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JANUARY 1, 2025
13
Firefi ghters honor longtime supporter by running for Gaston
By Nicole Montesano
Smoke Signals staff writer
For months, 55-year-old Tribal
member Veronica Gaston had been
dreaming about completing the Ho-
nolulu Marathon on Sunday, Dec.
8, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gaston had a habit of dreaming
big and this was no exception.
A broken spine had left her in a
wheelchair for several years and
although she had recovered enough
to be able to walk, she was still
using a walker. Nonetheless, she
was determined to become strong
enough to walk 26.2 miles to com-
plete the marathon.
Despite training most of 2024,
Gaston was unable to achieve that
one last dream: She walked on
unexpectedly on Wednesday, Dec.
4, just days before she was to race.
So, the Grand Ronde Emergency
Services Department decided to
fi nish what she had started.
Gaston had long been a supporter
of the department and loved talking
to the fi refi ghters.
She suffered a sudden emergency
on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Emergency
Medical Technician/Firefighter
Jennifer Colton was one the fi rst
people on the scene.
“I was one of the responders that
was there the morning she went to
the hospital,” Colton said. “I asked
about her training and she was able
to answer that she still had been. My
hope was that she was going to pull
through and make it to the event.”
Colton also has a long-standing
dream of competing in the Honolulu
Marathon.
“She had told me that she was
going to do it this year and jokingly
said we should do it together for
2024,” she said. “I honestly didn’t
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Colton
Grand Ronde Emergency Services Emergency Medical Technician/Firefi ghter
Jennifer Colton, right, and fellow Emergency Services crew ran the
equivalent of a marathon to honor Tribal Elder Veronica Gaston. Gaston
unexpectedly walked on days before she was set to participate in the
Honolulu Marathon in December 2024.
think she was serious until I saw
her on the news about a month ago.
Then I was super excited for her.”
KGW8 television in Portland
aired a story about Gaston’s plan
to walk in the marathon in early
November.
“I was not able to get registered
for this year’s event as life took me
in other directions for a few months
prior to the race,” Colton said. “But
I was still excited that she was
going to do it. I know that most
marathons can be live streamed for
others to view or give spectators a
way to check the status of partici-
pants, so that was my plan to see
how she was doing and cheer from
the mainland.”
Colton said it saddened her that
Gaston was unable to achieve her
cherished dream.
“She trained so hard,” Colton
said.
While talking with a co-work-
er shortly after Gaston’s death,
Colton said, she thought, “Some-
body should do her miles for her.”
The fi re crews couldn’t fl y to Ha-
waii, of course, but Colton decided
they could run the marathon at
home instead.
“I spoke to my battalion chief and
asked if I could organize a group
workout with our crews for that
afternoon,” she said. “He was all
for it. I did not tell the crew what
we were doing but they all know
my passion for running so I think
they were a bit nervous, as some of
them don’t like to run.”
Colton said she was both amused
and touched by the reactions of her
colleagues.
“When I returned to the station at
1400 hours, I placed all our names
on a white board in the workout
room,” she said. “At the bottom it
said 26.2. Above all our names was
this: VGMM. As the crew came in,
you could see the sheer terror on
some faces. It was priceless. But
when I told them how this was go-
ing to work and the reason behind
this workout, they all got behind it
and took on the challenge with a
lighter heart. I explained that this
was the Veronica Gaston Memorial
Marathon and that between the 13
people present, we would each do 2
miles in honor of her.”
Three of the fi refi ghters had to go
out on a call, so some people put in
extra miles to ensure they complet-
ed the marathon, but all 13 people
did some portion of it.
“Some ran, some jogged, some
walked, some did a little of all
three,” she said. “I was so proud of
our crew for stepping up and com-
pleting her dream. We ended up
actually running/walking/jogging
a total of 28.5 miles for Veronica.”
Colton said she hopes to make the
challenge an annual event. n
TRIBAL COMMITTEE /
BOARD & COMMISSION
Now accepting applications!
Now accepting new applications
Native American Habitat Restoration
Internships at Elderberry Wisdom
Farm – Spring and Summer 2025
• Do you want to be more involved with the Tribe?
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career pathways for its 2025 Habitat Restoration Internships. This paid opportunity provides Native
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• Do you have a desire to be a part of a group to plan and
be involved in Tribal activities and events?
A $3,000 stipend will be provided for those completing the nine-week internship. Spring trainings are held
three days a week from March 31 to May 30, 2025 and in Summer from June 23 to August 2 2 for a total
of 190 hours of indoor classroom education and experiential service-learning activities.
• Are you intersted in making positive changes for
future generations?
A highlight of the internship is the emphasis upon Native American habitat restoration practices that
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• Visit https://qrco.de/bf49Bl or scan the QR code for a
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There are opportunities for interns who are motivated to continue their training to become part-time
employees or become emerging owners and operators of the habitat restoration or native plant nursery
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Current vacancies:
To apply: Please complete the application form. Visit our website at www.elderberrywisdom.org or if you
have questions, feel free to leave a message at contact us.
• Ceremonial Hunting Board (2) • Culture Committee (1)
• Enrollment Committee (1) • Fish & Wildlife Committee (2)
• Housing Grievance Board (2)• Powwow Special Event Board (1)
• Election Board alternates (2)
For questions email:
shannon.ham-texeira@grandronde.org
Applications available online at:
www.grandronde.org/government/tribal-council/committees/
Applications also available in the Tribal Governance building:
Located at the Tribal Council office near the security desk.
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