2 FEBRUARY 15, 2004
Smoke Signals
Dear Smoke Signals,
I would like to personally thank Tribal Council member Jack GifTen, Jr.
and Vernon Kennedy for their efforts in making sure the Tribal Elders
were safe during the recent snow storm. Both Jack and Vernon called my
home to make sure I was doing good and had everything I needed. Your
efforts did not go unnoticed.
Also on another note, thank you to the Public Information Office for all
the nice, colorful photos used in the Smoke Signals.
Sincerely,
Gene Hudson
Roll 273
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank the Tribe, as well as apologize to the Contract
Health staff, for sending me to the Tribe's partner optician, Eagle Eye
Optical, here in Portland. I needed new eyeglasses and this was not the
. eye doctor of my choosing. I thought I was getting shortchanged and I
expressed that to Contact Health staff. Boy! Was I wrong. The glasses
are the best I've had for a long time, the frames are perfect and I have no
headache like the last three pairs of glasses gave me. This is not the best
part of this experience, Eagle Eye Optical is owned and operated by a
Tribal member, with a name like Eagle Eye, I should have known there
was something Native about the place. Maybe that's why I have no head
ache. Being treated with respect and care can do that for you.
Thank you again,
Dave Brumitt
Roll 3407
Dear Editor,
The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority just completed a project to fix up
my old house, which desperately needed some TLC, in part because a huge
black-walnut tree in front of my place had fallen on my porch. Thanks to the
home-repair grant for low-income Tribal members (a compliment to the Tribal
program to help members purchase their first homes), my house just got rebuilt
porches, new energy-efficient doors, new siding and a new coat of paint. Linda
Layden, Don Coon and everyone at the Tribal Housing Authority were great to
work with, especially since we had some unexpected delays, including waiting
for the insulation to be installed by the Bonneville Power Administration and
the recent intense snowstorms. (If any Tribal members are interested, BPA
now has funds available to insulate the houses of low-income American Indians
in Oregon through the community-action weatherization programs in each
county).
I often get yelled at about Indian casinos, especially the one proposed for the
Columbia Gorge, where I was an environmental activist for many years (includ
ing helping the Tribes save rivers and restore salmon runs). But after I explain
to the critics about where our casino profits are going (i.e., health insurance for
Tribal members, scholarships, pensions for Tribal Elders, housing programs, a
new Wellness Center and long-term investments for after gaming revenues decline-as
well as the millions we give to non-profits), they're usually lamenting
that they don't have elected governments with such good priorities.
Just before we got Tribal health insurance, I got real sick (from the type of
bacterial pneumonia that killed Jim Hensen of the Muppets) and almost died. I
miraculously recovered physically after complicated operations and three weeks
in and out of the state hospital, but the illness left me in such financial ruins
that if it wasn't for my Tribal Elder's pension, I probably would have ended up
homeless. I had $50,000 of medical bills (which contract health thankfully helped
with), but I couldn't work for many months and couldn't get unemployment
because I'm self-employed, so I lost many of my possessions. But thanks to my
monthly Elders' pension and old friends, I was able to save my house (which
just got spruced up) and my car, so I'm doing just fine. And now I have health
insurance from the Tribe, which is especially important to those of us who are
self-employed artists and couldn't possibly afford health insurance these days.
So I want to sincerely thank all the Grand Ronde Tribal leaders past and
present including my father's great-grandfather, who signed the 1855
Willamette Valley (Grand Ronde) Treaty a few months before being hanged by
then Lt. Phil Sheridan and the U.S. Army for their great foresight. While
we sometimes get bogged down in Tribal politics and bickering, our Tribal
Council's decisions have shown great vision and have made many lives so much
better, mine included, in ways we could only dream about back when we finally
got restored. Many thanks!
Chuck Williams
Roll 1799
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347
1-800-422-0232 FAX: 503-879-2173
www.grandronde.org
fart
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M- "M'i
W
BRENT MERRILL
PUBLIC INFORMATION
MANAGEREDITOR
503-879-2321
brem.mertlHgrandn30de.org
JUSTIN PHILLIPS
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
503-879-2190
lustin.phllllpsgrandrande.org
RON KARTEN
STAFF WRITER
503-879-4663
ron.liartengrandnonde.org
TOBYMCCLARY
PRODUCTION
ASSISTANT I
503-879-1358
toby.mcclarygrandronde.org
SANDY BOBB
SECRETARY
503-879-1453
sandra.bobbgrandronde.org
PETATINDA
PHOTOJOURNALIST
503-879-1416
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SHELLY KENT
CENTRAL PHONES
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"1 .1 1 W i I7TV1 H ri
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nity of Oregon, is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted
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Correction In the February 1, 2003 issue of Smoke Signals, we
misidentified Steven Schussman and Randy Thayer. We apologize for
this mistake.
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