COMMUNITY
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022
Clues lead pair to hidden bottle in Hermiston
Pilot Rock mother, son,
find Hidden Bottle Hunt
prize at Riverfront Park
BY SHANNON GOLDEN
The Observer
For Pilot Rock’s Nicole Ferguson, a
single glass bottle hiding in Hermiston’s
Riverfront Park gave new meaning to
the phrase “one man’s trash is another
man’s treasure.”
Ferguson and her 13-year-old son,
Jesse, are among the six winners in this
year’s statewide Hidden Bottle Hunt —
a fundraiser the Oregon Beverage Re-
cycling Cooperative hosted. The OBRC
donated $1,000 for each of the six bot-
tles during the five-day hunt.
She and Jesse found the bottle Friday,
July 8.
“It was a lot of fun. Ferguson said.
“We had fun figuring out all the clues.”
This second annual hunt commem-
orates the 51st anniversary of Oregon’s
Bottle Bill. With the passage of the bill
on July 2, 1971, Oregon became the
City
councilor
earns spot
on state
disabilities
commission
Hermiston Herald
Hermiston City Councilor
Nancy Peterson recently
took a seat on the Oregon
Disabilities Commission.
The ODC is a gover-
nor-appointed commission
housed in the Department
of Human Services. Peterson
will be one of 15 members of
the com-
mission,
which
aims to
identify
and hear
the needs
of Oregon
Peterson
disabled
individu-
als and prioritize public pol-
icy that should be addressed.
“You know all of the lob-
byists for companies that
come to the government and
talk about their company?”
they said. “Well, we are the
lobbyist groups on behalf of
the public.”
Most of the members of
the ODC have disabilities;
Peterson is a non-binary
disabled person. Along with
their work on the city coun-
cil and now the disabilities
commission, Peterson also
works for Columbia Basin
College as a disability ser-
vices accessibility specialist.
Peterson has been a mem-
ber of the Hermiston City
Council since winning an
election on 2020 and has
a long history of diversity
rights activism, advocating
for many disabled people.
“Government is not about
wearing a tie or sweaters,”
Peterson said, ”it’s about
letting people know which
road to walk on — or in my
case, roll on — to get the job
done.”
If you are interested in
joining one of the 250 com-
missions available in the
state of Oregon, go to www.
oregon.gov/gov/Pages/
board-list.aspx.
first state in the nation to implement a
redemptive system that reinforced recy-
cling and kept litter out of natural areas.
More than 50 years later, the bill
remains a lasting legacy of the state’s
championing of environmental activ-
ism. Oregonians who return empty bot-
tles and cans to stores and redemption
centers receive now a 10-cent refund
value for each container returned.
The OBRC began releasing clues on
July 6. Participants from around the state
tried to decipher the cryptic poems. It
was on the third day that Ferguson and
her son began to narrow their search.
The third clue included the
phrase,”More Hints’ and you may cele-
brate!” This was an anagram of Hermis-
ton — along with other clues about the
city’s agricultural history and burgeon-
ing population.
The OBRC hid each bottle in a park
or trail open to the public, so Ferguson
and her son decided to explore all seven
parks in the Hermiston area. They tack-
led Riverfront Park first.
After negotiating which direction
to go and admiring the mulberry trees
that populated the park, they ventured
toward Bridge Road. On the other side
of the underpass, they found the bottle;
wrapped in orange bubble wrap and
tucked into a small culvert.
This year’s six winners got to keep the
commemorative bottle and direct the
$1,000 to an Oregon nonprofit of their
choice. Ferguson selected the Pendleton
Animal Welfare Shelter/Pioneer Hu-
mane Society.
“We’re animal lovers, so we picked
the humane society,” she said. “I follow
them really closely on Facebook and
they’re always needing donations.”
Ferguson, who was born four years
after the Bottle Bill passed, credited the
bill as a positive incentive for recycling
in Oregon. Still, Ferguson pointed out
the nearest BottleDrop for her is almost
an hour away. She noted it would be
useful to have more redemption centers
around the state.
