All You Need To Know About The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (2010)
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GIIKENDAAM
CHIWIIKWEGAMAG
All You Need To Know About The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Gichi Manidoo Giizis - Great Spirit Moon - January 2010
Issue 67
Tribal Council Members:
KBIC ELECTIONS HELD DECEMBER 12TH
Warren C. Swartz, Jr., President
KBIC held their annual General Election on Saturday, December 12, 2009.
KBIC registered voters residing in
Baraga cast their ballots at the Ojibwa
Senior Citizens building in Baraga, while
those residing in the L’Anse district cast
their ballots at the Zeba Methodist
Church. The Primary Elections held October 31, 2009, put the top four candidates from each district on the General
Election ballot. Baraga District candidates were Jerry Lee Curtis (incumbent),
Warren “Chris” Swartz, Jr. (incumbent),
Debbie Parrish, and Donny Shalifoe, Sr.
L’Anse District candidates were Susan J.
LaFernier (incumbent), Jennifer Misegan
Newsletter photo
(incumbent), Eddy Michael Edwards,
and JoAnne Racette. Chief Judge position candidates on the ballot were: Bradley T. Dakota
(incumbent) and Paul Smith. Preliminary counts were announced by the election workers, immediately following closing of the polls on Saturday, December 12, 2009. In the Baraga District,
Jerry Lee Curtis received 229 votes, Warren “Chris” Swartz, Jr. received 273 votes, Debbie Parrish received 205 votes, and Donny Shalifoe, Sr. received 190 votes. Jerry Lee Curtis and Warren “Chris” Swartz, Jr. have secured a three year term in the Baraga District. In the L’Anse District, Susan J. LaFernier received 271 votes, Jennifer Misegan received 159 votes, Eddy Michael Edwards received 294 votes, and JoAnne Racette received 177 votes. Susan J.
LaFernier and Eddy Michael Edwards have secured a three year seat in the L’Anse District. For
the Chief Judge position, Bradley T. Dakota received 336 votes and Paul Smith received 135
votes. Bradley T. Dakota secured the three year term of Chief Judge for the Keweenaw Bay
Indian Community for his eighth consecutive term. Election results are on the agenda to be
considered for certification by Tribal Council at the meeting scheduled for January 9, 2010. Following certification, the twelve seat council will make nominations and vote on their executive
~ submitted by newsletter
council.
KBIC Holds Christmas Parties
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
held a number of Christmas Parties this
year. The Baraga little kids’ party was held
on December 12, at the Niiwin Akeea Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus attended along
with over 150 Tribal families. Pizza, Taco
dip, veggie and fruit trays were served to all.
The older children’s party was held later that
same day where the teens enjoyed bingo
and many won nice prizes. There was a
good turnout for the Community Teen Dance
held after their party.
The KBIC Youth Programs would like to
thank everyone who helped out or brought
goodies to the party. We couldn't have made
this year’s party a success without you!
The Ojibwa Senior Citizens held their
Christmas Dinner on Friday, December 18.
The seniors enjoyed a meal of Prime Rib,
baked potato, veggies, salad, rolls and desserts.
The seniors listened to carols by
Kristy Clish. A group of musically inclined
seniors also provided festive Christmas music. All seniors received gift cards.
Susan J. LaFernier, Vice-President
Toni Minton, Secretary
William E. Emery, Asst. Secretary
Jennifer Misegan, Treasurer
Elizabeth D. Mayo
Michael F. LaFernier, Sr.
Elizabeth (Chiz) Matthews
Jerry Lee Curtis
Frederick Dakota
Gary F. Loonsfoot, Sr.
Isabelle H. Welsh
SPECIAL POINTS
OF INTEREST:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
December 5, 2009, Tribal
Council meeting
KBIC General Election Results
DHHS Superior Spirit Award
Winner for December
Even Start begins new program
KBIC Christmas Parties
Lanczy wins snowshoes
KBTNRD—January is Radon
Action Month
New Employees
Aabinoojiyens
Deepest Sympathy
Picture by Shellie Denomie
~ submitted by newsletter editor
Photo by Lisa Denomie
Youth club photo
Youth club photo
Parties continue on page six.
(1) Bezhig
December 5, 2009 — Tribal Council Meeting
The Tribal Council held their regularly
scheduled Saturday Tribal Council meeting on December 5, 2009, at the Ojibwa
Casino Resort Conference Room. Warren
(Chris) Swartz, Jr., presided over the
meeting with Susan LaFernier, Toni
Minton, William E. Emery, Jennifer Misegan, Jerry Lee Curtis, Fred Dakota, Michael F. LaFernier, Sr., Gary F. Loonsfoot,
Sr., Elizabeth (Chiz) Matthews, Elizabeth
D. Mayo, and Isabelle Helene Welsh present. President Swartz shared numerous
Thank You and For Your Information items
addressed to Council. Reports were given
for November 2009, by President Swartz
(see page two), Vice President Susan
LaFernier (see page three), Secretary Toni
Minton (see page five), Treasurer Jennifer
Misegan (see page four), and CEO Larry
Denomie (see page eleven).
Council
passed Department Head Reports for October 2009.
Jennifer Misegan addressed Council
under old business regarding the quote
and the stamp design for the Tribe’s tobacco stamp. Motion by Toni Minton to
approve the quote of $12,175 from
Meyer Corp. Revenue for the Tobacco
Stamp, supported by William E. Emery,
ten supported, one opposed (M.
LaFernier), 0 abstained, motion carried.
President Swartz stated, “This is an exercise of sovereignty, and we are going to
regulate that trade.” Councilman Dakota
further explained, “It is the Tribe’s stamp
that will go on the bottom of the cigarette
packs sold on this reservation.”
Frederick Dakota requested an additional $1,280 on behalf of the KBIC Ojibwa
Senior Citizens. They were approved at
an earlier date for $5,000 for their Christmas party, (dinner, gifts for those in attendance and home bound). They need a total of $6,280. Motion by Jerry Lee Curtis
to approve the donation of $1,280 for
the Ojibwa Senior Citizens Christmas
Party, supported by Jennifer Misegan,
eleven supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, motion carried.
Debbie Parrish addressed Council under new business regarding Ojibwa Community College grant assistance. An MOA
addendum was presented for grant assistance to relieve the need of coming back
to Council every time the grant assistance
was needed. Motion by Gary Loonsfoot,
Sr., to approve the MOA addendum between the Community and the College,
supported by Jerry Lee Curtis, eleven
supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, motion carried. Mrs. Parrish gave updates
of happenings at OCC. A survey was conducted resulting with computer training being requested. OCC will begin this month
with basic keyboarding and follow that up
with word processing. In January, they will
begin with basic Excel, and then advanced
Excel. The college plans on offering Access Database, Publisher, and PowerPoint
throughout the year. Research and Report
Writing, Writing in the Work Place, and
Public Speaking were also requested.
These courses will be offered as CEU’s
(shorter workshop training rather than a 15
-week course). Anyone who wants a 15week course can enroll in one of the semester classes beginning in January.
They are inviting the high school art students to bring their art work to display at
the College in the spring. We have a lot of
talented high school artists who had their
work on display at the Galley 325 art show.
Susan LaFernier. on behalf of Lauri Denomie, requested funeral expenses for a
family member, William R. LaFernier, who
recently passed on. Mr. LaFernier had
been away from this Community for many
years, but his roots are from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. The funeral bill includes returning his remains to
the Community.
Motion by Isabelle
Welsh to approve the amount of $1,520
to assist the family for the funeral expenses of William R. LaFernier to be
paid out of the funeral expense fund,
supported by Frederick Dakota, eleven
supported, 0 opposed, 0 abstained, motion carried.
Jennifer Misegan on behalf of Lisa Denomie, Pre-primary Director, requested a donation for $25 per child for 22 children for
Christmas gifts for the children enrolled
with Pre-primary, for a total $550. Motion
by Jennifer Misegan to donate $550 for
Christmas gifts for the children at the
Preprimary Program, supported by
Susan LaFernier, eleven supported, 0
opposed, 0 abstained, motion carried.
~ submitted by newsletter editor
PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2009.
Activities Reported by the President, Warren (Chris) Swartz, Jr., for the month of
November.
On Thursday, November 5, 2009,
President Obama hosted the White House
Tribal Nations Conference. As part of
President Obama’s sustained outreach to
the American people, this conference provided leaders from the 564 federally recognized tribes the opportunity to interact directly with the President and representatives from the highest levels of his Administration. Each federally recognized tribe
has been invited to send one representative to the conference. The President delivered opening and closing remarks and
participated in an interactive discussion
with tribal leaders. Other interactive discussions in the areas of economic development and natural resources; public
safety and housing; and education, health
and labor, were led by representatives
from the highest levels of the Administration.
