A Wyandotte Nation Publication (2020)

The Turtle Speaks

Gyah’-Wish

Atak-ia

A Wyandotte Nation Publication

Volume 24, Issue 3

www.wyandotte-nation.org

August 2020

Fireworks

by Moonlight

Page 6

Gyah’-wish Atak-ia is published quarterly for

Tribal Citizens by the Wyandotte Nation at its

headquarters in Wyandotte, Okla.

The Wyandotte Nation

64700 E Hwy 60

Wyandotte, OK 74370

(918) 678-2297

(800) 256-2539

Fax (918) 678-2944

Inside:

•

•

•

Plans move forward on Park City property

COVID-19 leads to event cancellations

Annual Meeting still set for Sept. 12

(C) Copyright 2020. All information, photographs, and other materials are copyrighted, and may not be reproduced without prior written consent of the Wyandotte Nation.

Page 2

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

Board of Directors

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

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

Councilperson.................... Ramona Reid

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

Councilperson......... Juanita McQuistion

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

Content

Annual Meeting Notice........................ 3

Park City Update................................ 4-5

COVID-19 Cancellations...................... 5

Casinos Reopen...................................... 5

Fireworks Display................................... 6

Tribal Department Reports............. 7-12

Important Numbers............................. 11

Editor/Design: William Swaim

Cover Photo:

Fireworks display at the PowWow grounds.

Photo by

William Swaim

Contact Us

Submit a story idea or your latest news

and photos. To submit, email William

Swaim at wswaim@wtok.org or call

(918) 932-4778.

Have News?

Share it

We want to hear from you! Send us

news or stories you may have or suggest

features for us to work on.

Email: wswaim@wtok.org

From the Chief

August 2020

Billy Friend

Working hard to serve you

Kweh, I hope this quarter’s Turtle

Talk finds all doing well and enjoying their summer during our current

conditions.

During this unprecedented time, I

want to take the time to let you know

that the main concern of our tribal

government, now and in the future,

is to provide service to the Wyandotte people. Those of us who serve

you in your government are working

hard to continue that service.

The health and wellbeing of our

people continues to drive our decision making. We are dedicated to

serving the needs of Wyandotte

people regardless of the challenges

we encounter. Our staff here at the

Wyandotte Nation has continued

to go above and beyond their job

descriptions to ensure services are

continue to be provided.

We are now operating in a new

reality and we have instituted a

number of changes to adjust to the

current environment. We have lost

a significant percentage of our tribal

revenue. We were prepared financially to cope with a crisis situation.

Our team had the insight to set aside

funds and have reserves in place.

We didn’t know we would be specifically facing a pandemic, but we were

prepared for a crisis situation.

Your government is functioning.

Some of the work we now do is away

from the office, but the work continues to get done. Much of our communication now is tele-conference,

video conference, email and text

almost exclusively. It is a big change,

but we are handling it and getting

the work done. We have a great team

here at the Wyandotte Nation and I

have watched our team grow stronger and work more efficiently than

ever before during this pandemic.

You should take pride in the fact our

people are adjusting well and are

committed to effective action that

produces good results for the Wyandotte people.

The Bearskin Clinic has done an

outstanding job adapting and improvising during this unprecedented

time and should be commended for

all they have done working on the

front lines fighting this pandemic

while still providing excellent care to

our patients. We are providing drivethrough testing for all citizens who

make the request. We have also put

in place rapid testing equipment that

expedites testing and results.

The key for us has been our early

actions. We established health and

safety guidelines early on. As a result,

we believe, we have experienced fewer

cases within the Wyandotte Nation.

On a very positive note we received

From the Second Chief

some great news on May 20 when

the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tara Sweeney

called and informed us that she

had just signed the notice of intent

to accept our 10.53 acres of land in

Park City, Kansas, into trust for

gaming purposes. The battle to take

this land into trust actually began

when we were first informed in 1993

that it did not qualify for gaming purposes and was denied. We

re-applied again in 2006 and have

fought for the last 14 years to have

this land taken into trust for gaming

purposes. We have now started the

process of putting up a temporary

gaming facility to establish gaming

and are working on a master plan

for a larger development. We will be

sharing more about this project in

the future, but this is a great victory

for the Tribe and will help us secure

a better future for our nation.