“I would hope in the future of recy-
cling, especially in more rural commu-
nities like we live in, there would be a
more convenient way for people to do
it,” she said.
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative/Contributed Photo
Pilot Rock’s Nicole Ferguson, left, and her 13-year-old son, Jesse, pose for a photo with
the prize bottle they found at Hermiston’s Riverfront Park for the 2022 Hidden Bottle
Hunt. The event ran July 6-11.
COMMUNITY BRIEFS
Hermiston man earns
doctorate at Shenandoah
University in Virginia
A Hermiston man was among
the 1,204 students who graduated
from Shenandoah University for
the 2021-22 academic year. Sam-
uel Johnson earned a doctorate in
physical therapy during the May
21 commencement ceremony,
held on the university’s campus
in Winchester, Virginia.
A private liberal arts school,
Shenandoah University was es-
tablished in 1875. For more in-
formation, visit www.su.edu.
OSU announces spring
term honor roll
The spring 2022 scholastic
honor roll at Oregon State Uni-
versity was recently announced. A
total of 7,150 students earned the
recognition by attaining a GPA of
3.5 or better while completing at
least 12 graded hours. Local stu-
dents, year in school and field of
study include:
HERMISTON: Nicole M.
Breshears, junior, human develop-
ment and family science; Jasmin
Chen, senior, biohealth sciences;
Bibiana Corona, junior, biology;
Gideon W. Fritz, junior, natural re-
sources; Ruben C. Lopez-Carrillo
Jr., senior, bioresource research;
Halee M. Stubbs, sophomore, ac-
countancy; Hannah L. Walker, se-
nior, animal sciences; Courtnee L.
West, freshman, human develop-
ment and family science.
BOARDMAN: Cooper O. Szasz,
junior, animal sciences; Edith E.
Velasco, post-baccalaureate, edu-
cation.
ECHO: Lily R. Volger, soph-
omore, university exploratory
studies.
HEPPNER: Carson P. Brosnan,
senior, business administration;
Keegan M. Gibbs, junior, agricul-
tural & food business manage-
ment.
IRRIGON: Ethan R. Greer, se-
nior, construction engineering
management.
STANFIELD: Kendall L. Cooper,
sophomore, agricultural sciences;
Cora McCann, sophomore, kine-
siology.
UMATILLA: Kylara L. Lewis,
senior, psychology; Jonathan M.
Macias, senior, computer science;
Marlenne Mendoza, junior, uni-
versity exploratory studies; Jenni-
fer Rincon Gonzalez, sophomore,
Spanish; Skyler K. Stokoe, senior,
business administration.
Established in 1868, Oregon
State University is based in Cor-
vallis. For more information, visit
www.oregonstate.edu.
BMCC releases spring
honor roll list
Blue Mountain Community
College spring term 2021-22
honor roll recognition went to the
following full-time students:
President’s List (3.75 — 4.0
GPA): Blair Aichele, Jacob Air-
oldi, Coy Aldrich, Paige Aldrich,
Marcus Allen, Lesly Anzora, Sa-
mantha Atilano, Mersadees Avila,
Crystal Bailey, Chelsea Baird,
Emma Barclay, Brendan Barger,
Debra Bartlett, Megan Baskins,
Brayan Bautista, David Bautista,
Kikona Bautista, Katie Beach, Na-
than Beath, Kelli Benage, Brianne