On behalf of the Community, I congratulated Chairman Skibine for assuming
the important position of acting chairman
for the National Indian Gaming Commission. I informed him of a number of issues
that should be brought to his attention.
We believe that NIGC, as a commission
within the Department of Interior, should
follow the administrative rules and executive orders that are followed by federal
agencies including the Department of Interior.
Secondly, because NIGC has refused
to comply with the normal rules for federal
(2) Niizh
agencies, some of its regulatory rulemaking processes have been defective. For
example, the facility licensing rules were
promulgated with only a 45 day comment
period and should be withdrawn, revised to
be consistent with the IGRA, and re-issued
for consultation with Indian Tribes.
Thirdly, the NIGC should use Indian
preference in hiring in accordance with the
Indian Reorganization Act. The NIGC is a
federal agency serving Indian country and
intended
to
promote
Tribal
selfgovernment and strong Tribal governments. Two of its three commissioners
must be Indian, so NIGC should use Indian preference in hiring and employment
consistent with the IGRA and the IRA.
Finally, given the fact that Congress
amended the IGRA in 2006, to increase
NIGC fees and provide for training and
technical assistance, it is appropriate to
review NIGC’s mission. The NIGC should
consult with Indian tribes concerning its
mission of promoting Tribal economic development,
economic
self-sufficiency,
strong Tribal governments, and safeguarding Indian gaming as a means of generating essential Tribal government revenue.
I participated in a celebration at the Niiwin Akeaa Center to celebrate the recent
achievement of candidacy status for initial
accreditation. The event was well attended, and everyone at the College
pitched in to make this celebration a success.
I attended a feast hosted by the LVD
THPO in Watersmeet.
We discussed
preservation and protection of the cultural
and natural resources around the proposed mine by Orvana Minerals. Charles
Brumleve discussed the mechanics of the
proposed mine and its potential effects on
the environment. Cynthia Stiles presented
information on historic preservation responsibilities and identifying important resources in the mine area. Orvana Minerals is a low-cost gold producer. Orvana
owns and operates the Don Mario Mine in
Bolivia. Additional information is available
at their website.
The United Tribes of Michigan met on
November 12, in Manistee, MI. Prior to
the meeting, the Executive Officers met
and reorganized. Larry Romanelli was
elected to serve as President of the organization for the next year. He will be
taking the position over from Chief Fred
Cantu of the Saginaw Chippewa Indians.
Also elected at the annual meeting were:
Chairperson Laura Spurr of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians
as Vice Chair; Chair Chris Swartz, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community is Secretary, and Chairman D.K. Sprague of the
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians is Treasurer.
We responded to a questionnaire given
to us by the CITGO heating oil program
and hopefully we will be funded again this
year. Last year we received a good
amount of money from CITGO, and we
used the donation to help low income people pay their heating bills during the winter
months.
Respectfully submitted,
Warren (Chris) Swartz, Jr., President
VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2009.
Activities Reported by the Vice President,
Susan LaFernier, for the month of November
2009.
We all need to commit to do our part to
make a difference to protect our environment
and change the world. I hope that you have
been learning how to save and conserve energy to protect our Earth if you are able. I have
emphasized all year that every month is
“Energy Awareness Month,” and our theme for
the year was “Commit to Conserve.” There are
simple, everyday conservation measures we
can all easily commit to. There are also everyday measures we can do to reduce air pollution, conserve water, reduce/reuse/recycle/rebuy materials, and prevent pollution in general.
Once again, October was Energy Awareness
Month! This year’s theme, “A Sustainable Energy Future— Putting All the Pieces Together”
encourages you to see yourself as a piece of a
large puzzle of shaping our energy future and
moving our nation toward energy independence. All of this information is available on the
EPA.gov and energy.gov websites.
There was a nice celebration/presentation
on November 13, given by the KBOCC Board
of Regents, Faculty, and staff for their recent
accomplishment of candidacy status for initial
accreditation. We congratulate all of you and
thank you for honoring past and present Council members and others on that day.
Thank you to Ojibwa Housing Authority and
KBIC for the two day presentation on permanent supportive housing on November 23 and
24. Two representatives from the Corporation
for Supportive Housing (CSH/Michigan and
Minnesota) presented various topics regarding
homeless services and that technical assistance, training, and advocacy is available to
develop permanent supportive housing
(housing that is affordable and includes services) for homeless individuals and families.
Also thank you to everyone in our community
who filled out the Confidential Supportive
Housing survey on Christmas gift check day.
We received 472 surveys that will help immensely with determining your current housing
needs. The Supportive Housing Development
Team also met on November 30, after the two
day meeting to discuss future developments
and possible sites for a center.
We are still asking if anyone has information regarding forgotten graves and information on graves that do not have any identification at the Pinery Cemetery to please call me
or Summer Cohen if you can help. The map
will be completed shortly, and we will then
meet to discuss the information that is still
needed or missing.
We continue to have monthly meetings with
our employee wellness group and our Blue
Cross representative. Thank you to this new
group; they have been enthusiastic and have
many great ideas that employees will be seeing in the near future such as healthy cooking
recipes, weight management and stress reduction programs, fitness memberships/
discounts and healthy options in our vending
machines. We held the wellness program
naming contest as was announced last month
and we thank Lauri Denomie for finishing the
wording into the medicine wheel logo. Our
official name is W.H.I.P.P. (Wellness, Health,
Intervention, Prevention Program) Task Force.
The members of the task force developed a
mission statement that reads:
“The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Wellness,
Health, Intervention, Prevention Program
(W.H.I.P.P.) is dedicated to improving and
maintaining the general health and well being
of our employees, dependents, and community members. Our goal is to provide information, activities, motivation, services, and recognition to enhance the ability of people to better
manage their own health, improve their quality
of life and reduce their risk of disease and in-
jury. Positive lifestyle choices develop a culture that is focused on celebrating and improving the quality of life for all.” It is never too late
to encourage positive lifestyles changes that
will help us live longer, healthier, happier lives.
As we know, on August 18, 2009, the administrative law Judge Patterson issued a proposed decision in our contested case hearing
regarding the Kennecott’s mining permit and
groundwater permit for the Yellow Dog Plains.
He held that “the excavation and drilling in the
immediate area of Eagle Rock and fencing it
off will materially affect its use as a place of
worship. This should in some manner be accommodated and would best be done so by
relocating the access to the mine to a location
that will not interfere with that function.” This
decision was sent to Steven Chester, and our
written exceptions/comments regarding this
decision were also sent on October 2, directly
to Mr. Chester, who considered the comments
and has now made a request for more information regarding Eagle Rock and the legality
of the judge’s decision. This information will
need to be filed by December 7, when he will
make a final determination and order on the
permits. Chuck Brumleve, our Mining Specialist gave comments on December 1, in Ishpeming at the public hearing for the four permits on the reuse and opening of the Humboldt Mill site for an ore processing facility.
Please continue to call/write your elected officials and tell them that the short term benefits
are not worth the harmful long term effects on
our health, rivers, Great Lakes, woods, and
wild places because of the great potential for
acid mine drainage. Please call me or write if
you would like to review the National Wildlife
Federation’s DVD “Mining Madness, Water
Wars: The Great Lakes In The Balance.”
I have also been attending the Employee
Christmas Party Task Force meetings, and the
wonderful party will be held tonight. A big
thank you to the task force; so much work
goes into the planning and preparation of
these parties, and we all appreciate the work
that they do! Thank you also to our Eagle Radio employees and communities for donating
to the annual TV6 can-a-thon this past week.
All proceeds go the local food pantries.
Remember to continue to pray for and
honor all of our veterans, service men and
women, and their families. Welcome home to
the 1431st! Also remember those who are ill,
have lost loved ones, (there have been many
in the last year) and for our economic struggles. Tell someone you know three good
things that you like about them during the holiday season. Let us be thankful for our beautiful area, and we pray that you have a wonderful Christmas, (remember the reasons for the
season) and a blessed New Year.
We also continue to recognize the richness
of Native American contributions, accomplishments, and sacrifices to the political, cultural,
and economic life of Michigan and the United
States. Remember the Drug Tip Line number
is 353-DRUG or 353-3784. You will be seeing
yellow banners around the reservation with
this drug tip line number displayed.
Miigwetch,
Susan LaFernier, Vice President
MIIGWETCH!
Thank you to all who voted in the December Tribal Council Election. I appreciate your
continued support.
Greatness can be
achieved when we work together for the good
of our Tribe. Peace and good health to you
and your family in this New year!
