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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2021)
6 SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Smoke Signals 96 employees honored for 1,278 years of service By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Lenos led the way as 96 Tribal employees who were hired in the second quarter – April through June – reached the anniversary of their hire date with five or more years of service. The 96 employees have a com- bined 1,278 years of service to the Grand Ronde Tribe. During previous years, summer honorees and other Tribal employ- ees typically feasted on a lunchtime barbecue picnic held in the Tribal gym. However, due to the recent surge of the COVID-19 pandemic’s Delta variant, the scheduled Aug. 19 barbecue was canceled. Eighteen employees were hon- ored for serving 20 or more years, led by Lead Groundskeeper Greg Leno, who hit the 33-year mark. He is only the second Tribal employee ever to achieve this status. Oth er emplo y e e s who ha v e reached or surpassed two decades of Tribal service include Housing Department Maintenance Coor- dinator Lonnie Leno, 31 years; Member Services Benefits Adminis- trator Liz Leno, 29 years; and Hous- ing Department Manager Shonn Leno and A/V Network Technician Wendell Olson, 27 years. Others with 20 or more years of service include Human Resources Specialist Cindy Mitchell and Fish and Wildlife Program Manager Kel- ly Dirksen, 25 years; Education De- partment Manager Angela Fasana and Tribal Council Senior Admin- istrative Assistant Lauri Smith, 24 years; Children & Family Services Supervisor Kristi Petite, Gaming Commission Executive Assistant Kathy Doane, Senior Staff Attor- ney Deneen Aubertin Keller and Human Resources Training Spe- cialist Vickie Hernandez, 23 years; Publications Production Specialist Justin Phillips and Senior Network Administrator Jack Dobiash, 22 years; and General Manager David Fullerton, Controller Amy Gallant and Lands Project Administrator Brandy Humphreys, 20 years. Other employees honored in- cluded: 19 years: MAT Clinic employee Christopher Martin and Early Childhood Education Instructional Assistant Roxanne Moniz. 18 years: Applications Admin- istrator Candice Olsen, Natural Resources Department Manager Colby Drake, Gaming Inspector Kary Turner and Cultural Educa- tion Specialist Cristina Lara. 17 years: Cultural Resources De- partment Manager David Harrel- son, Children and Family Services Intake Specialist Donna Johnson, Family Services Coordinator Audra Sherwood and Swing Shift House- keeper Sydney Clark. 16 years: Medical Reception- ist Tina Leno, Early Head Start Teacher Jessica Cruickshank and Member Services Enrollment Co- ordinator Tisha Pellett 15 years: Housing Maintenance Technician Randy Bean, Gaming Commission IT Network Analyst Tanner Fish, Silviculture/Fire Protection Technician Jeremy Ojua, Adult Foster Care Caregiver Anna Huston and Early Head Start Home-Based Visitor Shelley Clift. 14 years: Adult Foster Care Caregiver Carmen Parren, Cultural Center Specialist Rachelle Kellogg, Senior Forester Andrew Puerini and Biologist Matthew Zimbrick. 13 years: Gaming Commission Executive Director Michael Boyce, Chinuk Language Program Man- ager Ali Holsclaw, Spirit Mountain Community Fund Director Michael Cherry, Gaming Commission Back- ground Investigator Nicholas Bai- ley and K-5 Tutor/Adviser George Neujahr. 12 years: Adult Foster Care Caregiver Ardyth Hoffer-Hallicola, Certified Medical Assistant Dana Seagrove, Head Start Teacher/ Education Coordinator Kristina Jaquith and Fire Supervisor Jim Pinder. 11 years: Restoration Ecologist/ Policy Analyst Lindsay McClary, Realty Specialist Teresa Brocksen, Dentist Erin Lange, Health Promo- tion Specialist Tammy Leno, TERO Compliance Officer Duke Kimsey and Youth Tobacco Prevention Co- ordinator Shannon Stanton. 10 years: Homeownership Coor- dinator Michele Plummer, Native Connections Coordinator Amber Mercier, Patient Account Special- ist Loretta Meneley, Silviculture/ Fire Protection Technician Daniel Schramm and Maintenance Tech- nician Robert Wiggs. 