E Coosh EEWA: The way it is
Page 4-
Spilyay Tym oo December 31, 20 0 9
Letters to the Editor
Never too late
Sometimes in a person’s life,
they come to that turn in the
road where there are only two
choices that you will have to
make. E ither you take the turn
on the road that will lead you to
a change in your Efe, or you take
the turn that will lead you right
back to that rut that you were
stuck in for so long.
I have lost too many o f my
family m em bers and friends
w ho had so m uch potential to
become a better people and a
productive members o f society,
b u t m ade the w rong choice.
They had the choice to not be
lieve the story that says we are
just drunks and drug addicts that
will go nowhere but to jail or the
grave.
I was headed that direction
because I forgot who I wanted
to be and was trying to be what
everybody else wanted me to be.
It wasn’t up until I realized that
I was on my way to prison again
but this time federal, because o f
a stupid choice— to think that
being a gangster was where it
was at, and that was all I was
going to be was a gang member.
All that lifestyle did was give
me a bad reputation, a felony
record that I will have the rest
o f my life, and the loss o f a
whole bunch o f good friends. I
have recently and very reluc
tantly m ade th e d ecisio n to
change who I used to be, and
work on a new person that I will
become with hard work and dis
cipline.
I have been attending school
in Eugene at Lane Community
College with a major in Envi
ronm ental Science, working to
w ard an A sso ciate’s degree.
Then I will be transferring to the
University o f O regon for my
Bachelor’s degree in Renewable
Energy.
I still have about two years
left here at Lane because I had
to start at the bottom but, hey, I
just finished my fall term with
A’s and B ’s. W ho w ould have
ever thought that this is where I
would be in my life right now?
N o t me.
O ne o f the things that has
helped me trem endously was
doing a geographical change and
having family members, a new
group o f friends, and support
from the people w ho believe in
m e and tell me th at they are
proud o f w hat I ’m doing with
myself.
I am writing this letter be
cause I have to make amends
to people that I have hurt in the
past, telling you that I am sorry
for all the harm that I may have
caused you and your family, as
well as my community that may
have placed judgment on m e for
my choices and actions th a t
have tarnished my reputation
around the reservation.
I also want to tell our younger
generation that it doesn’t have
to be hard for you, all you have
to do is believe in yourself and
w ant something better for you
and your family. I hope that this
letter reaches you all in good
health, and hopefully helps you
understand that it’s never to late.
You younger Native people are
our future leaders. Think highly
o f yourselves because I do.
Thank you for your time. If
you w ant to get a hold o f me
you can write me at 133 Howard
Ave E u g e n e O R , 97404.
L o v e a n d re s p e c t alw ays,
W esley “w h ack ” Sm ith.
A thank you
I would like to send a thank
you out to a few people. A lot
o f p eo p le d o n ’t k n o w b u t I
nearly died in my jail cell. I had
bleeding ulcers. I tried telling
people I was feeling weird, shak
ing, sweating, blacking out. O ne
day I woke up sweating badly,
feeling really weird, tingling out
side o f my body. I fainted twice.
Curt Jim my cellmate told the
jailer just for the record that I
b lack e d o u t. J a ile r D an
Coffm an is a rare guy, a man
concerned about others.
W hen I was hemorrhaging,
D an ran to get tiie EMT. They
took me to Mt. View Hospital.
I had lost so much blood I was
fainting when the nurse tried to
take my vital signs. Dr. Savage
arrived, lowered my eyelid and
knew by looking there was no
oxygen. Dr. Locker arrived fast
and checked my blood count,
indicating serious blood loss. Dr.
Savage did another test and veri
fied blood loss. I was sweating
because my heart was beating
so fast trying to save my vital
organs. T h ey w ere sh u ttin g
down.
My family heard over the
scanner and arrived quickly. But
since I was in tribal custody they
were told they couldn’t see me.
I had an officer guarding me in
my room . Thankfully, the tribal
judge w as c o n ta c te d . C h ie f
Judge A nita Jackson signed a
m edical furlough, the officer
left, and my family got to come
and stay by my side. Thank you
Judge Jackson.
T hank you D an C offm an,
Dr. Locker, Dr. Savage, and two
Happy holidays
Kris Sampson, Santa, and her children Richard,
Larissa, Charise and Michael McConville Jr. (from left)
wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
tribal EMTs, I ’m sorry I didn’t
g e t y o u r nam es. T h a n k you
em ergency ro o m nurses, D r.
