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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2012)
0 JUNE 1,2012 Smoke Signals Rose Festival Court visits Spirit Mountain Casino By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signali editor Fifteen Portland Rose Festival princesses and their entourage visited Spirit Mountain Casino on Tuesday, May 22, to enjoy a brunch-style lunch and thank the casino and Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for sponsoring the upcoming Grand Floral Parade. Spirit Mountain Casino is in its second year as official sponsor of the iconic Grand Floral Parade, this year set for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 9, in downtown Portland. This year's Rose Festival Court includes Carter Wallace, Wilson High School; Sade' Beasley, Benson High; Amirose Mallet, St. Mary's High; Meleah Cooper, David Doug las High; Janae Brown, Jefferson High; Katherine Sinnott, Central Catholic High; Nyausha West, Grant High; Cassidy Zusmas, Lin coln High; Keely van Baggen, Madi son High; Asia Greene, Roosevelt High; Charlotte Taylor, Cleveland High; Lydia Terjerson, METRO West; Mehek Sethi, METRO East; Alexis Phillips, Franklin High; and Bre'Shay Barnes, Parkrose High. Attired in Adidas pink rain jack ets, the princesses were seated at tables inside the casino's Kalapuya conference room as Tribal Council members and casino staff arrived for the lunchtime event and meal. Spirit Mountain Marketing Man ager Greg Fritz, who also sits on the Rose Festival Board of Directors, introduced Rodney Ferguson, Spirit Mountain chief executive officer, to the Rose Festival Court. "It is such a thrill each and every time to see your lovely faces," Fer guson said. "We are sure that your parents and everyone else are so proud of you and your years in high school. You have made it to this point in your life where your next step will be even more exciting. We are so happy to have you here." Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr. gave the invocation, but be forehand he also welcomed the prin cesses to the Tribe's homelands. "As Native Americans and as in most cultures, our young people are our treasures," Bobb said. "They are the vessels to the future. From I m I III JIIJ IllllMllMIIIIMWIIII' II I ' II ll Tribal Council mimbtr Stava Bobb Sr., second from loft talks with Rosa Fastival Court Princass Asia Graana, right, aftar sha gava him and Rodney Farguson, Spirit Mountain Casino chiaf executive officer, a handout with all of tha princesses photos and a pin as a thank you during tha court's visit to Spirit Mountain Casino on Tuesday, May 22. Greene attends Roosevelt High School. the day that you enter our lives, you are wrapped in a cocoon of hopes and dreams by a generation that knows you will accomplish things. "On behalf of the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, all of our members and our wonderful staff, we wish you the best." After Bobb's invocation, the prin cesses were treated to a meal that included prime rib, eggs Benedict, baby shrimp, fruit, pastries and hash browns. Princess Carter Wal lace said the Rose Festival Court had previously visited Pendleton, Astoria, Cannon Beach, Tillamook, McMinnville and Salem before making a stop in Grand Ronde. In Tillamook, the court visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory; in McMinnville, they toured Evergreen Aviation Museum; and in Salem, they met with Gov. John Kitzhaber. Princess Maleah Cooper said her favorite things about serving in the Rose Festival Court were, in order, the trip to Pendleton where they rode horses and met the Pendleton Roundup Court, the clothes that have been donated to them and the parades they have participated in. Cooper said she had visited the casino before. When she was young er, her parents would stop at Spirit Mountain for the buffet and she and her brother would share from their parents' plates. IIIIHI tlllllKII Mlllllllll I I Ill illllltlllllllllllllllMIIIIKIIIIIIIII Illllt Illll Elders' garage sale seeking donations I I Tribal Elders are regularly seeking donations for fundraising ga- 1 rage sales. To donate an item or items, contact Tribal Elders Linda Brandon at 971-267-0918 or Duane Wheeler at 541-992-3254. D "riiiiiiMiiniiiiiiiiit niiMiiiiiiii i inn iiiimiiiiiiiiiiiim ii iiitiiiiMiiiiiiMiiini nMiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiMiiiiiiiiirf IBaHDofts dye Jonnne 1 3 VOTE continued from front page In a 2010 non-binding survey, Tribal members who responded supported a primary election pro cess 582-366, or 61.4 percent in favor of the idea. Recent Tribal Council elections since 2008 have regularly seen 10 or more Tribal members nominat ed. With so many candidates on the ballot, those elected to three-year Tribal Council terms customarily receive less than 20 percent of the total vote. Tribal members had until May 9 to register with the BIA to vote in the amendment election. Ballots were sent to registered Tribal vot ers on Friday, May 18, and must be returned to the BIA by Wednesday, June 13. If approved by Tribal voters, a primary election would start with the 2013 Tribal Council election cycle if more than 10 candidates are nominated. B v. 9 V a J 'si V I V"-' .yr-J - As Photos by Michelle Alaimo Rose Festival Court Princass Katherine Sinnott, second from left, introduces herself as other princesses look on during the court's visit to Spirit Mountain Casino on Tuesday, May 22. Sinnott attends Central Catholic High School. From Grand Ronde, the prin cesses were scheduled to board a bus and return to the Portland area for an evening dinner. Wallace added that she is appre ciative of the "limitless opportuni ties" being a Rose Festival princess has offered her while Cooper said she appreciates the "countless con nections" she has made. Wallace said she will be heading to Western Washington University in the fall to study either theater or law enforcement while Cooper is headed to the University of Oregon to study product design and minor in business. In addition to Bobb, Tribal Council members Chris Mercier and Toby McClary and Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor attended the event and mingled with the court. 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