6 JANUARY 15, 2007
Smoke Signals
Grand Ronde Delegation Attends Inaugural Ball
By Siobhan Taylor
Twenty representatives from
The Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde attended the Inaugural Hall
for Oregon Governor Ted Kulongos
ki. The Hall took place Saturday,
January 6 in the Oregon Conven
tion Center.
Members of the Tribal Council
who attended the event were Chair
man Chris Mercier, Vice Chair An
gie HIackwell, and council members
Wesley "Huddy" West, Val Sheker,
Kathy Tom. They attended with
their guests and members of the
Tribe's Executive Team. Randy
Dugger, General Manager of Spirit
Mountain Casino and Lynn Hill
man, Kxecutive Gaming Director
also attended.
"It's important to remember that
while we find ourselves at opposite
sides of the debate with the gover
nor on off-reservation gaming, we
do believe it is important to work
with him, as a sovereign govern
ment to cooperate on what's best
for Tribal people. "said Chairman
Mercier. "Our Tribe needs to con
tinue to build bridges at a commu
nity level and at a state level. Our
attendance at the event is part of
that." Mercier mentioned hunting
and fishing rights, alternative fuel,
education, healthcare and the envi
ronment as areas the Tribe needs to
work with the Governor and state
officials to address.
Legislators, business leaders and
Tribal leaders were out in full force.
At least 2,000 people packed the
ball room. Tribal representatives
attended a private reception with
r
t :
Tribal member Leland Butler, Jr.
will again have his face on the bill
boards. Butler, 12, was recently cho
sen to do an anti-drug campaign for
the Office of National Drug Control
Policy. It is a nationwide campaign
designed to promote positive alter
natives to American Indian teens.
The posters, as seen above, will
be distributed throughout Indian
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At least 2,000 people attended the
Inaugural Ball for Oregon Governor
Ted Kulongoski in Portland. Above,
a Grand Ronde delegation poses for
a picture. At right Chairman Chris
Mercier and guest Sarahjohn.
the Governor prior to the sit-down
dinner.
The event was formal attire
and the Grand Ronde delegation
didn't disappoint. Some members,
Mercier and West, looked dapper
in their tuxedos. It was most ap
propriate for their "photo op" with
the Governor.
Country across the United States.
"I want to end marijuana usage,"
said Butler. "I was really excited to
do this."
Butler's mother, Tribal member and
Human Resources Specialist Cindy
Watkins, explained that she received
an email requesting photos for a Na
tive American boy in an age group that
matched her son's.
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"We emailed them some photos and
they wanted more," said Watkins.
"Then we got the call that he had been
selected."
Watkins and Butler then scheduled
a time to do a photo shoot with Michael
Jones of Portland.
'It was really hard," said Butler. "They
took over 400 photos of me in my regalia.
I was getting frustrated because it was
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taking so long. But in the end, it
was worth it," he said.
For Butler, who dances tradi
tionally and competes in many
sports throughout the year, this
was just another walk in the park,
or face on a billboard.
"If he wants to try something,"
said Watkins, "he has never been
afraid of doing it."