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MARCH 15, 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 March 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 as needed at the Grand Ronde Food
Bank/iskam mfkhmfk haws, 9675 Grand Ronde Road. Chair: Fran-
cene Ambrose.
• Editorial Board meets monthly. The next meeting will be held at
10:30 a.m. Friday, March 15 via Zoom. Contact Chair Mia Prickett
at Editorial.Board@grandronde.org for the meeting link.
• 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 Gov-
ernance 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 3 p.m. the third Thursday of the
month in the Housing Department conference room. Chair: Shayla
Myrick-Meyer.
• Powwow Special Event Board meets as needed at the Community
Center. Dates vary. Contact Dana Ainam at 503-879-2037. Chair:
Dana Ainam.
• TERO Commission meets at 10 a.m. the second 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. Chair: Jon
R. George.
• Veterans Special Event Board meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Tuesday
of the month in the Quenelle House. Chair: Raymond Petite.
To update information on this list, contact Smoke Signals Editor
Danielle Harrison at 503-879-4663 or danielle.harrison@grandronde.org.
NWIHA offers youth scholarships
The Northwest Indian Housing Association is offering youth scholarship
opportunities.
Applications can be obtained by visiting www.nwiha.org and clicking on
the Youth Scholarship Program tab.
All applications and supporting documents must be submitted by email
to info@nwiha.org by 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 30.
All applicants, selected or not, will be notified of the NWIHA executive
committee decisions. Successful applicants will be recognized at a banquet
held on Tuesday, May 7.
Complete instructions are contained in the application form. For more
information, contact info@nwiha.org or 360-220-9212.
SMOKE SIGNALS
yesteryears
a look
back...
2019 – Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy became the
fourth Grand Ronde Tribal leader to lobby for adequate and stable
federal funding of terminated Tribes’ public safety efforts when she
appeared before the House of Representatives Appropriation Com-
mittee’s subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agen-
cies in Washington, D.C. In her prepared testimony, Kennedy called
federal funding for police services for Terminated Tribes “grossly
inadequate.” She said, “Grand Ronde’s inability to secure recurring
federal funding for its Tribal police force is one of the continuing
impacts of Termination.”
2014 – Tribal member April
Campbell was honored for her
position as the Oregon Depart-
ment of Education’s Indian
Education specialist. She was
presented with a Pendleton
blanket and a framed powwow
poster that was signed on the
back by members of Willamette
University’s Native American
Enlightenment Association
during her honoring at the 12th
annual Social Powwow at the
2014
File photo
university in Salem.
2009 – Tribal member and
Sheridan High School senior Denny Linton continued his family’s
tradition of winning Oregon wrestling titles at the 2009 3A State
Championships. His older brother, Tribal member Brandon, won
two straight state titles in 2007 and 2008 for Willamina High School
while Denny won state championships as a freshman and sophomore
at Willamina.
2004 – Members representing the Tribe’s 14 committees met at
Spirit Mountain Casino for the second annual Committee Summit.
“We look to you to tell us what’s happening with the membership,”
Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy told committee
members.
1999 – The ad hoc committee to create the Tribal Veterans Memori-
al held its first meeting with the Grand Ronde Veterans Committee.
The ad hoc committee decided to meet regularly to discuss progress
on building a Veterans Memorial. The committee was tasked with
creating several subcommittees responsible for different aspects of
the creation of the memorial. They included fundraising, design,
location and research.
1994 – The first Life Skills for Independence seminar took place
in Grand Ronde for many Tribal members and JOBS participants.
The four-week seminar covered a variety of topics including career
planning and job search, personal development and support services.
Coordinated through a program at Chemeketa Community College,
all participants received college credit for attending the seminar.
1989 – The Powwow Committee was sponsoring a contest for a
poster design to use to advertise the Tribe’s fifth annual powwow. A
$50 honorarium was awarded for the selected design.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in-
crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.