Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (2024)

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

2024 ANNUAL REPORT

Ma’iingan

(Wolf)

Wolf Clan members are traditionally known

as warriors, protectors, and thinkers. They are

valued for their strong sense of loyalty, intelligence, perseverance, and guardianship.

The Seven Grandfathers Teachings

Debwewin— Truth

Gwekwaadziwin— Honesty

Aakdewin— Bravery

Nbwaakaawin— Wisdom

Minadendmowin— Respect

Zaagidwin— Love

Dbaadendizwin— Humility

—Be faithful to reality

—Tell the truth

—Choose with courage

—Use good judgment

—Act without harm

—Practice absolute kindness

—Treat all life equally

Win Awenen Nisitotung Special Section

Inside ...

Board of Directors.................................... 2

2024 CEO Overview.................................. 3

Financials.................................................. 5

Tribal Court............................................... 7

Natural Resources.................................... 8

Language & Culture.................................. 10

Repatriation.............................................. 10

Health........................................................ 11

Elder Services........................................... 13

ACFS.......................................................... 14

Housing Authority..................................... 16

Education.................................................. 17

Recreation................................................. 19

Law Enforcement...................................... 20

Facilities.................................................... 21

2% Report................................................. 23

EDC............................................................ 24

2024 Annual Report

Page 2

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

TRIBE’S GOVERNING BODY: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Austin Lowes,

Chairman

Kimberle Gravelle

Director, Unit I

Isaac McKechnie

Director, Unit I

Robert McRorie

Director, Unit I

Michael McKerchie,

Director, Unit I

Aaron Payment

Director, Unit I

lana Causley-Smith,

Kimberly Lee,

Director, Unit II

Shawn Borowicz,

Director, Unit III

Bridgett Sorenson,

Director, Unit III

Director, Unit II

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of

Chippewa Indians Board of

Directors

Larry Barbeau,

Director, Unit IV

Kimberly Hampton,

Director, Unit IV

Tyler LaPlaunt

Director, Unit V

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

seven-county service area

The tribe’s seven-county service area consists of the seven easternmost counties in

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: Marquette, Delta, Alger, Schoolcraft, Luce, Mackinac and

Chippewa.

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors is the governing body

of the tribe. There are 12 board members and one chairperson,

elected to four-year terms. The board members represent the five

units of the tribe’s service area in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of

Michigan. The chairperson is elected at large. Five board members represent Unit I, two board members represent Unit II, two

board members represent Unit III, two board members represent Unit IV, and one board member represents Unit V. Regular

meetings are held twice a month, usually on Tuesdays.

See www.saulttribe.com/government/board-of-directors for

the meeting schedule, board votes and minutes. See www.facebook.com/saulttribe for live meeting links. Write to your board

representative care of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa

Indians, 523 Ashmun St., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783.

Board of Directors contacts

Austin Lowes, Chairman

(906) 203-5898

alowes@saulttribe.net

Michael McKerchie, Unit 1

(906) 440-7768

mmckerchie@saulttribe.net

Isaac McKechnie,

Unit 1, Treasurer

(906) 203-4787

imckechnie@saulttribe.net

Robert McRorie, Unit 1

(906) 379-8068

rmcrorie@saulttribe.net

Aaron Payment, Unit 1

(906) 440-8946

apayment@saulttribe.net

Kimberle Gravelle, Unit 1

(906) 259-3742

kgravelle@saulttribe.net

Kimberly Lee, Unit 2

(906) 379-8965

klee@saulttribe.net

Lana Causley-Smith,

Unit 2

(906) 322-3818

lcausley@saulttribe.net

Bridgett Sorenson, Unit 3

(906) 430-0536

bsorenson@saulttribe.net

Shawn Borowicz, Unit 3

(906) 379-8511

sborowicz@saulttribe.net

Kimberly Hampton,

Unit 4, Secretary

(906) 440-8138

khampton@saulttribe.net

Larry Barbeau, Unit 4

(906) 259-3040

lbarbeau@saulttribe.net

Tyler LaPlaunt, Unit 5,

Vice-Chairman

(906) 440-8294

tlaplaunt@saulttribe.net

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 3

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

Vision

The Executive Office of

the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of

Chippewa Indians provides

leadership through efficient

governance systems, and effective administration of all departments, programs and services

to ensure benefit to the tribal

membership for the next seven

generations.

Purpose

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of

Chippewa Indians is committed

to communicating and working

together to develop and implement programs and services to

positively impact the lives of

tribal members, strengthening

tribal families and communities

to live mino bimaadiziwin [a

good life].

Executive Office Functions

— Internal Structures and

Procedures

— Coordination of communication between leadership and

team members

— Collaboration across tribal

operations

— Membership access to

tribal programming

Supervisory Responsibilities

Executive Team:

— Deputy Chief Executive

Officer: DCEO Executive

Assistant, ACFS, Education,

Elderly Services, Membership

Liaisons, Recreation,

Repatriation and Historic

Preservation, Language and

Culture

— Efficiency Analyst /

Trainer

— Administrative Manager:

CEO Executive Assistant,

Chairman’s Executive Assistant,

Admin Reception / Mailroom

Department Oversight:

Strategic Planning Director,

Communications Director,

Consortium for Cooperative

Ecological Resilience Director,

Chief of Law Enforcement,

Human Resources Director,

Natural Resources Division

Director, Tribal Registrar of

Enrollment

Board of Directors

Directives and Reporting

In 2024, The Chief Executive

Officer (CEO) attended 30

board meetings and 46 workshops. A total of 100 resolutions

were passed, addressing administrative, contract, or grant tribal

needs.

Major directives included:

— Governmental Directors

and the Executive Office participated in “Denim Day” in

support of Sexual Assault

Awareness month during the

month of April.

— The CEO took part in a

listening session on May 17

with First Lady Jill Biden and

Second Gentleman Douglas

Emhoff to discuss health challenges facing Indian Country.

— The CEO played an active

role in the recruitment and

selection of key personnel by

participating in interview panels, evaluating candidates’ qualifications, and ensuring alignment with the organizations,

mission, values, and long-term

goals.

— Improved communication

for the membership by installing audio/visual conferencing

The annual Team Member Recognition Luncheon for Kewadin, Government and EDC was held on April 29.

systems in four tribal facilities

across the Sault Tribe’s seven-county service area.

— Managed ARPA funds

allocated for government departments to ensure their computer

and technology systems remain

current.

— The annual Team Member

Recognition Luncheon for

Kewadin, Governmental and

Enterprise team members was

held April 29. A total of 193

team members were recognized,

with 117 in attendance.

— The annual team building event took place on Aug. 9

in four locations — Sault Ste.

Marie, St. Ignace, Munising and

Manistique — with a combined

total of 454 in attendance.

— Implementation of the

Governmental Compensation

Study as passed by the Board of

Directors, resolution 2024-410

Comprehensive Classification

and Compensation Study Project

#24-028.

— The Mackinac Straits

Health System, now home to

the St. Ignace Tribal Health

Clinic, held its grand opening in

August. A special ceremony was

held to place an eagle feather at

the entrance, symbolizing healing for all who enter. Project

trustees also came together for a

ceremonial signing ahead of the

final truss installation.

Budget Oversight

The CEO Office oversees

90 cost centers across eight

divisions/departments. The

chief executive officer attended

budget oversight meetings, submitted 68 budget modifications

and establishments that were

approved by the board of directors in 2024.

Overview of Governmental

Departments

Communications

Department

The Communication mission

is to inform and educate tribal

members and the public concerning the Sault Tribe’s nature,

activities and issues that affect

the tribe and its people.

— The Communications

Department published 12 online

and 12 print editions of Win

Awenen Nisitotung (One Who

Understands)

— Gained 1,151 Facebook

followers in 2024, ending with

15,947 followers

— Administrated Sault Tribe

website, Facebook and Intranet,

updating daily

— Website: 365 posts, 364

posts unpublished, 169 web

page updates

— Assisted Bellwether PR

with Sault Tribe public relations, fisheries PR projects, 2%

PR projects and as directed

— Assisted with Employee

Recognition Luncheon planning

and communications and provided coverage

— Assisted with Employee

Team Building Event planning

and communications, provided

coverage and group shot with

drone camera

— The Communications

Director joined the Emergency

Response Preparedness workgroup as the Public Information

Officer to ensure communication during an emergency incident.

Consortium for Cooperative

Ecological Resilience (CCER)

On June 6, 2023, the

Board of Directors approved

Resolution 2023-192, which

directed the Sault Tribe Wildlife

Program—now CCER—to

pursue formal relationships

and establish Memoranda of

Understanding (MOUs) with

universities and federal agencies. Since then, CCER has

made significant progress

toward this goal. In 2024, we

developed MOUs with the

U.S. Forest Service – Northern

Research Station, Michigan

State University, and the

University of Michigan. We

also executed a cooperative

agreement with the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service and initiated efforts to place CCER

Postdoctoral Researcher Evan

Wilson within the newly established U.S. Geological Survey

Fish and Wildlife Cooperative

Research Unit.

Collaboration Presentations

— We Get by With a

Little Help from Our Friends:

Developing Ma’iingan

Assessment Protocols in the

1836 Treaty Ceded Territory

- Permits, Traps, Tracks,

Cameras, and Anesthesia,

Native American Fish and

Wildlife Society – Wolf

Workgroup, May 1

— Supporting Treaty Rights

and Community Relationships

through the Development of

Decision Support Frameworks

guided by Anishinaabe and

Western Sciences, US Fish

and Wildlife Service – Coastal

Program Leadership Team, Sault

Ste. Marie, Mich., May 2

— Supporting Treaty Rights

and Community Relationships

through the Development of

Decision Support Frameworks

guided by Anishinaabe and

Western Sciences. TEK in Fire

Symposium, Inter-Tribal Timber

Council Annual Conference,

Cherokee, N.C., May 16

— Advancing Partnerships

between the Sault Tribe and the

University of Michigan centering the Chase Osborn Preserve

as a Tribally-led collaborative

research forest; Meeting with

Sault Tribe, Senator Irwin, UM

Governmental Relations, Ann

Arbor, Mich., May 24.

— Advancing

Co-Stewardship of Federal

Lands & Demonstrating

Relational Engagement in

Remnant Boreal Forests in the

EUP; Utilizing Anishinaabe

and Western Sciences to drive

resilience in remnant boreal

forest ecological systems, Rise

to the Future Awards Seminars,

Washington, DC, July 10

— Co-stewardship on the

Hiawatha National Forest; Sault

Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa

Indians and United States

Forest Service, First Nations

Development Institute- Shared

Horizons Co-management

Conference, Gila River Indian

Community, Ariz.; Nov. 19

— Landscape Approaches

to Co-management and

Co-stewardship; First Nations

Development Institute- Shared

Horizons Co-management

Conference, Gila River Indian

Community, Ariz.; Nov. 20

— Advancing Adaptive

Co-management in Hemiboreal

Ecosystems within the 1836

Treaty Ceded Territory,

Michigan the Beautiful; –

Steering Committee, online;

Dec. 13

Highlights

— CCER hosts monthly

coordination meetings with

Tribal Nations across the Great

Lakes Basin to collaboratively guide planning efforts. In

2024, key activities included

co-hosting a joint meeting with

NOAA, the Michigan Wild Rice

Initiative, and the Inter-Tribal

Council of Michigan; supporting a University of Michigan

student team in conducting

interviews with tribal agencies;

and beginning a conceptual

design to remove the dike system from Munuscong Bay in the

St. Mary’s River.

— In May, CCER hosted the

second in-person workshop at

Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste.

Marie to advance the development of collaborative planning

tools. This effort also includes

the creation of an adaptive management framework to guide the

control of invasive cattails and

the restoration of Manoomin

and other native plant communities in Munuscong Bay.

— In 2024, CCER made

substantial progress on several

Tribal Forest Protection Act

objectives. Many of the research

projects described above are

specifically designed to fill

critical information gaps necessary for adaptive management.

Key accomplishments included

completing snowshoe hare fire

response simulations for the

Betchler Marsh burn complex

and compiling initial whitetailed deer habitat models for

northern white cedar research

sites.

Enrollment Department

The Enrollment Department

oversees the tribal member

enrollment and maintains its

database, and offers tribal member services: tribal membership

cards, tuition waiver certifications, blood quantum certifications, relinquishment requests,

enrollment of children, update

address changes, assist in the

process of obtaining a treaty

fishing license, family genealogy, eagle feather permits and

form BIA-4432 (Indian preference forms).

— On Feb. 1, the membership rolls officially re-opened.

The rolls were originally

closed to adults in 1998. The

roles remained closed until

2005 when they were opened

for 9 months. As of Dec. 31,

there are 51,740 [living] members enrolled with the Sault

Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa

Indians.

— The 2024 Elder Dividend

payment was released in the

amount of $360 to 7,987 elders.

Page 4

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE 2024 REPORTING, cont’d

— The Enrollment Department is

exploring the possibility of offering enhanced tribal cards. The

department is hoping to have this

implemented by the end of 2025.

Governmental Relations

Department

The Government Relations

Department’s vision is to protect

and advance the administrative

and legislative interests of the

Sault Tribe at the state, federal

and tribal level.

— Rx Kids: The Government

Relations department collaborated with the tribal chairman on

launching the first-ever city-wide

cash prescription program for

pregnant mothers and babies,

offering $3,000 in unconditional

support during pregnancy and

the first three months of life. The

program, currently active in Flint,

is also being piloted in Chippewa,

Luce, Mackinac, Schoolcraft, and

Alger counties.

— Opioid Settlement Funds

(OSF): MDHHS agreed to divide

$20 million in Opioid Settlement

Funds equally among Michigan’s

13 federally recognized tribes,

allocating $153,846 to the Sault

Tribe. Unused funds by Sept. 30,

2025, may carry over to FY 2026.

— The Governmental

Relations Health Care Listening

Session with the First Lady, Dr.

Jill Biden and Second Gentleman

took place May 17 at the

Nagaanagiizhik Building in Sault

Ste. Marie, Mich.

— Labor Day Bridge Walk:

The Governmental Relations

Department coordinated the Labor

Day bridge work for Chairman

Lowes to walk with Senator

Damoose and Vice-Chairman

Tyler LaPlaunt to walk with Lt.

Governor Garlin Gilchrist.

Housing Authority

The mission of the Sault Tribe

Housing Authority is to improve

the quality of life for our tribal

members through affordable and

unique housing opportunities.

Resident Services

The Resident Services

Department processed 166 applications in 2024 for rental units,

completed 55 move-ins and conducted 1,747 home visits. The

Occupancy Specialist processed

499 interim recertifications and

252 annual recertifications in

2024. There were 16 families that

received rental vouchers through

the rental voucher program.

Resident Services held 22

events in 2024. These events

included an AMERIND poster

Contest, elder bingo, mini-site

clean-ups, Marquette resource

fair, trash to treasure event, family

fun day, health and safety fairs,

back to school events, recovery

walk, and Christmas events.

Human Resources

Department

The Human Resources

Department goal is to create a

high-performing, engaged, and

diverse workforce by empowering

employees, fostering a culture of

continuous learning, and aligning

human resource initiatives with

organizational goals.

— In 2024, the Human

Resources Department expanded

to form two distinct branches:

Kewadin Human Resources and

Governmental/EDC Human

Resources.

— Human Resources implemented the Governmental

Sault Tribe Law Enforcement Officers Duffy, TenEyck, Santa (Dale Bosley), Chief of Police Marchand and

Gardner (L-R) celebrate Christmas with the children at Sault Tribe Daycare.

Compensation Study conducted

by Bluestone Strategy Group,

effective Oct. 1, 2024, for the

Housing Authority and Health.

— The department successfully completed its annual audit

of payroll records and personnel

files.

— The Human Resources

Training Department tailored

specific training programs, including virtual training courses and

customized management series

courses.

Sault Tribe Law

Enforcement (STLE)

STLE serves tribal communities in Sault Ste. Marie,

Kincheloe, Hessel, St. Ignace,

Newberry, Manistique, Wetmore,

Munising, Escanaba and

Marquette. STLE also serves as

the Conservation Enforcement

and treaty licensing entity for

Sault Tribe. The department

oversees the operation and

administration of the Sault Tribe

Youth Facility, a 25-bed facility

in St. Ignace that houses youth

11-17 who are court ordered to

a detention facility. Sault Tribe

Law Enforcement provides access

to Sex Offender Registration and

Notification (SORNA) resources, public registries, and related

information to help keep the community informed and safe.

In 2024, STLE remained committed to growth and development

by sending multiple officers to

specialized trainings, including

forensic interviewing, human trafficking, active violence response,

CPR, firearms and Taser certifications, K9 operations, and criminal

jurisdiction in Indian Country.

In 2024, STLE:

— Purchased four new Dodge

Durangos.

— Provided presence at multiple concerts at all of our Kewadin

Casino sites.

— Assisted Santa Claus

with his visit to the Sault Tribe

Daycare and helped spread some

much-needed joy.

— Supported the Tri-County

Drug Enforcement Team

(TRIDENT) by assigning an officer to assist in combating illicit

narcotics in Sault Tribe and surrounding communities.

— Put together 250 bags for

JKL School Halloween including

bags, candy, glowsticks, flashlight

and everything needed to be safe

for trick or treating!

— Announced a new initiative

to promote suicide prevention

awareness in our community.

Each STLE vehicle will display the 988 Suicide and Crisis

Lifeline.

— Ensured continued compliance with Sault Tribe’s Chapter

72 – Sex Offender Registration

and Notification Code, which

included ensuring that all offenders within Sault Tribe’s jurisdiction were registered, updated, and/

or verified.

