Category: Tulalip News

Tulalip focuses on suicide prevention

By Monica Brown, Tulalip New writer

gI_82357_Talk to Me - Social MediaTULALIP, Wash. – September is national Suicide Prevention month and the Tulalip community has come together to spread awareness about this misfortune. Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health have found that American Indians and Alaskan Natives have the highest rates of suicide with 14.3 per 100,000 compared to Non-Hispanic Whites 13.5, Hispanics 6.0, Non-Hispanic Blacks 5.1 Asian and Pacific Islanders 6.2.

During Tulalip’s community meeting on Friday, September 13th, the focus was on suicide prevention awareness and motivational speaker Arnold W. Thomas was asked to attend and share his life changing experience in an effort to highlight the warning signs and steps to take when someone may be having suicidal thoughts.

In 1988 Thomas attempted suicide, an event that left him alive yet permanently disabled. Due to the extensive damage from his suicide attempt he was left permanently scared, blind and unable to speak for many years.

“I should have died on that night. I lost a lot of blood, swallowed a lot of blood into my lungs, “said Thomas about the night he tried to take his life. Thomas was 18yrs old in high school, playing basketball and going through many confusing emotions about the suicide of his father two years prior. At a time of deep emotional turmoil, Thomas was using drugs and alcohol and began thinking that no one cared and instead of talking to someone or asking for help he put a gun to his head.

Thomas believes that suicide is not the problem, the real problem is, “Our inability to express our thoughts and our feelings in manner which helps us to feel at peace in our head and our heart.”

“Tell them you love them,” explained Thomas, on how important it is to talk to people close to you about your feelings and show gratitude to your family and friends. “All the bones in my face were shattered and I spent two years not being able to speak. I saw how I hurt my family. I made a commitment to go through any and all surgeries to reconstruct my face and maybe one day I’d be able to talk again.”

Thomas is a Shoshone-Paiute native and has prevailed over his depression and physical disabilities. He has undergone 30 surgeries and completed a rehabilitation program that allows him to live independently. Thomas has earned a degree in psychology, a masters in social work and owns a consulting business called White Buffalo Knife that allows him to travel all over the country to share his story of perseverance.

According to Global Mental Health, mental health disorders have become a global issue that currently affects 450 million people worldwide*. Tulalip Family services is working hard to inform the community about the prevalence of suicide among young people and especially Native people in hopes that it will inspire others to care and help someone that is dealing with depression.

The National Suicide Prevention  Line is 1-800-273-8255. For help with depression or help to speak with someone about depression please call Tulalip Family Services at 360-716-4400 or go to save.org. For more information about Arnold Thomas please visit www.whitebuffaloknife.com

Arnold W. Thomas in native dress.Photo from WhiteBuffaloKnife.com
Arnold W. Thomas in native dress.
Photo from WhiteBuffaloKnife.com

Rain gardens at Tulalip admin building are decreasing pollution runoff

Admin building rain gardens, expect to see hundreds of blooms next spring.Photo by Monica Brown
Admin building rain gardens, expect to see hundreds of blooms next spring.
Photo by Monica Brown

By Monica Brown, Tulalip News writer

TULALIP, Wash. – The rain gardens at the Tulalip administration building have had a year to flourish, and flourish they have.  When you drive through the parking lot you see trees in the garden strips along with some shrubs, but towards the back you can see a spray of green areas that are roped off.  Some people are not aware that these roped off garden areas are not weeds, but are native vegetation and they were chosen specifically for their ability to remove pollutants.

“It’s a menagerie, but that’s how it was designed, to be low growing and provide a green landscape that would help filter out the pollutants,” said Derek Marks of Tulalip Natural Resources.

Last year, the Natural Resources department was able to take a few garden areas within the admin building parking lot and turn them into rain gardens. Shortly after it was completed it had been sprayed with herbicides, a major no-no when it comes to rain gardens. “You don’t build a rain garden to manage it with herbicides,” said Derek. “The rain garden themselves filter the pollutants; we’re not supposed to add pollutants to them.”

The gardens contain mainly different species of sedge, rush, woodrush and grass along with western buttercup, great camas and chocolate Lily. This last spring there weren’t many blooming camas or chocolate lily because the time between when they were planted and when they bloom in spring was too short for them to become established.

Chocolate lilyPhoto By Derek Marks
Chocolate lily
Photo By Derek Marks

“We’re expecting a lot more to bloom next spring. You’ll probably see several hundred camas plants out here blooming,” commented Derek, about the shortage of blooms this last spring.