You and your family continue to

be the focus of all our efforts. We are

doing our business much differently,

but who we serve has not changed.

Our job is to keep your government

running at a high level, and to make

sure you are healthy, safe and getting what you need from those of us

who serve you. May God bless you

and your family and keep you safe

during these trying times.

Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Coping with a crazy new reality

www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation

www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation

Kweh Omateru

Hello my friends, I hope everyone

is coping with the crazy world we

are living in right now. With riots,

protests, racial issues, politics and

pandemics it seems that nothing

is going to be solved anytime soon.

This upheaval will probably be with

us for a while until people start coming to their senses and just chill out

for a while. Go out into nature, sit

by a creek or a lake or take a walk in

the woods, clear your head and enjoy

what God has given us, and hopefully gain a better perspective.

Wyandotte is in a rural area so we

have not been affected by the pandemic like other areas in the country.

But we have still taken precautions

to protect our employees, elders and

all members of our great little community here. I hope all of our tribal

citizens all across this country stay

safe and do not become a statistic to

this pandemic.

Now for some history I think you

will find this interesting.

See SECOND CHIEF, Page 3

August 2020

2nd Chief

Continued from Page 2

Why did Iroquoian cousin fight

Iroquoian cousin in one of the most

accidentally decisive wars in history?

The oral traditions of the HuronWyandot people say it was because

of a beautiful young woman and her

evil scheme for blood revenge. In the

story, the ancestors of the HuronWyandot were named as the instigators -- they were simply identified

as being Wyandot. At this point in

time, whenever this may have been,

a tribe by the name of Wyandot did

not exist. The Seneca were named as

the recipients of the Wyandot’s illfated decision; however, like with the

name Wyandot, a tribe by the name

of Seneca did not exist. There is no

doubt the two tribes existed, but by

what name they called themselves

is unknown. Over time as the war

fizzled onward, as a never-ending

blood feud, the Europeans arrived to

the Great Island. After their arrival,

and self-serving interests came into

play, the complexion and complexity of the war began to change. The

tradition of the blood feud, found

among the Iroquoian tribes, festered

into a policy of eradication and total

conquest.

It is generally believed, even with

little archaeological evidence, the

Wenroronon lived alongside the

Seneca on the southern side of Lake

Ontario. The Wenroronon have been

identified as a tribe of the Neutral

Confederacy and likely one of the

oldest, largest, and strongest tribes

in the region. We know that one of

the three parent tribes of the HuronWyandot was the Wenroronon; therefore, I will change the oral tradition

just a touch and name the Wyandots

in the story as the Wenroronon. Even

by doing this we fall short of truly

identifying the name by which the

www.wyandotte-nation.org

“In order to deserve, we must pay our dues and steadily work for perfection. We must relish in struggle, and

relinquish pride. We must dispel fear and seek enlightenment. We must shun division and honor love. We

must know our hearts and seek to understand others.

We must try, live, create, feel, grow and love.”

-- Bryant McGill

people had named themselves. The

name Wenroronon is the name the

Wendat people called their cousins.

There was a beautiful young

woman of the Wenroronon who all

the young men in her village desired

as their mate. The problem was she

wanted nothing to do with the young

men. After many failed attempts

by the young men to claim her as

their mate, they gave up. In frustration the young men approached

the village war chief who had an

outstanding reputation as a warrior.

The young men told the war chief, if

one of them could not have the young

woman as their mate, he should

be the one to have her as his mate.

They believed with his reputation

the young woman quickly accept his

proposal. At this time it was a tradition that all the young women and

men of the tribe fulfill their duties

and keep the clans well populated.

The war chief reluctantly agreed to

participate in this new kind of ‘lovewar game.’ After being convinced the

war chief donned his finest regalia

and looked nobly impressive. The

war chief approached the young

woman with confidence and in a

most spectacular way only to feel her

rejection. No Wenroronon war chief

ever turned his back to a challenge

and good fight. This love-war game

had now become a fight not only

to preserve the war chief’s dignity,

but if possible, the young woman’s

approval. The war chief was now

inspired to obtain her as his mate

beyond the encouragement and dare

of the village’s young men.

