THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE CHEHALIS RESERVATION, ‘PEOPLE OF THE SANDS’ (2017)

THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE CHEHALIS RESERVATION, ‘PEOPLE OF THE SANDS’

CHEHALIS

inside

february 2017

Indigenous Arts Campus / 4

Lunch and Learn / 7

Heart disease / 8

February birthdays / 9

TRIBAL

NEWSLETTER

GO TO CHEHALISTRIBE.ORG FOR HISTORY, HERITAGE AND RESOURCES

Monster Jam / 10

Early Learning news / 10

Rez Animal success / 11

Students of the Month / 12

Paying tribute

Gold Star ceremony

honors fallen soldier

page 5

Harvesting power of nature

Class teaches utilizing

trees for good health

page 6

‘I am very proud to be part of the growth of this tribe because I didn’t do all this by myself.

The people did it for themselves’ – RICHARD BELLON, CHEHALIS TRIBE GENERAL MANAGER FROM 1995-2014

In memory of

Richard Bellon

Father, friend, mentor,

family man helped

tribe find great success

By Fred Shortman and the

Information Technology Team

One of the Chehalis Tribe’s

beloved mentors passed away on

Jan. 17 at his home.

Many, many moons ago,

Richard Bellon traveled with

his family from Arizona to

Washington state. His wife,

Rio, and their three children

supported and assisted with

this important step to plant new

roots in the Northwest.

It’s ironic to think back to

the beginning of how Richard

became an essential part of our

tribe’s development through the

years. He once shared with me

how his path led him to work for

Chehalis Tribe

Chairman

Don Secena

talks at

the 2017

Affiliated

Tribes of

Northwest

Indians

Winter

Conference.

Contributed by

Freddy Lane

the Chehalis Tribe.

While visiting the governor’s

office in the mid-1980s, Richard

questioned them about tribes

in the local area that were

struggling financially.

He had a passion for working

in tribal culture and loved the

challenge of being able to make a

difference for the tribes. Richard

wanted to see which tribe in

the state would hire him. The

governor’s office mentioned

several, and the Chehalis Tribe

was one of the choices.

He immediately applied and

was hired as a grant writer by the

committee under the leadership

of Percy Youckton.

Important contributions

He began working for the

Chehalis Tribe in the midSee BELLON, page 2

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee shakes hands with Richard Bellon

during a visit with the Chehalis Tribe Business Committee.

ATNI conference tackles issues

Tribal representatives set the

policy, direction for new year

The Chehalis Tribe hosted the 2017

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians

Winter Conference at Great Wolf Lodge

from Jan. 23-26.

ATNI has long been advocates for

tribal policy in state legislatures as

well as the federal government. This

year’s conference featured speakers

covering topics such as the presidential

transition, how the repeal of the

Affordable Care Act will affect tribes,

dental health and general updates from

the congress and federal departments.

Many participants spent the week

See ATNI, page 3

2

Richard enjoyed

a visit with son

Pablo at home.

As items were

documented,

inventoried and

placed into the

archive room,

Richard shared

rich history with

tribal leaders.

As the Chehalis

Tribe’s Historic

Preservation

Officer, Richard

identified and

documented

basket

collections before

archiving them.

BELLON

record that documents the

past and will help the Chehalis

Tribe embrace the future.

and brought a lot of federal

grants to the tribe under the

direction of the Business

Committee. Our tribe began to

blossom economically.

Many tribes in the area

were struggling because of

funding issues. Richard’s

contributions created a

framework of success for our

community.

Richard was instrumental

in building the first End of the

Trail store and the Bingo Hall,

which was just the beginning.

The next step was finding

managers and training tribal

people to run our businesses.

Back then, jobs were hard to

find on the reservation.

He also was a key player

in funding other avenues

to enhance our financial

stability, such as the End of

the Trail II and III stores,

Lucky Eagle Casino &

Hotel and important land

acquisitions for more

businesses and homes.

Guiding light

From page 1

Major landmarks

After years as a grant writer

with many successes, Richard

was promoted to General

Manager to handle daily

business operations.

He worked closely with

elected Business Committee

members to build and create a

great working environment.

Combined with his

communication skills,

education, knowledge and

“Richard was very knowledgable in many things, not just

archaeology – personal, culture and Indian ways. He leaves

a void in this tribe for his untapped knowledge. I have respect

for him and what he’s done for this tribe, and the respect

for him continues. He was a giant in the archaeology field

statewide. He is already missed by individuals and tribes.”

– MEL YOUCKTON, FORMER CHEHALIS TRIBE CHAIRMAN

gentle but strong demeanor,

Richard achieved major

landmarks for the Chehalis

Tribe and he was highly

regarded as one of our own.

“I was very grateful to

have this unique opportunity

to assist and watch the

improvements continue.

The Chehalis tribal people

are very business savvy, and

the support I received was

heartfelt. I am very proud to

be part of the growth of this

tribe because I didn’t do all

this by myself. The people did

it for themselves,” Richard

Bellon said.

After he retired from the

General Manager position,

Richard became the Historic

Preservation Officer for the

Confederated Tribes of the

Chehalis Reservation.

In this role, he worked

to preserve our historical

documents, from basketry to

deeds of ancestral lands within

the Chehalis River Basin.

Richard created a historical

“Years ago, probably in the

’80s, we were in the middle of

a fishing court case in Seattle

and Richard Bellon was

there,” said Daniel Gleason Sr.,

former Business Committee

Member. “He had a black

turtleneck sweater on looking

all dapper. I had joked with

him that he looked like ‘Father

Flanagan’ and our court case

would go our way, as he was

there looking so official.”

