from the tribal chairman€¦ · 1/1/2019 · 288 golf course drive west. rohnert park, ca 94928....

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Happy New Year Tribal Citizens. My wish for the world is peace. And I wish for each and every one of you peace -- peace in your daily lives. Peace encompasses a multitude of feelings, including safety and security. It is how we feel not only when we have enough to eat and a roof over our heads, but that sense of well-being and empowerment that comes with our ability to choose the life we want to live, the very right to

happiness. I can’t tell you that this crazy world will soon feel

any less crazy or safe. After all, we are facing unprecedented climate change that will profoundly affect life as we know it, if not in our lifetime then certainly in the lives of our children and grandchildren. Related to the effects of climate change, including worldwide crop failures and subsequent food shortages, is political upheaval. Food shortage is directly related in turn to nationalism and war. Each of us in our daily lives must work to alter the course of the looming dark future. Certainly your Tribe, with its mission of social justice and environmental stewardship, works in every way to provide an alternate path for the future. Still, we can’t do it alone. And still we cannot -- and should not -- feel defeated or hopeless.

Most importantly, we cannot let the unstable conditions in the world rob us of the peace and happiness that can come simply with just one more day alive, with one more glorious morning to begin our day with. American Indian people have grown accustomed to upheaval and disruption in our lives. The generational effects of colonization manifest

themselves in forms of hopelessness, depression, and constant fear and anxiety. The psychological trauma that we often live with becomes normal. The legacy of colonization, generations of impoverished and disempowered families, keeps fear and the resulting lack of peace in our lives alive. Of course American Indians don’t have a corner on the “unhappiness market.” Other groups know it well too -- I’m thinking of African Americans and the history and legacy of slavery, and the immigrants from South and Central America so horribly disregarded and exploited in the American workplace. Now though so many people, cognizant of world affairs, feel the dis-ease (and disease) that comes from a threatened and unsettled world.

The history (and culture) of unsettledness is well told in the Old Testament. The Israelites escaped slavery and were told by God that they were owed a home place. They were a colonized and enslaved indigenous tribe dislocated from their aboriginal home now looking for a new home. Three thousand years later, the pattern continues: dislocation, enslavement, and the crushing need everywhere to find a safe home. Yes, the need to find home and peace.

We, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, live in our aboriginal homeland, or if we live elsewhere at least we know where it is and can travel to it. We now also have the resources to feel safe, or at least safer, than we have in the not too distant past. We have opportunities for education in order that we might not only have the careers we want, but also to be able to better understand who we are as people and the world we live in. We have a per cap to help with our needs. We have counseling and housing opportunities.

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Newsletter of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Volume 16, Number 181 ~ January 2019

From the Tribal Chairman .................................. p. 1 New Staff ............................................................. p. 1 Elders Honoring Event ....................................... p. 3 Citizenship Department ..................................... p. 6 Education Department ....................................... p. 6 Elder Family Advocate ....................................... p. 7 Environmental Department ................................ p. 8 Housing Services ............................................... p. 9

Tribal Gaming Commission ............................... p. 10 Tribal Historic Preservation Office .................... p. 10 TANF .................................................................... p. 11 SCIHP ................................................................... p. 11 Event Pictures ..................................................... p. 12 Announcements, and Flyers .............................. p. 14 Tribal Meetings and Events in 2019 .................. p. 18 Tribal Calendar .................................................... p. 19

Inside this issue:

From the Tribal Chairman Greg Sarris

Tribal Chairman Greg Sarris

From the Tribal Chairman continued from page 1

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We have programs that foster well-being and a sense of pride and empowerment in our youth. Yet I wonder if we feel safe. Have we honestly confronted the legacy of colonization, how it plays out in our daily lives, or are we still ruled by it? Does learning our history and culture empower us? Does understanding that history and knowing who we are bring us peace?

What I’m getting at is my wish that, now with our opportunities, we find some peace. The past does not need to own us, and the future does not need to scare us. Say no to historic restlessness and fear. It is not only OK, but necessary that you own each minute of your day, that you take pleasure and pride in your lives, however that may be, at work, with your family, your garden, hobbies, pets, whatever. Feel good with what you enjoy. Push back those things that you might be used to that rob you of joy but that don’t need to rob you anymore. Sure, there will be problems, small and large, but rather than think somehow those problems are normal or that you deserve them, see the problems for what they are -- problems that can and should be solved because you don’t need them and they only work to take time from a fuller, happier life. Seek others to help you with challenges. We shouldn’t think of ourselves as alone. There is one goal, and one goal only, in your life: peace.

Then pass it on. Helping others itself feels good. Join committees, join groups, join organizations. Volunteer. Work toward the better good. Sometimes helping others, putting yourself on the line, can actually help you forget about problems you can do nothing about. Serving food in a homeless shelter, working on a community gardening project, visiting elders -- all of these activities lift the spirit. Or, as Mabel McKay used to say, “are pleasing to the Spirit.” Cook a meal for an elder. Cook a meal for a friend or family member who may be alone or having a hard time. Offer to buy a bag of groceries for someone in need, maybe someone who is unable to get to a store. Do you know a student who needs money for books and supplies? Buy the books and supplies! Knowing that you helped someone in

need will make you feel happy. Knowing that you made someone else’s life easier, even if it was only to offer emotional support and advice, will make you happier, and your happiness then becomes a cornerstone for peace and well-being not only within you but beyond you. People don’t forget the ways you help them; and even if they forget or don’t express gratitude, you can rest with the fact that because of your good deed, their life was easier, better, more peaceful even if only for a short time.

Thinking of others can, in the best sense, even help us find peace. Every Thanksgiving I carve turkey in the Team Dining Room for our Team Members. I don’t work long, usually not much longer than an hour. I carve turkey to show appreciation for the many Team Members who have left their families on Thanksgiving to work for the Tribe. But it’s more than that. I have my personal reasons. I’ve lost my mother and all of the immediate family I was raised with. Holidays can be difficult for me. But not when I’m serving turkey dinner to others. The joy I see in Team Members’ faces -- those who no doubt are missing being with their families -- is nothing more than the joy and happiness I feel in my heart just then.

Again, my wish for each of you in the New Year: peace. Find it. Keep it. Spread it.

Sacred Sites Committee 6pm

Citizenship Committee 5pm

Housing Committee 5pm

Tribal Council 5pm

Events Planning Committee

5:30pm

Per Cap Mailed

GWB Mailed

Tribal Garden Committee

6pm

Tribal Office closed


Basketry Class 10am

Election Board 6pm


General Council 10am at Oxford

Events Planning

Committee 5:30pm




Tribal Council 5pm

Per Cap Mailed

Tribal Council 5pm

GWB Mailed

Basketry Class 10am


6pm Election Board

5pm

Youth & Family Summer Programs Fair

5pm

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Hi, my name is Marlon Ortiz and I’m the Director of Information Security for the Tribal Gaming Commission. I have been working with computers for well over twenty years, mostly in the Gaming and Hospitality Industry. I have worked for all types of gaming organizations; privately owned, publicly traded, and tribal enterprises. From small

to large gaming organizations in New Jersey, Nevada,

and California. At present, I’m working on improving the understanding of how to properly secure computer systems.

On a personal note, I would like to share a very important life lesson: don’t be afraid of failure, you will learn way more from your failures than from your successes. A failure gives us understanding and perspective, and these are the motivators to try until you succeed.

