The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, ‘People of the Sands’ (2025)

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, ‘People of the Sands’

CHEHALIS

TRIBAL

NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 FIND HISTORY, HERITAGE & RESOURCES AT CHEHALISTRIBE.ORG

inside

Elders set sail on

stunning vacation / 3

CTE highlights / 4

Birthdays / 7-8

Portable shelter provides

emergency space / 11

Managing Seasonal

Affective Disorder / 12

Culture Camp

Experts teach

traditional crafts

page 6

Health and wellness highlighted

Fair brings vendors from Tribal,

county, state, federal programs

page 10

A Treehouse Learning Center

will provide Wolf Haven guests

information on nature conservation.

Tribe donates

to Wolf Haven

enterprise

Sanctuary plans to

expand accessibility,

learning opportunities

By Bobbie Bush

Room to grow

On Aug. 29, community members and

employees gathered for the grand opening

and blessing of the new Tsapowum

Behavioral Health Building on the Chehalis

Tribal Reservation. Members of the

Chehalis Shaker Church prayed for and

blessed the building to begin the ceremony.

Chairman Dustin Klatush welcomed

attendees and acknowledged that the

magnificent new building highlights the

Tribe’s growth and allows more resources

to be available for all Tribal members.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS / Page 2

On Aug. 13, International

Wolf Day, Wolf Haven’s Executive

Director Geoff Willard and

Development Director Evan Skytte

met with the Chehalis Tribe’s

Business Committee to receive

its generous support of a $5,000

donation.

The funds will support

development and planning for

phase one of a two-phase project,

the Treehouse Learning Center.

On Aug. 21, a meeting was

requested for a follow-up story.

Evan was there to greet me,

and Communications Manager

Emily Evans provided excellent

information on the project.

The center will help students

and visitors learn about the

See DONATION / page 5

2

3

Elders explore Alaska

On Aug. 23, 39 Chehalis Tribal Elders, 19 guests

and two helpers set sail on a seven-night cruise

to Alaska aboard the Royal Princess Cruise

ship. The group departed Seattle at 3 p.m.

Aug. 24 and enjoyed stops in Juneau, Skagway,

Glacier Bay (scenic cruising), Ketchikan and

Victoria, British Columbia, before arriving back

in Seattle on Aug. 30. Thank you, Chehalis Tribe,

for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

4

By Natalie Thomson

END OF THE

TRAIL STORES

WE ARE HIRING!

Visit chehalistribalenterprises.

End of the Trail 4 in

com for career opportunities

Grand Mound boasts a

new deli seating area

and End of the Trail 3

at Great Wolf Lodge is refreshing its seasonal gift area

and offering more deli food. All stores feature Cigtrus,

a nicotine- and tobacco-free smoking alternative.

TALKING CEDAR RESTAURANT

October specials

Appetizer: Prosciutto Wrapped Prawns

Entree: German Brat Burger

Dessert: Blueberry Grain Bread Pudding

The restaurant launched its new menu on Oct. 8!

Follow @talkingcedarrestaurant for updates.

Talking Cedar is spotlighting seasonal brews from the

brewery.

Talking Cedar Fresh Hop

IPA: 16-ounce can for $7.

This West Coast-style

Fresh Hop IPA couldn’t

have more dank, tropical

or citrus notes if we tried

(and we did).

Talking Cedar Hop

Water: 16-ounce can for

$5: Alcohol-free, glutenfree, calorie-free, no sugar added. Our sparkling hop

water is made with citra hops and features bright

citrus flavors and aromas.

TALKING CEDAR BREWERY & DISTILLERY

On Oct. 1-3, Talking Cedar presented its products at

the Native Grown and Gather Expo in Seattle, an event

spotlighting Indigenous food businesses, artisans and

vendors from across the region. Talking Cedar was the

featured brewery at the event’s dinner.

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

Isaiah Sanchez named Marriott

Fairfield Team Member of the Year

We are proud to announce that Isaiah

Sanchez, Front Desk Manager and

a valued member of our Marriott

Fairfield team, has been honored with

the Team Member of the Year award

for Marriott International for the

Fairfield brand. He is one of only five

employees worldwide to receive this

prestigious recognition, and the only

The brewery will

release Baltic Porter

in 16-ounce cans and is creating a 19.2-ounce version

of Imperial Juicy IPA to launch in convenience stores.