Daniel continued, “Many

years ago, Richard and his

family invited me to Montana

for a July Fourth celebration.

When we went to the site

upriver where the camas oven

was found, he was so excited

that day.”

“Richard was a true scholar

and a dear friend. He also had

great respect for our tribal

elders. We will never forget

his love and dedication to his

work and the Chehalis Indian

Tribe,” Daniel said.

Richard’s physical presence

has been taken away from us,

but I believe his legacy will live

on at the Chehalis Tribe.

As we venture through new

opportunities, may his spirit

always be our guiding light.

I hope anyone who has the

opportunity to cross paths

with someone like Richard

Bellon never takes such an

individual for granted. I never

did and never will.

3

ATNI

From page 1

learning, collaborating and

discussing issues that arise in

Indian Country.

In a world of seemingly

insurmountable obstacles,

a special people share the

belief, wisdom and hope that

in working together they may

provide not only a better life

for our tribal people today but

for generations to follow.

In 1953, tribal leaders

in the Northwest with the

future in mind formed the

ATNI and dedicated it to

tribal sovereignty and selfdetermination. Today, ATNI

represents 57 Northwest tribal

governments from Oregon,

Washington, Idaho, northern

California, southeast Alaska

and western Montana.

ATNI is an organization

whose foundation is composed

of the people it is meant to

serve – the Indian peoples.

Representatives from

member tribes set the policy

and direction during three

yearly meetings. Through

consistent leadership and

the legacy of intertribal unity

and cooperation, ATNI is

recognized as the strongest

regional Indian organization

in the United States.

“The ATNI Conference

is a great resource for many

tribes in the Northwest. Tribes

unite and become one voice

together. There is much work

to be done. The ATNI leaders

strive forward and work with

tribes, not only for present-day

tribal people, but for future

generations,” said Don Secena,

Chairman of the Confederated

Tribes of the Chehalis

Reservation or Chehalis Tribe.

Sharing culture

Perhaps the highlight of the

conference was Culture Night.

There were about 150 people

from 21 different tribes that

attended the event.

Every ATNI conference

allows the host tribe to put on

Culture Night, highlighting

their culture for other ATNI

tribes. The evening usually

consists of a traditional meal

prepared for guests, a cultural

program of oral history or

performances. The Chehalis

The Chehalis Canoe Family performed traditional songs during Culture Night at the 2017 Affiliated

Tribes of Northwest Indians Winter Conference at Great Wolf Lodge in January.

INFORMATION

To learn more about the

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest

Indians, call 503-249-5770 or

go to atnitribes.org.

Photos contributed by Freddy Lane

Former and current National Congress of American Indians

Presidents, from left, Mel Tonasket (Colville), Brian Cladoosby

(Swinomish) and Ron Allen (Jamestown) shared their personal

histories and how it led to their political service.

Canoe Family shared several

songs for the audience.

“The songs sung that

evening were from our

heart and with our prayers,”

said Fred Shortman. “ ‘One

Heart, One Mind’ has always

been our core value for the

Chehalis Canoe Family. We

drummed and sang to our

honored guests visiting the

Chehalis lands. It is so special

to share the songs we sing that

evening.” There is no written

version of the songs and they

are taught in the oral tradition

of learning

Songs included “Malikah’s

Floor Blessing Song,” “Rolling

in the Fog,” “Skok Paddle

Song” and “Sky-da.”

People enjoyed the

performance so much that

they requested Canoe Family

members offer an encore.

They obliged and performed

an encore song led by Walter

Lewis and Shannon Comenout.

It was a great night!

“Our Canoe Family paddles

in honor of our canoe tuulap

tit wiA (Tu-lap ti weah).

Creating a lasting legend of

where and who our sacred

canoe came from, the song

always reminds and teaches

us as we sing it. In the second

part of the song, in Chehalis

the words mean: ‘Bring back

the Life of the Last Canoe.’

She is a 27-foot ocean traveling

canoe made from red cedar,

and we honor her as the sacred

vehicle she is,” Fred said.

Support our future

In past years, ATNI

thrived primarily through

self-generated revenues

from membership dues and

annual meetings, according

to the ATNI website. In

recent years, the organization

has sought outside funds

to meet complicated issues

head on and provide regional

services to member tribes.

The past few years have seen

great gains at home. But as

tribes take control of their

lands and develop economic

partnerships, they have

been faced with additional

challenges from congress. The

economic gains in the past

few years cannot remedy the

longstanding disparity of the

past 100 years.

Native peoples remain

on the bottom of every

social indicator – high

unemployment, low income,

high infant mortality,

high teenage suicide and

substandard housing.

To continue the important

work of ATNI, we need your

support. We invite your

tribe to join as members.

Your membership dues

and contributions help us

strengthen our program

and expand services to all

tribes and native peoples.

Members become a part of the

ATNI information network,

receiving notices of meetings,

informational mailings and

legislative alerts.

The conference wrapped

up Thursday morning with

thanks to those who attended

and well wishes for safe travels

home.

4

IRS updates

phone scam

warning

Submitted by Chehalis Tribal

Law Enforcement

The IRS is warning the

public about phone scams that

continue to claim victims all

across the country. In these

scams, thieves make unsolicited

phone calls to their intended

victims. Callers fraudulently

claim to be from the IRS and

demand immediate payment

of taxes by a prepaid debit card

or wire transfer. The callers are

often hostile and abusive.

The Treasury Inspector

General for Tax Administration

has received 90,000

complaints about these scams.

TIGTA estimates thieves have

stolen an estimated $5 million

from about 1,100 victims. To

avoid becoming a victim, you

should know the IRS:

n Will first contact you by

mail if you owe taxes, not by

phone.

n Never asks for credit,

debit or prepaid card

information over the phone.

n Never insists you use a

specific payment method to

pay your tax.

n Never requests immediate

payment over the telephone.

n Will always treat you

professionally and courteously.

