FIND HISTORY, HERITAGE AND RESOURCES AT CHEHALISTRIBE.ORG (2020)

FIND HISTORY, HERITAGE AND RESOURCES AT CHEHALISTRIBE.ORG

CHEHALIS

March/April 2020

TRIBAL

NEWSLETTER

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

Serving the public

4 new Safety Department

members excited for roles

Honoring class of 2020

High school seniors get

special recognition

pages 3-5

page 10

inside

Wellness Center information and

frequently asked questions / 6

Learn how to support survivors

of sexual violence / 7

April, May birthdays / 8-9

OSD supports families / 11

Curbing substance abuse

among youth / 11

Tribes aim

to regain

control

of funds

Daniel “Bones” Gleason

has retired after decades of

creating connections and

helping the Chehalis Tribe

grow (pictured above with

Mel Youckton and below at

the Elders Luncheon).

Retirement heard

around the region

After an illustrious career with the Chehalis Tribe,

Daniel ‘Bones’ Gleason welcomes a new chapter

By Jesse Gleason

There are moments in history that are

so big, we tell the stories of where we were

when we heard the news. The 1969 moon

landing, the Mount St. Helens eruption, talk

show host Johnny Carson’s last “Tonight

Show” and baseball great Lou Gehrig’s

farewell speech are prime examples. The

Chehalis Tribe faces another one of those

times. Daniel “Bones” Gleason decided to

turn the page to the next chapter in his story

and retired on April 14. The name Bones is

synonymous with the Chehalis Tribe, not

only in the surrounding region but also

throughout Indian country.

See RETIREMENT, page 2

Lawsuit seeks to

stop distribution of

aid to corporations

By Frazier Myer

The Coronavirus Aid,

Relief and Economic Security

Act (CARES Act) that became

law on March 27 provides

$150 billion in direct aid

specifically for COVID-19

expenses to states, tribal

governments, territories and

local governments.

Members of Congress

understood the hardships

the ongoing pandemic

has caused for tribes and

allocated $8 billion of the

funds to tribal governments

to provide services to tribal

members across the country.

See LAWSUIT, page 5

Tribes filed a lawsuit to keep

COVID-19 aid funds in tribal

government control instead

of handed out to corporations.

2

RETIREMENT

From page 1

Bones began his career with

the tribe in 1972 as a tribal police

officer and held the position until

1975. In fall of 1976, he was hired

for a dual role in enrollment and

administration. He became the

Director of Facilities, Enrollment

and Administration, a position he

held honorably through the years.

During his tenure, Bones also

served as a manager of Social

Services. During his long and

illustrious career, Bones served on

various sub-committees for the

Chehalis Tribe and on the Business

Committee for many terms as Vice

Chairman and 5th member.

Many hats

Along with his committee

work for our community, Bones

held a seat on the Health Board

as early as the 1970s, was an

influential participant in SPIPA

and WWIETIP and also NICS

during its inaugural committee

(he remained there until just a

short time ago).

Additionally, he participated

in the Health Alliance Office

in Chehalis, a group consisting

of Chehalis, Cowlitz, Chinook,

Shoalwater and Nisqually tribes.

Bones has been responsible

for blessing a majority of our

gatherings. It is important to

mention he was named Assistant

Minister to the Shaker Church in

2014.

Early years

As a young man, Bones served

in the United States Air Force

from 1955-1959. He received

basic training in California and

Wyoming. This training took

him across the pond, where he

spent a year at the USAF base in

Liverpool, 10 months in London

and a year in Germany before

returning to our community.

After the End of the Trail 1

convenience store opened, it

was one of Bones’ duties to

make midnight runs to Puyallup

and Plumber, Idaho, to collect

cigarettes to stock our shelves.

When asked why he traveled so

late, he said he “had to go when

there weren’t any cops around.”

Accomplishments

Bones said his biggest

accomplishments for the tribe

included “being here for the

community and helping it grow.”

He said the greatest asset to our

people is that we all work together

no matter what the assignment.

Top: The

Northwest

Intertribal

Court System

(NICS) honored

Daniel “Bones”

Gleason for his

years of service

as Chairman

of the

organization.

Middle: Bones

took part in

hundreds

of tribal

events with

close family

members.

Bones has fond memories from

his time as a representative for his

people all across the region.

The advice he offers us is a

perfect definition of who Bones is:

“Look to the Creator and pray each

day, continue to work together,

help one another every chance you

get. Lastly, keep a good mind and

stay healthy.”

Looking ahead

Bones intends to spend as much

time with family as he can and get

his steps in. If you know Bones, you

know that means he will be active

in retirement. When asked what

he will miss the most, he replied:

“Getting up every day to go to work

and seeing everybody.”

Daniel “Bones” Gleason is a

vital thread to the fabric of our

organization, tribe and of our

history. A good teacher is like a

candle – it consumes itself to light

the way for others.

On behalf of the Chehalis Tribe,

we thank you for your many years

of service.

