Dear Tribal members:
I hope everyone had a safe and happy
holiday season. My name is Kurtis Barker
and I respectfully ask for your support this
coming election. I am running for Tribal
Council to represent and bring a voice for
all Tribal members. I am 26 years old and
my family is Kentta and Washington.
My goal is to bring a different per
spective to Tribal Council. I have worked
for the Tribe for four-and-a-half years in
the 477 Self-Sufficiency Program. I have
experience directing programs, managing
budgets and developing policy. I’ve been
successful at seeking additional funds to
assist programs, volunteer for different
events and I’m dedicated to serving the
Tribe and local community.
Bringing honesty, transparency and
a different perspective to Tribal Council
will serve us all better. The Tribe could
improve services to Tribal members in
many ways and some of those include:
provide additional funding to the Elders
Program (Work Experience, Elders
Chores, etc.), more health services to
out-of-area Tribal members, more com
prehensive prevention programs for
youth and adults, Housing Emergency
Assistance and the Low-Income Energy
Assistance Program. The Tribe needs to
provide more funding for programs that
are working with Tribal members to assist
them in becoming self-sufficient.
If elected, I will make it a priority to
serve all Tribal members and ensure that
everyone has a voice on Tribal Council. I
will continue working for the Tribe and do
my best to improve services that members
depend on.
Thank you to everyone for all the
continued support and encouraging
comments, and 1 hope to serve you as a
council member. If you have any ques
tions or comments, you can e-mail me at
kurtisbarker@hotmail.com and find my
election page on Facebook.com.
Respectfully,
Kurtis Barker
Tribal Council Candidate
My dear fellow Tribal members:
It is nearing our election time again.
It’s hard to believe that my second term
serving on our Tribal Council is at its
end. I want to thank you all for the
opportunity it has afforded me to grow as
a person, learn and show my dedication
to our many causes.
I am proud to have been involved in
the growth in our land base and opportu
nities available to our Tribal people. The
expansion of our land base is something
I think we can all relate to as a Tribal
asset that will not disappear over time and
which will shore up our ability to provide
services to ourselves without a tax burden
resulting for the members receiving those
benefits. The ability to manage our own
lands and resources will increasingly
become even more important for us to
maintain our Tribe.
Our Tribe has come a long way,
though it’s sometimes difficult to
remember those changes and recognize
the advances we’ve made. We are now
the authorities on our own history and not
dependent on the poorly interpreted - and
in many aspects wrong - version that was
always fed us. Charles Wilkinson’s book,
I hope, will be widely read and ultimately
accepted as that new interpretation we
have sought for so long. With the proper
management, that information can bring
us much further along in addressing the
brutality and theft our ancestors had to
contend with and survive in order for us
to stand here today.
We do have a long road ahead and
I hope I have proven my sincerity and
ability to represent you and all our people
in a fair and impartial way. I’ve taken
stands on some very difficult issues and
have not shirked my duty to uphold the
law and the principles that form our foun
dation. I very much hope that you will
consider voting for me in the 2011 Siletz
Tribal Council Elections.
Sincerely,
Robert R. Kentta
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problems and VA benefits:
Toll-free Helpline
800-749-8387, Press 3
www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/
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Siletz News Letters Policy
Siletz News, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is
published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from readers about
stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues.
All letters must include the author’s signature, address, and phone number in
order to be considered for publication. Siletz News reserves the right to edit any
letter for clarity and length, and to refuse publication of any letter or any part of
a letter that may contain profane language, libelous statements, personal attacks,
or unsubstantiated statements.
Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Published let
ters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Siletz News, Tribal employees, or
Tribal Council.
Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be edited for
length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142.
Please note: The general manager
of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief
of Siletz News.
Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner
Editor: Diane Rodriquez
Assistant: Natasha Kavanaugh
To the editor:
Boosters Appreciate Financial
Support
I would like to convey a very sincere
thank you to the Siletz Tribal Charitable
Contribution Fund and the Confederated
Tribes of Siletz.
With the downtrend in the economy
over the last few years, it is more important
than ever to have the support of organi
zations such as these. Over the last 20
months, the Siletz Booster organization
has been working diligently to raise funds
to build a new concession stand and field
house at Bob Mathews field in Siletz. This
new facility will replace the dilapidated,
unsafe structure that has been in place for
over 30 years.
