NEWS
A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2021
Community rallies behind hopeful couple
cess stalled. COVID-19 slowed
the process even more than usual,
Zach said.
The Gaulkes changed gears
again, planning to adopt a child
from a foreign country, which also
is complicated. Adoption law var-
ies by nation, but adoption agen-
cies help people navigate these
laws. Zach and Sarah chose an
agency, which set them up with
diff erent countries. They have
fi lled out paperwork, submitting
their qualifi cations. After they are
accepted, they will begin home
study, choose a target country
and submit country specifi c doc-
uments. Then they will wait for
translations, more approvals and
fi nally a match with their child.
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
When one Pendleton couple
could not have a child on their
own, several people and a few
organizations throughout Umatilla
County began helping.
Sarah and Zach Gaulke, who
are both 33 and teachers, want
to adopt a child. They have been
married 11 years, and have tried to
have a child for the past fi ve years.
Sarah dreams of motherhood
Sarah, a Pendleton High School
special education teacher, remem-
bered when she was a small girl,
playing with dolls and someday
becoming a mother. Born in Cal-
ifornia, her family moved to Indi-
ana briefl y and then to Hermis-
ton, where she spent a childhood
thinking of her future. She would
become a mom, and maybe a
stay-at-home mom, if that were
possible.
“It’s who I am,” she said of her
desire to be a mom. And while her
career thoughts changed — when
she went to college, she began
wanting to be a teacher — her feel-
ings about motherhood have not.
She does not care about
whether the child is a boy or
girl. Neither does she care if the
child has a disability. In fact, the
agency with which she and Zach
are dealing, told her she and Zach
are extremely accommodating.
They have approved an unusually
long list of disabilities they would
accept.
Sarah reasons, if they were
to birth a child, there would be a
chance for the child to have any
number of conditions. It would be
up to God, she said. So, they will
leave it up to God in the adoption.
She said, they will love the child,
regardless.
Her goal is to receive a child
The expense and the fundraising
Mary Adams/Contributed Photo
Zach and Sarah Gaulke of Pendleton pose for a recent photo to express their intent to adopt a child. The couple is
raising money to make their desire a reality.
and impart her Christian faith.
Also, they will raise the child to
be productive members of society
and to be good to other people.
The adoption process could
take fi ve years, which will be diffi -
cult. Still, she is happy to wait, as
long as she can achieve her dream
in the end.
Zach plans for fatherhood
Sarah’s husband, Zach, shares
her dream. Though a math teacher
at Nixyaawii Community School
in Pendleton, he grew up in Herm-
iston. He attended Northwest Naz-
arene University, then transferred
to Concordia University to join
Sarah. She was a student at Con-
cordia, and he wanted to be with
her as they were dating.
Zach, who has only ever taught
at Nixyaawii, is in his ninth year
of teaching. He said he likes that
his school is small and his town is
small. He said he thinks it would
be a good fi t for any child he
would have, adopted or otherwise.
He said the fi ve years he and
Sarah have been trying to have a
child have been diffi cult. He said
he feels frustrated because doctors
have given him little explanation
or solution. They have done tests
and taken medications, but they
seem no closer to their desired out-
come. The doctors tell them they
have fertility problems, but they
have no other diagnosis.
After fi ve years, Zach and
Sarah realized they could not go
on the way they were doing things.
Zach had always thought they
would have a few kids and then
adopt. Now they were having trou-
ble with the fi rst part of this plan,
he fi gured it would be better to go
straight to adopting.
This, however, was not as easy
as he originally thought.
“It’s been eye-opening,” he
said.
First, they planned to adopt
within the United States, but
that proved diffi cult. They went
through the Oregon Department
of Human Services, but the pro-
This is an expensive process,
costing $30,000 to $42,000, which
the Gaulkes do not have.
Their fi rst fundraiser was a
large yard sale, with items donated
by fellow church members, friends
and strangers. It was a big hit, net-
ting the pair $4,500.
The next fundraiser is happen-
ing now, a drive to collect gen-
tly-used shoes, which the Gaul-
kes will hand over to Shoes with
Heart, a charity organization that
pay the Gaulkes and ship the shoes
to third-world countries. There,
the shoes will be given to shop
owners for sale.
