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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2006)
MARCH 1,2006 Smoke Signals 9 Rodeo Special Event Board Seeking Members The Rodeo Committee has a vacancy and is now taking applica tions. Interested persons contact Harold Lyon at 971-237-5775 or 503-550-4897 or Dakota Whitecloud at 503-879-1309. Rodeo meetings are the first Thursday of each month and are open to all Tribal members. Attention Tribal Members Participating Tribal Members will be Entered into Drawing for Prizes! Your participation is requested to complete a survey. The Tribe is gathering information about Tribal members and access to health in surance coverage. Participating in the survey WILL NOT change current health benefits to Tribal members, but will assist the Tribe in providing quality and cost effective health care for all Tribal members. Responses are strictly confidential and will be available only for the stated purpose. Deadline for completion and entry into the drawing is Friday, March 10,2006. Online Survey: You may complete the online survey and get more information at www.grandronde.org. Paper Survey: You should have received a paper survey the week of January 16, 2006. If you choose to take the paper survey, please use the appropri ate postage and mail to: The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Attn: Allyson Lecatsas 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347 You only need to complete either the paper survey or online survey, but not both. Online participation is strongly encouraged and allows for: JP Prompt drawing entry, Reduced chance that paper survey may be lost in the mail, and saved costs in time and mailing. Successful submission of the paper or online survey will enter you into drawing for the following PRIZES: Thirty (30) $50 Gift Certificates! If you have any questions regarding this survey, please contact Allyson Lecatsas, at 503-879-2221. UMR Appoints Service Representative For Tribe Your opinion matters to us. At community meetings you asked for more accessibility. So we've made it more convenient for you to get answers to your claims or benefits questions. On January 9, 2006, Lynn Donnell, who is based in Sa lem, Oregon, began working as a UMR Service Representative dedi cated exclusively to the Tribe. Lynn is available by telephone until 7 PST as well as by individual appointment in the Governance Center. With over 20 years of experi ence in medical billing, human resources, and insurancethird party administration services, Lynn is well qualified to assist you. A graduate of the San Diego College for Medical and Dental Assis tants, Lynn began working in the medical field in 1984. She started out working for a surgeon, but quickly discovered she preferred work ing in the front office. "It was pretty obvious I wouldn't be much help to the surgeon when I fainted during a procedure!" she says. 'There was an opening in the billing department due to a maternity leave. I was able to fill in for her and discovered my niche." In 1999 she joined UMR as a benefits administrator and later be came an account manager. Lynn's professional background will be an asset in her new position as UMR's CTGR Service Representative. "Working in doctor's offices and hospitals has given me a good un derstanding of billing practices," she says. "And my UMR experience gives me insight into how claims are processed. The combination of the two gives me a well rounded perspective." Lynn is looking for ward to working with the Tribe. "My position here in Oregon is very exciting to me," she says. "I really want to help people and make a difference. Being exclusively assigned to one and only one customer will allow me to focus on CTGR and SMC plan members. I think that says a lot about UMR's commitment to CTGR, its members, and valued employees." You can contact Lynn by calling the current telephone number on the back of your ID card (888-284-7236). Or you can schedule an appointment to meet with Lynn individually by calling the Tribal telephone number. Lynn Donnell, Service Representitive for the Tribe Betsy Margarite Schaefer Tribal Elder Betsy Margarite Schaefer beloved mother, grandmother, great grand mother, aunt passed away February 1, 2006 at the age of 74. Born the daughter of John and Esther LaBonte in Glide, Oregon. She is survived by her sisters Rosetta Manangan and Esther Borquez of Portland, Oregon and eight sons and daughters. Betsy spent her retire ment years in Astoria, Oregon after working for many years in filleting fish in the local canneries. She made many life long friends who will deeply miss her. We all miss her generous heart, mischievous wit, fiery temper and dedicated friendship. At her request there was no formal service. Remembrances if desired may be made to the Tribal Elders' Housing project. Donna Linton Donna passed away at the home of her sons in Sheridan, Oregon on Wednesday December 21, 2005. She was the 5th daughter of Albert and Hazel Gillett. She is survived by her five children: Tom Linton of Sheridan, Dennis Linton of Grand Ronde, Wendy Scott and husband Leroy of Grand Ronde, Kathy Cawley and husband Bill of Prineville and Terri Spittles and husband Mike of Prineville. 12 grand children, 4 sisters: May Donaldson, Louise Taggart, and Alberta Agaliotis of Til lamook and Barbara Johnson of Yuma, Arizona. ONABEN A Native American Business Network is offering: Indianprenuership A Native American Journey into Business Participants will be offered professional assistance with: Developing a Business Plan Financing and Bookkeeping Marketing Legal Requirements Classes will be held at the Grand Ronde Tribal Education Building. Classes Start in April 2006 from 6-9 p.m. For more information about ONABEN services and to register for classes contact: ONABEN Main Office at 1-800-854-8289 Craft Class New Schedule March 4 and 5 10 a.m.-4 p.m. cradleboards March 11 and 12 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last class) Sunday, March 12 will be our last class, so we will have a potluck on that day. Everyone is invited and please bring your favorite dish! For more information please contact Misty Blakely Tribal Tourism Assistant 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347 Phone: 503-879-1618 Grand Ronde Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program The Grand Ronde Tribe is operating its own Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to assist income eligible Grand Ronde Tribal members with energy payments (utility bills, firewood, etc.), energy emergencies and weatherization (e.g. furnace repairs). Households with an adult Grand Ronde Tribal member are eligible to apply within Polk, Yamhill, Marion, Washington, Multnomah, Tillamook, and Clackamas counties. CTGR members in these counties need to contact Grand Ronde to receive assistance instead of from the community action agency in their area. Grand Ronde's program enables more CTGR members to be served than would otherwise have been possible. If you are interested in obtaining services contact Social Services at 1-800-242-8196 for energy assistance and the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority at 503-879-2405 for weatherization. The Tribe's LIHEAP program also serves all income eligible Indians on Grand Ronde Reservation or trust land.