3

PUBLIC SAFETY

4 new faces join department’s team

Althea Youckton

achieves goal of law

enforcement career

By Curtis Dupuis II

Corrections Officer Althea

Youckton officially became a

member of the Chehalis Tribe’s

Public Safety Department during

a swearing-in ceremony on

March 3.

Youckton has taken many

steps toward starting a career as

a corrections officer. Youckton

attended the Federal Law

Enforcement Training Center in

Artisia, New Mexico. The six-week

training prepares participants

to handle various situations they

might face in law enforcement.

Her time at the academy

changed Youckton’s life. Along with

numerous daily workout drills, she

was stunned with a Taser gun and

sprayed with oleorium capsicum

(similar to pepper spray). If she

had to choose between the two, the

Taser would win over the spray.

While at the training center,

she learned a great deal about

the profession. But ultimately,

Youckton learned a lot about

herself and her ability to push

through challenging times.

Youckton is normally a quiet

individual and can seem like a

shy person, but participating in

the academy was life changing in

many ways. “I was able to open up

more,” Youckton said. “You find

your voice down there.”

Youckton is originally from

California. She is married to

Chehalis tribal member Philip

Youckton. They have two children,

ages 5 and 7.

She began working for the

tribe in 2011 as part of the

custodial crew. She held several

other positions before deciding

to pursue a career working inside

the tribal jail. Youckton said

spending nine years working in

various tribal departments played

a crucial role in her success. She

understands the importance of

building relationships and being

willing to help out with events or

activities when needed.

Chief of Police Kelley Edwards welcomes Corrections Officer Althea Youckton to the Public Safety Department.

‘I felt honored. It is a big

accomplishment for me in

my life.’ – ALTHEA YOUCKTON

Law enforcement is a

career path officer Youckton

contemplated when she was

younger. She has a strong desire

for community involvement and

providing assistance.

She credits her children,

husband, mother-in-law Winona

Youckton and other family

members who helped motivate her

to pursue this career path. Their

support helped her push through

hardships at the police academy

when she missed her family and

anticipated coming home.

A few weeks after returning

home, she was recognized during

a swearing-in ceremony with

her husband, Public Safety staff

and community members. The

ceremony was conducted by Chief

of Police Kelly Edwards.

“I felt honored,” Youckton said.

“It is a big accomplishment for me

in my life.”

Officer Youckton is hoping to

eventually become a uniformed

patrol officer in Indian Country.

She plans to focus on her duties

within the Chehalis Tribe’s jail and

wants to continue engaging with

the tribal community.

Because Youckton has two

young children, most of her

hobbies include spending time

with them and raising them.

She attends sporting events and

school activities and goes to

the movies and on adventures

with her family. Althea is also a

“gamer.” She loves video games

and said that she grew up

challenging herself.

MORE OFFICER PROFILES,

SEE PAGES 4-5

4

Corrections a big step toward reaching goals

By Frazier Myer

Chehalis tribal member Samuel

Boyd started his career with the

Public Safety Department after

he was sworn in by Chief of Police

Kelly Edwards on March 3.

Boyd grew up a majority

of his life on the Chehalis

Reservation. He played numerous

sports for Oakville High School

and represented the tribe in

tournaments. He has held many

different jobs for the tribe.

On the government side, he

worked at the Community Center

and convenience stores. He also

worked at Lucky Eagle Casino &

Hotel in food and beverage for

many years.

Boyd was manager at a Panera

Bread restaurant prior to coming

back and working for his tribal

people. He was encouraged by a

friend at a different facility to enter

the field. Boyd has an outgoing

personality and loves working with

people. He wanted to find a way to

use those qualities to help people in

his own community.

During his short time working

in the jail, Boyd

has had the

opportunity to

give advice to

inmates and help

them out.

“It’s the small

things that I

Samuel

enjoy,” Boyd

Boyd

said. Even if it’s

just trying to

help someone that is expressing

thoughts of doubt or depression,

which is common for people in

jails.

“If I can change one person’s

life, then that makes the job worth

it. One thing I try to tell inmates

is to take things day by day,” Boyd

said.

He said his personable skills

help things operate easier within

the jail and allow him to gain

the respect of inmates. Boyd has

worked in the jail since July 2019

and said that his personality,

physical structure and cultural

knowledge make him a good fit for

the job. He was able to add onto

those skill sets during six weeks of

training at the police academy in

‘If I can change one person’s

life, then that makes the

job worth it. One thing I try

to tell inmates is to take

things day by day.’

Artisia, New Mexico.

His biggest takeaway

from academy is to never get

complacent or overconfident. Even

though he is in the position to help

inmates, he isn’t there to make

friends and knows he must keep

his guard up at all times.

While at the Federal Law

Enforcement Training Center,

Boyd struggled at first. He had

to remind himself that, “things

are only as hard as you make it.”

He took everything day by day

to avoid becoming overwhelmed

during the six weeks.

