TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Tomatoes vs. To-mah-toes - Perception is a Trickv Fruit
by DeAnna Pearl, A&D Prevention Coordinator
Did you know that tomatoes are actu
ally a fruit? They are part of the nightshade
family (like potatoes and eggplants), but
they are served and prepared as a veg
etable, which is why most people consider
them a vegetable and not a fruit.
What does this all have to do with
prevention? It’s all in the perception in
how one is taught about the world around
them.
First let’s define the three different
features of perception:
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How you see things with your scope
and frame of reference
How you think others see things
Truth within its context
What is reality or normal for one per
son is not necessarily a norm or reality to
another. What is the acceptable norm in
one community can be very different in an
other. For example, parents speak out about
their expectations for schools and what
their kids are exposed to, but those same
youth go to a home with ATOD abuse.
Narcotics Anonymous Toll-Free
Help Line - 877-233-4287
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According to Dr. Jeff Linkenbach,
We can seek to reduce serious prob
director of the Montana Social Norms
lems, such as youth drinking, without
Project, adults and youth often perpetu
focusing energy on fear and negativity.
ate misinformation not on purpose but in
We can foster a change in cultural condi
good faith. We are bombarded with tons of
tions that supports healthy behavior. Just
information every day and never question
by portraying healthy norms and the ex
where it came from.
pected behavior results, we can influence
Positive social norming is a leadership
youth and adults.
model that seeks to grow positive norms
Please contact me at 541-444-8267
and reduce the volume of negativity in
or 800-600-5599 if you have any ques
the public conversations in a community.
tions or need information. You can read
Prevention programs of the past have
more about the Most of Us Positive Social
bombarded communities with numbers
Norm project at www.mostofus.org.
and percentages of negative behavior done
by kids and adults.
Myth vs. Fact
These are scare tactics that work in a
Myth: Most eighth-graders are smoking
limited way and in some cases have been
marijuana.
found to reinforce negative behavior. If
Fact: According to the Oregon Healthy
parents and communities believe it’s nor
mal for youth to abuse alcohol, tobacco
Teen Survey, 87.2 percent of our
or drugs, people become apathetic to the
eighth-graders stated they had not
effects of the harmful substances.
used marijuana in the last 30 days.
Historically, tomatoes have been used
to feed the world like an ever-growing pot
Myth: Abuse of alcohol by high school
of spaghetti. On the flipside, they also
students is going up.
have been used to harass and condemn
Fact: Abuse of alcohol by high school
when allowed to rot and be thrown.
students is in fact declining.
For information on Alcoholics
Anonymous: www.aa-oregon.org/
TLC Attitudes of Gratitude
by Lynn Whitlow
We live in an age where it appears that, more and more, people want to be - in
fact expect to be - entertained. If they aren’t watching TV or DVDs on a screen, they
are holding the controls to some type of video game.
Many form an addiction to this “play.” Others want to be shopping at the “mall.”
If the stimulation from these activities is missing, then “boredom” sets in.
I remember this well when my son was a teen-ager and “plugged in” every waking
moment out of school or it was, “Mom, I’m bored.” He was not convinced when I’d
tell him there is no such thing as “bored,” only “boring” people and he was responsible
for finding positive ways to spend his time.
Whatever happened to entertaining ourselves? Reading a book? Taking a walk (health
and fitness as well as an entertaining activity)? Engaging in a hobby, craft or art?
Some of us are never bored. In fact we’d welcome a break to grab a book or
magazine to read or just enjoy some quiet time. Watching TV or a whole movie is a
seldom-enjoyed activity. Not that we don’t want to, but we have so much life to live.
Get involved in life and do service that makes positive change in the commu
nity. Attend CEDARR or Siletz Valley Partnership meetings or those of a prevention
organization in your community. Volunteer at the school, local library or your local
food pantry.
There is nothing wrong with being entertained, but when it becomes an obsession
in your life, it may be time to step away, get new involvements and help someone else
out. Makes you feel good too - simulates endorphins.
TLC residents work at finding gratitude in their daily living. Some of their “thanks
givings this month are: “For trying to keep a positive attitude. For waking up each
day. For recognizing my behaviors. For my four sponsees. For my sponsor.”
