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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 2002)
OCTOBER 15, 2002 A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe www.grandronde.org as '"4. ' If. ' . f , I! AWm '-!;f (fy ; M't lJ iz ' f Jrv ' .'.. - - , ,, , f. fife He Runs Everyday Anyone who lives in the Grand Ronde area can tell you of having sighted Tribal Elder Don Simmons working out by running and biking up and down Grand Ronde Road during his daily workout routine. Simmons said he feels Spirit Mountain (in the background) is a spiritual place and appreciates living back home in Grand Ronde again. Elder's Feature: The Matuiire Boy Grand Ronde Tribal Elder Don Simmons, at 60, is a physical wonder and might just be in the best shape of his life. By Peta Tinda Tribal Elder Don Simmons walked briskly into the room, wearing a tank top and run ning shoes. He had just finished jogging two miles and wasn't even breathing hard. He exuded energy and moved with the ease of some one half his age. His eyes, bright and clear, sparkled with life and vigor. He walked out in front of his apartment at the Elders' housing in Grand Ronde and pointed at Spirit Mountain. "When Harry S. Truman was president," he said, "I stood up on that hill and looked down on this very spot. . .there is something spiri tual up there, something about that place, it makes you think you could fly." Donald Herbert Simmons, son of Samuel Patschal Simmons and Helen Lucille (Yoctorowic) Simmons, was born in 1942. He was delivered at Chemawa Indian School, as were five of his six sib lings. They lived in Grand Ronde, in a house that is still there today. Back then McPherson road was called "Wine Alley." It was fitting that they lived there, said Simmons, since his father was an alcoholic his entire life. "We were always poor; my dad drank and it was painful. We didn't have what other kids had," Simmons said. "I remember going to the first grade picnic and not having fifty cents for lunch. 50 cents was a not really a lot of money even in the 40's, but most of the time we didn't have it because our dad drank too damn much... that's what I remember most about the time," Simmons said. "The hardest part was seeing my mother suffer, because it was so hard on her. I still think about her on a daily ba sis." We go inside and sit in the living room. Two orange kittens dash madly through the house, in one door and out the other. The kitten's mother peers at us from outside. Don has lots of cats. He takes in all the strays in the area. People just bring him cats, because they know he'll take care of them. Simmons continued on page 4 eMpLoyees ceLesRAie casino's i years By Ron Karten Bill Pierce, Spirit Mountain Casino's Interim Chief Executive Officer, did the honors, but the plaque honoring 1,480 employees came from Spirit Mountain Gaming's Board of Directors. It recognized "its hard working em ployees" for "Exemplary Service, Com mitment to Quality, Dedication to Duty," with a plaque presented to Laurie Roe, the Casino's Organization Development and Training manager, on behalf of "Spirit Mountain's Most Valuable Asset." Tribal member Mike Cook, Mainte nance Technician in the Casino's Fa cilities Department, expressed a spe cial pride in being among them. "I look forward to coming to work," he said. "I work with some really great guys in maintenance." Cook is one who came to the casino from the logging industry that has dwindled as the Casino has grown. "It's a little safer in here," he joked. He remembered with great enjoyment "working in rain, snow, hail, whatever." His family was a logging family, with at one time his dad running yarder, his Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 ' Address Service Requested PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALEM, OR PERMIT NO. 178 OR Newspaper Proi. (JO Library System Pr-prv 1299 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON ' EUGENE OR 97403-1205 brother, Mark, a chaser, his brother Pat, pulling rigging, and himself setting chok ers. "They called it the Cook side," he said. Service in Vietnam interrupted life in the woods for Cook, and then a terrible acci dent interrupted it again, though he went back to logging for a time. He was driving logging trucks when his brother, Mark, who had moved over to working in the casino, asked him to join him. That was just about six years ago, and now Cook and his wife, Terry, work at the casino. He could have been echoing the words of Casino Marketing Director Adam Henny, who told a crowded room of employees, "It's your great ser vice that has made Spirit Mountain the success it is." "I want to thank everybody for be ing here from before the beginning," said Mike Larsen, Former Chairman Development and Training Manager Laurie Roe holds a plaque presented by new casino CEO Bill Pierce (right) while Tribal member Mike Larsen looks on. of the Spirit Mountain Gaming, Inc. Board of Directors and Facilities Man ager for the Tribe. "This thing has been a great adventure from day one. The Tribe is very thankful for what you've done for us and for yourselves." Roe, Training Specialist Jackie Van Cleave and the Hospitality on Target (HOT) team, comprising representa tives from all of the casino depart ments, pulled the event together. The Spirit Mountain Casino has ppme a long way since 600 employees i got the place started. "Happy seven years, Spirit Mountain!" said Roe. B