Manning, the many nurses who
c o m fo rte d m e. T h e re w ere
about 10 o f them. O ne name I
remember, I was proud because
sh e w as a trib a l m e m b e r,
Aiyanna Jackson.
I would also like to thank all
those w ho came in to pray for
me. Earl, Shirley Tufti, Peggy
Poitra, O na Piotra. Thanks for
th e cro ss necklace. F erm an
Tufti. Bernice Mitchell, Alfreda
Mitchell, W inona Stwyer, Lucille
Schuster, Percy, O scar Lewis,
Jerem ia Lewis, Jerom e Lewis,
Shari Miller, Rick Ribero, thanks
for the pocket cross.
A thank you to the doctors
and nurses who did the scope
surgery procedure. A thank you
to jailer Bryan Smith, w ho is al
ways concerned about me and
my meds. A nd thank you to my
family, Archie Caldera Jr., Will
iam Caldera, L onnie Caldera,
Jeremy Miller, my sons and my
mate o f 22 years Roberta Tufti,
m other o f my sons, w ho stayed
with me night and day the whole
four days.
I received 12 IV saline bags,
three units o f blood, three kinds
o f antibiotics, many other meds.
I ’ve been to Redmond for a CT
scan, very scary. Cat scan with
the dye in Madras, had an aller
gic reaction to the dye. Nearly
died from anaphylactic shock
fro m m o rp h in e in jectio n . A
scary three weeks.
My trial date is Jan. 21. Fam
ily and friends, please be there
for support. I thank all o f you
w ho saved my life. Thanks for
the prayers from cellmates and
the church groups w ho came
from Madras. Also a thank you
to Cary, another jailer who took
m e to all my medical appoint
ments. Thank you all and G od
bless you.
A rchie C ald era Sr.
Raffle support
T h e fam ily o f C h arice
McConville give a big thank you
to everyone for participating
and supporting Charice with the
Charice McConville Raffle.
T h e ra ffle a n d o th e r
fundraisers will help C harice
travel to Europe in the summer
o f 2010 as a student ambassa
dor with the People to People
program (see story on page 5).
T he raffle sales w ere held
Nov. 28-29, and D ec. 12-21.
Drawings were held on Nov. 29,
D ec. 12 and D ec. 21. A big
thank you to the donors and
congratulations to the winners.
The following are raffle prizes,
followed by the donor, and the
w inner o f the item:
“R oot Digger” framed print
by artist G ene Andy, donated by
R o salin d S am p so n , w o n by
Byron J. Patt.
Baby doll board, made and
donated by Rosalind Sampson,
won by Melissa Charley.
P e n d le to n
v e s t,
K ris
Sampson; June Smith. Pendleton
clu tch p u rse w ith g ift card,
M ich ael M cC o n v ille; Sylvia
McCabe.
Pendleton clutch purse with
gift card, Richard McConville;
Pat Creelman.
Flat miniature bag necklace
p iece w ith sh ell ea rrin g s,
R osalind S am pson; B yron J.
Patt.
Quilters set, m at w ith rotary
c u tte r, K ris S am p so n ; Je rry
Sampson.
Mr. a n d M rs. B ear tra d i
tional attire, m ade and donated
by Rosalind Sam pson; Agnes
Wolfe.
G ift tower with huckleberry
item s, M ich ael M cC onville;
W inona Stwyer. Miniature hoop
dip net, made and donated by
Richard McConville; Byron J.
P a tt Cowboy spurs salt and pep
per set, Kris Sampson; Wilson
Wewa.
R ed s to c k in g w ith B aby
E lm o
, ite m s ,
L a ris sa
M cC onville; A rlissa R h o an-
fuentes. G reen stocking w ith
W innie the P ooh items, Larissa
M cC onville; R h o n d a Sm ith.
U ten sil set w ith c ro c k p o t,
M e rild a C h a rle y ; B e n s o n
H eath.
Singer professional scissors,
M elissa C h arley ; D o n n a
W ain an w it. S hell n eck lace,
Eileen Spino; Shawn Morford.
M in iatu re “ C ro ss” earrin gs,
Eileen Spino; Ruth Traut.
Christmas wreath, made and
donated by Kris Sampson; Char
lotte Shike. Christm as w reath
m ad e a n d d o n a te d by K ris
Sampson: Moses Kalama. A set
o f C hristm as orn am en ts d o
nated by mystery Santa Claus;
Pat Creelman.
