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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2020)
4 SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 Food Bank providing boxes on Fridays in September 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.” In reaction to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Food Bank will be holding September food distributions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays. “We are asking clients to not come for a food box if they are having any symptoms or concerned about their health,” Ambrose said. “We are limiting our geographic service area to Sheridan to Otis on Highway 18 and Sheridan to Hebo on Highway 22. We are asking clients and volunteers to wash their hands immediately upon entry to the building. Our lobby is closed until further notice. “Food box distribution is happening outside while maintaining a safe distance between clients. We are sanitizing and keeping the food quarantined for three days before distribution. Pre-made boxes are available on distribution days, limited to two days of food for two adults. Clients within our geographic service area are still welcome to visit us weekly.” 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 designated person can pick up a food box on your behalf. The authorization is good for one year. The Food Bank is continuing the Farm Share Rx program with 35 farm shares being distributed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. It is a first-come, first-served distribution until the shares are depleted. 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 Groshong. • 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. The next meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, using the Zoom conferencing program. 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 Governance 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 Community 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. Smoke Signals yesteryears a look back... 2015 – Tribal member Clint “Tony” Folden had a big sur- prise when his bride-to-be showed up at Spirit Mountain Casino during his lunch break for a surprise wedding. “Oh my goodness,” he said as he walked into the courtyard with his hand covering his mouth. Family and friends gathered for the occa- File photo sion, which was also Folden’s 2015 birthday, by singing him “Hap- py Birthday” as he scanned the scene and gathered himself. Tribal Elder Lew Younger officiated the ceremony, which was the first to be held in the casino’s courtyard. The wedding was originally scheduled for three days later, but the bride decided on a different plan. After the wedding, Folden returned to work to complete his shift. 2010 – The Tribe’s new plankhouse was set to open. It included a main building, woodshed and handicap accessible ramps. Guests from as far south as California and as far north as British Columbia were expected to attend the grand opening ceremony. “This is a big deal because it is the first plankhouse that we have been allowed to build since being removed to the Reservation,” Tribal Language and Culture Specialist Bobby Mercier said. He had been planning the event with a team of people including Tribal Elders Carol Logan and Dolores Parmenter, and Tribal members Lenny Logan, Eirik Thorsgard, Brian Krehbiel and Greg Leno. 2005 – The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department and the Tribe joined forces to bring the history of nearby Fort Yamhill back to life through an interpretive project that would create Fort Yamhill Park. The park would focus on the cultural history of the site through experiences of soldiers, Tribal members and the interaction between the two. It was to include a walking trail, restored officers’ quarters and culturally sensitive signage for visitors. Fort Yamhill was once a military camp that supervised traffic between Willamina and the Oregon coast, and served a buffer between the newly created Grand Ronde Reservation and settlers. 2000 – An opportunity to determine the future direction of the Tribe and its programs was coming to Grand Ronde in the form of a survey to be sent to every Tribal member 17 years of age and older. The Social and Economic Community Assessment survey would ask an assortment of questions aimed at establishing the wants and needs of members. Information gathered from the survey would be used to create a database to help Tribal Council and the various programs do meaningful planning and establish the Tribe’s goal to better serve the membership. 1995 – Thousands of participants came to Grand Ronde to par- ticipate in a weekend of Contest Powwow activities. The Royalty Pageant was hosted by Camille Mercier. Judges included Kathryn Harrison, Diane Lane and Joann Mercier. Halona Butler was crowned Grand Ronde Tiny Tot while Diana Robertson was crowned Junior Miss Grand Ronde and Courtney Galligher was crowned Senior Miss Grand Ronde. 1990 – Tribal Chairman Mark Mercier announced that the Tribe had recently been notified by the Office of Housing and Urban Devel- opment that it would receive funding to build a Community Center in Grand Ronde. “The facility will house most of our community services, but specifically our Elders services, some additional medical services and provide classroom and office space for other activities,” Mercier said. The facility would be approximately 6,000 square feet and was expected to be complete by spring 1992. 1985 – The Tribe thanked everyone who had helped make its first powwow a success. “We were honored to have Natilda Mitchell, Sylvia Wallunlatum and Minty Showaway from Warm Springs to give the invocation to the powwow. … A special thank you to Rudy Clements for his fine job as our emcee, and for all of this advice before and after the powwow.” Appreciation also was expressed for the drummers, singers, dancers, veterans who carried the Eagle staff during grand entry and to the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission for its donation. Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in- crements through the pages of Smoke Signals. • Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at the Natural Re- sources 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: Rich VanAtta. To update information on this list, contact Publications Coordinator Dean Rhodes at 503-879-1463 or dean.rhodes@grandronde.org. (Editor’s note: All committee and special event board in-person meetings have been suspended during the Tribe’s reaction to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.) St. Michael’s offers brunch St. Michael’s Catholic Church offers an open house brunch every Sunday following Mass. The brunch is free to the community. Brunch begins at about 11:30 a.m. following the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Mass attendance is not required for brunch attendance. For more information or for kitchen and hall rental, contact Janelle Justen at 503-550-0923.