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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2009)
FEBRUARY 15, 2009 Smoke Signals NOTICE Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings DATE TIME Wednesday, Feb. 25 4 p.m. Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed. Call Dakota Whitecloud, Tribal Council Relations Coordinator, at 503-879-1309 to confirm. Dear Smoke Signals: While taking down last year's Grand Ronde calendar, my eyes fell on the Grand Ronde Vision Statement: "The Tribe's vision is to be a Tribal community known as a caring people, dedicated to the principles of honesty and integrity, building community, and responsibility and self-sufficiency through personal empowerment, and responsible stewardship of human and natural re sources; a community willing to act with courage in preserving Tribal cultures and tradition for all future generations." When I think of the division within the Tribe over the subject of enroll- ment, I think about the words "courage" and "all future generations." I think we need to change this Mission Statement to reflect reality. I thought to myself, "Did the entire Tribal Council show courage in supporting the conclusions of the Ad Hoc Enrollment Committee in pre serving our Tribe for future generations?" My answer was a resounding "No." When I was asked to serve on the Ad Hoc committee, I naively as sumed that the entire council would support the conclusions of the Ad Hoc committee, since it was council who appointed our committee and who paid our wages. If they had supported us, I have no doubt that our proposal would have passed. What a missed opportunity. I hope members of council who did not support the Ad Hoc committee's proposal will not be shocked to learn that many of us who supported enrollment change look with pain at expenditures authorized by council, such as the following example: When I read in the Smoke Signals that the Tribe was planning to spend $500,000 to build a plankhouse. I hope you understand my reaction. The council is willing to spend $500,000 on a plankhouse, but two thirds of council cannot support keeping our Tribe together by back ing enrollment change? I don't get it. How far would that $500,000 go toward reuniting our Tribe and benefiting our children who are denied and disenrolled? Marilyn Portwood Roll 2915 Dear Smoke Signals: I appreciate the recognition and honoring to me at our Restoration celebration. I thank the Tribal Council and the Tribe for the gifts. I ap preciate them. I reflected on the event and want to express my thoughts that surfaced during an interview I participated in during that time. I was asked, be cause I was a founder of the Restoration effort, if I envisioned the current development of the Tribe. I responded that the Restoration work was to establish a path so our members could be self-sufficient, well able to provide for themselves, be well-educated and have good health services. It was to help the downtrodden. In looking back and up to now, I observe that some members have achieved these mentioned goals while the downtrodden are still downtrodden. I am concerned about this matter and wonder what can be done to change this. My hope and dream was that all members could participate in the advantages the Tribe has to offer. So work remains to be done. I am concerned about enrollment requirements. They are crafted to keep our people out of the Tribe rather than be part of our family. I am saddened that our Tribe has sunk to this level and has established such restrictive rules to keep our family members, some who have one-half Grand Ronde blood, out. This is not right and in our Restoration effort we never intended this to happen. I believe we must reconsider this issue. Margaret Provost Roll 645 See page 10 for more letters. Tribal offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16, in observance of Presi dent'sTribal Chiefs Day. Correction The author of the submitted article "Parenting class graduates 17" was misidentified in the Feb. 1 Smoke Signals. The article was written by Kathy Gibbs, director of Polk County Healthy Start. General Council meeting Sunday, March 1 Springfield Holiday Inn (Chinook Ballroom) 919 Kruse Way Springfield, Oregon 97477 For information, see page 16. NOTE START TIME IS 10 A.M. ; PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 961 5 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 1-800-422-0232, FAX: 503-879-2173 Web site: www.grandronde.orgnews E-mail: newsgrandronde.org SIOBHAN TAYLOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR 503-879-1920 Uobhin.uytorgrindroode.org SCARLETT HOLTZ PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY 503-879-1 453 GEORGE VALDEZ GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST 503-879-1416 (tortt.valdtigrindrondc.ort CARLA ROBERTS CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-1447 cirU.robem(ggr andronde.org KRISTEN RAVIA PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECRETARY 503-879-1418 krbrtn.raviigrandrorKl.org JUSTIN PHILLIPS PAGE DESIGNER 503-879-2190 (mln.prillllpsgrandrorKlt.org MICHELLE ALAIMO PHOTOJOURNALIST 503-879-1961 mkMte.aUlmograndronde.org DEADLINE DATE DEAN RHODES PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR 503-879-1463 dean.rhodesgrandronde.org RON KARTEN STAFF WRITER 503-879-4663 ron.lurttngrandrondt.onj SHELLY KENT CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-5211 shelty.kentgrandronde.org ISSUE DATE Friday, Feb. 20 MARCH 1 Tuesday, March 5 MARCH 15 (33B57 SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com munity of Oregon, Is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without permission. Our editorial policy is Intended to encourage Input from Tribal members and readers about stories printed In the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mail address must be included for verification purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not be published unless requested. SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on Individuals, staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council. Members of: Native American Journalists Association The Associated Press Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association 2009 Tribal Council 1-800-422-0232 counciigrandronde.org O Cheryle A. Kennedy Chris Mercter Tribal Chairwoman ext. 2305 ext. 2352 chiis.merclergrandronde.org cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org n Wnk Soderberg O Reyn Leno ext. 1 444 Tribal Vice Chair wlnk.soderbergerandronde.org - ext. 2399 0 Katn Tom reyn.lenograndronde.org fixj 1777 P Jack Ciffen Jr. kathleen.tomgrandronde.org Tribal Secretary o June Sell-Sherer -ext. 2306 -ext. 2300 ack.glfTengrandronde.org une.sherergrandronde.org SUVS ,Bc,bb Sr O Valorie Sheker -ext. 2353 -ext. 2355 steve.bobbgrandronde.org val.shekergrandronde.org
