8 JANUARY 1,2013
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Council Secretary Toby McClary says'Hayu Mas!" as ho taachos tha
Chinuk Wawa phraso to Spirit Mountain Community Fund grant recipients
during the fund's quarterly check presentation held In the Governance
Center Atrium on Wednesday, Dec. 12. Thirty-three nonprofit organizations
received more than $640,000 in grants this quarter.
FUND continued
from front page
A $25,000 grant to Groundwork
Portland will help the group "edu
cate the public about issues related
to the cleanup of the Portland Har
bor Superfund site," said Executive
Director Cassie Cohen.
Cohen works with volunteers to
battle an industry public relations
onslaught aimed at keeping clean
up costs as low as possible for the
"potentially responsible parties,"
a term describing the companies
responsible for some of the pollu
tion that has damaged the Portland
Harbor area and devastated fish
runs. At issue now is how much
each company will pay for its part
in the contamination.
Groundwork Portland is part
of an international group that
includes Groundwork USA and
Groundwork UK, and works to
educate the public about a number
of environmental issues.
This is the second grant for
Groundwork Portland, which start
ed operations in 2008.
The Groundwork Portland proj
ect, "Portland Harbor Storytelling
and Engagement of Environmental
Justice Communities," also features
stories about people's experiences
in the environmental trenches.
Silverton-based Oregon Center
for Public Policy received $50,000
to increase public knowledge about
state budget and tax issues, said
Executive Director Chuck Shek
etoff. The group, which has received
one previous grant from the Com
munity Fund, holds workshops for
community groups, including low
income communities and communi
ties of color, Sheketoff said.
The Salem Schools Foundation
received $29,050 to expand a proj
ect called "Learning Gardens and
Nutrition Education" to 1 1 schools,
including elementary, middle and
high schools, said Executive Direc
tor Brent Neilsen.
The program gives students a
hands-on experience with growing
and preparing foods and is cur
rently in "eight creeping into nine
schools," said Neilsen. ...
"If I say to eat a carrot," said
foundation Board President Krina
Lemons, "a student may not be
interested, but if they plant it and
grow it, the reaction is different."
When the program started, a lot
of children did not know what kale
was, she added, but now students
are asking for kale.
"It opens up the diversity of their
food choices," she said. "We're
changing their behavior from the
ground up."
'The projects funded this quarter
are truly community investments,"
said Kathleen George, Community
Fund executive director. "With the
Tribe's support these charitable
groups will help children learn to
eat better and grow their own food,
allow people affected by Willamette
pollution to have their stories heard
and help educate Oregonians about
how our tax system works and how
it affects all our families. Support
ing our friends and neighbors has
always been a Tribal value. We are
proud to support the work of these
community charities that are help
ing the people."
"You're the people who do all the
work on our behalf," said Commu
nity Fund Board Chairman Sho
Dozono to the recipients, who were
sitting in Tribal Council Chambers
in chairs extending out into the
Governance Center Atrium.
Dozono was joined at the check
presentation by Tribal Council
members who are also on the Com
munity Fund board: Secretary Toby
McClary and Tribal Council member
Steve Bobb Sr., and Board member
Ron Reibach, facilities director for
Spirit Mountain Casino. Tribal
Council Chair Reyn Leno also is on
the Community Fund board, but
was out on health-related leave.
"It's always a pleasure to have
people out here to see the things we
have beyond the casino," said Mc
Clary. 'The casino is helping people
become self-sufficient. It's not just
to make Indians rich."
The Community Fund also made
awards Helping Hands awards
to one volunteer working in a
nonprofit program and to one non
management staffer.
Angela Frome received the non
manager award for her work with
the Northwest Down Syndrome
Association. She was described as a
passionate disabilities advocate.
Caity Hatteras received the vol
unteer award for helping deliver
20,000 pounds of food to families in
need through the Metro Affordable
Housing program.
Caity gave more than 500 hours
for Metro Affordable Housing,
while also helping out in three
other housing communities.
Finally, two previous grants
one to Forest Grove-based Ad
elante Mujeres and another to
Portland-based Playwrite were
announced. Recipients received the
funds at the last meeting, but were
unable to attend. B
Recreation starts fitness classes
The Tribe's Recreation Program has started two new exercise programs
in the Tribal gym. Led by Melisa Chandler, Vinyasa Flow Yoga is offered
from noon to 1 p.m. Monday and Friday. Vinyasa Flow Yoga focuses on
the synchronization of breath with postures and is one of the more active,
athletic forms of yoga. Led by Recreation Coordinator Matt Mosley, a
cross training-style fitness class is offered from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Monday.
Workouts will consist of timed stations, max reps and minute-for-minute
exercises. For more information about either exercise class, contact Mosley
at 503-879-1369 or matthew.mosleygrandronde.org.
Youth Center seeks volunteers
The Tina Miller Community Center Thrift Store, 110 B. St., Willamina,
helps fund the after-school and weekend youth community center located
in the old high school gym. The thrift store is seeking volunteers who can
help run the store, in addition to donated items and customers. The store
accepts clothes, books, knickknacks, etc., as donations. It is open 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday.Dona
tions also can be left at the Wildwood Hotel and Restaurant in Willamina.
For more information on volunteering, call 503-876-7897.
The youth center and thrift store are nonprofit and 100 percent self
sustaining and volunteer-run.
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