— Participated in Shop with a

Cop for the Christmas season in

Manistique and Cheboygan.

— Participated in “Breakfast

with a Badge” with Malcolm

High School students.

Natural Resources Division

The Natural Resources

Division was established in

December 2023 to oversee the

coordination, collaboration and

growth of the Environmental,

Fisheries, and Wildlife Programs.

Since then, it has pursued strategic planning, filled open administrative and technical

positions, and established a new

Forestry Program. The following

report is organized by four

main priorities: sustainable

self-governance, interagency

management, community outreach

and engagement, and division

capacity and wellbeing.

— Atikameg (Lake Whitefish)

Initiative: Relocated gravid fish

from Lake Huron into a tributary

to facilitate spawning.

— Translocation of adult

whitefish project summary: Eight

receivers were positioned in the

Carp River, 100 fish were tagged

with external transmitters and 25

fish were tagged with internal

transmitters.

— Stocking summer fingerling

in Great Lakes tributaries summary: Approximately 46,000 summer

fingerlings were stocked into the

Pine River.

— Summary of the gamete

collection for the 2025 year class

of whitefish: Over 300 adult fish

were collected. Approximately

130 pairs of male and female fish

were spawned. Over 800,000 eggs

were placed into incubation jars at

Nunn’s Creek.

— Ogaa (Walleye) stocking:

Natural Resources successfully

established a contract with the

Bay Mills Community to stock

100,000 walleye fingerlings in

Waishkey Bay and used these

funds to support program activities.

— Great Lakes Fisheries

Management: Fisheries obtained

biological information (length,

weight, and age) from over 230

fish representing 16 different species in 2024’s survey.

— Deepwater Project:

Sampled 33 sites (out of 222 total

sites, with over 78,000 total fish

examined), and no new non-local

species were detected. A non-native ruffe from Lake George was

removed.

— Coastal Resilience

Initiative: NRD treated roughly

20 acres of aquatic invasive species from the shorelines of the St.

Mary’s River and mapped detected invasive populations along all

public lands bordering the lower

portion of the river (Raber to

DeTour) in 2024.

— Spruce Grouse Habitat

Utilization: Staff initiated a pilot

project in 2024 using GPS units

to assess spruce grouse movements and habitat use. In April,

staff caught and affixed GPS units

on three spruce grouse near the

Betchlers Marsh complex.

— Sharp-tailed Grouse

Occupancy Survey: Wildlife

staff continued to monitor for

sharp-tailed grouse throughout

the Ishkode Project area. This

involves running transects along

dirt roads and stopping and listening for lekking individuals.

This is a collaborative

project with the Hiawatha

National Forest.

— Water Quality Initiative:

The Environmental Health scientist conducted monthly drinking

water sampling at nine tribal

properties to ensure compliance

with state and federal standards

under the Safe Drinking Water

Act. This regular sampling helps

detect bacterial contamination

and prevent waterborne illnesses,

ensuring the community has safe

drinking water.

— Air Quality Initiative: Staff

drafted and submitted five indoor

air quality (IAQ) assessment

reports for tribal residences. Each

assessment involved inspecting

the home of a tribal member for

moisture intrusion, mold growth,

and ventilation effectiveness.

Additionally, air sampling was

conducted to measure levels of

particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Upon

completion of the assessments,

detailed reports were prepared and

delivered to the respective property owners.

— Brownfields, Pollution

Control, and Risk Reduction:

Updated the Brownfield Inventory

Site List to ensure accurate documentation of contaminated and

potentially contaminated properties on tribal lands. This update

involved reviewing historical land

use records and previous environmental assessments, a more comprehensive assessment of tribal

lands will be conducted in 2025.

— Harvest Assessment and

Reporting: STNRD continue to

meet our reporting requirements

for the Inland and Great Lakes

decrees. These reporting and

assessment activities have existed

in some format since the 1980s

and have helped support the

negotiation of three Great Lakes

decrees in 1985, 2000, and 2023

and an inland decree in 2007.

— Great Lakes Decree: The

Natural Resources Division collected 2,500 total fish from commercial samples this year. Efforts

also included monitoring the new

Lake Trout trap net fishery. the

division continued to meet its

reporting requirements for the

Great Lakes decrees. This reporting includes over 50 Little Bay de

Noc special subsistence permits,

twice monthly commercial fishery reports and retail bills of sale

reporting from 48 licensed fishers,

and monthly reports for approximately 170 typical subsistence

fishers.

Planning and Development

Planning and Development’s

vision is to empower the tribal

government with strategic planning, grant administration, data

administration and research.

— USDA ReConnect FOA 3:

Awarded $24,944,355. During

2024, Planning & Development

partnered with Cherry Capital

Connections. This has enabled

the tribe with the ability to generate additional revenue. The

partnership also provided the

department with industry insight

and the ability to provide lasting

maintenance of the network.

— USDA ReConnect FOA 4:

Awarded $3,742,293. This would

bring fiber to the premises for

each of the households. This will

allow the tribe to move its fiber

connection payments to our own

network, and to set up revenue

streams.

— Energy Study with

Slipstream: Planning &

Development utilized Slipstream

at no cost to the tribe to do a net

zero carbon plan, and a facility-level solar feasibility plan.

— SSBCI Capital and

Technical Assistance Programs:

Continued support for SSBCI

Capital and TA programs, which

transitioned from planning to the

EDC for implementation, with

nearly $11 million in funding to

benefit the tribe.

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 5

TRIBE’S 2024 FINANCIALS, FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR 2026

This section of the Tribe’s

annual financial report presents

our discussion and analysis of

the tribe’s financial performance

during the fiscal year that ended

on Dec. 31, 2024. Please read it in

conjunction with the tribe’s financial statements, which follow this

section.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The tribe’s total governmental

assets decreased by $19.2 million

or 5.3% over the course of this

year’s operations and total assets

from business-type activities

increased by $36.1 million or

24.42%. Total primary governmental assets were $528 million

at 2024 year-end, an increase of

$16.8 million or 3.29%.

Total liabilities in governmental activities decreased by

$58.4 million or (29.41%). Total

liabilities in business-type activities increased to $49.6 million or

1.74%. Total primary governmental liabilities were $189.8 million

at 2024 year-end.

During the year, the tribe’s

governmental expenses and transfers were $40.7 million less than

the revenues generated by grants,

taxes and other sources for governmental activities.

In the tribe’s business-type

activities, total revenues were

$120.4 million while total expenses, taxes, gain on disposal of

capital assets, and transfers were

$88.7 million.

The tribe’s General Fund

reported an increase in expenditures of $1.47 million or 10.8%

for the year due to increases in

General Government expenses

funded with ARP Act of 2022

COVID-19 grants.

The tribe’s MERS Defined

Benefit Pension Plan for law

enforcement employees reported

a net pension liability of $29,083

in the government-wide financial

statements.

Tribal external debt reduction payments amounted to

$6,330,848.

Major capital projects included:

As part of the overall plan to

obtain property to expand the contiguous land holdings on Sugar

Island, 120 acres were purchased

next to the Sacred Health Church

on the Sugar Island at a cost of

$152,000.

The Tribal Building Fund

purchased land, buildings,

equipment, vehicles and made

building improvements totaling

$9,610,253. These were funded in

part as noted in the ARPA section

and with Building funds. These

included improvements to office

buildings, cultural and recreation

centers and expansion of housing

opportunities.

Improvements at the JKL

School included playground

resurfacing and parking lot resurfacing.

The Health Centers in the

service area received various

upgrades including upgrade to the

Sault Health Center Fire Alarm

System, new building environmental control systems and boilers, common area upgrades, security systems and new flooring.

The Escanaba Community

Center has a health center that

will be occupied in 2025. The

Gladstone Health Building added

a fitness center.

The St. Ignace Health Center

moved into a new building on the

Mackinac Straits Health Campus.

New medical equipment, computers, furniture and fixtures and

security systems were purchased

at a cost of $896,325.

Phase II of the Tamarack

Business Development Center

was completed at a cost of

$306,673 using a grant from the

state of Michigan and tribal funds.

The Public Safety Department

purchased four vehicles at a cost

of $279,060 using a COPS-TGRP

grant.

Tribal infrastructure improvements made with Department

of Transportation funds totaled

$20,250.

ARPA - USE OF FUNDS IN

2024

With the receipt of ARPA

funds in 2021, the Sault Tribe formulated plans in each geographic

unit of the seven-county service

area to purchase or use existing

tribal property and develop much

needed housing and community

centers. A land parcel and building were purchased in Marquette

County for a total of $1.2 million.

The building will be repurposed

into a community center for the

the Marquette area.

Infrastructure work was completed on the Sault Health Center

Campus in anticipation of constructing an annex to the existing

building. Total cost was $240,000.

In 2022, ARPA funds were

used to begin construction of

38 affordable housing units at

various locations throughout the

tribe’s service area. The goal for

this project is to provide community members another source

of desirable housing alternatives.

Units will be either placed on lots

at Odenaang (Sault Tribe Housing

Authority housing development),

Riverside Village Park or on a

site chosen by the tribal member.

As of Dec. 31, 2024, all the units

were occupied. Total cost of the

project was $ 10.2 million.

ARPA funds were also used to

repurpose and upgrade existing

buildings. Improved access, new

HVAC systems, security enhancements and restroom renovations

were among the uses of the funds.

Also in 2022, the Sault Tribe

began to implement the board-approved housing and community

center expansion projects. Each

unit in the service area received

funds to initiate the projects based

upon the need developed in that

unit. The Escanaba Community

Center was completed in 2024 at

a cost of $4,561,000 using ARPA

funds. The Manistique Building

will be completed in 2025. Plans

are currently being developed for

the center in Hessel for construction in 2025.

Plans were developed

and remodeling began in the

Administrative Complex for three

office suites using ARPA funds.

Completion will be in early 2025.

Another critical element of the

ARPA funding is the provision

for the computation of “revenue

loss.” This is a calculation of

the tribal-wide loss of revenues

beginning in March 2020 with the

onset of the COVID pandemic

and initially ending at Dec. 31,

2020, and comparing it to 2018

and 2019 revenues. A similar

computation was performed in

years 2022 and 2023. The goal

is to gauge the impact this loss

of revenues had on the ability of

the tribe to provide services to

members and fund the administration of the organization and to

use ARPA funds to supplement

this loss in revenues. For 2024,

the Sault Tribe was able to use

$25,810,407 of ARPA funds in

this manner.

The Natural Resources

Division received the go-ahead

for design work to remodel the

existing Motor Pool Building and

add additional space at the Three

Mile Rd. location in Sault Ste

Marie. Completion is expected in

2025.

The following projects were

completed or initiated in 2024

using ARPA funds:

- McCann - HVAC upgrade

- Sault Powwow Grounds

- Sault Cultural Bldg. upgrades

- Sault Elderly Bldg. Parking

Lot Reconstruction

- Big Bear Arena Chiller

upgrade

ARPA funds were also used

by Kewadin Casinos in 2024

for various projects — Hotel

Room Remodeling Project, Hotel

Exterior Surface Replacement and

design work for the replacement

of the Casino South Entrance.

ENTERPRISE MAJOR

PROJECTS

Additions to the various casinos’ land improvements, furniture

and fixtures, equipment and rightto-use assets totaled $2,897,944

with the major projects being the

replacement of computer equipment and credit card devices,

furniture and fixtures and slot

machines at all five locations.

Additional improvements are

noted in the ARPA section above.

The Property Managment

Companies procured additional

properties, buildings and improvements along with equipment

additions in the in the amount of

$5,535,486. Major activity included the transfer of ownership of 19

modular units to DeMawating and

two to Sawyer Village from the

CARES Program, which totaled

$3,870,725.

DeMawating’s remaining additions totaled $1,207,956 after the

CARES transfers. These included

a rental property purchase in Sault

Ste. Marie, which included 23

apartments and three retails suites.

Also for 2024, the DeMawating

saw the completion of a rental

house in Cedarville that was constructed by the Building Trades

class at Cedarville High School.

The remaining additions was their

program of systematic roof and

furnace replacements and interior

renovations.

In addition to the CARES unit

transfers, Sawyer Village’s 2024

additions were $456,805. These

included furnace replacements in

the retail locations at the Harvey

location. The remaining additions

involved their program of systematic roof and furnace replacements and interior renovations.

In 2024, the MidJim

Convenience Store in the Sault

received CARES transfers with a

cost of $110,511. This included

new countertops, a bottle return

machine and replacement of the

HVAC system. The St. Ignace

location also received CARES

transfers with a cost of $110,855.

These included a HVAC system replacement, bottle return

machine, new outside doors and

new countertops.

The White Pine Lodge and

Convenience Store was also the

recipient of the CARES Fund

transfers. Included in this transaction were sliding doors, a walk-up

window, kitchen remodeling, fuel

dispensers, bottle return machine,

laundry equipment, new point of

sale and member software and a

HVAC system. These improvements totaled $247,163.

The Eagle Lending Program

received a $2,956,523 grant

under the State Small Business

Credit Initiative (SSBCI), which

is geared towards assisting small

business with procuring financing

through loan participation or collateral support.

Improvements at the Tanglewood Golf Course included furnace replacements, golf simulator

program and point of sale equipment for a total of $61,409.

Bear on the Mountain (Hessel

Ridge) Golf Course improvements included a new Irrigation

Pump and signage totaling

$52,275.

The Sault Tribe Housing

Authority (STHA) received a

$414,400 Indian Health Services

Sanitation grant. This grant

afforded 27 tribal member families with new well or sanitation

systems.

STHA also received

$4,079,143 from the U.S.

Treasury to provide financial

assistance to tribal member homeowners. Assistance includes mortgage payments, utilities, internet,

insurance and property taxes.

Sault Tribe Housing Authority

Property and Equipment totaled

$75,887,295 at the end of 2024

and consisted of land improvements, building and structures,

equipment and machinery and

vehicles. The total net increase in

2024 for these types of assets was

$4,531,694.

In addition, the Authority

served a total of 204 tribal members under the Emergency Rental

Assistance Program Grant. Total

expenditures for this program

were $313,717 in 2024.

The Housing Authority also

acquired 20 new homes in 2024

to be placed at Odenaang under

the Lease to Purchase program.

In addition to the renewal of

funding for a host of tribal programs, new grant awards in 2024

consisted of the following expenditure amounts:

— Office on Violence Against

Women (VAWA), $217,550

— State Small Business Credit

Initiative (SSBCI), 2,956,523

OVERVIEW OF THE

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

This annual report consists

of four parts — management’s

discussion and analysis (this

section), the basic financial statements, required supplementary

information and other information

that presents combining statements for non-major governmental, internal service, enterprise

and fiduciary funds. The basic

financial statements include two

kinds of statements that present

different views of the tribe.

The first two statements are

government-wide financial statements that provide both long-term

and short-term information about

the tribe’s overall financial status.

The remaining statements are

fund financial statements that

focus on individual parts of the

tribe’s government, reporting the

tribe’s operations in more detail

than the government-wide statements.

The governmental funds

statements tell how government

services like public safety and

health and welfare were financed

in the short-term as well as what

remains for future spending.

Proprietary fund statements

offer short and long-term financial

information about the activities

the government operates like

businesses, such as the Gaming

Authority and MidJims.

Fiduciary fund statements

provide information about the

financial relationships-like the

retirement plan of the tribe’s

employees- in which the tribe acts

solely as a trustee or agent for the

benefit of others, to whom the

resources belong.

The financial statements also

include notes that explain some

of the information in the financial statements and provide more

detailed data. The statements are

followed by a section of required

supplementary information that

further explains and supports

the information in the financial

statements. In addition to these

required elements, we have

included a section with combining

statements that provide details

about our governmental funds

and internal service funds each

of which are added together and

presented in single columns in the

basic financial statements.

GOVERNMENT-WIDE

STATEMENTS

The government-wide statements report information about

the tribe as a whole using

accounting methods similar to

those used by private sector companies. The statement of net position includes all of the government’s assets and liabilities. All

of the current year’s revenues and

expenses are accounted for in the

statement of activities regardless

of when cash is received or paid.

The two government-wide

statements report the tribe’s

net position and how they have

changed. Net position – the

difference between the tribe’s

assets and liabilities – is one way

to measure the tribe’s financial

health, or position.

Over time, increases or

decreases in the tribe’s net position are an indicator of whether

its financial health is improving

or deteriorating, respectively. To

assess the overall health of the

tribe, consider additional non-financial factors such as changes in

the gaming industry regulations

and changes in federal law.

The government-wide financial statements of the tribe are:

GOVERNMENTAL

ACTIVITIES – Most of the

tribe’s basic services are included

here, such as health and welfare,

public safety, education, and

recreation and culture. Taxes, federal revenue, state revenue, and

charges for services finance most

of these activities.

BUSINESS-TYPE

ACTIVITIES – The tribe charges

fees to customers to help it cover

the costs of certain services it

provides. The tribe’s Gaming

Authority and businesses are

included here.

Page 6

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 GOVERNMENTAL FINANCIAL OVERVIEW, cont’d

FUND FINANCIAL

STATEMENTS

The fund financial statements

provide more detailed information

about the tribe’s most significant

funds — not the tribe as a whole.

Funds are accounting devices that

the tribe uses to keep track of

specific sources of funding and

spending for particular purposes.

Some funds are required by federal law.

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe

of Chippewa Indian’s Board

establishes other funds to control

and manage grant money for

particular purposes (Head Start,

Fisheries, Sanitation, etc.).

The tribe has three kinds of

funds:

GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS –

Most of the tribe’s basic services

are included in governmental

funds, which focus on (1) how

much cash and other financial

assets that can readily be converted to cash flow in and out and

(2) the balances left at year end

that are available for spending.

