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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 2021)
4 APRIL 15, 2021 Smoke Signals Food Bank news yesteryears 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 automat- ically 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 continuing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Food Bank will hold April food box distributions on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We are asking clients to not come for a food box if they are hav- ing 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 seeking volunteers to help with re- packing 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@mari- onpolkfoodshare.org for more information or to volunteer. Committee & Special Event Board meeting days and times • 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, April 23, 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. a look back... 2016 – A survey of Tribal members found an almost 50-50 split when it came to building a community swimming pool in Grand Ronde. The idea was not a new one, but received added impetus when Tribal member Rex Haller began a serious push for its construction, citing the lack of recreational and exercise opportunities for Tribal members living in the Grand Ronde area. When supporters were asked if they supported using Tribal revenue to fund construction that might cause a reduction in per capita payments or funding for other programs, 64.9 percent said no. 2011 – Tribal member Na- koosa Moreland was featured after she carried on a centu- ry-old tradition of attending Chemawa Indian School. “This is my first year here at Chema- wa,” she wrote on Facebook. “I plan on staying here through- out high school.” Although Mo- reland was excited about the 2011 File photo prospect, it wasn’t always that way for Tribal members who attended Chemawa. In the early 20th century, they were encouraged to shun their culture and discipline was swift for anyone who didn’t comply, and included withholding food, supplies, and even confinement in the guard house with hard labor. 2006 – More than 300 people a day attended the “Corps of Discov- ery II: 200 Years to the Future,” which was hosted in Grand Ronde for nine days. The project was named for the original Lewis & Clark expedition from 1803-06. Attendees traveled back in time with the program that described events through handheld recorders as visitors looked at related drawings on tent walls that the Tribe had created in partnership with the National Park Service. Approximately 30 unemployed Tribal members were paid with a grant to work at the event. Tribal vendors were also offered free spaces to sell crafts. 2001 – Tribal Elders Nora Kimsey, Ila Dowd and Mabel Gaston retired after serving a combined 58 years on the Tribe’s Enrollment Committee. The three enjoyed a farewell party in their honor for their commitment and hard work while on the committee. “The years work- ing there were good,” Dowd, 92, said. “With my age now, I wouldn’t like to take on any more responsibility. With the early times, I knew a lot of the ancestors and I felt really necessary. I enjoyed the time I have spent with the committee very much. I appreciate all the attention my friends gave me during the time of our party.” 1996 – Tribal member Bryan Mercier was studying abroad during his fall and spring term as a participant in the Northwest Coalition of Universities exchange program. He was one of several students from the Northwest selected for the program. Mercier was a business major at the University of Oregon and also served as vice chair of the Tribe’s Youth Advisory Board. “Fall term I stayed with a German family, which was a great experience,” he said. “But this term, I will be in a residence hall with other students, so I am looking forward to meeting people.” 1991 – The Tribe received a Community Development Block Grant and plans were underway to build a Community Services Center in Grand Ronde. The center would house services including senior meals, education classes and programs, additional health services, some social services, community meetings and training seminars. Tribal Council had recently approved the final sketches for the facility and a scale model was being built by the architectural firm for display. • 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 Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year incre- ments through the pages of Smoke Signals. the Natural Resources building off Hebo Road. Chair: Harold Lyon. • 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 4 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 Tuesday 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: 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.) Listening sessions set PORTLAND – The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Columbia River InterTribal Fish Commission, Prosper Portland and Portland Bureau of Environmental Services are starting an 18-month planning process to engage Tribes, Tribal organizations and the Portland metro area Native American community to seek ideas, identify needs and explore development opportunities for the proposed Center for Tribal Nations and Waterfront Education Park at the OMSI District on the eastern shore of the Willamette River. The property includes 23 acres, of which 18 are available for the new devel- opment, with 3 million square feet of new usable space. As part of Phase One, a series of listening sessions have been scheduled, all running from 1 to 3 p.m. Remaining sessions will be held on April 26, May 13 and June 2 and will be conducted using virtual meeting applications like Zoom. People also can complete a survey regarding the proposal at atnitribe. org/center-tribal-nations/. For more information or to provide additional input, contact Don Sampson at DP@Seventhgenerationllc.com or 541-215-2753 or James Parker at Jparker@atnitribes.org or 541-249-5770.