After several advancements,

the beautiful young woman finally

consented to the war chief’s proposal;

however, the young woman had a

proposal and condition of her own.

The young woman would not divulge

her condition until the war chief

swore an oath upon his reputation

and honor as the greatest warrior

of the Wenroronon people. The war

chief’s answer was an immediate no.

No, he would not consent to doing

something without first knowing

what! The young men of the village

teased and encouraged the war chief

to accept the young woman’s offer

before she changed her mind. Again,

with great reluctance the war chief

finally consented to doing as the

young woman wished. It was then

the young woman whispered her evil

desire---kill the war chief of the Seneca. The Seneca war chief had killed

the young woman’s brother and she

wanted blood revenge.

The Wenroronon war chief immediately refused. The war chief of the

Seneca had been his closest friend

since childhood. The young woman

then threatened to announce to the

whole of the tribe that the war chief

was a coward in disguise who hid behind his feathers and paint. The war

chief was now without a choice of his

Page 3

own. After donning his feathers and

paint, feasting, and giving honor to

his totem, the Wenroronon war chief

collected his weapons and walked a

short distance to the village of the

Seneca war chief. At this time the

Wenroronon and Seneca tribes were

said to be the closest of friends.

After locating his friend, the Wenroronon war chief brutally killed the

Seneca war chief in front of family

and friends. The anger that raged

inside the heart of the Wenroronon

war chief was pure. The brutality

inflicted upon the Seneca war chief

was nothing less than the rage of a

rabid wolf. In his rage the Wenroronon war chief was convinced that

every blow he delivered to his best

friend, were blows given to the body

of his devious mate -- who would

never be his mate.

In retaliation, the warriors of the

Seneca people vowed to destroy the

Wenroronon people from the Great

Island. A simple blood feud turned

into outright war. A friendship between peoples that had existed since

the beginning of time was destroyed.

The warriors of the Seneca people

came close to fulfilling their oath;

however, after many years of war the

Seneca failed. The Huron warriors

fought the Seneca warriors to a truce

with the help of their Algonquian

allies, the Ottawa, Potawatomi,

and Chippewa. This is how the war

between Iroquoian cousins nearly

destroyed the Great Island. During

the war many different cultures

and traditions disappeared from the

Great island.

I hope you enjoyed that story and

remember with actions come consequences. I thought it was interesting

and hope you did too. I have said this

many times but I am proud to serve

the Wyandotte Citizens as Second

Chief of the greatest Indian Nation

in the country.

P ublic N otice

Notice of Annual Meeting

On September 12, 2020 the

Wyandotte Nation shall hold their

Annual Meeting at the Bearskin

Fitness Center Gymnasium near

Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Registration

will begin at 9 am and the Annual

Meeting will start at 10 am. Please

note that citizens will be required

to present their Wyandotte Nation

membership/citizenship card to

register for the meeting.

The Election Committee of the Wyandotte Nation has determined that

there are no contested posts for elective

office within the government of the Wyandotte Nation for 2020. Therefore, it is

not necessary to hold an election at the

tribe’s annual meeting on Saturday,

September 12, 2020 per the Wyandotte

Nation Constitution.

-- Dee Killion, Chairman, Election

Committee

Page 4

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

August 2020

Persistence and Perseverance

Plans for Park

City property

move forward

By William Swaim

Wyandotte Nation

If there is one thing Wyandotte

Nation Chief Billy Friend has

learned from the tribe’s history, it’s

persistence leads to perseverance.

In the case of the Tribe’s efforts

to conduct gaming on 10.5 acres it

purchased back in 1991 in Park City,

Kansas, Chief Friend said it once

again proved true. He said once the

Tribe won the legal battle on the

Kansas City property in 2006 (7th

Street Casino), he re-submitted the

application to take the Park City

land into trust at the end of 2006 to

the Regional BIA office in Oklahoma.

It was forwarded in January 2009 to

the central office in Washington, DC.

From 2009 until the land was taken

into trust, the Tribe sued the federal

government and received a denial,

but he said they remained persistent

knowing that the law was always on

the Tribe’s side.