Marlon Ortiz

Tribal Gaming Commission

Director of Information Security

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2019 Distribution Schedule

General Welfare Benefits Per Capita

January 18 July 19 January 25 July 26 February 15 August 23 February 22 August 30 March 22 September 20 March 29 September 26 April 19 October 18 April 26 October 25 May 24 November 22 May 31 November 27 June 21 December 20 June 28 December 27

January Friday, Jan 18: 5:00pm Tribal Council February Friday, Feb 1: 5:00pm Tribal Council Friday, Feb 15: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Feb 16: 10:00am General Council (Oxford) March Friday, Mar 8: 5:00pm Tribal Council Friday, Mar 22: 5:00pm Tribal Council April Friday, Apr 12: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Apr 13: 10:00am General Council Sat., Apr 13: 12:00pm Spring Celebration Friday, Apr 26: 5:00pm Tribal Council May Friday, May 10: 5:00pm Tribal Council Friday, May 24: 5:00pm Tribal Council *June Friday, Jun 7: 5:00pm Tribal Council *Sat., Jun 8: 10:00am General Council (Oxford) July Friday, Jul 12: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Jul 13: 12:00pm Annual Picnic Friday, Jul 26: 5:00pm Tribal Council August Friday, Aug 9: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Aug 10: 10:00am General Council Friday, Aug 23: 5:00pm Tribal Council

*September Fri, Sep 13: 5:00pm Tribal Council *Wed, Sep 25: 5:00pm Tribal Council October Friday, Oct 11: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Oct 12: 10:00am General Council Sat., Oct 19: 12:00pm Fall Celebration Friday, Oct 25: 5:00pm Tribal Council November Friday, Nov 15: 5:00pm Tribal Council *December Friday, Dec 13: 5:00pm Tribal Council *Sat., Dec 14: 10:00am General Council (Oxford) Sat., Dec 14: 1:00pm Elders Event Sun., Dec 15: 12:00pm Winter Celebration

Schedule of Tribal Council and General Council Meetings and Tribal Citizen Events—2019

*Please note: dates in bold are out of the normal recurring monthly dates or are at a different meeting location

Meeting Locations: Tribal Council meetings are held at the FIGR Tribal Office 6400 Redwood Drive, Suite 300 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 707-566-2288 General Council meetings are held at Ballroom D, Graton Resort and Casino 288 Golf Course Drive West Rohnert Park, CA 94928 707-584-5466 *Where noted General Council meetings are held at Oxford Suites 67 Golf Course Drive West Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Carol Holmes was born in San Francisco on September 20, 1938. She grew up in the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose, California where she attended elementary, junior high, and graduated with the class of 1956 from Glen High School. She eventually moved to Santa Clara, California.

Carol’s family consisted of her great grandmother, Carmel Com-che-tal. Her Grandmother, Elizabeth Vanacola Tarpey, had four sisters: Filimena, Lucia, Mary Ann, and Theresa. Carol’s parents Earl and Buntie Holmes and her brother Phillip Holmes, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Carol also has plenty of friends she enjoys spending time with.

Carol worked as clerical staff at the San Jose Medical Clinic before she took a job with Ames Research Center, NASA at Moffet Field, in Mountain View, California, where she worked for 12 years. Carol resigned so she could work in the private business sector. Prior to working for 14 years as a secretary for the Jewish Community Center located in Los Gatos, California, she worked for the arts and nonprofits, mostly in community theatre which she enjoyed very much, mainly the technical side because it was more challenging.

Working for NASA was a highlight of Carol’s life, especially when she met Astronaut Alan Shephard and the Cosmonauts, experiences that have yet to be equaled. Carol also enjoyed her involvement with

community theatre in musicals, both on stage and behind the scenes, with the Civic Light Opera, providing entertainment to the USO, mainly at Fort Ord, Monterey Presidio, and Camp Roberts.

Some thoughts that Carol has about the Tribe are when the Tribe gets together to celebrate as family. She enjoys and appreciates the spring, summer, and fall season celebrations, as well as the Elders Event.

Carol’s hopes for our people, particularly the young, would be to have spiritual growth as a person, and as a citizen. Be true to yourself. Enhance the cultural heritage of all the things sacred to the Tribe. Learn the cultural life of the Coast Miwok, be it language, basket weaving, significance of dance, or just the importance of being Native American. She believes it is very important to respect one another because it gives us strength.

Carol’s advice to our Tribal Citizens would be to get an education! Experience a long life of learning after you leave the classroom. Never stop learning! Most importantly, love your immediate and extended family.

One memory that Carol would like to share is about her grandmother, Elizabeth Vanacola Trarpey. Carol’s grandmother grew up in Marshall, California in what was then called Fisherman’s Place. Her dad, Frank Vanacola was a fisherman in the Tribal Territory, and Carol’s grandmother would tell Carol stories about how she would help him mend the nets. Carol also remembers there used to be a train that would travel to Marshall.

Carol Holmes—80 Year Old Honored Elder

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Mary Sanders grew up in Graton, California where her parents, Jess Curtis and Margaret “Maggie”, grew up. Mary lived in Graton until her Dad became sick with Tuberculosis. They moved to the Merced and Modesto area where her mom was able to find work picking fruit and vegetables. Along with her siblings, Mary returned to Graton to stay with their Aunt

Kate. They ended up moving to Rohnert Park where Mary went to school. Mary and her sister would play endlessly in the fields behind what is now the casino/reservation. Eventually, Mary and her siblings went to live with their mother in South San Francisco, where Mary married and had three children.

Mary’s family consists of her Dad, Mom, and children: Jessie, Julie, and John, grandchildren, great grandchildren and oodles of friends.

Mary worked for Amour Meat Company in South San Francisco for 20 years as a machine packer.

Mary’s life highlights are when her children were born and all the episodes that happened raising her family as they grew into successful adults.

Mary is very proud of all the accomplishments the Tribe has made and that it was an amazing journey in itself to have been reinstated/recognized. She hopes that our people continue to further the Tribes’ success.

Her advice for our Tribe is to be present and attend the meetings with your children so they can get to know other Tribal Members and stay informed on what is going on with various programs. She would like for parents to teach the children where they came from, read the newsletter to them, embrace the Tribe and participate any way possible.

Mary’s memories of growing up in our Tribal Territory are when her Dad worked as an apple dryer. Mary would play in the apple orchards and along the old railroad tracks. She loved going to the little neighborhood grocery store for her mom.

Mary Sanders—80 Year Old Honored Elder

The Elders Honoring Event, December 15, 2018

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Citizenship Department Tina Lanzavecchia, Citizenship Specialist (707) 566-2288, Ext. 112

Greetings Tribal Citizens. As of January 2019, we have 1,420 enrolled Tribal Citizens. Enrollment Numbers Your enrollment number is a very important number to know. It came to my attention this past month that many of you may not have or know your enrollment number. Your enrollment

number can be found printed on your Tribal ID card, and may help you with FIGR programs and services, for example, “Back to School”, Housing Services, Elder Services, GWB applications, and much more. For example, your enrollment number is required when completing scholarship applications. You should treat this number just like you would your social security number. Since minor children do not get their Tribal ID Card until they are 18 years old, the parent or legal guardian can request a proof of enrollment form for your child that verifies their enrollment number. Call the Citizenship Department, (707) 566-2288 ext. 112 to request a proof of enrollment form for your minor child.