9 years: Youth Enrichment Coordinator Tim Barry, Dental Secretary Carrie Brooks, Trib- al Council Coordinator Chelsea Baranski, Groundskeeper Brady Bruckner, Youth Education Pro- gram Manager Justine Flynn, Gaming Commission Receptionist Kristina Summers, Early Child- hood Education Program Assistant Denaee Towner, K-5 Tutor/Adviser Kyla McCallister, Budget Manager DeAnne Norton and Silviculture and Fire Protection Technician Gabriel Synegal. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde 8 years: Recreation Coordinator Leo Ayala-Guillen, Tribal Security Lead Officer Ronald Wellborn and Historic Preservation Technician Nicolas Atanacio. 7 years: Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department Lt. Tim Hernan- dez, Program Accountant Michael Hubbard, Pharmacy Technician Tawna Norwest, Staff Attorney Holly Partridge, Senior Records Clerk Emma Leno and Early Head Start Teacher Hannah Sabey. 6 years: ERSEA Coordinator Dawn Doar, Home Based Family Educator Brandi Hancock, Cul- tural Protection Specialist Dustin Hawks, Clinical Nurse Manager Christa Hosley, Housekeeper Sa- brina Labonte, Aftercare Educator Holly Marler, Groundskeeper You- vani Ring, Aquatic Biologist Bran- don Weems, Gaming Commission Licensing Application Specialist Joel Greer and Bus Driver Heidi Whittington. 5 years: GIS Coordinator Alex Drake, Tribal Council Administra- tive Assistant Shannon Ham-Tex- eira, EHA Family Educator Tammy Fisher, Early Childhood Education employee Griselda Perez-Bravo, Children & Family Services Case- worker Aliea Finney, Emergency Operations Coordinator Steve War- den and Tribal Employment Rights Office Director Harris Reibach. Employees received bonus checks and those reaching the 10-year mark in service had the option of receiving a Tribal Pendleton blan- ket or an extra $100 in their bonus check. • Grand Ronde Community • Tribal Veterans Service Office in collaboration with Clothes Closet Agency Creek Expressions presents… • Open to All • “Cattail Cordage” All CTGR Veterans & Tribal Members, CTGR veteran & tribal families and community members are invited. We will send a link and a packet with instructions to those who are interested in this class. Make your own cattail cordage! SERVICES OFFERED: Presented by, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Member, and owner of Agency Creek Expressions, Brian Krehbiel. “For the past 29 years I have enjoyed spending time learning traditional skills and arts with several special elders. Some of these skills include plant knowledge and processing, weaving, carving and tool making. I love to share these teachings with people that want to strengthen their connection to the Tribe and cultural identity. My true passion is making traditional river and ocean going canoes. Making canoes is very challenging and so rewarding. Since my first introduction and experience in a traditional canoe, I’ve been hooked”. ~ Brian Krehbiel Contact the TVSO for more information: (503) 879-1484 CTGRTribalVSO@GrandRonde.Org Children’s Clothing Women’s Clothing Men’s Clothing Blankets Free Dog & Cat Food Diapers and Toilet Paper Emergency Hygiene Kits Camping Supplies (Tents, Tarps, Wood) Small Appliances and Household Items Toys SEASONAL PROGRAMS Backpack & School Supply Giveaway For children ages K-12 at the start of school Christmas Shop Adults can pick out 1 new gift for each child in their household. Children can shop for 1 gift for each adult in their household. The Grand Ronde Clothes closet is located on the Tribal Campus near the Elders Activity Center at the end of Blacktail Drive. The Clothes Closet accepts donations in clean and good condition. Please put donations in plastic bags for sanitation purposes and drop them off during open hours. Please use the Community Board to post large items. For more information or emergency clothes, contact Lori Walker-Hernandez at 559-847-7565.