Yesteryears - Oct. 1, 206

2021 — The Tribe celebrated the beginning of onsite work at the former Blue Heron Paper Mill in Oregon City with a private demolition event. Attendees watched as an excavator removed insulation and aluminum siding from an onsite building. “This (property purchase) opened up the door for us to partner with other local governments and tell the story of our people in this area,” Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier said. “This is a crown jewel of one of the goals, to reflect the values and mission of this Tribe.”

2016 — The Tribal Education Department teamed up with the SMART (Start Making Readers Today) reading program and sought volunteer readers to work with students in Grand Ronde and Willamina schools. Tribal Early Education Manager Angie Blackwell said participating students would receive two free books a month, allowing them to build their own libraries. Program Manager Michael Finlay said the program planned to serve all 70 students at Tribal Head Start and 20 students in Willamina.

2011 — Smoke Signals ran a feature celebrating the life of the Tribe’s eldest Tribal Elder, Nora Kimsey, who walked on Sept. 7, 2011, at the age of 102. At the time of her passing, she had 103 direct descendants and was an aunt to 200 to 300 people. Kimsey was the youngest of Cecille Leno Warren and John M. Warren’s 14 children. She married Loren Kimsey in 1929 and they were married for more than 70 years until Loren walked on in 2000. “She led by example,” grand-niece Cheryle A. Kennedy said. “She left footprints for those around her to follow.”

2006 — The Spirit Mountain Community Fund created advertisements including billboards, flyers and a television commercial to promote its new direction of providing greater support to surrounding communities. “The money is now being invested throughout 11 counties rather than just the Portland/Metro area,” Community Fund Director Shelley Hanson said. The commercial featured Tribal Elders Leon “Chips” Tom and Ed Pearsall and Tribal members Jackie Provost, Reina Nelson and Leland “Brother” Butler.

2001 — The Tribe received a $193,000 grant from the Administration for Native Americans to implement Tribal youth Chinuk Wawa lessons. The Grand Ronde Preschool Language Curriculum and Training Project began that fall, with a planned daily four-hour morning immersion session. Other activities, including picnics, potlucks and weekend excursions, would give parents opportunities to learn alongside their children.

1996 — The Tribe hosted a community health fair at Grand Ronde Elementary School that provided 60 immunizations to children in the community, 400 fingerprint identifications, information on substance abuse and disability and safety awareness. Law enforcement officers also shared information about community safety with students. Portland Trail Blazers radio announcer and Oregon Life Flight Network spokesman Bill Schonely attended by helicopter, signing autographs and allowing students to tour the aircraft.

1991 — Construction of the Community Center was underway and on track for completion in February 1992. All sewer, water and electric utilities were installed in the underground portion of the project, with walls, the roof and some parking spaces set to begin construction in the following weeks.

1986 — Tribal Council members Merle Leno, Kathryn Harrison and Council Chairman Mark Mercier met with the Yamhill County Sportsman’s Association to provide an update on the Tribe’s reservation plan and hunting and fishing agreement. The Tribe was also awarded a contract extension for its reservation plan.

Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year increments through the pages of Smoke Signals.