8
Smoke Signals January is, 2000
9
Four tribal offices
change locations
Some important tribal programs have moved their offices.
The Tribe's Cultural Resource Protection department and the Office
of Museum Development have moved from the Governance Center into
the newly remodeled Community Center, and the Tribe's Small Busi
ness Development department has moved from the Tribe's human re
sources building on Highway 18 to the Governance Center.
According to Small Business Division Manager Elaine Moore, while
the move has been difficult, all program operations are currently up
and running.
Moore said the only change for tribal members wanting to access
program services is the need for an appointment when needing the
staffs help.
Cultural Resources Specialist June Olson said her department is al
most back to full operation.
"We still have some unpacking to do and are waiting for some new
furniture and file cabinets to arrive," said Olson. "We are not provid
ing some of the services we would normally provide because we are still
in boxes."
Olson said by mid-January the Cultural Resources Protection De
partment should be back to normal.
"We are planning an open house on February 28 to get people re
acquainted with our program and see our new space," said Olson.
Additionally, the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission is now located
at 28840 Salmon River Highway, in the same building as the casino's
Human resources department.
Upcoming Community Meetings
Tribal Council will hold a series of Community Meetings in March of this
year. Council is interested in learning what issues the tribal membership
would like to discuss at these meetings. Please take a few minutes to write
down the top concerns you would like Tribal Council to discuss with you.
1
Clip this ad and mail it to:
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Attention: Jackie Whisler
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
Or, if you prefer, call Jackie Whisler at 1-800-422-0232., ext. 2320.
SMOKE SIGNALS is available to anyone at no cost.
Fill out this form with your name and address, mail to:
Smoke Signals, Attn: Justin Phillips
9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347
OLD ADDRESS:
NEW ADDRESS:
GRAND RONDE ROLL : .
I
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Community Fund helps a variety of non-profits
The Tribe continues its tradition of giving by supporting
causes rooted in education, culture, and health.
Continued from front page
The fund was created when the
Tribe renegotiated their gaming com
pact with the state of Oregon. Spirit
Mountain Casino became the larg
est gaming enterprise in Oregon with
the signing of the new agreement.
In the compact's language was an
agreement for the Tribe to distribute
six percent of the casino's net rev
enues throughout the community.
The fund has allowed the Tribe to
be a leader in the support of impor
tant and vital community resources.
The fund also allows the Tribe to con
tinue its ancient tradition of sharing
with others.
The Life Flight helicopter system
and women's and children's shelters
have seen money come their way
from the fund.
"I think it is a great deal," said Spirit
Mountain's top executive Bruce Tho
mas. The Tribe has always reached
out to the community. We are pleased
to be able to help in the community
and this is a great way to do it."
The Tribe views the Community
Fund as an obligation and a cour
tesy. The fund is not available to
the Tribe for programs or distribu
tion to members.
The Community Fund is adminis
tered by a Board of Trustees that in
cludes a who's who list of prominent
Oregonians. Tribal Chair Kathryn
Harrison," Tribal Council Secretary
Ed Pearsall and Tribal Council mem
ber June Sell-Sherer represent the
Tribe on the board.
Spirit Mountain Marketing Direc
tor Chuck Galford helped develop
and implement the fund and is a
member of the board, as is Commu
nity Fund Administrator Amber
Russell. Russell is the fund's event
coordinator and she handles public
issue management.
Polk County Commissioner Ron
Dodge serves on the fund's board.
Polk County Commissioner Ron Dodge
serves on the Community Fund Board.
Dodge is a highly active member of
the Polk County community where
he has lived his entire life.
Sho Dozono, president and CEO of
AzumanoCarlson Wagonlit Travel,
is a highly respected business and
community leader who makes time
in his busy schedule to participate on
the board.
Oregon Senator Kate Brown
brings the credibility of her office to
the board. The Senator believes in
environmental conservation and en
joys working with the tribes in Or
egon. The Senator has served on
many committees and boards, but
said her involvement with the Spirit
Mountain Community Fund has
been the most rewarding experience.
