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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2026)
December was an active and festive month for the tribe. We celebrated the holiday season with the community and the tribal membership through several success- ful fun events. On December 10, we hosted the Community Christmas Program, which featured photos with Santa, gifts for children, a raffle, and Christ- mas carols sang by the Siletz Tribal Head Start class. Each attendee also received a full-size ham to take home. The event was well-attended and brought joy to many families. The Elders Department held its holiday party at the Siletz Community Center. The gathering was filled with laughter and camaraderie. Transpor- tation was provided from each area office to ensure accessibility. This event was a tremendous success. We completed staff training and team-building activities during the Winter All-Staff event. This biannual event is essential for supporting and strengthening our workforce. Addi- tional details can be found on page 13. Administrative updates include finalizing the 2026 budgets, which reflects an increase in the elders’ sti- pend and departmental funding for the year. We also received the 2024 audit report, which confirmed a clean finan- cial audit. We extend our gratitude to all staff for their dedication and hard work in achieving this outcome. Looking forward to the New Year We are excited about the projects planned for 2026. The new Eugene Area Office will be completed to bet- ter serve our membership, and the new recreation center is scheduled for completion this summer, provid- ing expanded opportunities for tribal health and wellness. Please be following the official CTSI Facebook page for the latest information and updates. There we post live information like office clo- sures, emergency numbers, events and reminders. In the Facebook search bar simply type in CTSI.gov, to follow us. You can also find the Salem, Portland, and Eugene area offices for information in your area. If you want to keep up on youth and family activities, the Siletz Tribal Farm, Education and Youth Activi- ties, Sports & Recreation, Healthy Traditions, and Clinic all post new information, so be sure to check them. Proposed Edits and Public Comment Period The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is put- ting forward the edits to The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon Application for Enrollment for public comment. The proposed edits will be available on the tribal website from January 2, until February 2, 2026. Public comments regarding The Confeder- ated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon Application for Enrollment can be submitted online at https://ctsi.nsn.us/policies- open-for-comment/ or send via email to EnrollmentDepartment@ctsi. nsn.us. Alternatively, you can scan this QR code. Purchased Referred Care update Beginning in January 2026, all Tribal Members will be required to return to the nearest IHS facility. Please finish all current dental work at the facility you are going to and do not start any new treatment plans. The nearest IHS facilities are: Chemawa Indian Health Center - 503-304-7600 Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center - 503-879-2002 Siletz Community Health Clinic - 541-444-1030 Elders Council Meeting The Elders Council will host an in-person/Zoom hybrid meeting on Saturday, January 17, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Ace’s in Lincoln City, Ore. If you have any questions, please contact the Elders Program at 541-444-8212. Contact methods for the Public Information team: Email: PIAS@ctsi.nsn.us Deadline for the February issue is January 9, 2026. Sub- mission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please check the Passages Policy on page 20 when submit- ting items for Passages. Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 For questions, call 541-444-8293 2 • Siletz News • January 2026