Spirit Mountain Community Fund surpasses $55 million in giving
Posted on: December 22nd, 2011
A gift of $20,000 to Salem-based CAUSA Oregon is particularly meaningful to Executive Director Francisco Lopez. “It is important for me because I’m from El Salvador, of Mayan descent, and the money comes from an indigenous Tribe here,” he said. CAUSA Oregon will use the money to provide classes in leadership for indigenous peoples from Central American immigrant families now living in the group’s 10-county area. “This is very significant for us,” he said. For the fourth quarter this year, Spirit Mountain Community Fund on Dec. 7 issued 28 grants totalling $388,200. The event marked the Tribe surpassing $55 million…
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2011 Ye?lan Lima Award Winners
Posted on: December 22nd, 2011
We have all seen individuals go above and beyond to help another. Whether that other is a person or animal, their drive to be all that they can be is truly something that garners respect from all who witness it. For those that receive the benefit from that individual’s assistance, recipients often are unable to fully express their words of gratitude. In 1997, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde created their charitable foundation – The Spirit Mountain Community Fund. Since then, Spirit Mountain Community Fund has been quietly helping their neighbors and friends by supporting communities in an 11-county area. Investing more…
Arts and Culture | Education | Environmental Protection | Health | Historic Preservation | Public Safety | Small Grant | Large Grant | Our Tribe
2011 Ye? lan Lima Award Nominations
Posted on: October 31st, 2011
Spirit Mountain Community Fund (SMCF) frequently celebrates the success and remarkable achievements of nonprofits located within our 11 county service area. However, not often enough do individuals within these inspiring organizations receive the recognition they deserve. So, in 2010 SMCF introduced our first Ye? lan Lima Award initiative and announced the first two award winners. The Ye? lan Lima award originates from a common Native American interpretation of the open hand symbol (above) signifying human work or achievement. We recognize that among the exemplars of a thriving organization a common ingredient leading to success is the dedication, commitment, and unwavering effort…
November is Native American Heritage Month
Posted on: October 31st, 2011
National Native American Heritage Month celebrates the culture, contributions and heritage of Native Americans. For many years, Native Americans and others proposed that a special day be set aside to honor Native Americans. Since 1976, the Presidents of the United States and Congressional resolutions have proclaimed a day, week or month of recognition. The efforts to establish a day of recognition has resulted in the month of November being designated for this purpose. In 1990 President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 "National American Indian Heritage Month." Similar proclamations, under variants on the name (including…
Community Fund nears $55 million in giving
Posted on: October 4th, 2011
By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor With the distribution of 41 grants totaling $659,350 on Wednesday, Sept. 14, Spirit Mountain Community Fund approached the $55 million mark in giving since it was formed in 1997. The Community Fund, which distributes 6 percent of Spirit Mountain Casino profits to charitable organizations in 11 western Oregon counties, is less than $5,000 away and will surpass the $55 million mark with its next quarterly check distribution in December. At the Sept. 14 quarterly check distribution held in the Tribal gym, the Community Fund continued its tradition of helping a wide variety of worthwhile…
September is Library Card Sign-up Month
Posted on: September 19th, 2011
by Louis King SMCF Program Coordinator Observed since 1987, Library Card Sign-Up Month is a time when the American Library Association and libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Reading yields great benefits! It's a fact which cannot be questioned by anyone. Reading improves a person's vocabulary, command of the language, and communication skills. Trends show that children who read are able to concentrate on their lessons more properly than those who don't. More importantly, good reading skills are directly related to good writing skills. A person who doesn't…
Table Rocks MOU signing set for Sept. 10
Posted on: September 13th, 2011
By Ron Karten Smoke Signals staff writer The Bureau of Land Management, Nature Conservancy and Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Saturday, Sept. 10, agreeing to cooperate in an emerging management plan for Table Rocks. Sept. 10 also is the 158thanniversary of the Tribe’s Table Rock Treaty, the first treaty negotiated and the second ratified in western Oregon of seven that the Grand Ronde Tribe’s forebears ultimately signed with the federal government. “This is a landmark event for the Tribe,” said Tribal Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor. “On Sept. 10, 1853, the ancestors of the…
August is National Immunization Awareness Month
Posted on: August 18th, 2011
National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is a good time to ensure your family members and friends are current with their shots for both adults and children. Vaccines are a critical part of remaining healthy and reducing the potential of getting an illness or disease. The focus of NIAM is to produce an increasing awareness regarding immunizations that are available across the life span of populations from infants to the elderly. As we get ready for the beginning of another Oregon school year, August is a good time to remind co-workers, friends, family members, and community members on the importance of…
PGE meets Tribal lamprey collectors at the Falls
Posted on: August 4th, 2011
By Ron Karten Smoke Signals staff writer During this year’s lamprey harvest at Willamette Falls, a Portland General Electric video crew interviewed Grand Ronde Tribal representatives for a short history of the Falls. “All we can do is scratch the surface,” said Jeff Gersh, owner of Portland-based NarrativeLab Communications and producer of the upcoming PGE video. “I’m 50 and I could spend the rest of my life on this project.” “One of the most historically rich places in the Pacific Northwest,” in Gersh’s words, the Falls also are a marvel of cultural, biological, geological and, of course, electrical history. Following…
Arts and Culture | Education | Environmental Protection | Health | Historic Preservation | Our Tribe
July is Family Golf Month
Posted on: July 18th, 2011
Family Golf Month provides a structured, yet casual, opportunity for families to learn the game of golf and spend uninterrupted quality time together. Every family member—young and old—can participate and receive the benefits a round of golf provides, including fresh air and beautiful outdoor scenery as well as a healthy dose of exercise. The Children’s Course, a Portland non-profit, mission is to positively impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. “The support of the Spirit Mountain Community Fund allows our organization to…
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