MAY 1, 2004
MOCC
A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
www.grandronde.org
Spirit!: Mountain Commiiiity Fumd
Tribal Council Working Together
Leaders meet in Grand Ronde to discuss ways to continue support of Oregon's non-profits.
Tribe has given $25 million
since the establishment of the
Community Fund in 1997
By Brent Merrill
Members of the Spirit Mountain Commu
nity Fund Board and the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde's Tribal Coun
cil met in Grand Ronde on Thursday, April 29 to
discuss ways to ensure the continued support of
many of Oregon's non-profit organizations.
The meeting was upbeat and positive and lead
ers came away with renewed momentum to keep
up with the Tribe's tradition of giving back to
the community.
The Council and the Fund Board issued this
statement following the meeting "The Grand
Ronde Tribal Council and the Spirit Mountain joint public announcement in the coming
Community Fund Board are committed to work- months."
8 K "
9 " " -"'
ing together to ensure funding for Oregon's non
profit community. We are in the process of work
ing out funding logistics, including the timing
of contributions. We are making every effort to
expedite this process and will make a further
Tribal member and Spirit Mountain Casino
Marketing Director Adam Henny, who has been
See Fund on page 3
Front Page Picture Of
Native American Skull
Insults Oregon Indians
The Oregonian stands by use of the picture and compares
it with publishing a photo of caskets returning from Iraq.
By Ron Karten
When the Public Information
Manager for the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde (CTGR)
learned about the front page story
in the April 16 issue of The Orego
nian, he was incensed.
"Just that they had put one of
our ancestors on the front page to
sell newspapers made me sick to my
stomach," said Brent Merrill, the
Tribe's Public Information Man
ager and the Editor of Smoke Sig
nals. The story, above the fold, fea
tured a photograph of a Native
American skull discovered above
the ceiling of a Portland house be
ing renovated.
Indians have long honored their
dead and the sacred objects accom
panying funerals by keeping them
beyond the light of publicity and
photographs. Out of respect for this
tradition, Oregon law prohibits
public display of such items with
out Tribal approval.
The Oregonian, with a
longstanding reputation for being
considerate of Indian culture, nev
ertheless, discussed the pros and
cons of publishing the picture be
fore going ahead in this instance.
"Any time we run sensitive ma
terial, we try to approach it with
sensitivity and you know, discus
See Skull on page 3
lilt
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon
961 5 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
our. i t-it wen . wu'jni v-j
1299 UNIUERSITY OF OREGON
EUGENE OR 97403-i 205
PRESORTED
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SALEM, OR
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Room To Grow "Except for the sun not being out, it's a great day for
Grand Ronde and it's a great day for the community," said Richard Kline,
General Manager for the Spirit Mountain Casino. Groundbreaking followed
by a week or so actual work on the lodge expansion that will add some 1 50
rooms to the existing lodge and is slated for completion by March, 2005.
"We're going to bring Spirit Mountain Casino more toward the idea and the
vision that we all have of a destination resort," said Kline. Breaking
ground (above) with Kline, were from left Tribal Council member Bob Haller,
Tribal Financial Officer Larry Kovach, Tribal Council member Jack Giffen,
Jr.,Tribal Council Secretary June Sell-Sherer, Richard Kline.Tribal Council
Vice-Chairman ReynLeno and Tribal Council member JanD.Reibach, Kline
and Kovach (below) in an impromptu discussion after the ground breaking.
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