Bieren, Megan Billings, Mack-
enzie Bingham, Caleb Bishop,
Tulley Bloom, Bryon Bonifer,
Kayla Boone, Kylie Borchert,
Erin Braun, Eryn Britton, Gracie
Broadfoot, Lorene Broncheau,
Russell Brown, Brenda Cam-
pos, Wenxia Carson, Michael
Carvalho, Cameron Chetwood,
Jazmyne Chieuchin, Amanda
Clark, Mikki Clark, Jessie Cook,
Dominic Corby, Macy Cordon,
Liam Coyle, Autumn Daggett,
Jade Davidson, Cloe Davis, Tyler
Davis, McKinzie Dawson, Uriel
De la luz Garcia, Wyatt Dial, John
Diaz, Madison Duker, Elizabeth
Durfee, Nathan Ellis, Haven Esik,
Isabella Esparza-Clark, Michael
Fielden, Lexie Flanagan, Chris-
tian Flores Bernal, Jennifer Flores,
Adalane Folsom, Macaylah Force,
Kyra Ford, Karla Frasser-Parrish,
Elizabeth Gaskin, Zora Gehrke,
Cody Gerrard, Zoey Gilbert, Kee-
gan Glenn, Gabriel Goad, Alex-
andra Gomes, Edith Gonzalez,
Tabitha Greene, Emily Greer,
Kirsten Guldemond, Taelor Ham-
mack, Amanda Harris, Maysa
Haws, Ann Hays, Janessa Head-
ley, Katrina Holmes, Shannon
Holmes, Jennifer Hook, Eric
Hoyos-Diaz, Kim Huling, Jimena
Ibarra, Brittany Iles, Donyale Jack-
son, Mazie Jackson, Jailin Jimenez,
Malcolm Johnson, Simon John-
son, Kathryn Jones, Abbie Justice,
Alyssa Keene, Alexander Kehr,
Crystal Klein, Patrisha Klier, Mi-
chael Kobasa, Marijane Koenig,
PET OF THE W EEK
MEET STEVIE!
Stevie is approximately 9 months old,
he does not have eyes, so he MUST be an
indoor only cat. He is a very sweet kitten
that loves to be cuddled.
Carlee Lacey, Alexis Leake, Natalie
Legore, Rebeca Lomprey, Valeria
Lopez, Daniel Madrigal Barrera,
Dana Martin, Savanna Matott, Jr
Maxcy, Kiya May, Kathleen May-
berry, Madelline McClain, Brenda
McCormick, Coya McDermott,
Brandi McDonough, Araceli Me-
dina-Perez, Faith Meine, Citlali
Mendoza, Carlos Meza, Lindsay
Mitchell, Yolanda Montes-Cer-
nas, Rylee Montgomery, Marcee
Moore, Jennifer Morgan, Katie
Mosqueda, Trevor Murphy, Lilly
Naiser, Emma Odman, Marissa
Olivas, McKaylee Orton, Olivia
Page, Byron Patt, Renee Peterson,
Eida Piercy, Kailee Ponce, Naomi
Potter, Louis Powell, Mark Pur-
sel, Makayla Rabourne, Matthew
Ramirez, Maggie Ramoss, Timo-
thy Reinhart-Mickle, Jacob Rey-
burn, Laramie Ricker, Romayne
Ricker, Kyra Rico, Brenale Ritter,
Katie Roach, Liliana Rodriguez,
Natalie Romero, Alit Rosales,
Faith Rosen, Laura Sanchez, Dean
Schiller, Hannah Schvaneveldt,
Richard Seewer, Yvonne Segovia,
Alexia Siders, Marina Simrell, Jag-
jot Singh, Jonathan Smith, Maya
Smith, Rachel Sorum, Pedro So-
telo, Katelynn Sowa, Valerie Speir,
Hilaire St., Cecelia Stanger, Megan
Stempson, Troy Stever, Colton
Stewart, Kelsie Stewart, Brenda
Stringham, Morgan Styvar, Mittel-
stadt Szweda, Emily Taylor, Cody
Thacker, McKeeley Tonkin, Dil-
lon Tucker, Sara Waldrop, Chelsie
Walker, Zachary Walsh, Miranda
Wasserman, Jaycee Weathermon,
Hunter Weaver, Jessica Wheeler,
Tommy Whiles, Kenzie Williams,
Morgan Wilson, Geoffrey Wolfe,
Sarah Wollam, Noelle Wright,
Patton Wright, Krysten Yeaple,
Keaston Young, Noelle Zacharias,
Andrew Zellars and Kaylee Zim-
merman.
