A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Late mail delivery in 1921 upsets residents
ROSE JOHNSONGALE
Umatilla
What do you like about Umatilla?
My neighbors are great. I think, on the block that
I live on, I’m the oldest one. I see young kids, fam-
ilies, move in. I’ve seen babies move in, grow up.
They’re in high school now. It’s pretty cool. And I
have friends here.
What does it take to be a good friend?
Checking on each other, making sure everybody is
okay, especially during the pandemic. When some-
one isn’t well, you bring them food and you see if
they need anything from the store. You keep in touch.
Have you done those things for anyone else?
Yes, I’ve done that in my neighborhood since I’ve
been there. One of my friends passed away and it
was hard to see him go.
Have people looked out for you in a friendly
way?
Yes, my neighbor has done that for me.
How long have you been part of the American
Legion?
Four years.
Have you enjoyed your work with the Legion?
Yes, I have. This is my fi rst year of being an offi cer
of the American Legion. It’s trying, but I’m learning
a lot, also.
Do you have any hobbies?
I like traveling. I just got back from a trip to Seaside.
I took a lot of pictures. It was fun. That’s another one
of my hobbies; I like taking pictures.
Is there any place you would like to go?
Before the pandemic, I would go somewhere every
other month. Now, I’d like to go out more. Locally,
I’d like to go to spots I haven’t been. I don’t want to
go overseas until I’ve seen everything in America.
This is home.
Being an American means something to you.
What does it mean?
It means I have my freedoms to do and say things.
People say you have the right to say what you think,
but there’s a way you can do it without hurting any-
one. I have my freedom of speech, and I use it to
the best of my ability without hurting anybody. That
wouldn’t be good.
25 YEARS AGO
Nov. 19, 1996
A mother-daughter duo is work-
ing to help the orphans of war-torn
Rwanda. Phyllis Sorter is a mission-
ary from Pendleton’s Free Method-
ist Church and has been in Rwanda
since February. Her daughter,
Courtney Carlton, organizes dona-
tions and supplies to send.
Sorter teaches English, builds
wells, reunites families, and works
to provide other basic needs for the
children who rely on stealing to sur-
vive. She recently experienced a
major triumph, when 30 boys were
moved from tents to a house.
“Mom said the house was a
praise to God,” Carlton said. “She
prayed, asking God to help them
fi nd a house by the end of the week,
and they did.” Carlton and her
mother are working to get photos of
the individual children in the hope
that people in Eastern Oregon will
sponsor (donate for) a child; “Even
$5 a month would go a long way to
help,” she said.
50 YEARS AGO
Nov. 19, 1971
Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Maddi-
son made Echo proud at the Ore-
gon Farm Bureau Federation state
convention when they received
the “President’s Gold Award,” the
highest award, for their outstanding
service.
Gaylord’s unique characteristics
of determination and forward-look-
ing began in his youth. The teenage
farm boy got discouraged when hot
winds and drought kept ruining the
crop he’d worked so hard to grow.
“I made up my mind and decided
I was going someplace where there
was irrigation, so it wouldn’t hap-
pen to me again.” At the age of 18,
he left his Iowa home to stay with his
uncle, J. Frank Spinning, in Echo.
In 1920, the American Farm
Bureau Federation was recruit-
ing members to create a branch
in Oregon, and Maddison walked
up and down Buttercreek, encour-
aging farmers to join. They grew
and strengthened the organization,
moving the lobby to Salem to be
more engaged in legislation. In fact,
they organized the fi rst farm insur-
ance company under Oregon laws.
Gladys and Gaylord married
in 1923 and she served as county
chairman and assisted him in many
of his projects. Gaylord served on
numerous committees and boards,
including the McNary Irriga-
tion Association, Umatilla County
Development Corporation, Uma-
tilla County Planning Commission,
Pacifi c Woolgrowers Association
and many more.
75 YEARS AGO
Nov. 21, 1946
With Christmas time and huge
amounts of mail approaching, new
annual Christmas envelope seals
will be sold. But there’s something
special about these ones: the funds
will go towards helping eradicate
tuberculosis.
Buying the annual envelope seals
will fund free chest X-rays (which
seal sales recently paid for 3,400
of) and intensive health education
programs.
These two programs have been
credited with the great decrease in
the national tuberculosis death rate:
200 out of every 100,000 in 1900
and only 39.7 per 100,000 in 1945.
Residents of Umatilla County, as
most U.S. counties, will receive the
1946 Christmas Seal sheets in the
mail on Nov. 25.
It will be the 40th annual sale of
Christmas Seals in the U.S. — but
this year it’s more than just buying
passage for mail. It’s giving people
Contributed Photo
Yankurye, left, an orphan girl from Rwanda, Africa, was reunited in November
1996 with her aunt, right, by Phyllis Sorter, not pictured, a Free Methodist
missionary from Pendleton.
