Senior Times - November 2023

DELIVERING NEWS TO MID-COLUMBIA SENIORS SINCE 1982

NOVEMBER 2023

Vol. 11 | Issue 11

Kennewick family’s legacy of kindness involves a special soup

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

The man behind Pep’s Hearty 11 ½ Bean Soup died a little more than 10 years ago.

But Duane “Pep” Pepiot’s memory lives on, and so does the beloved soup he created with his wife, Inie – a savory treat that’s the hit of the Holly Daze bazaar at Kennewick First United Methodist Church.

Pep and Inie’s granddaughter Katie Suitonu now spearheads assembly of the soup, which is sold as a dry mix for $8 a bag. She promised her papa that she’d take over the soup mantle when he could no longer wield a ladle and keeping that promise for the last decade has been a labor of love.

“I do it because I enjoy the memories, the smell of the spices,” Suitonu said. “We know when it’s soup time.

We look forward to it. It’s like spending time with (my grandparents).

They’re there with us.”

The bazaar is put on by the Kennewick church’s United Women in Faith

group as a fundraiser. This year’s event was Oct. 21, but it’s not too late to get a package of the soup. The church sells any leftover bags of the mix at the office until they run out.

The 11 ½ bean soup has been a staple of the bazaar for decades.

Pep and Inie spent a year perfecting the recipe, and the soup became so popular that at one point they were assembling more than 1,000 bags annually. The church in 2012 held a celebration to honor the Pepiots for their contributions; it coincided with their 60th wedding anniversary.

By then, Pep was dealing with some health challenges that prompted him to ensure the soup legacy would be passed on. That’s when Suitonu stepped up.

“He said, ‘Katie, are sure you want to do this? This is a big job.’ I was like, ‘Of course I do,’” Suitonu recalled. “‘The first couple of years I thought, ‘Oh gosh, Papa, you were not kidding.’ But I know they would be uPEP’S BEAN SOUP, Page 2

Courtesy Katie Suitonu The Suitonu family assembles packages of Pep’s Hearty 11 ½ Bean Soup ahead of the annual Holly Daze Bazaar at Kennewick First United Methodist Church. Katie Suitonu, wearing an apron, is the granddaughter of Duane “Pep” and Inie Pepiot, who created the beloved soup mix.

Benton County cemetery seeks help before it runs out of space

By Kristina Lord

kristina@tcjournal.biz

Headstones bearing the Wallace family name stretch out in a long line at the Evergreen Cemetery outside Benton City. They mark the final resting place of Steve Wallace’s parents, grandparents and other relatives.

Wallace, 67, hopes to continue the line but the 2.5-acre cemetery at 7 W. Corral Creek Road will likely be out of room within the next 18 months.

“It’s not just my family. Some of

the original settlers of the area – everyone – went there. And this cemetery has been going on for 111 years now, and it’s running out of space. It just happened to fall on my watch,” Wallace said.

Wallace is president of the Kiona-Benton Cemetery Association, which manages the Benton County cemetery that opened in 1912, before World War I. He’s been president for about three years, but he grew up around the cemetery. He raked leaves there as a boy and helped dig graves while home on leave from the Air Force.

The cemetery is home to men who served during the first World War and many citizens born in the late 1800s, such as Erva Grace Kelso, a 2-month-old who died in 1898.

Wallace’s grandfather, James Orville Wallace, born in 1888, is buried there near his wife, Edith, who was born in 1894. Wallace has already bought plots there for himself and his wife.

Wallace wants to ensure the cemetery’s legacy is preserved for generations to come.

Bill and Gloria Wolfe do, too.

They donated money to buy the

2 acres adjacent to the cemetery for the expansion, but the cemetery association can’t afford to install irrigation or a parking lot.

“We really want to see these 2 acres get developed so we can start utilizing it before we go out of business. I mean, to me, it’s critical.

This is important to me,” Wallace said.

The process to buy the land has been challenging, Wallace said, as the sale is contingent on Benton County approval. uCEMETERY, Page 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Shelby’s Floral to put down roots in building of its own

Page 13

MONTHLY QUIZ

The Emerald of Siam celebrates 40 years of love and acceptance

Page 15

What were the names of two iconic downtown Kennewick drug stores separated by only a few businesses, both of which had names starting with the letter V? ANSWER, PAGE 9

Senior Times 8524 W. Gage Blvd., #A1-300 Kennewick, WA 99336

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PASCO, WA PERMIT NO. 8778

2

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023 Editor’s note 509-737-8778 Mailing address: 8524 W. Gage Blvd., #A1-300 Kennewick, WA 99336 srtimes.com

STAFF Kristina Lord Executive Editor 509-344-1261 kristina@tcjournal.biz Sara Schilling Reporter 509-344-1286 sara@tcjournal.biz Tiffany Lundstrom Associate Publisher for Sales 509-344-1271 tiffany@tcjournal.biz Chad Utecht Advertising Account Manager 509-344-1274 chad@tcjournal.biz Vanessa Guzmán Production Manager 509-344-1278 vanessa@tcjournal.biz Erin Landon Business Assistant 509-344-1285 erin@tcjournal.biz Rachel Visick News Assistant / Researcher 509-344-1281 rachel@tcjournal.biz Paul Read Group Publisher 509-344-1262 paul@tcjournal.biz

Senior Times, a publication of Mid-Columbia Media Inc., is published monthly. Subscriptions are $21.69 per year, prepayment required, no refunds. Contents of this publication are the sole property of Mid-Columbia Media Inc. and can not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent. Opinions expressed by guest columnists and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Senior Times staff, other guest columnists or other advertisers, nor do they imply endorsement by Senior Times staff, other guest columnists or advertisers. Every effort will be made to assure information published is correct; however, we are not liable for any errors or omissions made despite these efforts.

Subscriptions: One year - $21.69 Two years - $34.73 Three years - $42.34 All prices include Kennewick sales tax.

To subscribe send your name, mailing address, and a check payable to Senior Times to:

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We love that our seniors are such close readers of the Senior Times.

We fielded several comments about an error on page 4 in our October edition. We printed the wrong date for our Senior Times Expo in the calendar, though it was correct elsewhere in the paper, including on the front page.

Thank you, readers, for reading us carefully and kindly letting us know when we make a mistake.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at the October expo. Thank you for reading the Senior Times, your support and keeping us on our toes.

– Kristina Lord, executive editor

uBRIEF Edith Bishel Center plans Dec. 1 open house

The Edith Bishel Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is holding an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 1.

The event will include desserts, vendors related to the blind and visually impaired, and tours of the facility. The center is located at 628 N. Arthur St. in Kennewick.

PEP’S BEAN SOUP, From page 1

so pleased. It keeps their legacy going. It keeps their names in people’s mouths.”

Pep died in June 2013 at age 82.

Inie followed a few years later, in 2018.

The couple – Pep was a physical therapist and Inie a nurse – spent decades giving back to the community, through their work, their church and in other ways. They separately were named Kennewick Man of the Year and Kennewick Woman of the Year, among numerous other honors.