~ Susan J. LaFernier
The DHHS Superior Spirit Award
Winner for December
Brenda Brunk
is the DHHS Superior
Spirit
Award winner for
December.
Brenda
was
nominated by two
pat ients
who
stated: "Brenda
is always pleasant and a team
DHHS photo
player. She will
help you any way that she can, even if she is
filling in for someone. She will go out of her
way to help you. Brenda has worked for the
Tribe for many years, and she has earned this
recognition.“
“Brenda is very efficient in her job when
you are requesting medical records or copies.
She will make sure you get what you need
with fast, prompt, efficient service! She always makes me feel welcome at the Heath
Center. ‘Hi, how you doing?’ This is an important thing when you are sick.”
Brenda received a beaded lanyard for her
name badge and is able to park in the spot
specifically designed for the DHHS Superior
Spirit Award winner.
Congratulations,
Brenda!
WINNER! NOVEMBER’S
SNOWSHOE GIVEAWAY
Congratulations to Kathy
Lanczy!
She
was the November winner
of the snowshoe
giveaway.
Michelle
and I hope you
have a wonLibrary photo
derful holiday
with your family
and friends.
Reminder: Every time you use the library,
you may put your Name in for the drawing to
win snowshoes. If you've never been to the
library, now is your chance to get a library
card which entitles you to two chances immediately for the snowshoes. Good Luck!
~ Mary Bergerson, Library Director
W.H.I.P.P. (Wellness,
Health, Intervention,
Prevention, Program)
Task Force
Mission
Statement:
“The Keweenaw Bay
Indian Community Wellness, Health, Intervention, Prevention Program is dedicated to
improving and maintaining the general health
and well being of our employees, dependents,
and community members. Our goal is to provide information, activities, motivation, services, and recognition to enhance the ability of
people to better manage their own health, improve their quality of life and reduce their risk
of disease and injury.
Positive lifestyle
choices develop a culture that is focused on
celebrating and improving the quality of life for
all.”
There are 12 employees on the Task Force
(nine government and three enterprise). We
also have 58 employee volunteers. On January 19, 20, 21, 2009, our Blue Cross representative will be reviewing the benefits that are
available from each plan to eligible employees.
We will especially focus on the “Preventative
Care Services” that are available (be watching
Continued on page twelve.
(3) Niswi
NOVEMBER 2009 TREASURER’S REPORT.
Tribal Council approved the following donations for the month of November:
• Baraga County Regional Interagency
Consumer Committee, Christmas party—
$1,000.
• Bart Stupak, re-election campaign—
$1,000.
• American Cancer Society, annual match
campaign—$5,000.
• Eagles Club/Ladies Auxiliary, Christmas
donations for distribution through FIA and
shelter home—$500.
• Tribal Social Services, Christmas gifts for
children in foster care—$2,000.
This month, the second of two yearly 2%
distributions were made to local units of government per our 1993 consent judgment.
The amount distributed for our Baraga Casino was $152,608.40 and the Marquette
amount was $173,313.65. The calculation is
based on the net win of class III gaming or
slot machines. The breakdown is as follows:
Baraga County:
Baraga Area Schools—
Baraga Township—
Bay Ambulance—
Village of Baraga—
L’Anse Area Schools—
L’Anse Township—
Village of L’Anse—
$42,268.26
$14,143.14
$25,000.00
$10,872.61
$21,096.13
$ 2,377.93
$ 1,740.77
Marquette County:
Charter Twp of Chocolay—
Fire Department—
Marquette County
U.P.S.E.T.—
Aging Services—
Health Dept.—
Gwinn Area Com. Schools/
Title VII Nat. Am. Educ.—
City of Marquette
NMU Center for Native
Am. Studies—
NMU Native Am.
Student Assoc.—
Superiorland Soccer
Assoc.—
U.P. Children’s
Museum—
Women’s Center—
Marquette. County
History Museum—
Marquette Area Public School
/Title VII Nat. Am. Educ.—
Forsyth Township—
Sands Twp. Fire Dept.—
$35,000.00
$26,145.65
$10,000.00
$ 7,500.00
$ 7,500.00
$ 3,000.00
$ 8,000.00
$ 9,200.00
$ 5,000.00
$10,000.00
$25,000.00
$ 4,000.00
$ 6,218.00
$5,000.00
$11,750.00
Our 8% payments were also made this
month. These payments are made pursuant
to the 2000 Consent Judgment or stipulation
that was entered into between the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and the
State of Michigan in order to keep our Marquette Casino open. The Marquette amount
was $693,542.61.
The amount for the
Baraga Casino was $610,433.59.
I was very busy preparing for the Christmas
Gift Check distribution for Baraga and Marquette Counties. The total of the distribution
was $869,600 with 1,087 people receiving the
$800 payment. Thank you to all who helped,
including Sheila Ekdahl, Violet Friisvall,
Sharon Brunk, Diana Chaudier, and Linda Rabitaille as well as the Gift Check Committee.
We have received the year-end financials
for all but one Tribal Enterprise. Our businesses faired very well in fiscal year 2009 considering the state of the economy. The Pines
Convenience Center Net Income was up
253% from last year. The Radio Stations Net
Income also increased by 73%. The Baraga
Casino finished up just $38,500 under projections. Marquette on the other hand didn’t do
as well, coming in $778,548 under projections.
Finances are closely monitored and will continue to be in the areas that are performing
poorly.
We operate a great number of programs
and services for our members. We do the
best we can with the money that we have
while always trying to develop ways to bring in
additional income. Contrary to what some
may have heard, our Tribe makes approximately $12.5 million dollars per year and it all
goes back into those programs and services.
Last year we helped 296 households with
$116,875 in the Emergency Funding program;
178 Seniors and Disabled members received
a monthly pension totaling $431,400; the heat
was paid for 168 Seniors and disabled members in the amount of $206,879; this was all
done with Tribal monies. We also reimbursed
parents $60,089 for expenses for their children, paid out $70,800 to our college students
to help them purchases text books, spent approximately $450,000 in healthcare…and none
of these amounts include any of the grants
dollars that are also maintained and operated
here. Of course this isn’t an all inclusive list.
There are still many other programs.
At the end of November, we had 276 employees in the government (including the Pines
and Radio Station), 30 more than three years
ago when the economy was much better.
There are also 397 people employed in our
casinos. All of these employees receive sick
and annual time as well as the opportunity to
contribute to the 401 (k) plan which is matched
up to 6% by the Tribe.
I would like to take this time to say welcome home to Chris Voakes, Alan Rajacic and
Dennis Gerard who just returned from their
deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as
Mark Smith who is home on leave. If you see
any of them, be sure to thank them for their
service and continue to keep the others who
are still there in your thoughts and prayers.
As always, if there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to give
me a call, stop by my office, or send me an email.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Misegan, Treasurer
Our Deepest Sympathy
William R. LaFernier
January 4, 1930—November 14, 2009
William Raymond LaFernier, age 79, a resident of DeQueen, Arkansas, died Saturday,
November 14, 2009, in the DeQueen Medical
Center, DeQueen. He was born on January 4,
1930, in Keweenaw Bay, Michigan, to John
and Emma (St. Arnold) LaFernier. He left
Michigan as a young man for work. He traveled with the harvest and never returned. His
family did not know where he was but often
thought of him; he was missed by his siblings
and they wished for his return. “Bouncer,” as
his family knew him, had come to DeQueen on
(4) Niiwin
a train, looking for warmer weather and work.
He became sick and wasn’t able to return
North.
He had worked in Oregon.
Mr.
LaFernier had been a resident of Brookwood
Nursing and Rehab Center for several years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a
brother, Edward, and three sisters, Myrtle
Gauthier, Annabella Jacker, and Florence
Lofquist.
He is survived by a sister, Susie LaFernier
of Covington, Michigan, and several nieces
and nephews in Michigan.
A memorial service was held in DeQueen,
Arkansas.
“You Make The Difference”®,
Will begin at Even Start
Beg inning
this
month,
KBIC
EVEN
START Family
Literacy Center will be
hosting a new
Parent - Child
Interaction Program with a focus on building
language and literacy in the home. This parent
education series of nine workshops will be led
by two licensed program staff, Christine
Awonohopay and Gail Juntunen.
Entitled “You Make The Difference”®,
(YMTD) the program is based on 30 years of
experience through the Hanen Centre and is
currently used world-wide.
KBIC EVEN
START began using the Native American/First
Nations edition of the parent guide last year
with positive response from participating families.
Eager to expand this framework, Gail
and Christine completed a regional training this
past September in Chicago. Newly licensed,
both presenters are planning to pilot and colead the YMTD program with their program
families on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Although enrollment will be limited to KBIC Even
Start participants initially, plans are underway
to offer the workshops for other family service
organizations in the near future.