Consequently, the governmental funds statements provide a

detailed short-term view that

helps one determine whether

there are more or fewer financial

resources that can be spent in the

near future to finance the tribe’s

programs. Because this information does not encompass the

additional long-term focus of the

government-wide statements, we

provide additional information at

the bottom of the governmental

funds statement, or on the subsequent page, that explains the relationship (or differences) between

them.

PROPRIETARY FUNDS –

Internal services for which the

tribe charges internal customers

a fee are generally reported in

the general fund. Proprietary

funds, like the government-wide

statements, provide both long and

short term financial information.

In fact, the tribe’s enterprise funds

(one type of proprietary fund)

are the same as its business-type

activities, but provide more detail

and additional information, such

as cash flows. We use internal

services for the tribe’s other

programs and activities – such

as the Management Information

Systems, Human Resources,

Accounting, etc.

FIDUCIARY FUNDS – The

tribe is trustee, or fiduciary, for

its employees’ pension plans. It is

also responsible for other assets

because of a trust arrangement

– can be used only for the trust

beneficiaries. The tribe is responsible for ensuring that the assets

reported in the funds are used for

their intended purposes. All of

the tribe’s fiduciary activities are

reported in a separate statement

of fiduciary net position and a

statement of changes in fiduciary

net position. We exclude these

activities from the tribe’s government-wide financial statements

because the tribe cannot use these

assets to finance its operations.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF

THE TRIBE AS A WHOLE

Net position. The tribe’s

combined governmental and

business-type net position was

$204,959,436 for 2024.

(See Table A-1.)

$76.3 million of governmental assets are invested in capital

assets (land, buildings and equip-

ment) with $121.7 million of business assets invested in the same

manner

Change in net position. The

tribe’s total revenues from primary activities (excluding special

items) was $247 million. (See

Table A-2.) The tribe’s revenue

comes mainly from gaming revenues, charges for services, taxes

and federal sources.

The total cost of all primary

activities was $218 million and

included both governmental and

member services along with business-type operating costs excluding transfers and taxes.

The tribe was able to cover the

current year’s costs for programs

and services of governmental

operations through revenues.

Table A-2 and the narrative that

follows consider the operations of

governmental-type activities and

business-type activities separately.

Governmental and Businesstype Activities

Revenues for the tribe’s governmental activities decreased

(27.3)%, while total expenses

decreased (43.9)%.

Revenues for the tribe’s business-type activities increased

6.47%, while total expenses

increased 37.48%.

Governmental Activities

Table A-2 presents the cost of

each of the tribe’s five largest programs—health and welfare, public

safety, recreation and culture, education, and general government as

well as its judicial services, public

works and interest expense.

The cost of all governmental

activities this year was $111.4

million. The cost of those services

was paid from the following:

— Taxes of $9.38 million

— Charges for services of

$31.2 million.

— Operating and Capital

Grants of $103 million.

— Component unit distributions of $3.2 million.

— Interest, dividends and other

revenues of $829 thousand.

The increase in governmental

net position for 2023 was $35.1

million.

Business-type Activities

Revenues of the tribe’s business-type activities were $94.9

million and expenses were

$106.7 million. (See Table A-2.)

Business-type activities provide

all of the governmental tax revenues, and the decrease in net position for the businesses in 2023

was $12.5 million after taxes.

As the tribe completed the

year, its governmental funds

reported, on Page 19, a combined

fund balance of $46.1 million,

an improvement in combined

fund balance of $24.2 million

from 2022. The primary reason

for the increase in fund balance

is highlighted in the analysis of

governmental activities. In addition, these other changes in fund

balance should be noted:

Debt service expenditures were

$2.8 million.

$9.1 million net was transferred in from other activities to

the General Fund, an increase of

141% from 2022.

General Fund Budgetary

Highlights

Over the course of the year,

the tribe’s board made several

changes to the tribe’s budget. The

budget process falls into three categories:

Table A-1

Original budgets are approved

by the board prior to the beginning of the program’s fiscal year.

Amendments and supplemental

appropriations are approved as

needed by the Board of Directors

during the course of the fiscal

year.

Year-end modifications are

made during the calendar year

as needed for programs with

non-December year ends.

Even with these adjustments,

actual expenditures were $2.4

million less than the final budgeted general fund amounts. The

actual excess of revenues over

expenses and other uses was

$869,000 less than the final budget anticipated. This is due, in

part, to lower tax and other revenues, less debt service costs and

higher transfers in than the final

budgeted amounts.

The most significant variances

were as follows:

Tax revenues were significantly lower and this was offset by

other financing sources.

Debt service costs were less.

General government costs

were less.

Other financing uses of funds

were less.

CAPITAL ASSETS

At the end of 2023, the tribe

has invested $168,396,220 in

a broad range of capital assets,

including land, machinery and

equipment, buildings, roads, and

vehicles.

The principal change in capital

assets consists mainly of land purchases and equipment purchases.

Long-Term Debt

At year end, the tribe had

approximately $14.4 million in

notes payable. There was no governmental debt at year end and

Internal Service debt decreased by

$838,000.

ECONOMIC FACTORS

AND NEXT YEAR’S BUDGETS

AND RATES

The COVID-19 pandemic has

had a significant impact on the

tribe’s operations. The tribe is carrying over $29.4 million of unspent

ARP Act of 2021 COVID 19 funding to 2025 for COVID-19 disaster

relief. The effect of COVID-19

continued to impact all aspects of

the tribal economy during 2024

from both the governmental and

business perspectives. It will

remain to be seen how quickly both

the general and tribal economies

recover.

These indicators were taken into

account when adopting the General

Fund budget for fiscal 2025. The

amount appropriated in the General

Fund budget for operations is $13.4

million, which is a 19.0% decrease

from final fiscal 2024 budget.

The tribe will use its revenues to

finance current and expected future

programs, program expansions into

outlying areas, and the expected

impact of inflation on those programs.

The largest fiscal 2025 budgeted expenditures are for direct

services, consulting / subcontracting, and expansion of member

services. If these estimates are

realized, the tribe’s budgetary

General Fund balance is expected

to remain steady by the close of

fiscal 2025.

As for the tribe’s business-type

activities, we expect that the 2025

results will also improve based on

these items:

Reduction in operating costs.

Reduction in Debt Service.

Increase in operating margins.

CONTACTING THE

TRIBE’S FINANCIAL

MANAGEMENT

This financial report is

designed to provide our members,

grantors, investors and creditors

with a general overview of the

tribe’s finances and to demonstrate the tribe’s accountability

for the money it receives. If you

have questions about this report

or need additional financial information, contact the Sault Ste.

Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Administration Office, 523

Ashmun, Sault Ste. Marie, MI

49783.

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 7

TRIBAL COURT 2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

One of the most important

aspects of our tribe’s sovereignty is the exercise of jurisdiction through the tribe’s judicial

system. It is the Tribal Court’s

responsibility, and therefore that

of the Judge and Magistrate, to

adjudicate the cases that come

before it. Our Tribal Court hears a

wide range of cases, as authorized

by our Tribal Code, including

child welfare, juvenile delinquency, adult criminal, conservation,

landlord-tenant, general civil

lawsuits, and personal protection

orders. In addition, Tribal Court

exercises Special Tribal Criminal

Jurisdiction over non-Natives.

Appeals from the trial level

court’s decisions can be filed with

the Tribal Court of Appeals. Our

trial-level Court consists of the

Chief Judge, Court Administrator/

Magistrate, Court Clerk, Deputy

Court Clerk, a Probation Officer,

a Specialty Court Coordinator,

and a part-time Field Surveillance

Officer/Bailiff.

Court Administration

In 2024, 344 new cases of

various case types were filed

in Tribal Court. The Court held

1,334 total hearings during 2024,

which included arraignments,

pre-trial conferences, motion

and plea hearings, bench trials,

sentencings, dispositional review

and permanency planning hearings. No jury trials were held in

2024. While many of the hearings

took place in Sault Ste. Marie

in the George K. Nolan Judicial

Building courtroom, approximately half were held via Zoom videoconference to allow litigants and

attorneys to appear remotely for

court from other locations (even

across the country), including

from jails and prisons, making the

appearance rate increase. In addition, the Court issued over 2,000

Court orders and opinions in the

past year.

In 2024, the Court finalized

three adoptions and 10 juvenile

guardianships, which are always

among some of the most joyful

days at the court.

Probation Department

The safety of individual

victims and the community is

the foundation of the services

of the Tribal Court Probation

Department. Those services are

tailored to the individual needs

and circumstances of each probationer and are intended to

facilitate accountability while

providing opportunities for personal growth and behavior modification. In 2024, 23 adults and

seven juveniles were sentenced

to shorter terms of probation and

were ordered to complete specialized services designed to treat and

support each person in a community-based setting.

The Court used assessment

tools to help guide decisions on

what types of services were needed. The Court offered an array of

services including significant use

of electronic monitoring devices

like GPS tethers and Soberlink,

along with treatment and treatment court as an alternative to

incarceration and monetary obligations in hopes of redirecting

individuals with mental health or

substance abuse issues towards

community-based treatment,

support and resources, allowing

each to address a specific need

or needs, in a traditional way that

also addresses the root causes of

one’s behavior. Not only did we

see the cost-effectiveness, but

also the potential for reduced

recidivism, and a new positive,

structured way of life for our people.

Probation staff still conducted

201 drug screens and 216 preliminary breath tests of probationers, drug court clients, and

defendants on bond. Tribal Court

probationers and Drug Court

participants also completed 168

total hours of work service in and

around the community.

Gwaiak Miicon

Tribal Court operated its

Gwaiak Miicon Adult Treatment

Court for the 24th consecutive

year. Gwaiak Miicon is an evidence-based treatment, structured

program for offenders who have

substance use disorder and who

are at high risk of engaging in

further criminal conduct without

intervention, combining Court

oversight with substance abuse

treatment services to focus on

the reasons an offender engages in criminal activity. If, as a

tribal community, we can treat

the “why” someone commits a

crime, we can reduce crime and

provide a means for our people to

address underlying trauma. Each

week, a team of service providers

from the tribal criminal justice

and treatment systems, defense

attorney, prosecuting attorney,

behavioral health treatment providers, peer recovery coaches,

law enforcement, and judicial

staff, meet before each review

hearing to discuss how each client

is doing and determine if there

should be modifications to their

services, any sanctions imposed

to address non-compliance, or

any incentives handed out to

reward and promote compliance.

In 2024, Tribal Court held two

graduation ceremonies to celebrate our participants’ successful

completion of the program and

their continued sobriety.

ADOPTIONS — Above, the Hudacek family grew by two. Below, the

Bradley Family continues to be another forever home for our children.

Gwaiak Miicon treatment

court is available to all tribal

members, whether their case

is proceeding in tribal or state

courts, and is even available to

non-Natives who fall within the

Tribal Court jurisdiction.

Court of Appeals

The restructuring of the

Appellate Court occurred on Aug.

20, 2024, by board resolution.

The panel now consists of three

attorney judges, one elder, and

one community member, making

up the 5-member panel.

The Court of Appeal heard

oral arguments in five cases

during 2024, stemming from

appeals filed between 2023–2024.

Five new appeals were filed in

2024: Two landlord/tenant matters, one Personal Protection

Order case, and two election

complaints.

The Court also continued its

Domestic Violence (DV) Court

program this year for offenders

convicted of abusive crimes

against an intimate partner.

DV Court is presided over by

Magistrate Swan and is a specialized docket that allows the

justice system to have intensive

oversight on cases, enhances

victim safety, and holds offend-

Court Administrator/Magistrate Swan was among the attendees at the December 2024 ITWG meeting.

ers accountable while offering

them rehabilitative services to

deter repeat offenses. Participants

must attend frequent Court

review hearings, attend Men’s

Group, complete a behavioral

health assessment and treatment

if recommended, and write a

series of essays on power and

control. Tribal Court staff are

trained in the Men’s Education

Group Duluth Model and Moral

Reconation Therapy (MRT) to

facilitate the weekly groups. The

curriculum for Men’s Education

is 26 weeks, and the Court also

incorporates cultural teachings

and two sweat lodges into its program through collaboration with

Traditional Medicine. MRT is a

12-step workbook designed to

modify criminal thinking. Tribal

Court accepts referrals to Men’s

Education Group and MRT from

social service agencies and other

tribal and state courts for a nominal fee.

Other 2024 accomplishments

and a farewell

— Tribal Court staff regularly

participated in community events

in 2024 and also served on many

community workgroups and committees focusing on tribal and

community justice issues.

— Former Chief Judge Fabry

sat on the Board of Directors

for Families Against Narcotics

(FAN) of Chippewa County.

Court Administrator/Magistrate

Swan serves our tribe on the

national VAWA Inter-Tribal

Work Group, and on the MMIP

committee. Fabry served on

the Board of Directors for

the Michigan Association of

Treatment Court Professionals,

the Michigan Tribal State Federal

Judicial Forum, and the Michigan

Supreme Court Child Welfare

Leadership Workgroup. Swan

also serves on the Michigan

Indian Legal Services Advisory

Committee.

— Swan was among the

attendees at the December 2024

ITWG meeting.

— Tribal Court received

Special Tribal Criminal

Jurisdiction Reimbursement funding in 2024 for expenses associated with exercising VAWA-22.

— Tribal Court received

one-time BIA funding for staff

training/travel, and wages to continue to employ a Specialty Court

Coordinator.

— Lastly, in June 2024, Tribal

Court lost a wealth of knowledge and a pillar to this Court,

the tribe, and our people. After a

dedicated tenure marked by leadership and a commitment to justice, Fabry decided to step down

as Chief Judge. Fabry has served

as the Tribal Court’s Chief Judge

since 2010. Fabry’s departure will

have a lasting impact on the judicial system and this community

she proudly served. The dynamic

presence she brought to this Court

will be missed.

Tribal Court Goals for 2025

— Advocate to increase jurisdiction of the Tribal Court under

the Tribal Law & Order Act,

which would increase the maximum criminal penalty for a crime

from 1 year to 3 years confinement.

— Continue working towards

combating substance abuse as

outlined in the tribe’s Tribal

Action Plan.

Please like “Sault Ste. Marie

Chippewa Tribal Court” on

Facebook for information on

court events, jury duty, court closures, and other items of interest.

Page 8

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS IN 2024

The Sault Tribe Natural

Resources Division (NRD),

Gidayaangwaami’idimin Ezhiinawendiyang, ensures sustainable air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and plant stewardship within

the tribe’s reservations, sevencounty service area and 1836

Treaty Ceded Territory, focusing

on tribal rights protection and

implementation, environmental

quality, and sustainability in

governmental operations. These

functions require robust monitoring programs, data management

and analysis, and communication

and translation of findings into

appropriate regulations, codes,

and on-the-ground management.

The division advises the Sault

Tribe Board of Directors and the

Conservation Committee on fish,

wildlife, plant populations, tribal

harvest, regulations and codes,

and environmental quality within

the 1836 Treaty Ceded Territory.

Great Lakes Fisheries

Management

Fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent monitoring programs inform the protection and

management of the tribal fishery

and comprise a large portion of

annual fisheries monitoring work.

The Fisheries Program collects

data to estimate stock size and

mortality of commercially important species such as Atikameg

(Lake Whitefish) and Namegos

(Lake Trout). Projects that protect

subsistence fishing and recreational angling for tribal citizens

are also prioritized. Cooperation

with management and research

partners is critical for success.

Fishery-independent Survey:

Survey crews completed the

fishery-independent Giigoonh

(fish) community survey in Lake

Michigan across management

units WFM01 through WFM04.

Staff have conducted this survey

annually since 2000 to monitor

fish population trends in Lake

Michigan and Lake Huron. In

2024, crews deployed twenty-two

experimental graded mesh nets

on the lake bottom along randomly selected depth strata and set

eight suspended nets targeting the

midwater column. They collected

biological information—length,

weight, and age—from over 230

fish representing 16 different species.

Deepwater Project: The team

completed 2024 fieldwork for the

GLRI-funded Deepwater project.

Due to the loss of the ROV pilot,

the team was unable to collect

ROV footage and benthic samples. However, staff successfully

sampled fish and zooplankton at

four study sites.

The team contributed ultraviolet light (UV) transparency data

from their ROV to a basin-wide

research project investigating the

potential effects of ultraviolet

radiation on Lake Whitefish eggs

and larvae. This project examines

how increased water clarity—

driven by invasive mussels—may

expose fish nurseries to harmful

UV radiation. Through these contributions, the Deepwater project

provides valuable support to

researchers studying this aspect

of Lake Whitefish ecology.

Non-Local Being Monitoring:

The Sault Tribe completed its

non-local species monitoring survey in the St. Marys River as part

During Boat to School, students visit five learning stations including this one on trophic levels.

of a collaborative effort with the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

the Bay Mills Indian Community,

the Department of Fisheries and

Oceans Canada, the Ontario

Ministry of Natural Resources,

and the Michigan Department of

Natural Resources. Tribal staff

sampled 33 sites, contributing to

the 222 total sites surveyed by

all collaborators and the examination of over 78,000 fish. They

detected no new non-local species

during the survey but found and

removed a non-native Ruffe from

Lake George.

Siscowet Assessments: This

year, the Sault Tribe conducted its triennial assessment of

Siscowet Lake Trout in Grand

Marais, Lake Superior (unit

MI-7). This work contributes to

a broader collaborative monitoring effort involving multiple

agencies across Lake Superior.