Organizing Important Documents

Get a binder with sheet protectors and put all of your important documents in it. For example: your children’s birth certificates and proof of enrollment, social security cards, marriage license, medical immunizations, diploma, military documents, car titles, or other important records. This is a handy way to be able to just grab the binder in case of an emergency, or just filling out paperwork. Remember to put the binder in a safe place and of course always save your important documents electronically if possible.

Deadline Dates

As you may know, most of our Tribal correspondence usually gets mailed out by the end of the month. Keep in mind that if you have moved or

changed any contact information, the Citizenship Department needs your changes before the end of the month. The “Deadline Date” is the 15th of every month and this will allow the Citizenship Department enough time to process your changes. When changing any information, your writing must be legible in order to have your information changed properly. Having a baby!

The parent, guardian, or caretaker of a newborn is responsible for requesting a Newborn Application Packet. The Citizenship Department only issues Newborn Application Packets by a written request. All written requests must be made and received by the Citizenship Department within 180 days (six months) from the date of birth. Written requests for Newborn Application Packets must include the following information before a numbered application is issued:

Full name of newborn Date of birth Names of biological mother and father Requestor’s contact information Signature and Date

Instructions for logging into the Citizen Portal: www.gratonrancheria.com If you are accessing the citizen portal on the

website for the first time, you will need your Tribal Enrollment number and date of birth. The username is the last four digits of your Tribal Enrollment number and your date of birth is mm/dd/yyyy. If you are unable to log into the portal, please select the “Forgot Password” button and go through the steps to have your information sent to you. A second option is to select the Contact tab and a window will appear with a contact form that will enable you to send us a message. Please contact the Citizenship Department to obtain your information. (707) 566-2288 ext. 112.

Tina Lanzavecchia

Educational Opportunity for Citizens: The tribe recognizes the importance of investing in the future of its Tribal Citizens and participating in the preparation of future FIGR leaders. This summer, the Tribe will run a two-track internship program for Tribal Citizens with one program focused on Tribal Government and the second focused on

the Graton Resort and Casino business. Applicants must choose one of the two tracks. Tribal Citizens who are interested in either program must be enrolled in

post-secondary education and in good standing with their institution.

Please be sure to read your newsletter for further information regarding the internship program including the application time frame.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, Patricia Miraz at (707) 566-2288 ext. 628, or by email at: [email protected].

Education Department

Patricia Miraz

Patricia Miraz, FIGR Scholarship and Academic/Career Counselor (707) 586-6100, Ext. 628

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The Sacred Sites Protection Committee is currently accepting applications for several open positions. If you are

interested in becoming a Sacred Sites Protection Committee member, applications are available at the first floor

reception desk, or can be sent by email upon request. The committee meetings are held on the second Monday of

the month at 6:00 pm at the Tribal Office.

Completed committee applications can be sent by postal mail or hand-delivered to: 6400 Redwood Drive, Ste.

300 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 or emailed to [email protected]. For any questions or for further

information, please call (707) 566-2288 or email questions to [email protected].

Elder Family Advocate Diana Murray, Elder and Family Advocate (707) 566-2288, Ext. 135

Happy New Years! FIGR HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM FOR ELDERS With much anticipation, your Tribal Council has approved the implementation of a Health Benefits Program for elder citizens (age 60 and above) to begin January 1st, 2019. This Health Benefit Program will provide an

annual health benefit of $10,000 to use to help meet your health needs.

In addition, the Health Benefit Program is available to citizens diagnosed with a terminal illness. A terminal illness is defined as an incurable disease that cannot be adequately treated and is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient, including a life expectancy of three years or less.

For citizens who will be turning 60 years old in 2019, or for those who have questions about the health benefit program please contact me, Diana Murray, your FIGR Elder Advocate to answer any questions or to receive information on how to enroll in to this health benefit program for elders. LOST INCOME TAX RETURN?

Have you misplaced last year’s income tax returns, or did you experience a disaster and are wondering how to replace your important tax return information? Some tax preparation services may ask individuals to bring to their appointments their last year’s income tax returns. I know it can be a frustrating experience when we are unable to locate these items. Please know there is help. For the replacement of your last year’s tax returns, contact the following agencies:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) If you have misplaced your last year’s tax return,

you can order a transcript that is free and available for the most current tax year after the IRS has processed the tax return. Tax transcripts are available for the past three years. This transcript will have your record of account, wage and income and verification.

If you need an actual copy of your full tax return, you can get one for the current tax year and as far back as six years by calling the IRS. The fee per copy is $50. Call the IRS at (800) 908-9946 to request a tax transcript or a copy of your full tax return.

State of California Franchise Tax Board You may be able to obtain a free copy of your

California tax return using your secure computer. Go to www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals for information on how to register for your account to acquire this information.

For a $20.00 fee, you may also request a copy of your California tax return by submitting a Request for Copy of Income Tax or Fiduciary Return Form FTB 3516, or by simply submitting your request on plain paper and provide the following:

Your name (and Spouse’s name if joint return)

Social security number(s) Telephone number including area code Current address Address shown on last return filed Tax year or years of returns requested Your signature (if you filed jointly, either

spouse may sign) Send your request to: DATA STORAGE SECTION FRANCHISE TAX BOARD PO BOX 1570 RANCHO CORDOVA, CA 95741-1570

For each tax return year you request, each return is a $20.00 fee. There is no charge for a copy of your return if you are requesting a return for a tax year in which you were the victim of a designated California state or federal disaster.

Include a check or money order for the total amount due, made out to the Franchise Tax Board. The request may take up to four weeks from the date of your request to receive a copy of your return. (Source: www.ftb.ca.gov 2018)

WELCOME NEW MEDICARE ENROLLEES – 2019

Were you born in 1954? If so, this is your year that you will need to enroll into the Social Security Administration’s Medicare Health Insurance Program. Many individuals in the past would use this event as their “retirement” age, but careful consideration should be made since the official retirement age for full Social Security Retirement benefits for those born in 1954, is age 66. If these same individuals hold-off their retiring until age 70, their monthly retirement benefits will increase by 8% for each year they delay their retirement.

Diana Murray

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Volunteer for Us!

The next General Council Meeting will be held on Saturday, February 16, 2019

10:00 am at Oxford Suites, 67 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park, CA

The proposed General Council Agenda is:

Call to order

Verify establishment of quorum

Approve the Minutes of the December 14, 2018 meeting

Tribal Updates for FIGR Programs and Committees

Economic Development Update

Unfinished Business

New Business

Announcements

Adjourn

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Jenna Brager, Tribal Land Manager (707) 566-2288, Ext. 117

Environmental Department

Dear Tribal Citizens, with the new year and winter rains comes a fresh start for the land and the garden. We have lots of goals for the coming year and are looking forward to implementing them. A master plan for the garden is currently underway. We are designing the garden site as a whole so that we have a full lay of the land which maps out the many facets of a diverse ecologically-friendly

food forest that our community can come be part of. This winter, we plan to prepare garden beds and

fallow land by planting and growing cover crops to replenish the soil. Most fruits and vegetables that we enjoy deplete the soil of nutrients – this is what makes fruits and veggies so nutritious for us to eat. Between food crops, particularly during the winter season, it is important to grow plants that replenish soil fertility and give nutrients back to the earth. Our cover crop mix will include bell beans, peas, and vetch – plants that add lots of organic matter, as well as nitrogen, to the soil.