Laura Gaulke, Zach’s mother,
has been helping with organizing
the fundraisers. She said people
can donate their shoes at two loca-
tions in Hermiston — Bethlehem
Lutheran Church, 515 S.W. Sev-
enth St., and Sassafras Flowers by
Shera, 611 E. Highland Ave.
She said she is excited to be a
grandmother and is a big believer
in the couple.
“They’re going to be great par-
ents,” she said.
BRIEFS
Domestic Violence Services plans
virtual fundraiser
than 40 years. It has shelters in Hermiston
and Pendleton, as well as advocacy centers
in Boardman, Ione and Milton-Freewater.
Its mission is to provide help to all vic-
tims and survivors of domestic violence,
sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.
DVS provides safety planning, support
groups, training workshops and classes. Ser-
vices are available in English and Spanish.
In addition to the shelters and advocacy
centers, the agency maintains a 24-hour cri-
sis line at 800-833-1161. For more informa-
tion, contact 541-276-3322, 541-567-0424,
events@dvs-or.org or visit www.dvs-or.org.
A virtual silent auction and raffl e will
help support Domestic Violence Services in
Umatilla and Morrow counties. The event is
being held as part of 2021 National Domes-
tic Violence Awareness Month.
People can register via a link at www.
dvs-or.org. The website also provides an
opportunity for individuals and businesses
to make a donation for the virtual auc-
tion. Raffl e tickets are $10 each or three
for $25 for a chance to win a 5-night stay
at the Oasis Resort in Palm Springs, val-
ued at $1,285. Also, “Love Shouldn’t Hurt”
T-shirts are available for $20.
Silent auction bidding will open Wednes-
day, Oct. 27, and closes Tuesday, Nov. 2,
at 7 p.m. A Facebook Live drawing will
be held for the vacation raffl e Nov. 2 at
7:30 p.m.
Domestic Violence Services has served
Umatilla and Morrow counties for more
Hermiston students make OSU
honor roll
Names of students who have made the
Scholastic Honor Roll for the summer 2021
term were announced by Oregon State
University.
A total of 894 earned a B-plus (3.5) or
better to make the list. To be on the honor
roll, students must carry at least 12 graded
hours of coursework.
Students from Hermiston on the honor
roll, including their year in school and fi eld
of study include, Bibiana Corona (junior,
biology); Kasia Robbins (senior, pub-
lic policy); and Rachael Wilson (senior,
psychology).
Cale Moon to perform at The Bridge
Nashville recording artist Cale Moon is
returning to the area for a show in Umatilla.
Moon, who always draws a crowd when
he plays in the region, will perform Friday,
Oct. 15, 8-10:30 p.m. at The Bridge Bistro
& Brews, 1501 Sixth St., Umatilla.
Several years ago, the musician from
Benton City, Washington, hit the road with
his family in a 40-foot recreational vehicle
to pursue his dream. Moon continues to per-
form everywhere from small clubs, main
stages and rodeo arenas to wineries, beer
Cale Moon/Contributed Photo
Musician Cale Moon will perform Friday,
Oct. 15, 2021, at The Bridge Bistro & Brews,
Umatilla.
gardens and cowboy churches.
For more information about the event,
call 541-922-4112. For more about Moon,
visit www.facebook.com/calemoonoffi cial.
—Hermiston Herald
Committed to excellence for our readers
First Place
HermistonHera
ld.com
WEDNESDAY,
UPDATES
AUG. 12, 2020
EasternOregon
Marketplace.co
Umatilla
County
opens
COVID-19
relief
small
business
program
Editorial Column
Jade McDowell
HERMISTON HERALD
Small busine
Umatilla Count sses in
a $5,000 grant y can get
from the federa as money
ment’s COVI l govern-
D-19
package contin relief
ues to
trickle down
to Umatilla
County.
