4
S moke S ignals
OCTOBER 15, 2014
Native flags flying
2009 – The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission unanimously re-ad-
opted a rule granting ceremonial hunting rights to the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde across the Trask Hunting Unit. The rule was
first adopted by the state in April 2008.
2004 – Workers from Howard
S. Wright Construction and the
Grand Ronde Tribal construc-
tion crew finished the last of
15 concrete pours on the Spirit
Mountain Lodge expansion.
More than 5,000 cubic yards of
concrete were used to build the
new expansion, which is expected
to open in March or early April
2005. The expansion will house
163 rooms with the top floor
housing 13 double-room suites.
1999 – Spirit Mountain
Community Fund committed
$266,000 to the Oregon Garden
Foundation for restoration and
preservation of a 25-acre stand
of native Oregon white oak trees
File photo
on the grounds of the Oregon
Garden in Silverton.
1994 – The Grand Ronde Tribe assumed the responsibility for
providing general assistance to its members on Oct. 1. The General
Assistance Program was operated under the Health and Human
Services Division, Family Action Program. Clients who have been
determined eligible for general assistance by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs’ Siletz Agency office had their cases transferred to the Tribe.
1989 – Smoke Signals and Tribal archives do not have a copy of
the October 1989 edition.
1984 – The Tribe’s Health Program staff, led by Health Director
Cheryle A. Kennedy, started work on Oct. 16 in the Depot Office.
Other employees were Community Nurse Assistant Bonnie Martin,
Health Clerk Tresa Mercier and Outreach workers Kathrine Olson,
AnnaBelle Hamm, Georgene Gillispie and Diana Harrison.
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Council Secretary Toby McClary helped hang and raise the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde flag during the Native American
flagpole dedication ceremony held at the University of Oregon’s Erb
Memorial Union Amphitheater in Eugene on Thursday, Oct. 2. The
project was initiated by students and took two years to complete, but
now flags from each of Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes will
fly permanently showing Native students that they have a home at the
university. The University of Oregon becomes the first Pac-12 school to
have Native flags flying on its campus.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in-
crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.
Help needed identifying plots
The Facilities Department is asking for help identifying veteran’s plots.
If your family member or friend is a veteran and we do not have a veteran’s
flag present on their plot 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
From left, Bobby Mercier, Travis Stewart, Brain Krehbiel and Eirik
Thorsgard sing an honor song during the Native American flagpole
dedication ceremony held at the University of Oregon’s Erb Memorial
Union Amphitheater in Eugene on Thursday, Oct. 2.
Tribe receives Oral History grant
Ad created by George Valdez
The Tribe received a two-year grant from the Administration for Native
Americans’ Social & Economic Development Strategies Cultural Develop-
ment Project for its Oral History project.
The Tribe received its full request for year one of $253,692 and the second
year award was approved for the full sum of $280,758.
The two-year project includes funds for a full-time Oral History special-
ist and portions of other staff. The combined two-year budget includes
$106,000 for museum renovations, $26,481 for exhibit design, and about
$20,000 for a consultant stipend to help with the Tribe’s eighth-grade
curriculum development and oral histories.
The Tribe applied for funding to help with oral history interviews and
creating digital recordings for use in educating members and nonmem-
bers in Tribal history and culture, as well as creating and piloting Tribal
history eighth-grade lesson plans, drafting exhibit design, and creating
a research library and conference room area renovation improvements.
These competitive financial assistance grants support locally determined
projects designed to reduce or eliminate community problems and achieve
community goals. n