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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.