Umatilla Count
y Eco-
nomic
Devel
announced the opment
start of a
new small busine
ss
relief
program in
press release, a Aug. 6
Katelyn Griffi
n takes a mome
county intend stating the
Show on Tuesd
nt with her lamb
s to distrib-
ay, Aug. 11,
prior to havin
ute $5,000 grants
2020 at the
g her picture
Eastern Orego
to qual-
taken on the
ifying busine
n Trade and
fi rst day of the
sses propor-
Event Cente
Staff photo by
2020 Umatilla
r in Hermiston.
tionately throug
Ben
County Fair
hout the
Modifi ed Youth Lonergan
county.
Livestock
According to
the
city
of Hermiston,
partnering with the city is
the county
to provide
m
place.co
extra funds
Market
for the progra
EasternOregon
m from the
city’s portion
2020
1,
JULY
SDAY,
the fed-
eral CARES of WEDNE
Act, reserv-
ing a total of
VSHFL¿FDOO\IRU+ $745,000
HUPLVWRQ
businesses.
By JADE MCDOW
ELL
The count
NEWS EDITOR
that eligible y states
busine
sses,
including sole
Fair week
propri-
etors, must
County Fair for the Umatilla
be directly
affected by
everything else kicked off, like
the
state’s
COVID-19
unprecedented in 2020, in an
through a closur orders,
Tuesday, Aug. way at 6 a.m. on
For more pho
11.
mandated chang e or other
There were
tos
business. Busin es to the
from the fair,
rides, no conce no corn dogs or
see
also be headq ess must
there were still rts or jugglers. But
uartered and
this story at
animals.
operating in
Youths (or
and employ 50 the county
hermistonhe
showed up early their parents)
people or
rald.
fewer.
ing with their Tuesday morn-
com.
lambs, sayin
A business
goodbye for
g
can only
submit one
the animal they the week before
DQG QRQSUR¿ application
mer raising was spent the sum-
have fun hangi
WV DUH QRW
weighed, photo
ng
eligible.
graphed and
Kendall Coop out,” he said.
-
sent
er, 17, an FFA
The deadline
Youth Livestock off to await the
VWXGHQW IURP
is Aug. 26 and to apply
end of the week Auction at the
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busine
ss
.
Other
owners can apply
anima
will get their
ket hog for the \HDU UDLVLQJ D PDU
turn throughout ls
fair. She said
grants at www. for the
week.
hog, a Yorkshire-H
the Juliann
her
Bruce leads
county.net/grants. umatilla-
ampshire cross
her lamb to
named Belle
Blake Betz,
Staff photo by
the 2020 Umati
Paper
the
Ben
,
was
livesto
an
Lonerg
applications
18-ye
an
ck check-in
lla County Fair
FFA student
ar-old Aug.
and should make looking good
on the
Modifi ed Youth
who
11, 2020, at
able at local are avail-
the Eastern
Livestock Show fi rst day of
mals at the fair has shown ani-
She said when weight.
Oregon Trade
on Tuesday,
every year since
where they can city halls,
the FFA stu-
and Event Cente
KH ZDV ¿UVW
dents got their
also be
r in Hermiston.
ROG
anima
submitted.
ls
in
would miss the HQRXJK VDLG KH
March
school had just
shut down and ,
Kimberly Nevil
of fair week, usual experiences
they had an
so
Photo contributed by
even though
inkling that
Psychiatric
he
got the exper
if they
went through
tion’s new Aspen Springs
ience of raisin still
steer, Lil’ Smok
g on for the opening of the organiza
mal to show, with raising an ani-
y. at a celebrati his
the ribbon
cut years
to “In
wouldn’t look fair week probably
previo
Hoekstra, center, prepares
forward to seeing us I’ve looked
Lifeways CEO Tim
they were used exactly the same as
n.
to.
friends from
Hospital in Hermisto
other towns
Coop
er said
that I don’t
usual
get to see, and
the week, partic normally during
get a week off ly
Youth Livestock ularly during the
and
— Kendall Coope
r6WDQG¿HOG
making conne Auction, she is
ctions with peopl
e
  HA PP Y
HermistonHerald.com
UPDATES
State health
plan website
will be
unavailable
July 2-5
during
upgrade
HERMISTON HERALD
m
Y 
IN DE PE ND EN CE DA
An early good
bye
Youths drop off an
imals for a socially
distanced county
fair
Online
The Oregon Depart-
ment of Human Ser-
vices and the Oregon
will
Health Authority
eli-
be upgrading the
gibility system Ore-
gonians use to apply e
for health insuranc
coverage.
