Smoke Signals 7
MARCH 1,2012
Ripley climbing stairs to
raise leukemia funds
Effort to honor Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr.
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal member Jared Ripley will
climb 69 flights of stairs 1,311 '
steps in all dressed in heavy
firefighting gear and carrying a
self-contained breathing apparatus
during the Scott Firefighter Stair
Climb on Sunday, March 11.
The event, being held at the
Columbia Center in downtown Se
attle, will benefit the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society.
And for Ripley, 20, it also will
honor Tribal Council member Steve
Bobb Sr., who has been on medical
leave recently as he fights a recur
rence of leukemia.
"While this will be an incredibly
tough climb, the real challenge is
to help fight blood cancers," Ripley
said in a fundraising letter sent to
friends and family.
The Stair Climb will require
Ripley to climb 788 feet in verti
cal elevation one step at a time
while wearing heavy firefighting
turnouts.
To support Ripley, go to www.fire
fighterstairclimb.org and click on
the donate button, type in Ripley's
name and then donate.
"Although it will be challenging,
it pales in comparison to what blood
cancer patients must go through,"
Ripley said.
Ripley is the son of Tribal member
Denise Harvey and a 2009 graduate
of Tualatin High School. He gradu
ated from Fire Suppression Program
at Chemeketa Community College in
201 1 and is a volunteer firefighter for
Marion County Fire District.
The district's 17-member team
hopes to raise $20,000. As of late
February, more than $6,500 had
been pledged to team members.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society is the world's largest volun
teer health organization dedicated
to funding blood cancer research,
education and patient services.
Since its founding in 1949, it has
invested more than $550 million
for research specifically targeting
blood cancers.
Photo by Michelle Alalmo
David Harrclson, th Tribe's Cultural Protection Specialist and Tribal
member, front, and Briece Edwards, Tribal Archaeologist, plant
Sappolil (aka tarweed) plants In the Tyee Nature Reserve, located
behind the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority building in Grand
Ronde, on Friday, Feb. 1 7. Friends of Buf ord Park & Mt. Pisgah In
Eugene donated to the Tribe about 1,000 plants that were removed
from their native plant nursery to make room for the remaining plants
to grow to full potential. Camas bulbs and Juncus plants also were
planted in the reserve in November.
Elder's bingo held on Saturday afternoons
Bingo at the Elders' Activity Center will be held on Saturday,
March 10 and 24. A potluck meal starts at 12:30 p.m. and bingo
begins at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Elder Activity As
sistant Daniel Ham at 503-879-2233. H
Sacred Hoop Ceremony slated for March 9
The Tribe's Behavioral Health and Prevention programs are hosting a
Sacred Hoop Ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday, March 9, in the Tribal gym.
The four gifts of the Sacred Hoop are the power to forgive, healing, hope
and unity. The hoop brings healing for all recovering from different kinds
of trauma and also helps strengthen sobriety and Wellbriety in the com
munity. The ceremony is open to all.
People planning on attending need to RSVP to Cristina Lara at 503-879-2040
by Friday, March 2. B
aiiKi
I "I 2 O I 5
5M
damp
is open to Grand Ronde Tribal
members, descendants, and Native
students who participate in our programM
Kestwirid
Spots are limited to 55
students and will be filled on
a first-come, first-serve basis.
For more infonnation, contact
Chris Bailey 503-8794534.
Permission slips can be turned into
the Youth Education front desk.
Ad created by George Valdez