WARM SPRINGS — The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will be the first community counted in Oregon for the 2020 census, the official count of every person in the United States conducted every decade.

The tribal community kicked off the census in Oregon on Thursday, the first day the census can be completed.

George Aguilar Sr., a Wasco elder and lifelong resident of Warm Springs, will be the first person to c omplete the census in the state. Aguilar, 90, is a Korean War veteran, who has worked as a laborer, fisherman, logger, construction manager and author.

After Aguilar completes the census, a 2020 census kickoff event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the Agency Longhouse at 1253 Kot-Num Road in Warm Springs. Attendees will be able to meet Aguilar, watch a Warm Springs early childhood education mini powwow and have a community meal while filling out the census.

Starting Thursday, everyone in Oregon will be asked to respond online, by phone or by mail to the census.

The U.S. Census Bureau is working to ensure an accurate county of everybody in the nation. The bureau is trying to reach more tribal members after nearly 5% of Native Americans were never counted in the 2010 census.

Accurate census data affects how the federal government allocates more than $675 billion every year for programs and services for tribal communities, such as Medicaid, social services, housing, public safety, veterans services, emergency preparedness, education and school lunches.