
the project is designed.
Smith said he believes that
method will save money
and time in completing the
two projects.
• • •
A quilt hanging in the
lobby of the Hermiston
DMV this week is meant
to remind people of the
life-saving power of organ
donation.
Each square represents
someone in Oregon who
had their life saved by
organ donations. Phil
Weitz, a Hermiston resi-
best chance the seniors had
at raising enough funds for
a new building would be to
apply for a federal Commu-
nity Development Block
Grant. The city agreed to
be the governmental spon-
sor for that, and parks and
recreation director Larry
Fetter took point on the
project.
Fetter said the grant
came with a huge amount
of strings attached, and
dealing with the bureau-
cracy of that had been his
biggest focus the last few
years, along with work-
ing with multiple groups
involved in the project who
had strong and often differ-
ing opinions.
“In the end it was worth
it, because our seniors are
worth fighting for,” he said.
He told the audience
that the Harkenrider Center
would be the seniors’ home
“forever,” not just the five
years required by the grant
money. Doherty called it
the premier senior center
of Oregon.
Senior center board
president Irene Miller
thanked the many peo-
ple involved in making
the project happen, and
encouraged all seniors
in the community to par-
ticipate in the meals and
other activities that will be
offered there.
“It’s our dream that
every senior will want to
be a part of what’s going on
here,” she said. “We need
new hands, new ideas and
new bodies — lots of new
bodies.”
dent who received a heart
transplant in 2012 after a
heart attack at age 56, is
featured on the Threads of
Life quilt, which is created
annually by Donate Life
Northwest.
He said 20 people die
each day waiting for an
organ donation.
To register as a possible
organ donor, visit the DMV,
log on to donatelifenw.org
or call 1-800-452-1369 to
request a paper form.
• • •
Colby Lerten, 11, of
Hermiston made a lot of
fans during the Uma-
tilla County Fair. A fifth-
grader at Rocky Heights
Elementary School, he
volunteered his time to pass
out fans for the East Ore-
gonian/Hermiston Herald.
The grandson of Jeanne
Jewett, longtime multi-me-
dia consultant at the EO/
HH, said he pitched in
because he wanted to help
others. Colby’s parents are
Kris and Stacey Lerten of
Hermiston.
The
fans,
which
included the company’s
logo, were part of the
swag being given away
to fair-goers, said Bonny
Tuller, the EO/HH circu-
lation manager, who was
in charge of coordinating
the company’s fair booth.
Tuller was especially
appreciative of Colby’s
efforts, which included
spending time outside
during triple digit tempera-
tures. She said his selfless
act of kindness made a big
difference to many people
at the fair. On behalf of the
East Oregonian/Hermis-
ton, she thanked Colby for
giving of his time.
“You have a beautiful
heart and it shows,” Tuller
said. “We are your biggest
fans!”
• • •
The Aug. 20 Ameri-
can Red Cross blood drive
held at Good Shepherd
Medical Center in Herm-
iston met its goal of 36
units.
Patti Perkins, a Red
Cross volunteer, said the
donations came from 43
donors. She expressed
appreciation to members of
Altrusa International of
Hermiston, who provided
the canteen.
“We appreciate all of
our service groups who
have furnished our can-
teen for many years,” Per-
kins said. “Our community
should be very proud.”
Citing statistics, Perkins
said it’s estimated that 38
percent of the population
are eligible to give blood,
but only 8 percent actually
do. She urges people to
considering giving — stat-
ing that each blood dona-
tion can save the lives of
up to three people.
The next blood drive at
Good Shepherd is Mon-
day, Sept. 17 from noon
to 6 p.m. at 610 N.W.
11th St., Hermiston. While
walk-ins are welcome,
appointments assist with
scheduling. To make an
appointment, call 1-800-
448-3543. For more infor-
mation, including require-
ments for blood donors,
visit www.redcross.org.
———
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