“I was at home mowing my yard

when I received a call from Tara

Sweeney, the Assistant Secretary of

the Bureau of Indian Affairs, informing me that she had just signed

notice of intent to take our land into

trust,” Chief Friend said of the May

20 phone call. “I had to pinch myself

William Swaim / File Photo

Slot machines at the River Bend Casino & Hotel. Plans are underway to open a

casino in Park City after land owned by the Tribe was put into trust.

several times to make sure it wasn’t

a dream or I was suffering from heat

exhaustion.”

What it means to the Tribe is the

ability to conduct gaming on the

property in Park City.

“The city (Park City) has always

been a supporter of the Tribe gaming there because they know it will

produce jobs in their community and

spur further economic development

in their community,” Chief Friend

said. “We all believe that the casino

will create a synergy and will bring

added long-term development in the

area.”

From an economic standpoint, Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma (WTOK)

CEO Kelly Carpino said Park City

has been a part of many decisions

made the past several years regarding economic development of the

Wyandotte Nation. WTOK is the

federally-chartered corporation of

the Wyandotte Nation.

“Through all of the years of growing our enterprises, we focused on

managing cash flow and debt so

that when the time came to build

the Park City property, we would

be prepared,” Carpino said. “After a

long, persistent effort, the land is in

trust and we are ready and able to

move full steam ahead.”

Carpino said the goal is to have a

temporary facility with 500 Class II

slot machines open in November. At

the same time, they will be working

on the Master Plan for the larger

casino and resort.

Chief Friend said it has also been

important to have communication

with local and state leaders in the

area. “We have been in constant communication with Park City officials

over the last 12 years and have just

recently sat down with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to make introductions and to communicate to her that

we would be submitting a compact in

the future to conduct class 3 gaming.”

In addition to the 10.5 acres, the

Tribe also purchased approximately

another 109 acres of land that is contiguous to the trust land. Since all

the gaming must take place on the

10.5 acres, the additional land allows

the Tribe to put other amenities such

as parking, hotel, entertainment, etc.

on the additional acreage.

“Our goal is to see all the additional lands used as retail, restaurants,

and other economic development

opportunities,” Chief Friend said.

“This has been a long awaited day

for the Wyandotte Nation and we

believe there are endless possibilities

with the development of this property. It will further enable us to fulfill

our mission of improving the quality

of life of every tribal citizen.”

Carpino said the land is in an

ideal location for what they want

to do, adding it has always represented a significant opportunity for

the Wyandotte Nation’s economic

development.

See PARK CITY, Page 5

August 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Cultural events cancelled; Annual

Meeting still set for Sept. 12

We will have our constitutionally required Annual Meeting Saturday, Sept.

12. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19

situation and the need for social distancing, we are limiting the meeting to only

Wyandotte citizens ages 18 up. We are

also making plans to livestream the Annual Meeting and will post details on our

website and Facebook page.

We will serve lunch at their Title 6

facility, but it will be drive through and

carryout only. Also, there will be no

childcare available, but Heritage Acres

Park and Splash Pad will be available.

For those who may not feel comfortable sitting in the meeting or may be

high risk for the virus, you may pick up

your packets at a designated area. There

will be more information coming in the

near future, so please check the Tribe’s

website (www.wyandotte-nation.org) and

Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WYandotteNation) for further updates.

The Wyandotte Nation Board of

Director’s have also made the difficult

decision to cancel the 2020 Pow-Wow,

the Gathering and Wyandotte Artisan

Showcase for 2020. Leadership will con-

tinue to monitor the situation and hope

to host a showcase in Spring 2021. Chief

Billy Friend and the Board of Directors

understand this is unfortunate, but the

health and safety of our citizens, guests,

and employees rates most important.

In addition, due to the continuing threat

of the COVID-19 virus, we have regrettably had to cancel our Tribal Town Hall

Meetings scheduled for this fall in both

Southern and North Central California.

Our hope is that we can reschedule them

both for next Spring. We will keep you

informed as we make plans for next year.