Winter is also the perfect time to plant bare root fruit trees. We are fortunate with Sonoma County’s prime climate for growing apples, pears, persimmons, plums, and more. Why plant bare root trees? Bare root trees are resilient to being moved around and transplanted because they are dormant. They have a great success rate with winter planting. We will be digging nice big holes for our sleeping trees while the ground is moist, putting tree roots in a gopher basket for protection, backfilling those holes and then keeping our growing trees watered, mulched, and fertilized all year long.

Before the rains, while the soil was still warm and dry, we harvested many bulbs of garlic from the Tribal Community Garden. We will grow even more garlic in the coming year. Late fall/winter is garlic planting season, so we’ll get our garlic seed in the ground and plan on an abundant harvest right around summer solstice. This season, we plan on planting Spanish Roja Organic Garlic. The Spanish Roja variety is rich in flavor, has 8-12 cloves per bulb, and color varies from cream to deep purple stripes.

While winter can be a quiet time, there is plenty of garden work to do with planning for the coming seasons, tending winter crops, taking good care of the soils, and getting trees in the ground. We look forward to finishing up our big picture garden plan and creating plenty of opportunities for Tribal Citizens to be involved in learning and co-creating abundance in the garden.

Magnus Peas Cover Crop

Jenna Brager

Bare root fruit tree

Last fall’s garlic harvest, Tribal Community Garden

Harvest for Fall Celebration, Tribal Community Garden Vice Chair, Lorelle Ross with flower and garlic harvest

Family Traditions Winter Youth Celebration at Graton Resort & Casino 12-9-18

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Dear Tribal Citizens, many blessings to you and your family in this New Year! Traditionally, New Year’s has signified a renewal of life. We celebrate the regeneration, while discarding the old and worn out. There isn’t a better time to discard your old habits and ways of spending and saving, and to begin

celebrating a regeneration of a future for your family. During this time, many people begin to talk about

resolutions: to lose weight, to call home more often, to not ever eat fruitcake again. Many times, these resolutions are just talk. For you, and your family, this year can be different. This year, you can turn over that new leaf and start to build something lasting.

A good place to start is with the budget. Find ways in which you can begin to save. If you’ve already started a budget for yourself, a good next step would be to repair your credit. Your credit can affect your ability to purchase or rent a

home. If those are goals for your future, then you should take steps to repair your credit now. As you do so, not only will you be increasing your credit score over time (which is important if you would like a reasonable interest rate for any credit you apply for), but you will also be teaching your children how to make and attain goals. Why not begin with the goal of tackling that holiday debt?

Assess the Damage—How much do you owe? Gather receipts or call your credit card companies to find out the exact amount. This will allow you to make a plan to pay this holiday debt off, as quickly as possible.

Temporary Cutbacks—Make cutbacks over the next few weeks or months—however long it takes to get caught up. Budgeting is a lot like balanced eating and it takes discipline and determination. Reduce dining out and making fast food runs. Instead of going to the movies, rent a movie at home. Or better yet, have a game night with family and friends. Recognize the difference between the things you need and the things you want when spending money.

Make a Plan—Save as much money as you can and put it all towards your holiday debt. Figure out approximately how long it’s going to take to pay everything off so that you have a clear understanding of how long

you need to keep your cutbacks in place. For example: If you owe $250.00 and can save about $100 a month with cutbacks, it will take you 2 1/2 months to pay your debt off.

Get It Over With Quickly—Stick to your plan! Pay your holiday debt off as quickly as possible.

Prepare for the Next Holiday—As you reflect on the total amount of money you owe due to overspending during the holidays, consider how much better you would feel without that extra financial burden. Creating a holiday spending plan (budget) will really help. Figure the total amounts you spend during the last holiday and estimate how much money you will need for future holidays. Then try to save a little money aside each month so you won’t need to go into debt for the next holiday.

The Housing Services Department hopes that this information helps carry you through the New Year and beyond, and looks forward to serving your housing needs.

Ralph Sepulveda

Housing Services Department Ralph Sepulveda, Director (707) 566-2288, Ext. 113 Danielle Salinger, Assistant (707) 566-2288, Ext.114

October 1, 2018 marked the

beginning of the 2019 fiscal year for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), however, funding is not immediately available. If you are struggling to pay for your heating and/or cooling costs, or you would like some tips on how to keep your costs down in the meantime, please contact the Housing Services Department.

Children's Holiday Party at Graton Resort & Casino 12-6-18

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Marlon Ortiz, Director of Information Security (707) 566-2288


SCIHP Health/Wellness Notes Sonoma County Indian Health Project, Inc.

Alison Whitemore, LCSW (Pomo, Confederated Tribes of Round Valley) Healthy Traditions

Indigenous communities throughout time and still today have some form of music, song, and singing. For ceremony, changing of the seasons and healing, to honor, make meaning and to inspire feelings and connection. The music creates an emotional experience, shares information and connects community to the natural world and those that live upon it.

Although indigenous communities have always known these benefits, we now have evidence that music is critical to good health. Research has now revealed that listening to music and the act of singing alone or with others can reduce depression and anxiety by inspiring the brain to release various brain chemicals and hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins. These pleasure chemicals create feelings of relaxation, joy, and needed connection with others. Music and singing also protects against toxic stress by reducing hormones like cortisol that bring a sense of tension and contributes to ill health.

Our ability to positively shift our mood and sense of wellbeing by engaging in an activity we enjoy is a miraculous part of being human. The question is how

do we bring more music and singing into our day to day lives. Singing in the shower, though something we giggle about, is a great way to feel the resonance of rhythm and shift those brain chemicals. Singing together in ceremony is ideal, but not often a daily activity. Singing during prayer, while driving, in social settings and with family when possible, can become a commitment into the New Year.

Ask yourself, what do I need in this moment to shift my mood positively, and what songs bring those feelings of joy and contentment? What is my song and how do I bring it into my life daily? Be it pop, country, rock and roll, gospel or traditional, what song will you connect with that creates a sense of wellbeing and how will you share this to bring joy into your heart and into the hearts of others.

Create a playlist of uplifting and motivating music and listen daily

Create a tradition of singing with the family in the car or after a meal together

Inspire others to sing with you at tribal events Sing to your children and grandchildren Take a healthy risk and go to Karaoke

We live in the age of smart gadgets, from personal computers, to smart phones and even smart televisions, and all these gadgets are now connected to the Internet. These connections keep us informed, entertained, and productive, but there is the risk that hackers can break into these devices and steal our personal information.

So what steps do we need to take to protect ourselves? First, we need to understand our exposure by creating a list of all devices we have: computers, phones, tablets, smart appliances, gaming consoles, wireless routers (Wi-Fi), etc. Then we need to take a minute to become familiar with their settings.

The first setting we need to be concerned with is implementing strong passwords on all these devices. Password length (the more characters the merrier) and the use of special characters make a password more difficult for hackers to guess or crack.

If possible, have a different password for each device. Also, try to use a different password for each site you visit. This way, if a password is compromised, it only affects a single device or web site. Also, as painful as it may be, it is a good practice to change

passwords regularly. There are tools that generate strong passwords and store them for you; you need to come up with a very strong password if you are going to use these tools. Further enhance these practices by using two-factor authentication when it’s offered by a website.

