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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2024)
4 JANUARY 1, 2024 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 automatically 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 January 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. 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 email for the Food Bank calendar and events, as well as follow the Food Bank on Facebook. The Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider. Contact Ambrose at 503-879-3663 or fambrose@marionpolkfoodshare.org for more in- formation or to volunteer. Health & Wellness program report scheduled for January meeting MEETING continued from front page bers, designating regular meeting dates, attendance requirements and specifying nominations; • Approved the agenda for the Sunday, Jan. 7, General Council meeting, which will feature a program report on the Health & Wellness Center and start at 11 a.m. in Tribal Council Chambers and on Zoom; • And approved enrolling four in- fants into the Tribe because they meet the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance. To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Videos tab. Committee & Special Event Board meeting days and times • Ceremonial Hunting Board meets as needed. Chair: Marline Gro- shong. • 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, Jan. 12, at the Tribal Governance Center: 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 Gover- nance 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. 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 Com- munity 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... 2019 – The Tribe’s Health and Wellness Center hosted a town hall, bringing in national and local experts on the opioid crisis, treatment options and to share the latest information. Or- egon Health Authori- ty data showed Native Americans had the highest overdose rates File photo of prescription opioids. 2019 Audit results released by Secretary of State Dennis Richardson revealed Oregon to have the highest national rate of senior citizens hospitalized for opioid-related issues. The Tribal community also heard about medication-assisted treatment for addiction and abstinence-based recovery programs. 2014 – Spirit Mountain Community Fund Director Kathleen George announced $396,635 in fourth-quarter grants to 27 area nonprofits, bringing total grants for 2013 to almost $3 million. Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno said that the membership was very supportive of the program. The new grants went to five program areas including education, the arts, health, public safety and environmental pres- ervation. The largest grant recipient was A Family for Every Child in Eugene, which received $50,000 from the Tribe. 2009 – A pre-Christmas winter storm of nearly record-breaking proportion shut down the Tribal campus and local schools for more than a week. Twenty inches of snow followed by freezing rain hit Grand Ronde by Christmas Eve, canceling important seasonal Trib- al events, and giving Willamina students an extended three-week Christmas break. Roads and Tribal campus parking lots were cleared for emergency vehicles first, and 30 rooms were set aside for Elders at Spirit Mountain Casino in case of emergency. 2004 – Back-to-back snow and ice storms hit Oregon between Christmas and New Year’s, knocking out power and shutting down Tribal offices for most of the week. Portland General Electric person- nel said Grand Ronde was one of the worst-hit areas in the state. As much as a foot of snow caused falling trees and downed power lines, closing roads between Salem and Grand Ronde. Tribal members checked on Elders to ensure their safety. 1999 – A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held during the grand open- ing of Spirit Mountain Lodge. Community members and staff dropped by the new hotel to hear some words of dedication from Tribal Council member and Spirit Mountain Board of Directors Chairman Mike Larsen. Travis Benoist, who blessed the new hotel and the Hall of Legends earlier in the week, gave an opening invocation. 1994 – Tribal enrollment increased from 862 to 3,393 members in the 10-year period since federal recognition of Tribal status was restored in November 1983. In response, the Tribal Council adopted stricter enrollment criteria for 1994, limiting enrollment to people descended from a Grand Ronde Tribal member, possessing one-six- teenth minimum Indian blood of a federally recognized Tribe and those who were able to demonstrate social and economic ties to the Grand Ronde Tribe. 1989 – The Tribe leased a residential treatment facility in Keizer to house and operate the American Indian Residential Treatment Cen- ter to provide substance abuse treatment for up to 42 Portland-area Indian youth. The planning process identified the need for a youth residential treatment program, according to Health Director Cheryle A. Kennedy. The Tribe worked to get federal and state funds set aside for drug and alcohol treatment, and planned to purchase the building by the end of the six-month lease. Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in- crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.
