HERMISTON â As Cindy Middleton accepted Hermistonâs Woman of the Year award on Wednesday, Feb. 24, she thought back to the day in 1992 that her father called her while she was away at college to tell her that her own mother, Judy Bracher, was Woman of the Year.
âI was deeply touched by the way that Dad described what Mom was being recognized for,â she remembered.
Middleton was one of several people recognized during the Hermiston Chamber of Commerceâs annual Distinguished Citizens Awards banquet, along with Ken Huber as Man of the Year. The event, which usually hosts several hundred people in the Hermiston Community Center, was limited to award winners and their families this year and was held in a greenhouse at Bennett Botanical Gardens.
This year, the selection committee for the Hermiston Distinguished Citizens Awards banquet hit a home run with the persons/entities that were recognized and honored.
At previous banquets, the Woman of the Year and Man of the Year awards were saved for the end. This year, the Man of the Year award was first. Why? Hereâs why â because Ken Huber immediately left the celebration to get on the road and assist with bringing home our friend and co-worker who recently lost his battle with COVID-19.
Ken arrived at the fire station on Westland Road around 8:50 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, and was greeted by numerous police vehicles, fire vehicles, and personal vehicles of friends all wanting to pay respect to our friend, Glen Phillips. Ken then participated in a procession, driving Glen on a ride past the police and fire station one last time.