A Wyandotte Nation Publication (2024)

Tribal code

Ask Donna

What actually matters in this document.

Text

The Turtle Speaks

Gyah'-Wish

Atak-ia

A Wyandotte Nation Publication

Volume 28, Issue 4

www.wyandotte-nation.org

November 2024

33rd Annual

Wyandotte

Nation PowWow

Page 4

Gyah'-wish Atak-ia is published quarterly for Tribal

Citizens by the Wyandotte Nation at its headquarters in

Wyandotte, Okla.

The Wyandotte Nation

8 Turtle Drive

Wyandotte, OK 74370

(918) 678-2297

(800) 256-2539

Fax (918) 676-7022

Inside:

•

Town Hall Meeting returns to where it all began

Preschool to participate in food program

NNO brings police, community together

Page 2

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

Board of Directors

Chief........................................Billy Friend

Second Chief.....Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Councilperson......................... Keith Gray

Councilperson........................ Vivian Fink

Councilperson..................... Rob Nesvold

Councilperson.......................Eric Lofland

Content

Pow-Wow Images................................... 4

Town Hall Meeting................................. 5

National Night Out................................ 5

School Donation..................................... 6

Guide to Tribal Tags............................... 7

Tribal Department Reports............. 8-16

New Enrollees....................................... 16

Editor/Design: William Swaim

Cover Photo:

Fancy dancers

during Saturday

evening's Grand

Entry at the

Pow-Wow.

Photo: William Swaim

Have News?

We want to hear from you! Send us

news or stories you may have or suggest

features for us to work on.

Email: wswaim@wyandotte-nation.org

www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation

www.x.com/WyandotteNation

Threads

www.instagram.com/wyandottenation

@wyandottenation@threads

www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation

From the Chief

November 2024

Billy Friend

Celebrating 25th anniversary

of our constitution

I hope this quarter’s newsletter

finds you and your family doing

well and enjoying the beautiful fall

season.

I want to thank everyone who

helped make this year’s Cultural

Gathering, Pow-Wow and Annual

Meeting one of the best yet. We

had record attendance for each

event and our staff did an outstanding job of helping to facilitate

all of the activities.

This year as we celebrate the

25th anniversary of the new

Wyandotte Constitution ratified in

1999, we have an opportunity to

contemplate the importance of that

milestone in our history.

The great progress of the Wyandotte Nation since that time can be

traced to the solid foundation our

constitution provides. Those who

worked hard to draft and ratify this

document did so knowing its significance to our modern government

and our future. We truly appreciate

their determination and foresight to

ensure the longevity and success of

our tribal government.

Our constitution is the framework by which our government

operates as a sovereign nation to

secure the rights of the Wyandotte

people. Today, we continue to rely

on its guidance as a tool that asserts this inherent sovereignty.

Government is such a constant

presence in our world that few

give much thought to the reason

governments exist and the core

purpose they serve in our society.

Nevertheless, the views of the

founders regarding the purpose of

government are spelled out in the

Declaration of Independence.

It is very likely the following

phrase from that historic document

will sound familiar.

“We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by

their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are

life, liberty and the pursuit of

happiness.”

Our constitution is the

framework by which

our government

operates as a

sovereign nation to

secure the rights of

the Wyandotte people.

Today, we continue to

rely on its guidance as

a tool that asserts this

inherent sovereignty

Those powerful words take on

even greater meaning when followed by the next phrase - “that to

secure these rights, governments

are instituted among men.”

That phrase outlines what the

founders of the United States saw

as the fundamental purpose of

government.

While governments take a wide

variety of actions and perform

numerous functions, their primary

reason for being is to protect the

rights of their citizens.

Our 1999 Wyandotte Constitution is the framework for a representative government that works

to secure the rights of the Wyandotte people as an essential part of

our mission to enhance the overall

quality of life of the Wyandotte

people.

A long history of treaties and

other agreements between the

Wyandotte Nation and the federal

government has established a

special government-to-government

relationship between the United

States and the Wyandotte Nation.

That trust relationship affords

the Wyandotte people certain

rights, which we have a responsibility to protect through our

constitutional government. The

Wyandotte people have rights to

federally-funded health care, housing, education and other services

based on that trust relationship.

We work to secure those rights

through compacts and contracts

that enable us to effectively deliver

those federally-funded services.

In 1995, the Wyandotte Nation

became one the first tribes in Oklahoma to compact with the federal

government to assume responsibility for operation of our own health

care system. By establishing this

compact with the Indian Health

Service, we protected the rights of

Wyandottes to receive federal funding for health care, while also laying the groundwork for improving

the quality of health care services.

Many of the legal actions we

have taken in recent years are

also based on our responsibility

to protect the rights of Wyandotte

people. The federal government

has a trust responsibility to Native

American tribes in regard to lands,

financial assets, water and other

resources.

Our mission to enhance the overall quality of life of the Wyandotte

people includes a solemn responsibility to secure the rights you have

as citizens. At the Wyandotte Nation we work every day to ensure

we meet that responsibility.

Throughout the last few decades,

we reformed our government and

constitution, focused on serving

Wyandotte people and doing the

right things as a government

should. Our patience and unity

have been rewarded. The Wyandotte Nation is now a strong and

thriving Nation once again.

It has been a long road, but it

has been a road to success. Here’s

to a new century of progress and

prosperity for all Wyandottes.

November 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

From the Second Chief

Page 3

Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Our many construction projects progressing nicely

Kweh Omateru. Hello my friends

and fellow Wyandotte Citizens,

if any of you out there in Indian

Country is getting more rain than

you need please send it our way,

we are literally drying up and

blowing away here in Oklahoma.

I exaggerated the blowing away

part, but we sure could use some

rain. But on a good note the lack

of rain hasn’t slowed down any of

our construction projects, they are

progressing nicely. The preschool

addition is done except for some

touching up, they should be able to

move in in a few weeks. The park

on Turtle Hill is almost complete,

waiting on the paint to cure on the

basketball and pickle ball courts

and fixing an irrigation leak is all

it needs. We are close to bidding

out the new Domestic Violence

building for construction, it’s a

shame we have to build them their

own building but that department

has grown significantly.

The Town of Wyandotte’s sewage

treatment plant expansion is probably ahead of schedule, anyway it

looks like it is. Work on the PowWow grounds upgrades should

start soon. The addition of another

gymnasium at the wellness center

is still in the planning phase. So

everything here on the Wyandotte

Reservation is progressing and

we are looking forward to starting

many more projects, but hopefully

not all at the same time.