The assessment aims to improve

understanding of Siscowet Lake

Trout’s ecological role in the

lake and to determine fish abundance in offshore areas. Specific

objectives include estimating the

relative abundance, food habits,

and age and size composition

of Siscowets. Researchers also

recognize that Siscowet may help

mitigate Sea Lamprey predation

pressure on commercially harvested Lean Lake Trout.

Coastal Resilience Initiative

Since 2011, Division staff

have led innovative invasive species control and coastal wetland

restoration along the St. Marys

River. Efforts target migratory

bird habitat by managing invasive plants (hybrid cattail, purple

loosestrife, and European frogbit) and restoring native species

(manoomin, bulrush). Wildlife

Program staff mapped newly

detected invasive species populations in the lower St. Marys River

to inform targeted treatment and

ecological restoration strategies.

Over the past three years, the

Wildlife Program, in collaboration with local partners, has treated 78 acres of aquatic invasive

species to support native habitat

recovery.

Invasive Species Mapping and

Removal: In 2024, the Wildlife

Program continued a systematic

surveillance program of coastal

wetlands on public lands in the

lower St. Marys River, including

wetlands in the Eastern Upper

Peninsula and Neebish Island.

Staff treated roughly 20 acres

of aquatic invasive species from

the shorelines of the St. Marys

River and mapped detected invasive populations along all public

shorelines from Raber to Detour

in 2024.

Manoomin Restoration: Staff

continued manoomin (wild rice)

restoration in coastal wetlands

along the St. Marys River.

An experimental manoomin

restoration site was seeded in

Munuscong Bay for the fourth

consecutive year, with the intention of continuing to learn from

this site over time. The program

is also assessing the feasibility of

expanding manoomin restoration

to other coastal wetlands within

the Obtawaing Biosphere Region.

The Wildlife Program seeded

roughly 17 acres in Munuscong

Bay, Baie De Wasai, and Shingle

Bay in 2024 – including a fall

community event, where Sault

Tribe members, other local

Anishinaabeg, and Division

staff seeded Munuscong Bay.

Restoration efforts will expand in

2025.

Secretive Marshbird and

Waterfowl Monitoring: The

Wildlife Program has led longterm monitoring of secretive

marshbirds, focusing on target

species such as American bitterns,

coots, and rails. These surveys

track species’ presence or absence

as indicators of ecosystem health

and disturbance. Additionally, the

Wildlife Program conducts fall

point count surveys of migratory

waterfowl to assess changes in

abundance, migration timing, and

breeding activity.

Black Tern Monitoring: The

Wildlife Program collaborated

with Audubon Great Lakes to

conduct monitoring of Black

Terns at Munuscong Bay, which

supports one of the largest

breeding colonies in the Great

Lakes region. The data collected

provides critical insight into the

species’ rapid decline and informs

a targeted Conservation Action

Plan outlining evidence-based

strategies for population restoration. The Wildlife Program is

committed to executing these

recommendations to ensure the

long-term protection and recovery

of Black Terns and their essential

wetland habitats.

St Marys River Structured

Decision-Making Project: Staff

participated in planning team

meetings for the St. Marys River

Structured Decision-Making

Project throughout 2024. This

collaborative effort, which is

led by Sault Tribe’s Consortium

for Cooperative Ecological

Resilience, brought together

tribal, state, and federal land

managers, as well as researchers, to develop a comprehensive

coastal wetland management and

restoration plan for the St. Marys

River, scheduled for completion

in 2025.

Muskrat Decline Study: In

2024, the Wildlife Program partnered with the Wildlife Ecology

Institute and local trappers at

Munuscong Bay to collect muskrat and mink carcasses. This

research investigates health,

disease risk, reproduction, and

population structure to better

understand the causes of regional

muskrat declines.

Hemiboreal Forest Resilience

Initiative

Hemiboreal forest species

and communities are integral to

Anishinaabe ways of life. The

last two centuries of colonization, land use, and climate-driven

changes necessitate concerted

efforts to protect and restore these

communities and sustainable

relationships with them. Through

this project, the Division seeks to

revitalize and restore Anishinaabe

ecosystem management practices

across the 1836 Ceded Territory

while enhancing tribal access

to and management of treaty

resources. This project includes

the “Inter-agency Ishkode (Fire)

Stewardship Plan” and collaborations with the community

and other agencies, including

Sault Tribe’s Consortium

for Cooperative Ecological

Resilience (CCER).

Community Engagement:

NRD staff work to facilitate tribal

community member engagement

in ishkode planning processes,

including through interviews,

pre- and post-burn assessments,

and winter storytelling events.

In September 2024, NRD organized a community gathering at

Betchler Marsh with a fire, pipe

ceremony, feast, and giveaway.

Over 40 community members,

Forest Service partners, tribal

staff, and leaders attended.

Remote Camera Trapping:

The Wildlife Program concluded

the second year of a two-year

camera-trapping project designed

to better quantify wildlife populations in the 1836 Treaty Ceded

Territory. In November, staff set

60 remote camera traps across the

east unit of the Hiawatha National

Forest. Division staff compiled

and organized data from the 2024

cameras, identifying the wildlife

species present in each photo.

The Consortium for Cooperative

Ecological Resilience will use

these data to develop occupancy

models and inform future population estimates for gray wolves in

the eastern Upper Peninsula.

Wolf Assessments, Monitoring,

and Planning: Wildlife staff

have been using peer-reviewed

research and Sault Tribe-led

research to create a draft ma’iingan relations plan. In 2025, NRD

will identify management priorities and recommendations.

Cameras continued to monitor

20 wolf sites in the Straits area,

with over 13,000 trap nights

recorded. Wolves were detected

at 14 of the 20 sites. Additionally,

staff conducted over 20 winter

wolf track surveys in February

2024. Staff organized two years’

worth of wolf project data to

facilitate analysis. This includes

health assessments and fecal

samples that can be used to track

genetic information and inform a

population estimate.

Spruce Grouse Habitat

Utilization: Staff initiated a pilot

project in 2024 to assess spruce

grouse movements and habitat

use. In April, staff affixed GPS

units on three spruce grouse near

the Betchler Marsh complex.

Movement data were downloaded

from these units every two weeks,

with nearly 10,000 locations collected. Future vegetation surveys

will allow staff to investigate

resource selection by these individuals.

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Occupancy Survey: Wildlife

staff continued to monitor for

sharp-tailed grouse throughout

the Ishkode Project area. This

involves surveying along dirt

roads and listening for lekking

individuals in a systematic way.

This is a collaborative project

with the Hiawatha National

Forest.

Water Quality Initiative

The water quality section

ensures safe drinking water and

surface waters on reservation

lands. Since 2012, staff have

monitored surface water quality,

conducted outreach, and reported

under the Clean Water Act, as

well as monitored drinking water

in tribal health centers and housing for compliance with the EPA

Safe Drinking Water Act.

Surface Water Quality

In October 2024, a new

Environmental Scientist-Water

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 9

NATURAL RESOURCES WILDLIFE 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

was hired, and staff were trained

on the Water Quality Exchange

(WQX) for compliance with

EPA standards. Historical surface water sampling data from

2017 to 2022 were uploaded

into WQX to support the EPA

Section 106 Water Quality

Assessment Report, which will

inform water quality standards

and monitoring. New monitoring protocols and methods were

also developed to enhance data

accuracy.

Drinking Water Quality

Monthly drinking water

sampling at nine tribal properties ensured compliance with

the Safe Drinking Water Act,

preventing contamination and

waterborne illnesses. Staff monitored water usage with monthly

meter readings. Progress was

made on a uranium project,

planning reverse osmosis systems in eight homes by spring

2025, and a survey of lead

service lines was completed to

meet EPA’s Lead and Copper

Rule requirements.

Air Quality Initiative

The Air Quality section,

established in 2016, works to

protect both indoor and ambient

air quality on reservation lands.

Air quality staff engage in outreach, review air permits, and

operate an NTN monitoring site.

In late September 2024, a new

Environmental Scientist-Air was

hired.

Throughout the year, staff

conducted weekly visits to the

NADP monitoring location to

ensure accurate atmospheric data

collection, which is critical for

assessing the impacts of acid

rain. Collected samples were

sent for chemical analysis, with

results expected in late spring

2025.

Staff also submitted five

indoor air quality assessment

reports for tribal residences,

inspecting homes for moisture,

mold, and ventilation issues. Air

sampling measured particulate

matter and gases, and detailed

reports were provided to property owners.

Brownfields, Pollution

Control, and Risk Reduction

The Brownfields section

monitors environmental conditions at tribal properties and

develops tribal codes. A new

Environmental Scientist was

hired in November 2024, and

staff updated the Brownfield

Inventory by reviewing historical land use and assessments.

Staff submitted the Property

Activity and Cleanup (PALs)

report, ensuring program funding and compliance with EPA

conditions. Inspections at four

Midjim gas stations revealed

that two spill kits were needed,

which were purchased. Staff

confirmed the presence and condition of these kits. An 8-hour

HAZWOPER training session,

organized with the U.S. Coast

Guard, educated participants

on safe handling of hazardous

materials. The Littering section

of the tribal Criminal Code was

revised to enhance enforcement

against environmental degradation. Staff also collaborated

with various agencies on regional planning and emergency

response strategies.

Above, watching for marsh birds. Below, lake whitefish take a short break in a holding tank before tagging

and in a recovery tank after tagging.

Atikameg (Lake Whitefish)

Initiative: From Start to Finish

Lake whitefish are central

to the Sault Tribe’s commercial fishery, but populations in

the 1836 Treaty territory have

declined since the early 2000s.

In response, the Tribe launched

a pioneering pond-based rearing

program in 2018 to restore river-spawning stocks and improve

conservation practices. Centered

at Nunn’s Creek hatchery, the

program can incubate 1.5 million eggs and raise 400 pounds

of fish annually. In 2024, 46,000

fingerlings were stocked in the

Pine River, and gametes from

over 90 adult pairs yielded

800,000+ eggs. A new effort

relocated 125 spawning adults to

a tributary, using acoustic tags

to monitor their presence during

spawning.

Ogaa Stocking

The Sault Tribe operates

an ogaa (walleye) hatchery in

Barbeau, annually stocking

1–1.5 million fingerlings in

Great Lakes and inland lakes

within the 1836 Treaty territory.

In 2024, over 1 million fingerlings were stocked, and fall electrofishing surveys showed more

than 75% of sampled juveniles

were hatchery reared. Biological

sampling and aging of 400+ fish

helped assess population health

and stocking success. The Tribe

also partnered with Michigan

DNR on additional lake surveys.

Harvest Assessment and

Reporting

In 2024, the NRD continued

to meet reporting requirements

under the 2023 Great Lakes

Consent Decree and the 2007

Inland Consent Decree, which

are vital for understanding subsistence and commercial use of

fish, wildlife, and plant species

across the 1836 Ceded Territory.

This information helps guide

species assessments, regulatory

review, and monitoring programs that support treaty-reserved harvesting by tribal members.

Under the 2023 Great Lakes

Decree, NRD compiled and

submitted subsistence and special harvest reports, reviewed

commercial fishing data, and

collected approximately 2,500

fish from commercial samples,

including monitoring of the

new Lake Trout trap net fishery.

Staff processed over 50 special

subsistence permits, bi-monthly reports from 48 commercial

fishers, and monthly reports

from around 170 subsistence

fishers. Staff completed catchat-age models for key whitefish

units in Northern Lake Huron

and Bay de Noc, which support

quota setting and sustainable

management.

Under the 2007 Inland Decree

and the MOU with the U.S.

Forest Service, NRD assembled

harvest data from 2,528 inland

reports, representing nearly

13,000 wildlife species. Staff

conducted the annual lake sturgeon, elk, and bear permit lotteries. Finally, staff worked with

Sault Tribe Law Enforcement to

issue and meet reporting requirements for 160 walleye system

harvest permits and 20 special

method harvest permits.

Inter-agency Management

In 2024, the Sault Tribe NRD

advanced its role in co-stewarding treaty-reserved resources

by collaborating with federal,

state, and inter-tribal partners

across the 1836 Ceded Territory.

NRD supported Sault Tribe

leadership by developing and

reviewing management plans for

fish, wildlife, plants, and ecosystems, while ensuring agency

activities aligned with tribal

priorities. Staff actively engaged

in Chippewa Ottawa Resource

Authority (CORA) governance,

contributing to implementation

of the 2023 Great Lakes Decree

and the 2007 Inland Consent

Decree through technical committees focused on wildlife,

inland fisheries, and Great Lakes

fishery modeling and monitoring.

Beyond CORA, NRD staff

participated in technical and policy work across multiple Great

Lakes committees, contributed

to restoration planning in the St.

Marys River Area of Concern,

and coordinated with agencies

such as the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, EPA, USFS, USFWS,

and BIA on projects ranging

from Line 5 permitting and prescribed fire to stream crossings,

species assessments, and habitat

management. Additional work

included supporting invasive

species prevention, air quality

policy, climate action planning, manoomin mapping with

NOAA, and research collaborations with universities to address

whitefish recruitment and forest

health. These partnerships reflect

a broad commitment to ensuring

tribal science and stewardship

priorities guide resource management throughout the region.

Ezhi-Inawendiyang

Community Outreach

Division staff wove

Anishinaabe values into a busy

2024 outreach calendar: booths

at powwows and community walks, Boat-to-School and

Sturgeon-in-the-Classroom

lessons, AIS boat-wash days,

two YEA youth events, a

native seed workshop, and a

public manoomin planting in

Munuscong Bay. NRD hosted

the first hatchery open house

and helped produce the Sacred

Waters documentary, while

donating nearly 900 pounds of

fish to the Elders Meal Program.

To keep the Division’s work

cutting-edge and amplify tribal

voices, staff briefed or presented

at the International Association

for Great Lakes Research, the

Inter-Tribal Timber Council

Symposium, the National Forum

on Air Quality, the Great Lakes

ANS Panel, EPA Region 5’s

program-manager meeting,

and the National Atmospheric

Deposition Symposium. These

engagements strengthen partnerships, bring practical knowledge home, and reinforce the

Division’s commitment to community health, treaty rights, and

long-term stewardship.

Funding

In fiscal year 2024, the

NRD managed approximately

$3,928,780, of which 94% was

external funding and 6% was

tribal support. External funding

acquisition has been vital in supporting Division staffing and initiatives. In 2024, NRD applied

for and received numerous funding awards from the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest

Service, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, U.S. Bureau

of Indian Affairs, and The

Nature Conservancy, among others.

Page 10

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 LANGUAGE & CULTURE HIGHLIGHTS

The Sault Tribe Language

and Culture Division works to

provide meaningful opportunities

for tribal members to learn our

Anishinaabe Bimaadiziwin (way

of life) and Anishinaabemowin

(Ojibwe language). In doing so,

we protect and preserve the beautiful way of life given by Gichii

Maniidoo (Creator) and left to us

by our ancestors to carry on for

the next seven generations.

CULTURAL EVENTS AND

ACTIVITIES

— Annual Events

— New Year’s Sobriety

Powwow

— Winter Survival Camps

— Snow Snake Tournament

and Games

— Sugar Bush Camp on Sugar

Island

— Seasonal Ceremonies,

Spring-Summer-Fall-Winter

— Baaweting Homecoming

Powwow

— Sugar Island Powwow

— Jiibe – Feast for the

Ancestors

— Honor Our Veteran’s

Powwow

— Winter time storytelling

Other activities when knowledge keepers available:

— Black-ash basket making

— Canoe building

— Moccasin making

— Porcupine Quill work

— Birchbark basketry

— Ojibwe design

— Dance Regalia sewing

— Powwow Dance instruction

— Hide Tanning

— Indigenous Corn processing

— Making Maple sugar

— Drying Fish / Bush cooking

— And More…

SUMMER 2024 —Grand entry for the 43rd annual Bahweting Homecoming Powwow.

with other language speakers and

from elders and local drums make

ANISHINAABEMOWIN –

each other. Workshops provide an for a favorite “pop-up” powwow

Ojibwe Language Programing

array of culturally based discusday.

An important goal for

sions, including the importance of

NIIGAANAGIIZHIK

Language and Culture is to reach

revitalization and preservation of

CEREMONIAL BUILDING

as many tribal members as posthe language.

The division acts as caresible to share and preserve our

Ojibwe calendars with the trataker for the Niigaanagiizhik

beautiful Ojibwe Anishinaabe

ditional names for each month are Ceremonial Building, which was

language.

available on the site along with

built in the 1990s at the request

Since the COVID pandemic,

list of language related to that

of tribal elders in the Baaweting

this new way of learning Ojibwe

month. Language lessons are also community. The elders wanted

has been a great tool. New lespublished monthly in the tribal

a place where loved ones could

sons are posted weekly by four

newspaper.

journey to the spirit world with

language speakers and are also

The division also operates an

Anishinaabe ceremony, traditions

available live. There are about

Ojibwe Language After-school

and family, without question. The

150 lessons archived and availprogram for children ages 7-12

building has recently undergone

able for viewing. Look for the

with the goal of producing emerg- upgrades ranging from the kitchads in Sault Tribe Language and

ing speakers. Children take part

en to the firehouse right down to

Culture on Facebook.

in fun projects and recreational

the kitchen plates. The building

The division also hosts the

activities and learn everyday

is also used for many tribal cerannual Anishinaabmowin conlanguage and cultural practices

emonies, family gatherings and

ference to give opportunity to

woven into the curriculum. Visits

an occasional wedding or baby

learners to listen to and interact

shower.