If you get a phone call from

someone claiming to be from

the IRS, you should:

n If you know you owe

taxes or you think you might

owe taxes, call the IRS at 800829-1040. IRS employees can

help you with a payment issue

if you owe taxes.

n If you know you don’t

owe taxes or don’t think that

you owe any taxes, report the

incident to TIGTA at 800366-4484.

n Contact the Federal Trade

Commission and use the FTC

Complaint Assistant at ftc.gov.

Add “IRS Telephone Scam”

to the comments of your

complaint.

Visit the IRS website at irs.

gov to learn how to report tax

fraud.

Father and daughter carvers Alex and Tierra McCarty (Makah) work on welcome figures for the fiber

arts studio on the Evergreen Longhouse Education and Cultural Center’s Indigenous Arts Campus.

Indigenous Arts Campus boost

Evergreen’s fiber arts

and carving studios

will foster cultural

preservation

The cause of indigenous

arts preservation and

promotion recently received

a $1 million grant to The

Evergreen State College

Foundation for the expansion

of the Evergreen Longhouse

Education and Cultural

Center’s Indigenous Arts

Campus.

The campus, which

includes the Longhouse,

offers teaching and learning

opportunities for the creation

of indigenous art forms,

including those that might be

endangered or are underused.

The Indigenous Arts

Campus expansion includes

a fiber arts studio and a new

2,000-square-foot carving

studio. The existing 800

square-foot carving studio

will become the indigenous

2-D (two-dimensional)

design studio.

The mission of the

Longhouse, or “House of

Welcome,” is to promote

indigenous arts and cultures

through education, cultural

preservation, creative

expression and economic

development.

INFORMATION

For more on the Longhouse

and the Indigenous Arts

Campus, go to evergreen.

edu/longhouse.

Foundation details are at

evergreen.edu/give.

“The Indigenous Arts

Campus provides artmaking opportunities

within a setting that affirms

indigenous heritage and

identity while providing

educational opportunities

that foster collaborations

across generations, art media

and diverse cultural practices

within state-of-the-art

facilities,” said Longhouse

director Tina KuckkahnMiller.

“The fiber arts studio,

scheduled to open in October,

has already provided

numerous opportunities for

cultural and artistic exchange

as carvers and weavers work

together to create permanent

art for the new studio. An

expanded carving studio will

provide greater opportunity

for both academic use and

community-based workshops

and residencies while

allowing carvers to increase

the scale of their work. For

example, to produce full-sized

canoes,” she said.

Both studios will provide

facilities to support tribal

initiatives such as the annual

Tribal Canoe Journey, in

which artists create oceangoing canoes, paddles, regalia

and gifts of art.

Seven Washington tribes

have provided financial

support, in-kind donations

of timber and sponsorship

of artists for the Indigenous

Arts Campus. Those include

Chehalis, Muckleshoot,

Snoqualmie, Shoalwater Bay,

Squaxin Island, Nisqually

and Skokomish tribes. The

expansion is made possible

in part by a $1 million grant

from the Margaret A. Cargill

Philanthropies.

“The skills and traditions

of indigenous art are handed

down person to person and

generation to generation,”

said Evergreen State College

President George Bridges.

“And much of that involves

actually carving, painting,

weaving or creating side by

side with artist mentors.

These studios and facilities

represent a vision for creative

spaces inspired by the art

itself, hands-on learning,

international collaboration,

cultural preservation and

artistic work that really has

no parallel.”

5

CHEHALIS TRIBAL

NEWSLETTER

The Confederated

Tribes of the Chehalis

Reservation, ‘People

of the Sands’

The articles and opinions

expressed are not necessarily

those of this publication

or the Chehalis Tribal Business

Committee.

SUBMISSIONS

The Chehalis Tribal Newsletter

encourages tribal members

to submit letters, articles,

photographs and drawings to

be considered for publication

(subject to editing).

Contributing writers, artists

and photographers include

Chehalis tribal

community

members

and staff.

Submission

deadline is

the first of

each month

(printed monthly).

TRIBAL CENTER

Main line: 360-273-5911

Address: 420 Howanut Road

Oakville, WA 98568

Office: 360-709-1726

Fax: 360-273-5914

CHEHALIS TRIBE’S

VISION STATEMENT

To be a thriving, self-sufficient,

sovereign people, honoring our

past and serving current and

future generations.

Local hero is honored

American Legion pays tribute to fallen

U.S. Army Cpl. Christopher J. Nelson

Contributed by Leo R. Gruba,

4th District Commander,

American Legion

Department of Washington

A gold star emblazoned

on a white background

framed in red is a symbol of

a family’s ultimate sacrifice.

The gold star banner

signifies the loss of a loved

one during service to our

nation, a public expression

of a private tragedy.

A Gold Star Banner

Ceremony organized by the

Rochester American Legion

Post 49 offered friends and

family an opportunity to

reflect and celebrate the life

of a local hero, U.S. Army

Cpl. Christopher J. Nelson

on Jan. 22.

As family members filled

up the center aisle of Swede

Hall in Rochester, they were

surrounded by dignitaries

from Joint Base Lewis–

McChord, civic and tribal

leaders from surrounding

communities and counties

and national and local

representatives of the

American Legion, Gold Star

Wives Association, Veterans

of Foreign Wars and other

service organizations.

Ultimate sacrifice

On Nov. 18, 2007, the

Nelson family received

news that their husband,

son, brother and friend had

been killed in action in Iraq.

BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Don Secena, Chairman

Jessie Goddard, Vice Chairman

Shoni Pannkuk, Treasurer

David Burnett, Secretary

Leroy Boyd Sr.,

Fifth Council Member

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Fred Shortman, Audra J. Hill and

the Information Technology Team

U.S. Army Cpl. Christopher J.

Nelson was remembered for

his bravery at a Gold Star

Banner Ceremony on Jan. 22.

Just four short years prior,

Christopher graduated from

Rochester High School and

worked at the local Chevron.

He was a young man from a

small town who joined the

Army to serve his nation and

explore the world.

Christopher was not

unlike his fellow 4,491 fallen

service men and women

from varied backgrounds

and circumstances who

were killed in Iraq. He gave

his life serving alongside an

extended family of brothers

and sisters in arms.

Not forgotten

Ten years ago, Angela

Marquez Nelson, learned

her husband had given the

ultimate sacrifice to his

nation. In January, she was

surrounded by her family

listening to remarks by

dignitaries. She took in

words of love and kindness

from strangers who offered

support and a commitment

to honor his memory.

It was hard not to feel the

pull of emotions still raw

after so many years.

The Nelson family was

called before their friends

and community to receive a

gold star banner honoring

Christopher. As Angela

stood, her grace and poise

reflected a generation

of young widows and

widowers who find solace

NEW MEETING SITE

The Cpl. Christopher J.

Nelson Memorial Post

49 American Legion

Family now meets at

the Historic Gate School

House, 16925 Moon Road

SW, Rochester. Social

hour is at 6 p.m., meeting

is at 7 the first Wednesday

of each month.

Thanks to the Chehalis

Tribe and Lucky Eagle

Casino for their support

and for providing food

at the Gold Star Banner

Ceremony for U.S. Army

Cpl. Christopher J. Nelson.

Contact: Robert “Bob”

Clark at 360-584-5773.

knowing their sacrifices will

not be forgotten.

Following the ceremony,

the Rochester American

Legion Post 49 was renamed

the Cpl. Christopher J.

Nelson Memorial Post 49

American Legion Family in

his memory.

As the American Legion

Dough Boy memorial Post

138 color guard uncased

and presented new post

colors honoring Cpl. Nelson,

the room erupted. The close

to 300 attendees broke into

applause and cheers. It was

a testament to the feelings

of everyone in the room and

in our great organization as

we seek to honor men and

women like Cpl. Nelson.

6

HEALTH/WELLNESS

Tap into Mother Nature’s remedy

Winter Tree Medicine class cultivates

knowledge of hidden healing properties

Those interested in

discovering the healing

properties of Northwest trees

gathered for the Winter Tree

Medicine class on Jan. 31.

Herbalist and wild foods

educator Elise Krohn taught

the class in

the Tsapowum

Behavioral

Health

Meeting

Room. Sixteen

participants

learned

the healing

Elise Krohn

properties of

Herbalist, wild

western red

foods instructor

cedar and

Douglas fir trees.

Elise has been working

in this field with many other

Northwest tribes. She said

she is very grateful to have

been taught by influential

instructors on her path.

She shared how to

recognize each conifer and

discussed their healing

properties. Elise reminded

everyone that Mother Nature’s

garden is available to shop

in anytime. She encouraged

participants to carefully

harvest the raw materials to

make medicines.

Western red cedar

Cedar has made possible

the rich culture and historic

wealth of the Northwest

Coastal Indian people by

providing for them from birth

to death. Cedar has many

names and has been called

“Grandmother,” “Long Life

Maker” and “Rich Woman

Maker.”

The cedar tree has hidden

healing properties along with

what it offers for daily life for

indigenous people. All parts

of the cedar tree can be used

to create basketry, paddles,

canoes, bedding, rope and

more. The tree is fondly

referred to as a generous one

because of its durability and

variety of uses.

Elise described how to

harvest medicines from the

tree. She urged caution and

recommended learning from

an elder or culture keeper

about the appropriate time to

harvest. It’s best to accompany

them before venturing out on

your own. That way, the tree

will continue to survive and

flourish for future harvests.

Participants

were shown

how to utilize

all parts of

cedar and fir

trees to make

medicine and

boost health

during the

Winter Tree

Medicine

class. The

trees have

traditionally

been used for

their hidden

healing

properties.

Douglas fir

The Douglas fir is a strong

and adaptable tree. In the

spring, Douglas fir tips are

tender and delicious. They

are high in vitamin C and

electrolytes. Northwest

native people value them

for warding off hunger and

thirst. The needles and pitch

are high in aromatic resins

that fight infections and

stimulate immunity. Fresh

young needles and dried

older needles are useful to

battle colds and boost energy.

The tree’s sap was used to

seal wounds and resins were

made to seal canoes, tools and

implements.

Making medicine

A fun part of the class

was when participants

made medicines from parts

of different trees. They

learned how to process base

ingredients and combine cedar

oil, essential oils and beeswax

to make a Medicine Tree Chest

Rub or facial steam for better

health when you aren’t feeling

well. It was an eye-opener to

see natural ways to prevent

sickness used by our ancestors.

Attendees soaked up

information and took notes.

The handout was very

informative and provided

recipes. Tribal members left

with a solid base of knowledge.

This class is only the

beginning. Look for flyers on

future learning opportunities!

About the grant

Funding for this program

is through the Suicide

Prevention Grant the Chehalis

Tribe received for five years.

It promotes healthy activities,

builds teamwork and protects

our youth from this horrific

act. The program hopes to find

gatekeepers and mentors to

train the trainers.

7

events

The Chehalis

Tribal

Wellness

Center’s

recent Lunch

and Learn

focused on

the kidneys.

