16
S moke S ignals
JUNE 15, 2015
Network visit
By Kristy DeLoe
Food Sustainability Program manager
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Dani Sandoval, a business systems analyst for Nike technology, and
Tyler Hogan, a design team legal liaison at Nike, plant broccoli rabe at
the Community Garden during a visit to Grand Ronde on Friday, May
29. The two are members of Nike’s Native American Network and the
group spent two days in Grand Ronde for a meeting and team building
that was facilitated by the Native Wellness Institute and hosted by the
Tribe. In addition to volunteering their time at the garden, they toured
Chachalu Tribal Museum & Cultural Center and visited the plankhouse.
Nike has seven U.S.-based employee networks that draw upon the
diverse employee population to provide experiences in the areas of
cultural awareness, community building and career development.
Patti LeClaire, Tribal Food Sustainability administrative assistant, tells
members of Nike’s Native American Network about the Community
Garden before the group gets to work planting during their visit to
Grand Ronde on Friday, May 29.
Good day from the Community Garden. There have been many
things going on around the garden since our last column.
May 16 was our very first Farmers Market in Grand Ronde at
Grand Ronde Station. We had six booths and are adding two more
for the June 20 Farmers Market. Come check out all we have from
lavender soap, lawn art, sweets, wood signs, local raised meats to
anything we have coming from the garden.
We held our annual Plant Day on May 23 and are pleased to
say we had 30 people show up to check out the garden and lend a
helping hand. We cannot express enough our gratitude for all the
interest in helping this year. A few workers returned May 30 to
finish planting and we are happy to say that the garden is fully
planted for this year. To date we have harvested 65 pounds of
strawberries that are safely frozen to use for jams and much more.
On May 29 we were blessed with a group of Nike employees who
came out and toured the garden. They were even nice enough to
plant three beds and also pick about 15 pounds of strawberries. This
group was amazing and we would love to have them back anytime.
Talking about what we are doing here in Grand Ronde and talking
about their duties at Nike was a great time while digging in the
dirt with the mountains surrounding us with amazing scenery.
If you are interested in working at the Community Garden, please
contact Kristy DeLoe 503-879-2018 or Patti LeClaire 503-879-2145.
There will be a worker at the garden most Mondays through Fri-
days from 8 a.m. to noon. However, please call to make sure! We
will gladly welcome any help.
Nike employees touring the garden on May 29.
Volunteers helped plant at the garden on May 23.
AMERICAN INDIAN TEACHER PROGRAM
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