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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 2020)
COMMUNITY A4 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2020 Local quilting group continues to provide masks By ANDREW CUTLER EAST OREGONIAN EDITOR At a time when many family-owned small busi- nesses have temporarily closed, one niche business in Stanfi eld has found itself busier than ever. Mama Bear Quilt Shop, a quilting shop owned by Kristi Ray and her husband, Chad, is making face masks for fi rst responders, hospitals and others who risk exposure to COVID-19 every day. Since ramping up produc- tion of the masks about fi ve weeks ago — give or take — the group has made and donated about 4,000 masks, including 400 to Good Shep- herd Hospital in Hermiston, 370 to St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton and 300 each to Astria Toppenish Hospi- tal and the Washington State Penitentiary. Needless to say, the group, which is made up of sewers from Stanfi eld, Hermiston, Echo and Pend- leton, has been busy. “They come in here every day; they’re exhausted,” Kristi Ray said. “They’ve been working nonstop, but they keep coming. It’s amazing.” Ray, who’s been in busi- ness in Stanfi eld since Oct. 2019, said the group is cur- rently working on an order of masks for the U.S. Coast Guard. Staff photo by Ben Lonergan Linda Miller stitches masks at Mama Bear’s Quilt Shop in Stanfi eld on April 15. Miller said that she is usually able to sew 50 to 60 masks a day. “They’re going all over,” Ray said of the masks. One local agency that benefi ted from an order of masks is the Horizon Proj- ect, with headquarters in Milton-Freewater and addi- tional offi ces in Pendleton and Hermiston. The Horizon Project recently received 300 masks from the Mama Bear Quilt Shop group. “We are so grateful for this donation,” said Cheryl Davis, a registered nurse with Horizon Project. “It has relieved a lot of our need and a lot of stress of being able to protect our staff and our clients.” The Horizon Project, which has been around since the late 1970s, provides res- idential, employment and social support to adults with intellectual and develop- mental disabilities. Dr. Terri H. Silvis, the chief execu- tive offi cer for Horizon Proj- ect, said they have 20 group homes throughout the county and employees called “direct support professionals” who are in the homes every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “They truly are home health care workers on the front lines doing everything from medication manage- ment and administration, to helping people attend doc- tor visits, helping them pre- pare food, making sure that they’re eating safely, because some people have special food preparations,” she said. Davis said she came across a post on social media about Mama Bear Quilt Shop and the donation of masks. Knowing her organi- zation was in need of masks — an order for them placed in January fi nally arrived in mid-April — she reached out to the group to explain the need. Davis said she ended up speaking with Chad Ray, who was familiar with the Horizon Project from his time as a pharmacist in the area and doing fl u shots for Horizon Project clients. “I told them how many clients we have, how many direct support staff we had, and he said, ‘Well, how about I give you 300 now, and when we get caught up, we could talk about giving you more,’ so that we could have a second set for our staff. A ‘one to wear and one to wash’ kind of thing.” Davis said some Horizon Project employees are work- ing on making masks from kits to return the 300 masks to the sewing group and help replenish its supply. “We’re supplying the people, but (Mama Bear Quilt Shop) supplied all of the materials, all of the kits and all of that,” she said. “We’re going to give them back the 300, or replenish them with 300 masks that they gave us.” Silvis said some employ- ees had started to make masks several weeks ago in anticipation of the growing need. She said Rosie Rig- gins, the offi ce specialist in the Hermiston offi ce, had made quite a few and exem- plifi ed the type of can-do spirit that permeates through Horizon Project. “We are very blessed with some incredible team mem- bers,” she said. Horizon Project has cli- ents who work at a num- ber of businesses, includ- ing Walmart, Safeway, Target and Subway, Silvis said, escalating the need for masks, something that wasn’t always the case in years past. “Well, in our industry, it’s not historically common that we need masks,” Silvis said. “If a client is ill, they will get a mask from the doctor, or are supplied a mask from their physicians, typically, and Cheryl would keep a supply on hand for any staff members who would be directly supporting that per- son. But it didn’t come up that much really.” For their part, Kristi Ray said the response of the sew- ers is seemingly par for the course in Eastern Oregon. “If you ever needed any- thing and you were in East- ern Oregon and you put it out there, you know people will come through,” she said. WORSHIP COMMUNITY Irrigon senior gets a prom night By JADE MCDOWELL NEWS EDITOR Prom is a night to remember for many high school seniors, but a global pandemic made Kaylee Seelye’s prom especially memorable. Oregon’s seniors saw their school career come to an abrupt and unceremo- nious end when the state announced schools would not be reopening this year, and seniors on track to grad- uate would automatically be given a passing grade with- out needing to complete any more schoolwork. Kaylee said she had been feeling sad about missing out on milestones like prom and a graduation ceremony. “To be honest, I was a little depressed because I didn’t