Ask your Internet service provider or a certified computer technician to help you secure your wireless routers (Wi-Fi). This is the main point of entry and exit that all your devices use to connect to the Internet. Because smart appliances are not very secure, and assuming you don’t have any personal information stored on those devices, it is a good idea to connect them to the Internet using a guest Wi-Fi network on your router.

And finally, it is always a good practice to back up your data on a regular basis. If your device malfunctions or is compromised, the only guaranteed way to recover your device is to erase and restore from the most recent backup.

The next article is coming soon. We’ll see best ways to protect ourselves while browsing the Internet, opening emails, and traveling. We’ll talk about online privacy, too. Until then, please practice safe computing.

Emilia Garcia, Youth and Family Case Coordinator (707)586-6100, Ext. 634

The Youth and Family Department will be holding their annual Summer Programs Fair on February 5, 2019. The Summer Programs Fair will be held at the Graton Resort and Casino in the Ballroom. Youth and Family staff will be available from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm to help assist families with completing the Summer Programs Applications or answer any questions

you may have. Families will have the opportunity to sign their youth up for the following Programs:

Summer Day Camp Each week youth will participate in a wide

variety of activities that focus on cultural engagement, environmental stewardship, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), teambuilding and art

Open to youth entering Kindergarten through 8th grade

Monday through Thursday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

Word for Word Youth will work together to transform a short

story into a live action play Open to youth entering 4th grade through 8th

grade Monday through Thursday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

Native American Youth Action Team (NAYAT) Each week youth will participate in a wide

variety of activities that focus on leadership, teambuilding, work readiness, college preparation and financial literacy

Open to youth entering 9th grade through 12th grade

Monday through Thursday 9:00 am to 2:30 pm

Head Back in Style Open to youth who turn 4 on or before

September 1, 2019 through 12th grade

If you would like to learn more about the Summer Programs Fair or inquire about any of the programs our Youth and Family Department provides, please call (707) 586-6100 and ask to speak with Lena Garcia, ext. 635, or Emilia Garcia, ext. 634.

Emilia Garcia

Tribal TANF of Sonoma and Marin

Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) Matthew Johnson, Library Coordinator (707) 566-2288, Ext. 623

Greetings, Tribal Citizens! The Cultural Resources Department, under the direction of Tribal Council Vice Chair Lorelle Ross, helped to coordinate multiple demonstrations of traditional Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo skills at the Tolay Fall Festival over the weekend of October 20th. While The Cultural Resources Department

staff operated an informational table with material from our Tribal Library detailing the history of the first people of the Tolay area, Tribal Citizens with expertise in traditional skills provided demonstrations for the public. Tsim Schneider and Peter Nelson hosted a traditional

flintknapping demonstration, Julia and Lucy Parker were on site all weekend doing a basket weaving demonstration, and Kathleen Smith and Bev Ortiz were also in attendance preparing acorn mush in the traditional way using cooking rocks over an open fire and boiling in a cooking basket with assistance from Peter Nelson and Laurie Morales. In addition, Tribal Citizen Charlena Valencia spent the day on Sunday displaying tule baskets and answering questions from visitors while Charles Kennard taught park-goers how to weave a tule basket. All in all, a fantastic weekend at Tolay Regional Park and a perfect kick off to the grand opening of the park to the public!

Matthew Johnson

Marlon Ortiz

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Dear Tribal Citizens, many blessings to you and your family in this New Year! Traditionally, New Year’s has signified a renewal of life. We celebrate the regeneration, while discarding the old and worn out. There isn’t a better time to discard your old habits and ways of spending and saving, and to begin

celebrating a regeneration of a future for your family. During this time, many people begin to talk about

resolutions: to lose weight, to call home more often, to not ever eat fruitcake again. Many times, these resolutions are just talk. For you, and your family, this year can be different. This year, you can turn over that new leaf and start to build something lasting.

A good place to start is with the budget. Find ways in which you can begin to save. If you’ve already started a budget for yourself, a good next step would be to repair your credit. Your credit can affect your ability to purchase or rent a

home. If those are goals for your future, then you should take steps to repair your credit now. As you do so, not only will you be increasing your credit score over time (which is important if you would like a reasonable interest rate for any credit you apply for), but you will also be teaching your children how to make and attain goals. Why not begin with the goal of tackling that holiday debt?

Assess the Damage—How much do you owe? Gather receipts or call your credit card companies to find out the exact amount. This will allow you to make a plan to pay this holiday debt off, as quickly as possible.

Temporary Cutbacks—Make cutbacks over the next few weeks or months—however long it takes to get caught up. Budgeting is a lot like balanced eating and it takes discipline and determination. Reduce dining out and making fast food runs. Instead of going to the movies, rent a movie at home. Or better yet, have a game night with family and friends. Recognize the difference between the things you need and the things you want when spending money.

Make a Plan—Save as much money as you can and put it all towards your holiday debt. Figure out approximately how long it’s going to take to pay everything off so that you have a clear understanding of how long

you need to keep your cutbacks in place. For example: If you owe $250.00 and can save about $100 a month with cutbacks, it will take you 2 1/2 months to pay your debt off.

Get It Over With Quickly—Stick to your plan! Pay your holiday debt off as quickly as possible.

Prepare for the Next Holiday—As you reflect on the total amount of money you owe due to overspending during the holidays, consider how much better you would feel without that extra financial burden. Creating a holiday spending plan (budget) will really help. Figure the total amounts you spend during the last holiday and estimate how much money you will need for future holidays. Then try to save a little money aside each month so you won’t need to go into debt for the next holiday.

The Housing Services Department hopes that this information helps carry you through the New Year and beyond, and looks forward to serving your housing needs.

Ralph Sepulveda

Housing Services Department Ralph Sepulveda, Director (707) 566-2288, Ext. 113 Danielle Salinger, Assistant (707) 566-2288, Ext.114

October 1, 2018 marked the

beginning of the 2019 fiscal year for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), however, funding is not immediately available. If you are struggling to pay for your heating and/or cooling costs, or you would like some tips on how to keep your costs down in the meantime, please contact the Housing Services Department.

Children's Holiday Party at Graton Resort & Casino 12-6-18

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Jenna Brager, Tribal Land Manager (707) 566-2288, Ext. 117

Environmental Department

Dear Tribal Citizens, with the new year and winter rains comes a fresh start for the land and the garden. We have lots of goals for the coming year and are looking forward to implementing them. A master plan for the garden is currently underway. We are designing the garden site as a whole so that we have a full lay of the land which maps out the many facets of a diverse ecologically-friendly

food forest that our community can come be part of. This winter, we plan to prepare garden beds and

fallow land by planting and growing cover crops to replenish the soil. Most fruits and vegetables that we enjoy deplete the soil of nutrients – this is what makes fruits and veggies so nutritious for us to eat. Between food crops, particularly during the winter season, it is important to grow plants that replenish soil fertility and give nutrients back to the earth. Our cover crop mix will include bell beans, peas, and vetch – plants that add lots of organic matter, as well as nitrogen, to the soil.

Winter is also the perfect time to plant bare root fruit trees. We are fortunate with Sonoma County’s prime climate for growing apples, pears, persimmons, plums, and more. Why plant bare root trees? Bare root trees are resilient to being moved around and transplanted because they are dormant. They have a great success rate with winter planting. We will be digging nice big holes for our sleeping trees while the ground is moist, putting tree roots in a gopher basket for protection, backfilling those holes and then keeping our growing trees watered, mulched, and fertilized all year long.