Derek explains that, “the rain gardens are filter strips.” And, “the plants and microbes work hand in hand to break down the pollutants.” They remove toxins, oils and heavy metals that are in water runoff from the parking lot. Without the rain garden the pollutants in the water runoff would make their way out and contaminate the Puget Sound. The possibility of turning other garden strips within the parking area into more rain gardens has come up, but nothing has been decided on as of yet.

This pilot rain garden project was developed by Tulalip’s Natural Resources’, Valerie Streeter and Derek Marks. They caution that although some of these plants are known for being harvestable, these particular plants, and any that may reside in other rain gardens, are not harvestable because they are full of toxins.

Camas bloom Photo by Derek Marks
Camas bloom
Photo by Derek Marks

For those that would like to start their own rain garden, Washington State University and Stewardship Partners have begun a campaign to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound area by the year 2016. The website for the campaign has videos to explain the whole process of putting in a rain garden and lists the many resources available to someone interested in installing one. Please visit 12000raingardens.org for more information about rain garden installation.

Prep football: Tulalip Heritage 78, Rainier Christian 54

Source: The Herald
KENT — Sophomore tailback Robert Miles Jr. rushed for 209 yards and six touchdowns, and fullback Bradley Fryberg scored three touchdowns and added 21 tackles and three interception on defense as Tulalip Heritage ran away from Rainier Christian Friday night at Kentlake High School.

Walking to remember, walking to raise awareness

World Suicide Prevention Day sparks community action

Family and friends in the Tulalip community join together to walk in remembrance of loved ones lost to suicide.
Family and friends in the Tulalip community join together to walk in remembrance of loved ones lost to suicide. Photo/Andrew Gobin

By Andrew Gobin, Tulalip News

Tulalip − “People came together to make this happen,” said Rochelle Lubbers who organized a community suicide prevention walk Tuesday, September 10th, in honor of World Suicide Prevention Day. “More than 150 people participated in Tuesday’s event,” she continued, “which was surprising, yet inspiring.”

Families wore the colors of World Suicide Prevention Day, some personalized with photos and names of people they have lost to suicide. Many also made signs in memory of loved ones that were victims of suicide.

The walk began near the Tulalip Health Clinic, and stretched half way around the bay, ending at the tribal center with a candlelight vigil and potluck.

The event was entirely community driven. The food served was brought by participants, the ribbons and craft supplies were donated by Michael’s, and Wal-Mart and Safeway each donated $25 worth of goods to the event.

Supported by friends and family, Rose Iukes walks in memory of her daughter, Lateesha Jack. Photo/Andrew Gobin
Supported by friends and family, Rose Iukes walks in memory of her daughter, Lateesha Jack. Photo/Andrew Gobin

World Suicide Prevention Day is held on September 10th every year, and though this is Tulalip’s first year participating, it began ten years ago.

In Indian country, native male suicide rates are 10 times the national rate, with some reservations considerably higher. For native females, the rates are 13-17 times the national average. Indian Health Service and Health Human Services record dangerously high numbers among native youth as well.

Lubbers said, “I just wanted to raise awareness about the issue. Even when it happens here, it seems that people talk about the person, which is good, but we never seem to address the issue. I think if more people were aware of the issue, more could be done to stop it.”

Sherry Dick joins the walk in honor of her brother.
Sherry Dick joins the walk in honor of her brother.

Sammy Hagar donates to Tulalip food bank

Sammy Hagar with Tulalip tribal member, Marilyn Sheldon (left) and friends.
Sammy Hagar with Tulalip tribal member Marilyn Sheldon (left) and friends.

Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News

Sammy Hagar performed before a packed house at the Tulalip Resort Casino Amphitheatre on August 15th, for his 40 Years of Rock tour.  Along with the high-energy rock n’ roll Sammy is famous for, what make the Red Rocker’s performances even more memorable are the donations he makes to local food banks in each community he visits. As part of this ongoing support of local food banks, Sammy chose to donate $2,500 towards the Tulalip Food Bank.

“Food banks in your local community are the biggest bang for your buck in my search for the simplest and most reliable way to help others,” Hagar said in a recent Billboard article. “You see the clientele lined up and they need it. You don’t see people taking advantage of something.”
A multi-platinum, outgoing, bombastic front man of hard rock champions Van Halen, Hagar is a member in good standing of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He will be releasing his first solo album in five years on September 24, 2013.  Hagar has enlisted three legendary musicians – Toby Keith, Mickey Hart and Taj Mahal – to round out the final three tracks of the album to be titled: “Sammy Hagar and Friends.”

If you are interested in donating to the food bank, you can reach the Tulalip Food Bank at 425.512.6435 or 1330 Marine Ave NE, Tulalip, WA 98271.