“Pep was delightful. He always had a smile on his face. You just loved Pep, and Inie, too. She was very funny. She supported everything that Pep did. They meant a lot to the church,” said Phyllis Koschik of Kennewick, a longtime friend and fellow First United Methodist Church member.

Like so many others, Koschik loves the 11 ½ bean soup – and so does her family.

“I’ll make a pot and I’ll tell my son and grandkids, ‘I’ve got bean soup, do you want to come over or...’ and before I can finish, they’ll say, ‘We’ll be over,’” Koschik said.

Susan Sandmeier, one of the Holly Daze coordinators, also is a big fan.

“I especially like it with extra

Duane Pepiot

Inie Pepiot

ham,” she said, noting people add their own flourishes to the soup.

One thing no one has been able to do is crack the secret recipe.

While “you can maybe figure out the beans, they will not divulge the spices,” Sandmeier said

with a chuckle.

That’s part of the fun. Suitonu said she and her father, Bob Norman, are the only two who know the spice blend. Come soup assembly time, Norman’s job is to mix the spices.

Suitonu’s husband, Roland, mixes the beans, and their kids and other family members help out as well.

It’s a family affair – just as it’s always been.

“In the past, we were doing 1,000 to 1,500 (bags of soup mix). We’d do that in a weekend with my grandma and grandpa – and watch football (while we were doing it). It was a serious assembly line. Now it’s a little bit smaller,” Suitonu said, noting the crew churns out around 300 bags, give or take.

While it’s a lot of work, it’s rewarding. Suitonu knows Pep and Inie would be proud.

She’s proud right back – to be their granddaughter, to be carrying on their soup legacy, and to be sharing it with the next generation of her family. “(My grandparents) were the most wonderful humans I have ever known or ever will know.

They could make anybody feel like the most important person in the world,” she said. “I see them, still, in my children. I see their kindness.

I see their big hearts.”

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

3

Lourdes launches therapy program for seniors

By Senior Times staff

A new program in Pasco aims to help seniors 65 and older who are experiencing depression or anxiety related to aging.

Lourdes Health Senior Life Solutions offers an intensive outpatient group therapy program.

“We are advocates for our aging population and will work our hardest to provide needed services and help our patients as best we can,” said Nurse Becky Peterson, proCEMETERY, From page 1

The cemetery association has to secure a conditional use permit for the expansion and complete an environmental review with the state Department of Ecology. Wallace and his wife, Virginia, say they’ve had numerous meetings and dealt with a lot of paperwork and government agencies, including the health department, irrigation district, clean air authority and road department.

“We have been running around like bandits and trying to figure out how to process this. And we do all this volunteer,” Virginia said.

Five board members and three officers serve on the cemetery association. The group pays three people to keep it running: a secretary/treasurer, a groundskeeper and a sexton who digs the graves and installs the headstones.

“And now we need some of the rest of the community to step up and help us purchase things like irrigation and grass and put a little parking area,” Wallace said. He also needs volunteers to help do the work.

Wallace said the association also would like to add more benches and niches, which can hold cremated remains. “It saves a lot if you expand vertically instead of horizontally,”

gram director and program nurse.

“We are excited to help our patients address significant life changes and challenges in a supportive, healing environment.”

Services are provided for those experiencing anxiety, changes in appetite, depression, difficulty sleeping, feelings of sadness or grief lasting more than two weeks, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, loss of a spouse or close family member, loss of energy, loss of interest in previously enjoyed ac-

he said.

But those are luxuries, Wallace pointed out. “Right now, we have got to get the irrigation and the grass in and a little parking area. That’s critically important. If we can’t, then how are we going to preserve a legacy? It’s been here for over a hundred years,” he said.

Wallace said the group needs $20,000 to $25,000 to complete the project. If more is raised, the money will go toward buying niches, trees or benches. Since the association is a nonprofit, any donation is tax deductible.

“Any donation is better than no donation,” he said.

On average, the cemetery sees 15 burials a year. It costs $4,400 for a traditional burial space and Evergreen Cemetery is known for being cheapest in the area, Wallace said.

“When this started getting out that we were running out of space, we had an onslaught of people buying lots. They didn’t have anybody who died in the family, but they wanted to be buried there so a lot of them got bought real fast over the summer,” he said.

How to donate

To make a donation, make checks payable to Kiona-Benton Cemetery

tivities, and/or recently experienced traumatic events.

“Sometimes, people experience these things as a normal part of life, but at other times these feelings can be associated with something more serious, and that’s where we come in to help and provide care in a supportive, encouraging group setting,” Peterson said.

The program includes a boardcertified psychiatrist, licensed therapists, a registered nurse and other professionals dedicated to the emo-

tional well-being of senior citizens.

Anyone can make a referral to the program, including self, family members, physicians and other health care professionals.

To learn more about Lourdes Health Senior Life Solutions or to inquire about a referral, go to: YourLourdes.com/Senior-Life-Solutions or call 509-416-8811.

Lourdes Health Senior Life Solutions is located at 516 W. Margaret St., Suite 7 in Pasco.

Photo by Kristina Lord Steve Wallace kneels between his parents’ graves at the Evergreen Cemetery in Benton City. Wallace, president of the Kiona-Benton Cemetery Association, wants to expand the cemetery to the 2 acres visible to the right of him to ensure the cemetery has room to grow to continue to serve the community.

Association and mail to: KionaBenton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 117, Benton City, Washington, 99320.

A GoFundMe page also has been set up to accept donations: gofundme.com/f/development-of-the-newarea-of-evergreen-cemetery.

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SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Bring your grandchildren and families to events with a star. ✪ NOV. 2-30

• “A Magenta Echo”: 2600 N. 20th Ave., Pasco. An ongoing exhibition at Columbia Basin College Arts Center with lecture by artist Allyce Wood at 3 p.m. Nov. 15 in room P201 and via Zoom.

NOV. 3-5, 11-12

• “Back Together Again!”: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, 4, 10 and 11; 2:30 p.m.

Nov. 5, Princess Theatre, 1228 Meade Ave., Prosser. Cost: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students.

NOV. 4

• Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Bird Walk: 8-11 a.m., W.E. Johnson Park, south trailhead, 619 Tanglewood Drive, Richland. Go to: lowercolumbiabasinaudubon.org/ copy-of-calendar.

• Drummers & Dancers: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Reach Museum, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland.

Activities are free with regular museum admission: $10 for adults, $6 for students, seniors, and military; children 5 and under are admitted for free.

NOV. 6

• Fiber & Friends: 6-7 p.m., MidColumbia Libraries Kennewick branch, 1620 S. Union St., Kennewick. A crocheting, knitting, embroidering etc. evening hosted by the Desert Fiber Arts Guild.

