S moke S ignals
july 1, 2014
Tribal Council approves
contracts for new buildings
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Two new buildings will be
going up in Grand Ronde now
that Tribal Council approved
the contracts to build them at its
Wednesday, June 25, meeting.
Tribal Council approved a
contract with Gerding Builders
to construct a new Employment
Services building on the Tribal
campus next to the Commu-
nity Center. The building will
be a “one-stop shop” for Tribal
members seeking employment
with the Tribal government or
Spirit Mountain Casino, as well
as those seeking employment
assistance from the Tribal Em-
ployment Rights Office or 477
and vocational rehabilitation
programs.
The contract is not to exceed
$2.4 million.
Tribal Council also approved
a contract with Dan Kaufman
Excavating (Whisler Construc-
tion) to build a food bank build-
ing on the Curl property on the
west side of Grand Ronde Road
across from the Tribal Housing
Authority office.
The contract is not to ex-
ceed $620,000 and construc-
tion should be completed by
November.
In other action, Tribal Coun-
cil:
• Approved the Tribe’s applica-
tion to Spirit Mountain Com-
munity Fund for a $150,000
Education category project;
• Adopted a resolution disband-
ing the Personnel/Human
Resources Planning Group;
• Approved the Salvage Log-
ging Unit timber sale contract
with Round Valley LLC as
presented by Natural Re-
sources Department staff. The
sale is estimated to be worth
$104,939;
• Approved a loan to Illihi, LLC,
for use by MicroGREEN Poly-
mers of Arlington, Wash;
• Approved increasing the
Tribe’s line of credit from
TriState Capital Bank;
• Approved applying to the
Oregon Youth Development
Council for a $175,000 grant.
If received, the grant would
fund services and activities
to help motivate youth at risk
of being disconnected from
education, and include fam-
ily coordinator services and
educational assistance;
• Approved the correction of a
Tribal membership roll num-
ber and the enrollment of one
infant into the Tribe.
Education Department Man-
ager Eirik Thorsgard, Land
and Culture Department Man-
ager Jan Looking Wolf Reibach
and Tribal Council member Jon
A. George opened the meeting
with cultural drumming and
singing.
Authorizations to proceed
included in the June 25 Tribal
Council packet:
• Directed staff to proceed with
an assessment of the Ris-
seeuw property at Highway
22 and Grand Ronde Road
to determine the feasibility
of leasing approximately one
acre to the Lighthouse Recov-
ery Services Group;
• Directed the Finance Officer
to conduct a supplemental
budget process to establish
the appropriation for the Em-
ployment Services building
construction project;
• Approved the General Man-
ager’s Office transferring
$30,000 from contingency to
pay for an upcoming socio-
economic assessment;
• Appointed Tribal Council
member Kathleen Tom as
the representative to the
Governor’s Regional Solu-
tions Advisory Committee;
• Approved sending a Dec-
laration of Partnership to
the British Museum, which
houses the Summers Collec-
tion;
• And established a summer
internship program for a high
school- or college-aged Tribal
member in Tribal Council. n
Help needed identifying plots
The Facilities Department is asking for help identifying veteran’s plots.
If your family member’s or friend’s plot is a veteran and we do not have a
veteran’s flag present on holidays, please inform us.
We will do our best to mark all plots of veterans. Contact Adam Leno at
503-879-5525 or adam.leno@grandronde.org. n
Ceremonial Hunting update
I would like to let everyone know that we have harvested more
than 500 pounds of deer and elk meat for use by the Tribe. There
is meat available for cultural activities. If you like heart or liver, we
have that plus stew meat and elk hamburger. Please take advan-
tage of the opportunity to use traditional food. I want to congratulate
Shane Thomas and Steve Brooks, who each harvested a bull elk.
Our hunters are really putting in a lot of effort and we should all be
very pleased with the outcome. If you are interested in being on the
Ceremonial Hunting Board or have other questions,
call me at 503-474-7000. – Marline Groshong
Luncheon preparation
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Elder Leonette Galligher adds a carnation to a vase as she
makes flower arrangements for the mother/father lunch at the Elders’
Activity Center on Thursday June 19. The lunch was in honor of
Mother’s and Father’s Day and was held at the center on Friday, June
20. Tribal Elders Linda Brandon, Julie Duncan and Claudia Leno also
made arrangements while fellow Elders Cherie Butler and Janet Billey
prepared strawberries for a dessert.
Veterans Powwow
starts Friday, July 11
EVENTS continued
from the front page
at 8 a.m. and an opening ceremony
is set for 9 a.m. Speakers will take
the stage at 10 a.m. and the after-
noon will feature workshops and
activities starting at 1 p.m.
Workshop topics will include
post-traumatic stress disorder,
mental health, suicide prevention,
self-care, transition from soldier to
civilian and vocational rehabilita-
tion. Activities will include talking
circles, support meetings, veteran’s
benefits coordination, employment
information, health and dental
care, a healing village, traditional
games, massages and haircuts,
cultural activities and ceremonies,
and a parade of color guards.
Featured speakers will include
Linda Woods (Ojibwe), the Woman
Eagle Staff carrier, and Navajo
code talkers. Both were featured
at the 2013 gathering.
On Friday, July 11, breakfast will
again be served at 8 a.m. and events
will follow the same schedule as
Thursday until the 5 p.m. closing.
A parade of honor guards set for 6
p.m. will segue into the Veterans
Powwow, which has its first grand
entry slated for 7 p.m.
The Native Veterans Summit is free
and all meals will be provided. Camp-
ing at Uyxat Powwow Grounds is also
free and a limited number of tents and
sleeping bags will be available on a
first-come, first-served basis.
To register for the event, go on-
line at www.nativewellness.com,
contact Will Penn at 360-390-7463
or e-mail at info@nativewellness.
com, or send a registration form
to Native Wellness Institute, 2830
S.E. Cleveland Drive, Gresham, OR
97080, fax 360-877-4051.
Veterans Powwow
The 2014 Marcellus Norwest Me-
morial Veterans Powwow starts at 7
p.m. Friday, July 11, with the first of
four grand entries scheduled over the
weekend. Other grand entries are set
for 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 12,
and 1 p.m. Sunday, July 13.
Nick Sixkiller, a familiar face at
powwows in Grand Ronde, is once
again the master of ceremonies.
West Coast Boys are the host drum.
All veterans, drummers and danc-
ers are welcome.
The powwow will honor two Tribal
World War II veterans who recently
walked on – Biff Langley and Eu-
gene Hudson – and honor Korean
War veterans on Saturday.
Tribal member Deitz Peters and
his wife, Rose (Shoshone), will be
the head man and woman. Specials
will include a drum contest and
Men’s Traditional sponsored by
the Peters.
In addition, gourd dancing is set
for 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
There also will be exhibition danc-
ing, committee specials (Women’s
Basket Cap) and Teen Girls Jingle
Jackpot and Teen Boys Grass
Jackpot contests. The family of
Marcellus Norwest will sponsor a
Tiny Tot special.
Powwow vendors should contact
Veterans Special Event Board
member Wayne Chulik at 503-437-
3052. For more information, e-mail
gr.honor.guard@gmail.com or call
503-757-7965.
The Veterans Powwow is open to
the public and camping is available.
No alcohol or illegal drugs are al-
lowed at the powwow grounds.
The powwow is put on by the
Tribe’s Veterans Special Event
Board. n