The weather in Tulalip was gorgeous on the afternoon of July 21. The clear-skies and warm eighty-degree weather provided an amazing view to many families, from near and far, who were setting up canopies and umbrellas for shade on the bluff overlooking Tulalip Bay. After informally reserving their spots, the people found ways to occupy their time, patiently waiting for the tide to come in; some by swimming, some by visiting with friends and family and some by checking out Indigenous art, clothing and jewelry by a number of vendors stationed outside of the Don Hatch Youth Center. An eagle, perched high in a tree overlooking the bay, scanned far past the inlet as if anticipating the arrival of the canoes.
2019 marks thirty years since the Paddle to Seattle, in which a number of Coast Salish tribes pulled into the shores of Elliot Bay, officially kicking off Washington State’s Centennial celebration in 1989. Organized by Quinault tribal member, Emmett Oliver, the pull sparked a cultural revolution, reconnecting tribes to the traditional lifeways of our ancestors and inspiring the yearly summertime Canoe Journey.
For three decades, tribal families have navigated the sacred Salish waters, traveling to each nation before reaching the hosting tribe’s village. The final destination changes annually, as each tribe takes turns hosting the event. This year’s paddle concludes in Lummi on July 24, and a weeklong protocol will take place, where each tribe and First Nation band will offer their traditional family songs and dances, in celebration of the Journey.
The tribes are represented by their canoe families and many times there are numerous canoe families within a tribe. The canoe pullers travel for hours at a time underneath the hot sun and spend an evening with each tribal nation over dinner and mini-protocols before launching their canoes back into the Salish Sea in the morning.
After several weeks out on the water, the canoe families left the Suquamish Nation early Sunday morning and as soon the tide came in at Tulalip Bay, the canoes arrived by the dozen. One by one, the canoe families were graciously welcomed in the traditional Lushootseed language by the Tulalip Youth Council as well as Tulalip tribal member and Lushootseed Language Instructor, Natosha Gobin. Quinault, Ahousaht, Muckleshoot, Squaxin, Elwha, Makah and Tse Tshat, were among the many nations who offered a blessing song and words in their traditional languages, officially asking for permission to come ashore.
Tulalip welcomed nearly seventy canoes to their shores this year, approximately forty more visitors than last year’s Paddle to Puyallup. Among those canoes was the Autumn Rose, hailing from Maui, Hawaii. In a moving exchange, the Hawaiian canoe family offered a song and spoke about their current fight to protect their sacred, ancestral lands from the construction of a giant telescope atop the dormant volcano, Mauna Kea. As she welcomed them ashore, Natosha assured the Hawaiian canoe family that the Coast Salish tribes stand in solidarity with their movement. Many tribal members, including Suquamish songstress Calina Lawrence, held up signs reading Protect Mauna Kea, and a roar of applause and drumming erupted from the spectators and fellow pullers to show support to the cause.
Once ashore, the canoe families and onlookers were treated to a meal inside the Greg Williams Court as well as a two-hour protocol jam at the Tulalip longhouse. After a well-deserved rest, the pullers woke bright and early, thanking Tulalip for their hospitality before continuing the journey to Lummi, making brief visits in Swinomish and Samish.
“I pulled all day today,” proudly expressed young Quinault and Ahousaht puller, Noah Charlie. “My arm is sore but I had fun pulling. It was really cool seeing all the chupats (canoes) out there on the water. I like hearing everybody’s songs and meeting new friends. It’s good medicine and plus I like seeing my family, all my grandmas, and watching kids have fun.”
For more information, photos and updates, please visit the Tribal Canoe Journeys Facebook page.
Once a year, in the middle of summer, the Tulalip membership flocks in droves to an always enjoyable and spirit nourishing community event, Spee-Bi-Dah.
As the temperature continued to rise on Saturday, July 20, so too did the sense of community and shared purpose alongside a mile stretch of the Salish Sea. A significant location traditionally known as a prime fishing area and gracious host to the annual community beach seine. Throughout the day tribal members of all ages excitedly utilized seine nets to capture salmon, shrimp, crab and clams for a true seafood feast.
“Spee-Bi-Dah is a lifetime of memories,” reflected longtime fisherman, Board of Director Glen Gobin. “This is how we used to fish all the time. It’s just amazing to see all the people that come out to partake and enjoy the day. Spee-Bi-Dah is a great community event. Like it was for our past generations, today is a shared community experience.”
