Smoke Signals 9
Community Fund Provides Books for Local Children
Grant will buy much-needed textbooks
for four schools.
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MAY 1, 2001
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By Brent Merrill
Homework just got a little
easier for students in the
Willamina School District.
Students attending Willamina High
School, Willamina Junior High
School, Willamina Elementary School
and Grand Ronde Elementary School
will be the beneficiaries of a $148,650
grant from the Spirit Mountain Com
munity Fund to be used towards the
purchase of new textbooks.
The Willamina School District has
less than 1,000 students enrolled in
kindergarten through the 12th
grade. The grant comes despite the
fact that area voters rejected a local
tax option last year that could have
provided money for books and addi
tional library materials.
The Spirit Mountain Community
Fund, the charitable arm of the Con
federated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community, awards six percent of
profits from the Tribes' Spirit Moun
tain Casino to worthy and deserving
charities and organizations in 11
Oregon counties.
"There is a dire need for new and
updated text books at the schools in
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the district," said Community Fund
Administrator and Grand Ronde
Tribal member Angela Ellis.
Ellis, who has children attending
local schools said some classes have
as little as five books to go around
the entire class.
"As a parent, I understand how
important books and library materi
als are in helping our children suc
ceed in school," said Ellis. "In the
eyes of the members of the Confed
erated Tribes of Grand Ronde it is
simply unacceptable that the children
in our local school district are falling
behind their peers because of inad
equate text books."
Ellis also said it is hard for kids to
make up missed work when needed
because textbooks are not allowed
out of the school building. She said
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New BOOkS - Willamina High School students, and Grand Ronde Tribal
members, Matt Zimbrick (left), Jason Bailey and Andrea Childers In the school
library reading some of the books that have been at the school since their par
ents attended high school. The Willamina School district recently received a
$148,650 grant to go towards the purchase of new textbooks and library ma
terials at the four schools in the district. The condition of these books shows
the need for more current materials.
books are shared on a daily basis and
photocopied continually.
The Spirit Mountain Community
Fund has given over $10 million in
less than four years of existence.
"There is a dire, critical need for
these books and I'm really happy with
this grant," said Ellis. "We have
worked closely with the school district
for close to a year now preparing this
grant to meet these important needs."
"The way I see it is our children are
our top priority," said Tribal Council
member Bob Haller. "In my opinion,
anything we do for children is a posi
tive. I'm very pleased with this grant."
fcusiness Syotlicjkt
My Candid life Photography: Picture Perfect
Tribal member turns her dream into reality and gets to see the results.
By Justin Phillips
It's not just a hobby anymore.
When you are good at something, people notice and want
more. To freeze a special moment in time forever is price
less. When the person behind the camera is as priceless
as the picture itself, well it makes it the entire experience
that much better.
Tribal member Mychal Leno's photography business, My
Candid Life Photography, is only a year old, but growing
all the time.
Leno got started in the business by taking pictures of
family and friends. Then, people started noticing her work.
Little by little she had more requests.
Leno has been attending photography classes at
Chemeketa Community College.
"I definitely like it now," said Leno. "I've been doing a
lot of work for friends to try to get my name out there to
build a reputation."
Leno learned a lot from different people.
"I learn really well from other people's experiences," said
Leno. "I don't like to reinvent the wheel. There are a lot of photographers
out there that I made friends with. Dale Peterson (a professional photogra
pher in Salem) has been an awesome mentor. He lets me tag along with him
on photo shoots."
Leno said that most photographers are really secretive about their work.
"Most of them aren't willing to tell you anything about anything that con
cerns photography," said Leno. "I guess it's just something about competi
tion. For me, I always want to share information. I'm just like a sponge right
now, absorbing all sorts of information that I hear or read."
Leno currently works in Spirit Mountain Casino s
Human Resources department as the Employee Re
lations Manager.
"Sometimes it's hard to schedule photo shoots
around my work schedule," Leno said.
A long-term goal is to have her own photography
studio in the Salem area. ' '
"It's quite a few years off, but that is what I'm bas
ing my business plan on," said Leno.
When it comes to taking pictures, Leno focuses on
more candid photos.
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Mychal Leno
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"I like to get people in their more natural setting, rather
than the grin and pose," said Leno.
She also took a Calligraphy class just recently. People
can have writing on the matting around the picture if
they choose to.
"It just came to me one night that there might be a con
nection between the two," said Leno.
Leno said she wants to thank her husband, Chris.
"He has been really supportive and encouraging," said
Leno of her husband. "You need that support. Some people
don't realize that it is such a huge step, starting up.some
thing new is scary it's fun and exciting, but it's also risky.
When I have a bad day, he is always there for me."
Chris is the one that came up with her business name,
which are also her initials.
The entire experience of starting her own business and
being involved in photography has been rewarding for her
because she sees things different now that she did before.
"When my family and I are driving somewhere I'm al
ways looking at things that might look good in a picture," said Leno.
In her office sits a picture of a door that she recently photographed.
"If you would have told me a year ago that I would have a picture of a door
and framed it, I would have just laughed," said Leno.
This is Leno's first experience with her own business. She is attending the
Tribe's Small Business department's "Starting a Successful Business" class.
"Sheila Herber has been really helpful to me," said Leno. "She has encour
aged me and given me good feedback on the things I do. I've had two or three
key people that I feel have been an integral part of starting up my small
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Leno is the daughter of Candy and Jess Robertson.
Mychal and Chris have two children, Caden and
Kiana.
So if you need some professional pictures taken,
whether it is just for fun, senior pictures or some
thing else, give her a call. Her phone number is 503-879-7303.
You can also reach her via e-mail at
mycandidlifeaol.com.
Mychal made her dreams come true; now let her
make yours come true through pictures.