COMMUNITY
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021
Teacher’s group donates
supplies for foster children
HERMISTON HERALD
As part of its annual community
service project, the Hermiston Chap-
ter 10 of the Oregon School Employ-
ees Association (OSEA) donated
supplies for area foster children.
According to a news release
from the association, members had
focused on collecting supplies for the
Hermiston Warming Station in recent
years, with donation boxes at each
school and support from the Hermis-
ton School Board.
“This year because of COVID-
19, we haven’t been able to actively
support our community,” the news
release stated. “But, we did not want
this to deter our commitment to
serve. So, with January being School
Board Appreciation Month, we dis-
cussed ways to show how much we
appreciate our board members and
community. We heard of a need in
our community.”
This need came from children and
teens who often only have a plastic
garbage bag to carry a few belong-
ings with them when they abruptly
enter the foster system.
As a result, the Hermiston OSEA
chapter donated 48 tote bags for
foster kids to use on behalf of the
Hermiston Board of Education.
Chapter members Karen Harris and
Cathy Keeney presented the offer-
ing, along with some stuffed ani-
mals collected, to Jamie Meakins of
the Oregon Department of Human
Services on Feb. 8.
Meakins said the agency tries to
provide each child with a new bag,
pajamas, blanket, socks, underwear,
hygiene items, stuffed animal and
book to help with the often traumatic
transition.
City of Hermiston/Contributed Photo
Mariela Caldera is presented with a check in front of artwork
she designed for the new Funland Playground being built
at Butte Park in Hermiston during a city council meeting on
Monday, March 8, 2021.
Local artist’s work
chosen for Funland
Playground
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
Cathy Keeney/Contributed Photo
Members of Hermiston Chapter 10 of the Oregon School Employees Association
presented bags and stuff ed animals for foster children to the Department of Human
Services.
“On behalf of ODHS Child Wel-
fare, I would like to thank you for the
donation of bags of and stuffed ani-
mals,” Meakins said in a statement.
“Your contribution makes it possi-
ble for us to provide children enter-
ing foster care an overnight bag fi lled
with necessities, and/or the abil-
ity to use the bags for their personal
belongings.”
BRIEFS
Gift card program helps
National Guard families
The Cards for Guards
program is offering a way
for Oregonians to support
Oregon National Guard
members that have been
called to serve the state of
Oregon and the nation in try-
ing circumstances in the past
year.
One way to show appre-
ciation for their service
is through the Cards for
Guards program, coordi-
nated by Becky Cartier of
Lake Oswego, and distrib-
uted by the Oregon National
Guard.
According to a news
release, Cartier conceived
of the program in 2004 as a
way to help National Guard
families in need by provid-
ing gift cards for groceries,
department stores, gas and
home improvement while
soldiers were deployed
overseas. Though many sol-
diers are too proud to accept
help through normal chan-
nels, the release stated, the
gift card program provides
the extra help families need
anonymously. Since its
inception, the program has
provided tens of thousands
of dollars to guardsmen and
their families.
Cartier was honored by
the city of Lake Oswego
in 2009 with an Unsung
Heroes award for her work.
Gift cards in any amount,
for any store or gas station
in Oregon, can be purchased
and mailed to Cards For
Guards, Oregon National
Guard, P.O. Box 14350,
Salem, OR 97309.
dents of good character with
poor fi nancial circumstances
who have a desire to seek
further educational opportu-
nities but, due to their lack
of scholastic performance,
their ability to receive schol-
arships may be limited.
In the selection process,
priority will be given to stu-
dents who: are not at the top
academically; have limited
fi nancial resources; show
the ability to be or become
upstanding citizens; and
have an interest in a trade or
blue-collar type profession.
Gena Leonard was a nurse
by trade; to honor her the
foundation also likes to offer
scholarships to students
attending nursing school or
other medical related fi elds.
Applicants do not have to
be current high school grad-
uates. The foundation has
an interest in helping adults
return to school for edu-
cation or additional train-
ing to better their position
in the workplace and the
community.
The Red & Gena Leon-
ard Foundation has awarded
2,707 scholarships total-
ing $5.3 million dollars, all
to local students, since its
inception.
Applications may be
obtained online at www.
leonardfoundation.org, from
high school counselors, at
Blue Mountain Community
College, or by contacting
Tracy Gammell at rglfoun-
dation@qwestoffice.net.
Deadline to submit an appli-
cation is March 31, 2021.
For more information
contact: Tracy Gammell,
executive director, P.O. Box
1024, Hermiston, OR 97838
or email to rglfoundation@
qwestoffi ce.net.
Community foundation
grant deadline
approaching
The deadline for the
Greater Hermiston Com-
munity Foundation’s 2021
grant cycle is 5 p.m. on Fri-
day, March 12.
The foundation has
approximately
$20,000
available to award for this
grant cycle, to “quality pro-
grams and projects” that
will make a difference in the
community, reach a large
number of people and have
a lasting impact.
Applications can be
found online at www.
greaterhermiston.org.