Hundreds and hundreds of tribal members enjoyed the many sights, sounds, and delicious tastes that have made the annual beach seine a highly anticipated and coveted event. The freshest seafood-filled meals were enjoyed, while friends and families reminisced about old times.
“It’s a great get together that happens every year,” said Cy Fryberg, Sr. His family shared in the prized role of preparing and smoking the salmon. “Our family used to come down here long before I was born and camp on these banks right here. It’s good reminiscing. My favorite thing about Spee-Bi-Dah is seeing all the kids having fun in the mud. It’s pure joy.”
“It’s a blast!” added Cy’s grandson, Bradley Fryberg, while seasoning the freshly smoked fish. “We couldn’t have asked for a better day weather-wise. Some of my earliest memories are of being down here on this beach and learning to walk in the sand. My grandfather has taught us all from a young age that we need to continue our teachings because it’s up to the younger generations to continue to embrace our culture.”
While team Fryberg saw to the many stages of the salmon bake, Tony Hatch and his crew manned the traditional clambake. Onlookers watched as thousands of clams were tossed over a radiating beach pit before being covered, allowing the clams and supplemental jumbo shrimp and crab to cook thoroughly.
“From the beginning of our Spee-Bi-Dah gatherings, we’ve been trying to do it as traditional as possible by serving up traditional foods the best that we can,” said Tony. “The clam pit has been a huge success every year. We’ve been fortunate to add shrimp, Dungeness crab, and oysters over the last few years. It’s a real exciting process that we need to pass on to our kids. The next generation has stepped up, they are learning, and doing a really good job with it.”
Among the many beach gatherers were tribal members from neighboring reservations who came to Tulalip to witness the canoe landing happening the next day. Invited by their Tulalip family members, they added to the sense of community and took in a one-of-a-kind experience.
“This is our first time being here, so it’s all a new experience, but very awesome,” remarked Patty Kelly (Lummi) as she watched the many sets of beach seining.
“I’m so glad to be here,” added Sadie Kelly (Colville). “Seeing everything that is going on and all the different roles people have is so interesting. And the food is delicious!”
As an event, Spee-Bi-Dah continues to serve multiple purposes. It unites multiple generations while honoring the richness of Tulalip culture, allows tribal members to experience a traditional way of life no longer attainable on a daily basis, and serves as a reminder to not forget where we come from.
“It’s a chance for us to come together, harvest fish, and enjoy nourishing our bodies with traditional foods. Witnessing the youth who come into the water and help pull net is just amazing. Our kids get so excited when they see the crabs and the salmon swimming around in the net. Not everyone gets the chance to come out and fish. Everybody doesn’t get the chance to hold a big salmon like they do, so to see them get so curious and excited for what’s in the water is beautiful.”
Making the most of an opportunity to share in a traditional lifeway while witnessing the youngest generation step up and embrace their culture is what Spee-Bi-Dah is all about.
Not so many generations ago, Tulalip youth were once punished for speaking their language and practicing their traditions at boarding schools that were established to erase Native culture by the United States government. Today, the young people of Tulalip are not only proudly drumming and dancing at school, but also passing that knowledge down to the next generation.
The morning of July 12 marked the tenth Cultural Day celebration of the year at the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy (TELA). The academy introduced the monthly half-an-hour gathering to their students in October 2018, and since then the students have been engaging in a number of activities, learning about the lifeways of the Tulalip people.
Upon joining forces with the Lushootseed language department, TELA also successfully implemented a language immersion component into their curriculum. Lushootseed teachers frequently visit the classrooms to share stories, sing songs and speak the language directly to the students.
“I believe that our children need to know from the youngest ages who they are,” says Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy Director, Sheryl Fryberg. “Research says, if they are totally connected to who they are as birth to five children, they’re going to be more successful in their lifetime because they have that solid sense of self.”
Over the years the Tulalip Tribes has made strong efforts incorporating cultural teachings at each academic level, partnering with the Marysville School District to ensure Tribal students know about their art, food, history, language, sovereignty and traditions. So as the kids make their way through their educational journey, they will continue building upon the vision their ancestors set forth seven generations prior. And the work TELA is doing is helping strengthen that bond between each student and their culture, providing a strong foundation for the future leaders.
Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary (QCT) is one of the schools teaching their students about Tulalip’s rich history and heritage. Under Cultural Specialist Chelsea Craig, the school has established a morning assembly where the students begin each school day singing and dancing to Tulalip songs, such as the welcome song and the paddle song. QCT also hosts a number of cultural events throughout the year including Billy Frank Jr. week and the 5th grade potlatch.
Through the development of QCT’s morning assembly, Chelsea cultivated a strong group of young singers and dancers who proudly honor their ancestors by performing at every assembly. Those students, some of whom are now in middle school, continue drumming and dancing at local cultural gatherings and coastal jams, sharing their teachings with their pupils.
Combining efforts to ensure the youth have a strong connection to their cultural way of life, TELA invited Chelsea and company to lead a culture jam for one of the last Cultural Days of the school year.
The young TELA students were invited to participate in the jam and enthusiastically followed the lead of the older kids, some picking up a drum and singing while others took to the open dancefloor. For thirty exciting minutes, the kids enjoyed themselves to no end, getting lost in song and dance.
During this interaction, the students learned some important and valuable lessons from their older peers such as to only drum when offering a song, and also how each dance correlates to the message of the songs. By hearing the songs early in life, the kids are more likely to remember the words, the drum patterns and dances, so when the time comes for them to share their knowledge, they too can lead with confidence, respect, gratitude and purpose just like Chelsea’s young group of traditional singers and dancers.
“It’s such a blessing to be invited today because these students are our future drummers and singers,” Chelsea expresses. “To start making those connections with their next transition in school is something that we’re purposefully doing to start instilling these songs at a very young age. And to see their peers as leaders, that’s important. Our drummers are our leaders and they’re someone to look up to and inspire to be. It warms my heart because some of the little ones here may have never danced before this morning, but they feel it in their heart and feel safe enough in this school to get up and express it a very young age.”
Kids soak up knowledge at a young age and with TELA’s monthly Cultural Days and the Lushootseed language immersion-based curriculum, the newest Tribal members will have a lifelong connection to their heritage and a deeper understanding of their ancestral teachings.
“They all loved it,” Sheryl stated. “I’m just so grateful that our teachers, our children and our visitors are so in love with the culture and the language; we just keep doing the work and it keeps growing.”
The Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy will officially wrap up the school year with the Paddling to Preschool event on August 13, as well as an end of the year celebration on August 16. For more information, please contact TELA at (360) 716-4250.
As we approach the halfway mark of summer 2019, now is a good time to revisit a lesson that many of our parents and grandparents recited to us on a regular basis during this time of year: go out, get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.
With the Fourth of July excitement well behind us, we may be quick to find excuses to stay inside and relax in the cool A/C comfort of our homes. And of course there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s important for our bodies to decompress and recharge, but in the same breath, it is also equally important to make sure the body is getting the exercise it needs and deserves after staring at technology screens for days on end.
From the high mountain ranges to the cool coastlines of the Salish Sea, the Pacific Northwest is a nature wonderland, filled with breathtaking views and landscapes. The summer season is the perfect time to take a social media break and experience the great outdoors, to disconnect from the world and reconnect with Mother Earth, if you will.
Tulalip community member and SNAP-Ed Nutritionist, AnneCherise Jensen, set aside some time to share a few ideas on how local citizens can take advantage of the long summer days, get outdoors and have a little fun in the sun.
Members of the walking club.
Okay, first things first. Why is exercise important for our bodies?
Exercise is the best form of preventive medicine. Our bodies are like a machine, if you don’t use it, you lose it. We need to be moving our bodies and pushing them to their fullest potential in order to keep our bodies healthy. The reason why exercise is important is because it helps take care of our organs – our heart, our lungs, our kidneys. Physical activity is medicine for the body, it helps repair itself. The more sedentary we get, the weaker our organs get. The more exercise we get, the more we’re strengthening our body, and the more resilient we’re making it to outward things that are coming inside. It helps relieve a lot of the toxins that we’re exposed to in today’s environment. The biggest reason exercise is so important is because it reduces the risk of diabetes, certain types of cancers, obesity and heart disease.
It’s summertime! The warm weather presents a great opportunity for outdoor recreation, what are some fun activity ideas the community can do before the summer ends?
One thing that I love to do is go on small little hikes throughout the summer. We live in a really nice area where we have local access to trails. There’s lots of really good ones out in Mountain Loop Highway like Coal Lake, Lake 22, Heather Lake, Mt. Pilchuck. Those are really good trails, moderate to beginner ones.