United States Attorney Kristine
Olson serves on the board and has
worked on a number of Native Ameri
can issues during her career. Olson
brings a distinguished law career as
experience with her to the board.
Olson said she is proud of the Tribe,
proud of the contributions made by
the Spirit Mountain Community
Fund and she is proud to be a mem
ber of the fund's Board of Trustees.
"First of all, I was very honored that
the Tribe had that amount of trust
in me to have me in that position (as
a member of the board)," said Olson.
"I think that the Community Fund
has done a world of good in convey
ing the message that the tribes are
good neighbors in their county ser
vice area. I think the way the board
and the Tribe have gone about allo
cating the grants and making sure
that we work across counties and
work through the different substan
tive areas like law enforcement,
health and education has really fos
tered excellent relationships in the
community."
Olson said she is impressed with
the other members of the board as
well.
"Chuck Galford has done a really
good job in reviewing all of the ap
plications and really doing an objec-
tive analysis on the applications,"
said Olson. "People (on the board)
really listen and respect each other's
opinion. The members of the board
have had a wide view and that is
really wonderful to see."
Olson said board members have
been able to look beyond their spe
cialty areas and personal concerns to
help a broad spectrum of people.
"All of those people on the board
bring not just heightened awareness
in some areas, but a real global con-
People really listen and
respect each other's opinion.
The members of the board - ;
have had a wide view and
that is really wonderful
to see.
Kristine Olson
United States Attorney
I
0 ill
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cern to the task," said Olson.
"We have terrific people on the
board," said Thomas. "They are ac
complished people."
Thomas said board members exam
ine the community to see where the
fund's contributions can really make
a difference.
"They try to look for causes either
that have a profound effect on a few
people or maybe a less profound effect
that benefits a whole lot of people," said
Thomas. "What causes will our con
tribution have the most impact on.
That is how you measure it."
Thomas said the board tries to bal
ance contributions. For example, a
contribution could be made to a can
cer hospice that benefits only 30
people or funds can go into an edu
cation program that will benefit
thousands of students.
Olson said there is a shared feel
ing among board members that what
they are doing is important.
"There is more consistent and dili
gent attendance on that board than
any other board I have ever served
on," said Olson. "It is real clear to
me that people really care."
Olson said several individual fund
grants stand out in her mind as sig
nificant; some more than others.
"For me, rather than the huge
awards that we have done that have
had a significant impact on Portland
like OMSI (Oregon Museum of Sci
ence and Industry) and the arts
museum and the library (Mult
nomah County Library) which are
the ones that always get all the at
tention some of these smaller com
munity programs that are operating
on a shoestring "are the ones that
have had an impact on me person
ally. For example, the hospice that
serves seniors in the last months of
their lives that would have more of
an impact than many of the grants I
can think of.
"When we actually turn over the
money and we hear the difference it
makes it means so much," said Olson.
Senator Brown agreed with Olson
and said she is proud of her associa
tion with the Tribe and her position
on the board.
"I certainly have been honored to
be on the board," said Brown. "One
of the things I like best about it is
that we are helping to build new pro
grams. " I really enjoy the building
t
A Community Fund grant helped
bring a Native American mask exhibit
to the Portland Art Museum.
up the lifting up.
"It has been an opportunity to
work more closely with the tribal
members," said Brown. "This gives
me an opportunity to know the
Grand Ronde Tribe better.
"These are really prominent Or
egon people so it has been a really
good opportunity for me to be able
to work with them," said Brown of
her fellow board members. "I feel like
I've learned more from the experi
ence than I've been able to give. It
has been a really wonderful experi
ence. It has been really fun to see
the Tribe nurture and develop this
incredible potential that is out there."
Thomas said the Fund reflects well
on the casino as a community-based
enterprise.
