Photo by Diane
Rodriquez
Margo Hudson sells
raffle tickets for a
multitude of items
that were given
away at the event.
Courtesy photo by Tasha Mason
Ilene Somes hands out name tags and
pouches as people register.
Oldest ones share 355 years of life as Elders enjoy a day in their honor
Oldest male and female, oldest male veteran and female veteran highlight Elder Honor Day event
By Diane Rodriquez
They share 355 years of life between
them - lives full of experiences, changes,
sorrow and joy.
Think about it - 355 years, the com
bined ages of four of the oldest people
who attended Elder Honor Day festivi
ties at Chinook Winds Casino Resort on
April 5.
The oldest male attendee was Henry
Fuller (Grand Ronde), 96; the oldest
female was Margaret Paz (Mescalero
Apache), 91. The oldest male veteran was
Clifford Charles (Lummi), 88; the oldest
female veteran was Dorothy Ackerman
(Sisseton Sioux), 80.
Shirley Walker, chairman of the
Elders Council, welcomed more than 500
Elders to the event and introduced the
day’s emcee, Nick Sixkiller.
The Siletz Tribal Honor Guard - Ed
Ben, Earl Edmonds, Alan Fish, Don Miller
and Tony Molina - presented the flags to
the drumming and singing of Logan Butler,
Bo Johnson, Chayson Metcalf and San
Poil Whitehead and retired the flags to the
accompaniment of Jack Cagey (Lummi).
The Sree-Xvsh Singers, including
Clarinda Black, Felisha Howell, Jazmyn
Metcalf, Kateri Whitehead, Makiah
Woodruff and Tehya Woodruff, performed
several songs then joined with the four
young men who helped present the flags
on additional songs.
Marcie Muschamp, QI coordinator at
the clinic, presented information on the
construction and current operations of
the new Siletz Community Health Clinic,
which opened in the spring of 2010.
Lindy Taylor, MD, Tribal com
munity health director, followed this
with information on the hyperglycemia
and hypoglycemia issues that can accom
pany diabetes.
The Siletz Royalty - Leslie Lundy,
Miss Siletz; Ashliegh Ramirez, Jr. Miss
Siletz; and Healyah Butler, Little Miss
Siletz - performed The Lord’s Prayer.
After lunch, Delores Pigsley, Siletz
Tribal chairman, spoke about the National
Indian Council on Aging (N1COA),
founded in 1976 to advocate for improved
health care for American Indian and
Alaska Native Elders. James DeLaCruz
Sr. (Quinault) represents Oregon, Wash
ington and Idaho on the 13-member
NICOA Board of Directors.
NICOA helps its members by net
working with agencies on such subjects
as care providers, caregivers, diabetes,
Veterans Affairs, transportation and tech
nical assistance to Native communities.
“This helps keep agencies aware that
Indian people are out there and there is a
need,” said Pigsley, who also warned that
anticipated cuts in the federal budget may
mean less money for Elders’ services.
Pigsley encouraged Elders to contact
NICOA to “let them know of the situation
with Elders in your community” and to
keep pressure on congressional repre
sentatives to keep the benefits that Elders
currently enjoy.
Left photo by Diane Rodriquez
Courtesy photo below left by Chinook Winds Casino Resort staff
Courtesy photo below by Tasha Mason
Left: Wilma Strong and her grandson, Jack Strong, enjoy each other’s company.
Below left: Donna Kessinger, Ilene Somes, Delores Case, Barbara Fisher and Vera
Lafferty help stuff gift bags before the event.
Below: Cookie Fernandez and Alice Keene help people register at the event.
May 2011
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Siletz News
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