Hermiston grads
eligible for scholarships
The Hermiston Educa-
tion Foundation is accepting
applications for eight $2,500
post-secondary education
scholarships. The awards
are for seniors from Herm-
iston High School attending
colleges and universities in
academic programs.
Important factors in the
evaluation of applicants
include scholarship, extra-
U.S. Cellular off ers
youth grants
Youth-focused nonprofi t
organizations in Hermiston
can apply for up to $1,000
through U.S. Cellular’s
Community
Connections
program.
The organizations can
sign up at uscellular.com/
communityconnections.
Once registered, nonprof-
its will have 14 days to
get their supporters to earn
them money through com-
pleting digital activities
such as watching videos.
Each activity completed
generates more money
for the supporter’s chosen
organization.
According to a news
release, since launching the
program in 2015, U.S. Cel-
lular has awarded more than
$1.4 million to 3,100 groups
nationwide to support their
needs.
PET OF THE W EEK
MEET TINA!
Local seniors, grads
eligible for scholarships
The Red & Gena Leon-
ard Foundation is accept-
ing scholarship applica-
tions from students who
will graduate this year or
have graduated in the past
or obtained a GED from
Arlington, Boardman, Con-
don, Echo, Fossil, Hep-
pner, Hermiston, Ione, Irri-
gon, Monument, Pendleton,
Pilot Rock, Spray, Stanfi eld,
Ukiah or Umatilla high
schools.
Students must attend an
accredited college, univer-
sity, community college,
vocational, trade or technical
program based in Oregon;
exceptions may be made if
the training they seek is not
offered in Oregon.
It is the intent of the Red
& Gena Leonard Founda-
tion to benefi t average stu-
curricular and community
service activities, leader-
ship, and fi nancial need.
All applications must be
received by April 30, 2021.
Successful applicants will
be notifi ed of selection no
later than May 12.
Applications are avail-
able at the Hermiston High
School counseling offi ce.
For additional information,
contact Hermiston Edu-
cation Foundation, P.O.
Box 1096, Hermiston, OR
97838.
Tina is approximately
10 years old. She is
very loving and loves
to cuddle. She is an
indoor cat looking for
her furrever home.
Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM
Eugenio Mannucci, DVM, cVMA • Jana von Borstel, DVM, cVMA
Small and Large Animal Care
Mon: 8-6
Tue - Fri: 8-5
Sat: 8-12
Emergency Service
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.
Please go to fuzzballanimalrescue.com for more
information about adopting, fostering or donating to our rescue.
Mail in donations also accepted, please send to: PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838
When the new Funland
playground at Butte Park in
Hermiston is unveiled later
this year, Mariela Calde-
ra’s artwork will provide a
backdrop.
Caldera created two
pieces, both with cutouts
for children to poke their
faces through and take pho-
tos, for a Latino heritage
section of the playground,
which includes various sec-
tions designed to pay hom-
age to Hermiston’s culture,
economy and history. One
cutout features a pair of col-
orfully dressed dancers, the
other features a watermelon
farmer driving a tractor.
“I’m really passionate
about art and when I found
out about this opportunity,
I really wanted to take it,
because I feel like I could
not only represent my His-
panic culture but also that
I’m from Hermiston, Ore-
gon,” Caldera said.
The dancer design was
chosen as the winner of the
city’s Funland Playground
Art Contest, and Parks and
Recreation Director Larry
Fetter liked it so much he
asked Caldera to design a
second piece. He said he is
excited to have such “fan-
tastic” artwork added to the
playground and expected
both pieces to become pop-
ular “selfi e stations.”
“Truly Funland is going
to become a destination
playground and we just want
to celebrate who we are cul-
turally and artistically, and I
think Mariela really hit the
nail on the head,” he said.
Fetter said the city is
shooting for Memorial Day
weekend as the grand open-
ing of the new playground.
Jose Garcia, chair of the
city’s Hispanic Advisory
Committee, has helped the
parks department’s effort
to include the Hispanic and
Latino population into the
playground designs. He
called Caldera’s work amaz-
ing and said he was excited
that it will be on display for
“generations to come.”
“As you can see, the city
of Hermiston has so much
talent,” he said.
Caldera was presented
with a $500 check and
award certifi cate as the new
artwork was unveiled.
CHURCH
DIRECTORY
Community Worship
Featured this Week:
Hermiston Christian
Center & School
Sunday Gathering: 10:00 AM
Nursery care is available 3 years & under
Kids Club available 4 years-5th grade
Sunday Prayer Gathering: 6:00 PM
NEED PRAYER? CONTACT US!
1825 W. Highland Ave. • 541-567-3480 | hcc4u.org
hcc4u2020@gmail.com
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
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
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
Iglesia Católica Nuestra
Señora de los Ángeles
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
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.
First Christian Church
“Grow Your Faith Through God”
Sunday School...9:00 am
Worship Service...10:30 am
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
To advertise in the Church Directory,
Saturdays
Sabbath School........9:30 a.m.
please contact Audra Workman
Worship Service......11:00 a.m.
541-564-4538 or email
English & Spanish Services
aworkman@eastoregonian.com
541-567-8241
855 W. Hermiston Ave.
Hermiston, OR 97838