Pastor Chris Hankel, left, of New Hope Community Church, and Pastor Terry Height, of the Zeal Church, accept the Community Champion Award for their efforts with the I Love My City initiative during the 54th annual Distinguished Service Awards ceremony in Hermiston. The deadline to submit nominations for this year’s event is Feb. 10, 2025. Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation will host the 55th annual event on March 19, 2025, at the Hermiston Community Center.

Hermiston High School presents sweet musical

HERMISTON — Community members are invited to tantalize their tastebuds as the Hermiston High School theater program presents its spring musical, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

The show opens Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. Subsequent curtain times are Feb. 8, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Feb. 14, 7 p.m.; and Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

General admission tickets are $15 or $13 for ages 10 and under, senior citizens and students with associated student body cards.

Based on the 1964 children’s novel by Roald Dahl, the play treats audience members to an adventure as Charlie Bucket seeks a golden ticket to win a visit to Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory. Along the way, they’ll enjoy catchy musical numbers and watch as other contest winners are devoured because of their bad behaviors.

The production is under the direction of Jordan Bemrose; the technical director is Joshua Blake and the musical conductor is Sean McClanahan. For more information, search Facebook via bit.ly/3rSMh5c or call 541-667-6100.

Organization salutes 19th, 20th century vets

WALLA WALLA — Tributes honoring veterans from 19th and 20th century wars and conflicts will be on display during the Reserve Organization of America Walla Walla Chapter 021 meeting.

Kathy Merritt Harries will present information from her research during the no-host luncheon gathering Friday, Feb. 7, noon at the Walla Walla Country Club, 1390 Country Club Road. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. Selections from the menu will be available for purchase.

The ROA was founded in 1922 to highlight reserve components of the U.S. armed forces. For more information about the local ROA chapter, search Facebook via bit.ly/45bXlcd. For questions, email Sarah L. Bro, ROA 021 president, at roa21pr@gmail.com.

Fundraisers aid family after sheriff’s son dies

SPRAY — Community members are rallying around the family of Wheeler County Sheriff Jeremiah Holmes, whose 28-year-old son, Tate, was killed in a ranch accident on Jan. 28.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Tate’s widow, Dakota, and the couple’s two young children at tinyurl.com/n5pc76xk.

As of Sunday, Feb. 2, more than 150 donors had contributed nearly $50,000 toward the fund’s $65,000 goal.

Gate receipts from the Wheeler County Rattlers’ basketball games against Adrian High School on Friday, Feb. 7, will go to help the cause. The games will be held at Spray School, beginning with the junior varsity girls matchup at noon and concluding with the varsity boys contest at 4:30 p.m.

The school is at 303 Park Ave. in Spray.

Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for students and seniors, and free for children under 12.

Virtual photo tour shows shrub steppe flora

RICHLAND, Wash. — Shake off the winter blues Saturday, Feb. 8, with a photographic foray into the Columbia Basin shrub steppe. A two-hour presentation by the Columbia Basin chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society begins at 11 a.m. in the Doris Roberts Gallery of the Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, Richland, Washington. The event, which includes a Q&A session and social gathering, is free and open to the public.

“Ready, Steppe, Go! Steppe Outside With Ernie Crediford” features many of the native wildflowers and shrubs that bloom in the Eastern Washington and Oregon high deserts. Crediford, a chapter member of the society and wildflower enthusiast, also serves as the committee chair for the chapter’s Heritage Garden program that provides information and guidance on adding native plants to residential and business properties.

For more information about the Washington Native Plant Society-Columbia Basin Chapter, visit www.cbwnps.org.

Hermiston-area awards nominations due Feb. 10

HERMISTON — The Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation is seeking nominations for the Hermiston-area Distinguished Service Awards ceremony.

Award categories include man, woman, business and first responder of the year, as well as the community champion and the outstanding young citizen. Eligible recipients must reside or actively participate in the greater Hermiston area, including Echo, Stanfield or Umatilla.

In its 55th year, the awards event is March 19, 5:30 p.m. at the Hermiston Community Center, 415 S. Highway 395. Ticket information will be announced.

The nomination deadline is Monday, Feb. 10, via a link at www.gshealth.org/foundation. For questions, email foundation@gshealth.org or call 541-667-3419.

Good Shepherd offers Mental Health First Aid

HERMISTON — A training program that teaches individuals how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders will be offered at Good Shepherd Health Care System.

Mental Health First Aid is Monday, Feb. 10, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Conference Center 2 at the hospital, 610 NW 11th St., Hermiston. The session is taught by Jennifer Jentzsch, a certified instructor and community health worker with Good Shepherd’s ConneXions Program.

While there is no fee, preregistration is required via Eventbrite at bit.ly/4asAtrc. For more information, call 541-667-3509 or email healthinfo@gshealth.org.

Pancake fundraiser helps fire victims

HALFWAY — The Pine Valley Rural Fire Protection District will cook a pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 15, to support the Burn-Out Fund, which helps with lodging, food and clothing if someone loses their home in a fire.

The meal will be served in the Pine Eagle Elementary cafeteria from 6-10 a.m. The cost is $7 for all you can eat, or free for age 5 and younger. Everyone is invited.

Funds available for emergency food, shelter

UMATILLA COUNTY — More than $29,000 is available for organizations in Umatilla County that provide emergency food and shelter.

The United Way of the Blue Mountains recently announced it will receive $29,460 under the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in Umatilla County.

The Local EFSP Board will determine how to award funds to local emergency food and shelter programs in the area. Under the terms of the grant, local agencies chosen to receive funds must:

• be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government.

• be eligible to receive federal funds.

• have an accounting system.

• practice nondiscrimination.

• have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs,

• and any private voluntary organization must have a voluntary board.

Local boards that receive the funds can use them for the following:

• food, in the form of served meals or groceries/food boxes.

• lodging in a mass shelter or hotel.

• rent or mortgage payment.

• utility bills.

Agencies must submit their applications online no later than 3 p.m. Feb. 14.

For more information, visit www.uwbluemt.org/EFSP.

— East Oregonian