Spilyay Tym oo, Wgrrn Springs, Oregon
Page 7
February 15, 2 0 0 7
Polk aims to help at Voc-Rehab
B y L e s lie M itts
Spilyay Tymoo
Dixon Polk just started a new
job at Voc-Rehab, but he is no
stranger to the work force in
Warm Springs.
Polk began work on January-
16 as a Voc-Rehab counselor.
He joins fellow new employee
Lavina Colwash, who began
work as the intake coordinator.
Polk, a m em ber o f the
Yakama Nation, is a descendant
of Warm Springs tribal mem­
bers. The son o f the late
Leonard Polk, Jr., and Lucille
Alberta Yallup, Polk has five
children and three grandchildren
enrolled as Warm Springs tribal
members.
While living in Warm Springs
previously, Polk worked for the
Warm Springs Police Depart­
ment as a corrections officer,
police officer, police sergeant,
and juvenile investigator.
He also worked for Warm
Springs Forest Product Indus­
tries, Child Protective Services,
and as security supervisor and
surveillance observer at Indian
D ixon Polk
Head Casino.
After looking to move back
to Warm Springs, Polk found an
opening as a counselor at Voc-
Rehab—a position that he said
appealed to him because it struck
him as interesting.
“I figured my work experi­
ence would be able to help me
out with it,” he said.
Ironically, Polk is able to use
the services of Voc-Rehab be­
cause of his new position.
He is working with Marcia
Soliz to develop a training plan
in order for Polk to gain more
training applicable to his new line
of work.
Furthering his education is
something that definitely ap­
peals to Polk.
“I ’ve alw ays w anted to
school for criminal justice but
that was difficult when I worked
for the police department be­
cause for one, funds for school,
and second, because o f the
WSPD’s long work hours,” he
said. “Don’t get me wrong I
loved working for WSPD; help­
ing the people and protecting the
Warm Springs Community.”
In his other jobs, Polk said,
there was a definite difference.
For instance, he said, “As a po­
lice o fficer, we were often
viewed as the ‘bad guy’ doing
our job.”
Now, he explained, “I’m a
Voc Rehab Counselor which
means I will still be helping the
people, but it’s just in a differ­
ent way from before.”
H elping people is exactly
what he aims to do with his new
position, Polk said.
“We’re really there for the
people, to help,” he said.
So far, Polk added, “I’m en­
joying it.”
“There’s still a lot to learn and
I’m taking it one day at a time,”
he said. “I just want to be able
to contribute and help our In­
dian people.”
Polk encourages people to
seek out Voc-Rehab for assis­
tance if they need it.
Every Monday at 3 p.m. the
program holds an orientation for
interested applicants. Those
people then fill out an applica­
tion in order to determine eligi­
bility.
Every Monday at 3 p.m. the
program holds an orientation for
interested applicants. Those
people then fill out an applica­
tion in order to determine eligi­
bility.
Vocational Rehab can help
those with medical disabilities,
mental disabilities, and addiction
problems and with various other-
issues— the main requirement is
that documented proof of a
disability be obtained along with
proof of tribal membership.
The documentation is even
something that Vocational Re­
hab can help people with in or­
der to determine eligibility. For
more information about Voca­
tional Rehab, call 553-4952.
Special invitation to veterans, service members
Central Oregon military
veterans, Oregon National
Guard, reserve and active
duty service members are
invited to Veterans Apprecia­
tion Day at the Deschutes
County Fair and Expo Cen­
ter in Redmond.
Veterans are eligible to re­
ceive the Veterans of Oregon
Honorable Service Medal.
Gov. Kulongoski will present
the medals to veterans.
The event is from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. on Friday, March
23 at the Fair and Expo Cen­
ter. Seating is limited for the
reserved luncheon at noon,
so please RSVP. For reserva-
tions call 385-3214 or 330-4677
between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
To be eligible for the award,
veterans must have a military ID
or DD-214 discharge paper.
Send verification papers by Feb.
25 to:
Attn: Rabbine T. Harpell,
Deschutes County Veterans Ser­
vices, 1128 NW Harriman St.,
Bend, OR 97701.
Warm Springs veterans can
contact K irby H eath, Com­
mander, Elliot Palmer Post No.
