TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
DePoe-Thompson Officiates
Championship Game
Aaron McCord and Brett Blundon
McCord, Blundon Near Paramedic
Degrees
by Aaron McCord
Recently, Brett Blundon and 1 were
sent to Detroit, Mich., for 11 days for our
paramedic internship. We interned at
Henry Ford Teaching Hospital.
We were sent there because the area
of Detroit we were interning in has a 90
percent African American population and
has on the average 10-15 gunshot wounds
in a single week. For years, Detroit was
the murder capital of the world, but that
is no longer the case as of two years ago.
While in Detroit, both Brett and I
pulled 12-hour shifts in the emergency
room, where we started IVs (more than
200), administered medication under the
supervision of the nursing staff, and par
ticipated in emergency treatment in the
resuscitation rooms.
We also pulled shifts in the intensive
care unit, pediatrics, labor and delivery
(we saw at least 12 births in two days). Over
all, it was a very worthwhile experience.
We got to see things in Detroit that
we wouldn’t see in a 20-year career here
in Oregon, thank God!
Both Brett and I are students at
Umpqua Community College in
Roseburg, Ore., and are set to graduate
June 10 with our A A in emergency medi
cine - paramedic.
It’s been a long three years and I can't
wait until it's over. Even though we only
receive a two-year degree, the paramedic
program is three years long. The first two
years just get your general education com
pleted, then the paramedic class is five
terms by itself.
Both Brett and I live outside the area.
I live in Medford, Ore., which is an hour-
and-a-half drive to Roseburg, so 1 have
been driving three hours two and some
times three times a week for almost a year.
Brett lives in Eugene, Ore., and has the
same turn-around time.
We both would like to thank all the
members of the tribe and Mona Fisher and
her staff in the tribal education office. It’s
been a tough road, but we are almost done.
Plans after graduation include work
ing for a fire department or maybe com
ing back to Siletz and starting an ambu
lance company. Waiting for a unit to come
from Newport when we could have im
mediate care in town seems like a good
idea, especially when time is so critical
with strokes and heart attacks.
Benny
Suzanne DePoe-Thompson was
selected to officiate at the Washington 4A
girls basketball high school tournament
held at the Tacoma Dome on March 9-12.
She was selected through evaluations
as the No. 1 official at the tournament and
awarded the referee position to toss the
ball in the championship game between
Snohomish and Garfield. Garfield won
that game 63-58 in overtime.
Suzanne then traveled to Juneau,
Alaska, on March 20-26 for the 59th An
nual Juneau Lions Club 2005 Gold Medal
Tournament held at the Douglas High
School gymnasium.
All proceeds raised by this tournament
provide financial assistance to further
education of students attending colleges,
attending leadership seminars, and in
volved with the Youth Exchange Program.
This tournament has been held each
year since 1946 with teams representing
Southeast Alaska Native communities,
as well as a few local teams open to non
Native players.
Suzanne DePoe Thompson tosses the
hall at the Washington 4-A girls state
championship game at the Tacoma
Dome. She is the daughter of Chief
William DePoe Jr. and granddaughter
of the late Chief William De Poe Sr.
Rilatos, Matheny
Engaged
The engagement of Teala Rilatos,
daughter of Linda Rilatos and the late
Daniel Rilatos of Siletz, Ore., to Michael
Matheny, son of Daryl and Celeste Hol
land of Vancouver, Wash., and Chuck
Matheny of Ogden, Utah, is announced
by the bride’s mother.
Teala is 2003 graduate of Toledo High
School and currently attends classes at
Oregon Coast Community College.
Michael is a 1997 graduate of Mt. View
High School of Vancouver and is em
ployed at JC Thriftway in Newport, Ore.
A wedding date has not yet been set.
Teala Rilatos and Michael Matheny
New Babies!
A year has come and gone since
Consuelo Olivia-Marie
Garcia
you left us.
In life you walked your own path
Answered to no one hut to God.
And you did.
A year has come and gone
The tears still fall.
If not from our eyes
From our hearts.
Alexander Lucky Miles
I miss you.
Your little brother,
Jerry
Alexander Lucky Miles was born
Jan. 14, 2005, at 11:14 p.m. at Salem
Hospital. His parents are Jamey and Me
lissa Miles.
His grandparents are Charles
“Lucky” and Anne Miles.
Consuelo Olivia-Marie Garcia
The Garcia, Parr, Case, Jackson, and
Grant families proudly announce the birth
of our newest addition, Consuelo Olivia-
Marie Garcia.
Chelo was bom March 24 at 5:30 a.m.
at her home on Umpqua Street in Siletz,
Ore. She was born to Jessica and Oscar
Garcia and her big brothers Treigh and
Gus Garcia. She weighed 7 pounds and
was 20 inches long.
Proud grandparents include Ardella
Parr of Siletz, Byron (Gus) Parr of
Willamina, Ore., and the late Vincente
Garcia-Castillo and Consuelo Medina-
Pilacios of Mexico; great-grandma
Elouise Case of Siletz and Lavern Parr of
Salem. Ore.; and lots and lots of aunties,
uncles, and big cousins.
We’re all so happy and blessed with her.
May 2005
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Siletz News
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