S moke S ignals
DECEMBER 15, 2014
9
Employees recognized for 740 years of service
Three staff members
reach 25-year mark
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Fifty-eight Tribal employees
with a combined 740 years of
service were honored during the
third-quarter Employee Recogni-
tion breakfast held Thursday, Dec.
11, in the Tribal gym.
The event featured a continental
breakfast for employees and door
prizes.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno, Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr.,
Secretary Toby McClary and Trib-
al Council members Tonya Glea-
son-Shepek, Ed Pearsall, Jon A.
George and Denise Harvey at-
tended and shook hands with the
employees honored. George gave
the invocation.
Leno said Tribal Council respects
its employees who have, for budget
reasons, been asked to do more with
less over the last couple of years.
“You’re part of our family,” Leno
said. “We thank you for all of the
hard work you do.”
Among those honored were
three employees reaching the
quarter-century mark in service
– Human Resources Department
Manager Connie Holmes, Timber
12 years: John Harp, Tru-
di Yoshikawa, Tom Brown,
Mark Mercier and Rick An-
dersen.
11 years: Kristy DeLoe,
Peggy Carpenter and Brandy
Humphreys.
10 years: Jolanda Catabay,
Stephanie Simmons, Shannon
Simi and Ken Trevino.
9 years: Deborah Kroeker,
Erica Mercier and Siobhan
Taylor.
8 years: George Valdez,
Martin Gall, Louis King and
Melody Wright.
7 years: Nicole Bishop, Scar-
lett
Holtz, Alec Palanuk-Mer-
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
cier,
Volker Mell, Charles
Kandee Little, a pharmacy technician for the Tribe, shakes hands with Tribal Council
Neujahr, Dean Rhodes, Hal
Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr. during the Tribe’s third-quarter Employee Recognition
Mitchell, Kelly Mercier and
breakfast held in the Tribal gym on Thursday, Dec. 11. Also waiting to congratulate
Misty Carl.
Little on her years of service are Tribal Council members Denise Harvey, second from
6 years: Linda Hanna, Matt
right, and Tonya Gleason-Shepek, right. Little has worked for the Tribe for six years.
Zimbrick and Kandee Little.
5 years: Kevin Ruggles,
20 years: Rob Greene.
and Roads Program Manager Jeff
Kayla Leno and Terri Andries.
18 years: Kimberly D’Aquila,
Kuust and Silviculture and Fire
Employees received a bonus
Sharon Wattier II and Pearl Rife.
Protection Program Manager Jeff
check and certificate, and those
17 years: Bobby Mercier.
Nepstad. All three were hired by
reaching the 10-year mark also
16 years: Toni Lockwood, Elaine
the Tribe in the summer of 1989.
received a Pendleton blanket.
Lane Raven and Sheila Blacketer.
In addition, employees recognized
After the service awards were
15 years: Jeff Valentine and
were:
handed out, Holmes raffled off a
Kevin Mueller.
24 years: Barbara Steere, Mela-
variety of prizes, including Holiday
14 years: Matt Bucknell, Jack
nie Ebensteiner and Kelly Herber.
Express trains, bowls, a coffee-
Dobiash, Julie Boekhoff and Egypt
23 years: Bryan Langley.
maker, movie theater tickets, an
Leno.
22 years: Michael Wilson and
emergency preparedness bag and
13 years: Deborah Bachman.
Chris Leno.
two shop vacuums. n
Self-sufficiency is main goal
GENERAL COUNCIL
continued from front page
Deborah Kroeker reviewed current
concerns, such as people living
temporarily in Tribal housing who
have not been screened for crim-
inal histories and have not been
determined to be eligible to live in
Tribal housing.
“We want to make sure that the
person who is living next door to
your grandkids is safe for your
grandkids to be around. That’s the
bottom line,” she said.
Kroeker also discussed the drug
policy, which includes marijuana
still being illegal on Tribal lands
and in housing despite passage by
Oregon voters of recreational mar-
ijuana use in November. The new
state law takes effect in July.
“Tenants who refuse to cease
marijuana use and are caught will
be asked to find other accommoda-
tions,” the PowerPoint stated.
Elder Steve Bobb Sr., who serves
on the Housing Authority Board of
Directors, discussed the vision for the
future and stressed self-sufficiency.