Boyd was exposed to defense

spray, stunned with a Taser and

learned various techniques to

physically control an inmate

without actually hurting him. He

worked out and prepared himself

every day while at academy. That,

combined with cutting out sweets,

caused Boyd to lose 20 pounds

while in New Mexico.

Something else he did every

day was make friends and create

relationships with other officers.

Boyd was sent to the academy with

fellow Chehalis Tribal Corrections

Officer Althea Youckton.

He said that during the time

there, they became really good

friends. Boyd and Youckton

became friends with two other

officers at the academy. The four

of them still talk every day.

Boyd hopes to one day become

a police officer for the Chehalis

Tribe.

His work as a corrections

officer is helping him gain

experience and knowledge. He

views this opportunity as a step

toward reaching his goals.

Everyone at the department

has been instrumental in helping

him improve every day and give

him the tools to handle situations

that might occur in the jail.

Full-blooded Hopi: Time with tribe a privilege

By Frazier Myer

Officer Jamie Lomahoynaya

became a member of the

Chehalis Tribe Police

Department after his swearingin ceremony on March 3.

Lomahoynaya is a member

of the Hopi Native American

Tribe in northern Arizona. He

served in the U.S. Army until

his retirement from the military

in 2013. The Army veteran was

deployed four times during

his time of duty – twice to

Afghanistan and another two

times to Iraq.

“It was always a goal of

mine to pursue a career in law

enforcement,” Lomahoynaya said.

He said that on the Hopi

Reservation, they had a program

called the Hopi Rangers, a group

similar to patrol work that deals

more with laws pertaining to

cattle and livestock.

Lomahoynaya didn’t receive

an answer back

from the Hopi

Rangers for a

month or two,

so he decided to

join the military.

Ironically,

the rangers

Jamie

accepted him

Lomahoynaya

when he was

already about to

leave for the Army.

He followed through on his

commitment and joined the

Army, but being a police officer

still remained a goal in the back

of his mind.

Lomahoynaya explained that

he already sought and applied

for a job with the Hopi law

enforcement agency on his own

reservation just before retiring

from the military. He was offered

and accepted the job opportunity

where they serve and protect his

homelands. The area is spread

out over more than 2,500 square

‘It was always a goal of

mine to pursue a career

in law enforcement.’

miles and has a population of

nearly 10,000 people.

When he started his job

with the Chehalis Tribe,

Lomahoynaya said his first

impression was that “it’s really

small compared to the Hopi

Reservation.”

He sees a lot of differences

between the Chehalis Tribe

and where he comes from. In

the professional realm, he is

learning tribal laws specific to

the area; in the personal realm,

he is enjoying the cultural and

tribal community.

Lomahoynaya acknowledges

and respects that all tribes are

unique and can be complex. He

is grateful for the opportunity to

work for the Chehalis Tribe and

learn about its traditions and

ways of life.

“I feel it is a privilege to get to

know a different culture and the

people,” Lomahoynaya said.

He understands the

significance of different tribal

ceremonies that tribes hold

and is looking forward to

learning about practices held by

indigenous people in the Pacific

Northwest.

Because he works on

reservation lands, he says it’s a

privilege to be able to do this.

Lomahoynaya is new to the

region and would like to get

to know more about the area

and the native people. He looks

forward to working for the

Chehalis Tribe and learning

its ways. He said community

members should feel free to ask

him questions about the Hopi

Tribe and its traditions.

5

Determined officer follows family tradition

By Frazier Myer

After nearly two years of

experience with the staff, Alicia

Potts was finally sworn in to the

Chehalis Tribe Public Safety

Department as a Lieutenant

Corrections Officer on March 3.

Suquamish tribal member

Alicia Potts-Lawson – better

known just by her maiden name

“Potts” – is a familiar name

within the department. She has

become known and respected

on the Chehalis Reservation

because of her involvement with

the community and tribal staff

during the recent years.

Along with her standout

personality, Potts also has a

story that happened during

police academy that stands out

as well.

Her story involves a freak

accident that prolonged her

becoming an official member

of the tribe’s Public Safety

Department.

Potts was

following in

her father’s

footsteps and

planned to lace

up the boots just

like the recently

retired Mason

Alicia

Potts

County Sherriff.

“I’m a typical

daddy’s little girl,” Potts said.

She would even walk around

the house acting like a police

officer and explained that she

has many other family members

serving in law enforcement

around the state.

Initially, she started out

with the tribe working toward

becoming a full-fledged patrol

officer. That plan was altered

when she required emergency

surgery after the mandatory

Taser course in police academy.

While at the Federal Law

Enforcement Training Center in

LAWSUIT

The Chehalis

Tribe

continues

to disperse

much-needed

COVID-19

aid supplies

to the

community

amid the

pandemic and

subsequent

stay-at-home

order.

From page 1

These services are critical to tribal

communities in response to the

COVID-19 crisis.

On April 13, the Department

of Treasury published on its

website a certification form for

eligible entities to complete.

This confirmed its intent to treat

Alaska Native Corporations

(ANCs) as “tribal governments” for

the purpose of making payments

under Title V of the CARES Act.

