S moke S ignals
JANUARY 1, 2015
7
Community Fund nears $64 million in giving
Sheridan Veterans Memorial
project receives $15,000
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
In awarding 25 grants worth
$527,822 on Wednesday, Dec. 17,
Spirit Mountain Community Fund
closed out 2014 just shy of reaching
the $64 million mark in giving since
its inception in 1997.
The fourth-quarter grants
brought the Community Fund’s
running total to $63,942,823.10.
The fund is the philanthropic arm
of the Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde and disperses 6 percent of
Spirit Mountain Casino’s profits to
nonprofit organizations within an
11-county area of western Oregon.
In 2014, the Community Fund
distributed $2,866,818, according
to Grants Coordinator Julia Willis.
One of the closest grants at
$15,000 was awarded to the city of
Sheridan to help fund its Veterans
Memorial.
City Manager Frank Sheridan
said the memorial will cost approx-
imately $80,000 to erect and will be
located on Highway 18B on west
Main Street about six blocks from
the bridge.
A contingent of veterans dressed
in Oregon Veterans Motorcycle As-
sociation vests attended to accept
the Community Fund grant.
The check distribution ceremony
opened with Land and Culture
Department staff members Bobby
Mercier, Brian Krehbiel and Travis
Stewart performing cultural drum-
ming and singing.
Community Fund Director Kath-
leen George told attendees that the
Grand Ronde Tribe appreciates
partnering with their organizations
to make western Oregon a better
place to live.
“You identify a problem and step
up and find a solution,” George said.
“You really, truly are our commu-
nity champions.”
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno, also sits on the Community
Fund Board of Trustees, welcomed
grant recipients to Grand Ronde
and briefly outlined the Tribe’s
history from the founding of the
Reservation in the 1850s through
Restoration in 1983.
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Kenny Dunn, left, an Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Association member, and
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno, right, meet during the Spirit Mountain
Community Fund fourth-quarter grant presentation held in the Governance
Center on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Dunn was with a group from the city of
Sheridan, which received a $15,000 grant to help fund the Sheridan Veterans
Memorial project.
Leno said that the Communi-
ty Fund grew out of the Tribe’s
commitment to West Valley com-
munities that helped take care of
Tribal members during 29 years of
Termination.
Leno also acknowledged the vet-
erans in the audience. “Veterans
are held in high esteem in Indian
Country,” he said.
After attendees watched a video
that briefly recounted the Tribe’s
history and explained the Com-
munity Fund, checks were distrib-
uted by Tribal Council members
Ed Pearsall and Toby McClary,
who also sit on the fund’s Board of
Trustees, while Program Coordina-
tor Louis King read off the names.
Organizations receiving grants
on Dec. 17 were:
• A Social Ignition of Portland
for its Ignition Option 2 project,
$1,455;
• Benton Furniture Share of Cor-
vallis for its Reuse Furniture
Delivery and Landfill Diversion
project, $5,000;
• Coastal Range Food Bank Inc. of
Blodgett to purchase food, $1,000;
• Lettuce Grow Garden Foundation
of Portland for garden infrastruc-
ture repair at Hillcrest Youth
Correctional Facility, $1,000;
• Marathon Education Partners
Inc. of Portland for its Rising
Stars Summer Camp, $5,000;
• Mid-Lane Cares of Veneta for an
emergency food and assistance
coordinator, $5,000;
• Red Lodge Transition Services
of Portland for its Healing the
Sacred Hoop project, $5,000;
• Yamhill County CASA of McMin-
nville for its Serve Every Child
project, $5,000;
• African American Health Coa-
lition of Portland for its Diabe-
tes Self-Management Program,
$20,000;
• Downtown Languages of Spring-
field for its Pilas! Family Literacy
Program, $16,000;
• Groundwork Portland of Portland
for its Healthy People, Water and
Land project, $30,000;
• Huerto de la Familia (The Family
Garden) of Eugene for its Alliance
for Healthy Families and obesity
prevention project, $31,977;
• Lane County Legal Aid & Advoca-
cy Center of Eugene for its Rural
and Multicultural Outreach proj-
ect, $43,655;
• Looking Glass Youth and Family
Services Inc. of Eugene for its
Riverfront School and Career
Center, $25,000;
• Native American Youth Associ-
ation of Portland for its After-
school Academic & Enrichment
Program, $50,000;
• Pastoral Counseling Center of
the Mid-Willamette Valley in
Corvallis for its Giving Voice to
Children in Need Through Play
Therapy project, $9,392;
• Portland State University Foun-
dation in Portland for its Pro-
moting Lifelong Healthy Eating
Habits Among Native American
Children project, $15,000;
• Raphael House of Portland for
its Comprehensive Prevention:
Promoting Healthy Relationships
for Youth project, $25,000;
• South Land Family Nursery
of Cottage Grove for its home
visiting curricula for high-risk
families, $33,343;
• South West Community Health
Center of Portland for its wom-
en’s health clinics, $10,000;
• The Wallace Medical Concern of
Portland for its Rosewood Plaza:
Dental, Medical and Housing
Resources for Rockwood Families
project, $75,000;
• Volunteers of America Inc. of
Portland for its Home Frees
Healthy Teens services, $50,000;
• Children’s Cancer Association of
Portland for its Chemo Pal Men-
tor program, $25,000 (previously
awarded at an Oregon State Uni-
versity basketball game);
• And the Dental Foundation of Or-
egon in Wilsonville for its Tooth
Taxi free mobile dental clinic,
$25,000 (previously awarded at a
University of Oregon basketball
game).
Spirit Mountain Community
Fund also raffled off two gift bags
that went to Red Lodge Transition
Services and Downtown Languag-
es.
The check presentation wrapped
up with recipients getting their
photo taken with Leno by Tribal
photographer Michelle Alaimo.
Tribal Council members Jon A.
George and Chris Mercier also at-
tended the event.
“I can’t think of a better way to
wrap up 2014,” George added. n
Elders’ phone numbers wanted
Cultural Trust Board
accepting applications
The Tribe’s Cultural Trust Board has started its 2014-15
grant-making round for grants ranging from $250 to a maximum of
$1,000 available for Grand Ronde Tribal members to use for cultural
projects or activities that support the understanding, practice and
preservation of traditional Tribal heritage and culture.
The grant-making round has been extended to Thursday, Jan. 15.
Interested Tribal members can pick up an application at the front
desk in the Governance Center or mail the Cultural Trust Board
at Grand Ronde Cultural Trust Board, 9615 Grand Ronde Road,
Grand Ronde, OR 97347, to have an application mailed.
Completed applications must be received by noon Thursday, Jan.
15.
The project is supported by the Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde and funded by Oregon Cultural Trust, which invests in Or-
egon’s arts, humanities and heritage. n
The Tribal Elders Committee is compiling a volunteer phone
list of Elders.
If you would like to submit your phone number and address to be
available to other Elders, send it to elders.committee@grandronde.
org or leave a message at 503-879-2231. n
WALK-IN DENTAL APPOI NTMENTS FOR KIDS <6
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY FOR DENTAL CHECK-UPS FOR KIDS 5 AND
UNDER WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SEEN AT THE TRIBAL CLINIC.
JUST COME ON IN!
We will check your child’s teeth during any of our clinic hours without an ap-
pointment. Dental check-ups are recommended beginning with the first
tooth!
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Dental Clinic
Phone 503-879-2020
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 8:00—5:00; Thur 9:30-5:30