12
S moke S ignals
JUNE 1, 2015
'I would like to thank you for your service'
MEMORIAL continued
from front page
Charles Neujahr, Public Affairs/
Publications Administrative Assis-
tant Chelsea Clark, Tribal Council
Administrative Assistant Shannon
Simi and Tribal Royalty princesses
served an elk stew meal to more
than 160 people in the Tribal Com-
munity Center.
Veterans Special Event Board
Chairman Steve Bobb Sr., a Viet-
nam War-era Marine Corps vet-
eran, was master of ceremonies
and he started the event with an
invocation.
Tribal Elder Jolanda Catabay
sang the national anthem and the
Royalty princesses performed “The
Lord’s Prayer” in sign language
before the colors were traditional-
ly drummed in by Bobby Mercier,
Jacob Holmes, Kai Kanim Mercier,
Travis Stewart and Brian Krehbiel.
Alton Butler then carried in the
American flag, Raymond Petite
carried in the Tribal flag, Mike
Lane carried in the POW/MIA flag
and Albert Miller carried in the
Oregon flag.
Bobb introduced each Grand
Ronde Tribal Council member
present and each addressed the
gathering.
“I would like to thank everyone
for coming today and I would like to
honor our soldiers who are serving
– the ones who have served in the
past and the ones who have never
come home,” said Tribal Council
member Denise Harvey.
Harvey read the poem “The Un-
known Soldier.” “I would like to
thank you for your service,” she
added.
Harvey said she hoped visitors to
Grand Ronde felt welcome and that
they would return for events like
the Marcellus Norwest Memorial
Veterans Powwow in July and the
larger contest powwow in August.
Tribal Council member Chris
Mercier recalled how he met Bobb
for the first time and how that
meeting changed his outlook on
veterans.
“When I started working for the
Tribe and started working with a
lot more veterans, especially while
serving on Tribal Council, I devel-
oped a much deeper appreciation
for what you guys have done for this
country and some of the sacrifices
you have made for people,” Mercier
said. “I think it is important that we
take the time every year, especially
on this day, to honor you guys for
what you have done. My heart goes
out to you.”
Mercier recognized past Tribal
Council members in the crowd who
are veterans that he had worked
with – June Sherer, Wink Soder-
berg, Wesley “Buddy” West and
Jan Reibach.
“I’ve learned more about veterans
from these people than any other
people in my life,” said Mercier.
Tribal Council member Cheryle
A. Kennedy said she comes from a
family of veterans who have served.
“It is always a pleasure for me to
come and to give honor to those that
served our country and served our
people,” said Kennedy. “You know
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Junior Veterans Queen Amelia
Mooney gives Army veteran Bruce
Carl a lapel pin after his name
was read during the 13th annual
Memorial Day Ceremony held at the
West Valley Veterans Memorial on
the Tribal campus on Monday, May
25. Carl was one of the 31 names
added to the memorial this year. At
left, Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno, a Vietnam War-era Marine
Corps veteran, speaks during
the 13th annual Memorial Day
Ceremony.
I think about the courage it took to
step forward and to step out and to
say, ‘I will serve, I will defend, I will
protect,’ and that is what enables
us to do our work here. This day
is here to celebrate and to honor
our veterans and remember to al-
ways remember what this country
is about – it’s about liberties and
freedom.”
Tribal Council Vice Chairman
Jack Giffen, Jr. said the event
made him think of an earlier time
in Grand Ronde.
“Sitting back there brought back
memories of before we had this
beautiful memorial,” said Giffen.
“We had our cemetery down there
and the gathering was just a few
Tribal members and family mem-
bers coming back to honor those
veterans that gave their life for the
freedoms we have. We want to take
a moment and thank all the veter-
ans for your commitment to this
great country we live in and for the
freedoms that we enjoy. I give you
the highest honor I can give you.”
Bobb introduced Tribal Council
Chairman Reyn Leno as not only a
fellow Marine, but also a Vietnam
veteran as well.
Leno asked all veterans stand
and be acknowledged with ap-
plause.
“We need to recognize why we are
here today,” said Leno. “In 13 years
since we put this memorial up it’s
amazing to think how many of our
veterans used to be here with us
and now they have passed on and
they are not here with us, but we
are still recognizing those people.
This is one of my favorite ceremo-
nies we do every year.”
Leno said all wars are “horrible,”
but he wanted to acknowledge
his fellow Vietnam War veterans
for what they brought back with
them. He also said he wanted to
remember his cousin Tom Leno who
passed away on New Year’s Eve.
“We live with it every day,” said
Leno.
Yamhill County Veterans’ Ser-
vice Officer Jerry Wilson said his
affinity for the culture of veterans
came while serving 30 years in the
Air Force. He said coming to Grand
Ronde is one of his favorite stops
each Memorial Day.
Wilson said much of his job is
working with veterans who need a
variety of help and that he calls on
many resources to help them get
what they need.
“I rely a lot on service organiza-
tions to step in and help me,” said
Wilson. “When I call, they always
respond. The people who respond
are the veterans themselves so
See MEMORIAL
continued on page 13