On April 17, the Chehalis Tribe

and Tulalip Tribe of Washington

joined efforts with the Houlton

Band of Maliseet Indians in Maine

and three federally recognized

Indian tribes in Alaska to file a

lawsuit to prevent the Treasury

Department from using tribal

funds to support corporations or

non-government entities.

The Alaska co-plaintiffs are

the Akiak Native Community, the

Asa’carsarmiut Tribe, and the Aleut

Community of St. Paul Island. The

five parties are requesting the court

issue an injunction against the

illegal disbursements.

There are 574 federally

recognized tribes within the

United States that hold a

Artisia, New Mexico, each officer

has to be stunned with a Taser

gun to prepare for serving in the

line of duty and to graduate the

academy. When it was Potts’ turn,

the shock dislocated one of her

legs and snapped her hip bone.

Emergency surgery involved

putting pins in to help hold the

bone in place. It unfortunately

never healed and required a

complete hip replacement. The

recovery process took more than

six months.

Potts was informed that

because of the damage done to

her hip, her dreams of becoming

a patrol officer would be put

on hold, possibly indefinitely.

However, the Chehalis Tribe

didn’t give up on her. In a sense,

she was already an adopted

member of the community.

Once she was able to return

to work, Potts was limited and

on crutches for support. She

helped out with various office

government-to-government

relationship with the U.S.

According to the tribal

governments, if the Treasury

Department gives funds that were

set aside to provide relief for tribes

to ANCs, it will diminish funding

available for tribal governments.

The opposition to Treasury’s

inclusion of ANCs is because they

are considered state-chartered

and state-regulated private

business corporations, not tribal

governments as directed in the

CARES Act.

Leaders from the Chehalis

Tribe and Tulalip Tribe provided

statements in opposition to the

recent ANC considerations.

“We are opposed to any

effort to consider Alaska Native

Corporations or other entities

not on the list of federally

recognized Indian tribes as a

‘tribal government’ under the

CARES Act relief fund,” said

Harry Pickernell Sr., Chairman

of the Chehalis Tribe. “We do,

however, fully support the ability

of tribal governments to transfer

any relief funds that they receive

from Treasury to ANCs or other

non-governmental entities if those

tribal governments determine that

is in their best interest.”

The federal government has

specific trust laws in place with

federally recognized tribes, not

jobs, even working alongside

General Manager Misty Secena.

She used the opportunity

to meet people and become

more involved. She was

constantly attending events and

volunteering whenever the tribe

needed assistance.

Chief of Police Kelly

Edwards and Jail Manager

Scott Williams witnessed her

commitment. Potts thanks

them for the mentorship they

provided and for giving her the

opportunity to remain in law

enforcement.

Prior to coming to the tribe,

Potts was a certified corrections

deputy working at the Mason

County Jail, which made her

qualified when a lieutenant

position opened up with the jail.

Although she aspired to

work out in the field like her

family members, she is able to

continue a career of serving and

protecting.

shareholders of corporations.

Federal funding for tribal programs

is historically low, which has

caused tribal needs to go unmet.

The funds allocated as part of

the CARES Act was meant for

tribes that provide services to its

enrolled members, not dividends

to shareholders or any other nongovernmental entity.

“The notion that corporations

incorporated under state law

should be considered Tribal

governments is shocking and

will come at the expense of tribal

governments, who are responsible

for providing critical needs such as

healthcare, housing, and education

to their citizens,” said Teri Gobin,

Chairwoman of the Tulalip

Tribes. “We are struggling right

now because we have no revenue

coming in, and it’s going to take

years to recover,” Gobin added.

The tribes’ lawsuit does not

seek any delay of Treasury’s

statutory requirement to

distribute funding to Tribal

governments by the CARES Act

deadline of April 27, 2020. Rather,

the Tribes’ request that the Court

order Treasury to disperse all $8

billion to Tribal governments, but

not to ANCs, in accordance with

the CARES Act.

6

HEALTH/WELLNESS

Dedicated Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center staff continue to keep the community healthy and safe amid

the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wellness Center is here for you

We are again able to let

you know that because of the

measures the Chehalis Tribal

Government and community

have taken, we have not received

reports of any confirmed cases of

COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the

Chehalis reservation.

Your physical, mental and

spiritual health is important to us.

During the past several weeks, the

Chehalis Tribal Wellness Center

has instituted several measures

and is continually updating the

clinic’s process to reflect the most

up-to-date standards of care to

patients.

Although the Wellness Center

is limiting in-person visits to

sick and urgent care needs, we

do have the option of providing

an appointment with you over

the phone or by telemedicine to

support other health needs during

the pandemic.

Call the clinic to schedule

your appointment and our staff

will help you determine the best

option.

If you develop a cough or cold

symptoms and are interested

in getting tested, please call the

clinic for more information. We

FOR MEDICAL CONCERNS

n Wellness Center hours:

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

n The pharmacy is filling

90-day refills for any

medication they can. A

delivery option is available for

those at high-risk or who are

self-quarantining.