Next month is Thanksgiving as

we all know. I know Tribal leaders

from the Northeast and they all

pretty much told me they do not celebrate Thanksgiving, they claim it

never happened like everyone was

taught. I ran across an article by

Tim Giago from Native Sun News

Today a few years ago and found it

interesting, I hope you will too:

Thanksgiving is America’s holiday of the Imagination.

There is a saying amongst the

Lakota that when the pilgrims first

landed at Plymouth Rock they fell

on their knees and prayed and then

they fell on the Indians and preyed.

So much fabrication has been woven into the landing of the pilgrims

and their dealings with indigenous

people they met that first year it is

hard to separate fact from fiction.

The Mayflower landed on Cape

Cod on Nov. 11, 1620, at a place

that would become Provincetown.

The landing site proved to be unsuitable. Robert Coppin, the Mayflower’s

pilot, remembered another site more

suitable to permanent settlement.

On Dec. 16, 1620 the settlers

sailed into the harbor the Indians

called Patuxet. There are no 17th

Century sources that mention

landing on a rock, but the Pilgrims

called the landing site Plymouth

Rock nonetheless.

We were all taught about the first

winter in which many settlers died

until only 52 of the original 102

remained alive. The history books

also teach us that the Indians

helped the settlers survive by teaching them how to plant corn, squash,

and other vegetables.

The Wampanoag were the first

Indians to actually meet and speak

with the Pilgrims. An Abenaki

named Samoset who spoke English

he learned from fisherman who

visited the coast introduced them

to a man named Tisquantum or

Squanto. Squanto had been taken

to England as a prisoner and spoke

fairly fluent English. Squanto met

the Pilgrims in peace.

Strangely enough, most early

works of art depicting the first

harvest feast of the Pilgrims shows

the settlers fleeing from a hail of

arrows. Squanto actually met the

pilgrims in a peaceful fashion.

The first modern image showing

the Indians and settlers enjoying

a feast in harmony did not occur

until after the so-called Indian

wars were settled. It was only after

the Indians became the Vanishing

Americans that they became an

integral part of the Pilgrim Story.

The indigenous people of what

was to become New England had

little to be thankful for in the ensuing years. Many died of smallpox,

measles, and other diseases to

which they had no immunity or

they died at the hands of the settlers. Their villages were burned

to the ground and their women

and children sold into slavery or

murdered. Bounties were placed on

those who survived and soon hunters and trappers showed up at the

trading posts collecting money for

their “redskin trophies.”

George Washington chose a day to

give thanks for the establishment of

a “new nation” in 1789. After the war

of 1812 James Madison called for a

day of thanks in 1815. History does

not expound upon the fact that it was

the combined Indian forces of Creek

and other Southeastern tribes that

helped turn the tide in favor of the

Americans at the Battle of New Orleans, a battle that was essential in

turning the war against the British.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, at the urging of Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey’s Lady’s

Book, set aside the fourth Thursday

of November as Thanksgiving

Day. In 1941 Congress passed a

joint resolution making the fourth

Thursday of November the official

holiday of Thanksgiving. During

the 1960’s Indian activists began

to gather at Plymouth Rock on

Thanksgiving Day to protest the

treatment of the indigenous people

and to rail against a holiday based

on fiction. Little did the Pilgrims

know that the Indigenous people

had celebrated with feasts and

dancing to offer thanks for special

happenings in their lives for hundreds of years.

It is a general belief that the

United States government began to

visualize Indians as part of the first

Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock

in order to demonstrate a move

toward diversity. Immigrants from

many nations, some not so fair and

blonde, landed at Ellis Island in

search of freedom and a new life.

The troops of the U. S. Seventh

Cavalry had celebrated Thanksgiving just five weeks before they

slaughtered 300 innocent Lakota men, women, and children at

Wounded Knee on December 29,

1890. With the Indian Wars far

behind, and the Indian, now listed

as “The Vanishing American,” it

was now almost romantic to create

a story about the time the Pilgrims

brought the Indians to their table

at Thanksgiving to share a sumptuous meal centered around a turkey.

I would call this story food for

thought, no pun intended.

It is indeed an honor and privilege to serve the Citizens of the

Wyandotte Nation!

Page 4

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

33rd Annual Wyandotte

Nation Pow-Wow

Photos by William Swaim (above 5 images)

& Joshua Garcia (bottom 3 images)

For more images from the three days of the 33rd Annual

Wyandotte Nation Pow-Wow, please visit the Wyandotte Nation

Facebook page.

November 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 5

Town Hall Meeting

Tribe returns to site of very first meeting

In 2013, with the hope of reaching more tribal citizens outside the

tribal reservation area of Wyandotte, Oklahoma, Wyandotte Nation Chief Billy Friend established

Town Hall Meetings.

The idea of the Town Hall Meetings was to bring the Annual Meeting

to those who couldn’t always make it

back to Oklahoma in September for

the informative meeting.

The first Town Hall was held

in Seattle and the Tribe made its

third trip and return to the area in

October of this year.

“It was great being back in

Seattle where we held our first

Town Hall meeting in 2013,” Chief

Friend said. “It is our hope that the

information we provide at these

meetings will help inform and

educate tribal citizens about our

tribal government, tribal culture,

and economic development.”

In addition to bringing the Annual Meeting on the road to help

Photo: William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation

Chief Billy Friend meets with tribal citizens before the Town Hall Meeting

held a few weeks ago in the Seattle area.

keep tribal citizens informed of the

everyday happenings of the Tribe,

the ultimate goal of the Meetings

were to provide tribal citizens with

better connections – a better connection to the Tribe and a better

connection to other tribal citizens

living in their area of the country.

At these meetings citizens are

able to meet the Chief, Second

Chief and key Wyandotte Nation

staff, hear the state of the Tribe,

and reunite with family members

and other citizens who reside in

their local areas.

With the growth of the Tribe

and the building of community on

the reservation, a number of tribal

citizens have started to move back

to Oklahoma, taking advantage

of affordable housing and other

benefits the Tribe provides.

“The Town Hall meetings over

the years have helped to re-connect

our tribal citizens who live outside

of our reservation and give them

a sense of importance and belonging,” Chief Friend said. “We have

even had people who have attended these meetings move back

to Oklahoma and become a part of

our local community.”