Vice President’s List (3.5 to
3.74 GPA): Angela Abbott, El-
lie Acord, Jose Arellano, Gina
Badgett, Alison Bellando, Tyler
Bickford, Kaden Boyle, Tristan
Brannan, Kennedy Buckner, Jes-
sica Cain, Marissa Caldwell, Ryan
Casaray, Tyler Church, Danielle
Courchesne, Joshua Derrickson,
Chad Doherty, William Domin-
guez, Dawson Durham, Lena Eck-
stein, Aeryn Elder, Sierra Fenley,
Jael Fuentes, Maxine Goldie, Sa-
mantha Hall, Teri Hamilton, Kate-
lyn Haney, Zoe Hester, Nathaniel
Hoad, Gavin Hunter, Lindsey
Jones, Brandon Juarez Garcia,
Ernst Kern, Macelle Kirsch, Cody
Kluser, Armando Landin, Kash
Lang, Kaitlyn Ledgerwood, Cyn-
thia Lemmon, Omar Madrigal,
Victoria Mallory, Angelica Mar-
tinez, Morgyn Maxwell, Grace
McCarthy, Saleen McEntire, Wy-
att McNary, Arlene Mejia, Jaden
Miethe, Alyssia Miller, Summer
Miller, Jarret Mink, Sierra Moore,
Brenda Morfin, Yaretzy Mor-
fin, Chelsea Moutray, Christine
Nandy, Matthew Orem, Fernando
Ortega-Madrigal, Maralyne Pa-
checo, Tyah Palmer, Brianna Pe-
rez, Hollie Putnam, Mississippi
Redwine, Zachary Reeves, An-
gelica Roldan-Lamas, Magale
Rubio, Quirarte Suarez, Maria
Tejeda, Rebecca Tesch, Makiesha
Van Pelt, Caitlin Vaughan, Chey
Watkins, Crystal Wernlund, Sean
Wilber, Jessalee Wilks, Anna Wil-
liams, Dysen Wilson, Kelly Wine-
brenner, Casey Wright, Mariah
Wright, Larissa Yazzie and Chris-
topher Zeutschel.
HERMISTON
FAMILY MEDICINE
& URGENT CARE
New
Ownership Family
under Health
Associates
CLINIC CLOSING JULY 15TH
Please come get refills,
Medical Records and Pay Accounts
Church
DIRECTORY
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
541-567-6672
JOIN OUR INCLUSIVE
CONGREGATION
ON OUR JOURNEY WITH JESUS
Services 9:00am Sundays
In-person or streaming
on Facebook or Zoom
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
NEW BEGINNINGS
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............5:00pm
Tues. Creation Club (Sept-May)..4:30pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......5:00pm
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
www.hermistonlmbc.com
541-289-4774
Iglesia Católica Nuestra
Señora de los Ángeles
First Christian Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
“Grow Your Faith Through God”
Pastor David Dever
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Sunday School...9:00 am
Worship Service...10:30 am
Fosters needed! Please contact Fuzzball Animal Rescue if interested!
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
Mark Sargent, DVM • Brent Barton, DVM
Robert Thonney, DVM • Jana Parks, 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.
If interested please go to fuzzballrescue.com and fill out an application.
If you are not able to adopt, but would like to foster or donate, visit fuzzballrescue.com
or you can mail in donations to Fuzz Ball Animal Rescue, PO Box 580, Hermiston, OR 97838
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
Saturdays
Sabbath School........9:30 a.m.
Worship Service......11:00 a.m.
English & Spanish Services
541-567-8241
855 W. Highland Ave.
Hermiston, OR 97838
COME WORSHIP
WITH US AT THE
COUNTRY
CHURCH
Sundays at 11:00am
32742 Diagonal Rd.
Hermiston, OR
To advertise in the Church Directory, please contact
Audra Workman 541-564-4538 or email aworkman@eastoregonian.com