Smoke Signals 9
JUNE 1,2011
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Photo by Michelle Alalmo
A wreath whh recently walked on Tribal Elder Marce Norwesfi photo In It was on
display at the Memorial Day observance at the West Valley Veterans' Memorial
on the Tribal campus on Monday, May 30. A moment of silence was held in honor
of Norwest at the observance. In the background Tim Wehr, an Army veteran
from Sheridan, finds a name on the memorial after the ceremony.
MEMORIAL DAY
continued from front page
Blake Proebstel, next to his name
on the last available edge of the
Army pillar.
"I recognize some of the names on
here," said DeHart, "but I can't put
a face on them." DeHart brought his
wife of 45 years, Wanda, as well as
in-laws Mark and Kerry Zimmer
man with him for the observance.
His uncle, Lindel (Mike) L. Hunt, a
World War II veteran, also has his
name up on the memorial.
Tribal Elder Debbie Leno Estrada
of Huntington Beach, Calif., took
pictures of the names of her father,
former Tribal Elder Bud Leno, and
three Leno uncles, all honored on
the memorial.
The weekend also was planned to
lay headstones at the graves of her
father and former Tribal Elder Russ
Leno and, as a result, Debbie missed
her daughter's (Tribal member Dan
ielle Estrada) graduation ceremony
this weekend. Danielle graduated
with a master's degree from Long
Beach State University.
"We set aside a day each year to
show respect to everyday people with
extraordinary courage and heart,"
said Marine veteran and Tribal
Council member Steve Bobb Sr. "We
tend to make heroes of sports figures
who are paid exorbitant salaries and
flaunt bad behavior, but they're not
heroes. They'll never witness the
sight and sound of brave men dying.
Veterans are doing it every day they
serve, but they don't do it for money
or fame. They do it for freedom. They
gave up their lives yesterday so we
can stand here today."
"I thank every veteran for the
freedoms we have," said Tribal
Council member Jack Giffen Jr.
"It all comes down to one word,"
said Tribal Council member Chris
Mercier. 'Thanks."
Tribal Council member Wink
Soderberg said he joined the Navy
so he could go to school. "Whatever
the reason you join," he said, "it's a
good choice."
Reyn Leno noted that he joined
so he could take his first airplane
ride. The plane he got in dropped
him off in Vietnam, he said, and "It
was all uphill from there."
Former Tribal Elder Marce Nor
west was never far from this year's
observance. Reyn Leno said he was a
little uncomfortable emceeing with
out first asking Norwest about it.
Tribal member Brent Merrill,
who worked with Norwest in rais
ing money for the memorial, in
voked Marce's name as he asked
the crowd to remember dozens of
people without whose work the
memorial would not yet be built.
Oregon Congressman David Wu
noted in a letter read at the event
that veterans "willingly and eagerly
(chose) service over self and convic
tion over personal comfort," and com
plimented the Grand Ronde Tribe for
its similar "ethic of integrity toward
the earth and all of its multitudinous
creatures. They too should be hon
ored as teachers of a lifestyle that
reflects our commitment to working
with and not against our natu
ral environment."
The reading of the new names
added to the memorial included
Tribal Elder and Marine veteran
Alton Butler, reading the Marine
Corps names; Soderberg reading
the Navy names; Air Force veteran
Bud White reading the Air Force
names; and Tribal member and
ArmyMarine veteran Steve Rife
reading the Army names.
Butler, who served in the Marines
from 1969-80 and the Army from
1981-95, also honored two broth
ers who also were Marines, though
they have since walked on.
White is one of four brothers, he
said, all veterans whose names are
inscribed on the memorial.
The ceremony included Grand
Ronde Royalty members Nakoosa
Moreland, Senior Miss; Makenzie
Aaron, Junior Miss; Iyana Holmes,
Little Miss; and princesses Isabel
Grout, Madison Aaron, Amelia
Mooney and Kallie Provost, and
Amaryssa Mooney, who marched
in behind the Honor Guard and
performed "The Lord's Prayer."
This year's Honor Guard was led
by Tribal Elder Steve Rife, who car
ried the Eagle staff; Norris Merrill,
who carried the U.S. flag; Tribal
Elder Gene LaBonte, who carried
the Grand Ronde flag; Al Miller,
who carried the PIO-MIA flag; and
Chris Tinney (Lower Easter Chero
kee) who carried the Oregon flag.
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family
drummed as the Honor Guard posted
the colors. Canoe Family members
this year were Tribal member Bobby
Mercier, his son, Tribal member No
koa, and a young singer, Izaiah Fisher
(Siletz), along with Tribal members
Brian Krehbiel, Gregg Leno and
Marcus Gibbons and Yakama Tribal
member Richard Sohappy.
Honored as "special people" for
the Tribe this year were two Tribal
friends, former Polk County Commis
sioner Mike Propes and former Tribal
employee Bruce Lattin, and Marce
Norwest, all who have walked on.
Serving the noon meal of lasagna,
vegetables, salad and garlic bread
were Tribal Elders Julie Duncan,
Cheri Butler, Gladys Hobbs, along
with Tribal members Levi Liebelt
and Jason Bailey. Tinney helped
as did community member Virginia
Barlow.
Tribal Public Affairs Director
Siobhan Taylor helped the Veterans
Committee organize the event.
"Our vets don't ask a heck of a lot,"
said Reyn Leno, 'just one day's recog
nition. I'm proud that Native Ameri
cans hold veterans at the top." B
Purchase price is less than a
recent appraised 'as-is' value
MIDDLE SCHOOL continued
from front page
acre parcel contains 27,443 square
feet. The property also has multiple
paved parking areas and a play
ground. There also are two portable
buildings.
"This property marks a great
year for the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde in moving toward the
recovery of lands lost from our Ter
mination," Reibach said. "The school
property lies within the original
reservation boundaries and holds a
great zoning classification that al
lows for a wide variety of uses."
The property is zoned Grand
Ronde Public Assembly by Polk
County.
Reibach said the purchase price
is less than a recent appraised "as
is" value.
"We appreciate the consideration
that this land once belonged to the
Grand Ronde people," Reibach said.
"Our Tribe has a very conservative
approach to land acquisition, with
a policy to purchase lands at a fair
market value rate."
Reibach said his department
is responsible for a wide range of
Tribal Realty services, including
fee-to-trust conversions, leases,
easements, rights-of-way, record
keeping, water right facilitation
and lands management.
Even though land acquisition
is a proportionally small part of
Reibach's job, it plays a very signifi
cant role in maintaining Tribal sov
ereignty and developing a secure
future for the Tribe, he said.
"Programs like housing, culture,
natural resources and government
services could not exist without the
physical land to support them," he
said. "This is a win-win deal for
the Tribe."
Future Tribal uses of the middle
school property will be examined
and discussed with Tribal Coun
cil by the Tribal Executive Office
staff. B
Tribal Land
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Map created by George Valdez