4
Smoke Signals
Spirit Mountain gives $10,000 for
West Valley food baskets
The Community Fund
along with dedicated
volunteers help make the
holidays brighter for some
local residents.
GRAND RONDE, OR - The Wil
lamina VFW and Grand Sheramina
Community Services received $5,000
each from the Spirit Mountain Com
munity Fund to make the holidays
a little warmer for the veterans, eld
erly, disabled, and needy who receive
food baskets from the two charities.
This marks the fourth year in a
row that the Grand Ronde Tribe has
contributed to both of these organi
zations. To date, over $20,000 in
cash contributions, and 24,000
pounds of non-perishable food items
have been donated to these groups
by the Tribe.
The VFW and the Grand She
ramina Community Services are
non-profit agencies that work to
gether in assisting residents of the
Polk and Yamhill counties. Both or
ganizations are staffed by volun
teers. The VFW, established in 1948,
has been giving food baskets to resi
dents for the past twenty years,
while Grand Sheramina has distrib
uted food baskets since 1982. The
two organizations coordinate their
programs to cover the two county
area.
'The Tribe feels strongly that no
one should go hungry, particularly
at this time of the year. We hope
these gifts will help more people have
a Merry Christmas," says Commu
nity Fund Trustee, Chuck Galford.
1998: A year of programs and projects
continued from frontpage
tion over the cost of water hook-ups
at Grand Meadows Manufactured
Home Park.
MAY: Tony Johnson, Language
Specialist, begins work on a Dictio
nary of Chinook jargon. Classes
begin in Grand Ronde for members
who wish to learn Chinook jargon.
Local tribes celebrate American
Indian Week in Oregon. Secretary
of State Phil Keisling signs the dec
laration at the state capitol in front
of tribal leaders.
JUNE: The Tribe's float, Adven
tures of the Spirit, wins the Grand
Prize in Portland's Grand Floral Pa
rade, the largest parade on the West
Coast.
Tribal Council announces that the
Member Benefit Fund will increase
in July by $1,000.
Hundreds come to Grand Ronde
for the Tribe's Annual Spirit Moun
tain Stampede and Rodeo.
JULY: Tribal Council holds a se
ries of community meetings in
Grand Ronde, Salem, Portland, Eu
gene, and Bend. Tribal members
from all over Oregon come to discuss
issues revolving around program ser
vices, benefits, health insurance,
housing, and casino revenues.
AUGUST: The Grand Ronde An
nual Pow-wow is held.
SEPTEMBER: The membership
elects three new Council members:
Kathryh Harrison, Ed Larserif and
Bob Haller.
Smoke Signals temporarily
changes its name to the Grand
Ronde Review.
OCTOBER: Tribal member Pete
Wakeland is named the first Hatfield
Fellow. i
Tribe announces the dispute with
the Grand Ronde Community Wa
ter Association will be decided in Polk
County Circuit Court.
NOVEMBER: The new Gover
nance Center is opened. A dedica
tion and blessing is attended by Les
Aucoin, Elizabeth Furse, tribal
members and community members.
The tribal newspaper's name is re
turned to Smoke Signals, after an
opinion survey is completed.
DECEMBER: Spirit Mountain
Lodge, the Tribe's new hotel opens.
Tribal Council hires a new Execu
tive Officer, Ted Mala.
Many honored at hotel ribbon-cutting
continued from frontpage
"As tribal members we need to re
member our ancestry," he said. "But
we also need to provide services to
our members. We take pride in be
ing able to offer new opportunities
to our people."
Mike Larsen said a few words on
behalf of the Board of Directors, and
thanked Tammy Cook, who helped
create the rustic look of Spirit Moun
tain Lodge.
"This is another proud day for our
people," said Larsen. " I mostly want
to thank our Elders. Without them,
none of us would be here, and I hope
they are as proud of us as we are of
all of them."
Larsen said that the Board has a
difficult duty at times, trying to
make business decisions to help ben
efit all the people, and he is proud of
what has been accomplished with
Spirit Mountain Lodge. Larsen also
thanked past and present Tribal
Council and the tribal membership.
The ribbon-cutting was followed by
tours of the lodge, and a buffet din
ner in the Casino banquet room.
The Grand Ronde Tribe estab
lished the Spirit Mountain Commu
nity Fund in January 1997 to con
tinue the Tribe's age-old tradition of
sharing and giving back. The Com
munity Fund receives 6 of the
Tribe's casino profits each year for
projects and organizations that serve
the public in eleven Northwest Or
egon counties, including Polk and
Yamhill counties. Thus far, organi
zations in the West Valley have re
ceived over 30 of the grants made
by the Community Fund.
For more information about the
Spirit Mountain Community
Fund, please contact Amber
Russell at 1-800-760-7977.
Kids chosen to
Shop with Sheriff
Thirty-two Grand Ronde children
were chosen to participate in the
annual Shop with a Sheriff program.
This program allows children from
lower income households to buy
Christmas gifts for their immediate
family members. Money is donated
by the Dallas Wal-Mart, Polk County
Sheriff's Department, and the
Grand Ronde Service Integration
Team. This year almost $400 was
raised from passing the hat at the
Sheriff's Department.
Each year this program shows
community spirit as volunteers from
the Sheriff's Department and local
agencies shop with the children one-on-one
at Wal-Mart. "We are creat
ing great little shoppers," comments
Rhonda Holder, Polk County
Juvenille Department. "They are
learning to budget money and shar
ing a positive experience with law
enforcement."
An extended thank you to all who
participated from driving the kids
to Wal-Mart to helping them wrap
their presents; from donating money
to spending a Saturday morning
shopping with kids!
Dear Editor:
Lus-uk-san (good day). As I look
toward the new year, 1999, 1 would
like to take the time to thank the
people (tillicum), who almost 24
years ago began what we now refer
to as "Restoration." Marvin Kimsey,
Margaret Provost, Joe Lane (d),
Merle Holmes, and their family and
friends. (People like Jackie Provost,
Jackie Whisler, and Joann Colton.)
Those folks who traveled around
as a WORK TEAM. They had to
convince the public how and why
Restoration would be a good thing
for us as a people. This was before
there was any money. They did this
work through money out of their
own pocket, received donations, and
raised funds. They developed all this
infrastructure, and went through
the initial process even before we
could be recognized. Then came the
process of being recognized by the
state of Oregon. These steps were
all necessary.
Though they have served on
Council at various times over the
years, or as employees, most of these
folks are no longer involved in tribal
government. (However, Jackie
Whisler and Jackie Provost both
work for the Tribe.) Since they are
not in tribal government, it may be
difficult to see these folks, but When
you do, please give them a big
"thank you." Because of their de
termination and initiative, we have
a Tribal Council today. We have dis
cussions that revolve around ques
tions like: Will there be any payment
to the membership?, Where is tribal
member housing? and Where is a
cultural program for our people to
know and share in who we are?
I would like to thank all the people
I mentioned above.
Shawn Hostler (Tdro-Li-Tdret)
Roll 1699
(SMOKE SIGNAL
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Or 97347
EDITOR:
TRACY DUGAN 879-2254
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OSCAR JOHNSON 879 2321
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FAX: (503) 879-2263
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