PORT ANGELES — In an effort to raise money for more than $4 million in projects — including a facility for artifacts from Tse-whit-zen — the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe is hosting an invitation-only gathering Friday of government, banking and nonprofits officials.
Tribal Planning Director Arlene Wheeler said Wednesday that Friday’s get-together at the Elwha Klallam Heritage Center just east of downtown Port Angeles will be from 10:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
“They may know of funding somewhere, and that’s the whole idea behind this,” Wheeler said.
“It’s all about collaboration. It’s all about networking,” she said.
“They might know of funding that might not fit one project but may fit another.”
Wheeler said the tribe invited representatives of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Bothell; U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace; and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, a Belfair Democrat who represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
Also invited are representatives of the federal departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture; and the state Department of Transportation and state Office of Indian Affairs.
Also expected are representatives of Sterling Savings Bank and Union Bank, both of which have offices in Port Angeles, and Potlatch Fund, a Seattle nonprofit that funds Native American projects and relief efforts and counts among its donors the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe in Blyn.
The tribe needs more than $4 million for projects large and small, including new Head Start and food bank buildings and a curation facility to house more than 67,000 tribal artifacts, Wheeler and tribal Chairwoman Frances Charles said.
The artifacts, now stored at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, were dug up beginning in 2005 at the site of the ancient village of Tse-whit-zen on Marine Drive in Port Angeles.
That’s where the state Department of Transportation tried and failed to build a graving yard to construct bridge components to replace the eastern half of the Hood Canal Bridge.
“Everyone, not only locally here with the tribes, but nationally, is really concerned how much impact [budget cuts] will have on tribal programs and providing services to the community from youth to our elders,” Charles said, adding funding cutbacks also have affected Native American veterans.
The tribe has outgrown the Head Start building, which is on a flood plain, Charles said.
It needs to be moved to higher ground, she said. The building was opened late for classes last week after a tsunami advisory was issued in the wake of a massive earthquake in Japan.
The need for a new Head Start building, which houses about 40 students — not including Early Head Start children — has not abated even though the tribe has been hit hard by state and federal budget cuts, Charles said.
The $2 million construction project is “shovel-ready,” Wheeler said.
“We have all the design work done, and the land is cleared.”
Head Start has been in the building since 1976.
After a 10:30 a.m. blessing and welcome from tribal leadership Friday, participants will take tours of the Tse-whit-zen site and the food bank and Head Start buildings.
The day’s events will include a lunch featuring traditional, stick-baked salmon, Wheeler said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
