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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2020)
sNok signflz APRIL 1, 2020 5 Willamina, Sheridan school districts keeping students fed By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer With all schools in Oregon closed through at least Monday, April 27, several districts have implement- ed a free lunch program to ensure students receive adequate nutrition until classes resume. The Willamina School District is offering free sack lunches at seven different locations, with four in Grand Ronde. When in session, Willamina schools qualify for a grant that feeds every child for free with no applications process, said Superintendent Carrie Zimbrick. On Wednesday, March 18, a hand- ful of children were waiting at Raven Loop Park in Tribal Housing for their meals, while some parents chose to drive up and get the lunches to go. Lunch is available there Monday through Friday from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Willamina School District cook Rebecca Snowden said that more children have been showing up with each passing day since the service started on Monday, March 16. “We served 96 lunches in Grand Ronde yesterday,” she says. “Ev- eryone seems really thankful to be getting these.” Wednesday’s sack lunch selec- tions included peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese sandwich- es, celery sticks, fruit, crackers and milk. Everything was pre-bagged to minimize contact and potential spread of the novel coronavirus. “I love my job and being able to feed kids,” Snowden says. “We will continue to do so through the school closure.” 10:45 a.m., Chachalu Museum & Cultural Center from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and Wan- dering Spirit RV Park from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. Willamina locations are Willamina Elemen- tary School from 10:30 to 11 a.m., Tina Miller Park from 11 to 11:30 a.m. and the Willami- na Post Office 11:45 to 12:15 p.m. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered all K-12 schools to close for two weeks between Mon- day, March 16, and Monday, March 30, on Thursday, March 12, to stem the spread of the virus. That was later extended to Monday, April 27. The 852-student Wil- Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez lamina School District Rebecca Snowden, left, and Courtney Mendenhall, both cooks for the Willamina School is approximately 40 District, hand out bag lunches to children in Tribal Housing on Wednesday, March 18. The percent Native Ameri- school district will be providing the lunches for the duration of the school closures, which can with many of those are currently scheduled to last at least until April 28. students either being Grand Ronde Tribal members or descendants. two pages of homework every day Fifth-graders Issac Emery, The Sheridan School District is and then he gets to go outside. Kayden Zimmer and Nacoma Li- also serving free lunches during “It’s been nice and I enjoy getting ebelt agreed that the extra time the closure. The lunches can be the lunches,” he says. away from school was “nice,” but obtained at Sheridan High School The Willamina School District that it was also good they live close and Faulconer-Chapman School also started adding breakfasts to to their friends. from noon to 12:30 p.m., Sheridan the sacks on Monday, March 30. “We’ve been playing outside a City Park from noon to 12:15 p.m. Other Grand Ronde locations lot,” Emery says. “And going to my and the Sheridan City Library from where lunch is served are Riv- grandma’s house.” 12:20 to 12:35 p.m. er’s Edge RV Park from 10:30 to Zimmer says he is required to do Grand Ronde Station is remaining open MEETING continued from front page Tribal Attorney Rob Greene said during the Legislative Action Com- mittee meeting that the two moves will help prepare the Tribal for all financial contingencies. Tribal Council member Michael Langley said he thought the line of credit resolution was a “good move” because interest rates are very low currently. Tribal Council member Jack Giffen Jr. said he wanted the mem- bership to know it was a unanimous council decision regarding the two financial items. The Tribe moved to close its primary economic engine, Spirit Mountain Casino, from Thursday, March 19, through Thursday, April 9. During the Legislative Action Committee meeting, Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy said the Tribe is working diligently on emergency management pro- tocols to keep coronavirus at bay and out of the community. The Tribe has established an emergen- cy management control center in the Community Center to monitor developments. The regimen includes daily clean- ing at the government campus buildings, as well as practicing social distancing – staying at least 6 feet away from other people – and limiting crowds to 10 or fewer people. Kennedy also said the current state of affairs involves spiritual warfare vs. fear and panic. “We have faith that our Creator will keep this all in order,” she said. A late addition to the Tribal Council agenda was declaring a state of emergency at the Tribe. The resolution allows General Manag- er David Fullerton to oversee the Tribal response to the pandemic and use Tribal resources to respond and recover from its effects. Fullerton said the emergency dec- laration allows the Tribe to launch mutual aid agreements if neces- sary, provides the Tribe access to federal assistance and gives the Tribe access to federal resources, such as essential personal protec- tion equipment for Tribal health professionals who are on the front lines in the battle against the virus. It is the first time the Tribe has declared a state of emergency since its 1983 Restoration as a federally recognized Tribe. "The COVID-19 outbreak is con- stantly changing. This declaration allows us to seek the help of our partners in a time where working together is key to stopping the spread of COVID-19," Kennedy said. "We need to come together as a community. We need to check on one another, make sure our Elders are taken care of, and use our strength as a community to see each other through this challenging time." Fullerton added that the Tribe has established a phone number – 503-879-4357 (HELP) – for Tribal members to call between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday if they need nonmedical aid, such as replenishing supplies or grocer- ies. Those with medical problems should still call their primary care physician. Grand Ronde Station adjacent to Spirit Mountain Casino is remain- ing open to help the community and Grand Ronde Food Bank Co- ordinator Francene Ambrose said food distribution dates are moving to Fridays only in April with modi- fications to the distribution process to help fight spread of the virus. In addition, Tribal Council re- minded members that the Sunday, April 5, General Council meeting scheduled in Eugene has been canceled. Although the situation is serious, Kennedy said she is confident the Tribe will get through the crisis. “I want our Tribal members to be healthy,” she said. “We will contin- ue to thrive. … The most precious thing in life is our life.” The agenda also included: • Approval of 24 non-infant appli- cations for enrollment into the Tribe because the applicants meet the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance; • Approved a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation regard- ing Scroggins Dam, which is an earthen structure built on the Tualatin River for irrigation, water supply and flood control. The dam impounds the water that makes up Henry Haag Lake near Forest Grove and there are concerns about its seismic stabil- ity; • Approved the Tribal Housing Department’s 2019 Annual Per- formance Report that must be submitted to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Depart- ment’s Office of Native American Programs. The Tribe received more than $3 million in HUD funding in the 2019 fiscal year; • And approved the 115-acre Cheechako Logging Unit as pre- sented by Natural Resources staff that will earn the Tribe an estimated $2.13 million in net revenue. “Cheechako” is Chinuk Wawa for “newcomer.” The entire meeting can be viewed by signing on the Tribal govern- ment website at www.grandronde. org and clicking on the Government tab and then Videos.