Riding bikes is awesome if you have access to fun and safe roads, same with going to the skate park. Also, going to the beach for a swim. Swimming is a really great way to exercise, burn calories, keep your cardio up and it’s real forgiving on your joints. That’s a pretty good start. If you’re feeling like you’re not very flexible or have a lot of pain, I recommend yoga or chair yoga.
For those who are interested in hiking but have never been, what type of gear is needed before retreating to the mountains?
A good pair of hiking shoes. You’re going to want something that is water resistant and has a good sole. I recommend Salomon/Arc’Teryx at the outlet mall, they have really good prices on shoes. Also Columbia, and REI is a really good place to go if you’re in the Lynnwood area. Always make sure you have your ten essentials and those include matches, water, a compass, map, food, an emergency blanket (see image for complete list). You always want to make sure you have a rain jacket when you’re up in the mountains. You never know what the weather is going to be, so you want to make sure you have a waterproof jacket that provides warmth. Always know where you’re going, read a trip report. A good source to get information like that is the Washington Trails Association at www.WTA.org
Hiking and camping often go hand-in-hand and camping is a great summertime group activity, any advice for first time campers?
There are two ways to camp; you can park and have all your gear out and camp close to your car, or you can go overnight backpacking where you pack all your overnight gear. That’s a really great experience, probably my number one favorite thing to do in the summertime is to go camping in the mountains. You want to have dehydrated food, lots of water and a water purifier so you have a clean water source. The experience is a good way to disconnect and get in tune with yourself, especially if you’re a spiritual person.
You always want to make sure you know where you’re camping and do a little research beforehand. Make sure that you set up in a designated camping spot and that you have enough food to secure you at least one day extra than you planned.
Canoe Journey is happening now and is extremely popular amongst tribal nations, what are a few tips for the canoe pullers?
When you’re out on the water, make sure you bring lots of water that have electrolytes, because a lot of time you’re in the blazing sun and sweating a lot and in order to retain the water you drink, you want to have enough sodium, potassium, magnesium, so that way you don’t get fatigued.
More important than anything, wherever you’re going, the mountains or the water, make sure you’re with a group of safe people, people you can trust and rely on. And also, follow the LNT principals, Leave No Trace, respect the outdoors and make sure you leave it better than you found it.
What are some fun ideas for folks who want to enjoy the sun in the comfort of our community?
One of my favorite things to do in the area, if you can get a fun group together, is to go on a trash cleanup. Even if you just work in your local area, community, block, or beach, grab some gloves and a couple other people and fill your bags up with trash. It’s super rewarding and fun.
If you have a dog, or even a cat, definitely walking and playing with your pet. I just got a dog this year, his name is Copper, we take him hiking in the mountains or we’ll take him to the beach. We have lots of local beach access points out here. Strawberry Fields, out in Arlington, is also a really great place to take your dog. It has a nice mile-and-a-half long trail so you’re getting some exercise yourself along with the dog.
Last but not least, I highly recommend going to the YMCA, especially if you have kids and a free membership. You can play basketball with your kids or take them swimming.
This time of year, many people can be found tending to their personal gardens and cultivating nutritious crops. Can you talk about the benefits, both physical and nutritional, there are when growing a garden?
Gardening is a great activity, even if you just have one bed. Being out with the plants helps you develop a really good relationship with the plants and food. You’re able to get some vitamin D from the sunshine and also mild physical activity, it gets you moving. Kale, potatoes and carrots are all really easy to grow and you can add those to any meal and do oven-baked vegetables.
You can also go harvesting for native plants. Harvesting is another wonderful thing to do this time of year, especially out here on the reservation. You can go out and find an area to harvest berries and you can use those to bring home and make salads or other interesting things. Everything is in season right now. I’ve noticed there’s a lot of fruit trees out here, so if you have access to a fruit tree you can gather enough to make pies, jams, desserts and fruit salads.
As you know, it’s BBQ season. Do you have any tasty recipes that people can chef up for their next cookout?
I have two recipes for BBQs! I have a strawberry mango salsa that’s yummy, you can add jalapenos, strawberries, mangos, tomatoes. You get a lot of servings of fruits and vegetables and it’s high in vitamin C too. Vitamin C is great to eat a lot of throughout the summertime, especially before the cold weather hits. You can do pico de gallo if you don’t like it with the fruit.