Call the center at 360-2735504. If you are having a

medical or life-threatening

emergency, call 911.

CLEANING TIPS

For advice on cleaning and

disinfecting your home

and how to safely care for a

loved with COVID-19, go to

chehalistribe.org.

anticipate an increased ability to

test our community during the

coming weeks.

It is more important than ever

to get a good night’s sleep on a

regular schedule, stay hydrated,

eat a balanced diet that includes a

variety of vegetables and fruit, get

exercise every day (such as taking

a walk in the morning) while

following physical distancing

rules.

Check local and national news

for updates periodically, but don’t

get overwhelmed or consumed by

media reports.

Instead, use this time to call

loved ones. Phone calls, text

messages, Facetime, Google Duo

and Facebook video chat are all

great ways to stay connected.

Although our lives are

drastically different, let’s continue

doing things we love. Pray, teach,

read, listen to music, chat with

friends and enjoy the company

of those who are part of your inner

circle.

Evidence exists that

containment strategies such as

social distancing and the stayat-home order in Washington

have lowered the rate of virus

transmission. For now, it is

important to maintain these

practices.

We want to continue to

encourage you and support your

health care needs. Please let us

know how we can help.

Frequently

asked

questions

Can the clinic test

for COVID-19?

We have the ability

to test for COVID-19

and anticipate increased

capacity in the coming

weeks.

Priority will continue

to go to those with severe

illness or have symptoms

and are at the highest risk

for severe illness. This

includes our elders (age

55 and older), pregnant

women and people who

are immunocompromised

or have chronic health

conditions, such as heart

disease, diabetes and lung

disease. It also includes

those working in the health

care environment and first

responders.

What should I do

if I am sick?

It is important to know

that most people with mild

symptoms of a cough or

virus, including COVID-19,

can recover at home.

There are no medications

specifically approved for

treating COVID-19. Feel

See QUESTIONS, page 7

7

Believe, support survivors

Community must

send the message

that sexual violence

will not be tolerated

Hi everyone!

April is Sexual Assault

Awareness Month. In honor

of that, I wanted to share

information with all of you about

sexual assault, consent and what

we can do to support survivors.

Types of sexual assault

n Harassing or calling you

degrading sexual names such as

slut, etc.

n Fondling, groping, grabbing

or pinching the sexual parts of

your body.

n Constantly pressuring you to

have sex when you don’t want to

have sex.

n Forcing you to have sex

or engage in unwanted sexual

activity. This includes rape, forced

physical touching of any kind,

drugging or restricting you to

where you are unable to consent

to sexual activity or using weapons

or other objects to hurt the sexual

parts of your body.

Remember CCOW

Clear: An enthusiastic yes! Not

the absence of a no.

Coherent: Conscious and alert.

If someone is under the influence

of drugs or intoxicated, they can

NOT consent.

Ongoing: Ask before you do

something new. If the answer is

ever no or stop, then STOP.

Willing: Free of pressure or

coercion. Both parties want to

engage in sexual activity of their

own free will.

STOP! This is not consent

n If it is not clear that the

other party wants to engage in

From page 6

free to call the clinic for more

guidance and testing options.

Stay isolated from your family,

stay hydrated, rest and monitor

your symptoms while following

these guidelines:

cdc.gov/coronavirus/

2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/

steps-when-sick.html

What should I do if I have

severe symptoms?

What is sexual assault?

According to

the Department

of Justice,

the term

sexual assault

“means any

nonconsensual

sexual act

proscribed by

Samantha

federal, tribal

Sandstrom

or state law,

including when the victim lacks

capacity to consent.”

QUESTIONS

sexual activity.

n If you are unsure whether he

or she is sober enough to engage

in sexual activity.

n If the other party tells

you to STOP or says NO at any

point during or before the sexual

activity.

n If he or she feels pressured to

engage in sexual activity.

Rape and sexual assault are

NEVER the survivor’s (victim’s)

fault. However, it is the most

underreported crime because

many survivors will not seek help

out of shame, embarrassment or

fear of retaliation by the person

who assaulted them and their

community.

As a community, we can send

a strong message that sexual

violence will not be tolerated,

survivors will have access to

support and urge that perpetrators

will be held accountable.

How to help

When it comes to sexual

violence, most survivors will first

seek help with someone they

trust, such as a family member or

friend. Below are things you can

do if a survivor chooses to confide

in you about his or her experience

of sexual violence:

Listen: Actively listening

to what a survivor has to

say. This is not the time to

play on your phone or talk about

yourself or your own experiences.

Actively listen to what he or she is

1

telling you.

Believe: If someone

you love comes to you

and says he or she has

been assaulted or abused, you

need to believe it. Humans are

curious creatures and like to solve

problems. Your first instinct might

be to play detective, but we aren’t

all detectives. It is not our job to

determine whether our loved one is

telling the truth.

2

Support: You are already

this one with listen

3 doing

and believe. However, you

also can check in regularly to see

how he or she is doing or suggest

speaking with an advocate and

offering to go for support.