Talking Cedar has secured a spot as Odom’s distributor

focus for November, giving its beers and spirits priority

placement and attention across the network. This

opportunity puts Talking Cedar front and center with

retailers, bars and restaurants throughout Washington.

OAKSRIDGE GOLF COURSE

We have switched back to winter rates and hours,

which run through spring. On rainy days, please call

ahead before coming out because Oaksridge will close

early on days with no business.

n 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; closing hours adjust to daylight

n Tribal rate: $18.75 (9 holes w/cart), $26.25 (18 holes

w/cart). Visitors may use the honor system if clubhouse

is closed and pay $10 for 9 holes or $15 for 18 holes.

one in the U.S. to receive the award.

The honor celebrates Isaiah’s

outstanding dedication, hard work

and commitment to excellence in

hospitality. Since joining the team in

2019, he has continually gone above

and beyond to deliver exceptional

service, support colleagues and

embody the values of both the Marriott

brand and the Chehalis Tribe.

Being recognized internationally is

an extraordinary achievement, and it

highlights not only Isaiah’s talents and

character but also the strength of our

entire Fairfield team.

Please join us in congratulating Isaiah

on this well-deserved honor. We

are profoundly proud and grateful

to have such an exceptional leader

and teammate

representing our

community on the

world stage.

5

DONATION

From page 1

sanctuary and the crucial need for

nature conservation.

The Treehouse Learning Center

will be near the current visitor

parking lot. The plan is to have a

roughly 250-foot Americans with

Disabilities Act accessible ramp

that meanders through the tree

canopies.

Another part of phase one is to

introduce plants to an area that

would make a great spot for

another enclosure, allowing

the organization to rescue

more wolves in perpetuity.

“Now, Wolf Haven is

closed two months out of the

year for whelping season.

Endangered pups that

are born here, we want

to give them space

so we close it in the

springtime. And

that’s a really,

popular time for

schools to want to

come do field trips,”

Evan said.

“We can’t

accommodate

those field trips for

those two months. Building this

treehouse and having that new

enclosure, we can remain open

and continue doing field trips all

year long and the baby wolves are

still safe,” he continued.

The treehouse and ramp will

cost $750,000 and the wolf

enclosure will cost $100,000 for

a total phase one project cost of

$850,000.

Phase two will be construction

of a new Visitor Center. Wolf

Haven will begin to iron out

details of the second phase after

construction of the

treehouse.

Next year,

Wolf Haven

International will

host a “Wolves and

Wine” fundraiser in

March 2026 at Great

Wolf Lodge.

Hope to see you

all there to support

this great cause!

Wolf Haven continues

to create rich

opportunities for

visitors to learn more

about its residents. The

Chehalis Tribe recently

donated $5,000 to

assist in a new project.

Building this treehouse and

having that new enclosure,

we can remain open and

continue doing field trips

all year long and the baby

wolves are still safe.

EVAN SKYTTE,

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR

WOLF HAVEN INTERNATIONAL

6

Fourth annual

Culture Camp

Hundreds of people attended

the Chehalis Tribe’s Culture

Camp during the weekend of

Aug. 23-24. The event filled

with creativity was free for all

participants. Skilled Master

Weavers and Tribal artists

instructed attendees in various

Tribal arts and crafts, such as

drum making and weaving. The

camp carries on traditional

practices and teachings of

Native Americans.

7

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

Marilynn Allison-Sanchez

Paulita Klatush

Ryan Pitzenberger

Xiomara Angeles-Gitchel

Connie Klatush

Hillary Powell

Cortney Beckwith

Karen Klatush

Dakota Quezada-Klatush

Andra Bordelon

Aryana Klatush

Kahli Reynolds

Ava Boyd

Correna Klatush

Gianna Rogers

Zuri Brown

Lydia Klatush-Fromm

Rayna Romero

Joel Brown

Janet Larson

Scarlett Romero

Trey Brown

Walter Lewis

Leticea Romo

Jackson Brown

Rickie Marion

Amaria Rosado

Rita Burke

Elaine McCloud

Delores Rourke

Madison Carter

Trevor McCrory

Edward Sanchez

Willow Cayenne

Marla Medina

George Sanchez Sr.