And fruit kabobs. We’re going to have fruit kabobs at the Tulalip Health Clinic’s annual Health Fair on July 26th. It’s a good way for kids to try new fruits that they haven’t been exposed to. Try to have ten different fruits available and you can put it on a kabob and take it with you.
Are there any upcoming events you would like to share with our readers?
If you’re looking for more things to do at Tulalip, we have our Garden Days. Our next one is going to be August 3rd at 10:00 a.m. We always start each Garden Day with a mile-and-a-half walk. And we also have our walking club every Wednesday at noon at the Health Clinic, it’s always fun to get out there and go for a walk by the bay.
For further details, please contact SNAP-Ed at (360) 716-5632.
Jadin Thompson-Sheldon, Jessica Oldham, and siblings Alyius and Dyani Sheldon proudly display their cedar pulls.
By Micheal Rios; Photos courtesy of Denise Sheldon & Ross Fenton, Tulalip Forestry
Coast Salish tribes believe the Creator gave them cedar as a gift. Traditionally, a prayer was offered to honor the spirit of the tree before harvesting its bark, branches and roots. Their ancestors taught them the importance of respecting cedar and understanding how it is to be used, so it will be protected for future generations.
Cedar was the perfect resource, providing tools, baskets, bowls and carvings in addition to having medicinal and spiritual purposes. The highly sought after inner bark was separated into strips or shredded for weaving. The processed bark is then used like wool and crafted into clothing, baskets and hats.
Those same traditional teachings are practiced today and continue to thrive by being passed down from one generation to the next. Over multiple weekends in June, the Tulalip Tribes membership was given the opportunity to participate in the cultural upbringings of their ancestors by journeying into their ancestral woodlands and gathering cedar. “I enjoy cedar harvesting and get excited as the time to pull gets closer,” shared Tulalip tribal member Denise Sheldon. “I find myself checking out the cedars wherever I go, thinking hmm it must be season. I love taking my grandkids out to teach them how to pull and separate the outer bark. It’s an important tradition for our family.”
Led by Forestry staff from Tulalip’s Natural Resources Department, participating tribal members like Denise and her family ventured just north of Sultan to a cedar-filled bounty located on the outskirts of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The yearly cedar harvest showcases a partnership between several agencies working as a team to coordinate this culturally significant opportunity. The Tulalip Natural Resource’s Timber, Fish, and Wildlife Program generally arranges a cedar harvesting site for the upcoming season by utilizing existing relationships with off-reservation landowners and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“The annual cedar pulling event is a collaborative effort between multiple parties and agencies, both internally within Tulalip Natural Resources and the WA State DNR,” explained Ross Fenton of Tulalip Tribes Forestry Program. “Typically we try to arrange a bark pulling site up to a year in advance, to ensure a continued opportunity for the Tulalip membership. Our Timber, Fish and Wildlife program staff has been integral to maintaining a partnership with DNR over the years to allow for continuing gathering opportunities. There are many logistics involved, and the results of our work is tangible.
“I’ve been attending the annual cedar harvest for nearly ten seasons now. For me personally, it is an honor to witness an event that has been ongoing for millennia. I really enjoy watching younger generations grow and then teach the skills to their own children as they grow. There are many generations participating, and that’s really neat to observe,” added Fenton.
The relationship Coast Salish peoples have with cedar cannot be understated. Their ancestors relied on the magnificent tree as an integral part of life on the Northwest Coast. From birth to death, the powerful cedar provided generously for the needs of the people – materially, ceremonially and medicinally. Those teachings have not been lost.
“We pray before we start harvesting, so it is done in a good way, and ask for protection from animals or spirits that might harm us,” reflected Denise of her days spent walking in the shadows of her ancestors. “I haven’t been pulling as long as my mom, Keeta, or sisters, Marilyn and Jamie. It has taken me some time to get the hang of it, but I really love being out in the woods with my family. I tell my grandkids they need to learn as much as they can because they will be pulling for me when I get too old to do it anymore. One day they will be the elder teaching their kids and grandkids.”
Employees from Hibulb and Tulalip Natural Resources worked with tribal members to gather a cedar bounty.
Master weavers, elders, and youth alike all echo the very same cedar harvesting technique employed by their ancestors. With a small ax and carving knife, they skillfully remove strips of bark from designated cedar trees. They then shave off a small section of the rough bark, revealing a smooth tan inner layer. After harvest, the cedar strips are typically laid out to dry for a year before being made into baskets and hats or used in regalia.