Being there for someone who

has experienced sexual violence

can be difficult. If you are still

unsure how to best help and

support this person, please reach

out to an advocate for help.

If you or someone you know

who has experienced sexual

violence or domestic violence and

needs help or support, please call

or text the 24/7 support line at

360-789-3627.

I hope you all are staying safe

and healthy!

Samantha Sandstrom,

Domestic Violence Advocate for the

Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis

Reservation

Email: ssandstrom@chehalistribe.

org

If your illness is worsening,

such as difficulty breathing

or increasing confusion,

seek medical attention, BUT

PLEASE CALL FIRST if you

are able. We will be able to

provide recommendations over

the phone that can help limit

the spread of infection.

If you are having a lifethreatening medical emergency,

call 911 and notify dispatch

personnel of your symptoms

and whether you are being

evaluated for COVID-19.

If possible, put on a face

mask before emergency

medical service personnel

arrive.

How can I keep myself,

others healthy?

n Wash your hands often

with soap and water for at least

20 seconds, especially after

blowing your nose, coughing

or sneezing, going to the

bathroom and before eating or

preparing food.

n Continue maintaining

physical distance of greater

than 6 feet when you are out.

n Wear a mask when you

are around town, use good

hand hygiene when putting

on and taking off your mask

and be mindful to not touch

your face. The mask you wear

protects other people from you

and their mask is protecting

you from their unseen droplets.

n Avoid touching your eyes,

nose and mouth with unwashed

hands.

n Stay home when you are

sick or even starting to feel

sick, limit your contact with

members in your household.

If you feel better within one to

two days, it likely is any number

of other common viruses.

n Cover your cough or

sneeze with your elbow or with

a tissue, then throw the tissue

in the trash and wash your

hands.

8

APRIL

BIRTHDAYS

KENEDY ADAMS

RYCKER LONGINO

BEVERLY ANDREWS

MAX LYONS

AMY ANDREWSMASHBURN

NORMARAYE LYONS

KELLI BAKER

TONY MEDINA

AMANDA BATRES

DARYL BECKWITH

CRISTINA BLACKETER

GLEN BOBB

RODNEY BOYD JR.

SAM BOYD

LYKAIOS BRACEROROSBAUGH

KEVIN BRAY

ANNIE BURNETT

GREG BURNETT

NADINE BURNETT

HECTOR CANALES JR.

GAUGHE CULVER

CLAUDEA DANIELS

Tony Medina: Happy birthday Uncle Tony! We love you.

Courtney Price:

Happy birthday,

love Dad!!!

JOSELYN DELAMATERNEIFERT

DOMINIC DELGADO

MORE WISHES

Alamia Youckton:

Happy birthday! Love

Mom, Dad, Preston

and Gramma.

EMMA FERN

JORDAN LOPEZ

JARED MORDHORST

JAZMYN NATH

ANGELIA OLIVER

GARY ORTIVEZ JR.

DALIA PEREZ

BONNIE PHILLIPS

SEGNE PHILLIPS

TRACEY PICKERNELL

DANIEL POLING JR.

RANDALL POWELLJOHNSON

COURTNEY PRICE

MAUREEN PRINCE

KALEAH QUILT

APRIL REYNOLDS

RONALD ROGERS SR.

AYDEN SANDERS

ANTONIO SANCHEZ

REMY GARRETY

BRANDY SANCHEZ

DAN ‘BONES’ GLEASON

FREDDIE SANCHEZ III

ELDON GLEASON

JAVIER LOPEZ SANCHEZ

JESSE GLEASON

ROBERT SANCHEZ

DENNIS GUNNELS

CHAVEZ SECENA

STEVEN GUNNELS

DARYL SHORTMAN

JEAN HALTOM

ANDREW STARR

DEIDRA HAWKES

JAMES TEAGUE

DAKOTA HERNANDEZ

GAVIN VIGIL

AMBER HIGGINS

ENYO VISAYA

RHONDA HIGGINS

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

JESSICA HILL

BOWEN WITTWER

LYNN HOHEISEL

HAWK WITTWER

MAKYA KLATUSH

WAKIZA WITTWER

CHARLES LATCH JR.

AIDEN YOUCKTON

AVERY LOCKET

ALAMIA YOUCKTON

JAVIER LOPEZ SANCHEZ

GILES YOUCKTON

9

MAY BIRTHDAYS

Art Medina: Happy birthday Dad! We love you

SO MUCH, from your family!

Janice Latch (left): Happy birthday Mom! You

are the best. Love Cal, Sheilah, Harry, Stephanie,

Kevin, Thresia, Selena, Matt and Charles.

