New Babies!
Chayton Skye Yarbour
Congratulations!
Isaac Butler
2011 OWA Collegiate State Champion
Siletz Warrior Mat Club
120# Novice
TLC attitudes of gratitude: We’re not meant to be alone
We need you!
As your Tribal veterans coordina
tor (TVR), I wish to encourage all of
our Tribal member veterans to submit
a copy of their DD214 to our Siletz
Tribal veterans office. This will accom
plish many things.
It will begin the process of enroll
ing you in Veterans Affairs programs.
While it’s true that the VA has a lot
of requirements, the only way to find
out if our veterans qualify is to enroll.
Also for those Siletz Tribal fami
lies that have veteran loved ones buried
on Government Hill who do not have
a headstone, I can apply for a military
headstone through our office to the VA.
When we have your DD214 in
hand, it also puts you in line to have
your name added to our Living Vet
erans Memorial on Government Hill.
It takes awhile to accumulate enough
names for the memorial company to
come out to do the sandblasting.
Your DD214 helps us show your
proof of service. We unfortunately
cannot just place your name with a
phone call or a letter unless it’s accom
panied with a copy of your DD-214.
I thank all of our veterans for their
service to our nation, for answering the
call to serve and protect our country.
I'm here to help you in any way I can.
We also are in the process of mak
ing our Siletz Tribal Honor Guard one
of the best. We can only be the best if
you choose to join our proud Siletz
Honor Guard team.
Thank you,
Tony Molina, TVR and Honor
Guard Director
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
541-444-8330
800-922-1399, ext. 1330
8
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Siletz News
•
Chayton Skye Yarbour, our beautiful circle of life, was born Dec. 28, 2010, in
Clackamas, Ore. He weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 21 inches long.
His father is Bruce Vincent Yarbour and his mother is Krista Katherine Kuntz.
By Lynn Whitlow
“No man (woman) is an island.” I
don’t know who said that originally, but it
is a universal truth. The truth is, as human
beings, we need each other.
Some of us are more “social” than
others and love to be surrounded by
people, a lot of people, a lot of the time.
Others of us like people a lot, love inter
acting and talking, playing and working
closely with others.
There are those of us who are dis
trustful of others because of life circum
stances, but still need others and hopefully
have a friend or two who understands and
supports us.
We are not meant to be alone. We
need people to reach out to and in turn
be there for others to reach out to us. I
know there are times when I value my
solitude, but I don’t want to be there too
long. I love being with and interacting
with others. I am grateful for my family
and friends - someone usually is there
when I want and need them.
TLC residents express their gratitude:
I’m grateful for a warm place to sleep.
I‘m grateful for everyone’s help and for
being sober. I’m grateful for my children
and for child care. I’m grateful for the air
I breathe.
I’m grateful for Janet, Lynn, Delina,
Jenifer, Elaine, Ellen, George, Zeb,
Lawrence, Atreaux, Angela, Ashliegh, my
mom, Stacey, Aunt Denise, Aunt Kelly,
Grandpa Arlen, my dad, all my friends,
my new roommate and her kids and my
beautiful daughter.
Wow, I did it! From the help of all
these people, I have my life! Thank you
from the bottom of my heart.
SSP is another huge part of my pro
cess. Thank you for being there when I
need you! I’m off to a great start in my
life because you all made it possible. I’m
truly grateful.
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I’m grateful for my new job. I’m
grateful for my carpool buddies and for
Anna for being an excellent child care
provider. I am so thankful for being able
to watch my son play basketball and for
my best friend, Jay. I am grateful for my
sponsor and my counselor!
We all are truly grateful for the folks
who volunteer to help out at the TLC.
Thank you to Alice McCain and Denise
Riding In for caring enough to be that
extra security at the TLC and for staff
who help out beyond their regular duty.
Thank you to Jeremy Whitlow for
providing a “security stick” for the sliding
door and again to Tracy Bailey for doing
a few repair jobs and helping figure out
the electricity snafu. Each one of you is
so appreciated!
An Irish blessing to each of you from
a part-Irishwoman. You pick your own
blessing. My favorite is “May you be in
heaven a half hour before the devil knows
you’re dead!”
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Send Us News: Siletz News is looking for information about Tribal members, positive news about you or someone
you know. Here’s an example of what we’ll include: births, graduations, awards, the Armed Services, new jobs or businesses,
weddings, anniversaries and deaths. Contact information is on page 2.
________
VA expands outreach to American Indians, Hawaiians,
Alaska Natives to serve as advocate for Tribal veterans
WASHINGTON - The Department
of Veterans Affairs has announced the
creation of a new Office of Tribal Govern
ment Relations to ensure the more than
200,000 veterans who are American Indi
ans, Alaska Natives, Hawaiian Natives
or are part of Alaska Native corporations
receive the VA benefits they have earned.
“There is a long, distinguished tra
dition of military service among Tribal
peoples,” said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is commit
ted to providing these veterans with the
March 2011
full range of VA programs as befits their
service to our nation.”
About 200,000 veterans are repre
sented by the 800 Tribal governments
officially recognized by the United States.
Although VA has long provided benefits
to veterans in Tribal lands, the new office
will further strengthen and expand that
relationship.
Stephanie Elaine Birdwell, an
enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation
from Oklahoma, has been selected as the
office’s first director. A former social
worker, she has spent nearly 15 years
working on Tribal issues with the Bureau
of Indian Affairs and, most recently, the
Bureau of Indian Education.
She will oversee a six-person office
responsible for “establishing, maintain
ing and coordinating a nation-to-nation,
federal-Tribal relationship,” according to
a VA briefing.
The office has a charter that officially
extends to veterans who are American
Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawai
ians or part of Alaska Native corporations.