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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2017)
SILETZ NEWS Delores Pigsley, Tribal Chairman Brenda Bremner, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Vol. 45, No. 5 Siletz News Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 May 2017 Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 178 Salem, OR Let the healing begin By Ashliegh Ramirez, Service Learn- ing Coordinator On March 22, the Behavioral Health Department sponsored a Heal- ing March in Siletz, Ore. An Eradica- tion March was held in 2014 to try to get the drugs and the dealers out of Siletz. Now in 2017, drug and alcohol abuse continues to be an issue of con- cern for the community. Tribal Prevention Coordinator Dee Butler once again saw the need for a march. Tara Underwood, a teacher at Siletz Valley School, was essential in getting the school on board for the entire student body, grades K-12, to participate in the march. This year the team wanted to emphasize the healing component of the march. In late September, Dee began teach- ing curriculum once a week to middle school students at Siletz Valley School, with the assistance of Sharla Robinson, youth development director. I was able to assist them with the last few weeks of the curriculum in January. The 11-week curriculum discusses the negative effects alcohol and drugs have on the body along with a focus on both peer and external pressure the kids might face to use drugs and alcohol. It aims to normalize the talk about drugs Courtesy photos by Angela Ramirez Students at Siletz Valley School and Siletz Valley Early College Academy (above) participate in the Healing March on March 22. Vance Lindstrom from Siletz Gospel Tabernacle (right) attends the march. See additional photos on page 10. See Healing on page 10 Willamette University announces 2017 Commencement speakers, honorary degree recipients include Pigsley, Frank By Adam Torgerson, Director of Media Relations, Willamette University; origi- nally posted April 18, 2017 In a career spanning more than 35 years, Leonard Pitts, Jr. has been a college professor, a radio producer and a lecturer. He’s one of the most popular newspaper columnists in the country and author of a series of critically acclaimed books. On May 14 at 3 p.m., Pitts will deliver the commencement address for Wil- lamette University’s College of Liberal Arts and receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. During the commencement ceremony, the university will bestow honorary degrees upon two people whose service had a profound community impact: Delo- res “Dee” Pigsley and Gerry Frank. Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Chair Pigsley will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws for more than 40 years of leadership and service to others. Elected chair in 1986, her work as Tribal councilor in the late ’70s was critical to the Tribe’s successful repatriation effort following the 1954 federal declaration that the Siletz was no longer recognized as a sovereign Indian nation. Frank is a fourth-generation Orego- nian with deep roots in Oregon’s civic, political and mercantile history. As chief of staff for 20 years to former U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield and as a board member and trustee to dozens of Oregon institutions, Frank has strengthened and supported the state’s communities for decades. For his service, Frank will be awarded an Honor- ary Doctor of Public Service. Willamette Law and MBA Willamette MBA candidates will cross the stage first on May 14, following See Degree on page 8 Courtesy photo by Alicia Keene Jeff Sweet, youth services coordinator, entertains families as the Easter Bunny at the Tribe’s Easter Egg Hunt on April 15. Here he holds Naiya Mason.