National Night Out

The Wyandotte Nation Tribal/Municipal Police Department hosted its 12th Annual National Night Out with

a Community Block Party Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Heritage

Acres Park (14400 S Porcupine Road) in Wyandotte.

There was complimentary food and beverages, exhibitors, emergency vehicles, law enforcement personnel,

music, goodies, giveaways and more.

National Night Out is a yearlong community building

campaign designed to heighten crime prevention

awareness, strengthen neighborhood spirit and policecommunity partnerships, generate support and participation in the local community.

Photos: Joshua Garcia | Wyandotte Nation

Page 6

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

November 2024

Tribe presents $250k to Wyandotte Public Schools

The Wyandotte High School

football game vs Salina Thursday,

Oct. 17 – a victory -- was ‘Wyandotte

Nation Night.’ The Tribe covered

the cost of admission for those who

attended the Bears’ game.

“It was our privilege once again

to cover the cost of admission at

‘Wyandotte Nation Night,’” said

Chief Billy Friend.

More importantly, however, the

Wyandotte Nation continued to show

its ongoing support for Wyandotte

Public Schools (WPS) education and

athletics by presenting school officials

with a check for $250,000.

“We are very proud of our relationship and partnership with the

Wyandotte Public Schools. Because

of the growth of our community,

the Wyandotte Schools have added

over 100 new students this past

year,” Chief Friend said. “Being

the only school on our Reservation, our Board of Directors led the

way through financial support to

see that our students have every

opportunity to succeed in whatever

endeavor they pursue.”

Chief Friend said it can be very

difficult for small rural schools

with very little tax base to operate

without generous support, and the

Tribe is happy to help provide that

support for WPS.

Courtesy Photos

Wyandotte Nation Chief Billy Friend and Second Chief Norman Hildebrand, along with Board of Directors Keith Gray,

Rob Nesvold, Eric Lofland and Vivian Fink, present a $250,000 check to representatives of Wyandotte Public Schools.

Wyandotte Nation Preschool

Child development center to participate in food program

The Wyandotte Nation Child

Development Center announces

its participation in the Child

and Adult Care Food Program

(CACFP). All participants in attendance are served meals at no extra

charge to the parents.

The program ensures children

have access to nutritious meals

and snacks. CACFP contributes to

the wellness, healthy growth, and

development of young children and

adults in the United States.

Following federal civil rights law

and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution

is prohibited from discriminating

based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity

and sexual orientation), disability,

age, or reprisal or retaliation for

prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be

made available in languages other

than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means of communication to obtain

program information (e.g., Braille,

large print, audiotape, American

Sign Language), should contact the

responsible state or local agency

that administers the program

or USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or

contact USDA through the Federal

Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination

complaint, a Complainant should

complete Form AD-3027, USDA

Program Discrimination Complaint

Form which can be obtained online

at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/

default/files/documents/ USDAOASCR%20P-Complaint-Form0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.

pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing

a letter addressed to USDA. The

letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone

number, and a written description

of the alleged discriminatory action

in sufficient detail to inform the

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

(ASCR) about the nature and date

of an alleged civil rights violation.

The completed AD-3027 form or

letter must be submitted to USDA

by:

• mail: U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

• fax: (833) 256-1665 or 202)

690-7442; or

• email: program.intake@usda.

gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

November 2024

Guide to Tribal

Tags & the

Mason Treat

Act

What to do when purchasing

a vehicle from a dealership and

trading in your used vehicle:

1. Remove the tribal tag

from your trade-in vehicle.

2. Tell the dealership that

you will be registering your

vehicle with your tribe, and

you will need the following:

o An actual title (not an

electronic title)

o A temporary paper tag

3. The dealership will issue

a temporary paper tag that

expires 10 days from purchase.

4. Within those 10 days,

appear in the tribal tag office

with your documents from the

dealership. (Bill of Sale and

Finance documents)

5. Once the tribal tag office

has verified that the buyer is

eligible for a tribal tag, we will

issue a numbered license plate

(or transfer a previously issued

plate – Veteran or personalized

plate) and a temporary decal

that expires within 30 days.

6. After receiving the title

for your new vehicle, you must

return to the tribal tag office

to complete the registration

process and receive your title,

registration, and decal which

will be good for one year from

the month of registration.

What to do when purchasing

a used vehicle from a private

owner:

1. The seller or buyer must

pre-register the vehicle listing

the new owner’s information

within two days from the date

of sale to receive a temporary

paper tag that expires in 10

days.

2. At any time during those

10 days, you may register your

vehicle with the tribal tag office

and receive your title, registration, and decal which will

be good for one year from the

month of registration.

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 7

Page 8

Human Resources

Submitted by Deana Howard, HR

Director

The Wyandotte Nation Family Services Department would

like to welcome

tribal citizen Kailey

Bearskin as the

new Administrative

Assistant. Some of

Kailey’s hobbies

include crafts, cooking and sewing. In

her spare time Kailey enjoys spending time with her

BEARSKIN

friends and family

playing board games, and watching

movies. Welcome to the Wyandotte

Nation Family Kailey and we wish

you great success!

The Wyandotte Nation Education

Department would like to welcome

Kali Heatherly, Bryson Walker and

Kylie McIntruff as Afterschool Childcare Assistants,

Angie Wolfinbarger

as a Childcare

Teacher’s Assistant,

Breanna Barger as

a Substitute, and

Sara Stovall as a

Sub for the Preschool/Afterschool

Program.

Kali has a lot of

HEATHERLY experience babysitting every chance

she gets and enjoys

being around children. Some of Kali’s

hobbies include

fishing, hunting,

making shirts and

car freshies. In her

spare time, she enjoys spending time

with her family and

WALKER

friends.

Bryson is currently a sophomore at

Miami High School

and is also concurrently enrolled at

NE Tech in the

STEM Program.

In his spare time

Bryson enjoys golfing, fishing, huntMCINTRUFF ing and playing

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

November 2024

T ribal D epartment R eports

pickle ball.

Kylie is in her

junior year at

Wyandotte High

School. Some of

her hobbies include

doing nails and

crocheting. In her

spare time, she enjoys spending time

WOLFINBARGER with her friends.

Angie comes to

us with 13 years’

experience in early

childhood working

as a Paraprofessional. Angie’s hobbies include craft

shows, doing crafts

and baking. In her

spare time Angie

enjoys spending

BARGER

time with her kids

and grandkids who

bring her so much

joy.

Breanna attends

school at Wyandotte High School.

Some of her hobbies include cheer,

FFA, and National

Honor Society.

