DELIVERING NEWS TO MID-COLUMBIA SENIORS SINCE 1982
FEBRUARY 2023
Vol. 11 | Issue 2
Meals on Wheels adds breakfast, extended cafe hours By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
Kristin Thien is retiring on a high note as nutrition services director for Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels, the free senior meals program. In January, Senior Life Resources, which operates the nonprofit, fulfilled two of her wishes when it began offering a weekly breakfast and extended services at its cafe at the Richland Wye, in the Columbia Center area. By its second week, the Wednesday morning breakfast attracted 19 diners without significant publicity. Thien brought a lengthy list of dreams when she joined Meals on Wheels in 2009 and just kept adding to it when she succeeded Marcee Woffinden as nutrition services director in 2018. She announced she
Photo by Wendy Culverwell Kristi Thien, nutrition services director for Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels, visits with diners at the nonprofit’s Richland cafe shortly before she retired in early February.
would retire in 2022, which gave the nonprofit time to hire Cara Hernandez, an Eastern Washington Uni-
versity alumna who has served as deputy director for seven months. Thien’s last day was Feb. 3, coin-
ciding with her 59th birthday in late January. She looks forward to volunteering, hiking, gardening and helping her aging mother and in-laws. But she’s ready for her next chapter and is eager to turn the reins over to Hernandez. “It’s time for someone else to have the privilege I’ve had,” she said. She called Meals on Wheels the best and most rewarding job she ever had, in a career full of rewarding jobs. She once worked in recreation and noted she got to wear shorts to work. She relishes the little things about serving seniors, like the joy of welcoming people to the cafe. “It’s just so fun to hold the door open,” she said. The monthly roast uMEALS ON WHEELS, Page 2
Richland Knights are tops in nation for helping Ukrainian refugees By Kristina Lord
kristina@tcjournal.biz
When the Richland Knights of Columbus launched its fundraiser to help Ukrainian refugees nearly a year ago, it didn’t expect to get nationwide attention for its efforts. But it recently reached an important milestone in its campaign. Council 3307 raised the most money of any Knights group in the country – more than $72,000. “Of all the councils across the U.S., we have been identified as the No. 1 fundraiser. It put the Tri-Cities, so to speak, on the map, and let the Richland council be known a bit across the other councils,” said Bob Zinsli, a member of the fundraising committee.
The Richland Knights are inching closer to their goal of raising $100,000, thanks to a $25,000 matching fund program. About 285 men make up the Catholic fraternal organization, a nonprofit located off the bypass highway at Van Giesen Street. Zinsli, a retired engineer manager, has been a Knight since 1961 and is the second oldest member of the Richland council. He has lived in the Tri-Cities for “crowding on 70 years.” He said local donations go to the Knights council in Poland and then directly to help refugees. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, sending millions of Ukrainian refuuUKRAINE FUND, Page 2
Photo by Kristina Lord Grand Knight Bill Murray, left, and Bob Zinsli, a past Grand Knight, seek to reach their goal of raising $100,000 in a yearlong effort to help Ukrainian refugees. They are members of the Richland Knights of Columbus Council 3307, which has raised the most in the national campaign.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
MONTHLY QUIZ
What year was the bridge from Pasco to Kennewick Hanford boom birthed busy school that’s now long gone
Page 7
Lampson’s unique office is nod to company’s business
Page 13
completed? ANSWER, PAGE 9
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