COMMUNITY
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020
Children’s art brightens Funland rebuild
By NADA SEWIDAN
STAFF WRITER
Hermiston Parks & Rec-
reation is keeping with the
Hermiston tradition of fea-
turing children’s art in the
new Funland Rebuild Proj-
ect, set to open in October.
Between July 7-9, chil-
dren painted 4-inch tiles as
part of the Funland Art Com-
petition that represented
Hermiston as a community.
There were approxi-
mately 600 tiles available for
painting. A group from the
parks and recreation depart-
ment will choose the best
painting to be featured on
the new playground. Some
tiles also will be selected for
the donor wall.
Having art created by kids
on the playground is a tradi-
tion in Hermiston, according
to city staff. The fi rst two
Funland playground projects
were community-built proj-
ects, constructed by Herm-
iston community members.
Both of those projects had
art created by local children
displayed on the playground
before it was destroyed in a
Staff photo by Nada Sewidan
Tiles hand-painted by area children will be incorporated in the design of the new Funland
Playground.
fi re on May 10, 2019.
“The most recent play-
ground that burnt down last
year had hand-painted tiles,
but none of it survived — it
was all destroyed in the fi re,”
said Larry Fetter, director of
the city’s parks and recre-
ation department.
Originally, the new Fun-
land playground was set to
be completed by Labor Day,
but delays in manufactur-
ing as a result of COVID-19
pushed production forward.
Fetter said most of the prod-
ucts used to build the play-
ground will arrive July 21.
From there, the project will
take at least two to three
months. He said the rib-
bon-cutting ceremony will
be some time in the fall, pos-
sibly in October.
The playground is a $1.5
million project. Around
$700,000, is provided by
the insurance money from
the previous playground.
The rest was raised through
fundraising.
Fetter said the new play-
ground is unlike its prede-
Girl’s garden
reaches new
heights
cessor. It will be mostly con-
structed using pour-in-place
rubber, which is ground-up
rubber that gets bonded
together and does not move.
It can also be colored and
manipulated into different
shapes. The previous play-
ground used wood chips.
“We are building it big-
ger, better, stronger,” he
said. “The materials we’re
using are nonfl ammable and
are going to be around for a
very long time.”
It will also include fea-
tures, such as a restaurant
concessions area, farm and
agriculture area, the adven-
ture zone, picnic shelter area,
Native American historical
area and mock storefronts
that resemble the early days
of Hermiston. There will
also be a stage coach built
with accessibility in mind,
according to Fetter.
The Native American
area was reviewed by the
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation
and will be used to share sto-
ries on Native American tra-
dition. The Hispanic Advi-
sory Committee will also
assist Parks and Recreation
in creating translations. For
example, on the fruit wall,
one side will be in English,
the other side in Spanish.
Leah
Stockard,
a
designer, artist, and volun-
teer for the Funland Rebuild
Project, said that previously,
hundreds of volunteers
would be asked to help build
the playgrounds, but this
time contractors are taking
over the building process.
Volunteers are still needed to
build the fence surrounding
the perimeter of the park, but
it will be a much less com-
munity-oriented process.
Stockard recalled see-
ing the children whose tiles
were displayed on the play-
ground grow up and show it
to their children.
“There’s ownership in
it,” she said. “It’s a part of
history. The kids come run-
ning in and they know they
get to be part of something
important in Hermiston.”
For people interested
in donating to the Funland
Rebuild Project, engraved
fence pickets are still for
sale.
WORSHIP
COMMUNITY
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
Gracie Tucker-Walls is disappointed the
Umatilla County Fair won’t go on in its usual
format this year, but the Hermiston 6-year-
old still wants people to know that the sun-
fl ower she grew for it is “really tall.”
While Gracie is just shy of 4 feet tall her-
self, her giant sunfl ower is over twice her
size, passing 9 feet tall. It is part of the garden
she helps her aunt and uncle plant every year,
and she usually chooses some of the plants
she grew to show at the fair. In 2018, her
cucumbers received a judge’s choice award.
“She helps us with all of it,” her aunt Laura
Tucker said. “She helps Uncle John plant the
garden, she helps water it and weed it.”
She said the gardening helps Gracie learn
about hard work and about the science behind
gardening. “I learned not to plant all the seeds
in one hole,” Gracie added.
Most of the activities of the Umatilla
County Fair have been canceled due to
COVID-19, including concerts, the parade
and carnival rides. But in May, the fair board
announced there would be some opportuni-
ties for 4-H and FFA students, and the live-
stock auction will take place using “available
technologies.”
Tucker said she wasn’t sure if that meant
there was an opportunity for Gracie to show
her sunfl ower or other produce, but they
would participate if the option was available.
Agape House
sales back on
HERMISTON HERALD
After months on hia-
tus, the Agape House is
resuming its regular park-
ing lot sales beginning Sat-
urday, July 18 from 8:30-
11:30 a.m. at Agape House,
500 W. Harper Road. Social
distancing guidelines from
the Oregon Health Author-
ity will be followed, and a
temperature check and face
masks will be required.
The sale will include
clothing, furniture, house-
hold goods, knick-knacks
and other items. Proceeds
support Eastern Oregon
Mission, the parent non-
profi t of both the Agape
House and Martha’s House.
For more information,
call 541-567-8774. The
Agape House’s food bank
is open Tuesday through
Thursday from 9 a.m. to
noon and 1-3 p.m., and on
Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus.
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
Family service 9am Sunday
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all.
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
Photo contributed by Laura Tucker
Gracie Tucker-Walls, 6, shows the giant sunfl ower she is growing.
PET OF THE
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
W EEK
Reece is a very chill & sweet old man that is
about 10 years old. He loves to be around
his people, but not super cuddly, but he
loves to have his ears rubbed. He loves to sit
outside in the shade and feel the wind on his
face. Reece does have some aging issues, is on
a strict diet for his weight and will need regular
grooming. Due to his age and health, we prefer he
isn’t around young children.
REECE
Small and Large Animal Care
541.567.1138
80489 Hwy 395 N
Hermiston
www.oregontrailvet.com
Due to the
COVID-19
pandemic, animal
shelters need
our help more
than ever. Please
donate to your
local shelter, or
offer to foster an
animal in need.
Sunday School...9:15 am
Worship Service...10:30 am
Children’s Church 10:45 am
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
NEW BEGINNINGS
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm
www.hermistonlmbc.com
541-289-4774
Pastor David Dever
MEET
“Proclaiming the Message of
Hope, Living the Gospel of Love”
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
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM
Eugenio Mannucci, DVM, cVMA • Jana von Borstel, DVM, cVMA
Mon: 8-6
Tue - Fri: 8-5
Sat: 8-12
Emergency Service
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
First Christian 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
If interested please go to fuzzballrescue.com and fill out an application.
If you are not able to adopt, but would like to foster or donate, visit fuzzballrescue.com
or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue, PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838
Call For An Appointment:
Toll Free
1-855-525-4677
Hermiston:
1050 W. Elm St., Ste #220
Hermiston, OR 97838
541-289-4601
Kennewick:
8901 W. Gage Blvd
Kennewick, WA 99336
509-735-1100
To share your
worship times call
541-278-2678