get those last few days with my friends, and I didn’t get to say goodbye to my teachers,” she said. “It’s just a lot of little missed things.” She talked with her mother, Rebecca Seelye, about how she was strug- gling, and it inspired Rebecca to hatch a plan — she would throw a surprise prom for her daughter. Rebecca called Tyler Lowry, Kaylee’s boyfriend, and looped him in on the plan. She rented out a con- ference room at Oxford Suites in Hermiston and she and other family members decorated the room. On Saturday night, she told Kaylee they were going Contributed photo by Rebecca Seelye Kaylee Seelye and Tyler Lowry at their private prom in Hermiston on Saturday. to go get some family pic- tures taken, and asked her to do her hair and makeup and wear her long red dress. The family drove to the hotel and walked into the room, where Lowry then made a surprise entrance. After taking a few pho- tos, the rest of the family left, leaving the two teens alone for a couple of hours to enjoy a barbecue din- ner, sparkling cider and a romantic playlist of songs. “They had a candlelight dinner, they played music,” Rebecca said. “They had the whole experience, but it was just for them.” Kaylee said it was an “amazing” night she would never forget. “If I could describe it, it’s probably cliché to say, but it was extremely dreamy,” she said. She said she hadn’t expected to get to expe- rience prom, and she was grateful to her family for making it happen. Lowry said he was happy to help when Rebecca called him, although it was hard not to say anything about the surprise when Kaylee wanted to talk about how sad it was they would be missing prom. “It was really hard keep- ing it all a secret and not being able to tell her,” he said. “I wanted to tell her so bad.” Rebecca said she hoped that other families would consider ways they might help their children enjoy substitutes for activities that they are missing out on right now. “Right now is not normal, but I wanted to let parents out there know that even though life has changed, you can still adapt,” she said. 565 W. HERMISTON AVE. DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday .......................................... English 7:00 am Thursday ....................................................Spanish 6:00 pm SATURDAY:.............................................. English 5:00 pm ....................................................................Spanish 7:00 pm SUNDAY:................................................... English 9:00 am ................................................................Bilingual 11:00 am ....................................................................Spanish 1:00 pm Office..................................................................... 567-5812 St. Johns Episcopal Church 1520 W ORCHARD AVE Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE, SERVING PEOPLE www.hermistonnazarene.org Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. Scripture, Tradition and Reason Family service 9am Sunday N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston t. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. The Full Gospel Home Church NEW BEGINNINGS 235 SW 3rd Phone 567-7678 Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker Sunday: Sunday School........10:00 am Worship...................11:00 am Evening Service........7:00 pm Wednesday Service..7:00 pm “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Pet. 5:7 Worship Service 10:30 AM Sunday School 9:00 AM Pastor J.C. Barnett Children’s Church & Nursery Available 700 West Orchard Avenue P.O. Box 933 Hermiston, Oregon First Christian Church LANDMARK BAPTIST CHURCH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 541-567-8441 THANK YOU UEC MEMBERS! We missed the opportunity to see you this spring at the Annual Meeting and appreciate those who took time to cast their ballot in the District election. UEC Board of Directors approved a random drawing for $100 bill credits for those who participated in our vote-by-mail elections for Board Districts 5, 6 and 7. “Proclaiming the Message of Hope, Living the Gospel of Love” Sunday School...9:15 am CONGRATULATIONS TO: 125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232 Pastor David Dever 567-3013 Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm 775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston www.hermistonlmbc.com Worship Service...10:30 am Children’s Church 10:45 am Ramos Bros Ranchers LLC Ronald N. Anderson Douglas & Patricia Wagner Emily Bergstrom Larry & Jill Pursel Jeffrey Scott Hardcastle Michaela Ramirez Cole Keppinger Elaine Koester Mark Larson II As we continue to do everything we can to keep our residents safe & support them during this tough time, we are asking for signs of encouragement, balloons and words of support to help them feel the love. Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church Seventh-day Adventist Church Saturdays Sabbath School........9:30 a.m. Worship Service......11:00 a.m. English & Spanish Services 567-8241 Hermiston Jr. Academy 1300 NW Academy Lane, • Hermiston Democratic, local control is a hallmark of rural electric cooperatives, and we appreciate the member involvement that occurs in our board elections. Your vote is your voice in shaping UEC. Thank you for helping us be the best member-owned cooperative possible. The bill credits will be applied to the winning accounts; no need to contact us. Accepting applications. One bedroom units available. Contact Pam at 541-564-2595 Hermiston Office Boardman Office 750 W. Elm Ave. Hermiston, OR 97838 (541) 567-6414 400 N.E. Eldrige Drive Boardman, OR 97818 (541) 481-2220 To share your worship times call 541-278-2678