MARY MURRAY

CULTURE CAMP

Mary Murray Culture Camp

on Sugar Island is also under the

supervision of the Language and

Culture Division. It sits on 40

acres of hardwood with nature

trails throughout. The camp was

built to provide an environment

to teach our traditional life ways

including everything from sugar

bush to building a canoe to tying

fishing nets. It sleeps 35-plus for

overnight stays, with a full kitchen, showers and bathrooms, and

community gathering space. The

camp is available for use by other

tribal departments, Youth and

Education (YEA), tribal Heath

and Education, and by tribal

Natural Resources.

OTHER DIVISION

RESPONSIBILITIES

— Assist with many other tribal powwows.

— Operate the PA system

— Build lodges for ceremony

— Process cultural leave

request for tribal employees.

— Annual “Night of Native

music and Dance” at the Soo

Locks.

— Invocations and other ceremonial functions.

— Assist tribal Repatriation

with grave preparation and ceremony for repatriation of ancestors.

REPATRIATION AND LIBRARY ACTIVITIES FOR 2024

NAADIN

ESHPENDAAGWAK — To get

back what we hold sacred

The Ojibwe Learning Center

& Library offers educational

materials and space for our community, and promotes the learning and preservation of traditional Anishinaabe ways. Books are

focused on Native American traditions, cultures, and languages.

The library contains authentic

cultural pieces, including baskets, beadwork, and a birchbark

canoe. It is also a place to hold

meetings, events, classes, or

language classes (in-person and

online).

Repatriation & Historic

Preservation represents our tribe

on issues concerning the Native

American Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

and Section 106, and facilitates

the return of ancestral remains

and items of cultural patrimony

removed from our homelands,

past and present. The program

deals with inadvertent discovery

of ancestral remains and sacred

or traditional cultural properties

taken from tribe during construction projects. It also serves

as the administrative contact for

Wequayoc Cemetery Committee.

It addresses the tribe’s policy

concerning gravesites and their

protection, works with tribal,

federal, state, and local branches

of government.

RHPO STAFF

The Repatriation and Historic

Preservation Office, located in

the Ojibwe Learning Center

and Library is staffed by the

Repatriation and Historic

Preservation Specialist, and a

part-time library aide.

REPATRIATION

The RPHO facilitated the

repatriation of 24 ancestors

and their belongings. The

Repatriation Specialist conducted routine NAGPRA consultations. The RHPO held four

Repatriation Ceremonies (burial

of ancestors) on June 3, June 14,

Oct. 18, and Nov. 22.

The Repatriation Specialist

traveled numerous times in

2024:

— Petoskey, Mich., for a

quarterly MACPRA Meeting

— Sagamok, Ont., to attend

a Traditional Textiles Workshop

as apart of the Rematriating

Anishinaabe Art Grant

— Ann Arbor, Mich., for

Honoring and Recommitment

Ceremony with the University of

Michigan,

— Chicago, Ill., for repatriation with the Chicago History

Museum and the Chicago Field

Museum,

— Paradise, Mich., for repatriation from a private individual

— Lansing, Mich., for a

return of archeological materials from the State Historic

Preservation Office

— Schoolcraft County

Historical Society for a collections donation

— Grand Rapids, Mich., to

assist with repatriation to the

Grand River Band of Ottawa

Indians

— Lansing, Mich., for repatriation with Michigan State

University

— St. Ignace, Mich., for

Wequayoc Committee Meeting

— Ann Arbor, Mich., to

attend the Association of Tribal

Archives Libraries and Museums

— Lansing, Mich., for

NAGPRA Consultation with

Michigan History Center

HISTORIC

PRESERVATION

The Repatriation Specialist

conducted routine NHPA

Section 106 reviews or consultations with the US Army

Corps of Engineers at Soo Locks

Complex to discuss the removal

of the Brady Park Obelisk from

the burial mounds. Also:

— Held a Section 106 staffto-staff conversation with

Huron Manistee National Forest

Heritage Manager,

— Conducted tribal relations relationship building with

Hiawatha National Forest Tribal

Liaison for presentation “Tribal

101” to Hiawatha leadership,

line officers, and staff.

— Met with DNR

Archaeologist to discuss Palms

Book and Indian Lake State

Parks cultural resource management and the DNR’s new planning document for each park.

— Attended routine Line 5

Tribal Cooperation meetings.

— Attended EPA Line 5

workshop hosted by Bay Mills

Indian Community.

— Worked with United States

Geological Services on re-naming traditional cultural landscape. This included creating a

pronunciation guide. The USGS

is documenting the Sault Tribe’s

approach as a model in a report

for other tribes.

The Repatriation Specialist

was a member of the Sault

Tribe’s Powwow Committee, the

administrative contact for the

Wequayoc Cemetery Committee,

and a member of the Heart of

Great Turtle Island, an advisory

committee formed to advise on

development of the St. Ignace

park next to the Mackinaw

Bridge that is also used for the

powwow grounds.

OJIBWE LEARNING

CENTER AND LIBRARY

In 2024, the OLCL hosted

885 visitors. The OLCL was

available to tribal and commu-

nity members to view library

materials and research. The

OLCL accepted several library

materials and collections donations from individuals. The

OLCL hosted three Anishinaabe

Art Workshops, as a part of

the Rematriating Anishinaabe

Art Grant: Mitten Workshop

March 1-3 with instructor Jackie

Minton, Drum Stick Making

Workshop April 6 with Cody

Jodoin, and Quill Wrapped

Earrings with Madeline Big

Bear, Nov. 21-23. The OLCL

also loaned items to be on display for the First Lady visit on

May 17.

GOALS FOR 2025

Repatriation and Historical

Preservation

— Continuing consultations

with current institutions

— Follow-up with institutions reaching out requesting a

consultation

Ojibwe Learning Center

and Library

— Continue developing art

workshops for Rematriating

Anishinaabe Art Grant

— Develop a plan to rotate

throughout the Units some of the

art and craft collections housed

in the Learning Center

— Continue providing educational resources, providing

meeting/gathering spaces, museum-type exhibition

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 11

HEALTH DIVISION’S 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

Health CEO James Benko

In 2024, the Sault Tribe Health

Division embarked on a transformative journey, laying the

foundation for a more efficient,

accessible, and patient-centered

healthcare experience. This year

marked the beginning of a comprehensive reassessment and

restructuring effort, including

the selection of a new Electronic

Health Record (EHR) management system—a major initiative

that, once fully implemented,

will significantly enhance service

delivery. Among the key developments was the appointment

of James A. Benko as our Chief

Executive Officer. Benko brings

over three decades of experience in healthcare operations

and administration, along with a

bachelor’s and master’s degree

in Health Care Administration.

Originally from Flint, Mich.,

he offers a strong background

in financial and operational

leadership, as well as strategic

planning, positioning the Health

Division for long-term success.

The Health Division operates four large health facilities

— Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace,

Manistique, and Munising —

and five smaller nursing stations

— Hessel, DeTour, Newberry,

Gladstone, and Marquette.

Serving over 14,000 tribal

members and eligible patients,

the staff of the Health Division

have shown their dedication and

professionalism by providing

high-quality care to our patients.

An addition in 2024 was the

Medication Assisted Treatment

(MAT) Clinic located in the Sault.

SATISFACTION SURVEY

RESULTS

The After-Visit phone surveys conducted by JP Morgan &

Associates revealed that patients

who visited the clinic in 2024

expressed high satisfaction with

the care delivered by their providers. Overall, the satisfaction

rate was 94%. These survey

results are invaluable as we strive

to enhance our processes and

better serve our patients. Despite

challenges such as staff shortages, high demand, and limited

resources, our Health Division

remains committed to quality

care. We appreciate patient feedback and are actively addressing

areas for improvement.

QUALITY

IMPROVEMENT

In the Health Division’s ongoing commitment to patient safety,

continuous improvement, and

adherence to national best practices, Quality Improvement studies are conducted. In 2024, the

Health Division monitored hand

hygiene compliance across mul-

tiple sites, achieving 98–100%

compliance by October in most

departments, including Sault

Ste. Marie Medical, the Walk-In

Clinic, and St. Ignace Dental. A

follow-up study in early 2025

at Sault Ste. Marie Community

Health confirmed a 99% compliance rate.

The Health Division also

participated in the AAAHC

Safe Injection Practices (SIP)

Benchmarking Study twice in

2024. The first round of 35 observations identified five hygiene-related issues, which were promptly

addressed. Following policy

updates and staff training, STHD

earned a 100% best performer

rating in the second half of the

year.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

The Sault Tribe Behavioral

Health Program offers a variety of culturally sensitive outpatient program and services.

Some of the services provided

are: Screening, Intake and

Assessment, Therapy (e.g., play

therapy, cognitive behavioral,

etc.), Psychiatric Evaluation

and Follow-up Care, Crisis

Intervention/Urgent Care,

Outpatient Services for Substance

Use Disorders, Compulsive

Gambling Counseling, Alcohol/

Drug Education and Awareness,

and Employee Assistance

Program. Psychological testing is

available for 5-year-old through

elderly patients. Tele-psychiatric

and psychiatric services are

offered to clients through a

referral from their primary care

provider or therapist. Behavioral

Health also offers the Road to

Wellness Program, to assist active

clients with transportation to

make it easier for them to attend

appointments.

The Behavioral Health

Program has seen a significant

rise in demand for urgent care

and crisis intervention services,

mirroring broader increases in

mental health needs since the

COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent

care services are available on a

walk-in basis, Monday through

Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,

with staff always available to

respond. Rural sites also accommodate urgent care needs, though

appointments may be required

based on therapist availability.

The Behavioral Health

Program leads several long-term

initiatives funded by federal

and tribal grants, including a

SAMHSA Opioid Response

Grant. This grant supports a

wide range of recovery services

including three Peer Recovery

Coaches, a Prevention Specialist,

and three residential Recovery

Homes. Behavioral Health also

fosters community engagement

through events like the annual

Recovery Gala, which recently

welcomed over 75 attendees in

a substance-free celebration of

recovery.

Additionally, two home-based

programs funded by the InterTribal Council of Michigan Inc.

enhance family wellness. The

Family Spirit Program, led by

RN Pam Smith, offers in-home

parenting education for caregivers

of tribal children. The Healing

to Wellness Program provides

in-home support for families

Community Health cooking class in 2024.

New dental equipment was purchased in 2024.

affected by perinatal substance

use, with a Perinatal Opioid

Coordinator serving 24 active clients. These programs offer transportation, essential supplies, and

personalized care coordination

to promote healing and stability

within the home.

CLINICAL SERVICES RURAL HEALTH

The Sault Tribe’s Rural Health

program continued to provide

vital services across five Upper

Peninsula locations in 2024. The

two larger facilities—Manistique

and Munising—offered a full

range of care, including Medical

and Nursing, Dental, Optical,

Pharmacy, Nutrition Counseling,

Behavioral Health, and

Community Health services.

The three smaller clinics—Newberry, Marquette,

and Gladstone—focused on

Community Health services,

Nutrition Counseling, medication

pick-up, health education, and

connecting patients to additional

tribal resources. A key advancement in 2024 was the expanded

use of telemedicine in these

clinics, allowing patients to consult with providers remotely and

access more care options closer to

home.

The Manistique Tribal Health

Center continued to serve as a

comprehensive care hub, offering services in Medical, Dental,

Optical, Pharmacy, Nutrition,

Behavioral Health, Audiology,

and Community Health. The

Gladstone Tribal Health Center

provided Community Health and

Nutrition services, telemedicine

clinics, medication pick-up, and

access to tribal programs.

In 2024, Manistique and

Gladstone recorded a combined

total of 6,928 visits across

Medical, Community Health,

Audiology, and telemedicine

services, along with 2,333 Dental

visits and 878 Optical visits. A

notable enhancement was the

introduction of laboratory services at the Gladstone clinic,

offered twice monthly. This new

service has been well received,

reducing the need for patients to

travel to Manistique for lab work.

Construction of fitness centers

in Manistique and Gladstone

progressed throughout 2024, with

both opening to tribal members

in early 2025. The Manistique

facility features an exercise room,

yoga room, half basketball court

with walking track, and locker

rooms with showers. Gladstone’s

center includes an exercise room

and lockers. Both are equipped

with modern fitness equipment

and trained staff to assist members.

Recruitment efforts also

saw success. In Fall 2024, Dr.

Nicholas Golba joined as Dental

Supervisor in Manistique, and a

new Dental Hygienist began in

February 2025. These hard-to-fill

positions are critical to expanding

dental care access.

CLINICAL SERVICES - ST.

IGNACE

St. Ignace Tribal Health

marked a year of major growth

and achievement. The team

successfully transitioned into a

new 20,000-square-foot Medical

Office Building on the MSHS

campus, enhancing service

delivery with upgraded medical,

dental, and optical equipment,

digitized records, and paperless

billing and referrals. Despite the

move, patient care continued with

minimal disruption.

St. Ignace Tribal Health

offers a wide range of services,

including Medical, Dental,

Optical, Pharmacy, Behavioral

Health, Traditional Medicine,

and Community Health. A variety of flexible care options are

provided to meet the needs of

our patients. These include telemedicine through off-site medical

carts at satellite clinics, allowing

patients to connect with providers

remotely; telehealth via doxy.me,

enabling virtual visits from the

comfort of home; and telephone

follow-ups. In addition to in-clinic ambulatory care, we offer quarterly off-site visits to the Hessel

Community Center and operate a

Mobile Medical Unit that travels

to Romulus during the spring,

summer, and fall to serve patients

in that area. In 2024, the clinic

recorded over 5,400 medical visits, 2,900 dental visits, and 900

optical visits, while processing

more than 40,000 prescriptions.

Collaborations with universities and healthcare partners,

including Sacred Heart for medication-assisted treatment (MAT),

have expanded access to comprehensive addiction recovery services. The clinic also distributed

home monitoring equipment to

over 300 high-risk patients.

Page 12

2024 Annual Report

OCtober 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

HEALTH DIVISION 2024 OVERVIEW, CONTINUED

CLINICAL SERVICES –

SAULT STE. MARIE

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribal

Health Center (STHC) is a major

ambulatory facility that serves

as the primary location for several key services, including Lab,

Radiology, and Medical Records,

which are provided to its satellite

clinics.

In 2024, the Health Division’s

Sault Ste. Marie Medical and

Nursing Department continued its

established standard of delivering

high-quality medical care, ensuring consistent, patient-centered

services. The medical providers at

the Sault Health Center completed

18,566 patient visits. Additionally,

nursing staff fulfilled 1,517 nurse

only appointments, offering services such as immunizations,

dressing changes, suture/staple

removals, allergy injections, cerumen removal, other injectable

medications, medication reconciliations, and EKGs for our patients.

The on-site Walk-In Clinic

remained a vital resource. Open

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 7:30

p.m., it served 5,858 patients in

2024. The Walk-In Clinic is available to for acute, immediate needs

such as colds, flu, Covid, sinus,

sore throats, sprains and strains,

urinary tract infections, simple

lacerations and much more. The

Walk-In Clinic providers can help

bridge medical care with the primary care provider when certain

health concerns arise such as elevations in blood pressure or blood

sugars, and medication reactions.

A major accomplishment in

2024 for our tribe and community, was the addition of the MAT

(Medication Assisted Therapy)

Clinic. The Naandwejgegamig

(Healing Place), opened its doors

on June 25, 2024, to all tribal and

community members. There were

1,703 patient visits completed.

The program continues to grow

and help individuals struggling

with substance abuse disorders to

achieve and maintain long-term

recovery. Hours of operation are

Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6

p.m. Referrals are not necessary;

the Healing Place can be contacted at (906) 635-8877.

The department also continued its academic partnerships

by precepting nursing and nurse

practitioner students. Despite

ongoing challenges in recruiting

physicians—a nationwide issue—

efforts are underway to enhance

provider recruitment in 2025.

The Sault Tribal Health Center

Laboratory offers a wide range

of services for patients who need

blood tests or other specimens

collected. Patients can have their

blood drawn and tests performed

at the STHC Laboratory, which

is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30

p.m. Limited in-clinic lab testing

is available from 4:30 p.m. until

7:30 p.m. (Rapid strep, influenza

a & b, covid, RSV, blood glucose,

urine pregnancy, and urinalysis).

Patients who are fasting or have

orders from outside providers

should make an appointment by

calling (906) 632-5230. Patients

who are seen at STHC can have

their blood drawn the same day

without an appointment. In 2024,

the STHC Lab performed over

230,000 in-house tests on specimens.

The Radiology Department

continues to provide a full range

Tradtional Medicine staff surrounded by medicinal swamp tea.

of diagnostic imaging services,

and Gathering, and a Canning

including X-rays, mammograand Preserving Series. Over

phy, and ultrasound. In 2024,

250 gitigaan (garden) kits were

the department completed 2,175

distributed in partnership with

X-ray exams, 838 mammograMSU Extension FRTEP, and the

phy exams, and 962 ultrasound

Indigenous Food Week Challenge

exams. The department remains

encouraged community members

fully accredited by the American

to prepare and share meals using

College of Radiology (ACR) and

traditional foods via social media.

successfully passed its annual

COMMUNITY HEALTH

FDA inspection, ensuring conNURSING (Sault, St. Ignace,

tinued compliance with national

Hessel, DeTour)

quality and safety standards.

