COMMUNITY
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020
Online auction
to benefi t Justin
Simmons
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
Photo contributed by Alicia Gregerson
Participants in the Freedom for the Children March through Hermiston on Aug. 22, 2020, pose for a photo at McKenzie Park.
Hermiston residents march for children
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
Hermiston
residents
marched through town
on Saturday, Aug. 22, to
raise awareness of human
traffi cking
and
child
exploitation.
The march started at
10 a.m. at the corner of
Highway 395 and Elm
Avenue, and ended in
McKenzie Park as march-
ers carried signs with mes-
sages, such as “God’s chil-
dren are not for sale.”
Organizer Alicia Gre-
gerson said in an email
that as a mother, the idea
of children being traf-
fi cked hit close to home
and she wanted to get
involved with prevention
efforts.
Gregerson said she was
happy with how the event
turned out.
“Saturday went incred-
ibly well,” she said. “I
appreciate everyone who
showed up. I was proud
of my community and
blessed to walk beside
each person there.”
Gregerson organized
the march as part of a
larger grassroots effort
around the United States
called Freedom for the
Children.
According to the orga-
nization’s website, they
are “focused on increas-
ing awareness in the gen-
eral population awak-
ening to the magnitude
of this matter and how
to become an agent
for change that creates
safer communities and
neighborhoods.”
Assistance grants available for
nonprofi ts, sight and hearing testing
HERMISTON HERALD
Given that the coro-
navirus is still impact-
ing the county and region,
the Hermiston Lions Club
reminds area residents
that assistance is available
in the form of assistance
grants for some of its pop-
ular programs.
The Hermiston Lions
Club still welcomes requests
for assistance, ranging from
$500 to $2,000, to support
local charities in the com-
munities of Echo. Stan-
fi eld, Hermiston, Uma-
tilla, Irrigon and Boardman
with their extraordinary
needs related to COVID-19.
Applications should be sent
to Bill Kuhn, club president,
at wjk.kuhnlawoffi ces.com.
In that email should be a
description of the need, how
much is needed and contact
information.
And because its annual
sight and hearing testing
for students will not be pos-
sible this fall, the Hermis-
ton Lions Club also is pro-
viding income-based $150
grants to assist with sight
and hearing needs in the
Greater Hermiston area,
which includes Hermis-
ton, Stanfi eld, Echo, Uma-
tilla and Irrigon. All Herm-
iston-area sight and hearing
service providers accept
the grants as a voucher to
be applied toward costs
incurred for sight and hear-
ing needs. These service
providers include Sound
Advantage
Hermiston
Hearing Center, Lifetime
Vision Source, Afford-
able Family Eyewear, and
Walmart Vision. Any appli-
cant who asks will be pro-
vided with a confi dential
application to determine
eligibility.
For more information,
or an application, write the
Hermiston Lions at P.O.
Box 1690, Hermiston, OR
97838, call Bill Kuhn at
541-676-9141, or email
klo@kuhnlawoffi ces.com.
The Hermiston Lions
Club serves the greater
Hermiston
Community.
New members are always
welcome.
UMATILLA COUNTY
— Domestic Violence Ser-
vices is an essential ser-
vice that provides services
in Umatilla and Morrow
counties to assist survi-
vors of domestic and sex-
ual violence and stalking
24 hours a day while fol-
lowing guidelines regard-
ing COVID-19. In order
to support DVS activi-
ties and services, the non-
profi t is announcing its fi rst
ever Virtual Silent Auction.
The auction will go live on
Oct. 28 and end on Nov. 4.
To make the auction a suc-
cess, donations of baskets
are being solicited from
businesses and individuals
throughout the DVS ser-
vice area.
Services in both Pend-
leton and Hermiston have
been updated to help main-
tain recommend social dis-
tancing, including the Turn-
ing Point Support Group
for survivors of domestic
violence, a virtual meet-
ing that convenes Thurs-
days at 6 p.m. People who
are interested in attending
should contact education@
dvs-or.org or call 541-
276-3322. Silence Break-
ers, a group for survivors
of sexual assault, is also
available.
