A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Hermiston Herald, File
An early winter storm hit the area in December 1971. It dumped approximately 7 feet of roadside snow in Meacham, more
than 2 feet in the Battle Mountain area and a good amount in Hermiston.
DONNA ANDERSON
May Bauer to lead Hermiston’s fi rst AARP chapter
Hermiston
How long have you lived in Hermiston?
I have lived in Hermiston somewhere between 30 and 40
years.
What do you like about the town?
It’s home. It seems like if you go away from Hermiston,
you come back. You just can’t stay away for some rea-
son. I lived in Indiana four years after my fi rst marriage,
and I hated it… hated it. I had to come back to Oregon,
so I moved back to Hermiston.
What is it about Hermiston that brought you
back?
It’s so many things. It’s the people, and the community,
and the things you can do and experience. It’s a hub for
whatever you feel like doing. You go one way, and you’re
at the coast. You go the other way, and you’re at the
mountains.
What do you like to do on the coast?
I love to watch the ocean, walk along the beach and pick
up shells. It’s the typical tourist stuff .
What do you like to do in the mountains?
I love the snow. I play in the snow. That’s my favorite.
Are you looking forward to Christmas?
Absolutely. Christmas is my season. I go all out for
Christmas — not so much this year because I’m recov-
ering from surgery, but I usually go full boar when it
comes to Christmas. And I decorate diff erent colors from
normal red and green. I decorate in purple and gold.
Now, why is that?
I love purple. I got a white, fake Christmas tree that I
use. I put purple lights on it and then I put purple birds
and bows on it. That’s what I decorate with.
Where did you get this idea?
Just in my head. The fi rst time I decorated the tree in
purple, white and gold, I brought my husband over to
look at it. He walked in and gasped and said that it was
like something from a magazine. Then, I knew I was onto
something.
You are an artistic person, aren’t you?
I guess you can say that.
When did you discover your artistic sensibilities?
About two or three years ago. It was then that I realized
I could do things. I wrote books that aren’t published.
I wrote a series of books, and if I could fi nd a literary
agent, I would.
What are your books about?
The fi rst one is about my husband who passed away
— he and I, how we met, fell in love, got married and
some of the things we experienced. That was the fi rst
book. The rest of the series of three is based on my life.
It becomes fi ction half way into it, telling about a woman
named Jeanette. It tells of her childhood and then fol-
lows her to the end of her life. It’s interesting. The people
I’ve talked to have looked at it to see if it was worth pub-
lishing. They liked it. Maybe one day I will have it pub-
lished. Did that go over three minutes?
Just a little, but that’s OK.
25 YEARS AGO
Dec. 17, 1996
A grand opportunity has been
provided by Good Shepherd Com-
munity Hospital for teens wanting
to help their community and possi-
bly determine a career path.
The Junior Volunteer Program,
as it’s called, was restored by vol-
unteer organization chairman
Neva Hopper and director LaVon
Starr-Meyers.
To become a Junior Volun-
teer, kids must pass a four-hour
CPR course and attend orientation
classes, which are sponsored by
the hospital. There are currently 25
participants, ranging from ages 12
to 19. They do many tasks, includ-
ing providing child care, making
name tags, answering nurse call
lights and much more.
In addition to feeling proud of
their activity in the community,
the volunteers also get rewards
from the hospital: a free soda after
every shift, a free meal after four
hours of continuous work, and cer-
tifi cates, pins and other gifts after
six months of duty. But the expe-
rience goes beyond meals and
certifi cates.
“One member, Bryan Black-
well, did such a good job, the hos-
pital hired him,” Starr-Meyers
said. Blackwell, a home-schooled
sophomore, now works part-time
in the hospital’s environmental
services maintenance department.
50 YEARS AGO
Dec. 16, 1971
Some good news for retired
folks in the surrounding area:
Hermiston just created its very
own AARP chapter.
The American Association of
Retired Persons was organized in
1958 by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus.
It’s a non-partisan, yet very infl u-
ential, lobby group that works to
provide assistance for retired peo-
ple, including a focus on Social
Security and Medicare.
Being available to all people
over the age of 55, AARP is some-
thing the retired have come to love,
which is why Hermiston is looking
forward to having its own chapter.
After receiving advice from O.W.
Galloway, the state AARP direc-
tor, retired Hermiston residents
decided to elect offi cers for one-
year terms. They chose May Bauer
Hermiston Herald, File
Leaders were elected in December 1971 for the fi rst Hermiston AARP chapter.
Pictured from left: May Bauer, president; Victor Christman, vice president; O.W.
Galloway, state AARP director; Mathilda Russell, secretary; and Tottie Snyder,
treasurer.
as president, Victor Christman as
vice president, Mathilda Russell as
secretary, and Tottie Snyder as trea-
surer. The offi cers will guide the
newest chapter of the world’s larg-
est organization of retired people.
a constitution for consideration at
the next meeting
These individuals are working
to create a safer community and
hope that their requests will be
considered.
75 YEARS AGO
Dec. 19, 1946
100 YEARS AGO
Dec. 15, 1921
To put a halt to illegal gambling,
a group of 50 concerned people
met in the First Christian Church in
Pendleton to organize the Citizens
Law Enforcement League of Uma-
tilla County. The main problem is
that some cities issue licenses for
gambling operations, which con-
tributes to illegal practices. With
the cities failing to enforce penal-
ties, the group is wanting to take
matters into their own hands.