NOV. 9

• Telling Your Story: A Personal Essay Workshop: 6 p.m. in English, 7:30 p.m. in Spanish. Writer and journalist Kristen Millares Young will lead this writing workshop at the East Benton County Historical Society, 205 W. Keewaydin Drive, Kennewick.

NOV. 10-11

• Mid-Columbia Mastersingers – B Reactor Concerts: The Road From Hiroshima: 5:30-9:30 p.m., including bus time. 2000 Logston Blvd., Richland. Cost: $75. Go to: mcmastersingers.org.

• Celebrating Tapestry: A Tribute to Carole King: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11; 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, 213 Wellsian Way, Richland. Cost: $25, or $200 for a table of four with a bottle of wine. Fundraiser concert for the Windermere Children’s Theatre.

NOV. 11

• Bubbles & Bites: 4-8 p.m., Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center, 2140A Wine Country Road, Prosser.

Organized by the Prosser Chamber of Commerce, the event costs $25.

The fee includes entry, a commemorative logo glass and four scrip to buy wine samples. Go to: tourprosser.com.

• Autumn Affair: 5:30 p.m. to midnight, HAPO Center, 660 Burden Blvd., Pasco. The 23rd annual dinner and benefit auction benefits the Tri-

Cities Cancer Center Foundation.

Contact: Carrie Almquist, 509-7373373 or carrie.almquist@kadlec.org.

• West Richland Veterans Day Parade: 9:30 a.m., downtown West Richland. Go to: westrichlandchamber.org/veterans-day-parade.

NOV. 14

• Avoid Scams this Holiday Season and Beyond: 7 p.m. via Zoom, hosted by Liz Buser, senior advisor on AARP’s Fraud Prevention Programs team. Go to: https://bit.ly/ HolidayScamAARP. • Watercolor class: 1-3 p.m., Richland Library’s STEAM Room, 955 Northgate Drive, Richland.

Taught by Ginger Blodgett, participants will learn to watercolor a set of holiday cards.

NOV. 17-19

• ACL Northwest Conference Cornhole Tournament: noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 18; 8-11 a.m.

Sunday, Nov. 19 at the HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.

NOV. 18

• Camerata Musica: Park Brothers Guitar Duo: 7:30 p.m., Kennewick First Presbyterian Church, 2001 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick.

Go to: cameratamusica.com.

• United Way’s sixth annual

Festival of Trees: 5:30 p.m., Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Cost: $150 per person.

NOV. 23

• Run for the Red Turkey Trot: 7:30-9:30 a.m., Columbia Park, Kennewick. Participants can run or walk 1 mile or 5K, and proceeds support the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.

NOV. 30

• Columbia Basin College Fall Jazz Night: 7 p.m., CBC Arts Center Theatre, 2600 N. 20th Ave., Pasco.

DEC. 1

• Senske’s 20th annual Holiday Light Show: 5 p.m. to midnight nightly in December, 400 N. Quay St., Kennewick.

DEC. 1-2

• Lighted Boat Parade: 6-9 p.m., along the Columbia River between Clover Island and Howard Amon Park and between Chiawana Park and Road 78. Go to: lightedboatparade.com.

DEC. 3

• Hometown Holiday Parade: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kennewick Avenue between Dayton and Auburn streets, Kennewick.

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

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Make these life-saving devices work for you You likely have two life-saving devices in your home: your telephone and your fire extinguisher. But do you know how to use either device effectively in a genuine emergency?

You certainly know enough to call 911 in an emergency. But how about when are things serious enough to warrant a call to the emergency services? When you call, what do you tell the dispatcher to bring the right emergency service to your home in the shortest possible time? Can you text 911 or must the call always be by telephone? What should you do if you dial 911 by mistake?

Making 911 calls

Let’s tackle what constitutes a genuine emergency first.

Obviously, you would call in a situation that appears life-threatening. Is someone having difficulty breathing?

Is the person choking? Is he or she conscious and alert, or comatose? Has the victim been exposed to extreme heat or cold? Is there bleeding you can’t control by applying pressure to the wound? Is there an auto accident with people who appear to be injured?

Is there a victim of a gunshot or a stabbing?

You would call 911 for any fire in the home that can’t be extinguished easily.

But what if you just aren’t sure?

The answer is: When in doubt, place a call. Let the dispatcher guide you.

These experts know the questions to ask to decide if emergency help is needed. Emergency responders would rather arrive and find they aren’t needed than learn after the fact that skilled help could have saved a life if 911 had been called in time.

If you think help is needed, don’t delay – call at once. The sooner you communicate your emergency, the faster help can be dispatched.

It helps to be clear and accurate.

Take a beat before you call to collect your thoughts and plan what to say.

Talk slowly and calmly.

Describe the emergency as best you can.

Where is the emergency?

The more preGordon Williams cise the locaAmerican Red Cross tion you give GUEST COLUMN the dispatcher, the quicker responders can find your location. Are there distinctive landmarks near the incident scene that can help responders locate it? Are there pets that will need to be rescued from the fire? Is there anything dangerous stored in the home – propane, gasoline, guns or ammo?

If you haven’t done it already, make sure your house number is illuminated and visible from the street.

Responders may have trouble finding you if your home is dark with no street number visible.

You can call 911 from landlines and cellphones. Many areas permit you to text to signal an emergency, but dispatchers would rather you use a phone, so they ask you questions.

If you dial 911 in error, don’t hang up; let the call go through to the dispatcher. If you hang up, the dispatcher will have to call you to see if help is really needed. Or the dispatcher may send emergency units to your home just to make sure.

If there are children in your home, make sure they know to use 911.

Fire extinguishers

Every home should have one or more extinguishers, kept within easy reach. Your local fire department can help you pick the right extinguisher for your home if you don’t have one.

If you do have an extinguisher, the fire department can show you how to use it.

The best all-around extinguisher for the home is the ABC type. The A

means it can be used on wood, paper and cloth. B means it can be used on flaming liquids, and C means it can be used safely on electrical equipment.

The combination means the extinguisher can be used to fight the fires most likely to break out in the home.

When it comes to using the extinguisher, the U.S.: Fire Administration tells homeowners to remember the word PASS: • Pull the pin with the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism.

• Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.

• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.

• Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

In case of fire, the first question to ask yourself is whether to stay and use the extinguisher to douse the fire, or to immediately flee to safety. Veteran firefighters will tell you that the prime function of an extinguisher is not to fight a fire but to help you escape from a fire. Keep that thought in mind when deciding whether to use the extinguisher or to get out of the house to safety.

The U.S. Fire Administration suggests asking yourself these questions in deciding whether to use your extinguisher: • Have you already called the fire department?

• Are you physically able to use the extinguisher? Children and seniors, especially those with disabilities, should not use extinguishers.

• Is the fire small and contained

within a compact area? Don’t tackle the fire if it is bigger than a waste basket.

• Do you have a clear escape route if the fire spreads? Fires double in size every 30 seconds; what was a small fire a minute or two ago can spread rapidly.

If you have not planned carefully, you could find yourself trapped.

