16
Smoke Signals
MARCH 15, 2008
Dear Tribal members:
May this letter find all of our relations in good health and great spirits.
Inipi Oyate-Ki is our mission to teach and encourage our brothers (in
carcerated) to become productive citizens. This is done through the means
of creation, tradition and cultural education. With the aid of our Elders,
roadmen and volunteers, we address family values, life skills, alcohol and
drug recovery, gangs and the true value of living on the red road.
Our volunteers are a vital part of our healing and growth. Their support
is immeasurable.
Inipi Oyate-Ki will honor our volunteers this year at our Sept. 7, 2008,
annual powwow. In order to accomplish this year's powwow, we are in need
of financial aid. All donations will be used for giveaways, traditional foods
and transportation for volunteers. We thank you for your support.
Inipi Oyate-Ki would also like to extend an invitation to all 18 years and
older to attend and support this year's powwow. All financial donations
are to be sent to Inipi Oyate-Ki Club, Account No. 2404, Central Trust,
P.O. Box 14400, Salem, Ore. 97310.
For more information, please contact Phillip Tiger 5715360, 3405 Deer
Park Drive S.E., Salem, Ore. 97310, or call John Sipple, club supervisor,
at 503-373-0174.
Phillip Tiger
Salem
Dear Tribal employees:
Thank you for supporting Grand Sheramina Community Services. Thank
you for your donation on Jan. 4, 2008, of $1,773.25. It certainly was a big
help in purchasing more food. We commend you for having a caring spirit
to help your local communities. Someone will be helped who otherwise
may not receive help because of your donation.
Grand Sheramina Community Services is a local organization existing
to mobilize financial and human resources for the aid of persons in emer
gency need in west Yamhill and Polk counties.
The programs of GSCS include the Food Bank, utility assistance to prevent
shutoff, rent assistance to prevent eviction and Coats for Kids. We also lend
hospital equipment to those in need. We link volunteers with people needing
specialized services; we coordinate transportation to doctor's appointments;
and we refer people to the right organization so their need can be met.
We appreciate your commitment to GSCS and thank you for your sup
port. You have helped to make a difference in people's lives.
Kathy Ebensteiner
Executive director
Quilt raffle benefits Food Bank Garden
A quilt raffle is benefiting the Garden Program at the Grand Ronde
Community Resource Center.
The quilt, made by community member Ethel Taylor, has a garden theme
and can be viewed at the Tribal Governance Center.
Tickets can be purchased from Tribal Financial Risk and Insurance
Administrator Jim Holmes for a $1 each.
The goal is to sell 1,000 tickets to raise $1,000 for the Garden Program,
which includes the Community Garden, Youth Garden and Food Bank
Garden.
To buy tickets, contact Holmes at 503-879-2221.
Dear Smoke Signals:
Hello, my name is Daniel Freeman. You just printed a letter that my
mother submitted about me serving a seven-year prison sentence and how
that is affecting my family.
The letter never mentioned my three children who are in foster care.
There is so much I've never been able to express to them. I am able to see
and talk to my three older children. But to Jonathan, Angel and Thomas,
I need to say I love you so much. I think about you every single day. I pray
for your happiness and safety.
The hardest part of sitting in prison is the heartbreaking thought of
letting my children down. There are other reasons I feel led to write this
letter. One reason is to express to people the damage active addiction can
have on families. There are a lot of children in foster care as a result of
addictions. To those kids, I would like to say I can only imagine how you
feel. I'm sure you probably struggle trying to understand why you can't
be with your parents, wondering if your parents care about you. In my
case (and I believe there are a lot of parents who feel as I do; I've talked
to many), I care very deeply. There's no way to turn back the clock. But
one thing I do daily is to work at becoming a better man; one that some
day my children will be able to depend on. I will never give up hope of us
being together again.
To anyone out there living without somebody they love because of active
addiction, I'm so sorry for the self-centeredness of addiction. I'd say to
anyone struggling with addictions, please ask for help and accept it before
it's too late because the pain and regret of losing and living without the
people we love is a very high price to pay. It's not worth it.
Addictions lead to division of families, jails, institutions and death. Please
choose life. We, as a people, are worth the effort it takes to stay clean and
sober. Everybody in this world has value. As we get clean of addiction, we
begin to see that value.
I would like to apologize to my children, my family, my community, my
friends, the victims of my crime, myself and my God. I'm very sorry I chose
addiction over life. It was a very selfish choice.
I would like to say to all the foster parents out there taking care of
children who have been victims of the abuse and neglect that result from
addictions, I'm sorry for not being accountable and responsible as a father.
Thank you for being available for my children and other children out there,
helping by giving them stability, structure, hope, love and family. I love
you for loving them.
Lastly, I would like to thank our Tribe. Every time I've ever attempted
to help myself, they were there as support. Also Indian Child Welfare has
worked very hard at making sure my children are in a safe environment.
They are very supportive in regard of trying to keep families together.
I'm very sorry my family isn't together, but I'm also very grateful my
children are not in the middle of an addictive lifestyle. I hope and pray that
someday I will find a way to be involved in their lives even from prison.
From now on, I choose life. I hope you will too.
Through failure, we learn a lesson in humility, painful though it is. God
bless you.
Daniel Freeman
Roll 2287
2605 State Street
Salem, Or 97310
SID 7209507
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SPONSORED BY:Mfh Task Forct and Grand Road Community .Wellness!
Weaving, basket classes scheduled
The Grand Ronde Cultural Resources Department has scheduled
advanced weaving and Chinuk cross warp basket classes in March,
April and May.
"Woven Medallion," the advanced weaving class, will be held 5:30 to
8:30 p.m. March 17 and 19, and April 7 and 9. Interested participants
must sign up for all the classes, which are limited to 10 people and will
be held in Room 126 of the Education Building.
"Chinuk Cross Warp Basket" will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 10 in
the same location. There is no limit to the number of participants.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Misty Thorsgard at 800-422-0232,
ext. 2320, or e-mail misty.thorsgardgrandronde.org. D
CULTURAL GATHERINGS
MARCH 1 5: FLORENCE INDIAN EDUCATION 15TH ANNUAL POWWOW. Siuslaw
Middle School, 2221 Oak St. FLORENCE, OR. Contact 541-997-2514.
APRIL 1 8-20: PAH-LOOTS-PU POWWOW. Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum, N.E. Sta
dium Way and N.E. Orchard Drive. PULLMAN, WA. Contact 509-335-8676.
If you or anyone you know has information on cultural events happening, Smoke Signals would
be glad to list It In our Cultural Gatherings. Please e-mail newsgrandronde.org or write to
Smoke Signals, 96 1 5 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347.
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