tran-
that
of
part
As
sition, the online appli-
cation for the Oregon
be
Health Plan will
unavailable from July
2-5 while the upgrade
is being put into place,
according to a news
See Fair, Page A12
state.
the
release from
Any application that
is started before then
by
but not submitted
will
4 p.m. on July 2
the
facility
not carry over to
opening” period, the tem-
will
“soft
new system and
By JADE
people
16 spots
,
offer MCDOW
ELL for
will
care
need to be restarted
NEWS EDITOR
in need of 24-hour
in the next few
porarily
years. They cited
RI¿FLDOVVDLG
By JADE MCDOWELL
while they are in crisis. be Eastern overcrowding that
People can still mail
had pushe
The Herm
NEWS EDITOR
staff into other
main focus
or
“Our
iston will
Counc the
buildings, and d
in paper applications at
authorized
be serving
will City
il lack of wheel
we sale
but
the
a
Oregon,
Umatilla
phone
the
hen
of
chair
apply over
million state,”
said. up to $9.6
she to
City Manager accessibility.
entire in bonds
County Com-
pay of
for
for beds
1-800-699-9075 during
city
a
new
hall
shortage
told
and renovation
Oregon’s
the council that Byron Smith
missioner John
that time. Both options
has of been
lower level ic of patients
based on pre-
the a liminary
worked
multi-
psychiatr
the
in
e
Herm
design
Shafer
state,
availabl
iston
s,
are
lic Librar
ArchitectsWest
across the Pub- had given
during their
topic of y concern
for the Umatilla
a “high-level”
Oregon.
Mond
ple languages.
Aug. 10
Eastern
ay,
in
rly
estima
meeti
of
particula
Sher-
$9
DHS,
te
but
ng.
million for the
County
According to
The a city
project, but
commissioner, Shafer the $9.6
county
plans
As
KH VDZ IDU
to asked
million appro
build him
during
the new Oregon ONE
a new,
larger, three-
LII¶V 2I¿FH KH VD\V middle of
val would
people
give some wiggl
to
said when story
the
city Umatilla
Coun-
hall on the
system will continue
site his
too many people in who ended
of the
came in highe e room if costs
current what
campaign
city hall
was no
be upgraded, in phases,
there
at 180
N.E. ty’s
a mental health crisis
Secon
Smith said they r than expected.
Jail
top d problem
St. The is, interio
The city
through February 2021.
the Umatilla County
expect to have
the previo
it was inadequa
r of ¿ te
up of in Hermi
in his
UPGHWDLOHGFRVWH
ston is
doubt us
city mind
a
no ing available
hall
weigh
were
HH fi le photo
Once the system is
plant, because
was dam-
there
g mental
DJHG resources
VWLPDWHRQFLW\
the men-
for a poten
addressin
possibility of
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hall
tial
by
Oregon
d,
¿
mid-O
housin
inpatient
UH
off
an
inpatient
at
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upgrade
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ctober.
g developmen
WKH EXLOG
fully
off er 16
Staff photo
ing’s health.
beds for them
n will
HVAC system
by Ben
t for senior citizen 8 acres of land,
in Hermisto
near the
Hospital
ent Paying off $9.6 millio
in state
city’s wastewater Lonergan
Decem
residents will be able
governm
s. Psychiatric
2019, but He
tal health facility.
ber bonds
n in
the criticized
treatment
jail into a Aspen Springs
a mental health crisis.
council had
would require
to apply for all of their
s of y mental
“They’ve turned our our cor- beds for people experiencing
set a goal
a $470,
thousand alread
annual paym
cutting
for to
start worki
and
ent, Smith 000
ng towar the
cash, child care, food
building
mental health facility,
including
d Blue
a new beds,
said,
health
mental health
city hall
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somet Center in
rections staff are not
Mountain Recovery ime
one place.
Hermiston
He also said
See Council, Page
professionals,” he said. A3
Herald
Pendleton in 2014.