While still a

threat, the

good news

is diabetesrelated

kidney failure

among Native

Americans

decreased

significantly

in the past

few years.

DR. BEHRE

FOOT CLINIC

1-4 p.m. March 9, 8

a.m.-noon March 22:

The Chehalis Tribal

Wellness Center has a

podiatrist available to

see to all of your foot

care needs.

DIABETES

WELLNESS CLINIC

Protect your kidney function

Lunch and Learn

covers diabetes in

Native Americans

Properly functioning kidneys

are essential to good health.

Kidneys are about 3x5x1.5

inches. Most people have two

and they are located against

the back wall of the abdominal

cavity. They are made up of

millions of nephrons. A nephron

is the basic functional unit of

the kidney.

Kidneys aren’t just “filters,”

and they do more than make

urine. They filter out waste

products from the blood, help

control blood pressure, make

hormones and help keep various

salts and chemicals in balance.

More specifically, they regulate

sodium, chloride, bicarbonate,

calcium, magnesium and

hydrogen. They eliminate waste

such as creatinine and urea

nitrogen. They help regulate

acidity. They produce hormones

such as erythropoietin that we

need to make red blood cells and

calcitriol for building bones.

Native Americans are twice as

likely as whites to be diagnosed

with diabetes. Native Americans

were nearly five times more

likely than whites to have kidney

failure from diabetes in 1996.

Reasons include high blood

sugar, high blood pressure and

major barriers to health care.

Kidney failure is a disabling

and expensive complication

of diabetes throughout the

US. Medical costs for kidney

failure from diabetes were about

$82,000 per person in 2013.

Medicare spent $14 billion to

treat people with kidney failure

from diabetes in 2013.

Now the good news.

Diabetes-related kidney failure

among Native Americans

decreased by 54 percent from

1996-2013. This was largely

because of better blood pressure

and blood sugar control.

If you are diabetic, take a

keen interest in keeping your

blood sugar and blood pressure

under control to protect your

kidneys and other important

organs. If you are uncertain how

to accomplish this, make an

appointment with your health

care provider.

Avoid 8 common toothbrushing mistakes

It’s easier than one might

think to make mistakes with

oral hygiene.

An article by Rachel

Grumman Bender in Reader’s

Digest discusses eight common

mistakes people might make

while brushing.

For example, a common

mistake is not brushing teeth

long enough, the article stated,

noting that “the American

Dental Association recommends

brushing for two minutes, but

many people fall woefully short

TIPS

Mouthhealthy.org provides

additional information on

proper brushing techniques.

and don’t even realize it.”

According to the article,

common mistakes also include:

n Brushing too hard

n Using an incorrect angle

while brushing

n Selecting a toothbrush with

bristles that are too firm

n Using a toothbrush head

that is too large

n Letting your toothbrush

get old

n Not flossing regularly

n Failing to brush twice a day

with fluoride toothpaste

“Dental disease is totally

preventable,” says ADA

spokesperson Dr. Sally Cram,

“and a lot of it can be avoided

by stepping up your home

brushing program and having

check-ups.”

8 a.m.-4 p.m.

March 16, April 20:

Patients need labs,

a medicine review,

foot/diabetes/

physical exams and a

uric acid blood test.

MONTHLY

COMMUNITY WALK

Noon March 16,

April 20: Join others

for a fun fitness

walk. Starts at the

Wellness Center.

MAMMOGRAM

CLINIC

9 a.m.-3 p.m.

March 21, June 6:

With Swedish

Women’s Wellness

Clinic. Schedule an

appointment with

your health care

provider to see if

you’re eligible.

MONTHLY LUNCH

AND LEARN

Noon-1 p.m. March

29: Rita Mercer will

talk about “Diabetes

and Cholesterol” in

the PT Room of the

Wellness Center.

FOR MORE

INFORMATION

Call Diabetes

Licensed Practical

Nurse Sandra

Dickenson (360-7091660) or Christina

Hicks (360-709-1741).

8

Understand risk factors of heart disease

Wellness Center raises

awareness for Native

American women

February is Women’s Heart

Health Month. Heart disease

is the leading cause of death

for Native American women.

The beauty and strength of the

Native American culture rests

in the family, and the heartbeat

of the family is the wife and

mother. Unfortunately, heart

disease is quietly affecting

many women with grave

consequences. As the Native

American population grows,

so does the number of deaths

related to heart disease, the

nation’s No. 1 cause of death.

The Chehalis Tribal

Wellness Center’s goal is to

raise awareness about heart

disease and its risk factors.

For instance, Native

Americans die from heart

disease at younger ages than

other racial and ethnic groups

in the United States.

Additionally, Native women

have high rates of diabetes,

obesity, tobacco use and high

blood pressure, all factors that

increase heart disease risk.

More women than men die

from heart disease every year.

However, only 13 percent of

American women recognize

that heart disease is their

leading cause of death.

What is heart disease?

Heart disease in women

includes a number of

TIPS FOR HEART HEALTH

n Schedule a physical at

conditions affecting the heart

and the blood vessels in the

heart. The most common type

of heart disease is coronary

artery disease. It is the leading

cause of heart attacks.

With CAD, your arteries

become hard and narrow

from buildup of cholesterol/

triglycerides. Blood has a hard

time getting to the heart, so the

heart does not get all the blood

it needs. CAD can lead to:

n Angina: Chest pain

or discomfort that happens

when the heart does not get

enough blood. It might feel

like a pressing or squeezing

pain, often in the chest, but

sometimes the pain is in the

shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or

back. It can feel like indigestion

(upset stomach). Angina is

not a heart attack, but having

angina means you are more

likely to have a heart attack.

n Heart attack: This

occurs when an artery is

severely or completely blocked

and the heart does not get the

blood it needs for more than

20 minutes.

