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Wallowa.com
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
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Wallowa Band Interpretive Center gets $20,000 grant
Roundhouse
Foundation
distributes over
$1.2M in fall
grant cycle
Chieftain staff
SISTERS — Four Wal-
lowa County benefi cia-
ries were recipients of the
Sisters-based Roundhouse
Foundation’s more than $1.2
million distributed to over
70 rural nonprofi ts during its
fall grant cycle, according to
a press release.
Since 2002, the Round-
house Foundation has worked
with local and regional orga-
nizations to support creative
problem solving.
Grants during the 2021
Fall Open Cycle were made
to organizations across Ore-
gon in four diff erent program
focus areas including arts
and culture, education, social
services and environmental
stewardship.
The Wallowa Band Nez
Perce Interpretive Center in
Wallowa received a $20,000
grant to expand capacity
for planning, hosting and
improving new and existing
place-based tribal youth edu-
cational programming and to
establish and renew partner-
ships with reservation-based
youth programming.
This grant will build upon
Wallowa County Chieftain, File
J.R. Rymut looks over the 3D map of the Wallowa Band Nez Perce territory that she fabricated,
while Ron Cameron traces the route on the Wallowa Band’s fl ight toward refuge in Canada. The
center recently received a grant to expand its programs.
the success of the 2021 pilot
outdoor education program,
the Snake River School tribal
youth fl oat trip and estab-
lish and renew partnerships
with reservation-based youth
programming.
The center
Angela Bombaci, exec-
utive director of the inter-
pretive center, said Monday,
Dec. 6, the youth program-
ming the grant will help sup-
port includes youths from the
Lapwai, Idaho-based Nez
Perce Indian Reservation,
the Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Indian Reser-
vation based near Pendleton
and the Confederated Tribes
of the Colville Reservation in
Northeast Washington where
the Wallowa Band is located.
She said the interpretive
center in Wallowa serves as
a place to put on programs
planned by the tribes, as well
as programs that take place
at other locations such as the
Homeland Project outside of
town or fl oat trips. Other pro-
grams include “traditional
skill-building” events such as
a meat-cutting camp for tribal
youths to learn from their
elders the traditional ways
to break down game that
have always been a source of
food for the tribes. Explora-
tion of the tribal areas in the
county also are programs the
center provides.
The center also serves as a
place to educate non-Indians
about the tribes.
“It’s a starting point for
learning about the Nez Perce
people,” she said.
Events stemming from
that have included a work-
shop on drumming presented
at Joseph Charter School
where students not only
learned about tribal drum-
ming, they made drum sticks,
Bombaci said.
Getting the grant
She said the grant was no
surprise, as the Roundhouse
Foundation approached her
seeking information on the
center’s activities to deter-
mine if a grant would be
appropriate.
“They were really won-
derful. … They reached out
to us,” she said. “They said
tell us about the work you
do and” encouraged her to
apply.
That there was a group
eager to support the center,
was “really exciting,” she
said. “They’re more than a
group that just wants to write
a check.”
Bombaci said the cen-
ter has a year to spend the
grant and report on it, so
she doesn’t expect to apply
for another grant in the next
round of funding in the
spring.
However, she said, “We’re
certainly hopeful for a long-
term relationship with them.”
Also receiving grants
were:
• Fishtrap, which received
$30,000 to support its year-
round programming that
includes the Summer Fish-
trap Gathering of Writers,
The NEA Big Read, Winter
Fishtrap, reading events and
school residencies that bene-
fi t 2,000 readers and writers
from across the West and in
the rural local community.
• The Josephy Center for
Arts and Culture in Joseph
received $10,000 to sup-
port arts and culture in Wal-
lowa County. The center is a
hub of arts and cultural activ-
ity, a place of celebration and
learning and home to a trea-
sure trove of Nez Perce and
Western history. This grant
will support arts and culture
in Wallowa County.
• Wallowa Resources in
Enterprise received $20,000
to support its capacity to
lead local shared learning
experiences for high school
youths from fi ve counties in
Northeast Oregon, carry out
important restoration mon-
itoring eff orts with multi-
ple partners across public
and private lands in the area
and begin the development
of a regional online map that
could be used to share suc-
cessful projects and partner-
ships relating to the steward-
ship economy.
The Roundhouse Foun-
dation is a private, family
foundation, based in Sisters
since 2002. The founda-
tion believes that solutions
to the unique challenges of
Oregon’s rural communi-
ties can be found through
creative thinking and prob-
lem-solving, innovation and
collaboration, the release
stated. It partners with com-
munity organizations to
develop, implement and sus-
tain creative, place-based
approaches and programs
that strengthen and celebrate
rural Oregon.
For more information
about the foundation visit
www.RoundhouseFoun-
dation.org or email email
media@roundhousefounda-
tion.org.
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER
IN BRIEF
November warmer
than average
JOSEPH — Tempera-
tures in Wallowa County
were slightly above average
during the month of Novem-
ber, according to the National
Weather Service.
The overall average tem-
perature for the month was
1.6 degrees above normal at
36.3 degrees. Highs averaged
out to 45.8 degrees, or 1.9
degrees above normal, while
lows were 1.3 degrees above
normal at an average of 26.8
degrees.