Never let fire get between you and a path to escape.

If you have exhausted the contents of one extinguisher and the fire is still burning, give up trying to put out the fire and get out.

No fire extinguisher is worth having if it isn’t in prime condition. Make sure you can free it easily from the device fastening it to the wall. Check the gauge periodically to make sure it is ready for use when needed. Make sure the can, nozzle and hose are free from damage.

Keep the extinguisher clean and the exterior free from grease. You don’t want the device to slip from your hands when you try to use it.

Finally, read the operating instructions for advice on when you need to have the extinguisher professionally serviced.

Knowing when to call for help or use a fire extinguisher could save a life. Gordon Williams is a volunteer with the American Red Cross Northwest Region Communications Team.

6

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

MEALS ON WHEELS MENU Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels senior dining sites serve hot meals from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday (Tuesday through Friday in Connell). Meals are free for seniors age 60 and older.

Seniors must make reservations 24 business hours in advance by calling 509-735-1911.

Friday, Nov. 3: Beef stir fry, fluffy rice, Asian vegetables, tossed salad.

Monday, Nov. 6: Herbed chicken, mushroom gravy, au gratin potatoes, tossed salad, yogurt and berries.

Tuesday, Nov. 7: Smothered pork chop, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables.

Wednesday, Nov. 8: Beef lasagna, Italian vegetables, Caesar salad, breadstick.

Thursday, Nov. 9: Chicken fajitas, rice and beans, flour tortilla.

Monday, Nov. 13: Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, broccoli.

Tuesday, Nov. 14: Dijon chicken, sweet potato mash, seasoned beets.

Wednesday, Nov. 15: Sweet and sour pork, fluffy rice, Asian vegetables.

Thursday, Nov. 16: Roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes, Italian vegetables, wheat roll, ice cream.

Friday, Nov. 17: Turkey tetrazzini, green beans, tossed salad.

Monday, Nov. 20: Chicken pot

pie, green peas, tossed salad.

Tuesday, Nov. 21: Beef stroganoff, garlic noodles, green beans.

Wednesday, Nov. 22: Roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, roll, pumpkin bar.

Monday, Nov. 27: Chicken alfredo, Italian vegetables, breadstick.

Tuesday, Nov. 28: Apple pork chop, mashed sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables.

Wednesday, Nov. 29: Chili, mixed vegetables, cornbread.

Thursday, Nov. 30: Chicken and rice casserole, garden vegetables.

Dining site locations: • Kennewick Community Center, 500 S. Auburn St. • Pasco First Avenue Center, 505 N. First Ave. • Pasco Ray Pfleuger Center, 253 W. Margaret St. • Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Road North.

• Benton City Desert Rose Facility, 510 14th St. • Prosser Senior Center, 1231 Dudley Ave. • Connell Community Center, 211 E. Elm St. • Meals on Wheels Cafe, 1834 Fowler St., Richland. No reservations required at this site.

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

7

Defunct club once served as hub of Tri-Cities entertainment

By Gale Metcalf for Senior Times

On Nov. 20, 1977, the Highlands Improvement Club donated considerable money to local organizations in the Tri-Cities.

The Cobalt Therapy Center received $10,000.

Another $2,500 went to the community health center.

The East Benton County Historical Society received a donation for the museum it was planning to build near Keewaydin Park.

It almost could be said the Highlands Club was giving away everything but the kitchen sink, because it did give to the Kiwanis Club all its silverware and kitchen utensils.

For more than 60 years, the Highlands Improvement Club had been a hub of social activity for the Tri-Cities, but with changing interests and as ranks dwindling to about a dozen members, it was apparent that the club no longer served as a viable local entertainment venue. Its remaining members chose to dissolve and distribute its remaining funds to local organizations for the benefit of those living here.

But, there was a time when the Highlands Improvement Club was booming with participation and local interest.

In the early years of the 20th century, discussion circulated that a place was needed in Kennewick for social events.

Gordon Taylor is credited for turn-

Courtesy East Benton County Historical Museum During the 1930s and even during World War II, Walt Hessler and His Orchestra provided the music for dances at the Highlands Improvement Club.

ing the idea into reality.

Volunteers built the clubhouse in 1910, and on New Year’s Day 1911 it opened, a day on which the Highlands Improvement Club was organized and its officers elected.

Families that left notable legacies in the Tri-Cities were involved in supporting the community through their efforts in the club. They included the Lampsons, the Forakers, the Sondermans, the Giles and the Greggs. Jay Perry and many others were significant participants and contributors.

For 38 years, from 1912 to 1950, the club held Saturday night dances.

Men ran the show, women sold tick-

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ets, volunteers cared for garments in the cloak room and Pete Hacker parked cars.

During the 1930s and even during World War II, Walt Hessler and His Orchestra provided the music.

One newspaper ad encouraged those wanting to have a good time to: “Dance, on the newly sanded and refinished floor that is without equal

in Southeastern Washington, to the music of Walt Hessler every Saturday nite, Highlands Club.”

A 1934 performance of the play, “Here Comes Charlie,” cost visitors 25 cents for admission, but they also got to hear an organ recital by Walter Staufacher and watch the PascoKennewick Orchestra perform.

During the war, the club sponsored parties for those serving in the armed forces, and the festivities included dinner and a dance. It was not unheard of that the dances would result in marriages among the single men and women. There was a time when wrestling matches were sponsored in the dining room.

A forerunner of what was to become the long-standing Highlands Grange, the clubhouse of the improvement club was used by the grange until its own facility could be built.

The Highlands Improvement Club also was a patron of philanthropy.

Many needy families at Christmas received food, gifts, support in other forms and even money from club members. Money from the club went to the mission and the community health center, and it bought Grape uHIGHLANDS CLUB, Page 11

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SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

SENIOR ACTIVITIES Pasco First Avenue Center 505 N. First Ave., Pasco 509-545-3459 pascoparksandrec.com

• Drop-in snooker: 9 a.m.

Mondays-Fridays.

• Mexican train dominoes: 12:30 p.m. Mondays.

• Pinochle: 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

• China painting: 9 a.m. Wednesdays.

Keewaydin Community Center

500 S. Auburn St., Kennewick 509-585-4303 go2kennewick.com

• Bunco: 1-3 p.m. Fridays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Bridge: 12:30-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Mahjong: 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays.

Cost: $1 per day.

• Dominoes: 12:30-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Pinochle: 12:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Creative palette art: 9 a.m.-noon Tuesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Sewing: 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: $1 per day.

• Woodcarving: 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-noon Fridays. Cost: $1 per day. Bring supplies or borrow from the class.

• Billiards: Daily. $2 per day or $20 monthly pass.

Richland Community Center

500 Amon Park Drive, Richland 509-942-7529 ci.richland.wa.us

• Fitness room: 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Mondays-Fridays; 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Saturdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays.

Location: Fitness room. Cost: $2 per day or $8 per month.

• Billiards: Daily. $2 per day.

