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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2012)
4 APRIL 1,2012 Smoke Signals Tribal memlbeir Phebn Ginudle clears hunrdDe By Ron Karten Smoke Sifnals stuff writer It was a cloudy and rainy after noon, but in a conference room on the 10th floor of the Portland Building on Tuesday, March 20, the day could not have looked better to Tribal member Phebi Crude and the almost 30 friends, relatives and colleagues who packed the room for the ceremony. All honors went to Grude for successful completion of a one year course in the Public Works Construction Inspector training program with the city of Portland. She still has perhaps another year of on-the-job learning before becom ing an inspector. "We'll know when she's ready," said Inspection Supervisor Rick McCoy. Many enter the program from the construction in- Hnsfrv nnrl afnrf with much of the knowledge they'll need on the job. The close-knit Construction Inspection unit brought Grude into the fold a year ago. Laurie Allen, vice president of NW Operations for CMTS, LLC, a consulting contractor providing staffing and other professional services to the industry, got the ball rolling with a presentation at the Portland office. Portland Tribal office staffers Chris Garcia and Tribal member Jon George took it from there. Gar cia is an Employment and Training specialist for the Tribe and George is a Vocational Rehabilitation spe cialist. "When we told Phebi about the program," said George, "she said, 'I think I can do that.' And that was all the information we needed." "It's been a good fit," said Gar cia. Both were on hand to mark 1 OA Grude's success and celebrated the event with a Tribal blessing drum song. Calling this "a very special oc casion," Grude's daughter, Tribal member Brooke Chavez, presented her mother with flowers. "I'm so proud of her," she said. Denise Stone, one of two aunts on hand for the ceremony, brought many to tears. "We've been through a lot in our family. We're so proud of her. We've been trying to know the right things to help her. We love you," she said to Grude. And then to the room, "Thank you all so much. You gave her something that we couldn't." To become an inspector in Port land, a city that McCoy says, "Sets V f' S0'JJW0mh Praventlon and Communis Rwa"s WHEEL TR33AL GYM r&i '"''- b TIME: TWs event wHI start Abuse Prevention Fun Walk g Lunch Dessert Sundae Bar, with all Hie toppings 6 Easter basket door prizes too m i nam you lor respecting uraiiu nonaa uommuniiy & culture oy noi Displaying I I gang affiliation and by not bringing drugs, alcohol or weapons to this event Photos by Michelle Alaimo Denis Stone, left, takes a photo of Tribal member Phebi Grude, right, with her aunt Allyn Donaugh during Grude's graduation ceremony from the city of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services and CMTS, LLC, Public Works Construction Inspector Apprenticeship Program at the Portland Building in Portland on Tuesday, March 20. Stone is also Grude's aunt. the standard," for the country, Grude is charged with learning "all of the fundamentals of doing the construction," McCoy said. And everybody continues learning on the job. "When Phebi started," McCoy said, "she had a lot of personal issues, but she stepped up and decided she wanted to do it. She wanted to work overtime to see how things were done." He described how attentively she watched the laying of pipe and wire when most other inspectors feel like, 'It's all you can do to stay awake.' "When I saw that, I knew this was going to be a fit for her. Everybody is fighting over her because she does such a good job." "You're not going to learn unless you have it in your heart," said In spector Nadine Meyers. "You have Tribal member Phebi Grude gives Jon George, Tribal member and Vocational Rehabilitation specialist at the Tribe's Portland Area Office, a hug after Grude's graduation ceremony from the city of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services and CMTS, LLC, Public Works Construction Inspector Apprenticeship Program at the Portland Building in Portland on Tuesday, March 20. On the right is Chris Garcia, Employment & Training specialist at the Tribe's Portland office. The two brought the program to Grude's attention through their work at the Portland office. to be creative, resourceful. Well, Phebi knows her stuff. She knows how to hold her ground with con tractors. She's really a good asset. I wish she were on my team." Grude had some apartment re modeling in her background and was a concrete laborer and finisher, but she never thought she had the background to be a building inspector. "I was looking into the welding program," she said. Today, she has a wide range of experiences to draw from, and of all the different jobs that one does as an inspector, Grude is drawn to work ing with the plans, she said. "Mak ing sure it's a buildable project." Grude has art in her background, too. She's got things she's made all over her home. "There's nothing that hasn't been art-ified in our house," she said. She once planted succulents in shoes and boots for a succulent farm. She used to smoke cigars, she said with a laugh. And on a "Grimm" note, her daughter, Brooke, said she often had to do a parking space tango with the Portland television pro duction that operates right by one of her jobs this last year. After the certificate and acrylic keepsake presentations, the group shared a pink cake with frosting . pictures on the top showing a vest, cap, boots and a tape measure. Tools for the future. D Ad created by George Valdez GRAND RONDE GAMING COMMISSION POSITIONS The Grand Ronde Gaming Commission is seeking applications to fill one commission vacancy expiring June of 2015. The Tribal Gaming Ordinance requires this position to be filled by a Tribal member. The Grand Ronde Gaming Commission regulates all gaming-related activities associated with Spirit Mountain Casino. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. Commissioners may not hold elective or managerial Tribal positions, and may not be employed in or own any interest in or gamble in a gaming operation authorized by the Tribal Gaming Ordinance. Commissioners are independent contractors and expend approximately 30-40 hours per month to fulfill their responsibilities. The Gaming Commission generally meets on the second and third Fridays of each month. Appointment is contingent upon success ful completion of a background investigation. Applications may be obtained by calling Kathy Doane at 503-879-2393. Closing date is April 30, 2012, 5 p.m. U