STOVALL

In her spare time

Breanna enjoys

working with lambs and helping

little kids.

Sara is in her senior year at

Wyandotte High School. Some of her

hobbies include FFA, AG, showing

pigs and cheer. In her spare time

Sara enjoys spending time with her

friends and family, and traveling to

Mississippi.

Welcome to the Wyandotte Nation

family and we wish you all much

success!

The Wyandotte Nation Police

Department would like to welcome

David Hyde as a Police Officer.

David graduated

from Stockton

High School and

then attended the

Missouri Southern

State University

Law Enforcement

Academy. Some of

David’s hobbies include hiking, swimHYDE

ming, fishing, science

HR News

Retirement

A retirement celebration was held in August

honoring Una McElhaney

for her 9 years of service

at the clinic.

Wyandotte Chief Billy

Friend and Second Chief

Norman Hildebrand

presented her with a

Pendleton Blanket to

show our appreciation for

her dedication and service

to the Tribe. Congratulation Una!

Employee Appreciation

We treated our employees to Ghetto Tacos food truck the week following the Pow Wow and Annual Meeting! Thanks to our employees

for all their hard work, and to Ghetto Tacos for the delicious tacos and

Mexican street corn!

and reading. In his spare time, he

enjoys working on vehicles, reading

and learning new topics. Welcome to

the Wyandotte Nation David and we

wish you the best success as a Police

Officer!

The Wyandotte Nation Environmental Department would like to

welcome Jalin Enyart to the team

as an Environmental Recycling

Technician. Jalin

is a Wyandotte

tribal citizen and a

graduate of Wyandotte High School.

He is currently

attending NEO

studying business.

Some of his hobbies

include hunting,

football and golf. In

ENYART

his spare time Jalin

enjoys hanging out

with his friends and watching sports.

Welcome to the Wyandotte Nation

family and we wish you great success

in your new position!

The Bearskin Healthcare and

Wellness Center would like to welcome Wendy Jo Hance as a Registered Nurse and Stephanie Nesvold

as the new Nurse Practitioner.

Wendy Jo comes to us with several years of experience as a nurse.

Becoming a nurse has been one of

her proudest accomplishments. Her

hobbies include spending time in

the show barn. In her spare time

Wendy Jo enjoys being with her

family on their farm where her and

her husband Darrin raise Hereford

cattle. They enjoy traveling around

watching their daughters display

their hard work.

Stephanie comes to us with 20

years of nursing experience, mostly

in critical care, and 6 years of experience as a nurse

practitioner. She

received her education from Pittsburg

State University.

Her hobbies include

watching KU

basketball. In her

spare time Stephanie enjoys going to

the lake, spending

HANCE

time with her family and watching

her kid’s activities,

which include

basketball, football,

dance and cheer.

We are fortunate

to have Wendy

Jo and Stephanie

join our staff at

Bearskin and wish

NESVOLD

them great success!

November 2024

Family Services

Submitted by Dana Butterfield,

Family Services Director

The Wyandotte Nation had an

amazing turnout for the Annual

Meeting this year with 426 adult

tribal citizens registering. The

Gathering also had record numbers

and the Pow-Wow had their largest

number of contest dancers ever, with

just under 200! We enjoyed seeing

all of our tribal citizens and getting

to spend time with their families

during these events. Huge shout out

to the Cultural Center and Museum

for all of their hard work to make

these events successful.

To say the Family Services love

the Holiday season is an understatement! Staff are already preparing for

the Children’s Christmas party and

working with Santa to make sure

each child who attends the Children’s

Christmas party receives a gift that

they will love. We’re asking parents/

guardians to complete an RSVP for

any children, age 0-15, who will be

attending the party this year. Postcards were mailed to all children who

attended the party last year, with a

QR code to RSVP. Forms can also be

obtained from the office. The party

will be held from 10 am to 12 pm on

Saturday, Dec. 14 in the Bearskin

gymnasium. This year the party will

be all things Gingerbread and the

staff have some fun things in store for

those who attend. As always, we love

families to attend together and each

family will receive a $50 Walmart gift

card to help with transportation or

other holiday expenses.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2024 there will be

a new program for enrolled Wyandotte Nation children/youth. This

new program will replace the separate programs of the School Supplies,

Winter Clothing and Extracurricular.

Items that were previously eligible

under any of the three programs will

now be eligible in the new “Youth

Program” for children age 3 (must

be 3 on Oct. 1) to 18 (and enrolled

in high school). Each child will be

eligible for up to $700 for any combination of eligible items. Enrolled

children who have not yet turned 3

by October first will be eligible for the

new “Infant/Toddler Program” and

will receive up to $300 per fiscal year.

Applications and guidelines for both

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

of these programs can

be found on our website

www.wyandotte-nation.

org/familyservices/programs. If you have any

questions please feel free

to give us a call or send

an email. There will be

a learning curve for both

staff and citizens the first

year, but we feel this

change is for the better

and will allow parents/

guardians to determine

the needs the of the child.

This will also allow for

access to the program

fund year round, not

just certain time frames.

Walmart cards are still available and

details can be found on the applications/guidelines.

Also beginning Oct. 1, 2024, the

Sr. Energy and Elders Assistance

programs increased to $350 per

program as well as Burial Assistance

increased to $3,500. All of these

applications can be found on our

website as well. We hope to have the

new Services Brochure mailed soon to

every Wyandotte household that will

provide program information across

all Wyandotte Nation departments.

The Supplemental Health Program

(aka Benny card) will continue to be

funded for 2025 at the same level as

the current program which is $1,500

for individuals and $2,500 for families. Keep in mind that this program

ends on Dec. 31 and any funds not

used by this date will not roll over

to the next year. However, you will

have until Feb. 28, 2025, to file for

reimbursements for 2024 funds. If

you use your benefit card after Dec.

31 the funds will be debited from your

2025 funds. Another reminder is that

you will never need to enter your SSN

for this program. When asked for

your SSN or your Member ID number

it will be your roll number. For instance, if you are asked to enter your

SSN you will enter is as 000-00-(your

4 digit roll number). If you need to

check the balance on your account

you can call the number on the back

of your card and follow the prompts.

