PRESORTED
STANDARD MAIL
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PORTLAND, OR
PERMIT NO. 700
Fund tops $73 million in giving — pg. 5
APRIL 1, 2017
Breast plate
donated to Tribe
has gone missing
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
A
breast plate made from
spent brass M16 shells
that was donated to
the Grand Ronde Tribe during
the 2016 Veterans Powwow is
missing and Crime Stoppers
of Oregon and the Grand
Ronde Police Department are
asking for the public’s help in
retrieving it.
Veterans Special Event
Board Chairman Steve Bobb
Sr. said the last time the one-
of-a-kind breast plate was
seen by anyone was during
last August’s Contest Pow-
wow.
See PLATE
continued on page 4
‘21 Money’ meeting draws interest
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
A
ll Tribal Council members
attended a meeting held
at the Tribal Community
Center on Wednesday, March 15,
to support an ongoing discussion
about how the Tribe can help young
members make informed financial
decisions regarding the trust funds
they receive upon turning 21.
As many as 100 people attended
the meeting, which was hosted by
Planning Director Rick George.
“I want to thank you all for being
here and welcome you all to this
community meeting,” George said.
“When I say ‘community’ I really
want to emphasize ‘community.’
This meeting is organized to (hear)
talk from you to us about the minor
trust fund. This is an opportunity
for Tribal members and as much
See MONEY
continued on page 11
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Angie Blackwell, left, acting as a moderator, listens as Alec Mercier talks
about his experience with receiving his Minors’ Trust Fund money during
a “21 Money” community meeting held in the Tribal Community Center on
Wednesday, March 15. In the middle listening is Melissa Biery, who was also
there to share her experience and both her and Mercier provided input on
how to improve the program for when young adult Tribal members receive
their funds.
Prompt romp! Easter Egg Hunt set for April 15
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
E
Smoke Signals file photo
aster is Sunday, April 16,
which means one important
thing to Grand Ronde resi-
dents: This year’s annual Easter
Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday,
April 15, at the covered area in
Tribal family housing.
Rental Housing & Self Sufficien-
cy Coordinator Deborah Kroeker
said this is one Tribal event that
requires extreme promptness on
the part of parents and prospective
Easter egg hunters.
“Remind people to be early,”
Kroeker said. “We always start on
time.”
The hunt starts promptly at 10
a.m. and there are four hunt catego-
Smoke Signals file photo
Just like last year’s Easter Egg Hunt,
the Easter Bunny will be available for
photos at this year’s annual Easter
Egg Hunt held at the covered area in
Tribal Housing on Saturday, April 15.
ries for children ages 1 to 2, 3 to 4,
5 to 8 and 9 to 12. Egg hunters are
advised to bring their own Easter
basket to put their eggs in.
Parents are reminded to bring
their own camera and Tribal Elder
Steve Bobb Sr. is slated to be this
year’s Easter Bunny again as he
has in past years. He will be posing
for pictures with children before
and after the hunt.
Kroeker said members of the
Tribe’s Housing Department as well
as a handful of other volunteers stuff
about 2,000 plastic eggs with candy
for the event. Tribal Council sponsors
the event and pays for the candy.
“This will be an event for the kids
to have fun,” Kroeker said. “The
kids all seem to have a good time.
This is old-fashioned fun. We get
out there and have a good time. I
think it’s fantastic.”
But, she reiterated, don’t be late. n
Ed Larsen: A silent leader who represented the Tribe well
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
T
ribal Elder Edward Earl
Larsen Jr. is legendary
on the Reservation for
his kindness and huge heart
and local residents know him
affectionately as “Fast Eddie.”
Larsen, who served on Tribal Council from
1992 through 2004, owned the Spirit Moun-
tain Store at the corner of Hebo and Grand
Ronde roads before beginning his 12-year
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
run on Tribal Council.
During the time he owned
the store and served on
Tribal Council, Larsen
gained a reputation for
giving and looking out for
his friends, family and cus-
tomers.
Larsen graduated from Willamina High
See ELDERS FEATURE
continued on pages 14-15
Tribal Elder Ed Larsen Jr. at his Grand Ronde home on Monday, March 27.