4217 VFW; Harvey Jim, Q-M
Elliot Palmer Post. 4217 VFW;
or Tom Wise, Jefferson County
service officer, for more infor-
mation.
Heath can be contacted at
553-0436. Wise can be con­
tacted at a475-5228.
These individuals can be con­
tacted to submit names for eli­
gibility of service medal, and
reservations for luncheon table
for the veteran and family. ^
Heath encouraged veterans
to send in their discharge paper
(DD-214) as soon as possible.
The keynote speaker for the
event will be CWO Ron Young,
prisoner of war during Opera­
tion Iraqi Freedom.
There will be a full day of
activities for this event, begin­
ning with the opening ceremony
at 9 a.m.
Workshops will be offered
throughout the day on topics
o f sports, health, fishing,
state and federal veterans
benefits, among other topics.
At noon is the reserved
luncheon. At 1:15 p.m. will
be the Veterans of Oregon
Honorable Service Medals
presentation.
At 1:30 p.m. will be the
Jubilee Productions musical
“Farewell Bend Radio Show.”
Any veteran or service
member currently serving,
Reserve or Active duty is eli­
gible to receive the Honor­
able. Service Medal.
Prevention gathering at
Family Resource Center
A gathering on HIV and substance abuse prevention, with
a focus on the methamphetamine problem, is set for 1 to 4
p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21 at the Warm Springs Family Re­
source Center. Everyone is invited.
The gathering is presented by the Northwest AIDS Edu­
cation and Training Center, South Puget Intertribal Planning
Agency, and the tribal Building Effective AIDS Response
(BEAR) project.
Presenter for the gathering will be Dr. Robert Carroll,
PhD, RN, ACRN.
The agenda is, “Methamphetamines, sexual behavior, and
HIV risk among Native peoples: Implications for preven­
tion, education and treatment.”
Items for discussion include:
Describing the intoxicating effects of methamphetamine;
identifying potential and actual health risks associated with
methamphetamine use, including in persons living with HIV;
describing how methamphetamine use may contribute to
engaging in high risk (for HIV transmission) sexual and drug
use; and discussion of the psycho-social issues surrounding
methamphetamine use with particular emphasis on Native
populations. The local contact person for this gathering is Anita
Davis, of the community health education team (CHET), at
553-3510, ext. 112; or e-mail at advais@wstribes.org. Lunch
will be provided from noon to 1 p.m.
H appy Valentines D ay...
Happy Valentines Day to all my loved ones: Easton, Nel, Perry,
Colleen, Ja%ell, Curtiss, Eatasha, Aaron, Joseph, Anthony, Rene,
Bambi, Sweetheart, MooShu, Socks, Peanut, Chewy Sr. <& Jr. Eotsa
Love, Mom.
Happy Valentines Day to all my Chilocco brothers
& sisters - hope your day is good. Love, Tina
Happy Valentines Day to our spiritual family & all
our Christian brothers & sisters. Merle & Rose Will­
iams Sr., Michael, Nadine & Colleen, Tena & girls, Jr.
& Debbie & kids, Marilyn & family, Darrell Enick,
Francis & Val, Violet & Mary, John Enick, & the rest
of our bros & sisters. Love you guys. Love Tina, Easton & family.
H a p p y V alen tin es to F ra n k S ah m e from M om .
Happy Valentines Day to Veronica Jim from Mom. Hove you.
Happy Valentines Day to Vanessa Sahme, from Mom. Love
you.
Happy Valentines Day to Candice Sahme, love you.
Mom.
Happy Valentines Day to Ella Jim, from Alice Jim. Eoveyou.
Happy Valentines to Anette Jim and kids, from Auntie Alice.
H a p p y V alen tin es D ay to N a th an N a p ie r from A lic e
a n d g r a n d m a E lla .
Happy Valentines to Filley and Nathaniel from grandma Alice.
Love you.
Happy Valentines to Krystal. Love you, from Mom.
Senators and Congressman
to host town hall regarding war
Sen. Gordon Smith, Sen. Ron Wyden, and Rep. Greg Walden
will host a town hall meeting from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17
at the Redmond Senior Center.
The agenda for the meeting is the war in Iraq, its cost, and how
it is impacting the community.
For more information contact Phil Paterno at 548-5131 or Amy
Dudley at 543-8417. The Redmond Senior Center is located at
325 NW Dogwood.
^Eôpïêsl
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