FROM PAGE ONE
A14 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
Hughes
Continued from Page A1
“I came from a busi-
ness background, so I had
the business side of it, but I
didn’t really know how non-
profi ts worked,” Hughes
said. “I didn’t know how to
fundraise.”
But by the end of 2005,
the move had been made,
and Hughes was in full
motion. Under his leader-
ship, the nonprofi t has oper-
ated a thrift store, conducted
name-your-price rummage
sales of household wares,
sent thousands of bags full of
food home with hungry chil-
dren in the area through the
Backpack Program, oper-
ated the local food bank and
opened a shelter for fami-
lies in 2011 known Martha’s
House.
“By the time we started
that project I had more com-
munity contacts, more fund-
raising expertise,” Hughes
said.
The idea for the shelter—
which houses drug-free fam-
ilies for months at a time
while they recuperate from
fi nancial stress and gain bud-
geting skills— came from
the late Bob Severson, a for-
mer Hermiston mayor who
saw a woman and her chil-
dren on the street in Herm-
iston during one especially
cold winter.
“This community did
not have any safety net for
BTW:
Continued from Page A1
Public Library, recently
announced that $1,700 was
raised during the annual
book sale. The Friends
of the Hermiston Public
Library organize the yearly
event, which helps in sup-
porting programs at the
library.
Library friends and staff
expressed appreciation to
all those who attended the
book sale. The public is
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019
people in that condition,”
Hughes said.
He said the project is evi-
dence that one person’s ideas
can change a community.
For him, Martha’s House is
also a good example of how
focusing on one element of
an issue can bring tangible
results.
“We saw the homeless
population was made up
of many factors,” he said.
“There’s not one answer
that’s going to solve home-
lessness, there are fi ve or six
populations that need unique
answers. We chose families
and helping them move back
into society.”
Hughes said right now,
the house is seeing at least
an application a day. He said
they probably won’t be able
to accept any more tenants
unless they hire someone to
be on-site full time.
“There is a large need for
services, and there are many
areas that are not being
met yet. Whoever follows
me will have an option to
tackle some of those issues,”
Hughes said.
Namely, Hughes said,
the Hermiston area lacks
resources for those suffer-
ing from drug addiction and
mental illness.
Cathy Putnam, who’s
been on the Agape House
board of directors, will be
the interim executive direc-
tor while the nonprofi t con-
siders its next steps.
“What we’re looking for
is someone who can look at
the program from an outside
perspective, and see what
resources we have,” said
board president, Daniel Wat-
tenburger, in August. “How
can we continue to meet the
needs we meet now, and
what needs aren’t we meet-
ing that the Agape House
can play a role in?”
It’s somewhat of a tricky
question. Agape House pro-
vides services like no other
in the city of Hermiston, but
the organization’s budget
has been slimming over the
years, with a slight uptick in
revenue during the 2018 tax
year. Agape House is funded
almost entirely by commu-
nity donations, Hughes said.
It means that the organiza-
tion’s ability to help can ebb
and fl ow, which is something
he’s experienced himself.
“For pretty much the past
10 years, I have worked
without a salary,” Hughes
said.
Hughes instead has
received some payments as
well as housing and trans-
portation. But as Agape
House searches for a new
director, he said they’re
planning to make it a paid
position.
Hughes knows it’s going
to take someone with fi erce
dedication to the community
to take his place.
“They’ll have to put God
fi rst, community second and
ego last,” he said. “Whoever
follows me will bring a dif-
ferent look. We don’t know
all the areas where we lack
services, I hope that through
this transition we shine some
light in those areas.”
Wattenburger said that
one of the key changes that
might affect Agape House’s
goals over time is growth
within the city.
“The biggest thing is that
Hermiston has grown. With
the addition of Martha’s
House, not just food and
clothing but housing as well.
We’re hoping for someone
who has experience in that
realm,” Wattenburger said.
And while Agape House
takes a moment to con-
sider its next steps, Dave
and Jodene have recently
decided on theirs.
On Halloween night,
they’re moving to Arizona
in an RV to help bring a local
artist’s dream of building an
educational mini-golf course
to life.
“We’d not planned to
leave the area,” Dave said.
“But God opened up a
unique opportunity for us.”
Jodene will help adver-
tise and create a website for
the project, and Dave will
be helping execute the con-
struction of the plan.
“I’m not ready to just sit
down and do nothing. This
will bring some of the skills
that I’ve learned here to
use,” he said.
When he looks back,
Dave said he feels proud to
have helped expand Agape
House’s scope of services.
“I think I’ve made a
dent,” he said.
encouraged to check out the
library’s website at www.
hermistonlibrary.us, where
information about services
and resources can be found.
Also, scroll to the bottom to
make a recommendation for
a book to be purchased for
the library’s collection.
The library is located at
235 E. Gladys Ave. It’s open
Monday through Thurs-
day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
and Friday/Saturday from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For ques-
tions, call 541-567-2882.
• • •
The crisp fall nights are
bringing frost to the region
— including at Big River
Golf Course in Umatilla.
For those still wanting to hit
the links, don’t fret — you’ll
just need to linger awhile to
ensure the course is ready to
play.
General manager Megan
Olsen reminds golfers to
be sure to check in with the
pro shop before teeing off.
For questions, contact her at
541-922-3006 or megan@
golfbigriver.com.
• • •
Hermiston’s assistant city
manager Mark Morgan
recently received the Cre-
dentialed Manager designa-
tion from the International
City/County Management
Association.