Due to the need to limit
in-offi ce services, DVS
advocates are using an
WORSHIP
COMMUNITY
First Christian Church
“Proclaiming the Message of Hope,
Living the Gospel of Love”
BRIEFS
DVS seeking donations
for virtual silent
auction
Friends of Justin Sim-
mons, a partner at Sim-
mons Insurance Group
and longtime Hermiston
resident, have organized
a benefi t auction to help
cover his medical bills
and other expenses while
he battles cancer.
Bennett Christianson,
who sits on the commit-
tee organizing the auc-
tion, said the auction
was originally supposed
to be an in-person event,
but due to COVID-19
concerns it has been
moved online.
Items up for auc-
tion, which range from a
guided elk hunt to a hand-
made string art of Cap-
tain America’s shield,
are posted on the “Justin
& Alissa Simmons Ben-
efi t Online Auction!”
Facebook page. Bidding
opens at 9 a.m. on Satur-
day, Aug. 29. People can
place bids by comment-
ing under the photo of an
item until bidding closes
again at 6 p.m. on Sun-
day, Aug. 30.
Organizers will then
reach out to the high bid-
ders to arrange payment
and delivery of the item.
There is also a Jus-
tin and Alissa Sim-
mons account set up
for donations at Banner
Bank and on the website
GoFundMe for people
who just want to donate
without participating in
the auction. Organizers
are still taking donated
items for the auction, as
well.
“All this will go
directly to the family,
to help with his treat-
ment costs,” Christian-
son said.
online platform for meet-
ings. If a face-to-face
appointment with an advo-
cate is needed, email advo-
cate@dvs-or.org or call
541-276-3322.
Volunteers are also
needed.
Online training is avail-
able for teaching a Life
Skills class, and volun-
teers are always welcome
to assist with clerical tasks,
events, or fundraisers. Con-
tact the volunteer adminis-
trator at 541-276-3322 or
volunteer@dvs-or.org.
For more information,
or to donate to the virtual
auction, contact DVS at
administrator@dvs-or.org,
call 541-276-3322, visit
the DVS Facebook page,
or go to the DVS website at
https://sites.google.com/a/
domesticviolenceser-
vices-or.org/domestic-vio-
lence-services-inc/.
in to the virtual workshop,
and an eager attitude to
learn. A device that allows
the attendee to create doc-
uments is helpful, but not
required.
For more information,
or to attend the workshop,
call KaeLyn Lindsay at
541-571-7771.
Deadline is Aug. 26 for
small business grants
Wednesday, Aug. 26, is
the last day for small busi-
nesses to apply for Uma-
tilla County’s COVID-19
relief grants.
The $5,000 grants are
available to businesses,
including sole propri-
etors, that have been
directly affected by the
state’s COVID-19 orders,
through a closure or other
mandated changes to the
business. Business must
also be headquartered and
operating in the county
and employ 50 people or
fewer.
A business can only
submit one application and
nonprofi ts are not eligible.
The money comes from
COVID-19 funding dis-
tributed to states through
the CARES Act.
Business owners can
apply for the grants at
www.umatillacounty.net/
grants. Paper applications
are available at local city
halls, where they can also
be submitted.
Sunday School 9:15am
Worship Service 10:30am
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Pastor David Dever
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm
www.hermistonlmbc.com
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
Us
Join
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
Join us on ZOOM 9:00 AM Sunday
Email: chuckb@eotnet.net for link
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
Online resume building
workshop off ered
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
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
NEW BEGINNINGS
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
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
541-289-4774
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
HERMISTON — Com-
munity Counseling Solu-
tions is offering a free
online resume workshop
for those wanting to create
a professional resume. The
virtual workshop will be
offered Thursday, Aug. 27.
The workshop is open to
anyone wanting the skills
to build a resume that will
catch the attention of pro-
spective employers. Those
attending need a device
that will allow them to call
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
Get answers from a trusted
local resource!
• Burgers
• Salads
• Sandwiches
• Smoked BBQ Ribs
Hours:
• Prime Rib
Tuesday-Saturday
and More!
11am-10pm
Sunday 11am-9pm
Closed Monday
100 W. Hwy 730, Irrigon
541-922-4374
Call me for a complimentary
PERSONAL CONSULTATION
today!
JOSH GOLLER
125 SE 7th St., Hermiston
541-289-7261
www.simmonshealthinsurance.partners
To share your
worship times call
541-278-2678