THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBE (2023)

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBE

|

WWW.PGST.NSN.US

|

360-297-2646

| JULY 2023

PGST CFS Welcome USDA Deputy Undersecretary In

Celebration of Success of SNAP Pilot Program

On June 14, Port Gamble S’Klallam Children &

Family Services (CFS) hosted Stacy Dean, USDA

Deputy Under Secretary, and a delegation from the

department’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to

discuss PGST’s success with a pilot connected to the

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Since 2009, PGST has been the only tribe in the

country operating a Community Service Office

(CSO) with the ability to perform eligibility and

certification services related to SNAP benefits. As

the only CSO in North Kitsap, the PGST office has

served anyone—tribal and non-tribal alike—who

finds themselves in need of benefits. Throughout the

pilot, PGST’s CFS department was able to demonstrate efficiencies that allowed them to determine

eligibility and provide benefits the same day. The

success is in the numbers: in the time PGST has operated a CSO, SNAP participation within the service

area has increased by over 60 percent.

While the pilot program is a partnership between

PGST, FNS, and the State’s Department of Social

and Health Services (DSHS), PGST staffs the department, receives minimal reimbursement, and is

rarely asked to the table as a partner to discuss the

program and how its managed. These were some of

the points that were expressed during the day-long

meeting.

Stacy Mills, former SNAP director for PGST, gave a

presentation highlighting the benefits of the program

and lead the subsequent discussion.

“I know personally what it was like to have your baby

and be told there’s no food, no help for you,” said

Mills. “With this program, families could come to

one office to get everything they needed, which is

wonderful but overwhelming. It was a lot, but we

PGST CFS Director Cheryl Miller gives a tour of the Tribal campus to USDA Deputy Undersecretary Stacy Dean (middle) and

Marirose Piciucco, DSHS/OOS Deputy Chief of Staff

made it work because it does so much for our families.”

She also talked about the impact of the program beyond the

PGST community: “PGST is an amazing neighbor. They

served the area (with eligibility determination), but, from day

one, they said they would issue (an EBT card) to whomever

has been approved and can get to our offices.” She described

incidents where families would walk miles from Hansville or

Poulsbo and have no way home other than on foot. CFS staff

would often provide or find these families rides home after

making sure they had the benefits they were entitled to.

Mills detailed the challenges of keeping the program going, especially during the pandemic. For example, while state workers

were able to access the tools they needed from home, PGST’s

CSO employees could only gain access by going to a physical

location. As a contractor, PGST CSO staff is also often the last

to find out about changes to the program or the contracts that

define the Tribe’s relationship to state and federal partners.

~SNAP Pilot

Continued on page 7

PAGE 2

| JULY 2023 |

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

PGST Vision Statement

Our vision is to achieve the full potential of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal sovereign nation to be selfsufficient, proud, strong, healthy, educated and respected.

PGST Mission Statement

The mission of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe is to exercise sovereignty and ensure self-determination and

self-sufficiency through visionary leadership. We will ensure the health, welfare and economic success of a

vibrant community through education, economic development, preservation and protection of the rich culture,

traditions, language, homelands, and natural resources of our Tribe.

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe

31912 Little Boston Road NE

Kingston, WA 98346

Telephone: 360-297-2646

Fax: 360-297-7097

Website: www.pgst.nsn.us

Email: info@pgst.nsn.us

Tribal Council

Jeromy Sullivan (deceased), Chairman

Matt Ives, Councilman

Chris Tom, Vice Chairman

Amber Caldera, Councilman

Renee Veregge, Councilman

Donovan Ashworth, Councilman

Entity Directors

• Kelly Sullivan, Executive Director

• Greg Trueb, CFO

• Tamara Gage, Administrative Director

of Tribal Government

• Destiny Oliver, Administrative Director

of Tribal Services

• Troy Clay, Chief Executive Officer,

Noo-Kayet

• Sam Cocharo, General Manager,

The Point Casino

• Nic'cola Armstrong, Executive

Director, Tribal Gaming Agency

• Andrea Dolan-Potter, PGS Foundation

Executive Director

• Kara Horton-Wright, Port Gamble

S'Klallam Housing Authority

Executive Director

This newsletter is a product of the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe.

For advertising inquiries or to submit items for publication,

please contact Ginger Vaughan at ginger@quinnbrein.com.