Twice the high tempera-
ture surpassed 60 degrees,
with the highest mark being
64 degrees on the 14th. The
high temperature was above
average on 14 days and below
average on 14 days. Twice the
temperature matched the daily
average.
The low temperature
dipped below 20 on fi ve days,
with the lowest temperature
being 16 degrees on the 17th,
22nd and 24th. Low tempera-
tures were above the daily
average 15 times, and above
the daily average 15 times.
The highest low temperature
was 47 degrees on the 14th,
with that number at or above
the high of 20 diff erent days.
November was one of the
wetter months of 2021 with a
total of 0.91 inches of precip-
itation falling. That number,
though, still is 0.27 inches
below normal. More than 1/3
of an inch of precipitation —
0.34 inches — fell on the 5th,
making it the wettest day of
the month.
For the year, there has been
6.77 inches of precipitation,
which is 9.20 inches below
normal.
Low COVID-19
cases again last
week
ENTERPRISE — Wal-
lowa County had another low
weekly count of new COVID-
19 cases.
The
Oregon
Health
Authority reported no new
cases of COVID-19 on Mon-
day, Dec. 13, in its report from
the weekend, and in the last
week reported cases on Tues-
day, Dec. 7 (two cases) and
Thursday, Dec. 9 (one case).
The three cases in the week
would move the county’s total
from 763 to 766, but OHA
currently shows 767 cases in
the county.
Regardless, the county
remains at a low total so far
in December, which just six
cases reported so far during
the month.
There were 55 cases
reported during the month of
November.
There are no new COVID-
19 deaths, with the total stay-
ing at 13.
On Dec. 13, the number of
COVID-19 patients in Region
9 hospitals was at 10, and that
number ranged between nine
and 12 in the last week.
The vaccination rate in
Wallowa County has reached
69.7% of adults, and 24.6%
of residents 18 and older
have received an additional
or booster dose.
True Tails returns
in time for
Christmas
ENTERPRISE — The
Wallowa County Humane
Society announced it book,
True Tails, is coming out for a
second printing. The 122-page
book is expected to hit stores
in Enterprise and Joseph on
or before Monday, Dec. 20,
the Humane Society said in
a press release late last week.
The book, written by local
writer and photographer Ellen
Morris Bishop, “recounts
the uplifting true stories of
dogs, cats, and other ani-
mals, including a wild goose
and a hermit crab, that have
enriched the lives of their
human partners,” the release
states. “All live in or have a
close connection with Wal-
lowa County.”
“Especially now, these
stories and photos provide
a much needed reminder of
hope and love,” WCHS Pres-
ident Carol Vencill said in
the release. “The stories are
short, but they are true, and
remind us of how important
and rewarding our relation-
ships with animals and each-
other are.”
Proceeds from the sale of
the book help fund WCHS
programs and work, includ-
ing spay and neuter, adop-
tions, medical needs, food,
education and more.
“Pawtographed” books,
personally pawtographed by
two dogs in the book, as well
as autographed by Bishop, will
be available at the Humane
Society’s Re-Tail Boutique
from 2-6 p.m. on Wednesday,
Dec. 22.
True Tails will be avail-
able in Enterprise at WCHS’s
Re-Tail Boutique, 119 E.
Main St. or The Bookloft,
107 E. Main St. In Joseph,
the book is available at Cop-
per Creek Mercantile, 15 S.
Main St. or The Dog Spot, 19
S. Main St.
— Chieftain staff
This week’s featured book.
The Polar
Express
by Chris VanAllsburg
Jack B. James (The Jackal)
CDR, USN, Ret., US Navy SEAL
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Veterans Services Officer (VSO)
Cell: 360-509 2985
Email: jackaljames15@gmail.com
“The only easy day was yesterday.”
Come
join our
Family
C hristmas
Eve
S ervice
Dec. 24th at 5 p.m.
107 E. Main St. Enterprise OR
541-426-3351
bookloftoregon.com • manager@bookloft.org
rch for Cofee, Cocoa and
mmit Chu
u
Carol
S
n
i
s!
Jo
Christmas Eve
at the
Courthouse!
December 24th, 5pm
at the Gazebo
105 SW 1st Street
Enterprise, Oregon 97828
www.summitchurchoregon.org
Inside Retail Sales/Utility
Tri County Equipment, Enterprise Location, is hiring for an
Inside Retail Sales/Utility position! This person will sell new and used
compact utility and turf equipment to new and existing customers and
focus on the walk-in, retail-oriented, customer traffic.
Qualifications:
• 1+ years of retail sales would be helpful
• Ability to use Microsoft, email, and other internet functions
• Excellent Customer Relationship skills
• Ability to work every other weekend during summer hours
• Understanding of basic selling concepts
• High school diploma or equivalent work experience.
Benefits include: Paid vacation, health insurance, 401(k)
Contact Tyson Stebbins at 541-963-7151 or
tstebbins@tcegreen.com if interested!
Tri-County Equipment is an equal opportunity employer
All
are welcome!
St. Patrick’s
Episcopal Church
100 Northeast Third Street, Enterprise