HERMISTON, Ore.-On May 27, the Hermiston City Council unanimously voted to name the city’s newest park, located at 1552 Northeast 8th Place, Sherman Park, in honor of longtime teachers and community advocates Ric and Karen Sherman.
“It’s a little overwhelming, so many others in the community do as much, if not more than us,” Karen Sherman said recently of having a park named in their honor.
Sherman Park
The Hermiston community was asked to come up with a name for the city’s newest park, part of the Cimarron Terrace Development on the northeast side of town.
Residents completed a brief survey to come up with a name representative of the park and the Hermiston community.
“We were aware that our name had been mentioned, and we were up for consideration, but we didn’t know for sure until Ric got an email from the city saying it was a unanimous decision,” said Karen. “It’s still surprising.”
Sherman Park is 9.22 acres, 8.6 of which are preserved wetlands featuring gravel trails. Recreational amenities, such as a playground, will be installed as funding becomes available.
“Ric and Karen Sherman Park serves as both a community asset and a tribute to local leadership rooted in compassion, commitment and civic pride,” according to the City of Hermiston.
Karen Sherman
Karen taught Physical Education and Health at Sandstone and Armand Larive middle schools, and was planning to retire in 2001, when she heard about an opening on the Hermiston School Board and was encouraged to run.
After retiring from the classroom on June 30, Karen joined the school board on July 1, 2001, where she has served ever since, although she plans to step down on June 30 of this year.
As a longtime member of the Community Accountability Board (CAB), Sherman also works with first-time juvenile offenders to ensure that their first offense is their last one.
“These are kids who did something they shouldn’t have and who know that,” said Sherman. “CAB is more counseling than punishment.”
CAB is made up of volunteers, school board members, city council members and a community member and works with law enforcement, primarily school resource officers, to hold first-time offenders accountable for their actions, while keeping them out of the juvenile justice system.
“Mostly we work with kids to solve the issue,” said Sherman. “What are their plans for the future, what are they going to do differently, and do they have a support system in place?”
Sherman was also a member of the committee that formed the nonprofit Hermiston Education Foundation (HEF) in 2005.
The HEF works to enhance academic, artistic and cultural learning opportunities for students in the Hermiston School District by hosting three yearly events to raise funds for scholarships for Hermiston High School students.
Since 2005, the HEF has raised $55,000 and awarded over 4,200 scholarships.
Sherman is also an active member of Altrusa International of Hermiston, participating in community leadership and service projects.
Ric Sherman
Ric taught middle school Instrumental Music and has been involved with the Christmas Express, Shriners and the Fire District Board for years.
“We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world – or to make it the last,” John. F. Kennedy famously said in a September 1963 address to the U.N. General Assembly.
Ric Sherman still remembers those words, and he took them to heart, not just as a speech, but as a call for action in his life.
Ric first became involved with the Christmas Express, a holiday food and toy drive operated by the Hermiston Police Department (HPD), as a young teacher in 1980 when he got students to bring in canned goods.
“Those first-year students ended up bringing 600 items and it just grew year after year,” said Sherman, who for years was part of a caravan to help deliver canned goods, food items donated by the Rotary, and toys and other gifts from the HPD.
As a Shriner, Ric also worked to ensure local children who needed medical care receive it.
“We don’t care what language they speak, their religious affiliation or even if they have one, or what color they are – if a kid needs medical care, we made sure they got it,” said Ric.
For a child to receive care, a Shriner must sign on to their application, and Ric worked as an onsite hospital representative at the annual clinic for kids, helping over 300 kids get the care they needed.
Elected to the Umatilla County Fire District Board in 1998, Ric continues to be impressed with the level of dedication and community service he sees in fire crews, emergency workers and first responders.
“Over the years I’ve worked with incredible people who work hard for the community and have even been nationally recognized, and it’s because of the guys and gals with their boots on the ground.”
Of course, Ric has also had his boots on the ground coaching or refereeing just about every sport, serving as the General Chair of the East-West Shriners All-Star High School Football Game for two years, serving on the Funland playground committee, and being instrumental in the establishment of Fire Service Appreciation Day in 2007, now celebrated every January 27 in Oregon.
A legacy of community service
“There’s an openness toward those who want to be involved and give back,” Karen said. “You can’t beat the people here; they’ve been wonderful to us.”
For the Shermans, who met as young teachers and have spent their lives giving back in the classroom and the community, that attitude of service is not unique to them, but it is central to the Hermiston community and is one of the reasons they’ve chosen to stay here over the years.
“I think the part that pleases us the most is not the recognition but that it’s where kids can play,” Ric said. “After we’re gone kids will be playing in that park.”
I love this! I couldn’t think of any two people who deserve it more!