In 2024, the Sault Tribe

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Community Health Program

EDUCATION

continued to deliver a wide range

In 2024, the Sault Tribe

of services in clinical, home,

Community Health Education

and community settings for tribprogram continued to deliver a

al members and their families.

wide range of health education

These services included patient

services across the tribe’s sevhealth evaluations, chronic

en-county service area, with a

disease education, medication

strong focus on prevention, wellmanagement, in-home case manness, and cultural relevance. The

agement, home safety checks,

Nicotine Dependence Program

immunizations, foot care, in-home

(NDP) expanded its accessibillab draws, and injections such

ity by offering early morning,

as flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

evening, and weekend hours. A

Additional programs supported

major success was the partnership car seat safety, incontinence care,

with the tribal Housing Authority,

hypertension education, and the

which led to a 100% Smoke-Free

Nike Shoe Program. Community

Housing Designation across all

Health Nursing also contributed to

established housing sites. NDP

community gardens, telemedicine,

also engaged youth through e-cig- CPR training, vision and hearing

arette and vaping education in

screenings, and annual health

schools and outreach at the Teen

fairs, while also managing preHealth Fair at Sault High School,

scription pickups in DeTour and

which reached over 700 students.

Hessel.

Public awareness was further

Outreach efforts expanded

supported through a culturally tai- significantly in 2024. COVID/Flu

lored TV commercial and tobacco Clinics were held in St. Ignace,

prevention billboards.

Sault Ste. Marie, Hessel, DeTour,

The Medical Fitness Program

and Kinross. CPR certification

was provided to staff across

grew to include both clinic-based

and in-home services, following

departments, and Breast Cancer

ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine

Awareness giveaways were disguidelines. Group classes such as

tributed at all main sites. The

the Fall Prevention Class Series

team also launched an Employee

Wellness Challenge and led cookand Elder Balance Class were

ing classes for the Sault Tribe

introduced, along with outdoor

Summer Recreation Program and

activities like moonlight snowshoe walks, community hikes, and YEA Chomp classes for youth.

a medical fitness kayak excursion. Additional activities included

Snowshoe Events, a Walking Club

Through CDC-funded grants

in St. Ignace, the Senior Health

like GHWIC and TPWIC, the

Expo, and nutrition education sesprogram supported trail-based

sions at Lodge of Hope and Head

wellness projects, including

Start. The team also supported

enhancements to the Downtown

Lunch Loop and the installation

the Big Bear Arena Family Fun

of a bilingual Little Red Hen

Night.

DENTAL

Storybook Trail. In Kinross, a

In 2024, the Sault Tribe Dental

walking trail was revitalized with

Program provided 10,333 dental

Ojibwe-English signage featuring

visits, including 5,215 in Sault

native plants, animals, and physical activity prompts.

Ste. Marie, 2,776 in St. Ignace,

Cultural workshops offered

and 2,342 in Manistique. Services

through TPWIC included

offered to eligible patients includCultural Beading, Indigenous

ed exams, oral cancer screenings,

Breastfeeding, Tea Blending,

x-rays, cleanings, preventive and

Apple Cider Press, Healthy Meals periodontal care, fillings, crowns,

dentures, root canals, nightguards,

pediatric care, oral surgery, and

emergency dental services. A

major milestone was the expansion of the St. Ignace Dental

Department, which moved into a

new facility equipped with stateof-the-art equipment and designed

for patient comfort and safety.

The department also partnered

with Skagit Valley College to host

a Dental Therapy Extern. Tribal

member Dana Obey completed

her preclinical training and began

working with dentists in Sault Ste.

Marie in preparation for her board

exam. Dental therapists focus on

minimally invasive treatment and

prevention, expanding access to

care.

OPTICAL

Comprehensive optical care is

available at the Sault Ste. Marie,

St. Ignace, and Manistique sites.

Services include cataract and

glaucoma evaluations, diabetic

and dilated eye exams, children’s eye exams, retinal and

macular degeneration assessments, and emergency eye care.

Additional services feature

contact lens fittings and classes, visual field testing, Optical

Coherence Tomography (OCT),

and a full-service optical dispensary with eyeglass repair and

Medicaid/UPHP eyewear options.

Referral services are also provided.

In 2024, 3,427 optical visits

were recorded across all three

sites. A major highlight was the

relocation of the St. Ignace clinic to the new St. Ignace Tribal

Health building, now equipped

with a state-of-the-art optical

facility and modern equipment.

The year also marked the retirement of Dr. Dale Johnson, a

long-serving optometrist in Sault

Ste. Marie.

PURCHASED REFERRED

CARE

Purchased Referred Care

(PRC) provides appropriate

access for Sault Tribe Members to

achieve high-quality care beyond

what is available through Tribal

Health facilities. PRC benefits

are established by federal law and

regulations and funded through

appropriations from the federal

government. Tribes establish

priorities of coverage based on

funding appropriated. Members

should not rely solely on PRC for

their medical coverage and should

apply for alternate resources if

eligible. PRC is the payor of last

resort. Eligibility requirements

for PRC include residing within the Purchased Referred Care

Delivery area, consisting of seven

counties, having a completed

application on file, providing

proof of income and residency,

and being enrolled in PRC 90

days prior to an inpatient stay. It

is the member’s responsibility to

request assistance by contacting

the PRC office directly. PRC can

now text message your cell phone

or email your voucher numbers

for requested services. Contact

PRC to update your contact information for this service if you have

not done so already. After-hours/

weekend coverage is available

by calling the nurse triage line

in your area where your primary

care provider is located.

PHARMACY

In 2024, the Pharmacy

Department dispensed 181,790

prescriptions, including 12,661

prescriptions mailed to elders (60plus) and members with disabilities. In addition to high-quality

medication dispensing, the pharmacy team provided medication

counseling, medication therapy

management (MTM), smoking

cessation counseling, and supported an antimicrobial stewardship

program. The Sault Ste. Marie

location also maintained a medication disposal site in the medical

waiting room lobby.

Pharmacy services included

collaboration with Community

Health and Elder Care for medication setup and delivery, mail-order

refills via USPS, and delivery to

rural community health sites. In

2024, the department underwent

leadership changes, with the

new team focusing on improving

patient care, updating policies

for regulatory compliance, and

enhancing internal processes.

A major initiative underway is

the pharmacy management software upgrade, expected to launch

in fall 2025, which will expand

services and improve efficiency.

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

In 2024, the Sault Tribe

Traditional Medicine Program

actively collaborated across

departments and communities to

support the spiritual and cultural

well-being of Anishinaabek members. The department received

generous donations from tribal

members, including bear fat,

sage, red willow, bee hives, and

shkitaagan (chaga), which were

used in minigan recipes, salves,

and other traditional medicines.

Volunteers played a vital role in

preparing fasting grounds, gathering medicines, hauling wood, and

supporting seasonal ceremonies

such as the Fall Fast and Winter

Feast held at the Niigaanagiizhik

building.

Traditional Medicine staff

provided smudging, prayers,

and pipe ceremonies throughout

the year, including Sault Tribe

Board of Directors invocations,

home cleansings, elder visits, and

end-of-life ceremonies. Gerard

Sagassige represented the department at the MATRIX group in

January and led teachings for

youth and families at events

such as the Big Bear snowshoe

event, Tribal Youth Program, and

Manistique powwow. The team

also supported the tribal judicial

court’s May talking circle and collaborated with Community Health

by providing traditional teas.

Outreach included participation

in the St. Ignace Senior Health

Expo, Tall Cop event, and Family

Night at the middle school.

Medicines were gathered from

state and federal forests for clinic

use, and sweat lodge ceremonies were held at the Sault Tribe

Health Center for members who

requested them through the passing of tobacco. The department

also hosted a successful fasting

camp and engaged in meet-andgreet events with tribal organizations to strengthen community

ties. Traditional Medicine remains

committed to preserving and sharing Anishinaabe healing practices.

The Sault Tribe Health

Division is proud of its accomplishments in 2024 and looks forward to continuing its mission of

promoting health and wellness for

its members in 2025 and beyond.

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

SAULT TRIBE ELDER SERVICES 2024 OVERVIEW

Elder Services had an exciting year. A committed group of

compassionate, caring team members provided a wide variety of

services to our elders. Our goal

is to provide tribal elders with

the best possible programming to

meet their needs, promote healthy

living opportunities and improve

their quality of life. By providing high quality in-home care,

and access to community-based

services, the goal is to help the

elders have good health and

independence within their own

homes. Elder Services is grateful

for the funding received through

the Older Americans Act Title

VI grant program, as well as the

generosity of the tribe to be able

to provide these services.

In 2024, over 50,000 meals

were provided to elders across

the seven-county service area.

Our four meal programs located

in Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace,

Hessel and Manistique served

over 24,000 meals in house, and

brought 26,000 home delivered

meals to homebound elders. Each

meal site is staffed with two team

members in the kitchen, and our

Hessel site is fortunate enough to

have an elder worker. The Sault

also has a part-time team member dedicated to delivering all of

the home delivered meals in that

area. Meals were also provided

to elders that attended one of the

nine monthly elder sub-committee meetings across the service

area. Sault Tribe elders residing

on Mackinac Island were provided with vouchers to dine at two

different restaurants throughout

the year.

Elder Services has four full

time Home Health Technicians

that provide homemaker, personal

care, and respite services across

the seven-county service area.

Referrals for services are made to

our full-time Registered Nurse,

who then performs an assessment

to determine what services can

be provided. Reassessments are

completed on a regular basis to

ensure the needs are still being

met. The Elder Services Home

Health Technicians are some of

the kindest, most compassionate

team members. Their dedication to the elders in their care is

immeasurable. Elder Services is

proud to partner with care agencies in the Upper Peninsula, and

with funding from UPCAP, even

more services can be provided

to elders living in more remote

parts of the service area. Between

the Elder Services Home Health

Technicians, and team members

from the partner agencies, over

4,700 visits were made to Sault

Tribe elders in 2024.

Non-emergency medical

transportation is another service

that Elder Services is proud to

provide. Close to 1,000 rides

were provided to elders across the

service area to various locations

in the Upper Peninsula, northern lower Michigan, and into

Wisconsin. Under the guidance of

the Transportation Coordinator,

two full time drivers and one part

time driver provided the bulk of

the rides. It was not uncommon

for any of our other wonderful

team members to step in and

assist with a ride to an appointment as well this past year. In the

Sault, homebound elders within

city limits were provided with

close to 1,300 medication deliveries in 2024. With the addition of

two passenger vans to the Elder

Services fleet of vehicles, larger

groups of elders enjoyed traveling

on social outings throughout the

service area and into northern

lower Michigan.

Elder Services has four full

time Outreach Coordinators that

cover the seven counties. Their

main focus is establishing key

relationships with tribal elders

and their families by coordinating

programs and services to help

them continue to maintain a good

quality of life, and age in place.

For some elders, the Outreach

Coordinator is like family. An

advocate when the elder may not

have anyone else, this crucial

member of the Elder Services

team plays an important role

in ensuring the elder has what

he or she needs. The Outreach

Coordinators have assisted with

various open houses, tribally-sponsored health fairs, safety

fairs, social events and community programs that promote social,

cultural and intergenerational

opportunities.

In 2024, more than 6,800

points of contact were made by

the Elder Services Outreach team,

whether it was a phone call or

email to check in, home visit,

assistance with an application,

community outreach event, or

anything else the elder may have

needed.

The Elder Health Fund continues to assist elders with partial

payments for various dental and

vision needs provided by one of

the Sault Tribe Health Centers,

after insurance has been billed.

In 2024, Elder Services processed 138 Elder Health Fund

applications, which are required

to be renewed annually. This

income-based program provides

various levels of assistance with

the guideline being 150% of

the Federal Registry Poverty

Guidelines. The Outreach

Coordinators process the bulk of

the applications, and it is a fairly

easy process to complete.

Elder Services was proud

to provide five ramps to elders

across the service area. In conjunction with a local, tribally-owned company, ramps are

designed and built to assist elders

with mobility issues, and have

safer access into and out of their

homes. Referrals for the ramp

program are coordinated by our

Registered Nurse.

A number of inter-tribal and

community partnerships allowed

Elder Services to bring a wide

variety of resources and programs

to its elders. The MSU Extension

was able to visit a number of

areas and assist elders with applying for the Senior Project Fresh

program, allowing them access

to locally grown fruits, vegetables and food products during

the Farmers Market season. The

Community Health Wellness

Program provided exercise programs at both Nokomis-Mishomis

in the Sault and the Elder

Complex in St. Ignace.

The Environmental Program

sent a team member and a wide

variety of native plant species to

the Sault, Hessel and St Ignace

to provide education and share

the plantings. Additional plants

were distributed to elders in the

Manistique and Munising communities.

The EUPISD had two team

members that provided five

weeks of 13 Moons teachings to

Elders in the Sault, St. Ignace and

Hessel, with plans to expand to

other areas in 2025.

A representative from the

Michigan Indian Legal Services

visited a number of locations

across the service area to provide

education on estate planning,

and a Marquette-based insurance

company traveled across the

seven counties to provide information on supplemental insurance

programs available to elders.

The Curtis Kids Fishing Coop

Committee welcomed the Unit 2

Naubinway Elders to their home

for a meal and meeting to celebrate the partnership between

Sault Tribe and this local event

that provides fishing education

and opportunities to area youth.

The Mobile Secretary of

State Office visited NokomisMishomis, and established dates

for 2025 to visit locations in St.

Ignace, Manistique and Escanaba.

The Sault Area High School

Native Youth Council made

cards thanking Veterans for their

service. These cards were delivered to Veterans in the Sault, St

Ignace, Manistique and Escanaba.

The Sault Women’s Auxiliary

provided Christmas baskets for

homebound veterans, which were

distributed in Units 1, 2 and 3.

Food sovereignty was another

highlight this year. Thanks to

Chairman Lowes, the coordination of a generous donation

by Indian Energy allowed the

purchase of three bison to be processed and distributed to elders

across the service area. Bison was

incorporated into the menus in the

meal programs, used at summer

picnics, and distributed to elders

that attended the Elder SubCommittee meetings and meal

programs. The Sault Fisheries

program donated a large amount

of local lake trout which was then

distributed to other meal sites. A

local farmer brought large donations of sweet corn and squash

as well. We were grateful to have

this food provided to share with

the elders.

Nokomis-Mishomis parking lot received a much needed

upgrade in the fall of 2024. The

meal program continued despite

the several weeks’ long construction project. The opening of the

Escanaba Community Center

provided a new home for the

Escanaba Elder Sub-Committee

meetings, and social and cultural

gatherings for the elders.

Elder Services enjoyed gathering and celebrating throughout

the year. The summer picnics

provided a wonderful time to

gather and enjoy each others

company, and of course a wonderful meal. The holidays were

celebrated in a big way throughout 2024. Halloween parties,

Thanksgiving meals and family

gatherings closed out the fall.

Manistique and Munising elders

enjoyed cookie decorating with

their coordinating YEA programs

in preparation for their holiday

parties. A wide variety of holiday parties were planned across

the service area for elders and

guests to enjoy, with just under

800 in attendance altogether. The

Manistique meal program closed

out 2024 with a special New

Year’s Eve lunch and party.

Though it was a busy year,

the Elder Services team is committed to reaching out to even

Page 13

more elders in 2025, and bringing

more services to those in our

area. Miigwech to the hard working team members of the Elder

Services Division for making this

all happen!

Naubinway elders met in Curtis to celebrate partnership with Curtis

Kids Fishing Coop.

Unit 1 elders celebrate Halloween: Brenda and Tom Cook, Judy LaJoie,

Tim Lalonde and Aimee Penrose (L-R).

Unit 3 St. Ignace elders and guests enjoy lunch as part of the elder

meal program.

3 Guys 3 Gals perform at Unit 4 Manistique summer picnic.

Sault Cook Phillip Nertoli Jr. admiring the processed bison.

Page 14

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

ANISHINAABEK COMMUNITY & FAMILY SERVICES

Anishnaabek Community and

Family Services has three primary

components providing an umbrella of social services to tribal members and families throughout the

tribe’s seven-county service area.

Child Welfare (Binogii/

Family Services) provides all

child welfare-related services

offered through ACFS. For over

30 years, these services have

supported Sault Tribe members

through a wide range of family-centered programs. The mission of ACFS Child Welfare is to

strengthen and empower families

by offering culturally respectful

opportunities for connection and

healing, with a focus on improving safety and overall well-being.

Binogii operates under Sault

Tribe’s Child Placing Agency

license and holds a contract

with the Michigan Department

of Health and Human Services

(MDHHS) to deliver direct services to tribal children and families.

Child Welfare services are

delivered through the following

programs:

– Foster Care

– Adoption

– Foster and Adoptive Home

Licensing

– Prevention

– Adolescent In Home

Assistance (AIHA)

– Protective Services (Adult

and Children’s)

– Indian Child Welfare Act

(ICWA) Monitoring

– Family Continuity

– In-Home Care

– Parenting

The Advocacy Resource

Center (ARC) is a community-based victim service program

with over 30 years of experience providing comprehensive,

culturally honoring, and trauma-informed responses to those

impacted by the abuse of power

and control through the delivery

of the following types of victimization-related support:

– Core Advocacy

– Safety Planning

– Financial Assistance

– Transportation Assistance

– Emergency Legal Advocacy/

Personal Protection Order

Assistance

– Criminal Justice Advocacy

– Crime Victim Compensation

Assistance

– Accompaniment to Tribal,

State, and Federal Court

– Outreach and Community

Education

– Sexual Violence Services

(SVS) Naanda Nswi Kidwenan

– Cultural Healing Community

Support Activities

– Emergency Temporary

Intimate Partner Violence Shelter

Aakdehewin Gaamig (Lodge of

Bravery)

– Missing or Murdered

Indigenous People (MMIP) Sault

Tribe Citizen Data Collection

MMIP Advocacy and Financial

Assistance

Direct Services provides

assistance to tribal members

experiencing financial and other

difficulties.