WINTER LIHEAP (Low Income

Home Energy Assistance Program)

offered under 477 Program Utility

Continued on Page 10

Page 9

Wyandotte Nation 477

Program Victim Services

Wyandotte Nation offers a wide range of supportive

services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, elder abuse, and other

violent crimes. Services are available to eligible children, adults, and elders whether the victims are Native or non-Native. Wyandotte Nation aims to address

the urgent safety needs, economic stability, and long

term needs of victims with the goal of aiding in the

development of self-sufficiency.

How can we help?

Advocacy, Crisis Intervention, Emergency Clothing/Supplies,

Legal Expenses, Rental Assistance, Counseling, Substance

Use Treatment, Court Accompaniment, Transportation, Utility

Assistance, Supervised Visitation, Safety Planning, Childcare

Assistance, Education Assistance.

•

Statistics:

More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native adults

have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime.

• 30% to 60% of intimate partner violence perpetrators also

abuse children in the household.

• 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing

some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their

lifetime.

Page 10

(Family Services)

Continued from Page 10

Assistance, is available Dec. 1 – Feb.

28. This program is income-based and

serves Wyandotte Nation citizens who

reside within a 100-mile radius of tribal

headquarters as well as those who live

anywhere in the state of Oklahoma.

At the Annual Meeting this year

we added 139 new tribal citizens to

the roll, a list of those added can be

found in this newsletter. This brings

our current total tribal enrollment to

7,254. If you have children who need

to be added to the roll, please be sure

to have their completed applications,

along with an original state certified

long form birth certificate submitted

prior to Aug. 15, 2025. We would

urge you to submit as early as you

can in case there are errors that need

to be corrected on either the form

or the birth certificate. We do have

new forms each year, which can be

obtained from the Enrollment Officer

by calling 918-678-6377 or by email

wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org.

Other programs housed within the

Family Services Department include

Victim Services, Indian Child Welfare,

Tribal Enrollment, Tribal Tags, Jr/Sr.

Assistance, Emergency Assistance and

hardship assistance with fuel.

If you’re a Facebook user and not

already a member of the “Wyandotte

Nation Citizens” group, please consider joining. Information is shared

to the group in between newsletters

regarding program updates, deadline

reminders, event announcements,

etc. It’s also a great place to interact

with other tribal citizens.

FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED!

Since Wyandotte Nation has reclaimed land reservation status,

there is an even greater need for Foster Families. We also need families

to foster Wyandotte children in other

states as we ensure the Indian Child

Welfare Act is being followed across

the nation. The greatest need has

been in Oregon, Washington, California, Michigan, Ohio and Kansas.

Please contact the Family Services

Department to see how you can

become a Foster Parent today!

DEPARTMENT CONTACTS:

Wyandotte Nation Family Services,

wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org

477 Victim Services, wn477@

wyandotte-nation.org

Family Services Front Desk: 918-678-6321

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Education

Submitted by Cristi Hudson,

Education Director

Scholarships

The Wyandotte Nation Education

Department have been busy processing all of the Fall 2024 semester

scholarships for participants currently enrolled in our Concurrent,

Undergrad, and Masters Scholarship Programs as well as assisting

members who are currently enrolled

in our Vocational Program seeking

gainful employment.

Each year we have seen an

increase of tribal citizens taking

advantage of our Scholarship Programs for the first time. This year is

no different with 46 new participants

for the Undergrad Program, 12 for

the Masters, 4 in the concurrent, and

3 in our Vocational Program. The

total numbers for the program are

currently:

• Concurrent: 11 Active participants

• Undergrad: 170 Active participants

• Masters: 35 Active participants

• Vocational: 12 Active participants

Concurrent Scholarships are available to Wyandotte tribal citizens who

are enrolled in high school and are

taking college courses. Funding assists students with dual enrollment

as they begin course work on the

college level prior to HS graduation.

Many states waive the cost of tuition

and we assist with the fees.

Undergraduate Scholarships are

awarded to enrolled Wyandotte tribal citizens who are attending or will

be attending an accredited college or

university. If you are currently in the

scholarship program, please remember to send in your latest unofficial

transcript that includes your spring

grades and current fall schedule. An

unofficial transcript is required at

the end of each semester in order for

us to process your next semester’s

scholarship. If you are new to the

scholarship program, the following

are guidelines you are required to

meet to maintain the scholarship:

• Undergraduate scholarships are

limited to 8 semesters.

• The scholarship amount for the

undergraduate are worth $5,000 per

semester for students enrolled fulltime, 12 hours.

• If you are enrolled in less than

12 hours, your scholarship will be

prorated to the number of hours you

are attending.

• Students will be placed on

probation for failure to complete 12

hours or more with a minimum of a

2.0 GPA.

• Students will be allowed one

probationary semester during the

program’s duration.

• Deadline for fall submission for

new scholarship applicants is May

1st. Deadline for Spring submission

for new applicants is October 1st.

Participants is December 1st.

The Wyandotte Nation awards

scholarships to selected Wyandotte

Nation Tribal Citizens pursuing

Masters degrees at a college or

university. The awards will be in the

amount of $5,000 per semester. To

apply for these funds, students must

submit a completed set of application documents. If you currently a

participant in the program, please

send an unofficial transcript for the

semester completed as promptly as

possible to be considered for continuing semesters. Continuing students

have first preference as long as all

documentation is received in a timely

manner and all eligibility requirements are fulfilled.

• Masters scholarships are limited to 4 semesters.

• The scholarship amount for the

undergraduate are worth $5,000 per

semester.

• There is no set amount of hours

you have to take to receive a scholarship.

• Students will be placed on probation for failure to finish the term

with a minimum of a 2.0 GPA.

• Students will be allowed one

probationary semester during the

program’s duration.

• Deadline for fall submission for

new scholarship applicants is June

1st. Deadline for Spring submission

for new applicants is October 1st.

College graduates may also submit

an application on the website for

Wyandotte Nation Graduation

Stoles. Stoles are available to college

graduates that have participated in

the Wyandotte Nation Scholarship

Program. The stoles are also avail-

November 2024

able to Wyandotte Nation tribal

citizens who are graduating college

but did not obtain a scholarship from

the Wyandotte Nation. The stoles are

not for High School graduates. You

will be required to fill out the stole

application, located on the website,

and submit all documentation that is

required to get a stole mailed to you.

If you live locally, you may pick up a

stole at the Education Department

once your application is approved

and you have been notified.

The Wyandotte Nation Education

Department provides Adult Vocational Training assistance for incomequalified students in attending

technical schools where the participants will be job ready in two years.

This program provides assistance for

members who are wanting to learn a

skill, knowledge, or craft in a specific

employment or trade field.