According to a news
release, Morgan is one of 24
active city administrators in
Oregon credentialed through
the program. Hermiston city
manager Byron Smith is
another.
Morgan has a master’s
degree in public admin-
istration from Eastern
Washington
University,
where he was named the
H. George Frederickson
Drill
Continued from Page A1
“This is always a learn-
ing experience,” said
Senior Meteorologist Vin-
cent Papol, who is sta-
tioned in Pendleton.
He said in the case of
a spill, weather can affect
how chemicals spread and
are released. He noted
wind, for instance, could
change the direction of a
chemical leakage.
After
emergency
responders rescued the
victims — who were
played by volunteers from
a local youth group and
by hospital employees —
from the crash, they were
transported to Good Shep-
herd. There, the hospi-
tal simulated decontam-
inating the victims and
addressing their medical
needs.
Public information offi -
cers and dispatch partici-
pated as well, sending out
simulated internal com-
munications.
Dispatch
announced the simulation
over the scanner.
Internally,
different
agencies hold their own
drills frequently. But a big
inter-agency simulation
only happens once a year,
and it’s not cheap.
Marcum estimated the
cost of last week’s exer-
cise at $20,000. The exer-
cise was made possi-
Honor’s Graduate. He has
more than eight years of
executive local government
experience, including time
in Pullman and Cheney,
Washington, and has been
Hermiston’s assistant city
manager since 2012.
As part of Morgan’s
ICMA membership, he com-
pleted a two-year leadership
program, was accepted into
the ICMA Fellows program
in 2011 and was awarded
the Washington City/County
Managers
Association’s
Educational Fellowship in
2011.
ble with grant funding
from the Umatilla County
Local Emergency Plan-
ning Committee, which
develops an emergency
preparedness plan and
informs citizens about
chemicals.
The LEPC also sup-
plied the train car used for
simulations at Station 23.
“It is hard to secure
grant funding for drills
like this,” Marcum said.
“It’s hard to disrupt the
day to day, and it’s a big
burden on budgets.”
In 2011, the Umatilla
Chemical Depot disposed
of the last of the mus-
tard gas on-site. That also
faded the county’s part-
nership with the Chemical
Stockpile Emergency Pre-
paredness Program, which
funded two drills and
other preparedness efforts
each year.
Marcum said a spill like
the one used in the simu-
lation would take three or
four days to contain and
clean, and would have
sparked evacuations for all
people living within half a
mile around the spill.
Prior to the drill, Mar-
cum and other organizers
worked to keep the sce-
nario and the location a
secret in order to keep the
exercise authentic.
“Everything is hush hush
until the time of the exer-
cise,” he said. “We don’t
want anyone pre-planning
their approach.”
• • •
Thursday’s menu for the
Harkenrider Senior Activ-
ity Center is beef stroga-
noff, vegetable, fruit and
dessert. Friday is clam chow-
der, coleslaw, garlic bread
and dessert. Monday is salad
bar, dinner roll and dessert.
Tuesday is beef hot dogs,
sauerkraut, baked beans and
dessert. Next Wednesday is
tacos, fruit and dessert.
— You can submit items
for our weekly By The Way
column by emailing your
tips to editor@hermiston-
herald.com.
THE BEST VALUE
IN WIRELESS
UNLIMITED DATA
Good Shepherd Health Care System’s
SECOND ANNUAL
/MO.
/M
Community
Meeting
WITH 4 LINES
With special guest speaker, Marcus Engel,
author of five best-selling books, honorary
doctorate awardee from the Philadelphia College
of Osteopathic Medicine, and adjunct professor
at the University of Notre Dame.
1565 N. 1st St., Hermiston, 541-289-8722
Data may be temporarily slower than other traffic in times of congestion. Video streams at up to 480p (DVD quality).
Credit approval and Auto Pay/Paperless Billing required. Additional terms apply.
Things we want you to know: New unlimited plan and Customer Service Agreement required. New unlimited plan does not include
hotspot functionality or Payback Credit. Existing customers may switch to new unlimited plans but, in most cases, any previous
promotional credits requiring a Total Plan Unlimited or Unlimited Plus Plan subscription will not transfer. A Regulatory Cost Recovery
Fee (RCRF) applies; this is not a tax or government required charge. Additional charges, taxes, terms, conditions and coverage areas
may apply and vary by plan, service and phone. Kansas Customers: In areas in which U.S. Cellular receives support from the Federal
Universal Service Fund, all reasonable requests for service must be met. Unresolved questions concerning service availability can be
directed to the Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at 1-800-662-0027. All products,
trademarks, trade names and service names are property of their respective owners. Limited-time offer. Prices, plans and terms are
subject to change without notice. Limitations and exclusions apply. See store or an associate for details or visit uscellular.com. Store
locations listed are owned and operated by an Authorized Agent of U.S. Cellular ©2019 U.S. Cellular
Good Shepherd Health Care
System cordially invites you
to our 2nd Annual Community
Meeting and Health Fair.
Join us for an evening of fun,
food, raffle prizes, and, most
importantly, learn about the
positive impact GSHCS is
having on the communities
we serve with President &
CEO Dennis E. Burke.
Flu Shots available
from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Limited Supply, First-Come,
First-Served
Wednesday,
October 30, 2019
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Hermiston High School
Commons & Auditorium
600 S 1st St
Hermiston, OR, 97838
RSVP 541.667.3509
Or register on Eventbrite at
https://gshcsannualcommunity
meeting.eventbrite.com