When asked why KBIC EVEN START selected this parent education curriculum for their
family literacy program, coordinator Gail Juntunen responded, “Research has shown that a
young child’s language, social, and literacy development depends on positive parent-child
interactions that effectively engage the child at
the proper ages and stages of development.
The You Make The Difference program is a
down-to-earth resource that gives parents easy
strategies using everyday types of routines to
promote their child’s early learning and language.”
“The workshops will focus on ways to help
parents learn how to interact with their children
using the practical “3A approach.” Lessons will
include ways to ‘Allow’ the child to lead, ‘Adapt’
to share the moment, and ‘Add’ new experiences and words,” Juntunen explained.
Utilizing parent-friendly resources, the
YMTD team will provide a very “hands-on”
learning environment for parent and child
learners. Each session will consist of parent
learning time while children participate in
guided activities in the KBIC EVEN START
Center’s new family activity area. Later, parents will practice key activities with their children under the guidance of trained staff and
have the opportunity to create a video memory
book. Toys and resources will also be provided to extend the activities into the home.
The YMTD program is designed to help parents develop a responsive communication
style. “This means,” stated Juntunen, “that
parents become ‘tuned-in’ to their child more
effectively with early learning opportunities.
This helps to build a child’s communication
skills and confidence which, in turn, helps prepare that child for school.”
“What I like best about this program is the
practical ways it can help parents foster and
enrich their young child’s learning through everyday routines and activities. We’re looking
forward to bringing You Make The Difference
to Baraga County parents!” concluded workshop co-presenter Awonohopay.
For more information on how you or someone you know may benefit from family literacy,
please call the KBIC EVEN START Center at
353-8161.
~ submitted by Gail Juntunen
To place an ad, submit an article, or relate information or ideas on possible articles contact:
Lauri Denomie at newsletter@kbic-nsn.gov
or 906-201-0263.
SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2009.
In November 2009, the Tribal Council had
one Regular Tribal Council Meeting and five
Special Council Meetings. The Regular Council Meeting was held on November 7, 2009,
and is covered in the December 2009 Tribal
Newsletter.
At the council meeting held November 5,
2009, following actions were taken:
• Approved the addendum to the Land Use
Planning Consultant Contract with UP Engineers;
• Approved Resolution KB1717-2009 Sylvia
Murphy Allotted Interest Acquisition;
• Approved the purchase of a 2006 Silverado in the amount of $19,000.00 from Kissel’s to be leased to the Natural Resources
Department;
• Certified the October 31, 2009, Primary
Election results;
• Approved the purchase of a server for the
Radio Station;
• Approved the Professional Services
Agreement with Ron Gnadinger for maintenance and repair services for the radio stations;
• Approved a donation of up to $2,365 for
William Chosa for a furnace pending funding from LiHeap and Ojibwa Housing
(Community Assistance Programs were
able to assist);
• Agreed to move forward with two Childcare
Centers (one in L’Anse and one in Baraga)
and to pursue subcontracting with ITC;
• Awarded the Contract for the Donald A.
LaPointe Health & Education Facility
Renovation and Expansion to Ojibwa
Builders in the amount of $1,248,521.
At the council meeting held November 6,
2009, following actions were taken:
• Approved a donation of $250 for the Four
Thunders Drum Group for their trip to
Gwinn;
• Approved Resolution KB1694-2009 Timber
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Salvage Harvest on Pinery Road;
Approved the Christmas Gift Check Guidelines;
Approved the purchase of eight gas pumps
with TV’s for the Pines in the amount of
$220,663.88;
Approved an addition to the Personnel
Policies for a Proclaimed Illness for all
Tribal Entities;
Approved the License Renewal of the PrePrimary Education Program;
Approved October donations;
Agreed to re-evaluate Substance Abuse
Request #002-09 once treatment and aftercare are completed;
Agreed to move forward with obtaining
bids and clearing property in L’Anse for the
new gas station.
At the council meeting held November 12,
2009, following actions were taken:
• Agreed Council will receive monthly financials from all entities;
• Continued review of the Comprehensive
Plan;
• Agreed to hold the Tribal Government
Christmas Party at the Big Bucks Bingo
Hall;
• Approved the bid and contract in the
amount of $36,800 of MD Contracting for
installation of new hydrants and replacement of existing hydrants in Zeba and
Baraga;
• Approved the Services Agreement with
Dale Schmeisser for WIC;
• Donated $300 in supplies for the Mary
Geroux benefit dinner;
• Required the Ojibwa Builders to supply a
letter of credit for the Health Center Renovation;
• Held the 2nd Reading of Proposed Ordinance 2009-03 – Amendment to Ordinance 2004-001 KBIC Hunting, Fishing,
Trapping, and Gathering Code.
T.E.A.M. COMPLETED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS
The Teaching Educating And
Mentoring (T.E.A.M.) Law Enforcement School Liaison Program has
been completed in the Baraga and
L’Anse Area Schools. T.E.A.M.,
which is one of the programs that
has been implemented as part of
the KBIC Weed & Seed Initiative,
was presented to approximately 190
fourth and fifth grade students in
Baraga and L’Anse. T.E.A.M. is a
proactive effort to make schools and
communities safer by promoting an understanding of social rules, the consequences of
unlawful behavior, and students’ responsibilities as good citizens.
Weed & Seed Director Chris Gerard states, “One of the most important goals of the
Weed & Seed Initiative is to develop positive, working relationships with community stakeholders. When researching programs to implement as part of the KBIC initiative, we try
to focus on programs that will have the greatest impact on a large part of our community.
To be able to implement a program that will have positively impacted 190 fourth and fifth
graders is a great feeling for all of us involved. We’re extremely happy to have developed
a positive relationship with our area school districts and we plan to continue this program
in the future. When you develop a positive relationship with a school district, it allows that
connection between administrators, staff, students and parents; all of these individuals are
important pieces of our communities.”
The elementary T.E.A.M. curriculum is
a seven week program that teaches basic
safety rules such as bicycle and pedestrian safety, the proper use of 911, fire
and gun prevention, and being safe on
the internet. The program was taught by
Officer Tyler Larson of the Keweenaw
Bay Tribal Police Department. Larson attended a week long T.E.A.M. officer training at the Michigan State Police Academy
and was certified in August to teach personal safety lessons in schools. Photo
compliments of Barry Drue, L’Anse, Senti~ submitted by Chris Gerard.
nel.
At the council meeting held November 13,
2009, following actions were taken:
• Met with Gary Sanden of the Seneca Nation;
• Approved the Memorandum of Agreement
with the Ojibwa Community College.
At the council meeting held November 19,
2009, following actions were taken:
• Approved the meeting minutes of June 22,
2009, June 25, 2009, and July 9, 2009;
• Approved the list of registered voters;
• Approved Resolution KB1720-2009 – Damien Swartz Recreational Lease;
• Approved Resolution KB1721-2009
Baraga 2% Distribution;
• Approved Resolution KB1722-2009 Marquette 2% Distribution;
• Donated $15,000 in fuel from the Pines to
the Baraga County Convention and Visitors Bureau for their groomers;
• Approved the Business License of Ojibwa
Plumbing and Heating;
• Denied the request of Tom Darcy, Jr. for
down payment assistance for a home in
California;
• Held Employee Appeal of Termination
Hearing Case #016-09;
• Agreed to use $90,000 of Army Corp of
Engineering Assistance for the Baraga
Water Intake Proposal;
• Agreed to pay the Building Inspector $176
for the Kwik Lube permit fees and to work
on a fee schedule for future inspections;
• Agreed to postpone the decision on the
Appeal of Termination Hearing until the
next meeting;
• Accepted the resignations of Gaming
Commissioner Jim Rasanen, effective immediately, and of Gaming Commissioner
Dale Shalifoe, effective Jan. 1, and to post
the positions.
Respectfully submitted,
Toni Minton, Secretary
GEROUX’S KWIK LUBE
HOLDS GRAND OPENING
Richard
Geroux held a
grand opening for his
new
Kwik
Lube
business on Friday, December 11. Kwik
Lube, located
on M38 in
Baraga, offers
a quick way to
get an oil
change in the
ten-minute
Photo by Stan Spruce.
drive through
Shown above is young Richard Geroux b u s i n e s s .
helping to promote his dad’s new business. Geroux offers
a basic service including up to five quarts of oil and a filter
change. Full service includes oil, filter, lube, a 21point vehicle inspection and topping off of fluids. A
premium service option is available with bottled oil.
Geroux also indicated that synthetic oil and a diesel
service is available at the Kwik Lube.