GET PUMPED UP

CERTIFIED FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

RIKKI SUTTERLICT IS OFFERING

FITNESS CLASSES

WHERE: Chehalis Tribal Community

Center Gym

COST: $79 a month per person; free

6 p.m. classes for a limited number of

participants. These spots are almost full!

CONTACT RIKKI AT 360-464-0664

IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE ON THE LIST

OR FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Heart attacks in women:

The most common heart

attack symptom in women is

pain, pressure or discomfort

in the chest. It is important to

note that it is not always severe

or even the most prominent

symptom.

Women are more likely than

men to have a heart attack

without chest pains and are

much more likely to have heart

attack symptoms unrelated to

chest pain.

Women might also have:

n Neck, jaw, upper back,

shoulder or abdominal pain

n Shortness of breath

n Right arm pain

n Getting a cold sweat

n Nausea

n Feeling faint

n Unusual tiredness/fatigue

n Indigestion

n Anxiety

If you have any of these

symptoms, call 911.

the Chehalis Tribal Wellness

Center by calling 360-2735504.

n Know your numbers.

Ask one of the health care

providers to check your

blood pressure, cholesterol

(total, HDL, LDL and

triglycerides) and blood

glucose.

n Don’t smoke. If you

smoke, try to quit. For help

along the way, see a provider

at the clinic. There are many

options that can be tailored

to your needs.

n Maintain a healthy weight.

n Get moving. Aim for 30

minutes of exercise a day

most days of the week. Try

taking the stairs instead of

the elevator. Walk during

breaks at work.

n Eat heart-healthy foods.

Eat whole-grain foods,

vegetables and fruit. Choose

lean meats and low-fat

cheese and dairy products.

Limit foods that have a lot of

saturated fat, such as butter,

whole milk, baked goods,

ice cream, fatty meats and

cheese.

WIC THROUGH

SPIPA

Women, Infants and Children

provides healthful food and

nutrition information for you

and your child up to age 5.

NEXT DATE

9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

March 2 at the Chehalis

Tribal Wellness Center

CONTACT

Debbie Gardipee-Reyes, 360-462-3227 or Patty Suskin,

360-462-3224; Chehalis: Debra Shortman, 360-709-1689

9

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

1

MORE WISHES

Bailey Parkinson

Bonnie Quirke

JENNIFER BIRD: Happy

birthday Jenny Buns.

Love you! P.S. Yes, I

like your hair. Love

Anna Hill.

2

Dakota Marcellay

Devin Olney

DARYL BOYD SR.:

3

Josephine Aldrich

Kelsey Bray

Tommy Colson

Rita Hernandez

Shaylah Seymour

4

Don Brown

Shelby McCrory

Terry Middleton

Ray Secena, Jr.

5

Catherine Nemeth

6

Norma Flores

Shadow Hernandez

Sabrina Owens

Lois Poling

7

Aalyiah Meddaugh

Kesawin Washburn

Andrea Youckton

8

Jennifer Bird

Layne Colson

Joseph Revay, Jr.

Happy 45th birthday

honey. Love Angie

and kids.

ATTICUS SIMMONS:

TIMOTHY GARZA:

9

HEATHER KLATUSH:

Happy birthday. From

Mom, brothers and

sister, Auntie Jodie,

Carlos and family.

Happy 1st birthday.

Love your family.

Daryl Boyd, Jr.

Shyloh Kinkade

Karen LeClaire

Happy birthday

Gangsta. Much love,

Anna Hill.

10

MARIA BOYD: Happy

STEPHANIE PICKERNELL: Happy birthday to my loving

Xavier Flores

Amy Potter

wife. From your husband.

11

Stephanie Pickernell

Steven Pickernell

Laura Starr

12

14

Michael Boyd

Yevgeni Lukianov

Maria Boyd

15

Kilynn Owens

Jennifer Revay

Albert Ortivez III

16

13

Timothy Garza

Heather Klatush

Alayna Lopez

Albert Ortivez-Hicks

Chase Perez

Fred Shortman

Mackenzie Jones

Susan Sanders

17

Chaon MacDougall

18

Daryl Boyd Sr.

Margaret Gleason

19

Kim Heck

Catherine Secena

20

Tyler Klatush

Charlotte Lopez

Bradyn Lopez

Ray-Ray Lopez

Zedikiah Sanchez

Mei-lien Tanner

Carla Thomas

21

Lilia Hoheisel

Patrick Simmons, Jr.

Christopher Teague

22

FRED

SHORTMAN:

Happy

birthday.

Love Jodie,

Carlos and

your sons!

JERRIE

SIMMONS:

Happy

birthday

Kia, Mom.

Love your

family.

MACKENZIE

JONES:

Happy

birthday.

Much love

from your

Enterprise

family.

birthday! With love,

Angie and kids.

PATRICK

SIMMONS,

JR: Happy

birthday.

Love your

family.

RITA

HERNANDEZ:

Happy

birthday to

an amazing,

loving

sister. Love

Anna Hill.

DARYL BOYD

JR.: Happy

birthday

Bubba with

love from

Mom, Dad

and family.

Thomas Heck

Jerrie Simmons

Cheryle Starr

Dwayne Thomas

Coleton Youckton

Kayden Youckton

25

Daymon Thomas

Ryan White Eagle, Jr.

Zayden Youckton

26

Marla Conwell

Mary DuPuis

27

Halisa Higheagle

Stevie Youckton

28

Virginia “Dolly” Canales

Tom Hayden, Jr.

