S moke S ignals
SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
Warm Springs member
picked as new Hatield Fellow
Spirit Mountain Community
Fund selected Warm Springs mem-
ber Robert F. Ahern has the 2016-
17 Hatield Fellow, the 17th in the
fund’s history.
Ahern is a graduate of Pacific
University where he received a
bachelor of arts degree in sociol-
ogy with an emphasis on political
science.
Each year, the Community Fund
sponsors a congressional fellow-
ship with a member of the Oregon
delegation to enhance the mutual
understanding between the federal
government and Indian Country.
Past fellows have served in a
number of Senate and House con-
gressional ofices, including those
of Sens. Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley
and Gordon Smith and Reps. Kurt
Schrader, Darlene Hooley, Peter
DeFazio and Greg Walden.
“The Hatfield Fellowship is a
yearly investment in strengthening
the understanding between Ore-
gon Tribes and our congressional
representatives,” said Community
Fund Program Coordinator Louis
King. “By spending eight months as
part of a congressional ofice, these
Tribal members come away with an
invaluable understanding of how
things are done in D.C. During the
fellowship experience, working
relationships are formed that will
beneit the fellow throughout their
career. The congressional staff also
learn from a colleague about the
realities in Indian Country and
the huge potential for our commu-
nities. This is absolutely a learning
exchange.”
Ahern will begin his fellowship in
November with a month-long orien-
tation with the American Political
Science Association in Washington,
D.C. Following the orientation, he
will assume his placement with
Rep. Earl Blumenauer and will
work on crucial behind-the-scenes
duties necessary to pass important
7
Fish distribution
Robert F. Ahern
legislation.
Ahern graduated from Madras
High School and played four years
of varsity basketball while attend-
ing Paciic University. He said he
has a deep interest in Tribal pol-
itics and Tribal issues stemming
from his early years growing up on
the Warm Springs Reservation in
eastern Oregon.
Ahern also was a 2014 campaign
volunteer for Oregon Rep. Susan
McLain and has many years of
volunteering and mentoring expe-
riences on and off the Reservation.
“I believe that it is very important
to have a Tribal voice when ad-
dressing issues that impact Native
Americans,” he said. “As a Native
American, I want to be that voice
and want to serve as a role model
for Tribal youth who often don’t see
higher level jobs as an attainable
goal for themselves.”
Ahern said he aspires to become a
Tribal attorney and has previously
interned with the Warm Springs
Government Affairs Ofice.
The Hatfield Fellowship was
created in 1998 to honor Sen. Mark
Hatield’s public service to Oregon
and the Paciic Northwest. Addition-
al information about the program
is available at www.thecommuni-
tyfund.com/hatield-fellowship. n
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Nick Carl places frozen ish in a cooler after receiving it at the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde annual Fish Distribution at the
Natural Resources Department on Thursday, Aug. 18. Tribal members
received Chinook salmon, steelhead and smoked salmon and 798
members were served. The distribution also took place Friday and
Saturday, Aug. 19-20.
Natural Resources Department Summer Youth employees Abel Vanecek,
left, and Toby English bag frozen ish to give out to Tribal members
during the annual ish distribution on Thursday, Aug. 18.
Hunting & Fishing
Lifeways of the Grand Ronde People
Who: All Grand Ronde Tribal members.
What: We would like to record your family’s hunting and
fishing stories for inclusion in the Tribe’s cultural
and historical collections.
Where: Chachalu: Tribal Museum and Cultural Center
When: Starting September 1st, 2015
How: Contact Stacey Runningbird @ 503-879-2381
Ad created by George Valdez