Kwik Lube, located on M38, is open MondayFriday 10 am—6pm; Saturdays 10 am—3 pm, and
no appointments are necessary.
Geroux plans on expanding his business to include auto customization, detailing, audio systems
and special order items (lift kits and oversize tires).
Questions can be directed to 353-KARS.
~ submitted by newsletter editor
(5) Naanan
KBIC Christmas parties continue.
The Marquette parties began with a Senior
Christmas Dinner held on Friday, December
18, at the Marquette Ojibwa Community Center. Seniors enjoyed a dinner of turkey, ham,
mashed potatoes with gravy, and a variety of
desserts. Marian Abbot made the flower arrangements for the tables which were given
away during the drawings. Pete Shalifoe donated a tin man he created for the drawings.
The Teenage Dance was held on Saturday,
December 19, at the Marquette Ojibwa Community Center. Music was provided by a
rental from Jim’s Music. Pizza was served,
and the teens each received a gift card. A Chi
Miigwetch to Officer Tony for attending and
keeping the dance safe.
The youth party was held on Sunday, December 20, at the U.P. Children’s Museum.
The children visited with Santa, received gifts
and enjoyed a carriage ride provided by Nathanial Luttenton.
Carrie Ashbrooke states, “When planning
these parties it takes people and time. Your
comments have been well received and the
Community is urged to participate in planning
next year’s parties. Watch the newsletter next
October and November for the 2010 Christmas party planning and development dates.”
~ submitted by newsletter editor
Photo by Carrie Ashbrooke
Photo by Carrie Ashbrooke
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KBIC GOV’T CHRISTMAS PARTY
KBIC held their annual government employee Christmas Party on Saturday, December 5,
2009, at the Big Bucks Bingo. Employees enjoyed a delicious dinner cooked and presented by
Migizi Wadiswan (Eagle’s Nest) Restaurant. The evening began at 5 p.m. with a social hour and
dinner was served at 6 p.m. “The Tree of Christmas Fortune Trivia Giveaway” game was held
after dinner. All employees had an even chance of winning VISA cards ranging from $75-$500,
or a consolation gift card from the Pines Convenience
Center. Julie Raby won the Packer tickets. All employees received a $50 Pines gift card and $25 Pat’s Foods
card for this year’s Christmas bonus. The event was
planned by the Christmas Party Task Force. Everybody
enjoyed the festive evening.
~ submitted by newsletter editor
Newsletter photo
Susan LaFernier presents the Tree of Christmas Fortune. Socks contained VISA cards for
the winning Trivia contestants.
Newsletter photo
Contestant Lynn Aho with CEO Larry Denomie, who hosted the Christmas trivia game.
(6) Ningodwaaswi
ATTENTION:
ALL TRIBAL COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN
Applications for Small Boat and Large Boat Commercial Fishing Licenses for the Year 2010-2011 Commercial Fishing Season are available at the KBIC License Department located in the KBIC Tribal Center.
The new license year will begin: May 1, 2010. Applications must be returned to the Licensing/Motor Vehicle
Office by: Friday, February 12, 2010. All applications
for licenses will be reviewed and selected by the Tribal
Council. The license fees are: $75.00 for Small Boat-On
Reservation; $200.00 for Small Boat-Off Reservation;
and $500.00 for Large Boat-Off Reservation. All tribal
members who apply must have completed the required
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Hazard Analysis
and critical Point (HACCP) training and present a
copy of the certificate with the application. A Boat
Safety Fishing Vessel Examination with a certified
official must be completed and that documentation must
be provided with the application. The application also
requests fishing vessel information including the vessel
name, number & length.
For Boat Safety Inspections contact:
Officer Tim Tilson/KBIC Conservation
353-6626
Officer Dale Goodreau/KBIC Conservation 353-6626
U.S. Coast Guard/Hancock
482-1520
Newsletter photo
New Schedule/Ojibwe Language teachings
Apprentice teachings:
JoAnne Racette—TBA;
Lisa Denomie—10am daily at Pre-primary/
daycare building;
Terri Denomie—2 pm Fridays at EHS/HS
building in Zeba;
Joe Dowd— 6 pm Tuesdays at his residence
in Zeba (temporary);
Liz Julio— 3:30 pm Tuesdays at Ojibwa Community College;
Dale Shalifoe— 6 pm Mondays at OHA Senior’s Complex (Commons area)
Wednesday night Language Table: Chippewa Room #1, Ojibwa Motel 7 pm.
The public is welcome to attend any of these
teachings. Lisa and Terri’s teachings occur
with the children of their respective programs.
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Employment Opportunities
http://www.kbicnsn.gov/html/
personnel.htm
∗
On Call positions:
* Community Service Supervisor
* LPN
* RN
* Unit Manager
* Account Executive/Sales
* Cashier
* Family Aide
* Receptionist/Clerical Worker
* Pre-Primary Teaching Assistant
* Youth Program & Facility Attendant
Dental Hygienist—January 6, 2010
For current job listings, complete job announcements,
applications and closing dates contact: KBIC Personnel
Department, 16429 Bear Town Road, Baraga, MI 49908-9210
or 906-353-6623, ext 4176 or 4140 or visit: www.ojibwa.com.
OJIBWEMOWIN
KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY
Gichi Manidoo Giizis —
Great Spirit Moon—January
W e l c o m e
Alexander Vincent
Madosh-Green
born 10/27/09, to
Lisa Madosh and
Eugene Ben Green.
Alexander weighed
9 lbs. 1 oz. and was
21 ½ inches long at
birth.
The language page was designed from reference of “A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota
Ojibwe” by John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm,
and from the Freelang Ojibwe/English on-line
~ Designed by newsletter editor
dictionary.
biiwan
aagimag
agoodwaaganen
1
gawajiwinan
boodawaaganan
waaboozwaaboo
anwebi
2
OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT
SERVICES
427 N. Superior Ave. • Baraga, MI 49908
In Tribal Court Building
Phone: 906-353-4566 • Fax: 906-353-8132
• Email: ocss@kbic-nsn.gov
“Your Children…Our Priority”
We provide the following services:
• Establishment, Enforcement and
• Location of Custodial and
Modification of Child Support Orders
Non-Custodial Parents
• Paternity Establishment
• Community Education
tp://www.kbic-nsn.gov/html/ocss.htm
3
1
2
3
4
Across
1. snare
2. snowshoe
3. blizzard
Down
1. rabbit soup
2. fireplace
3. freezing
4. rest
a _ _ _ _ i (rest)
a _ _ _ d w _ _ _ _ n _ n (snare)
g _ w _ _ i _ i _ _ n (freezing)
b _ _ _ _ n (blizzard)
a _ _ _ m a _ (snowshoe)
b _ _ _ a w _ _ _ a _ a n (fireplace)
w _ _ b _ _ z w _ _ _ o o (rabbit soup)
VOAKES RETURNS HOME
FROM AFGHANISTAN
KBIC member Christopher Voakes was
amongst the soldiers of 1431st Sapper Unit
who returned home to the Copper Country on
November 24. These Soldiers headed out of
the Copper Country on November 30, 2008, to
Mississippi for training. They were deployed
to Afghanistan where they searched for improvised explosive devices and served in a number of other areas. During the past two weeks,
the soldiers returned stateside for debriefing at
BUILDERS
Residential Building Specialists
353
353--7127
KBIC EVEN START
Welcome Maddan
Charles
Owens
born 12/07/09, in
Milwaukee, WI, to
Jami and Randy
Owens, Jr. Maddan weighed 8 lbs.
6 ozs. and was 20
inches long at birth.
Family Literacy Center
“2010 Open Enrollment”
Parent Workshop begins January 7th!
Call to sign up today! 353-8161
Camp
Shelby.
While serving his
term, Christopher
Voakes received a
purple heart for injuries
received
from multiple direct
IED explosions disabling the vehicles.
Christopher
Voakes is greeted
by his daughter
Josilyn
Rose.
Photo complimentary of the L’Anse
Sentinel,
Chris
Ford.
~ submitted by newsletter editor
BUILDING
SUPPLY
PLUMBING
& HEATING
For all your building supplies
For all your maintenance needs.
353
353--8850
New
ess
Busin
353
353--6967
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Housing Authority
"Owned and operated by the
Ojibwa Housing Authority.
All proceeds go to
affordable housing activities
in our community."
Newsletter editor designed ad
(7) Niizhwaaswi
How Clean Is Your Air?
January is RADON ACTION MONTH—Test
Your Home Today!!
The KBIC Natural Resources Department is
distributing FREE self-test kits to Tribal Members during Radon Action Month. Contact
Char Spruce at (906) 524-5757, ext. 14, for
more information.