Riley Youckton

23

Sharon Tolbert

24

Luke Cayenne

PAT YOUCKTON: Happy

birthday. Love your family.

10

FAMILY

Monster Jam brings big air to Dome

Tribal families revel in

wheelies, endos, donuts

and thrilling races

Sign-ups sheets for the 2017

Monster Jam at the Tacoma

Dome filled up fast. This is a

highly popular trip to see deathdefying feats and amazing

performers. It never fails to be

exhilarating fun for elders, adults

and children with the thunderous

roar of engines, crunch of gigantic

tires and pumped-up crowd. The

noise was so loud that you could

feel the vibrations of excitement

as trucks performed throughout

the evening. Spectators witnessed

incredible stunts and races.

Families and children laughed,

clapped and cheered for their

favorite truck during races and

freestyle events. Watching gocarts zoom around also was a

special attraction.

Tribal families headed to the

Pit area to take photos, visit with

drivers and see the trucks in per

son.

Folks lined up to purchase

memorabilia such as Monster

Truck T-shirts, models, flags,

remote control trucks and hats.

Thank you to Youth Center

Director Tony Medina and his

staff for their continued work in

providing these fun-filled family

activities. The memories will last

a lifetime!

GET THE

LOWDOWN

For more

information

on the trucks,

stunts and

organization,

go to

monsterjam.

com.

Families watch high-octane action during Monster Jam.

Fun-filled- winter days at Early Learning

During January, our Early

Learning classrooms have been

focusing on winter! Children

learned about the weather,

listened to stories about

animals that hibernate and

kept our noses clean with an

abundance of tissues.

This time of year means

cold and flu season and lower

attendance because of illnesses.

Teachers are talking with

children about the importance

of washing our hands to kill

icky germs. Our children have

become experts at covering

coughs, washing hands often

and helping friends get a tissue

or coat when going outside.

ANNUAL REPORT

The Chehalis Tribal Early

Learning’s 2016 annual

report is complete and

copies are available at the

front entrance of Early

Learning’s main building.

Museum trip

Early Head Start visited the

Hands On Children’s Museum

in Olympia in January.

Families delighted in indoor

play and explored the museum.

Interactive exhibits provided

an exciting and engaging visit.

This was a self-transport

field trip, and we very much

appreciate our families

who attended. Parents and

family members are always

encouraged to volunteer at our

center and become familiar

with the Chehalis Tribal Early

Learning Program.

Dental checkups

Each of our Head Start and

Early Head Start classrooms

was visited by Dr. William

Elton on Jan. 11 for dental

screenings of each child. We

appreciate Dr. Elton and his

team visiting often and getting

acquainted with our little ones

to encourage a lifetime of good

dental health.

11

Breaking down jealousy myths

Contributed by Nicole Seligman,

loveisrespect advocate,

from Dating & Hooking Up

Jealousy comes up in most

relationships. What determines

if your relationship behaviors

are healthy, unhealthy or

abusive is how you deal with

jealous feelings. Let’s break

down some myths to help

you learn how to handle your

jealousy in a healthy way.

Myth 1

My partner shouldn’t talk

to, text or hang out with other

girls/guys.

False! In a healthy

relationship, both partners

should encourage each other

to have friends of any gender

outside of the relationship. It

is important to set boundaries

to make sure you’re both on

the same page about what

might constitute cheating, but

you and your partner should

have fulfilling friendships with

other people.

Myth 2

Going through my partner’s

phone and social media is OK

if I suspect he or she might be

cheating.

False! Whether you heard a

HERE TO HELP

The Chehalis Domestic

Violence Program offers

services to tribal members

and community members.

If you have concerns about

healthy relationships, jealousy,

domestic violence or dating

violence, please reach out.

Visit the office: Stop by from

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. MondayFriday or call 360-709-1874.

Crisis line: Chehalis Tribe

Domestic Violence Advocate

Janita Raham is available at

360-789-3627. Call or text

24/7.

The Women’s Healing

Circle runs from 4:306 p.m. March 9 and 23

and April 13 and 27 in the

Behavioral Health Group

Room.

The group provides a safe

environment to talk with

people who have been affected

by domestic violence. Build

friendships and find support.

A craft, meal and child

care will be provided. Open

to the tribal community

and employees. Free and

confidential.

rumor or have a feeling he

or she might be cheating, it’s

never OK to look through

your partner’s phone or social

media without permission. In a

healthy relationship, if you are

worried your partner might be

cheating, communicate openly.

It’s more effective to approach

this as a conversation rather

than an accusation.

shouldn’t trust that he or she is

being faithful.

False! It’s natural to be hurt

by cheating and dishonesty,

but it’s never OK to use the

past against your partner.

Trust is something we decide

to give, not something that

can be earned back. Not

trusting your partner isn’t

fair to either of you. If you’re

unsure whether you can trust

your partner, think about

what it would take for you to

trust again. If your answer has

Myth 3

Because my partner has

cheated or lied in the past, I

Rez Animal closes a successful year

Program spays/

neuters pets, reduces

number of strays

Rez Animal Resources &

Education had an exceptional

year and provided 183 spay/

neuter surgeries in 2016.

Since it began its program

in October 2006, the group has

paid for all or part of the cost

to spay and neuter more

than 1,229 dogs and cats.

With the help of volunteers

who provide foster

care for stray dogs

and cats, the

organization has

placed 218

animals into

permanent homes.

Rez Animal serves dogs

and cats within the Chehalis,

Nisqually, Skokomish, Squaxin

Island and Shoalwater Bay

native communities. Its spay/

neuter voucher program is

available to anyone living in

these tribal communities or

any enrolled member of one of

the tribes. Vouchers

can be used at

participating clinics

near the reservation.

