Page 3 - August 2009

3 Honoring our Elders: Angel “Steve” Medina” “...baseball has always been in his blood. He enjoyed coaching youth in his spare time...” Angel “Steve” Medina was born in January 1950. He was born in California to Alice Secena and Manuel Medina. His grandparents on his mother’s side are Nancy Beckwith-Secena and Murphy Secena; on his father’s side is Rose Santiago. His first marriage was to Donna Dupuis who had three children from her first marriage. Steve officially adopted her children and accepted them as his own. His second marriage was to Terry Youckton and the couple had three children, Owen, Jacinda, and Brenna. You can find Steve behind the backstop when Steve grew up in Pt. Hueneme, and Al Prader. “We loved to play sandlot threw the ball really hard and it tournaments are being played, watching and California, and graduated from Pt. Hueneme football and softball. We also played little hurt my hand. He took my glove announcing play by play, players’ names and High School. School work wasn’t easy for league and high school baseball.” off and grabbed a switch and hit the score. him. The driving force to get good grades Steve says the baseball drills that his my hand. ‘This ought to toughen was his love of baseball. He spent extra time coaches taught didn’t make sense when it up,’ he told me. Sounds kind of his cousins, his father-in-law Mel Youckton studying to maintain his grades and remain he was young. Refecting back he says, “I mean, and it did hurt. But he was right. It and Mel’s brother Chops, Kenny Brown, and academically eligible to play. All his work had some good, sound coaching in little toughened up my hand.” Mikie Simmons. “It was great meeting old paid off and he successfully graduated in league and high school. It’s funny how Another fond memory of his Uncle timers from other reservation and spending 1968. much I learned from my coaches. They Ray was when he would surprise Steve quality time with them. We learned about “Both parents encouraged us to play were instrumental in helping me understand by showing up at his baseball games. His their families and traded baseball stories. It extra-curricular activities that the schools the game, developing good skills, and mother knew he was coming, but never told was an honor to compete against them.” provided. They also taught us to be improving the talent that was in me. I carried Steve. Sometime during the game he’d hear Life hasn’t been easy for Steve since he responsible for our actions,” recalls Steve. that knowledge after graduation from high a familiar voice ring out above the crowd, was diagnosed with diabetes 14 years ago. He says there were always chores to do, school. It makes me proud to think that three “Who taught you how to play baseball? Who He remembers that, at age 49, his sister from mowing grass, weeding fower beds of the kids that I coached made it to the taught you that trick?” It always brought a Nena passed away from complications from and helping with general upkeep of the major leagues.” smile to his face, as he searched the crowd the disease in late the 1990s. Steve admits home. “Chores and sports helped keep us The love of baseball and his commitment fnally seeing his Uncle Ray laughing in the that after he was diagnosed he was fearful out of trouble.” to helping youth has always been part of stands. “I was honored that my Uncle Ray that he wouldn’t live to see 50. “Learning Steve’s childhood friends in California his life. He was able would travel all the way to California to to manage this disease has its diffculties, were the Pregiels, Frank Rojas, to coach baseball watch me play baseball.” but life isn’t over. I’m just thankful for each for 20 years. After Steve’s mother and father would often day I’m able to wake up, and visit with my moving back home travel up from California to visit his children. I live for my kids. Helping them to the reservation, he grandparents, Nancy and Murphy Secena. grow is pretty satisfying.” coached the Rochester “I was too young to remember much. But I Steve has always worked in the custodial Babe Ruth team along do remember being told that it was a small, feld. “It gets a little monotonous, but it’s with Mel Youckton isolated reservation and still had gravel nice to change jobs, and work at different for 10 years. roads,” says Steve. “Our tribe has come schools or colleges to break things up. It’s a Steve says he a long ways since then, with all the new good life. You get to meet a lot of different has many fond buildings and paved roads.” people, and it puts food on the table. It also memories of his Steve returned to the reservation at the gave me free time to coach baseball.” Steve played with the Old Timers Baseball Team at the Yakima uncle, Ray Secena. age of 31, and played for and coached the Now, you can often fnd Steve behind Tribe in 1987. Pictured top (L-R): Mel Youckton, Ray Secena, Tomahawks. “We practiced fve days a “Something that the backstop at Tomahawk Stadium when Sr., Steve, Art, Jackie Cayenne, Curtis Dupuis, Mike Simmons, will always stick week, and took our baseball skills to the there is a baseball tournament. You can Jumbo Cayenne, Gerry Cayenne, and Alberta Youckton. Bottom in my mind was next level. With all that practice, we became hear his voice on the loud speaker, as he (L-R): Chops Youckton, Kenny Brown, Jr. Cayenne, Roger the dominating team at every tournament. a time I visited announces the game that he loves. He is Shortman, Mike Tanner, and Gunny Pickernell. Children in front: the Chehalis Those were the good ol’ days.” Reservation One of Steve’s best memories was keepers and friends who come and visit. “I when I was eight,” says Steve. playing in the Old Timers Tournament in enjoy the games. They bring back a lot of “I was playing catch with my Uncle Ray. He Yakima. He played alongside his Uncle Ray, often laughing and joking with the score fond memories of my younger days.” Tribal Staff Profles: Hotel Manager and Assistant Store Manager Hi, my name is Glen Brydges, a recognition, my wife and I Hello, My name is Wilma me. My dad gave me a silver your Eagles Landing Hotel received two round trips to Graciano and I’m a tribal half dollar and said, “If it Manager. I started my hospitality the Caribbean, all expenses member. I am the Assistant looks like this, then it’s a career at the age of 18, as a paid. From there, I moved to Manager at the End of the Trail ‘brightee.’ That’s what you bus boy and dishwasher at Portland, Oregon, where I ran 1 store, located by the tribal need to buy.” It’s funny, now the Bon Marche in Northgate, a hotel for Prime Hospitality center. I’ve been working at that I think about it. Seattle. After graduating from Corp. After four years, the the store since 1984. I originally took the AVT Shoreline High School, my company was sold and that’s I have four children: three (Adult Vocation Training) mom talked me into attending when I was lucky to fnd out boys, Darrin “Oye,” Juan program classes that the Seattle Community College Glen Brydges, Eagles about an opportunity in Graciano and Jedediah Wilma Graciano Chehalis Tribe was offering. and taking hotel-motel Landing Hotel Manager Rochester, Washington. and late Eloise Starr. My EOT 1, Assistant Store It was interesting being management courses. I have A new hotel was being parents are Violet Sanders- Manager trained by Joanne Davis as a two year degree, but most built by the Chehalis Tribe Starr and Benjamin Starr. a store clerk. This was a six- of my experience comes from the school of and they were looking for a hotel manager. I My grandparents on my mother’s side are week course. While attending the training hard knocks. got the job and we opened on July 3, 2005. Andrew Sanders and Lucy Simmons. On my classes at the tribal center, the EOT I was My frst hotel job was at the Ben From that moment, the hotel has been a father’s side are Phillip Starr and Amy Starr being built by tribal members under the Franklin Hotel in downtown Seattle. I great success for the Chehalis Tribe. I am from Muckleshoot. Construction Training program. After the worked the 11 pm - 7 am night audit shift thinking about retiring in 2010, bringing I come from a large family and have store construction was fnished, it was a mad while attending college. From there, I my 43 years in the hospitality industry to 10 brothers and sisters: Lee Starr Sr., Amil house stocking the store to open its doors the became the Operations Manager for Seattle an end. I am looking for a successor for my Starr Sr., Benjamin Starr Sr., Beatrice following day. Center Catering. I’m glad I was young at the position and I would like it to be a Chehalis Christensen, Laura Starr, Starla Starr, and As a store clerk, I saw many different time, because this was a hard job. I set up tribal member. A training program is in Lucille Starr. Amanda Starr, Betty Starr and managers come and go. Though my work banquets for 100-1000 people, coordinated development. A tribal member pursuing Louise Starr are deceased. attendance was an issue at frst, it improved staffng, food, and tear down. a career as hotel General Manager should I took clerical and accounting classes. after my children grew older. In 2003, I worked in Fairbanks, Alaska in a 200- obtain a 4-year hospitality degree as a solid I also work with my mother at the family’s through persistence and hard work, I was room hotel and resort at Port Ludlow as the background to a successful career. smoke shop. I worked purchasing fsh at the promoted to Assistant Manager. The position Food and Beverages Manager. I managed If you would be interested in an exciting family’s fsh house. I can remember being comes with a lot of responsibilities and the Motel 6 in Kirkland, Washington for and challenging career, please contact rewarded for not taking redskins. Because stress, but it has been an honor working for four years. For two of those years, it was the Managing Director Chris Richardson or HR I was so young, people would try and trick the Chehalis Tribe. number-one motel in the United States. As Coordinator Anna Hartman. Ray Klatt, Behavior Health Staff, Retires By Gail Hurst, Chemical Dependency Counselor Ray Klatt is a man Ray Klatt was employed by the Chehalis electrician, and a truck driver. with the tribe is a lot like working with my who Tribe in the Behavioral Health Clinic for Ray was born in Wichita, Kansas and has family. It’s the dysfunction and the diversity genuinely the last fve years. Ray received his Masters traveled around the world 2 ½ times. Ray of all families. But the concept of family states, “I Degree from the Antioch College in Seattle. is a Vietnam Veteran who few combat for transcends the problems. This tribe climbed have done He has received degrees in other felds, eight years. up out of the hole of social economics everything such as a Masters of Divinity and a Masters Ray married Sandy (organizer imposed upon them from the outside. It was I have ever of Psychology. He was actually hired as a extraordinaire) ten years ago, settling in truly amazing to see the transformation. wanted to trainee for Chemical Dependency, and then the Seattle area. Ray states “I have done It was a pleasure to work with people of do in my moved onto Mental Health. everything I have wanted to in my life.” For this tribe to aid and help with chemical life.” Going far back in time, Ray states he his next chapter, Ray reports that he and dependency and mental health issues. “ has been rich, and he has been poor. He has Sandy will set sail to go around the world. As for the rest of us remaining in the had him model added to the fun. Yes, it was owned his own company in Las Vegas, and When asked what memories he will take Behavioral Health Program, we shall miss all in good fun, and the laughter of that day a private practice in the Port Angeles area. with him while working with the Chehalis working with Ray. On July 28 the tribe had a will always bring fond memories of Ray Some of the forms of employment he has Tribe Ray states, “This is a hard question. surprise going away party for him. Ray was being part of our little family back in the held are cleaning grease traps in restaurants, It is hard to put into words.” He paused a good sport about it, as tribal employees Tsapwaum Program. We’ll miss him and we beach bum, hotel manager in Hawaii, deep in thought, and then replied, “Working took turns roasting him. The hats that they wish him luck!