BOBBY BECKWITH

JANICE LATCH

RAELYN ROMERO

TONY BROWN

LAUREN MCALISTER

RAYMOND ROOF

JOSEPH BURNS

DANTE MCGEE

SHEYLEE ROSEBAUGH

SAVANNA BUSH-BIRD

STEESHA MC JOE

GERARDO SANCHEZ

AURORA CARTER

TEIN MEAS

ROSALINA SANCHEZ

BRANDON CASH

ART MEDINA

AIDEN SECENA-SANDERS

ILIAS TALON MARCEL

CHARLES

GEORGIA MEIER

ADDISON SEKISHIRO

EMILY MORDHORST

ALEX SHORTMAN

CYRENA ORTIVEZ

JOEL SIKKENGA

NORA ORTIVEZ

ASA SIMMONS

SHAWN ORTIVEZ

TIFFANY SIMMONS

ELIJAH PALMER

JAMIE SMITH

TERESA PANNKUK

ROBERT SMITH

AIDEN PARKINSON

ELI SNELL

AMARA PENN

VIOLET SNELL

ROBERT PENN

JANET STEGALL

LUCY CUSH

CHYLER DANIELS

LEO DANIELSMEDDAUGH

RODNEY DAVIS

MATTEO DELGADO

CURTIS DUPUIS

JOSEPH DUPUIS

LINDSEY FERN

Harry Pickernell Sr.: Happy

birthday Harry! We love you.

Love Stephanie, Ty, Harry Jr.,

Jessica, Philly, Alexis, Kiara,

Collin and Malia.

ADAM FLORES

DAMIUS HANSEN

SASHA PENN-ROCCO

RIKKI SUTTERLICT

COLE FULTON

GAVIN HERNANDEZ

SHEYLEE PHILLIPS

SUNDAY TEJEDA

TIERA GARRETY

VALEA HIGHEAGLE

BRADY PICKERNELL

THOMAS TROTT

DEWEY GLEASONWHEELER

BETH HOFSTETTER

HARRY PICKERNELL SR.

ARTIE UDEN

CHRISTIAN HOHEISEL

PATRICIA JONES

JACQUELINE

PICKERNELL

AUSTIN VIGIL

JESSIE GODDARD

ROGER GOLDMAN

AIREL KLATUSH

WILLIAM PRESSNALL

FARLEY YOUCKTON

SARAH HALL

PAULA KLATUSH

LELA PULSIFER

JESSE YOUCKTON

MICHAEL HALTOM

SERENITY KLATUSH

JOAQUIN ROBLES

DESTINY ZAIDY

ANN-MARIE YOUCKTON

10

YOUTH

We ❤ class of 2020

Football field lights were turned on to honor this year’s graduating seniors, who will sadly miss out on many memorable year-end highlights.

Special

recognition

for high school

seniors facing

end of K-12 career

without activities

By Frazier Myer

GRADUATING SENIORS

T

he 2019-20 school year

ended abruptly when Gov.

Jay Inslee ordered that all

schools would be closed

for the remainder of the year to

combat the spread of COVID-19.

Although the state granted a pass

for seniors that were already on the

path to graduate, this meant the

pandemic would disrupt the muchanticipated traditional graduation. As

a result, high schools across the state

are coming up with different ways to

honor the graduating class of 2020.

Because the state is on a

governor-mandated stay-at-home

order, many school districts used

social media to deliver the message

to the group of graduates and

connect with the community.

On the night of April 17,

Rochester High School and Oakville

High School both turned on the

football field lights to show a special

recognition for their senior classes.

The Chehalis Tribe held its own

ceremony with a special flare.

When it became dark at 8:20

p.m., members of the Facilities team

turned on the lights at Tomahawk

Stadium. Shortly after the lights

were shut off, a firework show began

in the middle of the ball field. Tribal

members lit off fireworks while a

few dozen people watched from

their cars and hundreds viewed the

show live on social media.

The fireworks lasted about 10

minutes and helped highlight the 15

tribal members that are graduating

from various high schools this year.

Although things are unusual, people

everywhere are making efforts

to create positive thoughts and

memories. For the class of 2020,

the tribal people will remember

when Tomahawk Stadium was

illuminated in their honor.

OAKVILLE

Nathan Boyd

Cameron Hjelm-Snell

Mya Ortivez

Leo Daniels

Jasmine Klatush

ROCHESTER

Grace Quilt

Kirsten Secena

Avery McJoe

YELM

Richard Romo

TAHOLAH

Makya Ortivez-Hicks

INCHELIUM

Kesawin Washburn

The Chehalis Tribe sheds light on the community by honoring its high school graduates for the class of 2020.

11

Oakville works to serve the community

During these

times of

uncertainty,

Oakville

School

District is

committed

to providing

excellent

support for

children and

their families.

The district

is offering

meals to go

for those in

need, at-home

learning

resources and

more.

Dear Oakville community,

Oakville School District wanted

to let you know that during this

global pandemic and stay-at-home

response to COVID-19, we are

working hard to continue to serve

the community and our students

in the safest and healthiest way

possible.

Gov. Inslee has asked the

school to make five concepts our

priorities during the Stay Home

Stay Safe initiative. Here is what

the school district is focusing on:

Food service

n Our food service and

transportation teams are

providing breakfast and lunch to

more than 250 students daily.

n We have been serving three

meals on Fridays to support

students through the weekend.

n We have been serving meals

on four routes and delivering them

straight to family’s homes.

