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FEBRUARY 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 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 February 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
information or to volunteer.
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 1
p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 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 first and 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 – Three Tribal members
– Jackie Many Hides, Duke Kim-
sey and Jim Holmes – served as
stand-ins for their parents, who
were going to be memorialized in
bronze for their contributions to the
Grand Ronde Tribe’s Restoration.
The three traveled to Portland’s
3-D Foundry to pose for 3D body
scanning and digital remodeling for
the bronze memorial “Visionaries.”
It would pay tribute to the efforts
of Tribal leaders Margaret Provost,
Marvin Kimsey and Merle Holmes,
File photo
who began working to restore the 2019
Grand Ronde Tribe in the early
1970s. After more than a decade of work, the Grand Ronde Reservation
Act was signed into law on Nov. 22, 1983.
2014 – The ceremonial hunting season began with deer tags good for
one month and the right to hunt the tags with a bow. Tribal members
were entitled to new $25 gas vouchers for each harvest and a knife
for all hunters who harvested their first animal. The knives had the
Tribal logo and the year of the harvest on the blade.
2009 – The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde received a $500,000
federal grant to expand the Health & Wellness Center dental clinic.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development Indian Commu-
nity Block Grant would help add six new dental chairs, two consulta-
tion rooms and three dental offices.
2004 –Tribal Elders who lived in Elder housing presented a Spirit
Mountain Pendleton blanket and award to Tribal Elder Harvey Grout
following the New Year’s Day storm. He was out every day through-
out the weeklong ice and snowstorm, shoveling the sidewalks and
driveways for those living in the Tribe’s Elder Housing development.
“If it wasn’t for Harvey, I wouldn’t even be able to visit my next door
neighbor,” Tribal Elder Anna Hannan said. Thanks to Grout, residents
were able to pick up items including medicine and groceries. “I was
raised to help others whenever I could,” he said. “It’s the Indian way.”
1999 –The grand opening celebration of Spirit Mountain Lodge
included Tribal Council, community members and other guests who
toured the inside of the lodge, casino and Hall of Legends. Tribal
Council member Val Grout gave an opening blessing. Spirit Mountain
Board of Directors Chairman Mike Larsen said it was a wonderful
day for the Tribe and the community. “I want to give thanks to the
people who gave us their support to build here,” Tribal Council Chair
Kathryn Harrison said. “Not only our own people but the community
as well. I hope when the future generations take over, they will have
good things to say about us. Because then, we will be the ancestors.”
1994 – As the Tribe continued to grow, different departments ad-
opted new programs or expanded existing ones. The Social Services
Department enacted a program patterned after a state program to
assist Tribal members in finding employment or developing skills to
meet future goals. The Tribe applied for a grant to fund the program.
“We offer help with career planning, extended schooling, retraining
for a position or working on getting a GED,” JOBS Coordinator Car-
men Mercier said. “Whatever barriers a client is facing, I help that
person work through them one step at a time.”
1989 – The Tribe held an open house for its new youth treatment
center in Keizer, Nanitch Sahalie. The facility would be used as a
youth residential treatment center for American Indian youth in the
Pacific Northwest who needed substance use disorder care. The Tribe
worked with Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rep.
Les AuCoin, Sen. Mark Hatfield, Northwest Portland Area Indian
Health Board and other Oregon Tribes in planning the treatment
center. Tribal Chairman Mark Mercier provided opening comments
and approximately 100 visitors attended the open house.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year incre-
ments through the pages of Smoke Signals.
Tribal nonemergency text line
The Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department has a nonemergency
text line at 541-921-2927.
“If you have a nonemergency situation or question, feel free to con-
tact my officer via text through this line,” said Grand Ronde Tribal
Police Chief Jake McKnight. “When one of my officers receives the
text, they will call you back when they have time.”
McKnight said that emergency situations still require calling 911.
For more information, contact McKnight at 503-879-1474.