sNok signflz
JANUARY 1, 2021
11
Pictures with Santa mfk mfk Mania still
cooking virtually
By Danielle Harrison
Smoke Signals staff writer
Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez
Anwyl Norwest, 5, receives a package from Veronica Gaston dressed
as a Minion as his father, Brett, looks on after having his picture taken
with Santa, aka Tribal member Aaron Anderson, near the Grand Ronde
apartments on Thursday, Dec. 17. Santa sat in the sleigh to allow for
appropriately socially distanced photos during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event was organized by Khanamakwst Committee.
Hannah Nice and her son, Benson
Knight, 3, have their picture taken
with Santa, aka Tribal member Aaron
Anderson, and a reindeer, aka Spirit
Mountain Casino laundry attendant
Matthew Sweet.
Availability of ODOT STIF
Transit Grant Funds
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is providing notice that
the Tribe is reviewing options for their application (or STIF Plan) for
ODOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Funds (STIF), which
is due Feb. 1, 2021. The Tribe is eligible for $100,000 a year from
this fund for use with public transit. On Tuesday, Jan. 12, the Tribe’s
STIF Advisory Committee will meet to review options and make its
recommendation to Tribal Council. The meeting will be by telephone
between noon and 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend by calling in.
Last year Tribal staff and the Advisory Committee recommended
creating a new public transit route between Grand Ronde and the
city of Dallas and creating local collector/circulator service within
the immediate Grand Ronde area. That was approved by Tribal
Council and submitted. The Tribe anticipates continuing with that
plan this year as well but is accepting other suggestions for op-
tions.
It is expected that the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde will vote on adopting the Tribe’s STIF Plan on the
uses of these funds at its meeting on Jan. 27, 2021, at the Gover-
nance Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347.
Contact Kim Rogers at 503-879-2250, kim.rogers@grandronde.
org for more information including the call-in number and partici-
pant code. Meeting materials will be available for public review by
Jan. 7 and can be e-mailed. 
Like pretty much everything else
in 2020, a popular Tribal food and
culture event moved to an online
format this year.
mfk mfk Mania, which high-
lights and celebrates food services
and resources in the Grand Ronde
and West Valley communities, was
held via the video conferencing app
Zoom on Thursday, Dec. 17.
mfk mfk Mania is typically held
in early fall, but was rescheduled
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It
is co-sponsored by the Grand Ronde
Food Bank (iskam mfkhmfk haws)
and Marion-Polk Food Share.
The virtual event featured dif-
ferent speakers, recipes and pre-
sentations by Marion-Polk Food
Share, the Oregon State Univer-
sity Extension Service, Food Hero,
Master Gardeners, Master Food
Preservers and 4-H programs, as
well as Tribal Youth Empowerment
& Prevention and the Natural Re-
sources Department Native Plant
Propagation program.
Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris
Mercier hosted the event, which
has been held four times in the
Tribal gym and averaged 80 to 100
people in attendance. Food-related
vendors and service providers set
up informational tables, conduct
cooking demonstrations and pro-
vide food to attendees.
“We’ve been hosting events like
these and having community con-
versations regularly,” Mercier said.
“This normally is held at our gym,
and our goal is to raise awareness
of food issues and food access. What
I have learned is I didn’t know the
depth of the resources that are
available. Some of the people who
have come to us, I had no idea of
what they did or the services they
offered.”
One of the pre-recorded videos
featured Youth Prevention Coor-
dinator and Youth Council Adviser
Smoke Signals screenshot
Youth Prevention Coordinator
Shannon Stanton gives a
demonstration on how to make her
Three Sisters Stew during the virtual
m f k m f k Mania held on Thursday,
Dec. 17. The event was hosted
by Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris
Mercier.
Shannon Stanton and Native Con-
nections Coordinator Amber Mer-
cier discussing a new Tribal Youth
Empowerment and Prevention
program, “Cooking with Shannon.”
They also hosted a cooking demon-
stration of Three Sisters Stew.
At the conclusion of the online
event, Mercier thanked partici-
pants and attendees.
“I know it’s not the same as hav-
ing it in the gym and with all of the
tables, but this was our attempt to
make up for it,” he said.
Several food- and cooking-related
raffle prize drawings were given
away during the event. To view the
video of the event in its entirety,
visit youtube/q6KueqaSU4A. 