Daycare

n We have staff ready to

provide care for students whose

parents serve in the medical field.

n Oakville Community Center

has generously offered their

facility for our students. Thank

you!

Class of 2020

n Our goal is to provide

Oakville Class of 2020 with the

opportunity to finish their credits

to be able to graduate on time.

n We have met with teachers

and students to design projects

for students to gain the necessary

credits to earn a diploma.

n We are committed to seeing

this group through!

Continuous learning

n Students in grades K-11 have

continuous learning opportunities

online and in paper and pencil

format.

n The district provided more

than 100 Chromebooks to families

who needed help getting their

students access to continuous

learning.

n Our staff has reached out

to each family and is charged

with providing regular support to

student learning.

Meaningful employee work

n Staff will continue to be

engaged with families.

n Our No. 1 goal for staff is to

find ways to regularly communicate

with students and families.

Sincerely,

Rich Staley

Oakville School District

Superintendent

Protecting our youth

during critical time

Hello Chehalis Tribe

community!

I’m working as the youth

prevention coordinator under a

new grant the tribe received. The

goal of the program is to reduce

substance abuse among youth.

Specifically, we’re focusing on

alcohol and marijuana.

I just wanted to share a few

quick highlights of the program

and inform the community that

we’ll offer classes at the Youth

Center every other Friday once we

return to regular programming.

The classes will cover the dangers

of alcohol and drugs and the

negative effects these substances

have on the body. They also will

teach outlets and activities to stay

away from drugs and alcohol.

We scheduled classes and a

spring dance for April 11. However,

because of the stay-at-home

situation, we plan to reschedule.

Another really great highlight

of the program is monthly family

activities or outings. This month,

COVID-19 caused obstacles in

making this possible, but the

Emergency Operations team

and Behavioral Health staff

See YOUTH, page 12

Members of Oakville School District helped deliver meals to the tribal

community during the statewide stay-at-home order.

CHEHALIS TRIBAL NEWSLETTER

The Confederated Tribes

of the Chehalis Reservation,

‘People of the Sands’

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Articles and opinions expressed

are not necessarily those of this

publication or the Chehalis Tribal

Business Committee.

TRIBAL CENTER

SUBMISSIONS

We encourage tribal members

to submit letters, articles,

photographs 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 and staff.

Frazier Myer, Audra J. Hill and the

Information Technology Team

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

chehalistribe.org

Harry Pickernell Sr. Chairman

Jessie Goddard:

Vice Chairman

Sheilah Bray: Treasurer

David Burnett: Secretary

Leroy Boyd Sr.:

Fifth Council Member

© copyright 2020

The Chehalis Tribal

Newsletter is a

publication of the

Confederated Tribes

of the Chehalis

Reservation

12

DIY for young kids

Game bags were handed out to Chehalis families to give parents and

children a fun way to connect and stay busy at home.

YOUTH

Try these free, fun ways to

keep your little ones entertained

while sheltering at home:

n Create a class: Line up

favorite stuffies or toys and have

your child teach them a weather

lesson, read a favorite book,

offer a drawing lesson or come

up with a story using different

voices for their friends.

n Neighborhood bingo:

Create a sheet that your

child can check off while you

take a walk together (ideas:

lawnmower, stop sign, dog,

flag, bicycle, purple flowers,

black truck, white fence,

boulder, manhole cover, raised

garden bed, stepping stones,

hose, daisies, welcome sign).

Don’t forget the free space in

the middle!

n Art: All you really need

is a thumb or finger and paint

(learn how to make your

own paint courtesy of Babble

Dabble Do – search for “3 easy

homemade paints” on YouTube)

to make a masterpiece. Draw a

tree for your child and let him

or her create leaves.

n Life skills for free: The

next few weeks will be a great

time to teach kids how to bake

a cherished recipe, learn how

to count money, tell time,

wash a car or plant fruits and

vegetables and help weed and

water throughout the season.

n Outside chalk: Draw a

cool maze to follow, bring the

solar system to life or make a

picture with kind words for

your neighbors.

n Come up with a silly

song: Parents can write down

the lyrics while kids come up

with dance moves.

From page 11

distributed game kits to families

on the Chehalis Reservation. Each

bag included a board game, card

game, crayons and a coloring

sheet. I hope that you all have fun

with them.

Stay safe, stay home. I miss

everyone and coming to work each

day and serving the community. I

look forward to seeing you all when

we get back to our normal routines.

Sincerely,

Caytee Cline, Behavioral Health

USDA FOOD PROGRAM

9:45 A.M.-1:30 P.M. MAY 13 CHEHALIS

TRIBAL COMMUNITY CENTER

South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency’s program

offers an assortment of food to fill your freezer,

refrigerator and cupboards. SIGN UP: Call Debra

Shortman at 360-709-1689 or 360-438-4216