St. Helens Wind Phone Dedication Ceremony at McCormick Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2026

St. Helens, Ore. - The St. Helens community is invited to attend a dedication ceremony for a newly installed wind phone at McCormick Park on Thursday, February 19 at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will take place near the Veterans Pavilion and Japanese Gardens at 475 S. 18^th Street.

Wind phones originated in Japan in 2010. They are unconnected telephones, usually installed in a peaceful, natural setting, that allow people to talk to someone who has passed away as a grief expression and for comfort.

The wind phone installation in St. Helens was spearheaded and funded by Columbia Health Services with support from the City of St. Helens and the St. Helens Parks and Trails Commission. The bench for the wind phone was made possible thanks to a generous discount from local businesses The Real Deahl Home and Garden and H&I Stone Casting. Installation of the wind phone and bench is being performed by the City of St. Helens Parks crew.

Bailey Feakin with Columbia Health Services will lead the dedication ceremony. The wind phone is being dedicated in honor of her grandfather Judge Wallace Edward "Wally" Thompson who died in 2024.

"He taught me the value of community and losing him was so hard," said Feakin, "but it inspired this project in me and a deep desire to connect with the community that he lived in and cared about so deeply. I hope this wind phone adds to the limited grief support resources in Columbia County and increases access to other resources, as well by serving as a point of contact for anyone in need. I am so grateful to Columbia Health Services for supporting and funding this passion project and to the other community partners that I've had the privilege to collaborate and build lasting relationships with to make it happen."

Wally Thompson was a life-long resident of St. Helens. He attended St. Fredericks Catholic School and McBride Grade School before graduating from St. Helens High School. Along with his wife Linda, he was the owner of Bemis Printing for 24 years. When he wasn't printing, Thompson served as a St. Helens Municipal Court judge for the City of St. Helens. Throughout his life, he served the St. Helens community in many ways, including as Justice of the Peace for Columbia County until his retirement in 2017. He was also an interim County Commissioner, Port Commissioner, a member of the City's Parks Commission, a member of the Kiwanis Club, a member of the St. Helens High School Booster Club, and a member of the National Judges Association and State of Oregon Justice of the Peace Association.

Please join Columbia Health Services and the City of St. Helens in celebrating the installation of the new wind phone at McCormick Park on February 19.

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For further information regarding the wind phone installation, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at [email protected] .