To obtain a Concurrent, Undergraduate, Master, or Vocational

Scholarship application, they are now

available on our website, www.wyandottenation.org. Please submit any

questions that you may have to Evan

Hotulke, our Education Specialist at

ehotulke@ wyandotte-nation.org; or

by calling his office at 918-678-6331.

477 Program

The 477 Program, also known as

Workforce & Social Services Program,

is a federally-funded program that

combines a variety of services to better

meet the needs of our tribal community. It is for those who reside within

our 100-mile service area. To apply for

the program, clients must complete

the initial 477 Application for Services,

provide proof of tribal membership,

proof of residency, and their Selective

Service Registration Card (males only

from 18 - 25). Other documentation

may be required to coincide with the

type of service requested.

The 477 Program provides comprehensive support services, including

childcare subsidies, education, scholarships, workforce and job training,

LIHEAP, family violence assistance,

child welfare, and crime victim

advocacy. Our program remains

dedicated to supporting families by

tailoring services to their unique

needs, fostering safe and stable family environments, and boosting the

economy through job creation and

Continued on Page 11

November 2024

(Education)

Continued from Page 10

employment opportunities. We strive

to increase access to high-quality

childcare, ensuring continuity for

parents and families as they pursue

gainful employment, career advancement, or educational goals. The

477 Program also offers community

members opportunities that promote

self-sufficiency.

• Childcare Assistance - the

Childcare Assistance or Childcare

Subsidy, is designed to assist low

income families in paying for daycare.

Eligible families are those who have

children ages 0 through 12 years

old, meet income criteria, and have

provided initial documentation. At

this time, subsidy is providing services for approximately 130 children

throughout various childcare providers in the service area. In August,

our team hosted the Tribe’s Annual

Backpack Drive at Bearskin Fitness

Center distributing approximately

600 backpacks with school supplies

to area children and teens. Many

families on our program and from the

community were in attendance. Staff

has been working through the month

of September recertifying the majority of our clients receiving childcare

assistance. Another recertification

period for the remainder of childcare

clients will take place in March. We

are also excited to announce that as

of October 1, 2024 copays have been

eliminated for all clients!

• Education, Employment,

Training - the Education portion of

477 offers scholarships, workforce &

job training assistance, & vocational

training to help fund tribal students

residing within our service area to

reach their educational & employment goals. Through these services,

Wyandotte Nation hopes to reduce

joblessness within the communities we serve. Currently there are

approximately 18 students that

have received educational services

through the 477 program. Staff has

worked diligently the last couple of

months to ensure students receive

their scholarships for the beginning of the fall semester as well as

attended several scholarship fairs to

promote the program.

Child Development Center

The Wyandotte Nation Child

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Development Center has had steady

attendance this school year. We

have enjoyed getting to know all of

our new students and their families.

Our KUMON math program is in full

swing; it has been exciting to watch

our students learn this program and

see the progress they are making not

only with KUMON but in all areas.

Students have been enjoying

weekly time in the Wyandotte Nation Historical Library and completing lots of STEAM activities with our

Librarian, Madeline Harnar. We

have incorporated a PE Program

into our day lead by Amber Stark

and Victoria Thompson. Students

are really enjoying this time and

learning different ways to keep their

bodies healthy and moving. We have

celebrated Grandparent’s Day, sold

raffle tickets to help the tribal powwow, had firefighters come to visit,

and taken a few field trips. Our

students were able to attend the Fire

Prevention Program at the Coleman

Theatre in Miami as well as visit the

Creation Safari in Seneca, Missouri.

We are looking forward to the next

couple months and all of the fun

activities that are planned.

We will celebrate Halloween with

our Annual Preschool Carnival put

on by the different departments

within the Tribe, we will have a

Thanksgiving feast with our friends

and families, and receive a visit from

Santa Claus!

We are anxiously awaiting the

completion of the new addition to

our facility and so excited to be able

to fill this brand new space with all

things preschool!

Our Infant/Toddler Program is

currently full, but we are accepting enrollment for our Preschool

Program for students ages 3-5 years

old. Applications can be picked up

in person at our facility or completed

online at https://wyandotte-nation.

org/services/education/turtletots/

Library

Kweh! The Wyandotte Nation Historical Library is excited to invite the

community to a special Movie Night

at Bear Park (Event was rescheduled

from Thursday, Oct. 17 with new

date to be announced soon. Watch

for it on the Tribe’s Facebook page).

The movie will begin at 7:30pm, and

all are welcome! Bring your family,

blankets, and chairs, and settle in

for an evening of fun under the stars.

This event is open to the public, and

we encourage everyone to join in for

a memorable night of entertainment.

Be sure to keep an eye out for our next

Story Book Walk feature! We will be

unveiling a new book soon, perfect

for families to read and enjoy as they

explore Bear Park. These projects are

made possible in part by the Institute

of Museum & Library Services, grant

number NAE-254945-OLS.

Wyandotte Nation’s library hours

are Monday through Thursday 8 am

to 4:30 pm and on Friday 8 am to

3:30pm. New books and DVDs have

recently been added to the shelves.

In order to check out items from the

library, you must be a registered library patron. If you are not currently

a patron at the library, you may

on the website at www.wyandottenation.org, or you can sign up in

person at the library. Wyandotte

Nation library also offers virtual

library access through Oklahoma

Virtual Library. Through Oklahoma

Virtual Library, you will have access

to many different eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and videos. To

access your virtual library account,

visit www.okvirtuallibrary.overdrive.

com. You may also download the

“Libby'' app to access the virtual

library. For more information about

the Wyandotte Nation Library or

virtual access, you may contact the

librarian, Madeline Harnar via email

or phone.

Department Contacts:

Cristi Hudson – Education Director

918-678-6334 or chudson@wyandotte-nation.org

Sami Butterfield – Caseworker/

Childcare Specialist

918-678-6330 or sbutterfield@

wyandotte-nation.org

Lindsay Cooper – Early Childhood

Program Coordinator

918-678-3267 or lcooper@wyandottenation.org

Madeline Harnar – Librarian

918-678-6332 or mharnar@wyandotte-nation.org

Evan Hotulke - Caseworker/Education/Employment Specialist

918-678-6331 or ehotulke@wyandotte-nation.org

Kasey Lewis – Intake Clerk

918-678-3268 or klewis@wyandottenation.org

Page 11

Elder Services

Submitted by Brenda House,

Elder Services Director

It’s hard to believe that the

holidays are fast approaching already! Our Elders Thanksgiving

Dinner is Thursday November

21. We will have turkey, dressing and all the trimmings.

We will be traveling to Branson, Missouri, Friday December

6, to see the Clay Cooper Christmas Show. The cost is $35 for

the tickets. The tribes will cover

the cost of the coach and lunch at

the Grand Country Buffet.