This project is a very large undertak
ing. The two-story facility will host our
new concession area downstairs as well
as two much-needed ADA bathrooms.
Upstairs will be our new crow’s nest and
media room for filming our games.
I would like to thank the Siletz Tribal
Charitable Contribution Fund for their
financial support by awarding the Siletz
Boosters a grant in the amount of $8,258
for the bathrooms and sound system for
this facility. Without their support, this
could not have been possible.
A sincere thank you from the Siletz
Valley Schools Boosters.
Jim Crawford
To the editor:
My name is Dennis Van Dyke and I
am writing a letter of gratitude about my *
completion of the pre-apprentice program
of the concrete finishers program.
I would like to thank the people who
took a chance on me knowing my history
and it was a long shot. Elaine Thomas, my
mother, for helping with my daughter and
her mom so it was possible.
I have completed my program as of
Dec. 3 and am entering the workforce as
a concrete finisher. This is a dream that is
now a career opportunity. Thanks to the
International Local 633,1 know what it’s
like doing what I love.
Thanks to Brenda Bremner, GM, and
Jody LaComp Garrison, chief director.
Both of you took a chance on a long shot.
Sincerely,
Dennis Van Dyke
To the editor:
I am taking this time to say I am
thankful for being a Tribal member and
thankful for affordable housing, the fit
ness center, the community health clinic,
the car seat program, the Education De
partment, the garden program and the
Tribe’s contribution toward the Siletz
community improvements. A couple of
the improvements in Siletz I am looking
forward to seeing are the sidewalks and
the cell tower. We are fortunate.
Respectfully submitted,
Angela Martin
To the editor:
On behalf of the Siletz Valley Schools Booster Association, I’d like to personally
thank our coaches, Booster members and volunteers who made the 2010 football season
a success. I don’t believe any of this would be possible without all of those who work
behind the scenes to make game night what it is.
Thank you, Apples Case, for your beautiful voice and singing our national
anthem.
To our coaches, Vance Lindstrom, Reggie Butler, Willie Worman and David Morgan
- Thank you for your dedication to the kids and love of the game. We know it takes
many personal sacrifices to coach our kids. A simple thank you is never enough.
Our sound crew, Isaac and Sheila Deanda - Thank you for adding an extra touch
of excitement. The music rocks.
Nick Sixkiller and Tony Blomstrom - You guys are unique and have changed the
way we all hear Warrior football. You both have a larger-than-life personalities that
certainly come through when you announce the games.
Our scorekeeper, Chris Crawford - Your attention to detail is impeccable and your
sense of humor always tests our senses. You keep us on our toes.
Statistician/spotter, Isaac Deanda Jr. - You have a keen eye and are an invaluable
resource to the announcers and coaching staff.
Our Color Guard - Tony Molina, Clint Muschamp and Heather Walker.
Our Boosters, who show up three hours before the game to set up the gate and get
the field ready for game night.
We often compare the Booster bus to a McDonald’s at dinner hour. On average, we
serve upwards of 60 burgers, 60 dogs, nachos, popcorn, candy and over 150 refresh
ments to wash it all down during a game. These items are all made fresh, no easy task
for the team of 15+ volunteers in this well-oiled machine.
Our events coordinator Bonnie Crawford and her team of Debbie Marthaller, Katie
Lindstrom, Lea Eversol, Heather Butler, Rachel Morgan, Kathy Robinson, Cova St.
Onge, Pat Whetstone, Amy Bayya, Johanna Lindstrom, Morgan Crawford, Lourdes
Lozano, Tracy Woodruff and Jeremy Whitlow make it all look easy as the food flies
out the window with minimal turn-around time.
A special thanks to Ray and Darlene Taylor, who keep our custom-built Siletz
Warrior Booster bus ready to roll.
And we cannot forget our principal. Bob Line, an amazing individual. I don’t,
know anyone who devotes as much time and energy to SVS than you and your wife,
Judy. Your devotion to SVS and our sports programs is phenomenal. We couldn't do
this without you. Thanks for being our biggest supporters.
To our diehard fans who brave the elements to watch Warrior football, we truly
appreciate your continued support and hope to see you next year.
Thank you all so much.
Jim Crawford
SVS Booster President 2010
January 2011
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