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

| JULY 2023 |

PAGE 3

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING

ELECTIONS FOR CHAIRMAN

Tribal Council elections are being held on July 10, 2023, in the Main Tribal Admin

Offices. The positions open for election are Council Person II, Council Person III,

and the Chairperson. Out of respect to the family of our beloved Jeromy Sullivan,

and the entire Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, we are postponing elections for the

Chairperson position.

Incumbent Donovan Ashworth, Bethany Swift, and Malissa Purser are running for

Councilperson II. Incumbent Mathew Ives and Jonelle Grady are running for the

Council Person III position. We will hold elections for these two positions only, on

Monday, July 10, 2023.

Jeromy was running unopposed for the Chairperson position—it is too soon to fill the

vacancy and void he left behind. The Tribe will hold a special election later this year

for the Chairperson position.

In the interim, Vice Chairman, Chris Tom will continue to serve as the acting chair

until a special election is held, for which we will give plenty of notice.

More information will be provided as soon as possible on already sent/submitted

absentee ballots for the July 10 election as well as a date and details for an upcoming

special election.

Please continue to pray for Chairman Sullivan’s family and our entire community.

The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Council:

Chris Tom

Renee Veregge

Amber Caldera

Donovan Ashworth

Matt Ives

PAGE 4

| JULY 2023 |

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS

to our 2023 graduates!

Miakoda Anderson

Kingston High

School

David Armistead

North Kitsap

High School

Ian Baze

Kingston High

School

Sam Bidtah

Kingston High

School

Tyler Chadwick

Kingston High

School

Mayson Fulton

Pilot Rock

High School

Mikayla Fundak

Kingston High

School

Lawrence George

Choice

Academy

Graham Heleniak

Whitmore High

School

Jaymee Jones

Marysville Pilchuck

High School

Kah-Ty Natrall

Kingston High

School

Ashton Purser

Kingston High

School

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

| JULY 2023 |

PAGE 5

Halle Purser

Snohomish High

School

Mia Strode

High School info

not provided

Liberty Sullivan

Kingston High

School

Devon Tom

Kingston High

School

Lavonne Tom

Kingston High

School

Rosie Turrieta

Chief Kitsap

Academy

Stephanie Webster

North Kitsap Online

Academy

Selina Ramirez

Olympic College

High School

Diploma

Sonya

Crocker-Redbird

Northwest Indian

College; BA-CARE

Lakeisha Dovre

Northwest Indian

College; AA-ECE

Jacob Fundak

Northwest Indian

College; AAS

Karleigh Gomez

Northwest Indian

College; BA-NSL

Not Pictured: Jonathan Landers (Baker Creek Community School)

PAGE 6

| JULY 2023 |

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

Cherie Jacobs

Western Governors

University; BA-ACCT

Richard Ogle

Northwest Indian

College; BA-NES

Justyn Purser

Northwest Indian

College; BA-TGBM

Angelina Sosa

Peninsula College;

AA-GDT

Angel Stewart

Northwest Indian

College; AA-GDT

Lonnie Gregory

Nail Tech

Certification

Jade-Cree Ives

CNA

Joe Ives

U.S. Indian Police

Academy

Molly Knowlton

Northwest Indian

College; CNA

Matias Miguel

U.S. Indian Police

Academy

Taylor Purser

CNA

Courtney Sullivan

Northwest Indian

College; ECE

Certification

Not Pictured:

Matika Marino (Northwest Indian College; AA-GDT)

Aspen Olney (Central Washington University; BA-Business Admin)

Amanda Terry (Washington State University; BA)

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

| JULY 2023 |

SNAP Pilot, Continued from Cover

Throughout these frustrations, the PGST team has always

found solutions because they recognize that some families

would rather forgo benefits than work with a state-run

office.

PAGE 7

During the visit, Cheryl Miller, director of CFS, and

Jaclyn Haight, director of Early Childhood Education

(ECE), gave a tour of the Tribal campus, including the

CFS and ECE buildings, and the Tribe’s Food Bank. The

day started with a traditional song from the S’Klallam

“To see how clients interact with us versus how they feel Singers and, before lunch, kids from ECE performed a

about going through the state is huge. They trust us; gone dance for the guests. PGST Council members Matt Ives

is the idea that we’re against them because they know we and Amber Caldera were in attendance throughout the

will make sure the services they can access are available,” day.

said Mills.