– Emergency Assistance

– General Assistance

– Native Employment Works

– Child Care Development

Fund

– Funeral Assistance

– Employee Assistance

– Low Income Energy

Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

– Elder Heating

– Emergency Housing

Assistance

– Emergency Housing Shelter

“Bgwasendam Gamigong” Lodge

of Hope

– United States Department

of Agriculture Food Distribution

Program in Indian Reservations

(USDA) Food Commodities

ACFS has approximately 90

team members working within

the three components under the

ACFS umbrella of services. The

staff are committed to providing

the best possible social services

to members.

ACFS continues to manage

over 42 grants, with funding

from Sault Tribe, BIA, IHS,

U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, the Department

of Justice, USDA and the state

of Michigan. The grants are utilized to provide the most efficient

services within three primary

components. ACFS has offices located in Sault Ste. Marie,

Kincheloe, St. Ignace, Manistique

and Munising.

DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS

During 2024, the ARC began

participation in the Michigan

Department of Attorney General’s

(DAG) Missing and Murdered

Indigenous Persons Task Force.

The DAG has assisted families

of missing Sault Tribe citizens

by facilitating contact with the

Attorney General’s offices located

in other states where the incident

occurred.

ACFS opened the doors

of “Bgwasendam Gamigong”

Lodge of Hope on Aug. 2, 2023.

The transformational shelter is

a 21-room facility that provides

homeless members throughout the

seven-county service area with

emergency shelter. The Lodge

of Hope also provides intensive

services to members that wish

to work on barriers to obtaining

housing. The facility is a 24/7

operation with a full staff. In

2024, The Lodge of Hope housed

46 tribal households (61 individuals). ACFS currently also serves

numerous homeless members by

providing financial assistance for

local motels to provide shelter.

In 2024, the USDA Food

Program building was dedicated to its first director, Anthony

“Tony” Nertoli, in honor of his

memory and service to the USDA

Food Program and the Sault Ste.

Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

ACFS continues to make

warm winter clothing available

for members through its Winter

Gear Closet. They also had hats,

scarves and mittens donated from

community members. The items

are donated by ACFS staff and

other community members and

are either new or gently used.

Child Welfare program has

remained committed to advancing

tribal priorities, strengthening

families, and supporting community well-being through advocacy,

legislative collaboration, recruitment, and outreach efforts.

One of the program’s most

significant accomplishments was

its involvement in the work that

led to the passage of a Tribal

Customary Adoption Code, an

important, long-term goal of the

tribe. This new code provides the

court and families with an option

2024 Thanksgiving and Christmas gathering at The Lodge of Hope

for permanency that aligns with

tribal customs and cultural practices.

In addition to tribal legislative

successes, Child Welfare staff

also played an active role in the

development and passage of state

legislation related to Michigan

Compiled Law (MCL) 712b,

which governs the Foster Care

Review process. These legislative

changes formally added tribal

processes into state statute and

codified the requirement that

tribes receive notice when there is

a change in placement involving

tribal children.

Child Welfare staff further

supported state-level policy by

offering consultation and input

on several additional legislative

initiatives. These included proposed laws addressing confidentiality and the duty to investigate,

Qualified Expert Witness (QEW)

clarifications, CASA (Court

Appointed Special Advocates)

legislation, and efforts to eliminate the state licensing requirement for families requesting

Guardianship Assistance Subsidy.

In operational areas, the program continued to maintain positive licensing, contract, and funding audits and reviews across a

variety of state and federal funding sources. The Child Welfare

ICWA Monitoring Program

also remained active, working

to ensure compliance with the

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)

by intervening in and participating in all known cases involving

Sault Tribe children across the

country.

The program also took part

in the Breakthrough Series

Collaborative – Cultivating a

Sustainable Workforce initiative.

Staff participated in several key

learning opportunities, including

an in-person Group Learning

Session in Minneapolis, Minn.,

in April, a final virtual showcase

in June, and the Tribal Gathering

in San Diego, Calif., in July. The

internal ACFS team continues

to meet and advance the goals

developed during the collaborative.

Recruitment and retention

of foster and adoptive homes

remains a top priority. Efforts

include publishing regular newspaper articles, attending community events, and partnering with

local coalitions to offer training and recognition. Signature

events this year included the

Annual Foster Parent Training

and Recognition Banquet and the

Annual Foster/Adoptive/Kinship

Picnic.

Finally, Child Welfare staff

continued to engage in community outreach by partnering with

other tribal programs and participating in numerous events across

the service area. Outreach activities in 2024 included Career Day

at Rudyard High School, multiple

Family Fun Days, and several

Housing, Health & Safety Fairs

held in Escanaba, Manistique,

Sault Ste. Marie, Marquette,

Kincheloe, Wetmore, and Hessel.

Staff also participated in seasonal

farmers markets, resource fairs,

and special awareness efforts such

as Parenting Awareness Month,

Child Abuse Prevention Month,

and National Foster Care Month

bulletin boards and events. Other

notable involvement included the

ARC Night of Wicked Awareness

and the Foster Family Christmas

Party. These efforts help raise

awareness, connect tribal children

and families to important resources,

promote foster home recruitment,

and ensure support is accessible

when needed.

– Child Welfare (CW) provided

services to 3117 children/families

for 2024 as follows:

– 421 Family Services Cases

– 104 Relative, Licensing, and

Adoption Home Studies

– 91 Foster Children

– 544 Monitoring Cases

– 367 Legal Intervention Cases

– 36 Adoption Cases

– 233 Children and Adult

Protective Services Cases

– 1,321 ICWA Inquiries

Child Welfare participated in

the Arts, Crafts, & Family Fun Fair

in June—one of many recruitment

events attended throughout the

year.

Child Welfare staff participated

in the Health Fair at the Big Bear

in September to provide outreach,

share resources, and recruit potential foster home providers from the

community.

Child Welfare staff attended

the in-person Group Learning

Session of the Breakthrough

Series Collaborative – Cultivating

a Sustainable Workforce initiative

in Minneapolis, Minn., in April.

ADVOCACY RESOURCE

CENTER HIGHLIGHTS

The ARC’s Emergency

Temporary Intimate Partner

Violence Shelter, the Aakdehewin

Gaamig—Lodge of Bravery

(LOB), underwent renovations.

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 15

ANISHINABEK COMMMUNITY & FAMILY SERVICES FOR 2024

ADVOCACY RESOURCE

CENTER HIGHLIGHTS

The ARC’s Emergency

Temporary Intimate Partner

Violence Shelter, the

Aakdehewin Gaamig—Lodge

of Bravery (LOB), underwent

renovation

during 2024

that included installing additional exterior electric outlets,

installing panic hardware on all

of the facility’s exterior doors,

replacing two residential doors

with commercial-grade ones, and

installing a security system at the

Sexual Violence Services (SVS)

building.

During 2024, the ARC participated in and facilitated numerous

community education and outreach events. The ARC focused

on victimization-related topics

of Stalking, Human Trafficking,

Teen Dating Violence, Missing

and Murdered Indigenous

Relatives, and Domestic

Violence.

During 2024, the ARC began

participation in the Michigan

Department of Attorney

General’s (DAG) Missing and

Murdered Indigenous Persons

Task Force. The DAG has assisted families of missing Sault

Tribe citizens by facilitating contact with the Attorney General’s

offices located in other states

where the incident occurred.

ADVOCACY RESOURCE

CENTER 2024 STATISTICS

– ARC Casemanagers [Victim

Advocates] provided 3,598 advocacy support units to 408 survivors, with 383 minor children as

secondary beneficiaries.

– ARC staff provided 795

advocacy support units by delivering financial assistance to 261

survivors, with 268 minor children as secondary beneficiaries.

– $210,346.06 in direct financial assistance was provided to

survivors.

– $116,720.43 in Supportive

Housing financial support was

provided to 22 adult survivors,

which totaled 3,392 nights of

rental assistance.

– ARC Legal Aid Program

provided 455 advocacy support

units to 41 survivors.

– ARC’s Aakdehewin

Gaamig- Lodge of BraveryEmergency Temporary Domestic

Violence Shelter provided 684

shelter advocacy units during the

1,766 shelter nights provided to

38 adults and 14 children.

– ARC staff facilitated 31

shelter group talking circles provided to 15 adult and child shelter residents.

– ARC staff drove 18,465

miles, providing transportation

assistance to survivors and their

children while attending local

community collaborative meetings and professional development events.

– ARC fielded 472 inquiries

from community members seeking assistance locating available

community supportive services.

– ARC staff participated in 37

community events and outreach

activities, exhibited 57 educational displays reaching 344,615

individuals, and had a social

media reach of 237,402 people.

– ARC has been collecting

MMIP data specific to Sault

Tribe citizens. The ARC has documented 35 Sault Tribe citizens

meeting the MMIP definitions.

Of these 35 Sault Tribe citizens,

13 were reported missing, and

three remain unlocated. Of these

35 Sault Tribe citizens, 22 were

reported Murdered, and 10 of

those were directly related to

intimate partner violence.

DIRECT SERVICES

HIGHLIGHTS

– The Lodge of Hope received

approximately $1,250,000 from

the State of Michigan for operational costs and upgrades to the

shelter such as roof and flooring

replacement and concrete sidewalk repair and parking area

extension.

– Direct Services staff participated in Sault Tribe Housing

Health and Safety Fairs in the

7-County Service Area.

SAULT TRIBE FOOD

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM

HIGHLIGHTS

– The FDPIR provides tribal

households with fresh, nutritious foods. The program can

serve 15 counties, including

Alger, Cheboygan, Chippewa,

Delta, Emmet, Luce, Mackinac,

Marquette, Schoolcraft,

Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix,

Grand Traverse, Leelenau, and

Manistee.

– The FDPIR served an

average of 675 family members

each month, totaling 8,100 for

the year. This corresponds to

over 1.3 million dollars in food

received from the USDA.

– The Sault Tribe Food

Distribution Program on

Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

has received a $200,000

Nutrition Education grant,

which has enabled us to hire a

Commodities Food Educator.

This educator has been working

diligently to teach healthy ways

to utilize USDA foods, as well as

safe storage practices.

– Our ITO has been selected to participate in the FDPIR

Characteristics and SDDP

Project Study.

– The Nutrition Education

and Food Distribution program

installed billboards in several

locations.

– The new sign naming the

building the Anthony “Tony”

Nertoli, M’Kogiimaa Food

Distribution Building and Store

was completed at the end of

May.

– New signs in our language

are displayed in the store. We

collaborated with BMCC’s language teachers.

– Starting June 1, 2024, the

food offerings in the FDPIR

Food Package increased. The

number of vegetable units will

2024 Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Community Event in St. Ignace.

Child Welfare staff attended the ARC Night of Wicked Awareness event in October.

rise from 18 to 20, and the units

of meat, poultry, and fish will

increase from 5 to 6.

– Since late spring, Indian

Tribal Organizations (ITOs)

across the U.S. that operate the

Food Distribution Program on

Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

experienced significant disruptions in food delivery. These

issues included not receiving

scheduled food deliveries,

receiving orders late, and receiving incomplete orders. Before

September, we encountered some

incomplete orders, but this did

not affect our ability to distribute

food to our families. However,

we did not receive our scheduled

truck delivery for September,

and we need to monitor our

inventory closely.

– The FDPIR received funding through the Commodity

Credit Corporation Charter Act

(CCC) of $140,800 which will

allow us to supplement any food

that we may need due to the supply chain disruption.

– The Food Distribution

Programs: Improving Access

and Parity Final Rule has been

approved to move forward. This

final rule enhances access and

promotes fairness in USDA’s

food distribution programs,

aiming to support eligible populations while also simplifying

requirements for program operators.

– New foods are a frozen

vegetable stir fry blend, frozen

turkey deli meat, and extra virgin

olive oil.

DIRECT SERVICES 2024

STATISTICS

– CSBG Emergency

Assistance 303 Households

– CCDF Child Care

Assistance 518 Households

– Employee Assistance 66

Households

– Elder Heating 80

Households

– Emergency Housing 276

Households

– General Assistance 206

Households

– Low Income Housing

Energy Assistance Program 815

Households

– Native Employment Works

90 Households

– Funeral 214 Households

– Tribal Emergency

Assistance 478 Households

– USDA-Commodities 8,100

family members

CONTACTS

ACFS Main Office

2218 Shunk Rd.,

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

(906) 632‑5250, (800)

726‑0093

USDA

3601 Mackinaw Trail

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

(906) 635‑6076 or (888)

448‑8732

Advocacy Resource Center

(ARC)

2769 Ashmun St.

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

(906) 632‑1808 or (800)

726‑0093

ARC Sexual Violence

Services (SVS)

1860 E. 16th Avenue

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

(906) 632‑1808 or (800)

726‑0093

Kincheloe Office

60 Kincheloe

Kincheloe, MI 49788

(906) 495-1232

St. Ignace Office

1140 N. State St.

St. Ignace, MI 49781

(906) 643‑8689

Manistique Office

5698 W HWY US-2

Manistique, MI 49854

(906) 341‑6993 or (800)

347‑7137

Munising Office

622 W Superior St.

Munising, MI

(906) 387-3906

Page 16

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

SAULT TRIBE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN 2024

The Sault Tribe Housing

Authority’s mission is to “Improve

the quality of life for tribal

members through affordable and

unique housing opportunities.”

Their vision is to “Create and

sustain housing programs that

promote improved quality of life,

economic self-sufficiency and

future growth for members of the

Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians.”

2024 HIGHLIGHTS

IHBG Competitive Grant

This project increased the overall

STHA current housing stock by

nearly 10% and increased the

housing opportunities at the site

by 55%. Housing’s force account

crew and staff have done a phenomenal job with this grant. There

are so many new families at Odenaang!

Home Ownership Assistance

Fund

HAF was established to mitigate financial hardships associated

with the coronavirus pandemic by

providing funds to eligible entities

to prevent homeowner mortgage

delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home

energy services, and displacements

of homeowners experiencing

financial hardship after January 21, 2020, through qualified

expenses related to mortgages and

housing such as:

Category Total Funds

Expended

in 2024

$3,758.86

Fees

Insurance

$2,615.02

$9,632.81

Internet

Lot Rent

$13,594.50

Mortgage

$940,190.40

Mortgage

Arrears

$108,156.29

$5,896.42

Other

Tax

$41,061.50

Utility

$80,461.43

$65,643.25

Utility Arrears

Grand Total:

$1,271,010.12

— Property Charge Default

Resolution

— Mortgage Default Resolution

— Mortgage Reinstatement

— Utility/Internet/Broadband

Payment Assistance

The HAF program has assisted

tribal members within the seven-county service area with the

below funds:

This was the final year of the

HAF program, as all funds were

exhausted on Dec. 31, 2024.

Homeownership Department

The Housing Authority Home

Improvement Assistance programs

are managed by the Assistant

Housing Director. Home Improvement assistance includes the

Owner Occupied Rehab (OOR),

Home Rehabilitation Program

(HRP), Home Improvement Program (HIP) and Sanitation services for tribal members residing

in the seven county service areas.

Down Payment Assistance

The Homeownership department provided education in basic

financial skills, credit report

knowledge and post purchase

education. The Down Payment

Assistance (DPA) selected seven

recipients in 2024 to receive

$9,500 or 20% of the purchase

price for down payment and/or

closing costs.

Home Rehabilitation Services

The Housing Authority has

designed the Home Rehab Program, Home Improvement Program, and Furnace and Water

Heater Replacement programs

Happy resident of the OHTE Modular Homes on move-in day.

to assist eligible tribal members

to complete. The low-income rentand families who are living in

al units will be a combination of

homes that are substandard, lackstick built and modular homes in a

ing energy efficiency, and unsafe

variety of sizes for tribal families.

or unsanitary. These programs

All of the tribal families occupying

provide funding to homeowners

these newly constructed units meet

who lack the financial resources

the definition of low-moderate

to secure other funding to repair

income families. 2024 was the fifth

their home. The Home Rehab

and final year of the grant and six

program processed 30 applications units were constructed in the final

and approved assistance for 13

year.

homeowner families. Six received

Resident Services Department

windows and doors, four received

The Resident Services Departnew roofs, and three received

ment processed 499 interim and

major rehabilitation, including but

252 annual recertifications for

not limited to siding, foundations,

low-rent units. One hundred and

bathroom remodels, and floor joist sixty-six low-rent unit applirepairs. Three projects from 2023

cations were processed and 77

were completed in the summer of

homeownership applications were

2024.

processed. There were 55 selected,

Energy Efficient Roof

and moved in. Homeownership

Replacement Project - SSM

and Resident Services made 1,735

Forty-four energy-efficient

home visits with rental and homeownership residents on all nine

roof replacements were completed

housing sites in 2024. The Housing

on the Sault Ste. Marie Housing

Authority has designed the Rental

site. This Energy Efficient Roof

Assistance Voucher Program to

Replacement Project changed the

increase decent, safe, and sanitary

viability of these housing units,

housing opportunities for tribal

resolved unsafe living conditions,

members off the reservation, when

and established a healthy living

low income rental units are not

environment for tribal families.

available for occupancy at the time

Due to the cost savings, STHA

of application. The housing authorwill be replacing additional roofs

ity provided 16 tribal families with

in 2025.

a rental assistance voucher.

Operations and Maintenance

The Housing Authority proEmergency Housing Assisvides residents with a 24-hour

tance

The Housing Authority in commaintenance emergency phone

line. The Operations Department

bined efforts with the Anishnaabek

provides daily management of rou- Community and Family Services

tine and non-routine or emergency

provided emergency financial

maintenance of all 567 Housing

assistance to the tribal membership

Authority units. The following sta- who is faced with homeless situatistics were completed for 2024:

tions in the tribal community. This

— All safety issues addressed

program assisted tribal members

and corrected.

maintain current housing or secure

— 42 Units received moisture

safe and sanitary housing. The

remediation services.