Our Elders Christmas Dinner

is Thursday December 19. We

will have brisket and all the sides.

Santa will be handing out our

Title VI homemade candy so make

sure you get off of the naughty list

now while there is still time!

Caregiver

Our Caregiver Support Group

is the first Thursday of each

month from 10:30 - 11:30 am in

the conference/safe room. Lunch

is provided in the Title VI dining

room following the meeting. This

group is for all current and former

caregivers. It is also for grandparents raising grandchildren. We

are continuing to provide respite

care vouchers for Caregivers to

have a much-needed break.

Senior Turtles Gift Shop

The Senior Turtles Gift Shop

is open. The hours are 10 am - 2

pm, Monday - Friday.

If you would be interested in

joining our Senior Turtles Gift

Shop Group, please contact

Brenda or anyone in the group.

Elder Services Team:

Brenda House, Elder Services

Director, (918) 678-6327.

Stephanie Hamilton, Food

Service Team Supervisor, (Office) 918 678-6390, (Kitchen)

(918)-678-6328.

Seth Higginbotham, Robyn

Beaty, Amanda Turner, Kelli

Snell and Kayla Ezell, Food

Service Team Members (918)

678-6328.

Menu: Available on website.

Page 12

Planning & Natural

Resources

Christen Lee, Environmental &

Planning Director

Environmental

July definitely brought the heat,

with extreme temperatures and very

little rain. We made sure our staff

stayed well hydrated and adjusted

their work schedules to get as much

done as possible in the morning hours.

On July 8 our water technicians

performed seasonal e-coli sampling

on eight waterbody sites within the

nations jurisdictional boundaries.

On July 9 John Gerhard and

Kathleen Welch attended the TCAP

(Tar Creek Apprenticeship Program)

Capstone Project, which took place

on Lost Creek at an Eastern Shawnee site. At this Capstone, the TCAP

students identified potential environmental hazards and impacts to Lost

Creek. They then met back at NEO

College, broke up into four groups

and formulated a design to deal with

the impacts.

On July 23-24, Kathleen attended

the ITEC Conference at the Hard

Rock Casino Conference Center,

located in Catoosa, OK. This conference had various tribal and state

speakers and presentations, presenting on various environmental issues.

On August 1 our water technicians

performed the fourth round of seasonal e-coli and nutrient sampling on

all eight waterbody sites.

During the week of August 12th,

John and Ryan Haggard attended

the Tribal Lands and Environment

Forum, which was held in Eugene,

Oregon.

On August 30, Kathleen, John Gerhard, Ryan and an Oklahoma State

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Certified Contractor, assessed

two private home owner

septic systems. Thru the

funding of an EPA Non-Point

source Grant, the department

performs these assessments

throughout the year, in which

we walk the lateral lines and

survey around the septic tank

looking for any pooling of

water. If a failing system is

determined, we are able to replace 1 – 2 systems per year.

On September 6, our department had an environmental education booth at the Eastern Shawnee

Lost Creek Water Festival. There

were a total of 554 students in attendance for the event. At our booth we

talked to the students about macroinvertebrates and the importance of

healthy streams.

On September 11-12, Christen Lee,

Kathleen and John attended the TriState Mining District Meeting, which

was held at the Joplin, MO Public

Library. On the 12, Kathleen was copresenter of the TCAP Program.

On September 16-17, Kathleen

attended a Class “C” Drinking Water

Training in Tulsa, OK.

On September 17-18, John and

Ryan attended an EPA ATTAINS

Training in Catoosa, OK.

Recycling

During the summer months, the

Lost Creek Recycle Center sees an

increase in the amount of recyclable

products collected. Total amounts

collected for this 4th quarter were:

Cardboard – 18,723 lbs.

Plastic – 1,354 lbs.

Aluminum – 520 lbs.

Tin – 483 lbs.

Total – 20,630 lbs.

Other Environmental

Duties:

Each month, department

staff performs monitoring

and sampling on eight sites

within the Wyandotte Nation

Reservation’s area streams

and water bodies. During

this timeframe, staff also

performed quarterly nutrient

sampling on three lost creek

sites, and e-coli sampling on

all eight sites.

Staff also performed private 11 well drinking water

samples during this time frame,

---Submitted by Kathleen Welch,

Environmental Department Manager

Services Provided

--Private Well Drinking Water

Sampling

--Private Home Owners Septic

Asssessments

--Lost Creek Recycle Center

Environmental Department

Contacts:

Kathleen Welch (Env. Department

Manager) 918-678-6335

Ryan Haggard (Env. Technician I)

918-678-6345

John Gerhard (Env. Technician II)

918-678-6396

Jon Quick (Recycling) 918-6786352

Notice: For private well sampling appointments, contact

Kathleen Welch, John Gerhard or

Ryan Haggard.

Planning

Submitted by Debbie Dry-Grant

Writer/BIA Self-Governance Coordinator

The Grants Department has been

busy researching, writing, and

submitting applications to not only

meet the Tribe’s mission but the

November 2024

short- and long-term goals as well.

We recently received several grant

awards that will allow the Tribe and

its departments to serve Wyandotte

citizens within our service area and

beyond, when possible. Funding

agencies include a variety of federal

partners as well as money from the

U.S. Department of Treasury.

There are currently grants submitted, awaiting approval.

• The Tribal Opioid Response

award from the Substance Abuse and

Mental Health Services Administration, will support programs designed

for the prevention and risk reduction

of substance use.

• SORNA / Adam Walsh Act

Grant from the U.S. Department

of Justice –will support providing

equipment and salary of law enforcement to ensure public notifications

and compliance with the Offender

Registration Act.

• Tribal Historical Preservation

Officer Grant from the Department

of the Interior –supports salary for

the Wyandotte Nation Preservation

Officer.

• Office of Violence Against

Women- This is a two (2) year grant,

that will provide for salaries, fringe,

training, supplies and direct services

to clients.

• Native American Library

Services Basic Grant will be used to

purchase books, journals, supplies,

software, etc.

Projects:

There are several projects at this

time.

