Smoke Signals 3
JANUARY 15, 201 2
(ViembeirsDDDip tor Defied odd Coinni muni) fitly Fiamid
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal member Kathleen George,
who took over as executive direc
tor of Spirit Mountain Community
Fund in 2011, briefed the Tribal
membership on the fund's past
and gave indications about where
it is headed in the future during
the Jan. 8 General Council meet
ing held in the Tribal Community
Center.
The Community Fund, which is
the philanthropic arm of the Con
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde,
distributes 6 percent of Spirit
Mountain Casino revenues to chari
table organizations in an 11 -county
area, as well as to the state's nine
federally recognized Tribes.
Grants are awarded in the cat
egories of health, education, arts
and culture, historic and envi
ronmental preservation, public
safety and problem gambling. It
is supervised by an eight-member
Board of Trustees, which currently
includes Tribal Council members
Steve Bobb Sr., Reyn Leno and
Toby McClary, and Tribal member
Ron Reibach.
In 2011, the Community Fund
awarded $2.97 million in grants.
"The Community Fund is im
portant to the quality of life in
northwest Oregon," George said,
after telling the General Council
audience how "wonderful" is was
to return to the Tribe. "There con
tinues to be a great time of need
in Oregon. The requests for aid
have exploded during the last few
years."
George said that since 1997, when
the Community Fund was created,
3,729 grant applications have been
received and 1,706 funded. Over
those 15 years, the Community
Fund has awarded more than $55
million in grants.
Since 2008, the Community Fund
also has aided Oregon's nine Tribes
through its Oregon Tribal Grants
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal member Kathleen George, Spirit Mountain Community Fund executive
director, gives the Tribal membership a report on the fund's past and
discusses some of the future plans for it, during the General Council meeting
in the Tribal Community Center on Sunday, Jan. 8.
Program, distributing 24 Tribal
grants totaling $1,074 million.
George said the Tribal Grants
Program helps fill a need since
Tribes customarily receive less
support from philanthropic foun
dations. For 2012, George said the Com
munity Fund will concentrate on a
new public information campaign
that reminds Oregonians that the
Community Fund exists because of
the Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde.
"Every now and then, it is good
to refresh that," George said about
the direct connection between the
Tribe, Spirit Mountain Casino and
the Community Fund.
She said the Community Fund
also will work at revitalizing the
Hatfield Fellowship, which places
a Tribal member from Oregon or
Washington in the office of a mem
ber of the Oregon congressional
delegation. The fellow works for
nine months in Washington, D.C.,
and learns about the federal gov
ernment and also informs those in
Congress about Native American
issues and culture.
She said the Community Fund
will continue to work with reduced
funding levels because of the lower
revenue coming from Spirit Moun
tain Casino.
"We want to continue to leave a
legacy that is consistent with our
Tribal values," George said.
In other action, Tribal member
Melisa Chandler briefed the gen
eral membership on the Cultural
Resources Site Protection Program
as part of the cultural presenta
tion. Tribal Council member Steve
Bobb Sr. gave the invocation to
open the meeting and Tribal Elders
Laura Gleason and Nancy Coleman
and Tribal spouse Darlene Laf
ferty won the $50 door prizes while
Tribal Elder Robert Nagel won the
$100 door prize.
Louise Coulson, Cherie Butler
and Linda Brandon were elected to
the Elders' Committee and Richard
Ray and Margaret Provost tied for
the fourth open seat.
Ray and Provost will face off in
a run-off election during the birth
day meeting at the Elders' Activity
Center between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 25.
The next General Council meet
ing will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Feb. 5, at the Tribal Community
Center.
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times for
Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Shonn Leno.
Cultural Trust Board meets at 4 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each
month. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month
in Modular No. 3. Chair: Kathy Provost.
Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Shelby Rogers.
Elders' Committee meets at 1 0 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders' Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance
Building. Acting Chair: Robert Schmid.
Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the
month in the Tribal Wellness Center. Acting Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of
the month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Acting Chair: Harold Lyon.
Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services Conference Room. Chair: Ron Hudson.
Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
Veterans Special Event Board meets at 4 p.m. the first Tuesday of the
month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dakota Whitecloud.
I
.. ; w
Elders7 garage sale seeking donations
Tribal Elders are regularly seeking donations for their fundraising
garage sales.
To donate an item or items, contact Tribal Elders Linda Brandon at
971-267-0918 or Duane Wheeler at 541-992-3254. D
i;j
jxcepics
Invitation To Tribal Members,
Spouses off Tribal Members ,
Parent Off A Tribal Member And Legal Guardians Of
Grand Ronde Tribal Member Children
To Apply For The Temporary Staffing Pool
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's Temporary
Staffing Pool is accepting applications.
Tribal members, descendants, spouses of Tribal members,
parents of a Tribal member, and legal guardians of Grand
Ronde Tribal member children interested in assisting with
filling temporary vacancies on an Mon-calP or an "extended
duration" basis are encouraged to contact the CTGR
Human Resources office. Employment applications are
available at the Human Resources office located in the
Governance Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road.
Applicants must pass the following background checks:
Criminal background
Work history
References
Tribal membership
Drug screen
Temporary employees will be subject to the CTGR's
Employee Handbook.
This is an excellent opportunity for our membership to sup
plement their income and gain experience while aiding us in
continuing a smooth delivery of services.
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