Emergency Housing Assistance

— 66 Units received energy

program assisted 202 tribal houseefficient upgrades.

holds in 2024. Eighty-three fam— 15 units received elder/hand- ilies received financial assistance

icapped adjustments.

for hotel or motel stays to address

— 15 Driveway and a mailbox

homelessness and secure safe and

cluster at the OHTE site replaced.

sanitary temporary housing. One

— Approximately 1,675 routine hundred and nineteen families

maintenance work orders.

received financial assistance for

— Approximately 900 non-rou- security deposits and first month’s

tine work orders.

rent, preventing evictions or

— There were 242 emergency

foreclosures due to past-due rent,

work orders handled by maintedelinquent mortgage payments,

nance staff.

and associated fees.

Indian Housing Block ComSTHA Events

petitive Grant (IHBG-C)

In an effort to raise public

The STHA was awarded a $5

health and safety awareness, the

million Indian Housing Block

Housing Authority presents their

Competitive Grant (IHBG-C) and

Health and Safety Fairs on all nine

utilized the award to further inihousing sites. Resource agencies

tiate the Odenaang Development

from around the areas are invited

Plan vision. STHA constructed

to promote local assistance and

40 affordable housing units at the

resources to all participants. There

Odenaang Housing site located in

were 22 events held in 2024.

Soo Township, Mich. This single

Some of these events include an

purpose continued construction

AMERIND Fire Safety Postproject took 5 construction years

er Contest, Easter Community

Event, Elder Complex Bingo,

Mini Site Clean-ups, Trash to

Treasure Event, Family Fun Day

events, Annual Site Health and

Safety Fairs, and Back to School

events. Housing Authority partners with 24 agencies to facilitate

these events with 919 attending

the events. Staff also participated

in six off-site events including

Family Fun Days, Recovery Walk,

Marquette Community Resource

Fair, Youth Education Activities,

and Christmas events. The Housing Authority provided financial

support for 11 tribal resident community events as follows: Forensic

Interviewing Training, Veteran’s,

Sugar Island, and New Year’s Eve

Sobriety Powwow’s, Tribal Christmas event, Child Abuse Awareness, MATCP Annual Conference,

Wellbriety events, and Recovery

Gala. There were 12 in-person culture camps that Housing Authority

financially assisted, which include

YEA Full Day Trip, College Intern

Cultural Training Day, University

of Michigan Student Feast, Traditional Medicine Fasting Camp,

Ojibwe Belt Making, Women’s

Ribbon Skirt Making Retreat,

YEA Rudyard Camp Crafting, and

Sugar Island Powwow Cooking

and Elders Overnight Respite.

2024 PILT

The Housing Authority has

established cooperation agreements

with many of the local cities and

townships that have housing sites.

Each year payments are made to

the local municipality for emergency, fire and police services, road

maintenance and snow removal.

Total area 2024 PILT was $67,800:

— Soo Township, $15,150

— Schoolcraft County, $5,700

— Pentland Township, $3,450

— Kinross Charter Township,

$15,750

— City of St. Ignace, $1,500

— City of Sault Ste. Marie,

$17,700

— City of Marquette, $1,500

— City of Escanaba, $4,200

— Alger County, $2,850

2024 Full Staff Day

The Housing Authority hosted

its annual full staff day dedicated

to mandatory training, team building, and staff acknowledgement.

This year, the full staff meeting

was on Oct. 31, 2024, and was

located at the Sault Casino conference rooms. There was mandatory

training in the morning, staff were

provided lunch, with team building

activities and acknowledgement in

the afternoon.

Odenaang Homes Tribal

Enterprise

Twenty lease-to-purchase

homes were completed. The newly

selected residents were happy to

take occupancy and enjoy their

new home. Any punch list items

were completed while the units

were freshly occupied.

All but one of the OHTE Trailer Home Replacement recipients

were able to finally move into

their new homes. Most were able

to move in and celebrate Thanksgiving with their families in their

new home — 22 very happy families.

STRATEGIC GOALS

The Housing Authority contracted Blue Stone Strategy Consultants to prepare a strategic plan

for the next 5-10 years. As part of

the 2024 Strategic Plan process,

STHA conducted a Community

Housing Needs assessment. The

information collected was critical

to the formation of goals for the

next 5 years.

Blue Stone facilitated consultation sessions with the tribal Board

of Directors, Housing Board of

Commissioners, Housing Authority team members, and tribal

community members to assist in

developing the strategic plan. It

was a great process that led to the

development of a solid strategic

plan.

Community Needs Assessment

— The tribal community needs

over 2,500 low-income housing

units.

— There are over 6,000 potential homeowners in the community.

— Tribal membership continues to grow, with an expanding

number of tribal youth and elders.

Existing Conditions Assessment

— STHA’s housing sites need

infrastructure improvements and

expansion for new developments.

— STHA needs to expand the

funding available for new housing

development.

— STHA will need to increase

staffing in the coming years as

development expands.

2026 GOALS

The Housing Authority is excited to share the goals for 2026:

— Establish a mechanism to

accept online payments via the

new website.

— Feasibility study for solar

panels on Housing homes.

— Construct a 26-unit apartment building for single tribal

members at Odenaang.

— Complete construction of a

quadplex in Newberry for elders.

— Complete construction of a

duplex in Hessel for elders.

— Complete construction of

six tiny homes in Wetmore.

— Submit application for a

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit

application with MSHDA for a

supportive housing project.

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

2024 Annual Report

Page 17

SAULT TRIBE EDUCATION DIVISION 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

The Sault Tribe Education

Division provides quality educational opportunities grounded in

Anishinaabe traditions to our tribal members from infancy through

adulthood. The division consists

of several departments including Early Childhood Education,

Youth Education & Activities

(YEA), Higher Education,

Adult Education and Workforce

Innovation and Opportunity Act

(WIOA) along with the Youth

Development Fund (YDF),

Summer Internship Program, and

the Tribal Education Department

(TED) Scholarship Program.

Through our various programs,

we strive to instill all students

with high expectations of academic success and competent thinking

skills while fostering growth in

social and emotional behaviors

and positive attitudes.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

FUND

This program helps eligible

families fund activities for their

children in support of the strategic

directions of the medicine wheel

including academic/intellectual,

physical, emotional, and cultural/

spiritual activities. The program

funds up to $250 per elibile youth

a calander year. Eligible activities

include, but are not limited to,

sports registration, drivers education courses, sports equipment

purchases, language lessons,

educational and sports camps,

class trips, and instrument purchases. In 2024, there was a total

of $73,785.71 in funding used to

assist our tribal youth across the

seven-county service area. For

more information or the application, email youthdevelopmentfund@saulttribe.net.

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

PROGRAM

Established in 1997, the Sault

Tribe Internship Program provides

Sault Tribe college students with

a valuable experience. In this program, they are able to apply their

own skills while learning new

ones as they work in a full-time

position in their field of interest.

Their experience with us helps

them find permanent employment

upon graduating college, with the

hope that they come back and

work at Sault Tribe. In 2024, we

had 10 interns, placed in various

departments across the tribe.

TED SCHOLARSHIP

PROGRAM

The TED Scholarship program

is administered through the Tribal

Education Department (TED)

Grant and graciously funded by

the Bureau of Indian Education

(BIE). This is a $1,000 scholarship, awarded to eligible recipients enrolled in university or trade

school, per academic semester. In

2024, there were 841 scholarships

awarded.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION

Head Start / Early Head Start /

Child Care Center

The Early Childhood

Education Programs provides a

comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to services which

include education, health, nutrition, social services, and parent

involvement to achieve successful

child and family outcomes.

In 2024, Sault Tribe Early

Childhood Programs served a

total of 180 children including

126 preschoolers and 54 infants/

toddlers from 143 families. Head

Start provided 20 part-day, partyear slots and 20 extended duration slots in Sault Ste. Marie, 20

full-day, full-year slots through

its Child Care Center Partnership,

and 20 extended duration slots in

St. Ignace. Head Start and Early

Head Start programs are federally

funded through the Department

of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and

Families, Office of Head Start

and American Indian and Alaskan

Natives Program Branch with a

tribal match grant.

The Child Care Center provided full-day, full-year services

for 74 children and in Sault Ste.

Marie. The Child Care Center

partners with Head Start and

Early Head Start providing before

and after care services to children enrolled in the partnership.

The Child Care Center is funded

through the tribe and receives

funding through ACFS Childcare

Development Fund grant, Head

Start, Early Head Start, and parent

fees.

The Anne Suggitt Early

Childhood Education Center is

located in Sault Ste. Marie and

houses Head Start, Early Head

Start, and Child Care under one

roof. It is attached to the existing

Big Bear Arena. The center has

seven infant/toddler classrooms

and four preschool classrooms

with the ability to enroll up to

134 children making it the largest

child care center in the Eastern

Upper Peninsula. St. Ignace center

is operated at 225 WaSeh Drive

and houses one pre-K classroom.

Program highlights in 2024

include a continuing partnership with Bay Mills Community

College to provide financial support to our team members who

are enrolled in Early Childhood

Education courses through the

HOPEE grant, which is funded

through the Office of Head Start.

About 30% of our team members

were enrolled in college and continuing their education during the

Fall 2024 semester. It was a busy

year as our program hosted 15

family events and on-site hearing, vision, dental, and nutrition

screenings. Progress was made in

all areas of development towards

school readiness goals. Lastly,

our program provided monthly

professional development to 52

team members in 2024 on topics

that ranged from child development, health, safety, culture and

language, mental wellness, administrative, and policy reviews.

YOUTH EDUCATION AND

ACTIVITIES (YEA)

Throughout the year, the Youth

Education & Activities Program

offered services to a significant

number of students and recorded

numerous interactions, demonstrating our commitment to offering a wide range of support for

our tribal students. In 2024, YEA

served 3,459 students.

In 2024 the YEA Program

was active in 21 schools, sharing our rich culture through

classroom presentations, traditional crafts, and other engaging

activities. Outside of school, we

offer leadership opportunities

through the Tribal Youth Council,

some areas with a Junior Tribal

Youth Council. We host a Youth

Leadership Conference and

take part in the United National

Indian Tribal Youth Conference.

Additionally, we provide afterschool programming that includes

academic support, health and fitness programs, the Circle of Life

Summer Program, and the Youth

Empowerment Powwow. Nearly

all sites offer classroom instruction for the schools within their

service areas, focusing on cultural

education and character building

through the Seven Grandfather

Teachings.

The Sault Tribe Board of

Directors extended their support to Tribal Youth Council

members, enabling students to

attend the United National Indian

Tribal Youth Conference held in

Portland, Ore., from June 29 to

July 3, 2024.

Beginning in 2024, the Youth

Empowerment Powwow began

rotating among the seven sites,

starting in Hessel. YEA would

like to say Chi-Miigwech to

Indian Energy for their support

of our Youth Empowerment

Powwow. For the past three

years, Indian Energy has donated

$5,000 towards our powwow or

Youth Leadership Conference. We

extend our gratitude to all parents, guardians, and grandparents

for trusting their children to our

amazing YEA staff. It is an honor

to guide our future generations.

Chi-Miigwech to the YEA team

for their unwavering commitment

to our youth.

Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie served 247

students across various activities and programs. Tribal Youth

Council members attended the

UNITY Conference and Youth

Leadership Conference and assisted with the Children’s Christmas

Party, Halloween festivities, the

Circle of Life Summer Program,

held Family Fun Dance, conducted classroom presentations, the

Little Learners program, After

School Program, and Talking

Circles. Additionally, Sault Ste.

Marie (YEA) collaborated with

the Cultural Department, USDA

Program, and the Inter-Tribal

Council of Michigan to enhance

activities offered.

Rudyard

Rudyard served 256 students

through various programs, including the after-school program.

A lunchtime drop-in zone for

students to receive extra academic support was also offered.

Participants from Rudyard

enjoyed attending the Bay Mills

Round Dance, Community powwows, participating in the Circle

of Life Summer Program, culture

camp activities, regalia making,

and much more. Rudyard has

two Tribal Youth Councils: one

for students in grades 8-12 and a

junior youth council for students

in grades 5-7. TYC representatives from Rudyard attended the

UNITY Conference and the Youth

Leadership Conference. Rudyard

staff also assisted with UNIT 1’s

Children’s Christmas party.

Hessel

Hessel served 214 students

in 2024. Hessel YEA offered

in-school tutoring from Monday

through Thursday at Les

Cheneaux Community Schools,

and also provided after-school

programming for our Drummond

Island, Pickford, and Newberry

students. Hessel also has a very

active Tribal Youth Council.

Additionally, YEA Thursdays

took place at the Hessel Tribal

Center, providing students

with extra academic support

and opportunities to work on

craft projects. Hessel YEA is

also involved in several holiday events including the Unit

2 Children’s Christmas Parties

in Newberry and Hessel as well

as Halloween and Easter festivities. Unit 2 YEA participates

in various community powwows in addition to the Youth

Empowerment Powwow.

St. Ignace

St. Ignace YEA had an active

year, providing programming to

Page 18

2024 Annual Report

October 15, 2025 • Win Awenen Nisitotung

EDUCATION DIVISION 2024 HIGHLIGHTS, CONTINUED

482 students. The Act It Out

Drama Program engaged students in the 2024 production of

“The Lion, The Witch, and The

Wardrobe.” Tutoring was available to students during seminar

hour and in the classrooms.

Classroom presentations covering

the Seven Grandfather teachings

were also enjoyed by students.

Additionally, Unit 3 participants

hosted a sleepover with Unit 2,

where students learned and practiced team-building skills, completed a craft project, and participated in a talking circle. Members

of the Tribal Youth Council met

weekly and participated in the

Youth Leadership Conference.

In addition to the Act It Out,

Unit 3 offered a diverse range

of afterschool activities including an art and culture program,

Health and Wellness program,

and a Math Lab Exam Cram to

help students prepare for exams.

Participants also kept busy during

the summer months with the

Circle of Life Summer Program.

Just in time for the powwow

season, YEA Unit 3 hosted a

regalia-making session. They

also assisted with the Unit 3

Children’s Christmas party.

Manistique

Manistique YEA served 353

students in 2024. They provided tutoring at Manistique High

School and St. Francis. Tribal

Youth Council held weekly

meetings for community service

planning and participated in the

Youth Leadership and UNITY

Conferences. Classroom presentations on the Seven Grandfather

Teachings were conducted in conjunction with a book club focused

on Angeline Boulley’s book,

“Firekeeper’s Daughter.”

Cooking classes were also

offered featuring traditional

foods. Students enjoyed the Circle

of Life Summer Program and

attended the Youth Empowerment

Powwow, while Little Learners

visited the Children’s Museum in

Marquette.

Escanaba

Escanaba YEA served 1,487

students through multiple programs. They held the Little

Learners program in Bark River,

Danforth, Wells, Gladstone,

and Escanaba and Culture Club

in Gladstone and Bark River.

Students participated in a food

preservation class on Indigenous

cooking. Additionally, they participated in the spring feast and health

and safety events. Staff conducted

classroom presentations throughout the school year. The Circle of

Life Summer Program provided

traditional teachings, camping

opportunities, and attendance

at the UP-State Fair. Escanaba

participants also enjoyed a visit

to JoAnne’s Aquatic Center and

attended community powwows.

Other special events included

the Young Author’s program, the

Hannahville Powwow, the Youth

Empowerment Powwow, the

Youth Leadership Conference, and

a senior cookout.

Munising

Munising YEA served 420

students. They offered classroom presentations to students at Munising Schools,

Burt Township, and Mather

Elementary. They facilitated

Culture Club for participants in

Wetmore and Superior Central.

Students received academic support

during homework help sessions

as well as tutoring sessions for

those in grades 1-4. Members

of the Munising Tribal Youth

Council enjoyed attending the

Youth Leadership Conference and

contributed to planning the Grand

Tribal Youth Council meetings.

A graduation recognition event

was held for graduating seniors

in Munising. Participants in the

Circle of Life Summer Program

enjoyed camping trips and

attended the Manistique Powwow

and the Youth Empowerment

Powwow. One of the Munising

Tribal Youth Council members participated in the UNITY

Conference. The Little Learners

Program, designed for younger

students during the summer, featured Medicine Wheel teachings,

cultural crafts, a visit to the children’s museum, and attendance at

the UP-State Fair.

Trainings

Our YEA Team received training to deliver the “Culture & Drugs

Don’t Mix” curriculum delivered

by Tribal Tech LLC. This curriculum can be tailored for the different

age or grade levels. Coordinators

also attended the Behavioral Health

Conference sponsored by the InterTribal Council of Michigan.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Sault Tribe Higher Education

provides post-secondary education

services and other financial support

to Sault Tribe members. Services

include, but are not limited to,

assistance with Michigan Indian

Tuition Waiver and FAFSA applications, the Sault Tribe Scholarship

Program, Self-Sufficiency Incentive

Award Program, and the NeedBased Grant Program.

The tribe’s Scholarship Program

is announced every summer with

scholarships released in the Fall.

Those interested in applying are

required to submit a complete

application packet including essays

and other required documents.

Students must meet eligibility

criteria as listed on the application. Scholarships are competitive

with essays being blind scored by

members of the Sault Tribe Higher

Education Committee. Students

enrolled in trade school or college

full or part-time in the upcoming

academic year at any accredited

U.S. school are encouraged to

apply.

The Need-Based Grant Program

is a BIA funded program available

to eligible Sault Tribe members

enrolled as full-time undergraduate

students (12 credits h

This text is long and has been trimmed here. Open the source document for the complete record.