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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 2025)
Eagle Quest brings together Native youth along the river The Eagle Quest Culture Camp is in its fourth year serv- ing Indigenous youth along the Big River, the Columbia. This summer Eagle Quest Cul- ture Camp brought together on average 50 children daily. Peak attendance reached 65 partici- pants. The two-week camp ser ves children from both Oregon and Washington throughout the Mid- Columbia River Gorge. Beyond traditional cultural crafts and activities like stick game instruction, the camp addresses a critical need for Indigenous youth living some distance from reser- vation communities. “Our community is away from the reservation, and because of that can be disconnected,” said Russell Spino, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Chief of Police. “This camp gives the children an opportunity to meet new Indig- enous people for relationships and friendships and identify with oth- ers like them.” The camp operates with 10 youth counselors, 11 support staff, and 14 teachers, with Police Chief Spino contributing throughout the entire program. Camp coordina- tor Venus Allison volunteers weekly alongside her regular du- ties as CRITFC Victim Advocate; and many more volunteers and staff. Each morning, campers gather in community circles where they greet each other with ‘niix macqi’ and ‘inme naymuma,’ reinforcing the camp’s central theme of strengthening access to and use of language. The daily gatherings aim to em- phasize to participating youth— from not only the four Columbia Eagle Quest Culture Camp drumming session. River treaty tribes but other tribal nations as well—who are part of a larger Indigenous community and family. Through consistent messaging about community throughout the two-week program, organizers hoped to help children understand they are never alone and have a network of Indigenous peers and mentors they can consider family, according to Spino. Eagle Quest is organized by the Johnson O’Malley-Title VI Indian Parent Committee in collaboration with the Columbia River Inter- Tribal Fish Commission. Other partnes are The Next Door Inc., Native Supports Team, and Co- lumbia Gorge Education Service District. photos courtesy CRITFC Eagle Quest Culture Camp, and traditional dance session. Community notes... The Warm Springs Preven- tion team will be set up before the Simnasho and Seekseequa district meetings from 4-6 p.m. to pass out information for indi- viduals and families. They will also give out gun lock cases to those who have not yet received one. Ever y Tuesday in War m Springs, there’s a Community Health and Wellness group at 11 a.m. in the old elementary school cafeteria, and a Wellbriety meet- ing at 1 p.m. at the Behavioral Health Center. Both open to the public. Also on Tuesdays, for current clients, there is a Build- ing Relationships group at 3 p.m., Adult Alcohol and Drug Educa- tion at 4 p.m. and Youth Wellbriety at 4. Thrive Central Oregon can help connect people to local re- sources for housing, health, ba- sic needs, benefits assistance and more. They have drop-in hours in Warm Springs and Madras once a week. Tuesdays they are avail- able at the Warm Springs Hous- ing Authority from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m.; and Thursdays at Jefferson County Public Health, 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Apprentice deck mechanic position An Apprentice Deck Me- chanic position is open with Tidewater. Founded in 1932, Tidewater has evolved into a multi-commodity transportation and terminal company serving the diverse and evolving trans- portation needs of the Pacific Northwest, Canada and be- yond. With headquarters in Vancouver, Tidewater oper- ates the largest barge transpor- tation and terminal network on the Columbia-Snake River system. The deadline to apply for the Apprentice Deck Mechanic po- sition is Monday, August 24. Start- ing wage is $35.73 per hour for the first 1,080 hours worked and $41.23 per hour for the second 1,080 hours worked. Upon suc- cessful completion of the Appren- ticeship Program, the starting wage as a Deck Mechanic is $54.97 per hour; with full-family medical, den- tal and vision coverage. The Apprentice Deck Mechanic works a 15-day on, 15-day off work schedule consisting of 6- hours on and 6-hours off shift ro- tations while onboard a vessel. This position is responsible for: conducting all deck operations aboard the tug as well as the barge tow, maintaining the engine room and mechanical systems of the vessel, and performing all routine inspections and house duties as required by the opera- tion. Deck operations include the handling and placement of a variety of tow-rigging in- cluding steel cables, straps, and rope lines. This role is respon- sible for cooking, cleaning, and a variety of daily tasks and projects. Crew members work in close quarters with other crew members sharing com- munity spaces and must main- tain common courtesies. For more information, and to submit an application, go to: www.tidewater.com/careers
