NOVEMBER 1, 200S
Smoke Signals 11
2005 Statesman Of The Year Awards In Portland
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Honored On Monday, October 24, the Oregon Business Association
presented Barbara Roberts (left) and Norma Paulus (above) with the 2005
Oregon Statesman of the Year Award. Shortly after the presentation, Tribal
Council members Wink Soderberg and Wesley "Buddy" West along with Tribal
Elder Kathryn Harrison honored the two ladies with a Pendleton blanket.
Tribal Member Honored By National Tourism Organization
Elaine LaBonte elected to sit on Tourism Association Board of Directors.
By Toby McCIary
Tribal member and Tribal Tour
ism Coordinator Elaine LaBonte,
was recently elected to the Ameri
can Indian Alaska Native Tourism
Association's (AIANTA) Board of
Directors.
On the week of September 25-28,
LaBonte attended the 7th Annual
American Indian Tourism Confer
ence presented by AIANTA in Hol
lywood, FL. Representatives from
Tribal Nations throughout the
United States and Canada attended
the conference. The event was held
at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel
and Casino and was hosted by the
Seminole Tribe who represented the
Eastern Region Tribes.
"It's important for our Tribe to
network with other Tribes," said
LaBonte. "I want to put our Tribe
in a National forefront."
AIANTA is an organization that
strives to create a unique ambiance
where Indian tourism professionals
can gather to build partnerships,
network and develop their profes
sional capabilities. They provide a
look at the history of Indian Tour
ism and share how it has evolved in
Indian Country today.
"It is our goal to bring Native busi
nesses up to date on tourism trends
and provide a forum to create part
nerships that will contribute to a
healthy and sustainable economy
for Tribes across the Nation," said
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Tribal Tourism Coordinator
& Tribal member Elaine LaBonte
President of AIANTA Board of Di
rectors Camille Ferguson in a 2005
letter.
Here is a list of projects and con
cerns that AIANTA will focus on in
the upcoming year:
Introduce Indian business to op
portunities in international and
domestic tourism markets
Educate and promoting
potential benefits of tourism
to Tribal communities
Expand a collective voice
on Indian tourism issues
Create a unified effort and
understanding for tourism
within Tribal communities
Create a collaborative
partnership between the
Indian tourism industry and
the International tourism
industry to promote quality
experiences and services to
Tribal lands
Provide technical assis
tance to Tribal groups in
terested in tourism
development
Provide information on
tourism trends that will af
fect Indian Country
It is the Board of
Director's responsibility to
follow through with provid
ing and presenting these ideas to
all of Indian Country and to rep
resent their Tribes with respect,
honor and integrity.
LaBonte was nominated for the
board by Quinault Nation Council
member James De La Cruz.
LaBonte accepted and was voted to
the board shortly thereafter.
The board in composed of seven
members, each serving a three-year
term. They are required to attend
two annual board meetings in order
to discuss recommendations on
Tribal tourism issues and present
them to the National Congress of
American Indians (NCAI) and the
National Indian Gaming Associa
tion (NIGA) and to help educate
Tribal tourism professionals.
In her three-year term,
LaBonte will represent all of the
Tribes in the Pacific Northwest,
which include Oregon, California,
Idaho and Washington. She will
speak on the behalf of each Tribe
and express their tourism ideas
and concerns as well as share
those ideas with the NCAI and
the NIGA.
Next year, LaBonte will serve as
the Co-Chair of the 2006 8th Annual
American Indian Tourism Confer
ence at the Quinault Nation in
Taholah, Washington.
"I feel I have a strong sense of
how to help the Quinault put on the
best conference ever," said
LaBonte.
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Party Spirit
Mountain Casino
celebrated their 10
Anniversary on
Saturday, October 15.
A party was held in
the Bingo Hall for
Coyote Club members,
featuring dancing and
live music performed
by a classic rock cover
band (right). There
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fjj five electric guitars
signed by ZZ Top and a
giveaway for a 1 934
Ford Coupe.
Photos by
Toby McCIary
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