12 MARCH 15, 2011
Smoke Signals
DIKIS S
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Workshop slatedl
Laurie Veitenheimer, regional Indian Health Service representative, will
visit Grand Ronde on Wednesday, March 16, to provide information on how
to complete the Indian Health Service Scholarship application.
The 2011 deadline is Monday, March 28.
Scholarship categories include:
Health Professionals Preparatory: Pre-clinical psychology, pre-nursing,
pre-pharmacy, pre-social work;
Health Professionals Pre-Graduate: Pre-dentistry, pre-medical, pre-podia-try;
Health Professionals: Includes a variety of associate, bachelor and graduate
programs.
Veitenheimer will be at the Adult Education Building between 1:30 and
3:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Tribal Scholarship Coordinator Luhui White
bear at 503-879-1345 or luhui.whitebeargrandronde.org. B
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Peggylee Chillson
Feb. 1, 1934 - Feb. 12, 2011
Peggylee Chillson, 77, longtime Moses
Lake, Wash., resident passed away Satur
day, Feb. 12, 2011, at Central Washing
ton Hospital in Wenatchee surrounded
by her loving family.
She was born Feb. 1, 1934, in
Orofino, Idaho, daughter of the late
Johnny and Laila (Pasila) Bellmer.
She was raised and educated in
Orofino. She met and later mar
ried Tribal Elder Gerald Stephens
Sr. in Bothell, Wash., and they had
nine children. They lived in Yakima,
Seattle and Everett before settling in
Moses Lake in the early 1980s.
Peggylee enjoyed dancing, bowling,
bird watching, playing cards, her lunch
es with the "lunch bunch" and the Motor
cycle Club. Her greatest love was spending
time with her family. She was a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Grape Drive.
She is survived by her significant other, Clyde Kinkel, of Moses
Lake; seven sons, Dana D. and Gloria Stephens of Odessa, Fabian R.
and Leah Stephens of Moses Lake, Lynnaire and Roberta Stephens
of Moses Lake, Gerauld Jr. and Connie Stephens of Sheridan, Ore.,
Anthony S. and Tammy Stephens of Moses Lake, Valiant V. Stephens
of Hot Springs, Mont., and Danti S. Stephens of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho;
two daughters, Kimalee Kirkman and Diana K. Leland of Moses
Lake; one brother, Benny Mennegar of California; one sister, Patty
Feucht, of Orofino; 29 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren
and several great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; son-in-law, Don Kirk
man; grandson, Dwaine Kultgen Sr.; granddaughter, Angelica Ar
misaeol Delacruz; and stepsister, Eldeen Mennegar.
Lottie Lavinas Child
Dec. 4, 1948 - Feb. 26, 2011
Tribal Elder Lottie Lavinas Child, 62, of Grand Ronde walked on
Feb. 26, 2011.
She was born to Floyd and Rose Low on Dec. 4, 1948, in Philomath,
Ore.
Lottie worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Vale, the
Tribal Health Clinic in Grand Ronde and also at Spirit Mountain
Casino in Grand Ronde as a blackjack dealer, as well as many other
games.
Lottie lived in many places, including Maggie Valley, N.C., and
Harper, Wren, Sheridan and Grand Ronde.
She very much loved her Tribe and stayed very involved. She also
loved crafting, hunting and fishing. ' '
Lottie is survived by her husband, Ryan Child of Tillamook; daugh
ters, April Michelle Loges of Payson, Ariz., Paula Ann Wilkinson of
Grand Ronde and Brandy Lavinas Sanchez of Vale, Ore.; and son,
Big Farmer of Grand Ronde.
She held a memorial with her family and friends before her pass
ing, and her committal at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Cemetery was private.
Arrangements were by Adamson's Sheridan Funeral Home. To
leave online condolences, go to www.AdamsonsSheridanFuneral-Home.com.
Eugene office holding
grand re-opening
The Eugene satellite office will hold a grand re-opening from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 30, with lunch at noon.
There will be food and door prizes, too. All are welcome and are in
vited. "Come reunite with your Eugene area Tribal member family," said
Tribal member and Eugene Office Coordinator Perri McDaniel.
The Eugene Tribal office is at 711 Country Club Road, Suite, 1A. For
more information, call 54 1-484-7085 or send an e-mail to perri. mcdaniel
grandronde.org.
Saddle CMb pxsuu
The Grand Ronde Saddle Club is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday,
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday near the
former Grand Ronde Food Bank west of Grand Ronde Road.
The Saddle Club is closed on Thursday and Sunday. For more informa
tion, contact Tribal member Clint Folden at 503-559-1977. B
Elder's bingo changes days
Bingo at the Elders' Activity Center has been moved to the second
and fourth Fridays of the month.
Potluck starts at 6 p.m. and bingo starts at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Elder Activity Assistant Daniel Ham
at 503-879-2233. B
There's wDsdlom Dim
say Dim 2) joocOIbye
In an effort to inform and assist the community at large, Smoke Signals
publishes an occasional article addressing various mental health issues
written by a member of the Behavioral Health Department at Health & Well
ness. This is Tom Bender's final column before leaving for New Mexico.
By Tom Bender
Tribal Mental Health counselor
I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wis. For this last Super Bowl, I went to
the home of fellow-Cheese Heads to enjoy some food and watch the game.
My friends were aware that my wife and I were moving to New Mexico at
the end of March. As we stood at the front door to say our goodbyes, they
suggested we get together one more time before we leave.
My first instinct was to say, "Yes, of course," even as I knew that another
get together was unlikely. I paused for a moment, took in these two wonder
ful people and told them, thank you, but no. I explained that we would be
extremely busy between now and our moving date and suggested we say our
farewells over the telephone.
It felt liberating to honor the moment and not pretend I could agree to
something I knew would not happen.
For many of us, goodbyes are a sad affair, one that we would rather not think
about or avoid altogether. If a loved one is facing the end of their life, we may
even stay in denial all the way to the end anything not to feel.
The day before my father was to go in for triple bypass surgery, my step
mother and I were in his hospital room for a visit. I asked my dad if his
impending operation had him thinking about his own mortality. His wife
looked at me sternly and said, 'Tom!" My father gently waved her off and
said, "No, that's OK. I want to talk about it."
I have worked with many people who have lost any number of friends and
family members in their lives; some due to illness and death, some to prison
time and substance abuse, and some simply because people move away and
relationships end. If we have spent a good part of our lives avoiding these
farewells arid repressing our sadness and our grief, then each ensuing good
bye may stimulate the pain we carry from all the previous, unfelt partings.
To stem the tide of our emotions, we sometimes even resort to self-medication
through our addictions.
To be alive is to face the fire of many farewells. With each goodbye, we
get to feel our heart break just a little more and learn about our bottomless
capacity to love and grow. But if we come from a place of fear of loss, we
may discover that in our attempt to avoid the pain of too much sorrow, we
have limited our own ability to love and connect with other human beings.
A number of spiritual lineages say that the way to increase what one wants
in life is to give it away. You want more love in your life? Be more loving.
You want more compassion? Practice compassion in action. You want to be
heard? Practice active listening.
And if you want to become more tender of heart and mind? Allow yourself
to consciously say farewell and to feel your grief and sadness.
Thank you, Grand Ronde. It has been a privilege working with you these
last three-and-a-half years. B