Wesley Christjohn

Kadyn Mitchell

Anjolysa Sanchez

Maddex Mowitch

Tomas Sanchez

Alyssa Mullins

Stormie Sanchez

Estraea Music-Olney

William Secena

Amber Oliver

Donald Secena

Edward Olney

John Shortman Sr.

Leilani Ortivez

Carmen Shortman

Dylan Palmer

Landon Simmons

Abigail Palmer

Loi Siufanua-Boyd

Daniel Penn

Tristan Smith

Andrea Phillips

Robert Teague

Tabitha Colson

Anthony Coombs

Angela Cortes

Todd Delameter

Joseph Delameter

Julie Dutra

Ramona Fricke

Taliyah Fulton

Virginia Garity

Leslie Gillie

Dylan Hjelm

Kaytlin HolmesPickernell

Leon House Jr.

Candice Jansen

Selena Kearney

Joli King

Tanya Kinkade

Gerald Pickernell Jr.

Casey Pickernell

Kaytlin Holmes-Pickernell:

Happy 17th birthday, Piggy.

Love Mom, Dad and Emily.

Kayley Trott

Ryder Vigil

Tymseila Washburn

Skye Wheeler

Braiden Wittwer

Steven Youckton

Arland Youckton

Clarence Youckton

Kendall Youckton Medina

8

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Prince Adams

Kevin Albert

Gerald Aldrich

Francisca Ayala-Klatush

Jordan Baker

Taryn Baker

Simon Baker

Juanita Bill-Sanchez

Nathan Boyd

Sydney Brown

Kenneth Brown

Daphne Burke

Bobbie Bush

Courtney Bushnell

Tyson Canales

Tyanna Canales

Jaylee Cayenne

Madeline Colson

Tanayah Comenout

Rachell Ferguson

Ashley Fern

Katy Fox

Casilda

Garcia-Starr

Penny Gleason

Dylan GleasonWheeler

Orinda Goddard

Madoleen

Goddard

Anthoney Gomez

Yvonne Haukom

Gabriel Higheagle

Lucille Hill

Enrique Jimenez Sanchez

Antonio Jones

Brooklyn Klatush

Christibeth Klatush

Tayleena Klatush

Roachel Lamberth

Cyrena Littlesun

Athena Lopez

Aria Lopez

Monique Lopez

Joan Martin

Lisa McCloud

Micah McNair-Comenout

Aria Norgard

Maelani Oman

Ashley Ortivez

Aurora Ortivez

Terry Palmer

Shoni Pannkuk

Valerie Pickernell

Desirray Pope

Heather Porter-Hoyle

Grace Quilt

Joseph Revay Sr.

Luwanna Sanchez

Kade Sanchez

Linnaea Sanchez

Sofie Sekishiro

Kristopher Shortman

Rachel Simmons

Payton Simmons

Kane Simmons

Carrie Squally

Amil Starr

Maynard Starr

Alexis Starr-Wright

April Thompson

Keira Thrailkil

Lori Tovrea

Mia Vigil

Jailynn Washington

Rhyan White

Journey White Eagle

Syvina White

Eagle-Rosbaugh

Kyian Wittwer

Phoenix Wittwer

Christopher Yawn

Pamela Youckton

Marcus Youckton

SEND IN WISHES! We would love to feature your messages

to family and friends celebrating birthdays and anniversaries.

Send your name, the full name of the person, your wish

and a picture to news@chehalistribe.org.

9

USDA FOOD PICKUP

NOV. 21

10:30 AM-1:30 PM

COMMUNITY CENTER

If you or a member of

your household are

enrolled in a federally

recognized Tribe or you

live within reservation

boundaries, you might

be eligible for SPIPA’s

program. The USDA

food pickup offers

food to fill up your

freezer, refrigerator and

cupboards. Items are

first-come, first-served.