Before the rains, while the soil was still warm and dry, we harvested many bulbs of garlic from the Tribal Community Garden. We will grow even more garlic in the coming year. Late fall/winter is garlic planting season, so we’ll get our garlic seed in the ground and plan on an abundant harvest right around summer solstice. This season, we plan on planting Spanish Roja Organic Garlic. The Spanish Roja variety is rich in flavor, has 8-12 cloves per bulb, and color varies from cream to deep purple stripes.

While winter can be a quiet time, there is plenty of garden work to do with planning for the coming seasons, tending winter crops, taking good care of the soils, and getting trees in the ground. We look forward to finishing up our big picture garden plan and creating plenty of opportunities for Tribal Citizens to be involved in learning and co-creating abundance in the garden.

Magnus Peas Cover Crop

Jenna Brager

Bare root fruit tree

Last fall’s garlic harvest, Tribal Community Garden

Harvest for Fall Celebration, Tribal Community Garden Vice Chair, Lorelle Ross with flower and garlic harvest

Family Traditions Winter Youth Celebration at Graton Resort & Casino 12-9-18

The Sacred Sites Protection Committee is currently accepting applications for several open positions. If you are

interested in becoming a Sacred Sites Protection Committee member, applications are available at the first floor

reception desk, or can be sent by email upon request. The committee meetings are held on the second Monday of

the month at 6:00 pm at the Tribal Office.

Completed committee applications can be sent by postal mail or hand-delivered to: 6400 Redwood Drive, Ste.

300 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 or emailed to [email protected]. For any questions or for further

information, please call (707) 566-2288 or email questions to [email protected].

Elder Family Advocate Diana Murray, Elder and Family Advocate (707) 566-2288, Ext. 135

Happy New Years! FIGR HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM FOR ELDERS With much anticipation, your Tribal Council has approved the implementation of a Health Benefits Program for elder citizens (age 60 and above) to begin January 1st, 2019. This Health Benefit Program will provide an

annual health benefit of $10,000 to use to help meet your health needs.

In addition, the Health Benefit Program is available to citizens diagnosed with a terminal illness. A terminal illness is defined as an incurable disease that cannot be adequately treated and is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient, including a life expectancy of three years or less.

For citizens who will be turning 60 years old in 2019, or for those who have questions about the health benefit program please contact me, Diana Murray, your FIGR Elder Advocate to answer any questions or to receive information on how to enroll in to this health benefit program for elders. LOST INCOME TAX RETURN?

Have you misplaced last year’s income tax returns, or did you experience a disaster and are wondering how to replace your important tax return information? Some tax preparation services may ask individuals to bring to their appointments their last year’s income tax returns. I know it can be a frustrating experience when we are unable to locate these items. Please know there is help. For the replacement of your last year’s tax returns, contact the following agencies:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) If you have misplaced your last year’s tax return,

you can order a transcript that is free and available for the most current tax year after the IRS has processed the tax return. Tax transcripts are available for the past three years. This transcript will have your record of account, wage and income and verification.

If you need an actual copy of your full tax return, you can get one for the current tax year and as far back as six years by calling the IRS. The fee per copy is $50. Call the IRS at (800) 908-9946 to request a tax transcript or a copy of your full tax return.

State of California Franchise Tax Board You may be able to obtain a free copy of your

California tax return using your secure computer. Go to www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals for information on how to register for your account to acquire this information.

For a $20.00 fee, you may also request a copy of your California tax return by submitting a Request for Copy of Income Tax or Fiduciary Return Form FTB 3516, or by simply submitting your request on plain paper and provide the following:

Your name (and Spouse’s name if joint return)

Social security number(s) Telephone number including area code Current address Address shown on last return filed Tax year or years of returns requested Your signature (if you filed jointly, either

spouse may sign) Send your request to: DATA STORAGE SECTION FRANCHISE TAX BOARD PO BOX 1570 RANCHO CORDOVA, CA 95741-1570

For each tax return year you request, each return is a $20.00 fee. There is no charge for a copy of your return if you are requesting a return for a tax year in which you were the victim of a designated California state or federal disaster.

Include a check or money order for the total amount due, made out to the Franchise Tax Board. The request may take up to four weeks from the date of your request to receive a copy of your return. (Source: www.ftb.ca.gov 2018)

WELCOME NEW MEDICARE ENROLLEES – 2019

Were you born in 1954? If so, this is your year that you will need to enroll into the Social Security Administration’s Medicare Health Insurance Program. Many individuals in the past would use this event as their “retirement” age, but careful consideration should be made since the official retirement age for full Social Security Retirement benefits for those born in 1954, is age 66. If these same individuals hold-off their retiring until age 70, their monthly retirement benefits will increase by 8% for each year they delay their retirement.

Diana Murray

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Volunteer for Us!

The next General Council Meeting will be held on Saturday, February 16, 2019

10:00 am at Oxford Suites, 67 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park, CA

The proposed General Council Agenda is:

Call to order

Verify establishment of quorum

Approve the Minutes of the December 14, 2018 meeting

Tribal Updates for FIGR Programs and Committees

Economic Development Update

Unfinished Business

New Business

Announcements

Adjourn

Citizenship Department Tina Lanzavecchia, Citizenship Specialist (707) 566-2288, Ext. 112

Greetings Tribal Citizens. As of January 2019, we have 1,420 enrolled Tribal Citizens. Enrollment Numbers Your enrollment number is a very important number to know. It came to my attention this past month that many of you may not have or know your enrollment number. Your enrollment

number can be found printed on your Tribal ID card, and may help you with FIGR programs and services, for example, “Back to School”, Housing Services, Elder Services, GWB applications, and much more. For example, your enrollment number is required when completing scholarship applications. You should treat this number just like you would your social security number. Since minor children do not get their Tribal ID Card until they are 18 years old, the parent or legal guardian can request a proof of enrollment form for your child that verifies their enrollment number. Call the Citizenship Department, (707) 566-2288 ext. 112 to request a proof of enrollment form for your minor child.

Organizing Important Documents

Get a binder with sheet protectors and put all of your important documents in it. For example: your children’s birth certificates and proof of enrollment, social security cards, marriage license, medical immunizations, diploma, military documents, car titles, or other important records. This is a handy way to be able to just grab the binder in case of an emergency, or just filling out paperwork. Remember to put the binder in a safe place and of course always save your important documents electronically if possible.

Deadline Dates

As you may know, most of our Tribal correspondence usually gets mailed out by the end of the month. Keep in mind that if you have moved or

changed any contact information, the Citizenship Department needs your changes before the end of the month. The “Deadline Date” is the 15th of every month and this will allow the Citizenship Department enough time to process your changes. When changing any information, your writing must be legible in order to have your information changed properly. Having a baby!

The parent, guardian, or caretaker of a newborn is responsible for requesting a Newborn Application Packet. The Citizenship Department only issues Newborn Application Packets by a written request. All written requests must be made and received by the Citizenship Department within 180 days (six months) from the date of birth. Written requests for Newborn Application Packets must include the following information before a numbered application is issued:

Full name of newborn Date of birth Names of biological mother and father Requestor’s contact information Signature and Date

Instructions for logging into the Citizen Portal: www.gratonrancheria.com If you are accessing the citizen portal on the

website for the first time, you will need your Tribal Enrollment number and date of birth. The username is the last four digits of your Tribal Enrollment number and your date of birth is mm/dd/yyyy. If you are unable to log into the portal, please select the “Forgot Password” button and go through the steps to have your information sent to you. A second option is to select the Contact tab and a window will appear with a contact form that will enable you to send us a message. Please contact the Citizenship Department to obtain your information. (707) 566-2288 ext. 112.

