Sage Herrera is shows off how big her new back pack is
Article and photos by Brandi N. Montreuil
“I’ve been coming to this [event] since I was in the 1st grade, this year the backpacks are pretty awesome, and the backpack distribution helps my family out a lot with the back to school cost,” said Jazlynn Gibson who is entering the 8th grade.
Joining Jazlyn were kids of all ages to kick off the final stages of back to school preparations with the annual Tulalip Tribes backpack distribution on August 28th, at Quil Ceda and Tulalip Elementary schools.
The Tulalip Tribes Education Department, with help from the Johnson-O’Malley grant, has provided much needed backpacks stuffed with school supplies, according to age and grade, free to Native American students enrolled in the Marysville School District.
Last year an amazing 1,400 backpacks were prepared and this year the backpacks were in no shortage as new kindergarten and Montessori students joined the lines to choose their backpacks.
This year, computer tablets were used to check students in and out faster. With a quick show of the students’ tribal ID and a signature scrawled across the tablet, the information was quickly recorded and students were on their way to enjoy the free activities the event hosts every year, such as a gaming station, bouncy house, rock climbing, and tasty treats.
Students who were unable to attend the day’s events will not miss out on the yearly choosing of backpacks. All unclaimed backpacks will be held throughout the school year until the students can claim them.
Now that backpacks have been chosen, the students will say goodbye to summer vacation and look forward to the first day of class. We wish all the students a fantastic school year!
In its 10th year of competition, the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club once again brought out their jumping superstars and veteran handlers for another bullfrog contest on Friday, July 20th.
Although only four bullfrogs were available to select from, these amphibians were ready to compete, many leaping out of palms before they reached the gym’s floor.
The competition has only two rules, no hands and only three jumps allowed, but all creative methods are welcome. Many chose to use an eagle feather found on the club’s playground, while some brave contenders decided to get down close and blow on their star jumpers to get fantastic distance in jumping.
Club staff member, Kyle Cullum, who explained the night was all about making memories with family, caught this year’s eager leapers.
It was the ladies who swept the competition this year with their froggy techniques; prompting their chosen bullfrogs to leap through air and crowds.
The reigning champion of the night was Kaycie Hill Thomas whose bullfrog jumped an incredible 96 inches. While second place winner, Tony Hatch, was all smiles as she planted a winner’s kiss on her bullfrog that jumped an amazing 94 inches. And not to be forgotten is Henna (last name), who became the frog whisper, coaxing her bullfrog to leap a whopping 92 inches.
This year’s competitors will be added to the club’s wall of fame and a large trophy was given to the first place winner, while remaining winners and contestants were treated to fun whacky frog toys to take home.
After jumps had been leaped and bullfrogs kissed, the leaping stars were returned to their habitat to await next years annual bullfrog contest.
Alexia Ramsdell uses a feather to entice her frug to jump.
Millions of canners around the world can food items such as fish, fruit, vegetables, jams, and jellies as a way to preserve fresh ingredients for a shelf life up to one year. The list of benefits to canning is large and includes knowing where your food comes from, and the ability to incorporate healthy foods into meals at any time, while also knowing that fresh foods will be available to you throughout the year.
While canning has gone through many stages of evolution since its introduction to the masses in the late 1700s, it continues to offer the main benefit of fresh foods at low cost.
In collaboration with the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic’s Diabetes Program and Restoring Program, a series of Food Preservation classes are being held at the Hibulb Cultural Center for community members interested in learning how native foods can be preserved and incorporated into a modern diet.
With donated king and sockeye salmon by the Tulalip Tribes Forestry Department, on July 19th Food Preservation students were able to have a hands-on lesson in pressurized salmon canning with instructor Suzy Hymus.
“This is an opportunity for our people to choose what to eat. We have always had ways to preserve our foods for what we needed, but since we have been put onto reservations, our diets have been forced to change. This will help us to take responsibility of our own foods,” explained the Hibulb Cultural Center Rediscovery Coordinator, Inez Bill.
In addition to canning, health clinic staff were on site to offer A1C testing to participants. The A1C is a common blood test used to diagnose type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with results reflecting an average blood sugar level for up to three months. The test will measure the percentage of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen, coated with sugar. If your A1C test shows a high level you can be at risk of diabetes.
“I think it is wonderful we have this collaboration of resources and preserving the food. It is a great opportunity, and by this we are also preserving culture,” remarked Bryan Cooper, Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic Nurse Practitioner.
“I have been canning fish for years, I even taught my husband to can. But it has been years since I’ve done it. So this class is a refresher course for me. They have all these new tools for canning. I am excited, this is my motivation to teach my kids,” said tribal member, Valerie Matta.
Instructor Suzy Hymus introduced students to the pressurized canning pots used to seal glass jars from bacteria and contamination. Jars filled with pre-measured and sliced salmon are cooked during the pressurization stage, which takes roughly one hundred minutes at 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
For sustained nutritional value, bones are not removed during the cutting stage. Suzy also advises when canning salmon only add two or three inches of water to each jar.
“When we use pressurized canning, we use it for meat and low acid fruits. To pressure can you don’t actually add anything, but people do add sugar if they have smoked salmon, or they add garlic cloves to the jars,” explained Suzy.
Suzy also explained that using a thin layer of paraffin wax to seal canned jams is no guarantee that jars are sealed completely, allowing mold and bacteria to fester under the layer of wax, and advises against using it.
Once salmon has been properly pressurized it can be stored for one year before it is no longer edible, and since the salmon is cooked during the pressurizing, it is available for consumption during the length of its shelf life.
“By preserving the food, we are able to harvest at the peak of the season through various methods. Our goal in this program is to have these methods available for our people to experience and learn so they can apply these simple techniques for their families. These methods are often less expensive and healthier than processed or store purchased foods,” said health clinic staff member, Roni Leahy.
For more information on the Food Preservation Classes please, contact Roni Leahy at 360-716-5642.