Must present Tribal ID

at the time of pickup.

MORE INFORMATION:

CALL 360-426-3990

Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center

Clinic

Happy feet, Podiatrist

good health

Dr. Behre 2025 dat

DR. DEBORAH BEHRE WILL OFFER PODIATRIST CLINICS

AT THE CHEHALIS TRIBAL WELLNESS CENTER

Will be here on the following dat

ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

Ready to earn

your diploma?

(HIGH SCHOOL-21 & GED: AGES 16+)

10 A.M.-NOON EVERY FRIDAY

Chehalis Tribal Higher Education Program

is offering classes for all Chehalis Tribal

members, employees and community

members. Classes are on the Education

side of Chehalis Tribal Community Center.

One-on-one instruction

In-person and online

n Earn credits for life

experiences

n

n

CONTACT: Higher Education

Program Coordinator Racheal

Mendez at 360-709-1698 or

rmendez@chehalistribe.org

Jan 21, 2025

1:00pm to 4:30pm

Feb. 4, 2025

8:00 am to Noon

Feb. 18, 2025

1:00pm to 4:30pm

CLINIC DATES

Nov. 4: 8Mar.

a.m.-noon

4, 2025

Nov. 18: 1-4 p.m.

Mar. 18,2025

Dec. 2: 8 a.m.-noon

Apr. 8, 2025

Dec. 16: 1-4 p.m.

Apr. 22, 2025

8:00am to Noon

1:00pm to 4:30pm

8:00am to Noon

1:00pm to 4:30pm

Podiatrists diagnose/treat conditions

of the foot, ankle and related leg

structures. They are the most qualified

You can call the Chehalis Tribal

doctors to care for your feet and get

ness

Center

(CTWC) at 360.273

four years of training in

a podiatric

medical school andto

three

years ofan appointment w

schedule

hospital residency training. Don’tDr.Behre.

miss

your chance to be seen by Dr. Behre.

CALL THE CHEHALIS TRIBAL

WELLNESS CENTER AT

360-273-5504 TO SCHEDULE

AN APPOINTMENT

10

HEALTH/WELLNESS

Wellness fair supports

community well-being

Representatives

from various

organizations

offer resources

to enrich lives

By Bobbie Bush

Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center hosted

a wellness fair called Health Matters on

Sept. 23 at the Chehalis Tribe’s Community

Center with 38 vendors from Tribal, county,

state and federal health and wellness

programs.

New provider Amanda McCleskey was

there to take blood pressures, give AIC

finger pokes and complete blood sugar

checks. Attendance was impressive with

109 participants from the Tribe, Tribal

community and Tribal program staff. It was

great to see everyone in the gym.

Information on prevention strategies

and health practices was shared at vendor

tables.

South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency

(SPIPA) provided a yearly community

wellness survey.

The survey will be conducted in all five

of the SPIPA Tribes and will guide the

development of public health programs for

Tribes in the Southern Salish Sea region of

Washington state.

Lewis-Mason-Thurston County Area

Agency on Aging was there with very

helpful resources for people to learn about

and access. Information was presented on

a medication tracker that can be stored in

a purse or wallet and is vital in case of an

emergency.

For Native Lives program was on hand

with wonderful resources. The organization’s

website at fornativelives.org offers numerous

easy-to-follow links. Information is right to

the point.

Another booth provided details on how

native plants can help our waterways. The

website streamteam.info/native-plants offers

a planting guide for Native Plants.

Visitors will find tips for choosing native

plants and determining your soil’s moisture

in the comprehensive guide Grow Your Own

Native Landscape.

Native plants are crucial to support a

healthy ecosystem and are:

n Naturally adapted to our climate

n Able to improve water quality because

they need less fertilizer and no pesticides

n In need of less water once established

n Resistant to native pests and diseases

n Essential for native pollinators and

wildlife who depend on them for food and

shelter

See FAIR / page 11

More than 100 people attended the Health Matters fair on Sept. 23 at the Community Center.

