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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2019)
6 S moke S ignals FEBRUARY 1, 2019 College bound Community Garden slates orientation meeting The Grand Ronde Community Garden will hold a mandatory orientation meeting at noon Monday, Feb. 11, at the Elders Activity Center, 48940 Blacktail Drive. Lunch will be provided. The garden already has approximately 15 raised beds reserved for in- dividuals who are interested with six beds still available. Contact Garden Coordinator Patti LeClaire at 503-851-2999 or Nutrition Program Manager Kristy Criss-Lawson at 503-879-2018 before Friday, Feb. 8, if you would like to reserve a bed for the 2019 year. n Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez Tribal youth Kaelynn Simmons signs a copy of her National Letter of Intent to play softball for Western Washington University in Bellingham during a ceremony held at the Tribal Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Simmons is currently a senior at Dallas High School and was featured in the Jan. 15 edition of Smoke Signals. ‘I’m tired of being on a schedule’ LIBRARIAN continued from front page “I enjoy the people that come into the library the most and I also enjoy the collection we have here,” she says. “This is a great work envi- ronment and has been an awesome experience. We get a lot of support from our Tribal Council.” Interim Education Department Manager Bryan Langley has worked with Mercier since 1991. “We go way back,” he says. Mercier was on the interview panel when Langley was hired in 1991 in the Social Services Depart- ment, and the two worked together at the old train depot. “I remember one time when Mar- ion came to my rescue when I first started. I had a Tribal member who misunderstood what I was trying to tell them over the phone and they got upset,” he says. “A half-hour later, a truck came sliding into the parking lot in front of the depot and I said, ‘I think that is for me.’ The individual came in and was very upset, and would not calm down. Marion came out and asked the individual to leave.” Langley says that while he is sad to see Mercier leave, he is excited for her new adventures. “It is sad to see Marion leave be- cause she has been such a big part of getting the education programs to where they are today,” he says. “We are all super excited that Marion is retiring and getting to do whatever she wants. … I think I am a little jealous.” Although Mercier has enjoyed her time working for the Tribe, espe- cially as a librarian, she wants time to pursue other passions while she is still young and healthy enough to do so. “I feel like I have been working since I was 9 years old,” she says. “I’m tired of being on a schedule and am ready to do some other things I have put off doing. It will also David Shannon and “Someday” by Eileen Spinelli. “If it’s a fun topic and somewhat inspi- rational, I love that book for kids,” Merci- er says. “Young kids need something fun and meaningful. I also like the classics, poetry and good sto- ries in general that keep my attention and have enough de- tails.” Mercier retired Jan. 31 and Recre- ation Specialist Har- ris Reibach will serve an interim librarian beginning in Feb- ruary. He has been training with Mercier Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez to learn the ins and Tribal Librarian Marion Mercier and Harris Reibach participate in Adult Reading Time with outs of library work. an Elder in the Cougar Lodge on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Mercier retired at the end of January “I truly believe this is the best job at the and Reibach will be filling the librarian position on an interim basis. Tribe,” she says. “I believe that because when people nizing and painting. be nice to visit family more. Even come in here, they want to be here. Her favorite memories of being though I live in the local area, we That makes a real difference.” a librarian are having the youth don’t get together the way we used She advises her successor to re- groups come into the library and to. Just dropping in on people is member that people come first in listen to the volunteer readers tell a thing of the past. When I was the job. stories to groups of children. growing up in Grand Ronde, we did “When you are working at the “They each bring their own per- that a lot.” library, you are there to provide a sonality, and it is fun to listen to Mercier is the daughter of Rose service,” Mercier says. “You want different people read about differ- (Reznicsek) and Marion Merci- people to feel welcome so they can ent things,” Mercier says. er. Her grandparents were Ag- accomplish what they need. We She has several favorite books, nes (Leno) and Arthur Mercier, are there to serve and I hope the which range from classics to chil- and Myrtle (Robson) and Adam library always remembers that is dren’s stories. Some of these are Reznicsek. a priority.” “The Giving Tree” and “Where the She has two children, Candi Mercier is also grateful for the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein, Buswell, who works for the Tribe’s Tribe’s Restoration in 1983, which “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Adult Foster Care lodges, and has allowed her to work in Grand Mitchell, “Treasure Mountain” by Anthony Henry. She also has two Ronde. Evelyn Sibley Lampman, “The Last grandchildren, Ava Buswell and “It’s been nice to stay in our com- Yoncalla” by Dean Baker, “Reserva- Josh Henry. munity and have a job that allowed tion Blues” by Sherman Alexie, “My Although Mercier acknowledges me to be here and raise my family, Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult, “To it will take some getting used to, and not have to move away,” she Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, she is excited about the prospect of says. “Being a part of the Tribe “Words Under the Words” by Nao- sleeping in on the weekdays if she is such a blessing and our library mi Shihab Nye, “Wild About Books” feels like it and having the time at patrons are wonderful.” n by Judy Sierra, “Duck on a Bike” by home to do projects such as orga-
