6
S moke S ignals
august 1, 2014
Elder Honor Day draws more than 500
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
Elders’ Committee Chair Le-
onette Galligher and members
Linda Brandon, Joyce Ham, Julie
Duncan, Claudia Leno and Janet
Billey were up past 10 p.m. the
night before Elder Honor Day.
They were making centerpiece
baskets for 90 tables set up in Spirit
Mountain Casino’s Event Center
for the event held on Tuesday,
July 15.
“It was a lot of hard work,” said
Galligher, who said that the Elders’
Committee works toward its suc-
cess “all year.”
Many Tribal government de-
partments contributed a host of
gift baskets that lined the front of
the stage. The Elders’ Committee
purchased larger gifts, including a
television.
More than 500 Elders signed in,
said Elders’ Activity Assistant Dan
Ham. They fi lled the Event Center
almost to overfl owing.
“We were shooting for 500,” said
Ham, “so we did pretty well.”
Guests came from many Tribes in-
cluding Tulalip, Yakama, Nisqually,
Nooksack, Samish, Upper Skagit,
Quinault, Swinomish and Colville
from Washington state.
Others came from the Coeur
d’Alene and Kootenai Tribes in
Idaho, the Osage Tribe in Okla-
homa, and from Siletz, Burns Pai-
ute, Coquille, Cow Creek and Coos
Tribes in Oregon.
Tribal Elder Bob Tom again
served as master of ceremonies
for the day. He was lively, telling
jokes and generally charming the
audience at every turn.
The day moved along quickly
with breakfast served at the Elders’
Activity Center and lunch served
in the Event Center. The day fo-
cused on games, including bingo
and “Let’s Make A Deal,” and the
drawing for gifts and prizes. Tom’s
smooth segues from one activity
to another played like “The Late
Show,” with the monologues as
much fun as the activities.
Rex Haller and granddaughters
Breanna Bilbrey and Cheyenne
Haller entertained with guitar and
song.
Brad Leno, Cultural Interpretive
specialist at the Land and Culture
Department, set up a camera out-
side of the Event Center and offered
Elders free photo keepsakes.
Oldest man for the day was Her-
man Hudson Jr. at 89. He received
a beaded belt buckle and $25. Fol-
lowing close behind (by a month)
was Harold Jacobs, descended from
Seneca and Delaware Tribes in
upstate New York where he grew
up. He now resides in McMinnville.
Both he and Hudson are World War
II veterans.
Oldest woman in the room was
102-year-old Pearl Lyon, who won a
beaded necklace and $25. Ed Ashman
helped her up to the stage. Second to
Lyon was Opal Davidson, approach-
ing her second cen-
tury at 99.
Tribal Council
member Jon A.
George gave the
invocation.
Royalty per-
formed “The
Lord’s Prayer”
and helped Elders
by serving meals
and generally
running around
where they could
be of service.
Land and Cul-
ture gave tours
of the Chachalu Museum and Cul-
tural Center to Elders.
A Grand Ronde Drum performed
“New Beginnings.” Participating
were Michael Karnosh, Jordan
Mercier, David Harrelson, Jan
Looking Wolf Reibach, Reina Nel-
son, George, Leslie Riggs, Mike
Herrin and Kathy Cole. They con-
Control Your Diabetes. For life.
Please join the Community Health Program for our
Diabetic Support Group at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19. It is
located at the Community Center in Grand Ronde
and open to all community members, Adults only.
Call for more information: 503-879-2078
A healthy meal is provided following the meeting!
Grand Ronde Tribal
Housing Authority
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Veterans Junior Queen Amelia
Mooney gives Tribal Elder Pearl
Lyon a gift as she is honored for
being the oldest woman at the
2014 Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde Elder Honor Day
at Spirit Mountain Casino on
Tuesday, July 15. Lyon is 102 years
old. In the background is Junior
Miss Grand Ronde Iyana Holmes.
At left, Tribal Elder Jolanda
Catabay sings the “The Star-
Spangled Banner.”
tinued to play as the Veterans
Honor Guard posted the colors.
Tribal Elder Jolanda Catabay
sang the national anthem.
Loren Corpuc bugled the sig-
nature songs of each of the dif-
ferent military services and then
taps, leading into Reibach playing
“Amazing Grace” on Native fl ute.
Before playing, Reibach said, “This
is an honor song for all the Elders
here today. Our Tribes are connected,
and our people are all related.”
Children from Mawich (4 to 5
year olds), Chakchak (3 year olds)
and Lilu (language class with 3 to
5 years old) sang.
In addition to George, Tribal
Council Chair Reyn Leno and Trib-
al Council members Ed Pearsall
and Kathleen Tom attended.
“Elders carry the knowledge of
where we come from, and where,
hopefully, we should be going. We
Elders are special people,” Leno
said during his opening remarks.
Elder Steve Rife, temporarily get-
ting around in a motorized wheel-
chair while awaiting back surgery,
promised he was going to make one
last Trail of Tears walk in February
and March of next year, the months
when the original forced march
took place. n
Adult Foster Program
Home repair grants for Tribal homes
The Tribe, through the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority,
offers Home Repair Grants to Tribally owned private homes for
needed repairs, upgrades and maintenance.
If you own a home in Oregon and it needs a little help with
things like a worn-out roof or a tired heating system, get in
touch with your Tribal Housing Authority and see if you and
your home qualifi es. 503-879-2401.
The Tribe’s Adult Foster Care lodges are committed to offering quality
care to our Elders and helping them remain as independent as possible, while
providing the personalized assistance they need. At our lodges, a wide range
of services is available in a comfortable setting where privacy is respected
and maximum independence is supported. For information, contact the Adult
Foster Program Director at 503-879-1694. n