Page 3 - October 2008

3 Honoring our Elders: of glass, ceramic and painted angels displayed in her home. “They Mabel “Doodle” Cooper represent the ones who have passed away,” Mabel explains. On one wall is a plaque: “When you lose someone you “...Is very committed to her kids. love, you gain an angel you know.” Mabel also regularly visits her Now she spoils all the little ones.” children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Here daughter Theresa visits and drives Mabel. Her son Ron Mabel is 86, and was born in 1925 to Earnest Beckwith and Lizzie Williams. She had fve brothers and four “Buck” Rogers helps her around her sisters. Her frst marriage was to Tony Rogers. Then she married Buddy Cooper. She had 12 children, 7 boys and 5 home. girls. She was married to Buddy Cooper for 57 years. She has many, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and When Mabel visits the reservation, she great-great grandchildren, and loves to spoil them when they visit. is impressed with the advances. “It’s a lot better than it used to be. Years ago, it was just one little building. It is getting Rain or shine, Mabel Cooper travels from Mabel entered her teens, she would travel The family moved to Shelton. “There better.” her Shelton home to the Chehalis tribal all the way to Centralia to get a milk shake. was running water, electricity. There was Mabel says the tribe is on the right cemetery to pay her respects. She places Once she hitch hiked to Aberdeen with her a refrigerator! It made me happy,” says course, and offers this: “The most fowers on the grave sites of her beloved sister Gladys to pick up a car. She would Mabel. These were good times for the important thing for the tribe is to take husband Buddy Cooper, and her daughter not recommend hitch hiking these days. family. Mabel and Buddy visited friends care of the children, to keep them off of Delores Rogers. If she has extra fowers, When Mabel married Buddy Cooper, the and family, driving to Hoodsport, Port drugs and alcohol.” she places them on sites of family and couple moved to Squaxin Island. They lived Angeles and friends who have passed. Her reason is inland, away from the beach. “It was no Yakima. simple: “I miss them.” fancy house, just a couple of bedrooms and Buddy passed Mabel’s few words are typical of her, a kitchen and dining room together,” says away two years says daughter Ruth. “She doesn’t always Mabel. ago. They had say what is on her mind.” But there is Buddy’s father Edward Cooper also lived been married plenty on her mind, memories of tough on the island, in a small house built on the 57 years. times, good times, loved ones from the past water. The family kept busy by harvesting Now Mabel and present. and selling clams, fshing, and picking keeps busy Some of her earliest memories are of huckleberries. That’s how Mabel learned to by keeping growing up on the Beckwith property on be an expert huckleberry pie baker. “I used a fower South Bank Road. Her father, Earnest to make all that stuff!” she says. garden (purple Beckwith, always planted a huge vegetable It wasn’t an easy life, living on Squaxin fuchsias are garden, and the family helped weed and Island. There was no well water. The her favorite), harvest. “There were vegetables for the family got water from a creek. They heated reading books whole family all year,” remembers Mabel. the house with wood, and used kerosene (she enjoys Another fond memory of her early home lamps for light. They traveled to and from Indian stories was her father and his love of fshing. He the island in a 12-foot boat. “It was really and old would often jump in a “leaky old dug- rough, especially in the winter,” says Mabel. westerns), out canoe” and go net fshing below the She lived there for 20 years. Mabel and her and Mabel spends time with her family, including daughter Ruth Sickman Ford Bridge. family left the island in the early 1950s, and collecting Rogers, great-great grandson Xavier Klatush, age 5, and Other early memories were of going to were the last family to live there. “I was angels. great-great granddaughter Camilee Klatush, age 9 months. church at the tribal center and listening to glad,” she says. “I said I would never go There are Says Ruth, “Mabel was very committed to her kids. Now the sermons of Pastor Nick Haven. When back there.” And she never has. hundreds she spoils all the little ones.” Xavier agrees, “She makes chocolate chip cookies for me.” Lucky Eagle Casino Expansion Almost Complete By John Setterstrom, General Manager Your new addition to the Casino is  The Silver Oak Lounge is scheduled to complete. The total expanded area will begin its transformation this month. The allow us to increase the video games to lounge will have a completely new look 975 - the maximum number allowed by the and feel including a new bar, furniture compact. However, management will not and a signature silver oak tree that will increase to that level immediately; we will tie in perfectly with the warm outdoor continue to monitor the economy while -streetscape theme of the Casino. remaining