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Dear
friends,
There is so much news, it's hard to know where
to start. Here's what you'll find in this email:
* Reminder of June 16 meeting on Old Man
House Park
* Report from the June 1 meeting on the Park in
North Seattle.
* Report from Suquamish Olalla's potluck
honoring Ted George, and a surprise!
* Suquamish Advisory
Board
* What happened with Kitsap County and the
park
OTHER EVENTS
COMING UP
* Imagine
Suquamish - June 26
* August 12 - come to Port Angeles
*
Reminder of Suquamish Olalla meeting on June
9
SEE YOU JUNE 16 IN
SUQUAMISH!
Please make sure that June 16 is
on your calendar, and ask your friends and family to come.
That is when the state Parks and Recreation Commission will be
holding their meeting on Old Man House Park at the Suquamish
United Church of Christ on Division Street from 7 pm to 9 pm.
We need to make clear that despite the claims by some
neighbors of the park, the larger community is supporting the
return of the park to the Tribe.
If you can't be there,
the commission will continue to accept written comments that
arrive by June 18. Address is:
Randy
Person
Washington State Parks
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia,
Washington 98504-2650
or by e-mail at
mailto: randy.person@parks.wa.gov.
FAX:
(360) 753-1594
please send copies to:
Rich
Brooks
The Suquamish Tribe
rbrooks@suquamish.nsn.us
and
Suquamish Olalla Neighbors
mailto:olalla@soneighbors.org
More
info on our website: http://www.soneighbors.org/
JUNE 1, NORTH SEATTLE MEETING A
SUCCESS
The June 1 meeting by the Parks Commission
staff was intended to take additional comment and elicit
information that should be passed along to the commissioners.
There were 75 or more people attending, many of whom came from
the faith community and Native communities on the west side in
support of the Tribe. There were also several contingents from
Suquamish--the opponents of the plan to return the park to the
Tribe as well as a number of Suquamish Tribal members and
Suquamish Olalla members. As far as I could tell, the only
opposition to the Tribe came from the same group of Suquamish
residents that we've seen before.
Each person was
encouraged to write their own comments on sticky pads, which
were than categorized by topic, and read aloud by staff. It
was an interesting format that allowed all views to be heard,
but no one to dominate. That will also be the format on the
16th. On the whole, I think the evening went well. See Susie
Oh's report in the Sun: http://www.thesunlink.com/redesign/2004-06-02/local/20040602486226.shtml
SUQUAMISH OLALLA POTLUCK
AND SURPRISE
One of the things I love about living in
Suquamish is it seems you never know what to
expect.
This potluck honored SON co-chair and elder,
Ted George. We probably had the largest turn out yet, with
about 100 people there, and the opportunity to acknowledge Ted
was what brought a large number of people there.
Representatives from the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, the
Duwamish Tribe, and the First Nation's Committee of the
Episcopal Church attended, along with Paul Benz, from the
Lutheran denomination, and other of Ted's long-time friends
and admirers. Bennie Armstrong, chair of the Suquamish Tribe,
did a welcome and Noelle Purser did a wonderful blessing in
Lushootseed. We gave Ted a book, a rose bush, and a
certificate signed by all in attendance. We also honored
three political leaders who have worked especially hard
to build bridges - County Commissioner Chris Endresen, Rob
Purser, director of Suquamish Tribe's fishery department, and
state Senator Betti Sheldon. And we honored our oldest member,
Virginia Cowley and our youngest member, Alison
Brooks.
Then we were in for a surprise - Tribal
Chairman Bennie Armstrong and Rob Purser stood up to announce
that the Tribe is giving Suquamish Olalla Neighbors a "Seven
Generations" Award. They presented us with a plaque reading:
Seven Generations Award: for spirit of cooperation and vision
for the future. They said it was only the second time this
award has been given. What a surprise and honor!
SUQUAMISH ADVISORY
BOARD
Several Suquamish Olalla members have been
attending the initial meetings of the Suquamish Advisory
Board, an entity that was formed in lieu of incorporating
Suquamish when it became clear that incorporation was unlikely
to happen. Some of us were concerned that this could
degenerate into a divisive anti-tribal pressure group, but we
were cautiously hopeful that it might instead provide a
constructive means to improve communications and strengthen
the community. It seems to be moving in constructive
directions, and we owe a big thanks to those who have been
working in that direction.
ONE MORE REPORT - KITSAP COUNTY
& OLD MAN HOUSE PARK
Some of the people who are
opposing the return of the park to the Tribe asked the Kitsap
County Commission to acquire the park themselves. At first we
simply let this request go by, assuming the commission would
have the wisdom to stay out of the controversy. But as
pressure on the commission increased and there were signs that
one or two of the commissioners were considering taking some
sort of action, we decided we needed to show up. So a couple
of dozen Tribal members, SON members, leaders from the faith
community, and other supporters came to the County Commission
meeting on Monday May 10 and used the public comment period to
express our belief that the park should be returned to the
Tribe and that the county would be well advised to stay out of
the issue. The commission apparently got the message, and it
appears that no action will be taken by the
county.
OTHER EVENTS COMING
UP
IMAGINE SUQUAMISH - JUNE
26
Commissioner Chris Endresen called together
Suquamish Olalla Neighbors, Friends of the Park, the Suquamish
Tribe, the Suquamish Incorporation Project, and the Suquamish
Congregational UCC to plan a meeting for June 26 we're calling
Imagine Suquamish. The purpose of the meeting will be to hear
from everyone what their hopes and dreams are for the
community of Suquamish. The official invitation will be going
out soon.
AUGUST 12 - OLD MAN HOUSE HEARING AND
DECISION
BE THERE IN PORT ANGELES
We'll get
more information to you as the time gets nearer. We'll arrange
transportation or car pooling, and discuss how to make the
strongest statement. Please put this on your
calendar.
NEXT SUQUAMISH OLALLA
MEETING - JUNE 9
At the Suquamish United
Church of Christ at 7 pm as usual. We'll get caught up on all
that's happening, try to answer questions, and make some
plans.
Thanks for all everyone has done to make
this such a remarkable time!
Sarah van
Gelder
co-chair
PS Here's an announcement from an
SON member who was involved in this study trip:
PICTURES, MUSIC AND
STORIES
from the Women's International
Human Rights March in Israel and Palestine
Recently,
four local activists joined over a hundred women from 16
countries to learn about living conditions, meet women
activists, and demonstrate for peace and human rights in
Palestine and Israel.
Please come hear about our
experiences, have a latte and talk politics. Bring your
friends and family!
Tuesday, June 15 at 7
pm
at Pegasus Coffee House and Gallery
131 Parfitt
Way SW
Bainbridge Island
call Janice or Tina at
360-297-3227 for more
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