Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2021)
12 MARCH 15, 2021 Smoke Signals Community Fund surpasses $85 million mark in giving By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor its effort to provide children with inclusive books throughout the pandemic. • Oregon Environmental Council of Marion County, $15,000, for its Water Justice effort. • Compassion Connect of Mult- nomah County, $50,000, to fund continued one-day dental and medical clinics in the Portland area. • Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center & Foundation of Wash- ington County, $50,000, to fund its COVID-19 response team throughout its service area, which also includes Yamhill County. Rapid response grants of $10,000 each were given to: • Family Building Blocks of Marion County for COVID/wildfire relief. • Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County for wildfire relief. • Lines for Life of Clackamas Coun- ty for COVID/wildfire relief. • North Clackamas Watershed Council for COVID/wildfire re- lief. • Opal Creek Ancient Forest Cen- ter of Linn County for wildfire relief. • South Lane Mental Health Ser- vices of Lane County for COVID/ wildfire relief. The Community Fund was cre- ated as part of the Tribe’s gaming compact with the state of Oregon. It is supervised by a Board of Trustees that includes Tribal Council mem- bers Denise Harvey, Jack Giffen Jr. and Kathleen George. Giffen helped close the virtual event by reminding grantees that the funds given to their organi- zations are from each and every Grand Ronde Tribal member. Spirit Mountain Com- munity Fund awarded $574,427 in grants on Wednesday, March 10, during a virtual check presentation event that also celebrated the Grand Ronde Tribe’s philan- thropic entity surpassing the $85 million mark in giving since its beginning in 1997. One year ago, the Com- munity Fund held the final in-person event on the Tribal campus before the COVID-19 pandemic Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez shut down not only Spirit Spirit Mountain Community Fund Director Michael Cherry welcomed those attending Mountain Casino, but the first ever virtual check presentation event on Wednesday, March 10, from her office closed the Governance Center to outside visitors in the Tribal Governance Center. It was the first check presentation event held in more and nonessential employ- than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and saw the Community Fund surpass the $85 million mark in giving. ees. Spirit Mountain Com- munity Fund receives 6 percent of the grant awards and allowed orga- outcomes. proceeds from the casino and dis- nization representatives to briefly • Reading Results, Read to Succeed tributes those funds to nonprofits speak. The Children’s Book Bank of Multnomah County, $40,000, in 11 northwestern Oregon counties won the drawing for an Ikanum to provide access for all during to fund efforts in the areas of arts saddle blanket designed by Tribal COVID-19 and beyond. and culture, environmental preser- member Travis Mercier. • Financial Beginnings of Mult- vation, education, health, historic During the March 10 virtual nomah County, $30,000, to create preservation and public safety. check distribution, the Community financial education opportunities The virtual event was the first Fund awarded six small grants, 12 for low-income Oregonians. check presentation held by the large grants and six rapid response • SMART Reading of Multnomah Community Fund since March grants. The latter were all awarded County, $50,000, to adapt 2020. It opened with a prayer by to organizations helping with either SMART to virtually meet the lit- Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. COVID-19 or September 2020 wild- eracy needs of pre-kindergarten George and Cultural Policy Analyst fire relief, or both. students. Greg Archuleta showed a video of Small grants were awarded to: • Court Appointed Special Advo- Tribal member and Cultural Edu- • Black Parent Initiative in Mult- cates of Linn County, $50,000, cation Coordinator Jordan Mercier nomah County, $5,000, for its to fund volunteer recruitment, performing a gathering song at the School-based Learning Commu- training and supervision. confluence of the Willamette and nities effort. • The Children’s Book Bank of Columbia rivers. • School Garden Project of Lane Multnomah County, $10,000, for Executive Director Michael Cher- County, $7,500, for its Science ry and Board of Trustees Chairman in the Garden program that gets Chip Lazenby welcomed virtual youth outside while learning in The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Veterans Service attendees. school gardens. Cherry said the fund’s check dis- • Stayton Public Library Founda- Office in collaboration with tributions have always been a way tion, $7,000, for its early literacy Agency Creek Expressions presents… to come together as a community outreach effort. and honor grantees who are doing • Blosser Center for Dyslexia Re- “Gathering around the Canoe” on April 9 th at 2 p.m. the good work in their communities. sources in Multnomah County, Make your own clay canoe and paddle! “This is always the most enjoy- $5,000, for literacy support for able part of my job,” Lazenby said. All CTGR Veterans & Tribal students with dyslexia. Members, CTGR veteran & tribal “It is meeting with all of the people • Woodcrafters in Eugene: Writers families and community who are actually on the ground do- Residencies, $7,500, for increas- members are invited. Supplies are limited, register early to ing all of the work to improve the ing school engagement and aca- ensure you get a kit! community for, in many instanc- demic success. es, people who are less fortunate • Yamhill Carlton Together Cares Register at: than a lot of others in our society. in Yamhill County, $7,500, for Zoom.us/meeting And that really is the point of our Meeting ID: 968 9467 1741 its Tiger Academy that cares for By March 26, 2021 charitable giving and doing it on youth while their parents are (To give enough time to mail canoe kits behalf of the Tribe, which is heavily working. or arrange for kit pick-up). invested in advancing the commu- Large grants were awarded to: nities they inhabit.” • Yamhill Community Action Part- Presented by, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Member, and owner of Grants Coordinator Jim Holmes nership, $49,927, to expand men- Agency Creek Expressions, Brian Krehbiel. showed the approximately 50 peo- tal health services for Yamhill “For the past 29 years I have enjoyed ple who attended a video on the his- County youth. spending time learning traditional skills and tory of the Tribe that also provided • Court Appointed Special Ad- arts with several special elders. Some of these skills include plant knowledge and background on the founding of the vocates Voices for Children of processing, weaving, carving and tool Community Fund. Benton County, $30,000, to give making. I love to share these teachings with St. Vincent de Paul of Lane Coun- hope to children going through people that want to strengthen their ty was the featured grant recipient the foster care and court systems. connection to the Tribe and cultural identity. My true passion is making traditional river with Member Liaison Laura Ben- • Kinship House of Washington and ocean going canoes. Making canoes is nett made a presentation that sur- County, $50,000, for its Bright Fu- very challenging and so rewarding. Since my veyed all of the programs offered. tures for Foster Children effort that first introduction and experience in a traditional canoe, I’ve been hooked”. The organization received $50,000 provides mental health services to to support its efforts to address the children with extreme trauma. ~ Brian Krehbiel effects of homelessness on educa- • St. Vincent de Paul Society of Contact the TVSO for more information: tional outcomes. Lane County, $50,000, for its (503) 879-1484 Community Fund Program Co- project to address the effects of CTGRTribalVSO@GrandRonde.Org ordinator Angela Sears announced homelessness on educational