What is radon? Radon is a radioactive
gas. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and
chemically inert. Unless you test for it, there is
no way of telling how much is present. Radon
is formed by the natural radioactive decay of
uranium in rock, soil, and water. Naturally existing, low levels of uranium occur widely in
Earth's crust. It can be found in all 50 states.
Once produced, radon moves through the
ground to the air above. Some remains below
the surface and dissolves in water that collects
and flows under the ground's surface. Radon
has a half-life of about four days—half of a
given quantity of it breaks down every four
days. When radon undergoes radioactive decay, it emits ionizing radiation in the form of
alpha particles.
What health effects are associated with
radon exposure? The Surgeon General has
warned that radon is the second leading cause
of lung cancer in the United States. There are
currently no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk than adults from radon.
No specific subtype of lung cancer is associated with radon exposure. Only smoking
causes more cases of lung cancer – if you
smoke and have long-term exposure to radon,
your chances of getting lung cancer are
greatly increased. Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your
lungs when you breathe. As they break down
further, these particles release small bursts of
energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead
to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime.
Breathing radon does not cause any shortterm health effects such as shortness of
breath, coughing, headaches, or fever, so it is
not possible to know if you have been exposed
right-away.
What is the "acceptable" level of radon
in air? The EPA states that any radon exposure carries some risk; no level of radon exposure is always safe. However, EPA recommends homes be fixed if an occupant's longterm exposure will average 4 picocuries per
liter (pCi/L) or higher.
How often is indoor radon a problem?
Nearly one out of every 15 homes has a radon
level EPA considers to be elevated—4 pCi/L
or greater. The U.S. average radon-in-air level
in single family homes is 1.3 pCi/L. Because
most people spend as much as 90 percent of
their time indoors, indoor exposure to radon is
an important concern.
How does radon get into a building?
Most indoor radon comes into the building
from the soil or rock beneath it. Most of the
gas moves through cracks and other openings. Once inside, the radon can become
trapped and concentrated. Openings which
commonly allow easy flow of the gases in include the following:
• Cracks in floors and walls
• Openings around sump pumps and drains
• Gaps in suspended floors
• Cavities in walls
• Joints in construction materials
• Gaps around utility penetrations (pipes and
wires)
Radon may also be dissolved in water, particularly well water. After coming from a faucet, about one ten thousandth of the radon in
water is typically released into the air. The
more radon there is in the water, the more it
Eating Green: Beyond Spinach
What does it mean to eat green, and why is
it important? Industrial agriculture relies heavily on synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers, the use of fossil fuels, and concentrated
operations such as feedlots, factory farms, and
crop monoculture. These practices place a
burden on the environment and human health.
As consumers we have the choice of more
sustainable, green options.
Reduce Meat Consumption
Reducing the consumption
of meat produces the greatest
benefit to both human health
and the environment. Meat is
the most resource intensive
food requiring large amounts of water, grain,
land, and chemical inputs including hormones,
pesticides, fertilizers, and antibiotics. Moreover, animal based diets that are high in saturated fat and protein are linked to heart disease; colon, breast, and prostate cancer; and
type II diabetes. David Pimentel, Professor of
Ecology in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, found some interesting facts:
The seven billion livestock animals in the
United States consume five times as much
grain as is consumed directly by the entire
American population.
Each year an estimated 41 million tons of
plant protein is fed to U.S. livestock to produce an estimated seven million tons of
animal protein for human consumption.
On average, animal protein production in
the U.S. requires 28 kilocalories (kcal) for
every kcal of protein produced for human
consumption. Beef and lamb are the most
costly, in terms of fossil fuel energy input
to protein output at 54:1 and 50:1, respectively. Turkey and chicken meat production
are the most efficient (13:1 and 4:1, respectively). Grain production, on average,
requires 3.3 kcal of fossil fuel for every
kcal of protein produced.
U.S. agriculture accounts for 87 percent of
all the fresh water consumed each year.
Every kilogram of beef produced takes
100,000 liters of water. Some 900 liters of
water go into producing a kilogram of
wheat. Potatoes are even less "thirsty," at
500 liters per kilogram.
More than 302 million hectares of land are
devoted to producing feed for the U.S. livestock population.
About 90 percent of U.S. cropland is losing
soil -- to wind and water erosion -- at 13
times above the sustainable rate.
Go Organic
Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on crop rotation,
green manure, compost, biological
pest control, and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity
and control pest, excluding or strictly limiting
the use of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic
pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock
feed additives, and genetically modified organisms. When you eat organic, you are not only
can contribute to the indoor radon level. The
average outdoor air level is about 0.4 pCi/L,
but it can be higher in some areas. While radon problems may be more common in some
geographic areas, any home may have an elevated radon level. New and old homes, well-
putting healthy food in your body but supporting a healthy ecosystems and workers who
are safer from chemicals. Buying organic can
be more expensive. The Environmental Working Group created a guide to help consumers
choose which fruits and vegetables to buy organic to reduce pesticide exposure. Below is
a list of the dirty dozen (those you should buy
organic) and the clean 15 (those that have
less pesticide residues).
Dirty Dozen
1. Peach
2. Apple
3. Bell Pepper
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (imported)
Clean 15
1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet Peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Carrot
12. Pear
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato
Buy Local
Buying or harvesting seasonal, local food
reduces the amount of energy required for
food production because of the closer distance
from farm to plate. According to the Leopold
Center for Sustainable Agriculture, food, on
average, travels 1,500 miles to get to your local grocery store. Buying local also supports
the local economy and puts more money in the
farmers’ pocket by not having to spend so
much on packing, processing, refrigeration,
marketing, and shipping. Better yet try to grow
your own garden (organically of course) to
bring the food even closer to home.
Other Ideas
Look for unpackaged or minimally packaged foods, instead of buying foods that come
in excessive packaging (most of which is petroleum-based plastics).
Experiment with
bringing your own containers and buying in
bulk, or pick brands that use bio-based plastic
packing. And of course, try and recycle or reuse any packaging you end up with.
Buy less, waste less. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food leftovers
are the single-largest component of the waste
stream by weight in the United States. Over
12 percent of the total municipal solid waste
generated in American households was food
scraps and less than three percent was recovered. The rest was thrown away and disposed
in landfills or combusted in incinerators. Composting leftovers will ease the burden on the
landfill, and give you a great organic fertilizer
for healthy garden soil.
If you have any questions or would like
more information, contact the Natural Resources Department at 524-5757.
~ submitted by Katherine Kruse
sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or
without basements can have a problem.
Homes below the third floor of a multi-family
building are particularly at risk.
January has been declared as National Radon Action Month by the Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) as an effort to take
action against radon by educating people on
the risks of exposure, testing, and mitigation.
Learn more at http://www.epa.gov/radon/
nram/.
~ submitted by Char Spruce
(8) Ishwaaswi
L’Anse Reservation Well Abandonments
Update
In 2004,
we received
funding from
the Bureau
of Indian Affairs
Environmental
Management
program to
Unused well needing abandonment.
abandon unused Tribal
member wells on the L’Anse Reservation. To
date we have abandoned 17 wells that were
no longer in use.
Unused wells pose a risk to drinking water
sources by providing a potential pathway for
contaminants to be released directly to
groundwater. Abandoning unused wells by
sealing them with cement or bentonite eliminates this potential risk and helps ensure
groundwater aquifers are protected.
Well abandonments have been contracted
out to Rhinelander Well Drilling and Larson
Well and Pump Company. Tribal Construction
Company has sealed some shallow, dug wells
located on-Reservation.
Well abandonment is just one of the many
ways your Natural Resource Department is
working to protect human health and environmental quality on the Reservation. If you have
knowledge of an unabandoned well or have
any questions, please contact Micah Petoskey, Water Resources Specialist, KBNRD at
524-5757 ext. 15 or mpetoskey@kbic-nsn.gov.
~ submitted by Micah Petoskey
COLLEGE PREP MEDICINE
High school students from across Michigan
visited Northern Michigan University in Marquette recently for the College Prep Medicine
Wheel Academy. The academy was the brainchild of two women in the NMU Center for Native American Studies: faculty member, Adriana Greci Green and director, April Lindala.
They realized there were limited opportunities for Native American high school students
in the region to obtain an in-depth campus experience (unlike middle school students who
attend a summer leadership program at NMU).
They also recognized that there was little Native American representation in the health sciences, particularly nursing.
The two-year program was funded by the
NMU Wildcat Innovation Fund and the NMU
College of Arts and Sciences. Several partners from Marquette General Health System,
along with faculty and students from the university’s School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences Department, contributed to the success
of the program.