The League, with John Crow
(Pendleton) as president and Claude
McElrath (Freewater) as secre-
tary-treasurer, appointed a com-
mittee to call on the district attor-
ney and county sheriff to enforce
the anti-gambling law within their
jurisdiction. The committee mem-
bers include, Rev. Paul Moore
(Athena), Mrs. Ethel Walker (Mil-
ton), Guy Rothwell (Pilot Rock),
George Blind (Freewater) and Mrs.
Rhodes (Pendleton).
A second committee, includ-
ing Rev. Earl Cotton as chairman
(Echo), E.O. Draper (Pendleton),
Henry Ott (Hermiston), Rev. O. D.
Parnell (Milton) and W.A. Propeck
(Freewater), was appointed to draft
Hermistonians are excitedly
awaiting yet another speech by
Miss Guila Adams, who shares sto-
ries of her adventures overseas,
inspires higher thoughts and pro-
motes kind acts.
Adams was called overseas
during the war to inspire and uplift
troops who were in great need of
such commodities.
“In the camps and hospitals
of England and France, I had the
honor of appearing before the
grandest audiences in the world,”
she said about her eff orts.
Adams focuses on encourag-
ing her audiences to think at a
higher level, practice more empa-
thy and kindness, and enjoy rec-
reation. What’s unique about her
speeches is that practically every-
thing is self-made. She creates
her own decoration arrangements
and writes her own monologues.
Her programs are said to be truly
wholesome.
———
McKenzie Rose, a sophomore at
Echo High School, searched Herm-
iston Herald archives to compile
these article summaries.
BY THE WAY
Library activities include Star Wars Party, Wonderland festival
The Hermiston Public Library, 235 E. Gladys Ave.,
is giving notice to all young Jedi Knights to attend the
Teen Star Wars Party on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 5-6 p.m.
It will be a night of snacks, drinks and Star Wars trivia.
• • •
And to help shift your holiday spirit into high gear, the
Hermiston Public Library invites families to a Winter
Wonderland Festival. Featuring cookie decorating, a hot
cocoa booth and an ornament decorating craft, the free
event is Saturday, Dec. 18, 1-3 p.m., at 235 E. Gladys
Ave. For questions, call 541-567-2882.
• • •
The SAGE Center, 101 Olson Road, Boardman, is
the place to be Friday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. for movie night.
The featured fl ick is “How the Grinch Stole Christ-
mas.” The cost is $5 per person, which includes entry,
popcorn and bottled water. Children under 5 are free. For
more information, call 541-481-7243 or visit www.visit-
sage.com.
• • •
A Christmas Eve service is scheduled Friday, Dec.
24, 6 p.m. at Hermiston Church of the Nazarene, 1520
W. Orchard Ave. The fl icker of candlelight will set the
mood for communion, special music and an inspira-
tional message. The nursery will be open self-serve style
for parents to use the changing table or if children need
space to crawl around.
• • •
Area churches are invited to share information about
special Christmas services/activities planned for the hol-
iday season. To be included in a listing in next week’s
Hermiston Herald, submit details by Monday, Dec. 20,
4 p.m. to community@hermistonherald.com.
Be sure to provide the name of the service/event, as well
as the date, time and place it will be held — including the
physical address.
• • •
The Umatilla Ice Skating Rink is open Fridays,
4-8 p.m., and Saturdays/Sundays, 12-8 p.m. It’s next to
Umatilla City Hall, 700 Sixth St. Individuals can glide
across the ice for $3 or it’s $10 for a family of four.
Two-hour private rentals ($150) are available Monday
through Thursdays, 12-8 p.m., and Saturdays, 9-11 a.m.
For questions, call Esmeralda Perches, development and
recreation manager, at 541-922-3226.
• • •
The Festival of Lights continues at Eastern Oregon
Trade and Event Center, 1705 E. Airport Road, Hermis-
ton. The light show is presented as a drive-thru event Thurs-
day through Sundays, 6-10 p.m. Donations are accepted at
the gate for Hermiston Rotary Club projects and charities.
With last weekend’s wind wreaking havoc on Pepper-
mint Lane, the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce is
hosting walk-thru activities Saturday, Dec. 18, 6-9 p.m.
While the lights will shine through Saturday, Jan. 1, the
festival will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Also, stay tuned to the EOTEC Facebook page for special
plans on New Year’s Eve.
• • •
The Sage Center Christmas Light Show will be illumi-
nated through Saturday, Jan. 2 at 101 Olson Road, Board-
man. It will shine during the dark of night until daybreak.
The synchronized music can be heard via outdoor speakers
or by tuning in at 88.3 FM.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, Dec. 16, is enchilada casserole, Spanish rice,
fruit and dessert. The menu for Tuesday, Dec. 21, is baked
ham, potato, vegetables, dinner roll and dessert. (In-house
meals will be served from noon to 12:30 p.m. People plan-
ning to dine in are asked to 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.
• • •
The Boardman Senior Center is open for dine-in
lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon at 100 Tatone
St. Meals are $4 for seniors and $5 for others. Take-out
lunches are available by calling 541-481-3257.