Lunch was a buffet of traditional foods complete with a

The June 14th meeting was meant to serve as an oppor- talk by Culture Director Laura Price on the significance of

tunity for FNS to announce an expansion of the program harvesting and preparing these foods to the PGST people.

to other state tribes who were interested in operating

their own CSO. In attendance were representatives from The day ended with a recognition of Mills’ work, includQuinault Indian Nation, Lummi Nation, Quileute Tribe, ing a gift from DSHS presented by Piciucco. Mills, who

and the Spokane Tribe of Indians. During an open dis- now works in Quality Improvement for the PGST Health

cussion period, many of these individuals expressed ap- Clinic, got the CSO program off the ground in 2009 and

preciation for PGST’s efforts, but also voiced skepticism ran it for over a decade.

that they would be able to operate their own programs because of the restrictions and requirements placed by FNS. “This program has always been about making sure the services for our community’s most vulnerable continue,” said

“I appreciate the value this program can bring, but I’m Mills.

not sure we would be interested in operating our own

office,” said Mary Papp, Tribal TANF Manager for the

Quinault Indian Nation. “Now if you would allow us to

just issue (EBT) cards, we could do that and it would be

of immense value, but that isn’t a possibility right now.

We just can’t staff and operate a full program as it is now.”

Dean said she understood the frustrations experienced by

PGST and stressed that FNS was working on solutions.

At the meeting, she was able to share that one imminent

change was the recognition of traditional foods so they

can be purchased using SNAP benefits.

“We see (the expansion of the pilot program) as paving

the way for tribes across the country. Thank you for the

work you do,” said Dean.

Marirose Piciucco, DSHS/OOS Deputy Chief of Staff,

also expressed her appreciation: “I want to thank PGST

and its government for changing the conversation around

food access. You have been so successful in this program.

Thank you for your bravery and determination in bringing this program to your people.”

Piciucco embraces former PGST SNAP

program director, Stacy Mills

PAGE 8

| JULY 2023 |

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

| JULY 2023 |

PAGE 9

H A P P Y BIRTHDAY

PAGE 10

| JULY 2023 |

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

...to everyone celebrating in JULY!

July 1

Domonique Adams

Tammy Decoteau-Avalos

Danielle Folz

Kelly Potter

Sally Seachord

July 2

Aiden Flores

July 3

Ruth Anderson

Kalel Ellenwood

Aliyah-Lynn Sullivan

Brooke Wellman

Jennifer Wooster

July 5

Lydia Decoteau

James Jones Jr.

Tyson Oliver

July 6

Jaxon Cox

Whitley Cox

Richard Harvey Jr.

July 7

Summer Callihoo

Stephanie Newell-Foucher

Patricia Newton

Edward Tom

July 8

Stephanie Cannon

Joshua DeCoteau-Mcleod

Jonelle Grady

Alexandria Mishkie

Donovan Phillips

Scarlett Treakle

Haylee White

Stacey Wise

July 9

Kassidy Jackson

Kyle Sheehy

July 10

Summer Hager

Alexyss Jones

July 11

Coraline Alarcon-Sullivan

Kyla McGovern

Lowell Nystrom

Todd Stroud

July 12

Monica Fulton

Robert Jones Jr.

Colby Ponce-Ramirez

Aubrey Roberts

Tracy Seachord

Gwendolyn Thomas

July 13

Duane Aikman III

Isabella Decoteau

Marshall Dixon

Denise Ellenwood

Patrick Ingraham

Valarie Jones

Roger Sullivan

July 14

James Montgomery

July 15

Christina Charles

Yvonne Gouley

Conner Leavitt

Tanner Sullivan-Cheyney

James Walker

July 16

Bradley Crawford

Dennis Decoteau

Courtney Ives

Anthony Jones Jr.

July 17

William Henry Jr.

William Jones Sr.

Jayse Jones

Taylor Patrick

July 18

Mickey Fulton Sr.

Messiah Gilbert-Jones

Kaitlyn Gutierrez

Colton James

July 19

Megan Frederick

Abigail Hall

July 20

Tristan Moran Jr.