Joyce Hensley/Hermiston Herald, File
Courtney Carlton and her daughter, Phoenyx, 2, read a letter from grandmother
Phyllis Sorter, who in November 1996 was working in Africa as a missionary.
Hermiston Herald, File
Gaylord and Gladys Maddison of Echo admire the ‘President’s Gold Award’
plaque they received in 1971 from the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation.
a chance at a longer life, and that’s
quite a gift.
100 YEARS AGO
Nov. 17, 1921
The Oregon-Washington Rail-
road Navigation Company has
received numerous complaints
about service and mail delays. The
Commercial Club met Tuesday and
appointed a committee to create a
presentation for the railroad com-
pany, and state railway commission
if needed, regarding the complaints.
First of all, the depot is too cold
since there isn’t a night man on
duty. It doesn’t help that passengers
don’t know how long they have to
wait outside in the cold, because the
passenger trains are frequently late.
With winter nearing, this point is
one to be stressed.
In regards to mail, the Spokane
train will leave if the westbound
train is late. This means Hermiston
mail that’s supposed to get to Port-
land in the morning doesn’t arrive
until evening and consequently isn’t
delivered until the next day.
Complaints have also been
voiced about trains switching at the
depot crossing, which blocks traffi c
for a considerable amount of time.
This has already been discussed
with railway offi cials and they’re
working to fi x it. But the presenta-
tion better encourage the O.W.R.N.
to start fi xing the service and mail
issues soon, or they’ll have lots of
angry Hermistonians!
———
McKenzie Rose, a sophomore at
Echo High School, searched Herm-
iston Herald archives to compile
these article summaries.
BY THE WAY
Umatilla County Fair extends application deadline for ’22 court
The Umatilla County Fair has extended the deadline
to apply for the 2022 Umatilla County Fair court. The
application deadline is Monday, Nov. 22, by 9 a.m.
Participating on the fair court off ers young people an
opportunity to represent Umatilla County not only during
fair week in August, but at parades and other events
throughout Eastern Oregon and Washington in 2022. The
program is open to Umatilla County students in ninth
through 12th grade. Participation provides a fun way to
develop confi dence and build relationships.
Applications are available via www.umatillacoun-
tyfair.net or at the fair offi ce at Eastern Oregon Trade
and Event Center, 1705 E. Airport Road, Hermiston.
For questions, call 541-567-6121 or email fair@umatil-
lacounty.net.
• • •
People are invited to kickoff the holiday season with
viewing, shopping and bidding on trees, wreaths, stock-
ings and other holiday items during Hermiston Festival
of Trees 2021.
This year’s event is Saturday, Dec. 4, 2-7 p.m. at the
Hermiston Community Center, 415 S. Highway 395.
Tickets for family hour, 2-3 p.m., are $25. The rest of the
one-hour time slots are $20 per person.
Tickets are available at the Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce, 630 S. Highway 395. For more information
or a chance to win tickets, search Instagram @festivalof-
treeshermiston or visit www.facebook.com/Hermiston-
FestivalofTrees. Watch for a story and photos about the
event in the Nov. 24 edition of the Hermiston Herald.
• • •
A community Thanksgiving dinner is being hosted by
Echo Community Church, 21 N. Bonanza St. Every-
one is invited to the free meal Saturday, Nov. 20, 12:30-
2:30 p.m. For questions, call 541-571-4419.
• • •
Good Shepherd Health Care System is off ering free
COVID-19 vaccines, including the initial series and
booster doses. Patients should bring vaccination cards,
if applicable. No appointment is necessary: Friday, Nov.
19, 7 a.m. to noon; and Monday, Nov. 22, 2:30-7 p.m.
The vaccines will be administered in Conference
Center 1 and 2, 610 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston. Required
monitoring after vaccine administration is 15 minutes.
Good Shepherd has the Moderna and Johnson & John-
son vaccines, both authorized for those 18 and older; and
the Pfi zer vaccine, for those 12 and older. Good Shep-
herd is not providing the Pfi zer vaccine for 5-11 year olds
at these clinics. In accordance with Oregon law, patients
15 and older can self-consent for the vaccine. For ages
12-14, a parent or guardian must be present.
For more information, call the vaccination hotline at
541-667-3426, visit www.gshealth.org/coronavirus or
search www.facebook.com/gshcsnews.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, Nov. 18, is roast beef, mashed potatoes and
gravy, vegetables and dessert. The menu for Tuesday,
Nov. 23, is turkey and yams, stuffi ng, gravy, vegetables
and dessert. (In-house meals will be served from noon to
12:30 p.m. People planning to dine in must call by 11 a.m.)
For a Meals on Wheels delivery in Hermiston, call
541-567-3582 before 10 a.m. to place an order. To pick
up a meal from the center at 255 N.E. Second St., call
before 11 a.m. Meals are $5 and can be picked up between
11:30 a.m. and noon.