Yesteryears - Feb. 1, 2012

2007 - Tribal Council Chairman Chris Mercier and Vice Chairwoman Angie Blackwell gifted a Pendleton blanket to Chinook Tribal Chairman Ray Gardner at the Chinook Plankhouse in Ridgefield, Wash., on Jan. 20 during the fifth annual Chinook Winter Gathering. "Let's just say that I am completely envious of their longhouse," Mercier said. "I really hope that Grand Ronde can eventually get something like that."

2002 - The Tribe's philanthropic arm, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, moved from offices at Spirit Mountain Casino to two new offices built at the Tribal Governance Building. Community Fund Director Angela Blackwell said she was proud of the $14 million the Tribe has given to nonprofit organizations in western Oregon since the fund's creation in 1997.

1997 - The Feb. 2 General Council meeting featured a report on Nanitch Sahallie Youth Treatment Center by Dr. Bob Ryan, manager of the facility. Nanitch Sahallie was a live-in treatment center for teenagers 13 to 18 years of age who are Native American. It was established in 1989 in Keizer, Ore. Nanitch Sahallie was one of only eight Native American youth treatment centers in the United States, Ryan said.

1992 - Tribal member Myrna Brandon won a $50 gift certificate from Fred Meyer for suggesting the name of the new Community Council's project. She suggested Chee Mamook, which is Chinuk Wawa for "New Beginnings," reported Community Encourager Michael J. Larsen.

1987 - Navy Seaman recruit Randall L. Leno, son of Tribal Council member Russell Leno, completed training at the Recruit Training Center in San Diego, Calif. He was sent to Alameda, Calif., and was assigned to the nuclear aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year increments through the pages of Smoke Signals.