Smoke Signals 5
FEBRUARY 1,2009
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Photo courtesy of Kathy Gibbs
Seventeen graduate from the "Making Parenting a Pleasure" parenting course.
By Carmen Mercier
Indian Child Welfare Prevention Caseworker
As Kathy Gibbs from Easter Seals
Healthy Start walked into the first
session of "Make Parenting a Plea
sure," a group based positive par
enting course, one student asked
excitedly, "Where have you been?
We've been waiting for this!"
And so began a long-awaited
parent education class for Grand
Ronde Tribal members, a possibil
ity realized through the collabora
tion and enthusiasm of eight local
community partners.
Easter Seals Healthy Start, one
of many family centered programs
at Easter Seals Oregon Children's
Therapy Center, was approached
to facilitate a parenting class by
Carmen Mercier of Indian Child
Welfare.
As an ICW Prevention Case
worker, Mercier coordinated parent
outreach and registration.
She worked with Grand Ronde
Head Start to secure childcare and
a terrific cook, and also arranged to
hold the classes in the parent educa
tion building as well as secured in
centives for 100 percent participant
completion.
Employment Resources North
west, a job training program for
individuals receiving public assis
tance, supplied the parents with
workbooks.
The Behavioral Care Network
provided resources for instruction
of classes and food. During the last
class, an interesting and informa
tive presentation on childhood
diabetes was given by Connie Jae
ger, nurse practitioner from Polk
County Health Department. Her
daughter, Val, accompanied and
spoke of her experience living with
childhood diabetes.
Lastly, AmeriCorps member
Michelle Laseter assisted in the
classroom, engaging parents during
the 2.5 hour evening sessions.
Largely championed by Mercier,
the successful graduation of 17
parents from the Tribe is a testa
ment to the powerful outcomes of
collaboration. A big thank you to
community partners who made this
opportunity for parent education in
Grand Ronde possible. D
CeDDege & Career
Fa ddt seti ffocr RHay S
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde College & Career Fair
will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in the Tribal
gymnasium.
The fair is free and open to the public.
Attendees will meet with employment representatives, college and
university representatives, trade and apprenticeship programs, vo
cational programs, volunteer organizations and community outreach
organizations. There also will be break-out sessions on admissions,
financial aid, careers, internship opportunities and what employers
are looking for in employees.
For more information, call Tribal Academic Adviser Trinity Minahan
at 603-879-1478.
. r -a . L
' (SrranapMents Raising
Grandchildren
Please join us for a new grandparent support group at a
different time and place. We will meet the third Thursday
of each month. The February topic of discussion will be
"Interventions: Parenting young children.
Hope to see you there.
Support Group
Date: Thursday, Feb 1 9, 2009
Time: 10:30 A.M. - Noon
Place: Elder Activity Center
Speaker: Jeff cry K. Lukefcart, Ph.D. from the Center for
Bacceaefal Living Northwest Senior o Disability Services
Present to answer questional Dawn Cottrell from Yamhill
County Health at Human Service Family a Youth Pro rami
Contact Persona! Carmen Mercier 503-879-1646
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Ad created by George Vakfet
DVD continued
from front page
from the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde during its production.
Tribal Lands Manager Jan Mi
chael Lobking Wolf Reibach, an
award-winning Native flutist, has a
small part as Looking Wolf. His big
scene involves playing "Rabbit Song"
on Native flute while the late Floyd
Crow Westerman (Lakota Sioux)
talks around a beach campfire with
Julie (Suzanne Marie Doyon) about
going on a traditional vision quest.
Reibach contributed music to the
film and his compositions "Ocean
Music" and Teardrops" are listed
in the credits.
Grand Ronde Tribal member Leah
Brisbois plays a 16th century Indian
girl who watches as the Spanish pi
rates bury the gold and execute the
black slave. The legend begins from
her eyewitness account.
Vernon Kennedy (Burns Paiute),
who works for the Tribal Health De
partment as a Prevention Wellness
specialist, and Grand Ronde Tribal
member Maria Ramirez perform a Na
tive dance with Brisbois and Reibach
during the vision quest scene.
And behind the scenes. Tribal
Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy
and Tribal Elder Jackie Provost
receive credit for providing Indian
dance regalia. The credits also
thank the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde for its help in the
making of the movie.
Another Grand Ronde connection
involves Westerman's character's
name. Standing Elk. When co-pro
ducer Richard Doyon got to know
Reibach, he learned about Reibach's
uncle, Michael Harris Standing Elk
Reibach, who passed on in 2005.
Doyon, who also wrote the script
with his wife, director Jane Beau
mont Hall, named Westerman's
character Standing Elk.
"The Legend of Tillamook's Gold"
was shot in many Oregon locations,
including Manzanita, Vernonia,
Garibaldi, Wheeler and Nehalem.
Since its filming, the independent
feature the Doyons sold their
summer house in Manzanita to
raise almost $1 million to make the
film - was picked up by mini-studio
Maitland Primrose Group, based
in Phoenix, Ariz., and distributed.
It made its commercial debut at a
Mesa (Ariz.) movie theater.
Ted Chalmers, vice president of
distribution for Maitland Prim
rose, told the East Valley Tribune
in March 2008 that the compa
ny thought "Legend" would be a
"sleeper theatrical hit," consider
ing it featured such recognizable
character actors as Max Gail (Wojo
from "Barney Miller") and Brian
Thompson ("Cobra").
Since its release, "Legend" won
Best Family Film at the Newport
Beach Film Festival and Best
Children's Film at the Tiburon
International Film Festival.
It is available for purchase on
DVD at amazon.com and will be
shown on the Starz Kids & Family
cable channel at 4:40 p.m. March 1 1
and 1:05 p.m. March 12. A copy of
the DVD aim is available for check
out nt the Tribal Library. O