10
JANUARY 1, 2015
S MOKE S IGNALS
Lighting the tree
The second annual Christmas Tree Lighting cere-
mony took place in the Tribal Community Center on
Friday, Dec. 12. About 75 people attended the event
that was organized by the Tribe’s Culture Committee,
Youth Council and Youth Prevention program. Presents
were donated by Toys R Us and were distributed by the
Youth Council to all the children in attendance. The
crowd sang Christmas carols and pizza was served.
Graciela Ornelas unwraps a bumblebee costume during the second annual Christmas
Tree Lighting ceremony.
From left,
Nokoa Mercier,
Tiff any Mercier,
Izaiah Fisher,
Kendra Steele
and Aspen
Wilson lead the
Christmas carol
singing during the second annual Christmas
Tree Lighting ceremony. The youth are part of
the Tribe’s Youth Council and Tiff any Mercier,
Youth Education’s administrative assistant, and Steele,
Youth Education’s recreation assistant, are the primary adult
advisers to the council.
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Hospice seeking
Native jewelry
The nonprofi t Willamette Valley
Hospice in Salem is planning a
used jewelry sale in the spring as a
fundraiser and is seeking donations
from talented Native jewelry mak-
ers. Those who would like to donate
can contact Hospice board member
Steve Bobb Sr. at 503-876-3118. n
Happy 2nd Birthday
Arya Clark
Love, Mommy, Daddy
& Brother Logan.
We love you so much!
Cowlitz homelands
are miles away
RULING continued
from front page
things, the Cowlitz Tribe’s tradi-
tional homelands are about 60 miles
farther north in the Toledo, Wash.,
area.
In addition, Congresswoman Jai-
me Herrera Beutler, whose district
the proposed casino would be locat-
ed in, also has voiced her opposition
to the Cowlitz proposal. n
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