Tina Lanzavecchia

Educational Opportunity for Citizens: The tribe recognizes the importance of investing in the future of its Tribal Citizens and participating in the preparation of future FIGR leaders. This summer, the Tribe will run a two-track internship program for Tribal Citizens with one program focused on Tribal Government and the second focused on

the Graton Resort and Casino business. Applicants must choose one of the two tracks. Tribal Citizens who are interested in either program must be enrolled in

post-secondary education and in good standing with their institution.

Please be sure to read your newsletter for further information regarding the internship program including the application time frame.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, Patricia Miraz at (707) 566-2288 ext. 628, or by email at: [email protected].

Education Department

Patricia Miraz

Patricia Miraz, FIGR Scholarship and Academic/Career Counselor (707) 586-6100, Ext. 628

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4 17

Mary Sanders grew up in Graton, California where her parents, Jess Curtis and Margaret “Maggie”, grew up. Mary lived in Graton until her Dad became sick with Tuberculosis. They moved to the Merced and Modesto area where her mom was able to find work picking fruit and vegetables. Along with her siblings, Mary returned to Graton to stay with their Aunt

Kate. They ended up moving to Rohnert Park where Mary went to school. Mary and her sister would play endlessly in the fields behind what is now the casino/reservation. Eventually, Mary and her siblings went to live with their mother in South San Francisco, where Mary married and had three children.

Mary’s family consists of her Dad, Mom, and children: Jessie, Julie, and John, grandchildren, great grandchildren and oodles of friends.

Mary worked for Amour Meat Company in South San Francisco for 20 years as a machine packer.

Mary’s life highlights are when her children were born and all the episodes that happened raising her family as they grew into successful adults.

Mary is very proud of all the accomplishments the Tribe has made and that it was an amazing journey in itself to have been reinstated/recognized. She hopes that our people continue to further the Tribes’ success.

Her advice for our Tribe is to be present and attend the meetings with your children so they can get to know other Tribal Members and stay informed on what is going on with various programs. She would like for parents to teach the children where they came from, read the newsletter to them, embrace the Tribe and participate any way possible.

Mary’s memories of growing up in our Tribal Territory are when her Dad worked as an apple dryer. Mary would play in the apple orchards and along the old railroad tracks. She loved going to the little neighborhood grocery store for her mom.

Mary Sanders—80 Year Old Honored Elder


18 3

2019 Distribution Schedule

General Welfare Benefits Per Capita

January 18 July 19 January 25 July 26 February 15 August 23 February 22 August 30 March 22 September 20 March 29 September 26 April 19 October 18 April 26 October 25 May 24 November 22 May 31 November 27 June 21 December 20 June 28 December 27

January Friday, Jan 18: 5:00pm Tribal Council February Friday, Feb 1: 5:00pm Tribal Council Friday, Feb 15: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Feb 16: 10:00am General Council (Oxford) March Friday, Mar 8: 5:00pm Tribal Council Friday, Mar 22: 5:00pm Tribal Council April Friday, Apr 12: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Apr 13: 10:00am General Council Sat., Apr 13: 12:00pm Spring Celebration Friday, Apr 26: 5:00pm Tribal Council May Friday, May 10: 5:00pm Tribal Council Friday, May 24: 5:00pm Tribal Council *June Friday, Jun 7: 5:00pm Tribal Council *Sat., Jun 8: 10:00am General Council (Oxford) July Friday, Jul 12: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Jul 13: 12:00pm Annual Picnic Friday, Jul 26: 5:00pm Tribal Council August Friday, Aug 9: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Aug 10: 10:00am General Council Friday, Aug 23: 5:00pm Tribal Council

*September Fri, Sep 13: 5:00pm Tribal Council *Wed, Sep 25: 5:00pm Tribal Council October Friday, Oct 11: 5:00pm Tribal Council Sat., Oct 12: 10:00am General Council Sat., Oct 19: 12:00pm Fall Celebration Friday, Oct 25: 5:00pm Tribal Council November Friday, Nov 15: 5:00pm Tribal Council *December Friday, Dec 13: 5:00pm Tribal Council *Sat., Dec 14: 10:00am General Council (Oxford) Sat., Dec 14: 1:00pm Elders Event Sun., Dec 15: 12:00pm Winter Celebration

Schedule of Tribal Council and General Council Meetings and Tribal Citizen Events—2019

*Please note: dates in bold are out of the normal recurring monthly dates or are at a different meeting location

Meeting Locations: Tribal Council meetings are held at the FIGR Tribal Office 6400 Redwood Drive, Suite 300 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 707-566-2288 General Council meetings are held at Ballroom D, Graton Resort and Casino 288 Golf Course Drive West Rohnert Park, CA 94928 707-584-5466 *Where noted General Council meetings are held at Oxford Suites 67 Golf Course Drive West Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Carol Holmes was born in San Francisco on September 20, 1938. She grew up in the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose, California where she attended elementary, junior high, and graduated with the class of 1956 from Glen High School. She eventually moved to Santa Clara, California.

Carol’s family consisted of her great grandmother, Carmel Com-che-tal. Her Grandmother, Elizabeth Vanacola Tarpey, had four sisters: Filimena, Lucia, Mary Ann, and Theresa. Carol’s parents Earl and Buntie Holmes and her brother Phillip Holmes, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Carol also has plenty of friends she enjoys spending time with.

Carol worked as clerical staff at the San Jose Medical Clinic before she took a job with Ames Research Center, NASA at Moffet Field, in Mountain View, California, where she worked for 12 years. Carol resigned so she could work in the private business sector. Prior to working for 14 years as a secretary for the Jewish Community Center located in Los Gatos, California, she worked for the arts and nonprofits, mostly in community theatre which she enjoyed very much, mainly the technical side because it was more challenging.

Working for NASA was a highlight of Carol’s life, especially when she met Astronaut Alan Shephard and the Cosmonauts, experiences that have yet to be equaled. Carol also enjoyed her involvement with

community theatre in musicals, both on stage and behind the scenes, with the Civic Light Opera, providing entertainment to the USO, mainly at Fort Ord, Monterey Presidio, and Camp Roberts.

Some thoughts that Carol has about the Tribe are when the Tribe gets together to celebrate as family. She enjoys and appreciates the spring, summer, and fall season celebrations, as well as the Elders Event.

Carol’s hopes for our people, particularly the young, would be to have spiritual growth as a person, and as a citizen. Be true to yourself. Enhance the cultural heritage of all the things sacred to the Tribe. Learn the cultural life of the Coast Miwok, be it language, basket weaving, significance of dance, or just the importance of being Native American. She believes it is very important to respect one another because it gives us strength.

Carol’s advice to our Tribal Citizens would be to get an education! Experience a long life of learning after you leave the classroom. Never stop learning! Most importantly, love your immediate and extended family.

One memory that Carol would like to share is about her grandmother, Elizabeth Vanacola Trarpey. Carol’s grandmother grew up in Marshall, California in what was then called Fisherman’s Place. Her dad, Frank Vanacola was a fisherman in the Tribal Territory, and Carol’s grandmother would tell Carol stories about how she would help him mend the nets. Carol also remembers there used to be a train that would travel to Marshall.