conservative in our forecasting,  The modular buildings will be removed being careful not to expand before business from the rear of casino making way for dictates. Our business philosophy has additional parking and easy deliveries. always been to grow your business based on what business levels are telling us to do. It The administration is currently in the is crucial now more than ever to maintain process of moving into the new offce a steady course through these potentially building. Communication and coordination turbulent times. is sure to be more effcient with all If you haven’t stopped in for awhile, I departments being under one roof. As encourage you to come see all of the new always, I have an open door policy; please and exciting changes. As the remodel feel free to stop by to discuss any issues on efforts progress over the next six weeks your mind or to just say hello. you will see a lot of the new elements in the Our goal is to have all projects completed expansion being carried through to the old The new addition is located at the north end of the casino. Many more by mid-November, just in time for the area: machines, a sky ceiling and a non-smoking gaming section are already holiday season. Thank you for your support attracting customers. and providing us with the ability to meet the  The new cashier’s cage is well on its  A custom metal pergola will be installed the gaming foor, as well as provide our needs and expectations of our customers. way and is scheduled for completion by over the pit in the table games area. The table games players with a more intimate October 22nd pergola will be a beautiful addition to setting. This will be completed in mid-to- . late October. Tribal Staff Profles education and skills to work for the tribe. Bush, and my great grandparents are Katherine (Tobin) Edward Smith - Chehalis. Even a bigger thrill, when I was notifed that I had received the position. I am proud to say, “I would like to thank the Chehalis Since 1989, I have worked for the Skokomish Tribe, Squaxin Island Tribe and Greg path to achieving my goal. I kept my grades Tribe for giving me the opportunity to give South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency Burnett, up, and at seventeen an opportunity arose back what they gave me!” in various capacities. I learned how to Financial through the Running Start Program they compose, edit and cut and paste a newspaper provided. Starting early, I completed the 2 at Skokomish and then went to SPIPA to Analyst year program at Grays Harbor Community Bobby establish the SPIPA Intertribal Newspaper. College and earned an AA Degree in Bush, The logo that SPIPA currently uses is the Accounting. TELO K-12 one that I designed. I continued to further my education by Program Then I went to work at Hood Canal My name is Greg Burnett and I have been attending St. Martin’s College to work on School. It was hard working in the school hired as the new Financial Analyst for the my BA Degree. I was hired by a larger Assistant environment. But because my heart is Tribe. My wife is Sandra Burnett, my CPA frm in Olympia to be closer to school. with our Indian children, I stayed in that parents are Steve and Renee Burnett, and my It was a greater opportunity to learn and job four years. Then I went to work for grandparents are Jimmy and Nadine Burnett. grow as an accountant. I became a small Hello and good day to you. My name is Skokomish Head Start, while I obtained I have been in the accounting feld for business consultant in the feld of non-proft Bobbie Bush. I am an enrolled Chehalis my bachelor’s degree from The Evergreen over seven years. I received a Bachelors’ organizations and corporations. tribal member. September 16 was my frst State College. Since 1992, I have worked in Degree from Saint Martin’s University with Finding funding sources to further day as TELO Program Assistant. My focus Indian education. My most recent employer a double major in accounting and fnance. my education through student loans was will be on K-5 grade students. It is very was SPIPA. The SPIPA Intertribal Pathways th Currently, I am preparing to take the CPA interesting. In 2001, the Chehalis Tribe was exciting to work for our tribe. to Success Project was complete on June 4, exam. As a tribal member, I am proud to beginning provide scholarship funding. I Maybe you wonder where I come from 2008. have the opportunity to put my skills and qualifed and the program helped me achieve and who my family is. My parents are I look forward to helping our students in experience to work for the tribe. my goal to become an accountant. Susanna Farinsky and Robert E. (Bob) Bush, their educational endeavors. Please call me Since being in grade school I’ve dreamed When the Financial Analyst position for an enrolled Chehalis tribal member. My if you have any questions at 360-790-1888. about becoming an accountant. Attending the Tribe was posted, I immediately applied. grandparents are Mae Smith and Phillip Aberdeen High School, I started paving the What an exciting opportunity to put my