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About Siletz news letter. (Siletz, Oregon) 1989-1997 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1994)
2 January 1994 Letters to the Editor Remember that special someone with a Valentine Greeting! Your message o f 50 words or less will be printed in thé February issue o f the Siletz News Letter. Deadline for submission is January 15. Please sign your submission (for our records) and include your address. The following is the second half of Gary Butler's letter which was printed in the December issue of the Newsletter and edited for length. We beco m e a l c o holics, dru g addicted, violent, an d u n a c c e p t able b y societies s t a n dards.. The p a i n and misery cannot continue to d e stroy m y life. The dreams I ha v e h a d are real and forthcoming. There was a time in m y life not long ago when people wo u l d wond e r w h y I was the w a y I was, wh y I felt no pain, why I ma r r i e d my cousin in Siletz at Illahee Park a n d invited, everyone,. . I d i d ,, this be c a u s e there was so rnuph ^pain^ b e y o n d understanding. Even to me to this d a y it is v e r y h a r d to a c c e p t . I still go to counseling. I see a p e r s o n who is a proud n ativ e of this land. I can't stress enough the importance of our children to be c o u n seled b y ou r own. ICW needs to structure a s ystem that twill en courage our children, not discoura g e them. I can't stress enou g h how education is v e r y v i t a l . To d a y I feel better, a l most like a m ight have made one of our sons, nephews, or brothers feel that there is some one out here that does care. That is a feeling that I ne v e r got a chance to feel when I was a child, but n o w I a m a g r o w n m a n of 36, who will n o doubt help an d not be m o l d e d and c r eated by a society that w a n t e d our nations gone off the face of the E arth an d what today we k n o w was an act of g e n o cide. Whatever way I can to keep our children in our societies to keep our na t i o n s strong to get a l o n g a nd not always argue a n d fight amongst ourselves. N o w there is no d r e a m but there are m a n y v i sions of change that can cre a t e what so many of""us t hought t h e impossible. E x cuses are u n a c ceptable w h e n our chil-. dren are tre a t e d in this manner. Today, I c o n tact e d m a n y people. To day, I went ba c k to hell for a split second. To day, I feel like a p r o u d , indigenous human b e ing * w ho can ho l d his h e a d u p a n d not look at the ground. - Today, T p r a y for m y p e o p l e s unders t a n d i n g and op e n minds. G a r y -L. Butler Good Day! My name is Shelley U pchurch, d a ugh ter of, Rosemary Lawson and Herman Ricketts, grandaughter of Irene Dowd and Blsh Lawson. I would like to take this opportunity to thank som6 bfV in y - famity members for their help during the Restoration Pow-Wow. F irst d f alU-jfcSSiny of y$u, consumed the "Fry . Bread", it wa& I, the ’’Dough Lady* whd made it. Any comments or suggestions should fee directed to -myself or Rik Lbaton (who gave me the recipe). I would like to thank my dear Aunt Lilly (Lillian Bayya/Lawson) for letting us use her water for coffee, batter, hotdogs, and clean-up, as well as her stove and pans for heating up chili and hotdogs. . Without her help in the process, it would not have been possible to supply the Pow-Wow with the food we prepared. Again- Thank You, Auntie! Thank you goes out to Sheila Bayya for the use of her electric skillet, can opener, and encouragem ent (essential basics). Thank you to Lou Moceikis and her daughter Misty (daughter and grandaughter of "Harry Lawson") for their very hard work, sense of humor, and loyalty to help-out another family during an almost crisis. Thank you so much to Heidi Jo and Rick Bayya for coming to my aide. They are such neat- (cool)-good young individuals, and I am proud to have them as family members. Thank you to Bristo Bayya and his wife Kristi Martin- Bayya for being so gracious to let me "crash" at their home . for the night. Thank you to Laurie Brown- Godfrey and husband Chuck for their help. They express with actions and labor what it means to be part of this Tribe and help- out when the going gets tough. Thank, you out there to anyone that I may have forgotten to mention. The day and night of the Restoration Pow-Wow was one of being hectic. But, together the "L a w s o n " fa m ily descendants stuck together and pulled together to make it all possible. How very proud I am to be a part of it, and feel in my heart and spirit our loved ones now in the Great After -Life must have been smiling down upon us. They live on in us, guiding us with their spirits, and encourage us ,to stick together as a family, as. the "Lawson" fam ily of descendents. Therefore, my main thanks at Thanksgiving is to thank the Lord for my friends and family. Sincerely, Shefley Mae1 Upchurch’/ ; Lawson/Dowd . 1 TO THE EDITOR: g - My name is Rene' Lane (maiden ■ name Burden) my mother Is Arlene Steggell, my Grandfather Is Lloyd "Tiny" Baker. - There was an error made in the December Newsletter because it said Bobby Simmons had only 2 sons and 1 daughter. I am Bobby's daughter and I Know there are others who were also not mentioned. I am ¿ware, as I'm sure many people are, that this is not the editor's fault. Also, I've always wanted to meet my brothers and sisters but I didn't think it was possible. If Bobby Simmons is your biological fa th e r, I would love to hear from you. Rene' Lane c/o Arlene Steggell P.O. Box 572 Tillamook, Or. 97141 LETTER TO THE EDITOR: I want to take time and say Thank You to a few people that have really helped me the last few months. Last June I was a single mom, still living, at home with my mother, and not really knowing what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to get my life going in a better direction. Thanks to Bob Tom, I'm doing that. I am now a student at Delta College of Business and w ill get my degree in C o m p u te r iz e d O ffic e Management in a few months. Bob helped encourage me, and helped with all the necessary paperwork that needed to be completed. I also want to Thank Connie Hoffman. I now have my own home, and with the Tribes help can afford to live on my own. My son and I love our new place, and it's all "OURS." Connie put up with all my nagging phone calls, and even came all the way to Springfield on a Saturday to do my inspection. I really appreciate all her help. Thanks again both of you! It's not only an honor to be a tribal Klftv aft privilege! y(n&»ne rus. & Misty Fisher SILETZ NEWS DEADLINE Januairy 1 5, 1994 mail articles and p h o to s T & f.j Siletz News, P.O. Box 549, '' Siletz, Oregon 97380; i Letters to t h e E d it o r ; All letters received w ill. be printed. Please type or write legible, no profane language will be printed. The opinions expressed are souly those of individuals writing in. ,, The Siletz Newsletter and ' trib a l G overnm ent a ccept no responsibility for statements made in the letters to the editor. LETTERS THAT EXCEED 350 WORDS IN LENGTH WILL BE EDITED as approved bv Tribal Council Resolution #91-04. All letters must include vour name. address and signature. Send letters to : Siletz News, P.O. Box 549, Siletz," Oregon 97380. Attn: Teresa Miller, Managing Editor. PLEASE NOTE: The Chief Executive Officer of the Siletz Tribe is the Chief Editor of the Siletz N ew sletter.