“We have been hearing very positive and
enthusiastic feedback from the youth who visited with us and their chaperones, as well as
from the faculty who participated,” said Greci
Green. “We are grateful to the NMU students
who ran the workshops, mentored these high
school students, and shared their own personal passions about their chosen fields. It
was engaging, informational, and fun. I don't
think the youth were ever bored or disinterested; tired, perhaps, but definitely into it. We
also had community participation in the karaoke/drum social and some special time at the
fire site with my colleague Kenn Pitawanakwat, who brought it all back to center.”
Niim Reinhardt, a senior from Gwinn, participated in the College Prep Medicine Wheel
Academy. She said it opened her eyes to the
variety of health-related career choices available.
“I now know that health care doesn’t always
have to mean being a doctor or nurse,” she
added. “There are many people who go into
fields like speech, physical therapy, and hear-
The Ojibwa Community Library is excited about the newest addition to the library. PII, patron
initiated interlibrary loan, is now available for those patrons who have internet at home. Visit the
library to learn how to use this service. Also ask about MeL, Michigan electronic library, this
gives you access to journals, magazines, newspapers, and books on nearly every topic imaginable. A great resource for everyone.
~ Mary Bergerson, Library Director
Photo by NMU, Center for
Native American Studies
ing. This is a great way to introduce the health
field to those who aren’t interested in it only
because they know nothing about it. It’s also a
great way to get more background information
on the career you choose because you actually get to see what it is that those people do
for a living and that influences your choice a
lot.”
Betsy Trudeau, a senior at Hannahville Indian School, said, “It made me want to be a
doctor even more. My favorite part of the pro-
gram was when I got to watch open-heart surgery at the hospital during my shadowing. I
also learned about the prefusionists and what
role they have in the operating room. I would
suggest this program to other students who
are interested in the health field, only because
there aren't many opportunities to go and visit
inside a hospital and to meet the people we
did.”
When asked if the program changed their
viewpoints about the health field, Manistique
junior Felicia Reid wrote, “I learned more
about what I would like to work in medical field
and how competitive it is.” One student commented in the anonymous survey that the best
part of the program was being at the Center
for Native American Studies fire site and learning more about Anishinaabe culture.
The next session of the College Prep Medicine Wheel Academy will take place in midMay of 2010. Anyone interested in learning
more should call the NMU Center for Native
American Studies at 906-227-1397.
~ submitted by April Lindala
(9) Zhaangaswi
website: www.kboha.com
Mission: To provide affordable and attractive housing opportunities in a
safe and healthy environment to qualifying tribal members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, encourage self-improvement of the
community’s low income families, and provide employment opportunities.
Programs and Services provided by the KBOHA:
• Low income rental homes and apartments
1. 158 Homes/apartments in Baraga
2. 50 Homes in Zeba
3. 40 Homes in Marquette/Harvey;
• Supportive housing/transitional housing to help address family issues;
• New, custom built, super-insulated homes for homeownership on
Bear Town Road;
• Home buyer training to prepare members for home ownership;
• Financial literacy training to improve members’ financial skills;
• Home maintenance training to improve members’ ability to maintain
homes;
• Home rehabilitation program to improve the condition of memberowned homes;
• Home emergency assistance program to remedy negative conditions in the home;
• Individual development account program – a 4:1 matched savings
program for member goals that include:
“Good day!
My
name is Timothy
A.E. Fillmore, most
call me Tim. First of
all, I would like to
thank the KBIC for
inviting me to work
and be a part of
their community as
a member of Tribal
Social Services Department. As the Foster
Care Title IV-E Project Director, I will be assisting the KBIC in implementing a strong and
supportive program for the families and youth
of the KBIC.
A little about myself, I’m a father of three
awesome kids; Jack (7), Eileen Dawn (4) and
baby Llewellyn (1½) and married to Kyra
Ziomkowski-Fillmore. My life revolves around
them, and when I’m not with them, I’m here! I
attended Grand Valley State University and
received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and
Psychology (2000) and decided to spend a
year in rural Alaska (2000-2001), where I
taught secondary science in the Yup’ik speaking village of Chefornak. From here I completed a Master’s degree in Environmental
Policy at Michigan Technological University
(2003) where I continued my research with the
Yup’ik aiding them in documenting their ethnographic history for their Traditional Council.
Upon completion of my Master’s degree I
worked for a year at KBOCC as Dean of Science and Math helping with their Environmental Science Program. I then took a job
with the Bay Mills Indian Community where I
taught secondary science classes for a year
at their Ojibwe Charter School (2004-2005).
Finally, I made way back to Marquette, where I
started my Social Work career at Great Lakes
Recovery Centers, where I worked for two
years as a substance abuse counselor (20052007). Recently, I have spent the past two
years working for Teaching Family Homes as
a Family Specialist.
I am currently finishing a Clinical Master’s
Degree in Social Work from Michigan State
University with the hope that knowledge
through that program, the Creator, and KBIC
will aide me in successfully serving your community.”
(10) Midaaswi
1. Down payment assistance for home purchase;
2. College tuition and expenses for residents;
3. Business expansion/start-up expenses.
•
Low cost home improvement loan program for qualifying Tribal
members;
• Low cost tax preparation program for residents and Tribal members;
• Surplus FEMA mobile home program for Tribal members;
• Stipend program covering mileage and child care expenses for
residents attending college;
• Affordable curbside trash service for residents and members;
• Prescription subsidy program to reimburse Tribal elders and disabled households for prescriptions purchased;
• Ojibwa Building Supply Do It Best—providing Tribal employment,
quality affordable building supplies and profits for housing programs;
• Ojibwa Builders Construction Company—providing Tribal employment, quality affordable construction, and profits for housing programs;
• Market rate rentals—five rental properties in Baraga and one in
Negaunee- providing profits for housing programs;
• Ojibwa BP, Car Wash and Laundry- providing Tribal employment,
superior products and service, and profits for housing programs.
A m b e r
Franti
has
been hired as
an Information Technology Support
Technician.
Amber graduated
from
Michigan
Tech in 2006,
with a Bachelor’s Degree
Newsletter photo
in Mathematics/Statistics.
Amber states, “I recently worked at Terex Handlers in the materials department, performing
IT support on the side from regular duties. I
was born and raised in Baraga County, and I
am excited that I could find a job in the area
with the tough economy, so I could raise my
family here. I have a three-year-old son,
Logan, and we currently reside in Covington. I
enjoy playing softball, hanging out with family
and friends, camping, and recently joined the
bowling league.”
Waste Management services provided by the
Ojibwa Housing Authority will be separated between Wednesdays and Thursdays starting in
2010. Baraga housing residents and those located on Mission 41 will receive pick-up on
Thursdays. All other Baraga households and
L’Anse residents will continue Wednesday services. Contact OHA at 353-7117, ext 101, with
any questions. Happy Holidays!
KBNRD Assistance from
Ottawa Sportsman’s Club
Members of the Ottawa Sportsman’s Club
spent two days assisting KBNRD in marking
>30,000 lake trout and brook trout for stocking
into local streams. The size of fish ranged
from four inches to eleven inch adult brook
trout. As part of a typical hatchery operation
protocol, fish that are to be introduced into the
wild from a hatchery should be marked in a
way that makes them identifiable as hatchery
origin. In this case, 30,000 fish needed to
have two of their fins “clipped” leaving a permanent mark for later survival research purposes. This is time consuming work, and we
appreciate the efforts of the Ottawa Sportsman’s Club! Thanks! (Miigwetch!)
Assisting were: Tim Bennett, Harm and
Otto Bennink, Josh Dufek, Bill Lahti, Anthony
LaPlante, Sr., Arnie Putala, Mike Roth, Harlan
Tollefson, and Russ Weisinger.
~ article and pictures submitted by Evelyn Ravindran
Did you know? Facts about the Ojibwa
Senior Meal Program
• Congregate Meals are available at the
Ojibwa Senior Center five days a week for
seniors age 55 and up.
• Home Delivered Meals (HDM) are available to *qualified persons five days a
week. (see below criteria)
In addition to providing nutrition services to
older Indians, a Tribal organization may:
1. Provide nutrition services to the spouse of
older Indians;
2. Provide nutrition service to non-elderly
handicapped or disabled Indians who reside in housing facilities occupied primarily
by the elderly, at which congregate nutrition services are provided;
3. Offer a meal, on the same basis as meals
are provided to older Indians, to individuals
providing volunteer services during meal
hours;
4. Provide a meal to individuals with disabilities who reside in a non-institutional
household with and accompany a person
eligible for congregated meals under that
part.
