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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2025)
4 JUNE 1, 2025 Food Bank news The Grand Ronde Food Bank – iskam mfkhmfk haws – is operated by Marion-Polk Food Share, which has been leading the fi ght 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 June 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 fi ll 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. n Committee & Special Event Board meeting days and times • Ceremonial Hunting Board meets as needed. Chair: Marline Groshong. • Culture Committee meets as needed in the Veterans House, Chair: Molly Leno. • Editorial Board meets monthly. The next meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 20, via Zoom. Contact 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. Interim Chair: Vale- ria Atanacio. • Elder Board meetings times will be updated when information is available. • Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance 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 Monday 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 Thurs- day of the month in the Housing Department conference room. Chair: Harris Reibach. • Powwow Special Event Board meets as needed 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 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 fi rst Tues- day of the month in the Quenelle House. Acting Chair: Reyn Leno. To update information on this list, contact Smoke Signals Editor Danielle Harrison at 503-879-4663 or danielle.harrison@grandronde.org. 28450 Tyee Road – Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 – 503-879-2401 – Fax 503-879-5973 GRAND RONDE HOUSING DEPARTMENT 28450 Tyee Road – Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 – 503-879-2401 – Fax 503-879-5973 ATTENTION ALL HOUSING TENANTS AND GUEST PLEASE SLOW DOWN IN ELDER HOUSING Also, please make sure and maintain low levels of music in the Elder community. SMOKE SIGNALS yesteryears a look back... 2020 — Spirit Mountain Casino reopened with limited hours on June 1, after 2.5 months of being closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional safety measures included age restrictions and requiring masks at all table games. The Tribe’s roughly 500 employees were also back in the offi ce, with new protocols, in- cluding daily screening and temperature checks. 2015 — Silviculture and Fire Protection 2 File photo Program Manager Jeff Nepstad retired from the Natural Resources Department, after serving the Tribe for nearly half his life, to spend more time with his family. 2010 — The Affi liated Tribes of Northwest Indians held its mid- year conference at Spirit Mountain Casino, giving Tribal members a fi rst-hand look at the process of determining which ideas would be pitched to Congress to potentially become law. Successful ideas would move forward to the National Congress of American Indians a few weeks later. 2005 — Native American novelist, poet and comedian Sherman Alexie (Spokane) entertained the crowd at Oregon State University’s LaSells Stewart Center and granted an interview with Smoke Signals. 2000 — The Willamette Restoration Initiative was seeking to protect the remains of the Willamette River Basin. The board of directors in- cluded representatives of local businesses, local government, utilities, Tribes, academics, watershed groups, soil and water conservation districts, agriculture, forestry, environmental groups and state and federal government. Board members included Tribal Council Chair Kathryn Harrison and Tribal Environmental Specialist Kathleen Feehan. The board presented its recommendations to Gov. John Kitzhaber in May 2000. 1995 — Spirit Mountain Casino, a few months away from opening, was still under construction. Meanwhile, offi cials were hiring man- agement staff, beginning to advertise for general staff and fi nancing improvements to Highway 18. 1990 — Gubernatorial candidate Barbara Roberts, who grew up in Sheridan and attended school with Tribal members, met with Oregon Tribal representatives in mid-May, along with her opponent, State Attorney General Dave Fronhmayer and congressional candidate Mike Kopetski. Frohnmayer said he was the one who had formed the state’s Indian Affairs working group. Roberts defeated Frohnmayer six months later. 1985 — The powwow committee was seeking fi nancial donations and raffl e items for the summer powwow. It also was asking for vol- unteers to help make fry bread to help raise funds for the powwow. Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in fi ve-year in- crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.
