Three minutes with… Brodie Messenger of Umatilla

Published 6:59 am Saturday, January 22, 2022

How long have you lived in Umatilla?

We moved there in 2018.

You’re married?

Yes, we got married July 4, 2017.

You remember your anniversary. How do you usually celebrate? Fireworks?

Usually, we go to friends’ houses and we do watch fireworks. We’ve always wanted to go somewhere, but we never do. It’s the Fourth of July, though, and I like to tell everyone that they’re celebrating us.

Do you have special places to go in the area for date night?

I really don’t have date night. It’s just the two of us, and for weekends and evenings we don’t really do much. We have favorite shows. There is one show, called “You” on Netflix. We really like that one, and we binged it together. It’s kind of violent.

Are you a violent person?

No, not at all.

Why do you like watching violent programs, then?

I don’t know.

What was the last good book that you’ve read?

I read a self-help book.

What did you learn?

Just how to be a better person. It talked about how to put yourself in other people’s shoes and deal better with situations.

You do a lot of volunteering, right?

Just the warming station. I’m the chair and the treasurer, so there’s a lot that goes into that. I pay the bills, I talk with volunteers.

What makes for good volunteers at the Hermiston Warming Station?

Being able to listen, having an open ear and hearing people. Also, following our rules. For me, as a board member, it makes it easier when we all know what’s expected and know what to expect.

What do the guests at the station talk about?

They often have grievances about things, which is why it is so important to listen. Sometimes, you can hear them and offer help. I’ve been able to lead them to resources.

This is your last year as chair of the warming station board. How do you feel about that?

I’m excited for what’s to come, but I’m also sad about the ending.

What’s your regular job?

I’m a soft count supervisor at the casino. I’m in the department that counts all the money. I manage that team.

Do you enjoy that work?

Yes, I enjoy the people I work with. It’s a good job.

Do you see yourself doing something different in the future?

Yes, but I don’t know what that is. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. There’s a lot of different things that interest me. I’ve thought that maybe I’d like to be a teacher or work in human resources. I don’t know what my path is yet. I guess I’m still working on that.