Madden Swift

July 21

Marley Ives

Kimber White

July 22

Leroy Charles

Virginia Fulton

Vanessa Newton

Naleilee Woodruff

July 23

Gordon Fulton

Dale Purser

Ashley Seachord

Carilla Sims

July 24

Misty Jones

Zailena McLean

Josie Strode

Desmond Wellman

July 25

Tristin Casperson

Summer Olson

July 26

Zachary Chesnin

Andrew Ives

Robin Newman

Raven Tom

July 27

Rhonda Holland

Lillian Ives

Trinity Ives

July 28

Javon Ashby

Shane Baze

Benjamin Brandt

Joey Buckman

Fred Michalscheck Jr.

Chayton Sullivan

Jacob Sullivan

July 29

Shyia Fulton

Brock Heleniak

Eric Whisler

July 30

Ariana Akins

Mellynie Ives-Griggs

Sholana Purser

Isaac Reynolds

Madison Sullivan

Renee Veregge

July 31

Ida Jones

PORT GAMBLE S’KLALLAM TRIBAL NEWS

| JULY 2023 |

PAGE 11

CHECK IT OUT AT YOUR LITTLE BOSTON LIBRARY

COMMUNITY NEWS— We are now open 10 am to

6 pm Monday-Thursday, Fridays 10 am to 5 pm

and Saturdays 10 am to 2pm. Call 360-860-5080

to place a hold, make a curbside appointment, or

speak to staff person.

Join Us: Please see schedule of events on Page 8

Now Through August...

Take on Challenges & Win Cool Prizes

Participate in the Dig Into Reading Challenge, read

for 10 hours and celebrate with a book or journal to

take home. Read 50 hours to earn a drawstring bag

for all your Summer Learning goodies or read all

100 hours for your very own celebratory 100-hour

Reader T-shirt! Or complete the Dig Into Learning

Challenge or Bingo Bonus Challenge for an end-ofsummer prize drawing entry. For more information

stop by the library or visit www.krl.org.

Reading Recommendations

Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native

America by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish / Tulalip): In this

10-year project, Wilbur photographed and interviewed

over 562 federally recognized tribes, urban Native

communities, tribes fighting for federal recognition

and Indigenous role models in the United States.

The resulting work is an unprecedented repository of

imagery and oral histories that overcomes historical

inaccuracies and stereotypical representations, and

accurately portrays contemporary Native Americans.

(Nonfiction • Book • 2023)

Inhabitants:

Indigenous

Perspectives

on

Reloading Our World from Ben-Alex Dupree

(Colville Confederated Tribes) & Colleen Cooley

(Dine): This feature documentary follows five Native

American communities across deserts, coastlines,

forests and prairies as they restore their traditional

land management practices. As the climate crisis

escalates, these time-tested practices of North

America’s original inhabitants are becoming

increasingly essential in a rapidly changing world.

(Documentary DVD • 2022)

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath: The First Book of

Nampesiweisit by Moniquill Blackgoose (Seaconke

Wampanoag): In this series launch, Anequs, an

Indigenous teen, finds the first dragon egg seen

in her community in generations. According to the

Anglish who conquered her people’s land, Anequs

must enroll in an approved dragon academy and

raise the hatchling by its standards, or the creature

will be killed. Debut novelist Blackgoose deftly and

beautifully interrogates colonialism through her

fantasy lens. (Fiction • Book • 2023)

Magazines

All Recipes - published six times a year

To help make your cooking adventures a success.

• Friendly - We love trading ideas and hanging

out with fellow home cooks.

• Supportive - Struggling with dinner inspiration?

We are here to help!

• Creative - Cooking is an art. We like to

experiment and express ourselves.

• Approachable - We do not judge—all cooking

levels and recipes are welcome.

• Down-to-Earth - We love good food, period. It

does not need to be fussy to be great.

• Fun - Like you, we enjoy friends, family, cooking,

and having a good laugh.

Family Handyman - published seven times a year

Family Handyman your leading DIY resource

for projects, renovations, smart technology,

pest control, maintenance, design inspiration

and so much more

Inside Every Issue:

• Complete plans for DIY projects with

detailed easy-to-follow illustrations.

• Repair tips that SHOW you how to fix it,

clean it and keep it running.

• Expert advice from industry pros: plumbers,

electricians, carpenters and more.

• Practical storage solutions for organizing

your home and garage.

PRSRT STD

U.S.POSTAGE

PAID

31912 Little Boston Rd. NE

Kingston, Wash. 98346

Silverdale, WA

Permit # 111

TIDE TABLES FOR PORT GAMBLE, WASHINGTON

JULY/AUGUST 2023