4
Smoke Signals
DECEMBER 1, 2019
Food Bank provides
boxes, seeks help
The Grand Ronde Food Bank – iskam mfkhmfk haws – is operated
by Marion-Polk Food Share, which has been leading the fight to end
hunger since 1987 because no one should be hungry.
Recipients of SNAP, TANF, SSI or LIHEAP assistance automatically
qualify for assistance at the Grand Ronde Food Bank, 9675 Grand
Ronde Road. No one will be turned away in need of a food box.
“We believe that everyone deserves to have enough to eat,” Food
Bank Coordinator Francene Ambrose says. “You are welcome to get
a food box at each of our regular weekly distributions. No one will be
turned away in need of a food box.”
Upcoming food box distribution dates will be:
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7;
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13;
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 (holiday box distribution);
• Closed with week of Dec. 23-27;
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4.
People must check in 15 minutes before closing to receive a food
box. If you need immediate assistance, call 211 or visit 211info.org.
Those who are unable to pick up a food box can fill out an authorized
representative form and that person can pick up a food box on your
behalf. The authorization is good for one year.
In addition, the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center’s Commu-
nity Health Team will be setting up the mobile clinic at the pantry
on the first Friday of every month.
The Food Bank continues to seek volunteers to help with repacking
food, putting food on the shelves, handing out food boxes, end-of-month
inventory and picking up food donations at area stores.
Call to ensure someone is available to assist. People also can sign
up for a monthly e-mail for the Food Bank calendar and events, as
well as follow the Food Bank on Facebook.
The Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider.
Call Ambrose at 503-879-3663 or contact her at fambrose@marion-
polkfoodshare.org for more information or to volunteer. 
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times
for Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
• Ceremonial Hunting Board meets as needed. Chair: Marline Gro-
shong.
• Culture Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the
month at the Grand Ronde Food Bank/iskam mfkhmfk haws, 9675
Grand Ronde Road. Chair: Francene Ambrose.
• Editorial Board meets monthly at the Chachalu Museum & Cultural
Center conference room, 8720 Grand Ronde Road. Next meeting is
scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13. The public is welcome to attend.
Chair: Siobhan Taylor. Contact: Editorial.Board@grandronde.org.
• Education Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the
month in the Adult Education building. Chair: Tammy Cook.
• Elders Committee meets at 10 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders Activity Center. Chair: Penny DeLoe.
• Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Gover-
nance Center. Chair: Debi Anderson.
• Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday
of the month at the Natural Resources building off Hebo Road. Chair:
Bryan Langley.
• Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Tuesday of the
month in the Molalla Room of the Health & Wellness Center. Chair:
Bernadine Shriver.
• Housing Grievance Board meets at 3 p.m. the third Thursday of the
month in the Housing Department conference room. Chair: Simone
Auger.
• Powwow Special Event Board meets monthly at noon at the Com-
munity Center. Dates vary. Contact Dana Ainam at 503-879-2037.
Chair: Dana Ainam.
• TERO Commission meets at 10 a.m. the first Monday of the month
in the Employment Services building. Chair: Russell Wilkinson.
• Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources building off Hebo Road. Interim Chair: Jon
R. George.
• Veterans Special Event Board meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Tuesday
of the month in the old Elders Craft House. Chair: TBD.
To update information on this list, contact Publications Coordinator
Dean Rhodes at 503-879-1463 or dean.rhodes@grandronde.org.
2014 – More than 200 at-
tendees packed the great
hall at Chachalu Museum
& Cultural Center for the
Tribe’s second Tribal History
Conference. Tribal Histori-
an David Lewis served as
the master of ceremonies.
“The conference has become
File photo
a must-attend event for many 2014
people working in heritage in
Oregon,” Lewis said. “There are few events like the conference that
offer such a powerful array of scholars working in different disciplines,
presenting in the same location.”
2009 – Tribal member Justine Colton, a senior at Willamina High
School, was elected student body president for the 2009-10 school
year. “I take this responsibility very seriously,” she said. “I feel that
it is my responsibility as a leader of the youth of today to advocate
for the young people.”
2004 – Tribal members learned cultural traditions during the Circle
of Weaving gathering in the Grand Ronde Community Center. The
event was organized by Tribal member and Tribal Tourism Project
Coordinator Elaine LaBonte. “The intent of this gathering was to get
our Tribal members familiar with the various basketry techniques of
our ancestors and to get them interested in carrying on the tradition,”
she said. Of the approximate 100 in attendance, 70 percent were Grand
Ronde Tribal members.
1999 – More than 200 Tribal members and their families gathered
at Grand Ronde Elementary School on Nov. 21 to celebrate the 16th
anniversary of Grand Ronde Restoration. At the celebration, Tribal
Council Chairwoman Kathryn Harrison thanked the people who were
involved in the Restoration effort during the early years. “We should
thank these people who worked so hard for us,” she said. “Not just
today, but any time of the year.”
1994 – Spirit Mountain Development Corp. Manager Bruce Thomas
announced that he would present a briefing for Grand Ronde residents
on the progress of the Tribe’s gaming center. “It will give people a
chance to ask questions on all aspects of the project,” he said. A one-
page fact sheet was to be handed out at the meeting, which would list
project highlights and inform people of the most important aspects.
1989 – No December edition available.
1984 – Tribal members passed the Tribe’s Constitution by a vote of
145-14. The new Constitution stated that the blood quantum require-
ment for enrollment in the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde would
be lowered to 1/16. All applications on file with sufficient documen-
tation to be enrolled under the new requirements of the Constitution
were set to be presented to the Enrollment Committee.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year incre-
ments through the pages of Smoke Signals.
WIC visits Community Center monthly
Pregnant? Breastfeeding? Does your family include a child under the
age of 5? If so, you may qualify for the Women, Infants and Children
program. With WIC, people can receive answers to nutritional questions
and access fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, milk, cheese, juice,
cereal and more.
A WIC representative visits the Tribal Community Center on the third
Tuesday of the month, which will be Dec. 17.
Walk-ins are welcome between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 503-879-2034. 
To find out more, attend a FREE Start Your Business class!
JOIN US at the Grand Ronde Adult Education Building
on the second Thursday of every month at 4PM
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR
LEARN MORE AT:
WWW.meritnw.org
Or call 503 548-7314