"I think it helps demonstrate to the
public that the casino is more than
just gambling," said Thomas. "There
is all the jobs we have created
throughout the community. It is
turning things around for the Tribe,
but also it is giving back to the com
munity in a positive type of atmo
sphere." Thomas said the Community Fund
makes the casino more a part of the
community.
"We are participating in issues that
are very important to the commu
nity," said Thomas. "I think the fund
has been well-organized since the be
ginning and it is meeting its mission.
I think the causes they have selected
have been very worthy.
Willamette University's Hallie Ford
Museum of Art received a grant to
fund its Native American gallery,
which was named after the Grand
Ronde Tribe.
1999 Community Fund grants:
Grants went toward improving the access rural or disadvantaged Oregon
families have to emergency services and education. Grants also focused
on preserving and enhancing Native American culture, and on making it
more accessible to all Oregonians.
Major grants included:
fl $270,000 to the Raphael House in Portland to renovate a
building so the domestic shelter can increase its capacity by 60
percent, allowing more than 500 women and children to be served
each year.
D $265,000 to the Oregon Garden Foundation to preserve a
stand of Oregon white oaks, including the "Signature Oak," which is
at least 400 years old. Invasive plants will be eliminated and the
grove will be replanted with native species so visitors to the 240-acre
garden under construction north of Salem will be able to see how
Western Oregon looked before Europeans settled here.
D $250,000 to the Multnomah County Library Foundation to
build the library's collection of books written by and about Native
Americans. The grant also will be used to fund Native American
programs and speakers.
B $247,264 to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, continuing the
Tribe's funding of additional deputies to improve highway safety,
especially on heavily traveled Highway 18.
B $150,000 to the Oregon Classical Chinese Garden Trust to
develop an urban garden in downtown Portland intended to
acknowledge the role Chinese immigrants played in Oregon's history.
B $149,800 to the Oregon Children's Foundation for the
SMART reading program. SMART provides free books and
volunteers to read to disadvantaged children. Spirit Mountain's
contribution funded SMART programs for Grand Ronde and Willamina
Elementary Schools as well as for schools in Corvallis, Albany, Eugene,
Hillsboro and Portland.
Other grants included:
Education -
B $77,000 to the Saturday Academy and Oregon Graduate
Institute of Science & Technology to fund high school
apprenticeships.
B $33,208 to Grand Ronde Elementary School to enhance
i,,: reading education in grades first through third., , ?
B $50,000 to Young Audiences to encourage and enhance
arts education.
B $25,000 for various education and training programs run by the
Oregon Restaurant Foundation.
B $15,500 to the Oregon State University SMILE program for
science and math education.
B $15,150 to Un Lugar Para Ninos (A Child's Place) in Hillsboro
providing educational opportunities to preschool children.
B $14,940 to Junior Achievement to promote learning about the
free-enterprise system.
Emergency services
B $60,000 to the Assistance League of Salem for clothing for
low-income children.
B $50,000 to Community Outreach Inc. in Corvallis to help build
a health clinic to serve low-income, indigent and elderly people.
B $5,000 to Interfaith Caregivers in Albany to support services
for elderly shut-ins.
B $9,874 to the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual
Violence for support materials for area domestic shelters.
B $28,790 to Yamhill County Veteran's Services for
transportation services.
B $7,600 to the Grand Ronde Community Resource Center to
create a Food Bank.
Cultural and environmental
B $30,100 to the Salem Art Association for ceramics workshops
for at-risk youths.
B $20,000 to help fund the fall beach cleanup sponsored by Stop
Oregon Litter and Vandalism (SOLV).
B $7,000 to the Portland Opera Association for school
performances.
B $14,000 to the Oregon Symphony to fund concerts in Salem.
B $15,000 to the Salem Art Association for an art exhibition
series.
B $2,500 to the Oregon State Parks Trust for riparian habitat
restoration.
Health -
B $50,000 to the American Diabetes Association for diabetes
research.
B $25,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation for diabetes
research.