Pet owners pay $5

toward the spay/

neuter surgery and

Rez Animal pays

the rest.

Spaying

or neutering

your pet is critical to

controlling the pet population

and reducing the number

of homeless dogs and cats.

The Humane Society of the

United States estimates that

6-8 million pets enter animal

shelters each year. About half

are adopted, and the rest are

euthanized.

Unspayed female cats

can have an average of three

litters per year, each of which

produces four to six kittens.

Unspayed dogs have an average

of two litters per year with six10 puppies in each litter.

Rez Animal Resources &

Education also can help with

emergency veterinary care if a

pet is sick or injured.

anything to do with checking

up, then you aren’t trusting.

If your answer has something

to do with adjusting your own

jealousy and behaviors, you

might be able to go on to have

a healthy relationship.

Myth 4

If my partner is jealous of

other people talking to me, he

or she is trying to protect me.

False! Just like in myth 1,

healthy relationships include

healthy friendships. If your

partner says you aren’t allowed

to talk to other people because

they might be interested in

you, then your partner doesn’t

trust you. When one partner

tries to tell the other who

to talk to, that is asserting

power and control, which is

unhealthy and can be abusive.

CONTACT US

To receive a spay/neuter

voucher, call 253-370-6392.

Donations are gladly

accepted to help us to

keep providing low-cost

spay/neuter services. Make

donations at rezanimals.

com or by check payable

to: Rez Animal Resources &

Education and mail to P.O.

Box 8640, Lacey, WA 98509.

SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES

COMPLETED

Chehalis

Nisqually

Skokomish

Squaxin Island

Shoalwater Bay

425

208

242

248

106

chehalistribe.org

© copyright 2017

CHEHALIS TRIBAL NEWSLETTER

is a publication of the Confederated

Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.

PRSRT STD

* Or current resident

PERMIT No. 2

US POSTAGE PAID

OAKVILLE, WA

12

in brief

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Kane Willis

First grade

Adna Elementary School

Kane Willis is a first-grader at

Adna Elementary School. He is the

son of Steven and Tawni Willis and

has two brothers, two sisters, two

cows and one dog.

At home, Kane loves to play and ride his

quad.

Naomi Bird

Sixth grade

Oakville Middle School

Naomi Bird finished the first

semester of sixth grade at Oakville

with a 3.1 GPA. Naomi is the

daughter of Danielle and John Bird

and has one brother, one sister and a dog

named Rex. She looks forward to going on

rides with her family.

One of Naomi’s favorite subjects is math.

She believes part of her success is a result

of getting her work done as it is given out

and completing it on time. Her advice to

other students is make sure to pay attention

Mya Ortivez

Ninth grade

Oakville High School

Mya Ortivez is a ninth-grader at

Oakville High School and finished

the first semester with a 3.4 GPA.

Mya is the daughter of Crystal and

Shawn Ortivez and has three sisters, three

dogs and two cats. She enjoys spending time

with her family.

Mya especially likes getting to hang out

with her friends. She attributes some of her

academic success to doing her work and

Kane enjoys all aspects of school,

but especially likes reading and

recess time. He attributes his high

performance at school to listening

to his teacher. He encourages other

students to be quiet during class so

they can hear and follow directions.

Kane is active and likes to play soccer

and baseball.

Kane has a lot of talents that include

reading, math, listening and riding bikes.

Great job, Kane!

during class. Naomi would like to play

basketball for Oakville in the coming

years.

Naomi fills her time by coloring

and making art. She also makes sure

to be friendly to everyone both in and

out of school.

After high school, Naomi plans to

work in construction helping to build

houses. To reach this goal, she plans to attend

trade school. She has not started exploring

what college she would like to go to yet but

will start looking once she gets into high

school.

Naomi isn’t certain what she would do if

she was chairman of the tribe, but she is sure

it would be good for everyone.

making sure it is turned in on time.

When other students ask how to

succeed in school, she tells them to

have fun and always turn their work

in.

Mya loves sports and plays

basketball, volleyball and fast-pitch

softball.

She plans to go to college at UCLA.

She knows it will be a challenge but she will

prepare for the experience during the rest of

her time in high school.

If she was chairman of the tribe, Mya

would focus on having more youth activities

such as sports tournaments and conferences.

NOMINATE YOUR CHILD

If you feel your child should be nominated

for student of the month, contact Jodie

Smith at jsmith@chehalistribe.org or

360-709-1897. State the reason why your

child should be considered. Deadline is

the last Friday of each month.

Contributed

by Chehalis

Tribe K-12

Program

Native artwork

sought for exhibit

The Washington State

Historical Society is accepting

applications of native artwork

through March 24 to display

in the 2017 juried show In the

Spirit.

Now its 12th year, the show

offers an opportunity for

contemporary

native artists

to display

their work at

the museum

in Tacoma

from June

15-Aug. 20.

Accepted

artwork will

be eligible for

awards and

monetary prizes.

The museum also will host a

native arts market and festival

on Aug. 19 that includes

performances by native artists

and offers vendor booth space.

Applications are available

at inthespiritarts.org. If you

have any questions about the

application process or In the

Spirit exhibition or festival,

contact Molly Wilmoth at

molly.wilmoth@wshs.wa.gov

or 253-798-5926.

USDA Food Program

To sign up for the USDA

Food Distribution Program,

call the South Puget Intertribal

Planning Agency Food

Distribution Warehouse at

360-438-4216 from 8 a.m.4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tribal community members

can get an application from

Debra Shortman at the Chehalis

Tribal Wellness Center.

The next distribution date

is March 23. Pickup is at the

Chehalis Tribal Community

Center from 9:30 a.m.-1:30

p.m.