Many Tulalip youth participated in the multi-day cedar harvesting occasion, gathering strips for elders and learning techniques of separating the smooth inner bark from the rough outer bark. For some tribal members it was another step in their continual journey to connect with the spirits of past and present, while for others it was their very first cedar harvest experience.
10-year-old Sophia Quimby had a lot of fun during her first ever cedar harvest.
“The cedar was kind of hard to separate at first, but the more I pulled the better I got,” beamed first time cedar harvester, 10-year-old Sophia Quimby. “It was a lot of fun pulling the cedar and seeing how far we could get it to go. Me and my mom are going to make roses and baskets from our cedar.”
Safe to say the essential teachings from cedar gathering have successfully been passed on to yet another generation of Tulalip culture bearers. The ancestors would be pleased.
Outreach Worker, Cody Monger (right), enjoys a good time, reminiscing with client Darrian Solomon (left), at the Young Men’s Team Outreach celebration bbq.
By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
On the evening of June 26, a small gathering occurred behind the Tulalip beda?chelh building. Laughter filled the air as people visited with one another in celebration of achievement in honor of the Family Haven program, Young Men’s Team Outreach. In the middle of the mix was Outreach Worker, Cody Monger, fondly reminiscing with his young clients about their successes over the past few years.
“We’re celebrating the end of our mental health grant from the North Sound BHO (Behavioral Health Organization),” said Cody. “It was a good three-and-a-half-year experience. It was a great grant that opened up a lot of doors for me to explore, to be a part of and help out our community.”
The outreach program was designed to provide support to Tulalip youth, helping teens who are facing hard times accomplish their goals and get life back on track. Through Cody’s guidance, the young men learned how to set, prioritize and accomplish both short and long term goals and were also provided assistance with recovery, physical and mental health, legal issues, obtaining a driver’s license, money management and resumes. The program also assists adolescents by promoting academics, helping dropout students re-enroll into school in order to obtain their high school diploma or GED, as well as providing a space to study every Wednesday.
Cody meets one-on-one with each of the young men on a weekly-basis, allowing them the chance to vocalize any current difficulties they are experiencing as well as celebrate any new victories. He also meets with his clients where they are most comfortable, whether it’s at the Family Haven office, home, school, a coffee shop or a restaurant. And due to the success of the young men’s outreach program, Family Haven recently established a Team Outreach for the young ladies of the community.
“Before the program, I noticed there was a lot of kids who were not being helped,” expressed Cody. “I wanted to try to make a difference in the community by helping them out in any way that I could. Now I work with the young guys, the ones who are suicidal, not connected with school or in need of services. I meet with them individually three to four times a week and also take after hour calls or texts.”
Perhaps it’s because of his young age, his sound advice or his intentions, whatever it may be, Cody has received a great response from the young Tulalip men who confide in him on a regular basis. Thanks to the funding from the North Sound BHO, the program assisted upwards of forty young men during the grant’s three-year period. This year alone, Cody managed a large caseload of about twelve clients while also keeping in contact with approximately ten more young adults, routinely checking in to make sure they are doing okay.
One client, Darrian Solomon, expressed his gratitude for the program during the event stating, “This program and Cody helped me out a lot. He’s been a reliable friend; somebody I can always talk to. He’s really helped me get through a lot.”
As one door closes, another one opens as recently the Tulalip Tribes announced they would take over the funding for the Young Men’s Team Outreach program. The transition from a grant to hard dollars allows Cody to work with larger caseloads and broader age groups as well as plan more activities and events, one idea being a weekly father’s group meet up.
“We’re really thankful that the Tribe picked this program up because otherwise it would go away,” stated Alison Bowen, Family Haven Program Manager. “Some of the things and the growth that these young guys have gone through has been really amazing to witness. Ranging from getting back into school, getting jobs, getting connected with the community and culture, it was a group of individuals who weren’t really involved with anything before and it’s exciting that this is going to continue for them.”
“It’s important for our kids to know that there is somebody out there willing to go above and beyond for them, to help them through their darkest times,” said Cody. “I know sometimes it’s hard to reach out to ask for that peer support, or help in general. It’s a good feeling for them, knowing that there are people who are genuinely looking out for what’s best for them and their future.”
For more information, please contact Tulalip Family Haven at (360) 716-4402.
