25 YEARS AGO

Dec. 9, 1997

A house fire is usually followed up by great loss and hardship, but the surrounding community would not let that be the case for the Sapp family.

The suspect, a faulty electrical fixture, left the family of five homeless.

Parents David and Terrie Sapp anticipated difficulty helped their young children, Miranda, 8, Dusty, 6, and Nikki, 4, adapt, but received sufficient support.

Terrie Sapp’s cousin Michael King and his family opened up their Irrigon home. In addition, friends and community members gathered sleeping bags, blankets and other warm bedding.

Even just one day after the fire, local pastors informed church-goers of the family’s needs and sizes.

Within a couple of days, the Sapps found a new rental home. That did not mean a halt of community support, though.

Upon returning from work, David was greeted by a brand-new television set left on their porch. There was also a box full of pots, pans, dish soap, toys, dishes, clothes and more.

The Sapp family knew who some of the gifts came from, such as Terrie and David Sapp’s co-workers, but many were given by strangers. Every single item would be used to help them rebuild, for which the Sapps were extremely grateful.

“I appreciate all the help we got; it’s overwhelming how much stuff that came in such a little amount of time,” Terrie Sapp said.

50 YEARS AGO

Dec. 7, 1972

An inspiring outpouring of care and generosity was shown for two-year-old kidney-failure patient Robin Petrik of Echo.

The past fall, Robin was hospitalized in the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle where both kidneys were removed due to infection. She relied on an artificial kidney machine, loaned to her by the University of Washington Medical School, to stay alive until a kidney transplant was possible.

The cost to obtain and operate the machine was predicted to total roughly $15,000 over three years, so the Pendleton Kiwanis Club set up the KOA-Robin Petrik Fund Drive. With hundreds of contributions, $10,500 had already been raised and it appeared Robin would have her own machine very soon.

The Kidney Association of Oregon also joined in on the initiative with their “Christmas For Robin” Fund Drive. Even people on the other side of the country, like Herbert Harnisch of Toms Rivers, New Jersey, were sent support and donations.

To little Robin and her family, it surely seemed that goodwill and compassion were in the air that Christmas season.

75 YEARS AGO

Dec. 11, 1947

“A can of milk for every person in the Hermiston area” was the goal of the local food committee, founded to send support overseas.

Governor John Hall, along with governors of the other three northwestern states, formulated a plan to load and ship a boat full of food to the millions in Europe suffering from wartime hunger. They requested mayors from all cities and towns to establish food committees to supply the food, while the national government provided the ship.

Mayor Lee Quiring of Hermiston wasted no time, immediately appointing a “Christmas Ship” food committee. It decided that canned milk would be the focus for Hermiston, though other dried and canned goods would still be gratefully accepted.

Cash donations would be used to purchase canned milk in Seattle, where the ship was docked.

The campaign would stretch four days long, Dec. 17-20, 1947, with every Hermiston business hosting donation sites with signs such as “Thirteen cents will feed a baby for a day” and “$1.25 will keep a youngster for a week.”

90 YEARS AGO

Dec. 8, 1932

Two hours worth of entertainment was lined out to treat Hermiston residents, with a minstrel show to be performed.

The production, consisting of roughly 30 individuals from the high school music department and other locals, was led by E.B. Knapp. The play was set for Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. in the high school auditorium, with all proceeds being put towards covering music equipment.

The night was expected to be an exciting one with many diverse features. Included in the program were a chorus of 23 presenting spirituals, a 17-piece orchestra and a 13-piece band, severs numbers by the Girls’ Glee Club and Boys’ Octette and additional spirituals and comedy numbers by the Dark Knights’ Male Quartet. Other skits, acts, humor and monologue would occur as well.

The minstrel show had already been presented in several high schools with great success. For Hermiston, it would be the first minstrel show in two years, the last one being put on by the American Legion.

The production brought in a record-breaking audience and Knapp was enthusiastic that attendance for this minstrel show would follow suit.