ONTARIO – Maria Romero-Arambula believes in her community.
That dedication to people propelled her nomination and selection as Woman of the Year by the Ontario Area Chamber of Commerce.
Romero-Arambula was honored with the award Friday, Jan. 13, during the chamber’s annual banquet at Four Rivers Cultural Center.
Romero-Arambula said in an interview that her selection was a surprise.
“All I could say is, ‘thank you,’” said Romero-Arambula.
For more than four decades Romero-Arambula worked to help people in her community, first at Legal Aid Services and then at the Oregon Law Center in Ontario.
Two years ago, Romero-Arambula became the office manager at the law center. The center helps low-income residents across Malheur, Grant, Harney and Baker counties with legal issues. Those legal challenges run the gamut from housing cases, employment law, health care along with immigration, citizenship and senior issues.
Romero-Arambula was nominated by local resident Maria Isabel Rayo.
“Maria has served our community for 43 years for the Oregon Law Center advocating for our low-income communities in Baker, Grant, Harney and Malheur,” wrote Rayo.
“We try to do as much as we can in getting the information out to our community members,” said Romero-Arambula.
Mostly, though, Romero-Armabula sees her role as one where she helps the three staff attorneys help people in need.
Over the years, Romero-Arambula said she’s encountered an array of situations where clients needed help.
Once, a couple with a newborn walked into the Oregon Law Office at about 5 p.m. The heat had been turned off at their apartment.
“I was here and one of the attorneys was here and so I thought, Ok, what can I do to help them. And I saw the baby. I knew it was not correct to turn off the gas like that so I called the PUC (Oregon Public Utility Commission) and gave them the info and they got the gas turned on within the hour,” said Romero-Arambula.
Another case that sticks out for Romero-Arambula involved an elderly woman who wanted to become a U.S. citizen before she died. Romero-Arambula ran into the woman at a grocery store and listened to her.
“I said, call the office and I will help you with what I can. So, I helped her. She did get an appointment to go to the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) for an interview,” said Romero-Arambula.
A few days later the woman fell and broke her hip.
“I was able to get ahold of USCIS and they had two officers come to her house and interview her and she passed her test and became a citizen. A month later she passed away,” said Romero-Arambula.
Romero-Arambula, who was born and raised in Ontario, said she was shy as a girl.
“I would hide under the bed when we had company,” said Romero-Arambula.
A 1974 graduate of Ontario High School, Romero-Arambula attended Treasure Valley Community College before she moved to Salem.
In Salem she worked for a local school district and at a Montgomery Ward’s store.
“Then I moved back to Ontario. I stayed a few years and then moved to Phoenix, Arizona. That wasn’t what I expected so I moved back to Ontario,” said Romero-Arambula.
While not an attorney, Romero-Arambula said she found her niche when she began work in 1980 at the Oregon Law Center.
“That’s when I knew what I wanted to do,” said Romero-Arambula.
The daughter of parents who moved from Texas to the local area, Romero-Arambula said she grew up in a family of 10.
That meant when she was a child there were quite a few ready-made playmates.
“We would find ways to play together. We’d go sledding or our parents would take us fishing. It was a lot of family time,” said Romero-Arambula.
Married to a local bee keeper, Romero-Arambula and her husband Estevan, have three children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Success for Romero-Arambula means “not giving up. Just continuing. I also do my research and find ways to help as much as I can.”
Romero-Arambula said she is motivated to help her community.
“My motto, from my 9-year-old grandson, is teamwork makes the dream work,” said Romero-Arambula.
There are a lot of good things about her job, said Romero-Arambula.
“I think what I really like is I can help community members with advocating for themselves. Letting them know their voices can be heard and also working with community partners to come up with solutions,” said Romero-Arambula.
One challenge the law center faces, said Romero-Arambula, is funding.
“The Oregon Law Center is a nonprofit and there are more people in need for services than there are attorneys and staff we have,” she said.
Romero-Arambula is also on the Community in Action board and the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Parish Council in Ontario.
News tip? Contact reporter Pat Caldwell at [email protected].
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