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MAY 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 May 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. Wednesday, May 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.
Health & Wellness Center
offering vaccines
The new COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, is available at the Health & Wellness
Center for adults 18 and older. It is recommended for those with chronic health
conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney failure and
heart failure, regardless if they have received older vaccines. Spikevax is not
a booster.
Another vaccine that is recommended is for RSV, which is available to
babies 8 months and younger, for expectant mothers who are 32 to 36 weeks
pregnant and in limited amounts for those 60 and older.
For more information, call the Health & Wellness Center at 503-879-2002.
SMOKE SIGNALS
yesteryears
a look
back...
2019 –Tribal Council member and Tribal Elder Steve Bobb Sr. was
inducted into the first Willamina High School Hall of Fame at an
induction dinner and auction. The event was a benefit for the school’s
athletic program. “Steve has made outstanding contributions to the
athletic program at Willamina High School as a Bulldog supporter,”
Athletic Director Jerry Buczynski said. Bobb attended Willamina
High School in the 1960s.
2014 – The Tribe’s Cultural Education and Outreach Program was
working on a Chinuk Wawa language application. Tribal members
had an opportunity to volunteer to have their photo taken to accompa-
ny words in the app. The free app was being made for the iPhone and
iPad, and one for the Android operating system was to follow in 2015.
2009 – Tribal member and
Youth Education High School
Lead/Tutor Chris Bailey was
accepted into the Sapsik’wala
Teaching Program at the Uni-
versity of Oregon. Sapsik’wala
is a teaching degree program
that supports education, train-
ing and mentoring of Native
American teachers. Classes
File photo
began in June 2009 and ended 2009
in August 2010.
2004 – The Tribe’s Youth Education Department held its annual
College & Career Fair in the Tribal gym. More than 200 students
attended the fair, which had 34 booths and included representatives
from Northwest Indian College, community colleges, state colleges,
private universities, military recruiters, lending agencies and job
corporations. The purpose of the day was to promote colleges and
careers for students after high school graduation.
1999 – For the first time ever, Grand Ronde’s basketball team made
the national Indian tournament where they made a valiant effort
against some tough competition. Melvin Brisbois, Richard Brisbois,
Haa-nah Mike, Issack Kentta, Lenny Logan and Duane Manyhides
played some tough games in the National Indian Athletic Associa-
tion’s 26th annual basketball championship in Salem, but did not
bring home any victories.
1994 – Tribal Council and the Spirit Mountain Development Corp.
developed an employment policy for staffing the new gaming center.
Bruce Thomas, the corporation’s executive director, said that if a
Tribal member and non-Tribal worker applied for the same job, the
Tribal member would be given preference – if the two were judged
to be equal in all requirements.
1989 – The Tribe’s annual Memorial Day gathering was set for Sat-
urday, May 27. It was held at the Grand Ronde Elementary School.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in-
crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.