S moke S ignals
JULY 1, 2017
11
Summit is creating similar events elsewhere
VETERANS continued
from front page
will include helping veterans recon-
nect with civilian life and assisting
them in understanding their ben-
efits, compensation, pensions and
presumptive health conditions.
Friday sessions will offer nu-
merous informational tables for
veterans and their family members,
as well as a healing and self-care
village and mental health first aid.
Elizabeth Estabrooks, Women
Veterans coordinator with the Or-
egon Department of Veterans’ Af-
fairs, will deliver a speech entitled
“I Am Not Invisible” and summit
regular Linda Woods (Ojibwe) will
discuss being a woman warrior in
the Air Force.
The summit will conclude with
a forgiveness ceremony facilitat-
ed by Native Wellness Institute
Executive Director Jillene Joseph
in the nearby Tribal plankhouse,
achaf-hammi.
The Veterans Summit, which was
first held in 2013 after Leno attend-
ed a planning meeting held in San
Diego, is sponsored by the Grand
Ronde Tribe, Native Wellness
Institute based in Gresham and
Veterans Affairs’ Office of Tribal
Government Relations.
Joseph said the original intent of
the summit was to foster awareness
of veterans’ issues and provide op-
portunities for healing for veterans
of all ages.
“Looking at five years back from
now, what I am most proud of is
more women veterans coming for-
ward,” Joseph said. “Some of our
feedback in the past was that even
though this was called a ‘veterans
summit,’ to them it still meant male
veterans. We have tried to invite
more women veteran speakers
If you go
Veterans Summit:
Gathering of Warriors V
When: 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday,
July 6, and 9 a.m. to 5:35 p.m.
Friday, July 7
Where: Uyxat Powwow
Grounds, 9600 Highway 22
(Hebo Road)
Cost: The event is free and
intended for all veterans
More information: 800-422-0232
If you go
Marcellus Norwest Memorial
Veterans Powwow
When: Grand entries at 7 p.m.
Friday, July 7, 1 and 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 8, and 1 p.m.
Sunday, July 9
Where: Uyxat Powwow
Grounds, 9600 Highway 22
(Hebo Road)
Cost: The event is free and
intended for all veterans
Vendor information: Contact
Molly Leno at 503-983-6790 or
at Charleslenojr75@gmail.com
and do more outreach to females so
that we have more female veterans
coming. That’s exciting.”
Joseph said that she is also proud
that the Grand Ronde Veterans
Summit is encouraging the creation
of similar summits elsewhere in
Indian Country.
“The attention, the focus on veter-
ans and how things trickle out from
the summit,” she said. “Other com-
munities doing their own summits
has been another plus. That was
another reason we wanted to do it.
Smoke Signals file photo
Tribal Elder Steve Bobb Sr. talks during a workshop that was part of the
fourth annual Veterans Summit: Gathering of Warriors at Uyxat Powwow
Grounds last July. This year’s summit is Thursday and Friday, July 6-7.
Show an example of how it could be
done for people to take back to their
communities.”
Nick Sixkiller, who acted as master
of ceremonies at the Veterans Sum-
mit, will continue that role for the
powwow and Carlos Calica will be
the arena director. Tony Whitehead
and Linda Meanus will be Head Man
and Woman Dancers, respectively,
and Bad Soul will be the host drum.
Vendors interested in selling
their wares or food at the Veterans
Powwow should contact Molly Leno
at 503-879-6790 or via e-mail at
charleslenojr75@gmail.com.
Tribal Veterans Special Event
Board Chairman Steve Bobb Sr.,
a Marine Corps veteran from the
Vietnam War era, said the Vet-
erans Powwow is an opportunity
to visit with old friends and swap
military service stories.
“It’s always nice to see everybody
again,” Bobb said. “Rekindle the old
friendships and the ongoing things
with veterans. We like to visit and
talk old stories. That’s always fun.
You see the same people every year,
and that’s good. They keep coming
back, and that’s good.”
The 5-year-old Veterans Sum-
mit, as always, seeks to connect
veterans with the Veterans Affairs’
benefits they earned through their
military service.
“I think we’re gaining on it,” Bobb
said. “It started out kind of slow.
It’s always been a struggle to get
the word out that it’s not just for
Tribal veterans, but for all veter-
ans. I think we are at least starting
to gain on some of those things that
we were trying to help out with.
“Veterans are a hard group to
deal with because some of them
are kind of resentful still, especial-
ly of governmental agencies. And
more, I guess, from my era. We try
to tell them, ‘You’ve earned this
stuff. You’ve earned it. You have it
coming.’ ”
Hoop for Health!
2017
When: August 18th-20th
Tournament times:
Friday, Aug. 18 | 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 19 | 8 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Sunday Aug. 20 | 8 a.m.- Until finished (If needed)
Who can play:
Coed Middle school and High school brackets (teams of 4)
2016-2017 school year, must bring ID.
Where:
Cost:
'Uyxat Pow Wow Grounds - Grand Ronde, Oregon
Free!
3 point contest | Prizes for 3 point contest, 1st, and 2nd place teams!
All teams must have a coach, 18 years or older | Limited Team spots available!
Presentation on healthy lifestyle awareness!
*Deadline to Register Aug 11th*
To register a team Contact Harris Reibach: 503-879-1369
Ad created by George Valdez
Recreation Department