• Greeting card recycling: 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: free.

• Pinochle: 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays.

Location: game room.

Cost: $1.

• Party bridge: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Mondays and Wednesdays. Location: game room. Cost: $1.

• Senior duplicate bridge group: 12:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.

• Contract duplicate bridge: 12:303:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Wednesdays. Location: game room.

• Table tennis: 6:30-8:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:30-3:45 p.m.

Sundays.

Prosser Senior Community Center

1231 Dudley Ave., Prosser 509-786-2915 cityofprosser.com

• Pool: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. MondaysFridays. Cost: free. Location: pool room, membership is required.

• Mahjong: 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays Location: living room, membership is required.

• Daytime bingo: 9 a.m.

Wednesdays. Location: dining room Cost: 3 cards/$1.

• Evening bingo: 5 p.m. first Friday of every month. Cost: $10. Location: dining room.

• Foot care: Second Wednesday of each month. Appointments can be made by calling 509-790-1905.

• Pinochle: 1 p.m. Thursdays.

Location: living room, membership is required.

• Crafts: 10 a.m. Tuesdays. Register by calling 509-786-2915.

• Bunco/Game Night: 5 p.m. fourth

Friday of month. Location: dining room.

• Tai chi quan: 6 p.m. Mondays.

Contact Kraig Stephens at 509-4301304.

• All-you-can-eat community breakfast: 8-11:30 a.m. last Sunday every month. Location: dining room.

Cost: Suggested donation $8 per person and $5 per child, 8 and under.

Bill Shane Senior Center 616 N. 60th, West Richland 509-967-2847

• Bunco potluck: 11:30 a.m., first Wednesday and third Friday of the month.

• Exercise: 9 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Bingo: lunch starts at 12:30 p.m., game starts at 1 p.m., last Monday of the month.

• Sewing: 10 a.m., fourth Wednesday and fourth Thursday of the month.

• Pinochle: noon, first and fourth Monday of the month.

• Painting: 10 a.m., second Monday and third Wednesday of the month.

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

Just for Fun

Crossword

Across 1 “--- in ‘Sierra’” 4 Turn in a horizontal plane 7 European peaks 9 Duelist’s assistant 12 Suffer from the heat 13 Wonder Woman’s General, Steven --14 This crowd controller’s a real weepy 16 First of her kind 17 Iroquoian word for “beautiful water” 18 Scientific truth 19 “I --- be sedated” (Ramones) 21 Jayhawk state

9

Solutions on page 12

24 Got agitated 28 Lawyers’ league 29 Merry 30 Alamo commander 32 Travail 33 Cat shy about floaters 34 Took --- loan 35 Tire inflation measure 36 Enunciate Down 1 Looked after 2 Unfamiliar 3 Bug’s last sound 4 Public faces 5 Poker bullet 6 Original

8 No-one wants the short one 9 Durable type of steel 10 Old Chevy model 11 Pulled a gun 15 Tagger’s art 20 “I shall not find myself so --- die”: (Antony, “Julius Caesar”) 21 Houston suburb 22 Start of an incantation 23 Civil rights org. since 1909 25 Religious 26 Short-lived Argentinian First Lady 27 Holdup 31 Old tape letters

Word search - November Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters in the grid will spell out a hidden message. Pick them out from left to right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions.

Grateful

Pumpkin

Turkey

Daylight

Heritage

Squash

Veteran

Elections

Maize

Thankful

Family

Parade

Thanksgiving

Feast

Pie

Topaz

Football

Pilgrims

Tradition

Sudoku - Tough

EasyEasy

ToughTough

6 2

How to How beat to Str8ts beat–Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single 1 to 9 can repeat any row Like Sudoku, nonumber single number 1 to 9 caninrepeat in any row or column.

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1973

Str8ts example

© 2023 Syndicated Puzzles

2 9 9 2 2 7 7 7 7 4 84 8 6 6 4 4 5 5 9 7 87 8 3 33 3 5 5 7 79 9 8 5 5 3 3 7 7 2 2 6 62 8 8 4 4 7 7 1 1 7 5 5 1 21 62 76 7 9 95 5 6 36 3 9 9 7 67 6 4 4 6 6 1 1 8 8 6 6 6

© 2023 Syndicated Puzzles

9 9

SUDOKU SUDOKU

© 2023 Syndicated Puzzles

Str8ts - Easy

STR8TS STR8TS

9 8 2 7

© 2023 Syndicated Puzzles

Chrysanthemum

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 and 3x3 1 to 9 such that each row, column box contains every number uniquely. into Earth orbit.

Nov. 16: launched boxSkylab contains4 every number uniquely.

5 strategies, hintsstock and tips, Nov. 19: market takes ForNew many York strategies, hints and tips, 3For 2many visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku sharpest drop in 19 years. visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku 2and1www.str8ts.com for Str8ts. and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.

5 27: U.S. Senate votes 92-3 to confirm 1Nov. If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our IfFord you like and other puzzles, check out our 4books, Gerald asStr8ts viceand president. iPhone/iPad Apps much more on our store.

How to beat Str8ts: No single number, 1 to 9, can repeat in any row or column.

But rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. Each compartment must form a straight, a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg: 7, 6, 8, 9. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight.

Rules of Sudoku - To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains ever number uniquely.

For more strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org and www.str8ts.com.

ANSWER Quiz answer from Page 1

Visger Drug next door to David’s Shoes at Benton Street and Kennewick Avenue, and Vibber’s books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store. Drug at Cascade Street and Kennewick Avenue.

– Source: East Benton County Historical Society and Museum

10

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

TRI-CITY BOOK CLUBS • 1 p.m. Nov. 15, Mid-Columbia Libraries, Pasco branch, 1320 W. Hopkins St., Pasco, “Our Missing Hearts” by Celeste Ng. Voting for 2024 books will occur Dec. 13. The group typically meets the third Wednesday of the month.

Contact Susan Koenig at 509302-9878 or SMKoenig@ymail. com.

• 1:30 p.m. Nov. 16, Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, “The Heirloom Garden”

by Viola Shipman. “Their Day in the Sun” by Doris Hinson Pieroth is the Dec. 21 book.

The Thursday Afternoon Book Group meets on the third Thursday of each month from September through May. This book club does not meet during the summer months. The books for the coming year are selected by club members at an offsite meeting on June 20.

Contact: Evelyn Painter at 509942-8577.

• 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20, Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, “Molokai” by Alan Brennert. “A Woman is No

Man” by Etaf Rum is the Dec. 18 book. The group typically meets the third Monday of the month. Contact: Sue Spencer, sue_spencer_england@hotmail. com or 509-572-4295.

• 1 p.m. Nov. 22 at Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland, “The Masterpiece” by Emile Zola.

“Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent” by Isabel Wilkerson is the Dec. 27 book.

The Richland Seniors Association book club typically meets the fourth Wednesday of the month.