Discussion & Community

Wildfire Protection Plan

11

(CWPP) Review

ATTEND A MEETING

Wednesday, April 16th:

From10 AM to 12 PM

Chehalis Tribal Community

Center

The Gathering Room

461 Secena Rd.

Oakville, WA 98568

TAKE THE SURVEY

PUBLIC NOTICE

Chehalis Tribal Emergency Management will hold a public

to gather public input for updating the Hazard Mitigation P

(HMP) & for the proposed Community Wildfire Protection

(CWPP).

The purpose of the meeting is to present the hazard risk d

completed to date, as well as the hazards ranked in order

severity and impact. Maps developed during this process

available for review, and citizens are encouraged to provid

feedback and input on the hazards as presented.

Public input will help us to further analyze the potential ha

affecting residents and recommend possible actions to re

impact.

This is also an opportunity to review the Draft Community

Protection Plan and provide input and comments on the w

risk in our community, as well as identify ideas to help red

risk.

The Chehalis Tribe practices forward-thinking preparedness with a portable shelter, an important tool in emergency readiness.

New shelter system ready to deploy

The Chehalis Tribal Emergency

Management Team, under the

Tribe’s Public Safety Department,

showcased its latest preparedness

capability on Aug. 22.

The team presented a live

demonstration of the Deployed

Logix (DLX) ASAP Rapid

Shelter System at the Tribal

Administration Center.

The portable shelter, equipped

with a built-in HVAC unit,

represents a vital addition to

the Tribe’s emergency resources,

providing flexible space for

use as a temporary emergency

operations center, medical triage

site or community shelter during

disasters. Mark Punzel from DLX

was on hand to coordinate and

support the event.

Tribal Emergency

Manager Clint Davis

and Emergency

Management

Coordinator Cal Bray

led the demonstration,

showing how quickly

the structure can be

deployed, powered and

climate-controlled.

“This system is designed to

give us rapid capability in almost

any environment,” Davis said. “It

allows us to establish a secure,

comfortable and functional

space within minutes, which is

invaluable during emergencies.”

Regional partners joined

the event, underscoring the

importance of interagency

collaboration. Chief Carlton

FAIR

From page 10

Blood pressure and blood sugar checks are

important to maintain health, but we all know

water is life.

Fred Hutch Cancer Center was also in

attendance. SPIPA received a SACRED Lungs

grant and the Chehalis Tribe is also participating.

The grant will be used to develop a lung cancer

screening program designed specifically for Tribal

communities.

“Many vendors commented that the health

fair was a great event and they enjoyed it very

much. They loved all the community members

who stopped by their tables and interacted with

them. Tribal members also said there was lots of

useful information and they enjoyed the event,”

said event organizer and Community Wellness

Manager Christina Hicks.

Rhodes of Grays

Ravenel, Emergency Manager for

Harbor Fire District

the Quinault Nation, and Jackie

1 and Chief Nathan

LaVerne, Emergency Management

Drake of West

Program Manager at The

Thurston Regional

Evergreen State College.

Fire Authority both

Members of the Tribal Public

praised the Tribe’s

Safety team supported the setup

investment in advanced

and later hosted a community

response technology.

serving hot dogs, chips

Questions? gathering,

Contact:

They noted regional

and

cookies while distributing fire

Bray with a

coordination

is becoming

blankets to TribalCal

members,

Clinton Davis

increasingly critical as wildfire risk, special effort

focus

from

Jake and

Emergency Management

Emergency

Manager

severe

weather

and infrastructure

Amanda for heading

up

food.

Coordinator

challenges

grow.

The DLX shelter

(360) 709-1770

(360) demonstration

709-1691

“This is a prime example of

highlights cbray@chehalistribe.org

the Chehalis Tribe’s

cdavis@chehalistribe.org

forward-thinking preparedness,”

commitment to all-hazards

Chief Drake said. “Having partners

readiness, ensuring the community

like the Chehalis Tribe equipped

has the resources needed to

with systems like this strengthens

respond quickly and effectively

the resilience of the entire region.”

to natural disasters, public health

Also in attendance were Daniel

emergencies and other crises.

CHEHALIS TRIBAL NEWSLETTER

The Confederated Tribes

of the Chehalis Reservation,

‘People of the Sands’

Articles and opinions expressed

are not necessarily those of this

publication or the Chehalis Tribal

Business Committee.

