14
S MOKE S IGNALS
DECEMBER 1, 2015
Letters
Dear Smoke Signals:
I would like to give a big thanks to Susie Lash, who did all of the cook-
ing, from scratch to boot, for the Veterans Day meal held at the Tribal
Community Center. I’d also like to thank all of the kitchen volunteers and
Royalty girls for helping to serve the Elders.
A big thanks also for the people who made the wonderful baskets for
the raffl e: Rita LaChance and family, Reina Nelson, Susie Lash, Kathy
Soderberg, Claudia Leno and Leonette Galligher. And thanks to Tribal
Council for donating a Pendleton blanket for the main raffl e prize.
Steve Bobb Sr.
Roll #38
Dear Tribal members:
I am writing this to make you all aware of what some of our Tribal
leaders are trying to accomplish. The very defi nition of what it means to
be a Grand Ronde Tribal member is in danger of being radically altered.
In the near future, Tribal members will be receiving a letter with
proposed constitutional amendments. We will be asked to vote on these
initiative/referendum changes, without a clear understanding of what is
trying to be accomplished. My personal understanding of the intentions
behind these proposed changes has me greatly concerned. The proposed
changes to initiative/referendum require far fewer voters to sign a petition
(a reduction from 33.3 percent to 15 percent) in order to bring a Tribal
matter forward to a General Council vote. Another requested change will
allow the change to our Constitution if 20 percent (down from 30 percent)
should vote on the matter.
Why do these proposed changes bother me? Because the person on Tribal
Council who wrote these proposed changes is the same person who stated in
his most recent run for election that he wanted to rewrite the Tribal Consti-
tution since it has become antiquated (in his view), and he wants to change
what is required to become an enrolled CTGR member. I see these proposals
as his fi rst step toward accomplishing his goals. These proposed changes are
unnecessary and unwanted by me and I hope the majority of the Tribe.
Most disheartening is the fact that our Tribal leaders had a golden op-
portunity to fi x the one enrollment issue that has affected the most Tribal
families: the parent on the roll issue. The fi ve leaders who rejected this
positive solution for all Tribal members did so in order to try and force
the General Council to support their other proposed enrollment changes.
In other words, they are refusing to change the parent on the roll issue
unless the General Council accepts a package deal that will completely
redefi ne the defi nition of CTGR members and will open the fl oodgates for
thousands more to join our Tribe and undeservingly usurp our Tribal funds.
This package deal will also open the rolls to calculate all Indian blood as
Grand Ronde blood, allowing new Indian blood to be Grand Ronde blood.
This new blood does not have to be traced back to the Grand Ronde rolls
and can literally be from anywhere. These same fi ve leaders are the same
people who are supporting the above constitutional amendments.
Please join me in voting NO to all of these proposed constitutional amend-
ments. Also, I hope that many Tribal members will voice their opinions
to Tribal Council by e-mail and at Tribal Council meetings. Our leaders
need to fi ght for what is best for all Tribal members and not just for those
who voted them in.
Delores J. Knight
Roll #340
Free Playgroup in
Grand Ronde!
*
When: First Thursday of each
month 10:00 am-11:30 am
Where: CTGR – Community
Service Center 9615 Grand Ronde
Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347
Who: Parents and caregivers of
children under 5 years.
Why: Come to play, have a snack
and have fun!
Seeking your donations for 3 organizations!
Spirit Mountain Casino
holding annual toy drive
Spirit Mountain Casino continues the tradition of giving with its eighth
annual Holiday Toy Drive to benefi t Oregon Health & Science University’s
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Through Dec. 6, casino guests can help spread the holiday cheer by
bringing in new, unwrapped toys to the Coyote Club desk in exchange for
$10 in free slot play. The hospital is in need of appropriate toys for infants
and toddlers, school-age children and teenage boys and girls. A full wish
list can be reviewed at www.spiritmountain.com.
“This is our eighth year of partnership with Doernbecher during the
holiday season,” said Spirit Mountain Casino General Manager Stan Dil-
lon. “The toy drive allows us to bring joy to the children at Doernbecher
during a challenging time in their lives. We are grateful for the generosity
of our guests who continue to make donations each year, allowing us to
provide suffi cient toys to meet the hospital’s needs at Christmastime and
throughout the year.”
Toy donations are not only used during the holiday season, but are used
for birthdays, special occasions, educational tools, play room toys and
treatment pals throughout the entire year at Doernbecher.
“We are thankful for the continued opportunity to work with the incred-
ible staff at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital,” Dillon said. “On behalf of
the employees of Spirit Mountain Casino and the members of the Con-
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde, we extend heartfelt blessings for the
holiday season and the year to come.” n
G RAND R ONDE H ELPING H ANDS
I SKAM M ƎK ʰM ƎK -H AWS , T HE C LOTHES C LOSET , & A C AUSE F OR P AWS ARE WORKING TOGETHER
You’ve got it. We want it!
Saturday, Dec. 12
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 Give to 3 organizations in one location!
 Iskam is seeking warm clothes and blankets.
Items to create holiday food boxes.
 The Clothes Closet is seeking warm coats, hats,
gloves, socks, and new unwrapped toys.
 A Cause for Paws is seeking pet food, pet toys,
and beds.
 We will take books for our lending library.
 Clean out your food pantry, we’ll figure out the
expiration dates!
 If you are not sure if we can take it, bring it or
give us a call.
Iskam MǝkʰMǝk-Haws
9675 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
503-879-FOOD (3663)
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