• 6 p.m. Nov. 28, Mid-Columbia Libraries, Benton City branch, 810 Horne Drive, “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith.

• 7 p.m. the first Friday of the month, Caterpillar Cafe at Adventures Underground, 227 Symons St., Richland. Contact Sarah at 509-946-9893 for upcoming titles. To add your book club to this list, email details to info@tcjournal.biz.

uBRIEFS Gluten-free bakery opens in Richland

A popular gluten-free bakery and deli is celebrating the opening of its new storefront.

Tina’s Tasty Treats opened its doors last month at 1325 George Washington Way, in the former Lotus Asian Market space at the Uptown Shopping Center in Richland.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesdays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

The shop is run by Tina Pack and her husband, Shawn, who’ve been using shared kitchen space and selling their food at farmers markets, bazaars and pop-up events for years.

They make everything from breads to cookies, brownies and more. Along with those staples, they plan to offer items such as soup, deli sandwiches, take-and-bake dishes and signature drinks in the storefront, Tina Pack told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business earlier this year.

They also have their eyes on eventually mass producing some of their offerings.

For Tina Pack, making gluten-free food that’s tasty and nutritious is personally meaningful.

She had to go gluten-free several years ago because of health issues.

“People get lost and they get frustrated, and when you can help them navigate that, (it feels good),” she said. “It feels like, this is what I’m meant to do.”

Kennewick Walmart sells $50,000 lottery ticket

In the past month, 19 Powerball prizes worth $50,000 and one worth $1 million were won in Washington, along with a $1 million Mega Millions prize.

The Walmart at 2720 S. Quillan St. in Kennewick was one of the locations that sold a $50,000 prize-winning ticket.

Pasco lowers speed limit on Burns Road

The city of Pasco will reduce the speed limit from 50 mph to 35 mph on Burns Road west of Broadmoor Boulevard, effective Nov. 15.

The action to enhance road safety follows a comprehensive speed study

by CivTech, a traffic engineering consultant.

Formerly under the jurisdiction of Franklin County, Burns Road was recently annexed into Pasco city limits. With the area experiencing new residential growth and increased traffic volume, city officials saw a need to reevaluate the existing speed limit.

THANK

YOU SPONSORS & ATTENDEES

2023

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023 uBRIEFS Wishing Star seeks volunteers for Christmas program

The Wishing Star Foundation is seeking sponsors to brighten the lives of Wish Kids and their families this holiday season.

The foundation grants wishes to local children and youth ages 3-21 who are terminally ill or facing a life-threatening illness.

For Wishing Star families, the holidays can be difficult.

Through the Christmas Giving Program, Wishing Star matches individuals or businesses with families in need to provide them with gifts and a holiday meal. Sponsors or volunteers HIGHLANDS CLUB, From page 7

Festival stock in 1946 to help make the fair possible.

When an irrigation ditch was proposed to run across Kennewick in the general vicinity of today’s 45th Avenue, the Highlands Improvement Club sponsored a drive to raise donations. One effort was sponsoring contests that would raise money for the new ditch. They included the sale of “irrigation buttons.”

Running virtually parallel to the

also can help with funding, shopping, gift wrapping and occasionally gift delivery.

Go to: wishingstar.org/christmasgiving-program or call 509-7443411.

Veterans sought to serve on advisory board

The Benton and Franklin Counties Department of Human Services Veterans Assistance Fund is looking for veterans to be a part of its Benton County Advisory Board.

The fund provides assistance to veterans who meet eligibility criteria and their families across both counties.

Its services include rental and deposit assistance, application fees Highland’s Improvement Club, almost from the beginning, was the Highlands Women’s Club, which also used the clubhouse. It held its first organization meeting on April 11, 1911, and voted in Mrs. W.L. Grover as its first president. Amy Barttlet was vice president, Mrs. D.F. Drug was the secretary and Mrs. E.O. Keene was the first treasurer of the women’s club.

An all-night dance was held to celebrate.

The women’s club took up a beau-

December 16, 2023

Deadline to order wreaths for this year’s ceremony is November 22, 2023.

for housing and background checks for housing or pre-employment, motel and hotel vouchers for homeless veterans, bus passes, utility assistance, food vouchers, burial expenses, required safety equipment and dental and child care assistance.

To fill out an application or learn more about joining the board, call 509-783-5284.

11

Okanogan Place in Kennewick.

Call 509-735-5100 for more information.

Post office sets deadlines for holiday mailing

Ben Franklin Transit is offering free senior passes to seniors 65 years old and older.

The passes can be used for fixed routes and CONNECT services only.

They’re available at the Three Rivers Transit Center at 7109 W.

To make sure holiday cards arrive

by Dec. 25, mail them by Dec. 16, according to the U.S. Postal Service.

Dec. 9 is the deadline for military APO, FPO and DPO addresses.

Additionally, there will be no peak or demand surcharge during this holiday season.

A new shipping option this year is USPS Ground Advantage, a service to ship packages within two to five business days based on distance.

Dec. 16 is the holiday shipping deadline for this service.

tification effort for Kennewick in 1928, separating the town into districts and creating competitions for best beautification efforts. Trash containers were placed on every street, a notable improvement, the club noted.

Like the Highlands Improvement Club, the Highlands Women’s Club was involved in activities centered around schools and helping those in need. It helped the poor at Christmas, giving food and clothing to those in need, as well as arranging for Santa Claus visits.

Vegetables and fruit were supplied by the Women’s Club for school lunches, and it sponsored efforts for Christmas programs each year by the students, as well as skits at other times and musical presentations, including by groups, soloists and instrumentalists. Gale Metcalf of Kennewick is a lifelong Tri-Citian, retired Tri-City Herald employee and volunteer for the East Benton County Historical Museum. He writes the monthly history column.

Ben Franklin Transit offers free senior passes

12

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

~ Bazaar Listings ~

Here’s our annual roundup of Tri-Cities area bazaars:

Gesa Carousel of Dreams, 2901 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick.

NOV. 3-4

NOV. 10-11

• Desert Fiber Arts Guild Annual Fall Market: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 3; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 4, Central Church, 1124 Stevens Drive, Richland.

NOV. 3-5

• Custer’s Christmas Arts and Crafts Show: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 3; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 4; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 5, HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco. Cost: $8 for one day, $10 for weekend pass; children 12 and under are free.

NOV. 4

• Pasco High Bulldog Cheer Holiday Popup Event: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pasco High School, 1108 N. 10th Ave., Pasco.

• Richland Lutheran Church Fall Arts and Crafts Sale: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Richland Lutheran Church, 901 Van Giesen St., Richland.

• Holiday Extravaganza Bazaar & Craft Fair: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kennewick Christian Church, 1921 S. Olympia St., Kennewick.

NOV. 5

• Maker of Things: noon-4 p.m.,

• Harvest Bazaar: noon to 6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 11, Numerica Pavilion Southridge Sports & Events Complex, 2901 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick. Admission: $5 per person, ages 12 and under free.

