Yesteryears --

2013 – Tribal Elder John Lillard, 64, was featured for his dedication to weight loss and healthy living after he lost nearly half of his body weight, slimming down his 6-foot-5-inch frame from 400 to 240 pounds. Lillard credited fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meat, exercise and determination for his weight loss. After years of health problems, he finally had enough in 2005 and threw out all processed food and soda in his home. “If I liked somebody, why would I want to give them this crap?” he said.

2008 – Memorial Day included a keynote speech from then-Gov. Ted Kulongoski at the West Valley Veterans Memorial in Grand Ronde. Beginning at 8 a.m., some 50 Tribal and family members and veterans from across West Valley gathered for the first in a series of events. It was the start of an on-again, off-again chilly, rainy and sunny day that included an address by Kulongoski and the first Tribal ceremony held with fresh ceremonial meat.

2003 – The Tribe’s Spirit Mountain Community Fund reached the $20 million mark in giving with a gala dinner and entertainment at Portland Art Museum. On stage at the museum, members of Oregon Coast Children’s Theatre, one of the grant recipients, brought a Native American myth to life. Representatives of many of the 254 recipient organizations of the fund’s 347 grants since 1997 attended, plus Tribal Elders, Tribal officials, staff members and government officials.

1998 – Tribal Information Day was celebrated at the State Capitol building with a proclamation presented by Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling to kick off the day set aside for Oregon citizens to learn firsthand about Tribal culture, history and community programs. Traditional dancers and drummers, as well as informational tables, were on hand for the event. Tribal leaders said that the proclamation honoring Oregon Indian nations was a significant recognition of indigenous sovereignty.

1993 – The first year of the Tribe’s Head Start program wrapped up and was touted as the “first of its kind” in Grand Ronde. It was developed in conjunction with the Yamhill Community Action Program of McMinnville. Nineteen children attended the program, which was staffed by teacher Angela Bedortha, assistant teacher Mary Cook and family services advocate June Olson.

Bedortha emphasized the differences between the program and another daycare or preschool. “We discuss the differences and similarities between the different cultures,” she said. “A lot of children don’t have current concepts of what a Native American is.”

1988 – Eleven people were nominated for three open Tribal Council seats. Those nominated included John Allen, Frank Harrison, Merle Holmes, Marvin Kimsey, Gene LaBonte, Ed Larsen, Merle Leno, Tom Leno, Ray McKnight, Darrel Mercier and Riley Porter. The incumbents were Merle Leno, Gene LaBonte and Ray McKnight.

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