Yesteryears - Aug. 15, 2024

Yesteryears

2019 – Tribal Elder Ann Lewis had her work displayed at the Willamette Valley Vineyards tasting room and the Washington County Museum. She took up painting later in life during a wine and art class.

2014 – Tribal Council announced that it had passed amendments removing itself from the disenrollment process, to “remove these decisions from the influences of political process in a more appropriate way.”

2009 – The Tribe increased its trust land holdings when 40.44 acres were officially granted trust status by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This increased the total amount of acres in trust land holdings to 396.23 and the acres owned in Yamhill County to 10,839.47.

2004 – Sam McCracken (Fort Peck/Sious and Assiniboine), Nike’s Native American Business Manager, spoke with 25 youth from Grand Ronde about his life and choices. McCracken, who left his reservation at the age of 19, began working in the warehouse at Nike but eventually went on to create his own position, which he used to help support Native communities.

1999 – The Eagle Beak Singers invited two young adolescents to learn from “Grandfather drum,” part of their ongoing program to watch for potential new young singers and drummers.

1994 – Tribal Elder Harold Blair’s donation of $45,000 enabled the Tribe to purchase a mini-bus with a wheelchair lift for senior services transports. Blair had sold some of his land to Hampton Lumber, and said he wanted to do something for Elders, particularly those who did not have transportation and had difficulty getting to Tribal events.

1989 – Darrel Mercier, Gene LaBonte, Patti Tom-Martin, Bob Mercier, Larry Brandon, Val Grout, Russ Leno, Kathryn Harrison, Gary Reibach, Tom Leno and Merle Leno ran for election to the Tribal Council. The Tribe had been reinstated for just six years and was working on implementing its master plan.