• A contractor has been chosen

for the ICDBG-21 Pow-Wow Grounds

Project. Work is underway, and expected to be complete in the Spring.

• The selection process for an

Continued on Page 13

November 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

(Planning)

Housing

Continued from Page 12

Architect/Engineer for the ICDBG-23

has begun. This is the Multi-Purpose

facility, which will include an

additional gymnasium next to the

current gymnasium.

• The park at Turtle Hill Estates

is almost complete. When completed,

there will be a walking track, playground, and pickleball courts.

• The Education Department still

has constuction going on, but is nearing completion.

Planning Department Contacts:

Christen Lee (Planning & Natural

Resources Director) 918-678-6341

Debbie Dry (Grant Writer/BIA/

Self-Governance Coordinator) 918678-6315

David Groves (Grant Writer) 918678-6309

Healthcare &

Wellness

Submitted by Kelly Friend, Health

Services Director

Beginning October 15, 2024, Bearskin

Healthcare’s drive-thru clinic (COVID

building) will no longer offer testing for

COVID-19, Flu, RSV, and Strep due to

the unavailability of necessary supplies.

Unfortunately, these supplies cannot be replenished following the conclusion of the

Public Health Emergency for COVID-19.

Moving forward, testing for these

illnesses will only be available during a

clinic office visit, and only at the discretion of the treating healthcare provider.

Please be advised that patients may

be responsible for the cost of testing,

depending on their insurance coverage.

For specific details on coverage, we

encourage patients to contact their insurance providers directly.

In addition, the federal government is

offering each household four free at-home

COVID-19 tests, which can be requested

online at http://www.covidtests.gov.

Attention Veterans! We’re excited

to announce that as of July 1, 2024,

Bearskin Healthcare became eligible to

receive reimbursement for healthcare

and related services from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This

Page 13

Submitted by Jocelyn Metcalf, Housing Specialist

The Heritage Acres Housing

Area provides rental units for our

elders and tribal families. Family

units consist of 3 bedroom homes

and 2 bedroom duplexes. If you

are interested in renting, the

application is on the Wyandotte

Nation website or can be picked

up at our housing department

located at 14325 Porcupine Rd.

Federal income guidelines apply

and preference is given to Wyandotte Nation citizens.

If you are 55 and older, our

senior housing may be for

you! The senior duplexes are

all 2 bedroom and come fully

equipped with appliances and

a garage and all yard work is

done for you. Title VI (Elder

food program) and Bearskin

Health & Wellness Center are

also close by. If you are interested please fill out an application and return to the housing

department. Federal income

guidelines apply,

agreement aims to streamline access to

Native healthcare facilities for Veterans.

Eligible American Indian (AI) and

Alaska Native (AN) Veterans can now

receive healthcare services at Bearskin

Healthcare without the need for VA

preauthorization, and there will be no

VA copay for these services. The VA

recognizes the importance of culturally

sensitive care for AI/AN Veterans, and

this program enhances resource sharing

to improve access to care.

What does this mean for you? If you are

a Wyandotte Nation or Eastern Shawnee

Citizen and a Veteran eligible for benefits, you no longer need to visit multiple

facilities. Bearskin Clinic can handle your

referrals and coordinate specialty care.

While Bearskin Clinic remains a payer of

last resort, we can now provide necessary

services and bill the VA on your behalf,

helping to expedite your care.

Thank you for your service, and we

look forward to supporting your healthcare needs!

Our new walking track is seeing

more traffic as individuals and families are taking advantage of its outdoor

convenience as well as the newly

installed exercise equipment. The 2

pavilions are always a great option for

birthday parties and get-togethers!

They are on a first come first come basis. We will have more covered picnic

tables in the near future.

Wyandotte Nation Housing Assistance Fund, which is part of the

Consolidated Appropriation Act of

2021, is available to homeowners

affected by COVID. If you are behind

on your mortgage payments or are in

need of repairs to your home due to

COVID, and do not have the funding to make those repairs, please fill

out and return the application for

assistance which can be found on the

website. Income guidelines do apply.

The repairs to homes can only be

made within a 50-mile radius of the

Wyandotte Nation. If you have questions regarding this process, please

feel free to call our office.

As always our Community Center

is available to rent, however, the

Cultural

Division

Submitted by Kim Garcia (Tętsiʔtaraʔt),

Cultural Preservation Officer

(Inyǫmarihúʔtęʔ Ahęhtastaʔ)

Kweh!

We had another record breaking Gathering with over 300 in attendance! This

year’s events included 2 kayak trips,

language classes, history classes, and

special presentations about the Hopewell

Mounds, Fallen Timbers, and the Wyandot Mission Church. We then had 11

different classes in the afternoons. Each

evening we had a special event: Tuesday

was the first Fashion Show with 20

different models, Wednesday we opened

the Wyandotte Artisan Showcase and announced the winners with 73 entries and

18 participants in the Community Art

dates are filling up fast for the

holiday season. Please contact

the office to check on dates! The

cost for tribal citizens to rent

the community center is $50

and also requires a $25 deposit

to hold the date. This will be returned if the facility is left clean

and free from any damages.

Exciting News! This year

Wyandotte Nation Housing was

awarded a competitive grant

that will fund the expansion of

Heritage Acres to include 8 new

family units. With some added 4

bedroom options. We are growing

and looking forward to housing

our tribal people.

DEPARTMENT STAFF:

Kathy Deweese, Housing

Director

Jocelyn Metcalf, Housing

Specialist

Paul Parker & Levi Griffin,

Project Coordinators

Randy Qualls & Drew Lankford, Residential Maintenance

Technicians

Project. Thursday evening, we hosted

our first Community night at the PowWow grounds – we shared a traditional

meal and then danced social and stomp

dances. We finished the Gathering with

a Memorial Walk on Friday. Friday

evening through Sunday we hosted our

33rd Annual Pow-Wow with over 250

dancers. The entire week was AMAZING! YAWAHSTIH!

November is Native American Heritage Month. We have a lot going on for

the month so watch social media for all

the updates and registrations. We’ll also

be posting Waⁿdat words of the day and

Facts of the Day.

November 6 Wyandotte Book Club

November 11 Veterans Day Dance

November 12 Wyandotte Beading

November 15 Leather Belt Class

Continued on Page 15

Page 14

Important

Numbers

Family Services / Enrollment

wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org

Dana Butterfield (918) 678-6319

Leeanna Radabaugh, (918) 678-6329

Haylee Botts, (918) 678-6377