Yesteryears -- Aug. 15, 2018

2013 – A longtime Grand Ronde Tribal employee saw the return of cherished jewelry she lost 12 years before. Tammy Garrison, administrative assistant for the Tribe’s Social Services Department, lost a silver and amethyst ring when the department’s offices were housed in a modular. It was found during demolition of those buildings and subsequently returned to her. “You have to understand, the few months leading up to losing the ring I had lost my mom, divorced, been in a car accident and was currently on crutches after being in an accident at home. I had lost so much already and was tired of being on, what felt like, the losing end. So in a way, that ring became even more valuable to me, and it felt like one more piece of me was gone, too.”

2008 – The Grand Ronde Tribal Council authorized applying to the Federal Transit Administration for a $393,142 Tribal Transit grant to help fund commuter transit service between Grand Ronde and Salem. The planned Salem service was focused on employee commuters, but also open to the general public. Service was set to begin in the fall of 2008, using current Tribal Transit funding to begin.

2003 – The Eagle Beak drum group was featured as members prepared to perform at the upcoming Grand Ronde Contest Powwow. Group members didn’t think of their drum as just a thing to create music. The drum was like a grandfather to them. “The drum watches over us,” Bobby Mercier said. “It’s just like your grandpa or grandma.” The group had been listening, learning and doing what their Elders taught them since it was formed in 1994. Original members were Mercier, Shane Harmon, Dustin Harmon and Joe Hostler.

1998 – After a series of membership input meetings, Tribal Council decided to prioritize Elder pension, education and health security. The forums were the first to be held outside of Grand Ronde in more than two years. “I like going there and meeting the people,” Vice Chair Ed Larsen said. “We came out of the meetings with a lot of good ideas we had not thought about. Of course, we’ll still be waiting for those write-ins from people who were not able to attend the meetings.” Council also noted how the majority of members voiced support for paying into stable, more comprehensive services and long-term investments over whittling away Tribal revenues through member benefit disbursements.

1993 – Grand Ronde Executive Officer Jim Willis was appointed to the Oregon Board of Higher Education by Gov. Barbara Roberts. The appointment was then approved by the Senate Rules Committee and then the full Senate. The appointment was set to begin in 1994 and end in 1997.

1988 – Tribal Council member Kathryn Harrison was awarded a medal for her years of outstanding service in Indian Country at the National Indian Board on Alcohol and Drug Abuse conference in Minneapolis, Minn. Representing the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde were Social Services Program Director Mary Ring, Harrison and Youth Representative Mychal Childers, among others. The conference covered topics on drug and substance abuse, and prevention.

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