• Makers Market: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Uptown Theater, 1300 Jadwin Ave., Richland.

• West Highlands Holiday Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, West Highlands United Methodist Church, 17 S. Union St., Kennewick. Cost: free.

NOV. 11

• Pasco Eagles 2241 Fall Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2829 W. Sylvester St., Pasco.

• Holiday Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Affinity at Southridge, 5207 W. Hildebrand Blvd., Kennewick.

NOV. 18

• Marcus Whitman Winter Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Marcus Whitman Elementary School, 1704 Gray St., Richland.

• Hello, November!: noon-4 p.m., Gesa Carousel of Dreams, 2901

Crossword 7

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Sudoku

Word search

Str8ts Solution

Sudoku Solution

4 5 6 3 7 9 8 1

Hidden message: Some of the days in November carry the whole memory of summer as a fire opal carries the color of moonrise.

6 1 4 3 2 8 5 7 9

9 5 2 4 6 7 3 1 8

3 7 8 5 1 9 4 6 2

NOV. 24-25

• Tri-Cities Holiday Expo: noon7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.

NOV. 25

• Small Business Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Uptown Theater, 1300 Jadwin Ave., Richland.

• Small Business Saturday: noon-4 p.m., Gesa Carousel of Dreams, 2901 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick.

• Lionsgate Christmas Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 621 W. Albany Ave., Kennewick.

DEC. 2

Puzzle answers from page 9

1

Southridge Blvd., Kennewick.

• Southridge Music Boosters Holiday Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Southridge High School, 3520 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick.

• Jason Lee Elementary Craft Bazaar: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jason Lee Elementary School, 1750 McMurray Ave., Richland.

• Calvary Chapel “Make a Difference” Bazaar: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Calvary Chapel, 10611 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.

• Taste of Scandinavia Bake Sale: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Kennewick First Lutheran, 418 N. Yelm St., Kennewick. Organized by Sons of Norway. Cost: free.

8 9 6 2 7 4 1 3 5

2 3 7 6 5 1 9 8 4

1 4 5 8 9 3 6 2 7

5 8 3 7 4 6 2 9 1

7 2 1 9 3 5 8 4 6

4 6 9 1 8 2 7 5 3

For more strategies, hints and tips, visit sudokuwiki.org and str8ts.com.

• Jingle Bell Bash: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Roscoe’s Coffee, 2003 Logston Blvd., Richland. Cost: free.

• Lincoln Holiday Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lincoln Elementary Sudoku Solution School, 4901 W. 20th Ave., 6Kennewick.

9 3 8 2 1 5 7 4 • Grace 1 5 7 9Hollow 3 4 Winter 8 2 Market: 6

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9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3500 W. Deschutes Ave., Kennewick.

DEC. 7

• Holiday Maker’s Market: 3-8 p.m., Uptown Theater, 1300 Jadwin Ave., Richland. Hosted by Atomic Alchemy.

DEC. 9

• Hanford High School Winter Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hanford High School, 450 Hanford St., Richland.

• Benton City Winterfest Bazaar: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ki-Be High School, 1205 Horne Drive, Benton City.

• Confection Selection: 9:30 a.m. to noon, Grace United Reformed Church, 2500 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick.

DEC. 10

• Snowed In Bazaar: noon4 p.m., Gesa Carousel of Dreams, 2901 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick.

DEC. 15-17

• Home for the Holidays: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, HAPO Center, 6600 Burden Blvd., Pasco.

Cost: free.

DEC. 17

• Stocking Stuffer Bazaar: noon4 p.m., Gesa Carousel of Dreams, 2901 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick.  To be included on this list, email rachel@tcjournal.biz with details about your bazaar, including time, date, place and cost.

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

13

Shelby’s Floral to put down roots in building of its own

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

Shelby’s Floral has been a mainstay on Clearwater Avenue for decades – from its debut in 1977 in the now-defunct Bramble Bush Mall to its current home in Marineland Plaza.

And that’s not going to change now that owner Jackie Brown is building a new home for the beloved flower shop.

Shelby’s Floral is relocating down the street to 6018 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick.

Construction was scheduled to start at the end of October.

Brown hopes to move into the new location by next August.

Until then, the existing store will remain open at its current home at 5211 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite A. “It’s been a long haul. We’ll be very happy when we see (the new building),” Brown said.

Shelby’s Floral has been in Marineland Plaza for 23 years. Brown didn’t have plans to move but wasn’t given the option to extend beyond her most recent two-year lease, she said.

So, she decided to build. The new facility will be 6,100 square feet, with room on the roughly 1.5-acre lot to add another 3,800 square feet at some point in the future to rent out, Brown said.

Photo by Sara Schilling Jackie Brown, owner of Shelby’s Floral, and her daughter Lindsey Meagher stand in the Kennewick flower shop, which has been a mainstay on Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick for four decades. Brown recently broke ground on a new building for Shelby’s Floral at 6018 W. Clearwater Ave.

“It’s a big space, so we’re going to put it to as best use as we can,” she said.

The land cost $1 million and the building cost is about $1.8 million.

Hummel Construction and Development is the general contractor.

Brown said she loves the flower business. She can’t imagine doing anything else.

“Every day is different. We get to

use our artistic side. We help people.

We get many, many smiles. It’s a business I’ve been in since I was 14. I don’t really know any other business,” she said.

When Brown was a teen, her aunt worked in a flower shop in Pasco.

“My mom would drop me off and I’d work for free. Then I’d get 50 cents an hour and thought I was really do-

ing good,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve stayed in the business the whole time.”

Brown named Shelby’s Floral after her oldest daughter.

She’s also mom to daughters Lindsey, Kasey and Cortney. Lindsey and Cortney both have joined her in Shelby’s Floral – Lindsey as manager and Cortney as bookkeeper.

Lindsey, whose last name is Meagher, said she’s proud of all her mother has accomplished, noting that Brown started Shelby’s Floral on her own with $500 and a refrigerator.

“She’s worked hard and is successful enough that she gets to own her own building and not pay rent to anyone,” Meagher said, noting that business may expand into more gift items in the new building.

Like her mother, Meagher finds meaning in the work.

“We really do get to share in everyone’s life experiences, from their happy moments to their sad moments,” she said. “We’re there for their prom, for their wedding, for their birthdays, for their anniversaries, for their family funerals. We really see people through a lot of life’s moments.”

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Shelby’s Floral shop was Oct. 19.

14

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

SENIOR TIMES • NOVEMBER 2023

15

The Emerald of Siam celebrates 40 years of love and acceptance cal guests including Nick Drummond, Whalien, Cockaphonix, Three Rivers Saxtette, SIRSY, Midnight Snacks and a family jam with guests.

By Sara Schilling sara@tcjournal.biz

Bill Blakeman was one of the very first customers to walk in the door.

Back in October 1983, when The Emerald of Siam opened in Richland, there were no other restaurants in the Tri-Cities dedicated to Thai cuisine.