A12
a “humon-
i-
“This upgrade is just
said there is masks
health-or
into newspapers inserts
Shafer
A3 Four candid
Y
the state needs a mental
ic hospital
mailed to
subscr
ates so far for
ibers
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gous need” for psychiatr
of the Justice Rein-
Hermiston City
is
version
he
state
ented
why
the
is
A7 Chamb
Council race
ing the way
, which focuses
beds in the state, which
er puts land
Program
and
vestment
up for
County now
sale
fund-
delivers health
m by
A11
excited that Umatilla right in the
School distric
on reducing recidivis on and
human services ben-
has those beds located Psychiat-
l supervisi schoo sup-
l names down t narrows new
Springs Administrator
additiona
DQV
Aspen
ing
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Flataur,
to
Springs
WR
three
Jana
—
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county as Aspen
people who are released
,”
Hermiston.
state to do ports for
and their families
ric Hospital opens in
few more days for the
from prison.
at 1212
area resi-
DHS director Fariborz a
The 16-bed hospital
June 24.
OLFHQVLQJ VXUYH\ EHIRUH
He said he has heard to send
by Lifeways, day,
who
excited to LWV ¿QDO
Pakseresht said in
Linda Avenue is run
“We’re just really ity,” said they can start taking patients
say they were afraid
mental health
statement.
an acute men- dents
the commun
Inc., a community
cover start serving Administrator Jana are experiencing need inpatient
See Healing, Page A8
provider whose services
tal health crisis and
and Idaho. Aspen Springs
wn
scaled-do
brief,
a
parts of Eastern Oregon tting cel- Flatau.
take a care. After
Lifeways held a ribbon-cu on Thurs-
She said it should just
ebration for the facility
“IT’S SUCH
A VITAL THING
THAT
THE COMMUN
ITY IS NOT JUS
GOING TO FO
T
RGET ABOU
T IT.”
Hope for healing
Personality Feature
Jade McDowell
2020 Oregon Newspaper
Publishers Association
Better Newspaper Contest
Awards
Business or Economic Issue
Jade McDowell
Second Place
Coun
t care
OKs
tien cil
pital will off er inpa
in bonds fo $9.6 million
r
Aspen Springs Psychiatric Hos
new city ha
ll
W
be Eastern
“Our main focus will
serving the
Oregon, but we will be
entire state.”
INSIDE
COVID-19 cases rise
in Umatilla County
WLYH FDVH
UHQWO\ GH¿QHV D SUHVXPS in close
been
as someone who has
FDVH RI
FRQWDFW ZLWK D FRQ¿UPHG showing
and is now
a record COVID-19 but their test results
s,
Umatilla County hit
zations for symptom
new number of hospitali June 30, have not yet come back.
29, the
COVID-19 on Tuesday,
On Monday, June GHDWK RI
County Pub-
¿IWK
according to Umatilla
FRXQW\ UHSRUWHG LWV The patient
lic Health.
nt a COVID-19 patient.
ld man with under-
The county health departme
Umatilla was a 74-year-o
tested
announced that eight COVID-19 lying health conditions who
died at
County residents with zed. Over- positive on June 21 and
in
are currently hospitali county has Good Shepherd Medical Center
all, as of June 30, the UPHGFDVHV Hermiston on June 26.
we are in
KDGDWRWDORIFRQ¿
“We recognize that
presumptive
with an
and currently has 42 county, 267 a very abnormal situation such,
as
cases. According to the and there unknown endpoint and
d
anxiety
and
stress, fear
people have recovere
counting increased
are 252 active cases when SWLYH
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
See COVID, Page A8
ERWKFRQ¿UPHGDQGSUHVXP nt cur-
positive
g plant have tested
The health departme
its Hermiston processin
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
ed on June 29 that
Shearer’s Foods announc
for COVID-19.
INSIDE
six employees of
make adjust-
A3 Local churches
COVID-19
ments in the face of
A6 Students honor
school teachers
their middle
A7 Dr. Robert Rolen
practice.
retires from
rs study
A9 HAREC researche
pollinators.
Best Local Column - Jade McDowell
Third Place
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