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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 2017)
8 OCTOBER 15, 2017 S moke S ignals 'Everything had meaning behind it' ANNIVERSARY continued from front page ed beaded necklaces to those who signed the guest book. Health & Wellness Center staff handed out reusable grocery bags that contained lip balm, a memo pad and dental care items. Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George led the invocation to start the event. He said that for 20 years the building has been improving the community’s health and serves as a cultural reminder to Tribal members of who they are. The Color Guard included Tribal Elder Raymond Petite, community members Dennis Kleffner and Al Miller, and Tribal spouse Richard VanAtta. Drummers included Cultural Resources Department employees David Harrelson, Bri- an Krehbiel, Bobby Mercier and Jordan Mercier, as well as Tribal members Nicolas Atanacio, Iz- Photos by Michelle Alaimo abella Atanacio, Tribal Elder and Health Jade Unger, Chel- Committee member Claudia sea Clark, Lisa Archuleta and Leno untangles beaded Kailiyah Krehbiel. necklaces to be gifted to Other Tribal attendees of the Grand Ronde Council members Health & Wellness Center’s 20th in attendance anniversary celebration held at included Chair- the clinic on Friday, Oct. 6. woman Cheryle A. Kennedy, Vice Chair Chris Mer- c i er a n d Trib a l Council member Denise Harvey, in addition to past T r i b a l C o u n c i l A carving inspired by a traditional Chinook burl bowl is by Northwest sculptor and members Wesley unveiled during the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center’s mixed media artist Lillian “ B u d d y ” W e s t , 20th anniversary celebration at the clinic on Friday, Oct. 6. Pitt, a member of the Warm Steve Bobb Sr. and The permanent piece was revealed by Tribal Elders and Health Springs Tribe. Bob Mercier. Committee members Bernadine Shriver, second from left, and George created both the Grand Ronde original and 20th anniver- Health Services Alan Ham, middle, and Tribal Activities/Wellness Promotion sary Health and Wellness Executive Director Coordinator Kandee Little, right. logos. Spirit Mountain is at Kelly Rowe said it the center and the four figures sur- health services. Using that informa- was “an honor” to serve her Tribe rounding it with hands intertwined tion, we started moving forward.” and that the last two decades have represent Elders, adults, youth and Kennedy said that due to the been an amazing time of growth children. The feathers on the fig- long-term effects of Termination be- and opportunity. ures represent the five main Tribes fore Tribal Restoration, it was very “Tribal member health and well- and the triangles on the outer ring important that health and healing ness has always been a priority,” represent the number of programs be implemented at all levels. Rowe said. “Today, we are celebrat- offered in 1997. Lines on the inner “The foundation was laid that ing a structure that was a result of ring represent the number of em- healing is a center part of the build- the Tribe’s priority. It was brought ployees when the clinic opened. ing for our community,” she said. to life by the foresight and per- “Lots of effort went into this,” “There was a healing that needed sistence of a visionary, dedicated Kennedy said. “Everything had to occur in us.” to elevating the health status of meaning behind it. We wanted to Kennedy also reflected on how far the Tribe and Indian people across make sure this building was a place health care has improved since its the state of Oregon and the nation. of healing, a safe place. … I also beginnings in modular buildings … This visionary is Cheryle A. want to also acknowledge Tribal with only a sheet to separate an Kennedy.” Council. If they didn’t share the exam room from the waiting area. Kennedy, who was one of the vision, this would have been very “Grand Ronde didn’t have any Tribe’s first three employees after difficult to achieve.” of these facilities here, there were 1983’s Restoration and a former Other speakers at the celebration none. … It took many years to get Health & Human Services director included state Sen. Arnie Roblan, here. With these humble begin- for the Tribe, received applause as Interim Tribal Employment Rights nings, we started working and she approached the podium. Office Director John Mercier and started planning things … we put “It’s a pleasure to stand before Tribal artisan Brian Krehbiel. all of our heart, soul and ener- you today and welcome you to this “It is an honor to be with a group gy into this,” Kennedy said. “We facility of healing,” Kennedy said. of people who are determined, per- cleaned the buildings, took care of “I just want to say it really is a sistent and willing to do the hard the office and served as assistants privilege and an honor to have been work to keep yourselves together,” to the general manager … this part of the Tribe’s development. I Roblan said. “For the sake of all the involved a huge community effort. sat on the first Tribal Council after young people who are here, your It is what you told us you wanted, we were restored, and there was a Tribal Elders and leaders have and we listened.” needs assessment. The return rate given you an example from their Kennedy also pointed out various was around 97 percent … all of the heart of what it meant to be a part artistic features on the interior, thoughts went into creating what of Grand Ronde. Now, you have the such as the bronze masks, created was needed here at Grand Ronde for opportunity to move forward. “Twenty years ago, your Tribe came to the conclusion that you needed a home and a place where health care was the number one thing. … They looked at the past and looked to the future, and they decided to build something that will last, an amazing building. They brought the outside in, making this a place people want to come and spend the time that they need to.” The center was one of the first buildings constructed by the Tribe after the 1995 opening of Spirit Mountain Casino. The Health & Wellness Center began with 20 programs and 61 em- ployees. According to past articles in Smoke Signals, a major change after the building opened was that Tribal members who lived out of the area were willing to travel to Grand Ronde to receive their health care. John Mercier served as the facil- ity’s project manager. “We did have a lot of help on this,” he said. “Teamwork is what made the whole thing successful. … The building is 20 years old, but the effort to bring it here is 30 years old. … There were a lot of challenges that came about, but with all that, here you are. I thank you all so much for what you do in this building.” Krehbiel spoke briefly about the carving he helped create for the an- niversary celebration with Jordan Mercier and Bobby Mercier. It is representative of a traditional Chi- nook burl wood bowl, which were considered wealth items, usually owned by important people of a village and passed down as family heirlooms. The wood used for the carving is western red cedar, tak- en from planks left over after the construction of achaf-hammi, the Grand Ronde plankhouse. “When you look at it … it’s really whatever you want to see,” he said. In addition to the speakers, present and past Health Committee mem- bers were thanked for their support and contribution to the construction and promotion of the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center. They in- clude Ham, Hobbs, Shriver, Claudia Leno, Allison Empey, Anna Hannan, Annabelle Hamm, Bonnie Mercier, Camille Mercier, Diane Lane, Dor- othy Greene, Faye Smith, Janet Phillips, Merle Leno, Nancy Renfrow and Patti Tom-Martin. The Health & Wellness Center was originally designed to house the medical and dental staff, sup- port services and wellness, and counseling, which included drug, mental health services and voca- tional rehabilitation. New services made possible with a larger build- ing were optometry, pharmacy, medical lab and radiology. “It is amazing to be able to work with the membership, and it is important for me to know what we do here is meaningful,” Rowe said. After the speakers, attendees took facility tours and sampled plenty of food, which included salmon, cheese, crackers, fruit, vegetables, fry bread and three commemorative cakes.