Blakeman had lived in Thailand for a year while serving in the military, and he missed the mouth-watering flavors he’d tasted there. So, he brought his young family to the Emerald – which had taken over a former drugstore and soda fountain space in the Uptown Shopping Center – as soon as he got the chance. He’s been a loyal customer ever since.

In fact, over the last 40 years – Emerald celebrated its milestone birthday in October – Blakeman has become one of the many people who’ve transformed from customer to something more, as Emerald itself has morphed from an eatery to a place unlike any other in the Tri-Cities.

At the Emerald, you can dig into savory green curry chicken or a crispy spring roll while listening to worldclass live music or taking in an art show – all while feeling like part of the family.

“It’s more than a restaurant,” said Blakeman, who lives in Pasco. “You can go in there and hear jazz, blues, anything. They’ve become an extension of my family. I feel at home when I’m there.”

‘I need to tell people’

That’s what Emerald founder Ravadi Quinn intended.

She opened the restaurant not long after she and her husband and children moved to the Tri-Cities. She’s a social person and wanted a place to share the tastes and culture of her homeland.

“Eating food – it’s like meditation.

You need to enjoy it,” said Quinn, who’s authored cookbooks and poetry books and put on cooking classes and cultural classes locally over the years.

“The Emerald is a family place, it’s warm. That’s how I was raised: around food, you need to be happy.”

Quinn’s journey to the Tri-Cities and the Emerald started in Thailand, where she was born and raised. She met her husband when he came to the Southeast Asian country to work at the U.S. embassy during the Vietnam War. He was on his own with three young children, and Quinn became the family’s governess. In a twist straight out of “The Sound of Music,” they eventually married. Along came two more kids, Dara and Billy, who now co-own the Emerald after Quinn retired in 2011.

From the start, Quinn envisioned the Emerald as a safe, inviting place where people could enjoy new flavors and

‘Cultural hub’

Photo by Ryan Jackman Ravadi, Billy and Dara Quinn at The Emerald of Siam in Richland.

The beloved restaurant and live music venue celebrated 40 years in business in October. Ravadi Quinn started the Emerald in 1983, and Dara and Billy, two of her children, are now the co-owners following Ravadi’s retirement.

learn to see the world differently. She regularly welcomed school groups to the restaurant, teaching children about life in a country more than 7,000 miles away. “It’s something that I’m really proud of. Being from a country with so much beauty, I need to tell people about it. Children can learn that some things are the same and also to see the beauty of differences,” she said.

Anniversary events

Quinn, whose most recent book, “The Voice of...Silence,” is a collection of spiritual poetry, now divides her time between the Tri-Cities and Thailand. She gave away copies of the book during Emerald’s anniversary celebration, which ran Oct. 20-21 and featured a special buffet, poetry readings by Quinn, Thai dance and special musi-

Live music has been a staple of the Emerald for years, but it became a centerpiece when Dara Quinn came on board. The accomplished keyboardist and former touring musician put her music career on hold to move back to the Tri-Cities and help run the Emerald after her mom retired.

Letting the restaurant go wasn’t an option; it was a deeply ingrained part of her family, she said.

So, she infused it with her musical passion. That’s meant the Emerald has become one of the premier live music venues in the Tri-Cities, drawing national and international touring acts.

It’s also become a haven for local musicians – from students in school jazz bands to fledgling alternative bands to professional jazz artists. They’ve all found a place to shine on the Emerald’s stage.

“I call it the ‘musical soul’ of the TriCities,” said Cindy McKay of Richland, a folk and Americana guitarist and singer who’s played regularly at the uEMERALD OF SIAM, Page 16

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EMERALD OF SIAM, From page 15 Emerald for years. “Dara and Ravadi have always valued the arts and opened doors and have been nothing but encouraging to musicians, especially local musicians. They’ve always opened their doors to young folks. That’s part of the ‘home’ feel there.”

Mary Lou Gnoza of Richland, an American standards singer – think Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney – who’s also been a regular Emerald performer for years, said it’s a place where “you feel very welcomed, you feel very accepted.” The eclectic mix of performers adds to the charm, she said.

“You have young rock musicians who play there, and you have oldies but goodies like me. We enjoy one another’s company; we enjoy one another’s music,” Gnoza said.

For Dara Quinn, the live music is an extension of what her mother aimed to do with the Emerald.

“This place is a cultural hub. First with Mom and her Thai culture, bringing it to people. And then when I took over with my brother, putting in the live music and the art,” she said. “It’s always been a place for people to come explore new things and show their gifts.”

It hasn’t always been easy to run the restaurant, from weathering recessions to the Covid-19 pandemic to protests, threats and vandalism this past spring

over an all-ages drag brunch.

But those who love the Emerald have stepped up in support, Dara Quinn said.

“We’ve definitely been tested. We thank our customers for being loyal, even during hard times. During the Covid shutdown, our takeout was insane.

The support from the community (during the spring protests and threats) was really special. They came out in droves to support us,” she said. “Love is powerful.”

Generations

For Katrina Greenfield, the Emerald is an easy place to love.

She lives in Canada now, but she’s a longtime Quinn family friend who grew up in the Tri-Cities. She’s logged many hours in Emerald booths over the years.

“I haven’t found a Pad Thai that is matched anywhere else. And the spring rolls – I’ve never found spring rolls as good anywhere else,” she said. But, of course, it’s not just about the food.

Like many others, Greenfield said a big part of what makes the Emerald special is the Quinns and the sense of home and acceptance they’ve cultivated. The sense of family.

In 40 years, “we’ve seen generations of the same family come in. Babies are now bringing their kids here. We’ve had weddings here, proposals, receptions. Everything,” Dara Quinn said.

That’s been true in Greenfield’s fam-

Photo by Ryan Jackman Ravadi, Billy and Dara Quinn, from left, at The Emerald of Siam in Richland have made live music a centerpiece of their Richland restaurant, which celebrated 40 years in business in October.

ily. She ate there growing up, and now her own son eats there.

Cindy McKay, the folk and Americana musician, had her first date with her now-husband there.

For Bill Blakeman, one of the firstever customers, the Emerald has been the backdrop for many of his family’s most important moments, from birthday parties to a wedding rehearsal dinner.

He’s even spent holidays with the Quinns.

If you drop by the Emerald on a Monday night, you’re likely to see Blakeman, eating chicken fried rice and perhaps getting on stage to play

piano as part of the weekly open mic.

He sees the importance of the Emerald in the community – that it’s a cultural hub, a musical haven, a beacon of acceptance and love. And he sees that on a smaller scale, too, in his own life.

“Ravadi shares her poetry. Her message of love is out there. Dara is like a daughter, too. I’m really proud of her.

I’m proud of the decisions she’s made, the chances she’s taken,” Blakeman said.

When he walks in the doors, he feels good. He feels seen. He belongs.

“It just feels good to be known and be part of something,” he said.

Go to: emeraldofsiam.com.

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