Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon June 25, 2014 Page 3 HHS welcomes new branch manager T racy Bray comes to Warm Springs from the Confeder- ated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation in Washington. She is the new general manager of the War m Springs Health and Human Services Branch. Tracy has one overall goal for the branch: “To make sure the children and families of this community have access to amazing services.” This requires all of the departments of Health and Human Services—and there are several—working to- gether. Tracy started in her new job just last week. She’s been meeting with the depart- ment heads, learning about everyone’s goals, and how to coordinate the various ser- vices. In time, she was saying re- cently, the goal will be to work more closely with the other tribal branches, such as Public Safety. But the focus for now is on the Health and Human Ser vices Branch, which overall has about 200 employees. Community Counseling, Community Health, Children’s Protective Ser- vices, Community Wellness, the Early Childhood Educa- tion Center, Family Preserva- tion, Culture and Heritage and Voc Rehab are among the departments in the Health and Human Services Branch. For the Chehalis Tribes, Tracy worked as director of Children and Family Services, and then as Director of Edu- cation. She explains that some years ago at Chehalis all of these services were under one department. The tribe decided to sepa- rate the services, creating Children and Family Services Dave McMechan/Spilyay Health and Human Services General Manager Tracy Bray has her office at the Family Resource Center. and Education, and Tracy became the Education direc- tor. She moved to Chehalis about 17 years ago, when she married her husband Kevin, who is a tribal member. The Chehalis have about 840 members. The health and human ser- vice programs, and funding sources that Warm Springs uses are very similar to the ones she worked with at Chehalis. “That was an excit- ing part for me,” she said, “seeing the many similarities.” The Warm Springs IHS pro- gram is the one big differ- ence, she said. The states of Oregon and Referendum: (Continued from page 1) We do not need to take land into trust, such as the case at Cascade Locks. We don’t need approval from the federal or state governments. We have a development part- ner to fund the pre-opera- tional start up cash required to get to financing. Myth: We’ll lose our sov- ereignty over the land. Fact: The land is not be- ing contributed into the joint venture. The value of a long term lease (25 to 99 years de- pending on the negotiations) is being contributed into the joint venture. Myth: This project will adversely affect our natural resources. Fact: The project will have to clear Integrated Re- source Management Plan be- fore it is allowed to move for- ward. This project would take pressure off of our existing natural resources—timber and water—to generate rev- enue. Myth: This project will put per capita and the senior pen- sion at risk. Reality: Per capita and se- nior pension are already at risk, and are funded through restricted funds not available for economic development. Based on preliminary projec- tions, the motorsports pro- posal is probably the only option available to save per capita and the senior pension. Myth: If this business fails, then we’ll lose the land. Fact: The land is not col- lateral for the loan, and there- fore cannot be foreclosed on. Washington also seem to have different attitudes to- ward the tribes. For instance in Washington, which has 29 federally recognized, the state government depart- ments all have tribal liaisons. The Chehalis and Warm Springs communities face similar challenges: “It can be difficult to access services, and to secure employment,” Tracy was saying. “That can be true for many rural com- munities, not just tribes.” Warm Springs is bigger than Chehalis in population and geography. “I feel like I’m in the big city here,” she says. Her parents live in cen- tral Washington and her brother lives in Nevada, so being in Central Oregon will be a central location. Her education background has a focus on Native Ameri- can studies. She first received a two-year degree from Belleview College, then a four-year Bachelors Degree from Evergreen State. This degree was in the Reservation Based Community Deter- mined program, focusing on issues of tribal sovereignty, Native culture and other as- pects of reservation life. She then earned a Master Degree in Public Administration. Tracy and her husband have six kids, ranging in age from 14 to 20. They are Kaleb, 20, Jordan, 19, Kaileen, 18, Jordan, 17, Jacquelyn, 16 and Kelsey 14. (The parents each had a child Jordan when they married.) Tracy also has a back- ground in basketball. She played in high school, and one year at college. Her high school team was very good, going to state all of her years there. She later coached the high school girls at Oakville, head- quarters of the Chehalis Tribes. It’s a very small school. Her focus at Oakville, she said, was not really on winning games, but on helping the girls make good decisions, like staying in school. “We might not have been a winning team in the tradi- tional sense,” she says. “But the girls graduated on time.” During her last year of coaching at Oakville, the three seniors on the team all graduated and went on to college. Breakfast for Seniors trip There will be fundraiser breakfast on Pi-Ume-Sha Saturday morning, June 28, for the Senior Wellness trip to Washington, D.C. The breakfast will be in the Social Hall at the Commu- nity Center, starting at 7. Tuesday youth culture classes Summer Recreation in- cludes Soaring Butterfly and Warrior Spirit at the Com- munity Center on Tuesdays. The classes will include culturally based teachings, crafts and learning activities. “Our goal is to share our unique culture as a form of prevention,” said Sarah Wolfe, program coordinator. The classes are fun and culturally educational. “Cul- ture is prevention,” Sarah says. The classes run through August 12, from 9-11 a.m. For more information call Carol at 541-553-3243; Deanie at 541-553-3442; or Sarah at 541-553-3205. Prevention Power at Center Summer Recreation is hosting Prevention Power on Fridays this summer at the Community Center. All ages are welcome. Prevention Power sessions, from 1:30- 2:30 p.m., will run through August 8. Topics: Culture is Prevention, al- cohol and drug prevention, leadership, self-care, random acts of kindness, dangerous decibels, tobacco, bullying and diabetes prevention. Camp Naimuma in July The Warm Springs Culture and Heritage Department will host Camp Naimuma from July 13-17 (boys) and July 20- 24 (girls). The camp is for youth ages 8-15. For informa- tion call Greg Arquette at 541-553-2390. The Warm Springs IHS Clinic has suspended their Thursday late clinic through August 28. This is due to short staffing. Look for the Grand Re-Opening in July Dave McMechan motorsports questions and answers The right to use the land will be collateral, though and the tribes would have a say on the ultimate use of that land un- til the debt is satisfied. Myth: A yes vote on the referendum means that we are committed to the project, even though we don’t have all the information and an- swers. Fact: The referendum is only looking for tribal mem- ber support to see if the project is viable. There are many hurdles—the IRMP process, and mitigation plan, infrastructure, for instance— that could prevent this project from happening. The negotiation with the potential partner, and a full feasibility study are other po- tential obstacles. Myth: All we would be doing is creating jobs for non tribal member. Reality: This could hap- pen, but not because the op- portunity is flawed but be- cause we let it happen. The Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) is but one tool to ensure that jobs are created for tribal members throughout the project Myth: The motorsports project is only for race cars. Fact: The motorsports park is a way to bring much needed infrastructure to the highway. This infrastructure can then be used to support other tribal business oppor- tunities: Casino, water park, amphitheater, rodeo and pow- wow grounds, sports complex. – New Hours – – New Inventory – New Location - Next to the Warm Springs Market