“Self-sufficiency is one of the most
significant things we are tasked
with helping our Tribal members
to achieve,” Bobb said, “so that they
can stand side by side with others
in this society as equal and not
count on, or rely upon, the support
of those who do.
“Self-sufficiency, since the time
of our Restoration, has been a goal,
has been a mission and an expecta-
tion for our people, our children and
our Tribe that we bring self-suf-
ficiency to the next generation of
Grand Ronde Tribal members.”
A PowerPoint slide stated that
non-elderly, non-disabled tenants
should gain stability in their lives
and be able to move out of assisted
housing within five to eight years of
moving into assisted housing.
Bobb exhorted Tribal members
to work hard to be successful and
self-sufficient.
“Grand Ronde Tribal members
are strong people,” Bobb said.
“Please don’t let your life be a blank
page in a book of achievement.”
DeMarco closed the presentation
by reminding Tribal members that
the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing
Authority must follow federal regu-
lations from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development.
Interim General Manager Rick
George gave a brief presentation
about the Friday, Dec. 5, grand open-
ing of the new Grand Ronde Food
Bank, 9675 Grand Ronde Road.
The new food bank is operated
by Salem-based Marion-Polk Food
Share, which hired Tribal member
Francene Ambrose to manage it.
Vice President of Programs Ian
Dixon-McDonald later said that 55
food boxes were distributed and 169
individuals were served.
“It is an investment in this com-
munity’s future. It’s an investment
in self-sufficiency,” George said.
The next food distribution will be
held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday,
Dec. 19.
The Education Committee also
reported to General Council. Com-
mittee Chair Tammy Cook intro-
duced the other members – Mychal
Cherry, David DeHart, Alton But-
ler, Brenda Tuomi, Tracy Moreland
and Shelby Olson-Rogers.
The committee meets at 5:15 p.m.
on the first Monday of the month in
the Adult Education Building. Its
current theme is convincing Tribal
youth that “school is cool.”
DeHart reported that since 2004,
Tribal members have earned eight
doctorate degrees, 60 master’s de-
grees, 162 bachelor’s degrees, 125
associate degrees and 202 GED
diplomas.
“Student success equals the
Tribe’s success,” Tuomi said.
Cook read a hefty list of univer-
sities and colleges that Tribal stu-
dents have graduated from. “Our
Tribal members have graduated
from some of the biggest and most
prestigious colleges in the United
States, and for that we can be very,
very proud,” she said.
In response to a question from
Spirit Mountain Community Fund
Director Kathleen George about
high rates of absenteeism among
Native students in Oregon, Tuomi
said the Education Committee
is seeking to start a mentorship
program.
Acting Education Department
Manager John Harp added that two
more youth tutors have been added
to the department’s 2015 budget.
“I think they do a great job,” Trib-
al Council Chairman Reyn Leno
said about the Education Commit-
tee. “This Tribe has surely stepped
up and showed our commitment to
education and bettering our Tribal
members’ lives.”
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George said that through the Tribe’s
and Education Committee’s ef-
forts, Tribal children are no longer
taught “if” they will go to college, but
“when” they will go to college.
In other action, nominations for
three open seats on the Elders Com-
mittee occurred. Louise Coulson
nominated Julie Duncan; Duncan
nominated Cherie Butler; Laura
Gleason nominated Faye Smith;
Violet Folden nominated Jennie
Van Atta; and Gladys Hobbs nom-
inated Duane Wheeler. Votes will
be accepted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the birthday
meeting held at the Elders Activity
Center and also during the Sunday,
Jan. 4, General Council meeting.
Kathy Soderberg won the $100
door prize and Jade Unger, Ear-
nest Norton and Kiah Running-
bird won the $50 door prizes. In
addition, necklaces and earrings
donated by Tribal Council member
Jon A. George, four turkey or ham
gift certificates donated by Tribal
Council and homemade food items
donated by Veronica Gaston were
raffled off.
Land and Culture Department
Manager Jan Looking Wolf Rei-
bach, Tribal Council members
Chris Mercier and Jon A. George
and Jade Unger performed the
cultural drumming and singing to
open the meeting. Elder Steve Bobb
Sr. gave the invocation.
The next General Council meet-
ing will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Jan. 4, in the Community Center.
The entire meeting can be viewed
on the Tribal website, www.gran-
dronde.org, under the Video short-
cut. n