Other gratitudes include: “To have 20 months (clean and sober). For having my
C-pap machine. For my counselor. For my son who turns 7 and being clean to celebrate
his birthday! I’m grateful for my birthday party and friends coming over (7-year-old).
For friends I can call on anytime and who helped me out when I was in need.”
There are always things to be thankful for - every day!
We also are grateful to our volunteers - Alice McCain, a weekly volunteer, and
Denise Riding In, who checks in to see how and when she can help out.
We appreciate so much Sammy Bayya, Bristo Bayya and Tony Whitehead, who
helped us replace some light fixtures. We are benefiting from fitness and nutrition
classes from Darcy Trego. All of us want to increase our wellness.
We want to invite women in the community to join our monthly Women’s Talking
Circle, an uplifting support for the participants. It happens on the second Wednesday
of the month. Please call for more information, 541-444-8238 or 800-600-5599.
Smile - summer is almost here!
Myth: There is more of a need for middle
school prevention programming.
Fact: Abuse of alcohol by elementary
students often starts as early as 8
years of age.
Myth: Kids don’t care about the election.
Fact: Eight in 10 (84 percent) teens think it’s
very important to vote in elections.
Myth: More than 80 percent of parents
believe kids don’t have stress in
their day-to-day lives.
Fact: More than 80 percent of kids who
start to abuse drugs do so to deal
with stress.
Fact: Most kids want to be successful.
Fact: Most kids want to have a normal
life without the pressure of being
perfect.
Fact: Most kids don’t smoke tobacco.
Fact: Most kids don’t drink.
Fact: Most kids do not abuse drugs.
Fact: Most kids want to help make a
change in the world.
Fact: Most Elders want to help kids.
Walt’s Words of Wit and Wisdom
by Walt Klamath
By dam - had it all figured out, the writing all done and hit the wrong doggone
button and somehow everything disappeared, again.
As most know, I do go into the prison system and do Sweat Ceremonies, well just
present anyway. I have one of the inmates do the water pouring, usually the ones who
are getting released first.
I have been to most of the prisons - Snake River, EOCI, Two Rivers. I used to go
to these when I was hunting near Ukiah, but family, friends and my boss didn’t like
me hunting by myself. Little did they know how right they were.
Anyway, I would go to Two Rivers on the way, then about halfway through the
season would go to Snake River. EOCI was a little different. They would not bend
to let me in on the days available to me. The bad thing about the Ukiah area is that I
wanted to hunt snow and the best snows came when I went to Snake River.
I haven t been to OSCI since Chaplain Ferris retired, which has been several years
now, I think. I have been going to Santiam monthly and OSH. Recently I have been
asked to go to OSP to do two Sweats in one day, which is a little tougher for me. I had
to cancel it for some reason, whatever reason it was made sense to me.
One thing I hear a lot about is the employment situation for those being released.
For one thing, most are virtually homeless. The first thing is having an address
and communication.
The second is the debriefing, getting back into a free living spirit. It takes time.
1 remember being away from civilian life for two years and when I returned to life
the way it was, it did not happen. The whole doggone world had changed and again,
we had a lot of briefing of what we were to do in the service but no debriefing to get
out. So we do need halfway houses to debrief and get back into a routine.
Again though, it’s hard first because of reputation. It seems that most feel these
inmates are stupid, ignorant, lazy and what have you. That is far from the truth, these
people have more going for them than even they are aware of.
They are diligent, they are experts at handling crisis, they are determined, they have
commitment and they have courage. Now with all that they really can’t lose if given a
chance to use their skills that most people will not ever have in all their lives.
They can wake up in the morning and have to have $ 100, $200 or $300 by 4 p.m.
- and they will have it. They will. Failure is not an option.
Of course there will be some who will not make it, same as there are everywhere
else. Success is not a guarantee for all. But for the most part, I think that it pays to get
these top-level brains working in a good way.
1 personally know 13 people who are doing very well today in the secular world.
Now if I know 13, there are more whom I haven’t heard of. Of course, we don’t hear
of the successes, just like our own programs here. We can’t say who is accomplishing
their dreams.
These are my observations and also part of the Indian trainings that I attend We
are wasting so much talent, at least I think. I like to believe in our Indian people.'
June 2009
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Siletz News
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