Criteria for home delivered meals include:
9.2.3.10 Title III C:
A. Individuals eligible to receive congregated
meals and nutrition support services include:
1. any person age 55 or older and his/her
spouse regardless of age; or
2. any handicapped or disabled individuals, who have not attained 55 years of
age, but who reside in housing facilities
occupied primarily by elderly persons
at which congregated nutrition services
provided; or
3. Individuals, regardless of age, providing volunteer services during meal
hours based on procedures established by each area agency; or
4. Individuals with disabilities, regardless
of age, who reside at home with or accompany eligible, older individuals, are
eligible based on procedures established by each area agency, which allow nutrition providers the option to
provide such services.
B. Individuals eligible to receive home delivered meals and nutrition support services
include those individuals, age 60 or older,
who have been determined to be in need
of home delivered meals based on an assessment of need, developed by the state
agency and area agencies, which assesses functional ability, adequate support
systems, and risk.
1. Area agencies must insure that each
nutrition program uses written eligibility
criteria to assess the need for service.
At a minimum, the following criteria
must be included:
a. an older individual must be homebound, that is unable to leave
home due to disabling physical
emotional or cognitive impairment;
b. an older must be unable to participate in a congregate meal because of impairment or lack of appropriate transportation;
c. an individual is unable to obtain
food and prepare a nutritious meal;
d. an individual has no family, friends
or community support able and
willing to assist in meal preparation.
2. Depending on the individual’s condition, the eligibility status must be reevaluated on a regular basis but not
less frequently than once every six
months;
3. Priority shall be given to emergency
requests in which home delivered
meals are started as soon as possible
after the determination of urgent need.
* Please see Philly Ekdahl or call 353-6096.
CEO’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2009.
Activities reported by the CEO Larry Denomie
for the month of November 2009.
Last month I reported on a grant opportunity for the Tribes Wellness Program. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to complete
the grant application,and we conceded to have
the Inter-Tribal Council of MI apply on our behalf. If ITC is funded, there may be a possibility that KBIC will have a wellness coordinator
funded. The award notices are expected in
early 2010.
In October of this year, I attended the two
language programs the Tribe offers which are
coordinated by Gary Loonsfoot, Jr. I was very
impressed with what is taking place through
the two programs, and our Community should
be very proud of the accomplishment. I encourage everyone to stop by and see for themselves the outstanding progress that is taking
place.
The first program I visited is under the instruction of Earl Otchingwanigan. The nearly
three hour class is held every Thursday at the
Tribe’s Cultural Center located adjacent to the
campground. The six apprentices and Earl
are to be commended for their efforts and
dedication to the program. It was clearly evident that progress is being made and acquisition of our language is occurring. The six apprentices; Lisa Denomie, Joe Dowd, Liz Julio,
Terri Denomie, Dale Shalifoe and JoAnne
Racette are all committed and are making a
difference in the revitalization of our language.
The second program I visited was the Bay
Mills Pane Immersion Program. That program
is also showing success and is also conducted
at the Cultural Center. Their classes take
place one weekend per month totaling 24
hours and there are five sessions per semester. While partaking in the class, I was able to
easily identify students who have been in the
program longer that others such as Peggy
Minton, Bev Lussier, Toni Minton, Peggy Dunn
and others I didn’t know. The instructors, Barbra Nolan and Rose Trudeau did an outstanding job with engaging the nearly 20 students who were in attendance in their all native language skits. Again, all of the students
taking part in the program are to be commended for their part in revitalizing the language.
Both programs are very thankful for the
Tribal Council’s support of their programs and
will in the near future attend one of your meetings to share their gift and experiences.
On November 13, the Ojibwa Community
College hosted a celebration in light of their
accomplishment of attaining initial candidacy
status from the Higher Learning Commission.
I wasn’t able to attend the function but do extend congratulations to the Board of Regents,
President Parrish and all of the staff and faculty who worked very hard to reach their goal.
During the month of November meetings
were held to further design and plan the Communities Solid Waste Transfer Station. Grant
funds through the Indian Health Service totaling $500,000 will be used to construct the facility in the Tribes Industrial Park. A business
plan is being developed to operate the facility.
Once operational, the business will create two
to three new jobs.
On November 23rd and 24th, I participated
in a comprehensive project development and
capacity building initiative for a supportive
housing program for the Tribe. The opportunity was planned and organized by Vicki Dompier of the Ojibwa Housing Authority. Two presenters involved with the Corporation for Supportive Housing led the full and half day sessions. The sessions took the group of KBIC
and Ojibwa Housing Authority staff through a
planning process which will aid us in formally
putting together a plan. A small team of staff
from both entities has been formed to further
work on the project and we will be reporting to
Council in the coming months.
The annual Christmas Gift Check distribution for Baraga and Marquette Counties took
place on the 24th and 25th respectfully. The
distribution totaled approximately $800,000
which is going directly back into the local
economies of surrounding communities
through purchases being made by our members. During the distribution we were able to
acquire additional information through a short
survey for the Supportive Housing Project, collect birthdays, anniversaries and memorials for
a Tribal Community Calendar, complete subscriptions for the Tribe’s monthly newsletter,
and sign children up for the annual youth
Christmas Parties. We are hoping that none
of the members who participated felt bombarded with the extra effort. The information
gathered will be very useful, and we are very
thankful for their time – we do apologize if anyone was inconvenienced.
I want to include some statistics relating to
jobs created by the Tribe in this month’s report. Over the past three years, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, through its
enterprises, governmental operations and
chartered entities, has created over 100 new
jobs. That total doesn’t include the many jobs
created or sustained through many projects
funded by the Tribe through Tribal and grant
funds and awarded to local businesses. The
Tribe has been and continues to be an integral
part of reviving the local and regional economy. The upcoming projects and business opportunities under consideration will further
work toward creating and sustaining needed
jobs.
As always if anyone has questions, concerns or issues the CEO’s office can assist
with, please don’t hesitate to stop by, e-mail or
call.
Miigwetch,
Larry J. Denomie III, CEO
NOTICE: To all Tribal Seniors 55-years of age and older, and permanently physically handicapped persons:
SNOW PLOWING REQUIREMENTS
1. Keweenaw Bay Tribal member;
2. Head of household;
3. Reside on reservation (Baraga Co.);
4. Address and phone number;
5. Proof of age and/or PERMANENT physical disability;
6. Sign up at the front desk at the Tribal Center with proof of each item listed above or mail information to: Tribal Maintenance Department, 16429 Bear Town Road, Baraga, MI 49908.
Are you missing your Giikendaam Chiwiikwegamag in the mail?
•
•
You may still request being added to the updated mailing list by contacting the Enrollment
Office at 906-353-6623, ext. 4113, or by e-mail to one of the following - dianas@kbicnsn.gov, jennifer@kbic-nsn.gov, or jeanne@kbic-nsn.gov and state that you wish to continue to receive the Tribal newsletter by mail, please spell your name and give your mailing
address.
Or drop a note to:
KBIC Newsletter Mailing List, Attn: Enrollment Office,
16429 Bear Town Road, Baraga , MI 49908
(11) Ashi bezhig
Newsletter editor designed ad
January 2010 Calendars Events
Jan. 1 — Tribal Gov’t offices closed, New Years Day
Jan. 9 — Regular Saturday Council Meeting, 10 a.m.
Jan. 18 — Tribal Gov’t offices closed, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
~ submitted by newsletter editor
Events occurring throughout KBIC are welcome to be listed on the Calendar of
Events. Contact newsletter@kbic.nsn.gov to list your events. Some events are more
detailed FYI within the newsletter. For up-to-date event listings, visit www.ojibwa.com
and click on calendar. For Youth events, see @ www.ojibwa.com, click on youth club,
or contact 353-4643/Main Office at Youth Club, or 353-4644 for the facility attendants or
the Kitchen/craft rooms.
W.H.I.P.P. continued:
for the times).
Remember that the Walk & Talk Program is in progress until
April. The OCC gym is available for walking from 10:30 am—1:30
pm each day with prizes every ten times you walk. Contact Heather
or Kathy at the Donald A. LaPointe Health & Human Services from
more information.
Also January is National Blood Donor Month. Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to the holidays,
travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. Every day in our
country, approximately 39,000 units of blood are required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and
other diseases, for organ transplant recipients, and to help save the
lives of accident victims. Be watching for the next blood donor drive
in our community and we encourage you to donate. Thank you to all
who donate throughout the year, every year to save lives.
A very Happy, Healthy, New Year to all!
(12) Ashi Niizh
~ submitted by Susan LaFernier
Permit No. 5
Calumet, MI
PAID
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
16429 Bear Town Rd-Baraga, Mi 49908-9210
U.S Postage
PRESORTED STD
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.