SUBMISSIONS

Tribal members are encouraged

to submit birthday and anniversary

wishes, letters, articles, photos

and drawings to be considered

for publication in the newsletter

(materials are subject to editing).

Contributing writers, artists and

photographers include Chehalis

Tribal community members/staff.

STAFF

Communications Coordinator

Frazier Myer, Communications

Specialist Bobbie Bush,

Designer Audra J. Hill and the

Information Technology Team

TRIBAL CENTER

Main line: 360-273-5911

Address: 420 Howanut Road

Oakville, WA 98568

Office: 360-709-1726

Fax: 360-273-5914

VISION STATEMENT

To be a thriving, self-sufficient,

sovereign people, honoring our

past and serving current and future generations.

BUSINESS COMMITTEE

© copyright 2025

Chairman: Dustin Klatush

Vice Chairwoman: Sheilah Bray

Treasurer: Farley Youckton

Secretary: Cheryle Starr

Fifth Council Member:

Thomas Trott

The Chehalis Tribal

Newsletter is a

publication of the

Confederated Tribes

of the Chehalis

Reservation

12

Wintertime blues: Strategies to handle SAD

Short, dark days and

lack of sunlight can

cause mood changes

Summertime in the Pacific

Northwest can be one of the most

beautiful times of year. With

sunny days, lush greenery and

endless outdoor activities, it’s easy

to feel energized and connected.

However, as summer gives way

to crisp fall air, vibrant foliage,

and the eventual gray days of

winter, some people might start to

feel a little less motivated or even

disconnected from daily life.

While many of us experience the

winter blues to some extent, if you

notice more significant symptoms,

you might be dealing with Seasonal

Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD is a type of depression that

returns at the same time each year,

most commonly during fall and

winter. It’s often linked to reduced

sunlight exposure, which can

disrupt circadian rhythm and lower

levels of serotonin and melatonin,

two chemicals that play a key role

in regulating mood and sleep.

In the Pacific Northwest, it’s not

unusual to go weeks without direct

sunlight during winter months.

This makes people living in the

region particularly vulnerable to

seasonal mood changes.

Common symptoms of SAD

include:

n Persistent low energy or

fatigue

SEEK SUPPORT

If you or someone you know

is struggling, don’t hesitate to

reach out for support. You’re

not alone and brighter days

are ahead. Call Tsapowum

Chehalis Tribe Behavioral

Health at 360-709-1733.

n Loss of interest in activities

you usually enjoy

n Difficulty concentrating

n Changes in appetite

n Feelings of hopelessness or

sadness

n Oversleeping or trouble

waking up

As the seasons change and you

find yourself experiencing any of

these symptoms, know that it is

OK and there are proven strategies

that can help.

Light therapy: Using a light

therapy box or lamp that emits

10,000 lux of light for 20–30

minutes in the morning can help

regulate your body’s internal clock

and boost your mood. These light

boxes and lamps can be easily

purchased online at retailers such

as Amazon.

Get outside: Even on overcast

days, natural light is beneficial.

Try to get outside, especially

around midday, when the light

is brightest. A short walk can lift

your spirits and help maintain

healthy vitamin D levels.

Stay active: Regular physical

activity boosts endorphins and

serotonin, which are natural

mood enhancers. Whether it’s

hitting the gym, hiking or doing

yoga at home, movement makes a

difference.

Connect socially: Winter

months can lead to more isolation,

which often worsens symptoms of

depression. Make an effort to stay

socially engaged. Schedule coffee

with a friend, attend a local event

or join a support group.

Consider therapy: If your

symptoms persist or significantly

interfere with your daily life,

speaking with a mental health

professional can help. Cognitive

Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an

evidence-based treatment that has

been shown to be highly effective

for SAD.

Living in the Pacific Northwest

is a gift, its natural beauty and

unique seasons offer so much

to enjoy. But it’s also OK to

acknowledge when winter feels

heavy. Recognizing the signs of

seasonal depression and taking

small, proactive steps can make a

big difference in how you feel.