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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2009)
8 AUGUST 1, 2009 Smoke Signals Tribal stoire goes 247 arcd gcreem) in summeir By Ron Karten Smoke Signals staff writer It's 2:30 in the morning and you're dying for a Skookum burger. Where do you go? Earlier in the year, you'd be out of luck, but with the coming of summer the Tribal convenience store, Grand Ronde Station, the only purveyor of the famous Skookum burger, is now a lot more convenient, says General Manager Christian Tinney (Eastern Cherokee). Starting in July, Grand Ronde Station started being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is up from winter hours of 7 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. When the C-store had a Taco Time franchise last summer, it also remained open 24 hours a day for the season. "We were closing at 10 or 11," said Margie Holmes, Grand Ronde Station assistant manager, "and people kept coming in." Spirit Mountain Casino employ ees come in after their shifts for a bite to eat at the Mak Mak Haws restaurant, and loggers come in all night long looking for something quick, like biscuits and gravy or cinnamon rolls, Holmes said. Then, in fall, it's the hunters com ing in all night, she added. "The swing shift wasn't getting out until 1:30 or 2 (in the morning)," Tinney said. In the end, the new schedule will have to pay its own way. "When sales drop below what I'm spending on labor," Tinney said, "I cut it off." In addition to longer hours, Grand Ronde Station now is using biodegradable silverware and to-go cartons. The to-go cartons are made from a hardened wheat product that breaks down completely after use and the utensils are made with corn starch, Tinney said. "The to-go cartons are good in the fridge and in the oven up to 450 degrees and are fully compostable!" Tinney wrote in an e-mail to Tribal employees. "The utensils are thick er and stronger than the plastic and will break down rapidly and leave no traces behind." Tinney got the idea from Tribal Council member Chris Mercier, who said he thought that the Tribe could be a leader in environmentally-friendly green practices. "I told him it's kind of cost-prohibitive, but we wanted to set the standard," Tinney said. "It may cost us a few pennies more per piece, but I thought, 'Let's do this because it is the right thing to do.' " At the next trade show he attended, Tinney started pricing products. On the food side, according to Margie Holmes, Grand Ronde Sta tion now serves a garlic-and-herb-grilled chicken, barbecue pork and Graphic created by Geroge Valdez new varieties of ice cream. And for the record book, Holmes said, more than 150 people have taken the Skookum burger chal lenge, and still only one Tribal member Chris Freeman has moved the whole thing from plate to stomach in less than an hour. B USDA food distribution The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's Social Services Depart ment has been meeting with the USDA program from the Siletz Tribe. In an attempt to provide better service and meet the specific indi vidual needs of Tribal members, our department is asking if Tribal members have an interest in receiving USDA distribution of food here at a local distribution center in Grand Ronde. We would like to know if there are enough Tribal members to measure the interest of delivery of USDA once each month. Please contact our Social Services office if you feel you are eligible for the program and would utilize it here at Grand Ronde. We will need your name and address to meet program guidelines. Please contact Social Services at 503-879-2034 or 1-800-242-8196. D Attention Tribal members Copies of Legislative Action Committee recommendations are available on the Tribal member side of the Tribal Web site. They are located with the Legislative Action Committee minutes. These forms are only a recommendation used by the Legislative Action Committee to move discussion items to a regular Tribal Council meeting for a vote of the Tribal Council. If you have any questions, please contact Dakota Whitecloud, Tribal Council Rela tions Coordinator, for more information. You may reach Whitecloud at 503-879-1309 or 1-800-422-0232, ext. 1309. D IFd9 sainrapniragj wnOD lb wDuSibD POWWOW continued from front page Other dance categories will in clude Golden Age, Adults, Teens and BoysGirls with first-place priz es ranging from $1,100 to $150. Powwow staff will include Master of Ceremonies Fred Hill (Umatilla), Head Judge Patricia Ike (Yakama) and Arena Director Freddie Ike Jr. (YakamaKock Creek Wasco). Free camping will be available at the powwow grounds and a $1 or can of food donation will be re quested for parking. No canopies or umbrellas will be allowed under the powwow tent and pets, drugs and alcohol are not permitted on the powwow grounds. For those wanting to stay at Spirit Mountain Casino, a shuttle will be available to the powwow grounds. All dancers will be required to complete tax forms and a Social Se curity number will be required. B . ...... lw. ft'iitw :' "S . . . - 4. , , ' ' 9 ' tt photo by MkheHc Aiattno Danccra participate in an InterTribal Dance after the 7 p.m. Grand Entry during the 200f Grand Ronde Contest Powwow on Saturday, Aug. 1 6, 200t.
