4 SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 Food Bank news 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.” The Food Bank will hold September food box distributions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays. In addition, there is a light food box (mostly bread and produce) distribution from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. The Food Bank is closed on Friday, Sept. 22, for National Native American Day. People must check in 15 minutes before closing to receive a food box on both days. 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 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@mari- onpolkfoodshare.org for more information or to volunteer. Social Service’s School clothing program opens Social Service’s school clothing program opened on July 30. This is a first-come, first-served program and children who benefit must be an enrolled Grand Ronde Tribal member. The child must be of school age and enrolled in school (preschool, elementary, middle or high school). Income criteria applies. Contact Social Services at 800-242-8196 or 503-879-2034 for appli- cation. Deadline for all applications is Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. 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 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 29, remotely via Zoom. Chair: Mia Prickett. Contact: Editorial. Board@grandronde.org. • Education Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. on the last 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: Carmen Robertson. • 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. Acting Chair: Reyn Leno. • Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month in the Molalla Room of the Health & Wellness Center. Chair: Darlene Aaron. • Housing Grievance Board meets at 4 p.m. the third Thursday of the month in the Housing Department conference room. Chair: Shayla Myrick-Meyer. • 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 Smoke Signals Editor Danielle Harrison at 503-879-4663 or danielle.harrison@grandronde.org. Smoke Signals yesteryears a look back... 2018 – Tribal Council members, Tribal members and Tribal employees par- ticipated in a ceremony that blessed the future site of a fishing platform at Willamette Falls after receiving permission from the state to build the struc- ture. Having a platform at the historic site in the 2018 File photo Tribe’s ceded lands had been a goal since 1983’s Restoration, and was in negotiations with the state for two years. 2013 – Willamina Elementary fourth-graders would soon receive instruction in Grand Ronde Tribal history for the first time. The pilot project included several 40-minute lessons that would teach Willamina youth about Tribal history from time immemorial through Termination in the 1950s, Restoration in the 1980s and modern-day status as a sovereign nation. The curriculum was created after the Tribe signed a memorandum of understanding with the Willamina School District. 2008 – Spirit Mountain Casino was doing better than most other large businesses in a down economy. During an update at a General Council meeting, Acting General Manager Roy Rhode said despite high gas prices and lagging consumer confidence in the U.S. economy, the casino’s net revenue was higher in 2008 than in 2007. 2003 – Tribal members re-elected Cheryle A. Kennedy, and elected Jack Giffen Jr. to serve on Tribal Council. The third- and fourth- place candidates, Jan D. Reibach and Mark Mercier, were headed for a recount because there was less than one percent between their vote counts. 1998 – Cultural Resources Department staff, members of the Cul- ture Board and community-based group Seekers worked together to provide a variety of cultural materials for the public during the Tribe’s Contest Powwow. These included an interactive Chinuk Wawa display, and some illustrations of old Tribal photographs. Additionally, an initial draft for the proposed cultural center and museum was available for public comment at the powwow. 1993 – Tribal nursing assistant Darlene Aaron was recognized for five years of working for the Tribe. Aaron noted that she had seen many changes in that relatively short period of time. “When I first began working for the Tribe, everyone worked in the Manor. There were only about 25 employees and the Health Clinic was only open one day per week,” she said. 1988 – Tribal enrollment reached 2,351, according to Enrollment Director Margo George. “Congratulations to all of our new members,” she said. “I have been working on a computer program to automate and update the enrollment records. The enrollment clerk, Beverly Smith, issued 45 (Tribal identification) cards at the powwow.” George also reminded Tribal members to look into the enrollment status of their children, and said that if they hadn’t received a roll number, they were likely not enrolled yet. Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in- crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.