Smoke signals., April 15, 2018, Page 13, Image 13

S moke S ignals
APRIL 15, 2018
13
46 different states
done that were important to me.”
Out of all the places she has lived,
VanAtta loves Oregon and, specifi-
cally, Grand Ronde the most.
“Whenever I go places and tell
people where I’m from, they say,
‘Oh, doesn’t it rain there all the
time?’ I reply, ‘Every single day,’ ”
she jokes. “I’ll take the rain over the
violence larger cities have.”
The move to Grand Ronde was
prompted by health issues, but
looking back, VanAtta says it has
been a “pretty amazing” experience.
“Most people think the only thing
to Grand Ronde is the casino,” she
says. “I say, you haven’t even seen
it. It is pretty amazing out there.
You don’t have to go anywhere to
be in the mountains.”
VanAtta enjoys how Grand Ronde
has many of the conveniences of a
larger city, but without the crowds.
“I always tell people we have
churches, health care, our own
library, classes, housing and the
Elders Activity Center,” she says.
“Every day you have the chance
to learn something different, meet
new people and try new things.”
Within a month of moving to
Grand Ronde, VanAtta says she
knew she had found a home.
“We just jumped in and got in-
volved, and soon we had a busload
of friends,” she says. “Of all the
places I have lived, this is my fa-
vorite. I truly believe this is where
I belong. It is a good thing.”
She enjoys talking with younger
Tribal members and asking them
about their post-high school plans.
“They have so many amazing op-
portunities now,” she says.
VanAtta says she’s always given
the advice to young women to make
sure they can support themselves
no matter what life may throw at
them. For those who will soon be
a part of the older generation, she
recommends staying busy.
“You can have the best experience
being here if it is about the giving,
not the taking,” she says. “You have
to stay busy. I fight memory loss
and shakiness at times, but sitting
around doesn’t help.”
Once a heavy drinker, VanAtta
stopped when she moved to Grand
Ronde.
“I just didn’t feel the need any-
more,” she says. “You always have
an option. Your friends that partied
with you, they are down there and
that is where they want to keep
you, in the gutter. … God gave
you a mind. Use it and always be
grateful.” 
Tribal Elder Jennie VanAtta’s grandparents Rose and Floyd “Bud” Low helped
raise her and were very influential in her life.
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