T h e re w ill b e fu tu re
fundraising events for Charice,
tribal m em ber o f the Confed
erated Tribes o f W arm Springs,
to support her People to People
am b assad o r trip to E u ro p e.
C ontributions and donations
can be sent or given to Charice
M cC o n v ille c / o R o s a li n d
S am pson, P.O. Box 648, Warm
Springs O R 97761.
Doing well
I ’m just w riting to let my
people know that I ’m alive and
well inside these brick walls. You
know I thought it would be easy
to turn my life around b u t I find
all kinds o f obstacles in my path.
This time I lasted 10 m onths in
sobriety b efo re I relapsed. I
jumped right back into old be
havior and am using the reser
vation as my scapegoat because
o f all o f my acquaintances are
there and I never tell them no
w hen it com es to partying. I
know there are a lot o f tribal
m em bers o ut there w ho were
where I ’m at right now and they
overcame their addictions and
are helping other tribal members.
I have people willing to help me
o u t b u t I never talk to them
because I thought that I had all
o f the answers.
I learned that I can’t do it by
myself b ut still think that I can
quit any time that I w ant to but
deep down in my heart and soul
I know I ’m lying’ to myself. I
pray that this time I learn my
lesson and realize that it’s time
to grow up.
I have two sons that are al
m ost m en who have never had
the privilege to learn anything
good from m e because I was
always in jail or prison. I never
got to see them grow up because
I chose alcohol and drugs over
them.
I’m going to California for a
few m o n th s b u t I ’ll keep in
touch. To all you young people,
“K eep your heads up.” Happy
holidays. Respectfully,
Jo h n so n N . H e a th Sr., no.
68697-065, Federal D etention
Center, P O Bpx 6000, Sheridan,
O R 97378.
Apologies
I am sorry I broke tribal law
o n 10-31-09 by giving false
identification, trying to represent
m yself to be another, w hen I
was asked by a law enforcem ent
officer. I apologize to B.J. This
Ski Day
Photo courtesy o f the Leo Co.
Having fun at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Day are Jesslynn
Anderson (front), Amissa Anderson (left), Samantha
Tappo (right), and Janaya Brunoe (back).
I w ant to say that the Dec.
12 ski trip to M t. H o o d
Meadows was awesome.
My grandkids had a great
time, and I really appreciate
action will never happen again.
C hanelle Jackson.
I am sorry I broke tribal law
on 9-15-09 by driving intoxi
cated and endangering three
other people other than my own.
I am also sorry to the tribal court
for missing my scheduled court.
A nd I assure you that this will
never happen again. W illiam
N a p y er.
I am sorry I broke tribal law
on 11-9-09 by trespass, 603-09,
305.240. I was asked to leave
and did b u t returned. I’m sorry
if I disrespected anybody by
being intoxicated and unaware
o f other people’s boundaries. I
apologize to Macy’s Market and
T.M. I ’m deeply sorry this hap
pened. H e n ry Y ahtin.
Myths and
facts about
diabetes
Wishing you a bright and joy
ous N ew Year. This article is to
people with diabetes.
P lease try to a n sw er th e
question before you read the
answer.
Q u estio n : Should I take as
pirin?
all that the tribes and Mt.
H ood Meadows do for our
kids. It is a good and posi
tive activity.
In a A nderson.
A nsw er: Maybe.
Some people w ith diabetes
can benefit from taking an as
pirin every day, because diabe
tes is a m ajor risk factor for
developing heart disease.
Taking an aspirin a day has
been shown to reduce the risk
o f heart attach in some people.
However, if you are already
taking blood thinning agents (like
W arfarin) prescribed by your
doctor, taking an ¿spirin is not
a good idea because it can alter
your bleeding factor.
In addition, over-the-counter
products like vitamin E , garlic
pills and other herbal products
that are commonly taken to pro
tect against heart disease can
also have a blood-thinning ef
fect.
I f you are n ot already taking
aspirin or other blood thinning
agents, please ask your doctor
at your next visit.
P lease c o n ta c t m e if you
have any questions at 553-2478.
E l s i e H o w a r d , D iabetes
N urse Educator, W arm Springs
Diabetes Program.
Thank you fo r writing to
the Spilyay. The next dead
line to submit letters to the
Spilyay Tymoo is Friday,
Jan. 8.
Spilyay Tymoo
(Coyote News, Est. 1976)
Publisher Emeritus: Sid Miller
Editor: Dave McMechan
Advertising Manager: Sam Howard
Media Advisor: Bill Rhoades
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