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DECEMBER 1, 2016
‘We stand together in unity’
Tribe celebrates 33rd
Restoration anniversary,
honors Provost
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
T
he Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde partied
like it was 1983 at the
33rd annual Restoration Cel-
ebration meal and powwow
held in Grand Ronde on a rainy
Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the Tribal
gymnasium.
As many as 250 Tribal mem-
bers gathered for the daylong
event to give thanks and share
in the many blessings that Trib-
al members have received over
the years since being restored
to federal recognition in 1983
by the stroke of President Ron-
ald Reagan’s pen on the Grand
Ronde Restoration Act.
Tribal member Bobby Mercier
was joined by Brian Krehbiel,
Santiago Atanacio, Jordan Mer-
cier, David Harrelson, Trib-
al Council Secretary Jon A.
George, Nokoa Mercier, Izaiah
Fisher, Kaikanim Mercier, Red
Sky Clawson, Jacob Holmes
and Siletz Tribal member Tim
Stuart to open the celebration
with almost an hour of hand
drumming. Kimberly Roybal,
See RESTORATION
continued on pages 10-11
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Elder Margaret Provost, left, is thanked by Tribal Elder Beryle Contreras as Provost is honored for her work
on getting the Tribe restored during the Tribe’s 33rd Restoration Powwow held in the Tribal gym on Tuesday, Nov.
22. Behind Beryle is her daughter Kim Contreras.
Pharmacy ‘transition period’ affects services
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
A
s the Tribe evolves so does its many pro-
grams aimed at providing services. Tribal
programs are continually upgrading,
updating and improving to meet membership
needs.
The Tribal Pharmacy offers a service to Tribal
members, as well as community and staff mem-
bers, both at the Governance Center and Spirit
Mountain Casino, and Tribal members who live
across the country.
“I would say, in general, we are focusing on
quality over quantity and when you do that it
slows things down,” said General Manager Dave
Fullerton. “I think that the end result will be a
faster, more efficient process, but it’s a transition
period.”
Fullerton said there have been major changes
at the Pharmacy recently.
“We have changed from 10-hour shifts to eight-
hour shifts, which is focusing on the consumer
not necessarily the hours of the staff,” said
Fullerton. “We are really trying to meet the con-
sumer needs. There is a lot of effort and thought
going into making sure we’re providing a good
service to the membership and the people who
use the clinic. Nothing has been taken lightly in
the process of making these decisions.”
Tribal member and Pharmacy Director Dr.
Leatha Lynch said there have been many chang-
es affecting the program since she took over
earlier this year. She said she has implemented
See PHARMACY
continued on page 7
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Marie Hetherington, a pharmacist at the Tribe’s
Pharmacy, pours pills out of a bottle to fill
a prescription at the Grand Ronde Health &
Wellness Center on Wednesday, Nov. 16.