Carol Holmes—80 Year Old Honored Elder

From the Tribal Chairman continued from page 1

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We have programs that foster well-being and a sense of pride and empowerment in our youth. Yet I wonder if we feel safe. Have we honestly confronted the legacy of colonization, how it plays out in our daily lives, or are we still ruled by it? Does learning our history and culture empower us? Does understanding that history and knowing who we are bring us peace?

What I’m getting at is my wish that, now with our opportunities, we find some peace. The past does not need to own us, and the future does not need to scare us. Say no to historic restlessness and fear. It is not only OK, but necessary that you own each minute of your day, that you take pleasure and pride in your lives, however that may be, at work, with your family, your garden, hobbies, pets, whatever. Feel good with what you enjoy. Push back those things that you might be used to that rob you of joy but that don’t need to rob you anymore. Sure, there will be problems, small and large, but rather than think somehow those problems are normal or that you deserve them, see the problems for what they are -- problems that can and should be solved because you don’t need them and they only work to take time from a fuller, happier life. Seek others to help you with challenges. We shouldn’t think of ourselves as alone. There is one goal, and one goal only, in your life: peace.

Then pass it on. Helping others itself feels good. Join committees, join groups, join organizations. Volunteer. Work toward the better good. Sometimes helping others, putting yourself on the line, can actually help you forget about problems you can do nothing about. Serving food in a homeless shelter, working on a community gardening project, visiting elders -- all of these activities lift the spirit. Or, as Mabel McKay used to say, “are pleasing to the Spirit.” Cook a meal for an elder. Cook a meal for a friend or family member who may be alone or having a hard time. Offer to buy a bag of groceries for someone in need, maybe someone who is unable to get to a store. Do you know a student who needs money for books and supplies? Buy the books and supplies! Knowing that you helped someone in

need will make you feel happy. Knowing that you made someone else’s life easier, even if it was only to offer emotional support and advice, will make you happier, and your happiness then becomes a cornerstone for peace and well-being not only within you but beyond you. People don’t forget the ways you help them; and even if they forget or don’t express gratitude, you can rest with the fact that because of your good deed, their life was easier, better, more peaceful even if only for a short time.

Thinking of others can, in the best sense, even help us find peace. Every Thanksgiving I carve turkey in the Team Dining Room for our Team Members. I don’t work long, usually not much longer than an hour. I carve turkey to show appreciation for the many Team Members who have left their families on Thanksgiving to work for the Tribe. But it’s more than that. I have my personal reasons. I’ve lost my mother and all of the immediate family I was raised with. Holidays can be difficult for me. But not when I’m serving turkey dinner to others. The joy I see in Team Members’ faces -- those who no doubt are missing being with their families -- is nothing more than the joy and happiness I feel in my heart just then.

Again, my wish for each of you in the New Year: peace. Find it. Keep it. Spread it.




Tribal Council 5pm

Events Planning Committee

5:30pm

Per Cap Mailed

GWB Mailed


6pm



Basketry Class 10am

Election Board 6pm


General Council 10am at Oxford

Events Planning

Committee 5:30pm




Tribal Council 5pm

Per Cap Mailed

Tribal Council 5pm

GWB Mailed

Basketry Class 10am


6pm Election Board

5pm

Youth & Family Summer Programs Fair

5pm

2

Hi, my name is Marlon Ortiz and I’m the Director of Information Security for the Tribal Gaming Commission. I have been working with computers for well over twenty years, mostly in the Gaming and Hospitality Industry. I have worked for all types of gaming organizations; privately owned, publicly traded, and tribal enterprises. From small

to large gaming organizations in New Jersey, Nevada,

and California. At present, I’m working on improving the understanding of how to properly secure computer systems.

On a personal note, I would like to share a very important life lesson: don’t be afraid of failure, you will learn way more from your failures than from your successes. A failure gives us understanding and perspective, and these are the motivators to try until you succeed.

Marlon Ortiz


Director of Information Security

1

Happy New Year Tribal Citizens. My wish for the world is peace. And I wish for each and every one of you peace -- peace in your daily lives. Peace encompasses a multitude of feelings, including safety and security. It is how we feel not only when we have enough to eat and a roof over our heads, but that sense of well-being and empowerment that comes with our ability to choose the life we want to live, the very right to

happiness. I can’t tell you that this crazy world will soon feel

any less crazy or safe. After all, we are facing unprecedented climate change that will profoundly affect life as we know it, if not in our lifetime then certainly in the lives of our children and grandchildren. Related to the effects of climate change, including worldwide crop failures and subsequent food shortages, is political upheaval. Food shortage is directly related in turn to nationalism and war. Each of us in our daily lives must work to alter the course of the looming dark future. Certainly your Tribe, with its mission of social justice and environmental stewardship, works in every way to provide an alternate path for the future. Still, we can’t do it alone. And still we cannot -- and should not -- feel defeated or hopeless.

Most importantly, we cannot let the unstable conditions in the world rob us of the peace and happiness that can come simply with just one more day alive, with one more glorious morning to begin our day with. American Indian people have grown accustomed to upheaval and disruption in our lives. The generational effects of colonization manifest

themselves in forms of hopelessness, depression, and constant fear and anxiety. The psychological trauma that we often live with becomes normal. The legacy of colonization, generations of impoverished and disempowered families, keeps fear and the resulting lack of peace in our lives alive. Of course American Indians don’t have a corner on the “unhappiness market.” Other groups know it well too -- I’m thinking of African Americans and the history and legacy of slavery, and the immigrants from South and Central America so horribly disregarded and exploited in the American workplace. Now though so many people, cognizant of world affairs, feel the dis-ease (and disease) that comes from a threatened and unsettled world.

The history (and culture) of unsettledness is well told in the Old Testament. The Israelites escaped slavery and were told by God that they were owed a home place. They were a colonized and enslaved indigenous tribe dislocated from their aboriginal home now looking for a new home. Three thousand years later, the pattern continues: dislocation, enslavement, and the crushing need everywhere to find a safe home. Yes, the need to find home and peace.

We, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, live in our aboriginal homeland, or if we live elsewhere at least we know where it is and can travel to it. We now also have the resources to feel safe, or at least safer, than we have in the not too distant past. We have opportunities for education in order that we might not only have the careers we want, but also to be able to better understand who we are as people and the world we live in. We have a per cap to help with our needs. We have counseling and housing opportunities.

(Continued on page 2)

Newsletter of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Volume 16, Number 181 ~ January 2019

From the Tribal Chairman .................................. p. 1 New Staff ............................................................. p. 1 Elders Honoring Event ....................................... p. 3 Citizenship Department ..................................... p. 6 Education Department ....................................... p. 6 Elder Family Advocate ....................................... p. 7 Environmental Department ................................ p. 8 Housing Services ............................................... p. 9

Tribal Gaming Commission ............................... p. 10 Tribal Historic Preservation Office .................... p. 10 TANF .................................................................... p. 11 SCIHP ................................................................... p. 11 Event Pictures ..................................................... p. 12 Announcements, and Flyers .............................. p. 14 Tribal Meetings and Events in 2019 .................. p. 18 Tribal Calendar .................................................... p. 19

Inside this issue:

From the Tribal Chairman Greg Sarris

Tribal Chairman Greg Sarris