Casinos reopen

June 1 in

Wyandotte,

Kansas City

The Wyandotte Nation reopened

its 7th Street Casino in Kansas City,

Kansas, and River Bend Casino & Hotel

in Wyandotte, Okla., June 1 with safety

measures and guidelines put in place to

ensure the safety of its employees, guests

and communities. The Lucky Turtle

Casino in Wyandotte will remain closed

with a time and date of reopening still to

be determined.

A number of safeguards in place at

each location. Both properties are following recommended sanitation procedures

for using safe chemicals and cleaning

surfaces. Signage was placed reminding

guests of physical distancing and hygiene.

The River Bend Casino & Hotel

reopened with the following changes:

• Club 60 West will be closed with a

time and date of reopening still TBD.

• Meeting spaces will be closed with a

time and date of reopening still TBD.

• Hotel occupancy reduced to 50%.

• Reduced occupancy limits of 30%

to the casino floor and Twin Bridges

Restaurant and the Deli.

• No Sunday buffets. Tables removed

and spaced for social distancing. Sneeze

guards installed in customer service

locations.

7th Street Casino reopened with the

following changes:

• Reduced occupancy to 25 percent for

the casino floor.

• Café seating reduced.

• Sneeze guards installed in customer

service locations.

Page 5

PARK CITY

Continued from Page 4

“From a gaming perspective,

our location is very accessible and

offers a large regional population.

Although we will face some competition south of us, the Park City site

is viewed as a prime location that

will draw a substantial local and

tourist market. There are not many

of these areas left in the country.

This ultimately means continued

economic growth, which is essential

in meeting our mission of improving

the lives of Wyandotte citizens.”

VACANCY

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Wyandotte Nation Tribal

Court is in search of (2) two

individuals to fill the positions of

Supreme Court Justices. To be

eligible for selection or confirmation as a Justice of the Supreme

Court, a person shall: if an

attorney, be a licensed attorney

who is in good standing with

the licensing authorities where

licensed; who possesses a demonstrated background in tribal court

practice, and have demonstrated

moral integrity and fairness in his

business, public and private life,

and have never been convicted of

a felony or an offense punishable

by banishment, whether or not

actually imprisoned or banished,

and have not been convicted of

any offense, except traffic offenses, for a period of two years

preceding his appointment. The

two year period shall begin to

run from the date the person was

unconditionally released from supervision of any sort as a result of

a conviction. The candidate must

have regularly abstained from the

excessive use of alcohol and use of

illegal drugs or psychotoxic chemical solvents. The candidate must

not be less than (25) twenty-five

years of age.

Indian preference will apply for

qualified candidates.

Please submit your resume or

CV to Deana Howard, Human

Resources Director at dhoward@

wyandotte-nation.org.

Page 6

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

August 2020

Fireworks Celebration!

Photos by

William Swaim

The Tribe held it's annual Fireworks Display and celebration Thursday, July 2 at the Wyandotte Nation Pow-Wow

Grounds. The Diversity Band opened the evening with music and vendors were on hand selling various items.

August 2020

Human Resources

Submitted by Deana Howard, HR

Director

The Education Department is very

happy to welcome Sonia Ipock as

Early Childhood Nurse; Kacey Lewis

to her new position as Administrative Assistant; John Webb into a

Custodian/Bus Driver Position; Sara

Wright as a substitute and Debbie

Bussey and Ellen Chrisos in joining

the Education and Title VI Departments as Substitutes.

Sonia Ipock has her Bachelor’s in

Nursing. She has several years’ experience. In her spare

time she enjoys

gardening, painting, serving and

teaching people to

sew and visiting

flea markets and

antique stores. She

also enjoys spending time with her

husband, visiting

IPOCK

Silver Dollar City,

going to movies, playing games, and

teaching children’s church. We are

very fortunate to have Sonia on our

team and wish her much success in

her new position.

Kacey Lewis, a tribal citizen, enjoys doing arts and

crafts and painting

in her spare time.

Kasey also loves

spending time with

her family. She and

her husband have

started a small

farm and enjoy

spending time with

their daughters

LEWIS

out on the farm.

We are happy to have Kasey on our

team.

John Webb served in the Military

for 13 years, with two years active in

Germany. He is currently studying

at Robert Haskins

School of Christian

Ministry. In his

spare time, he

enjoys hunting,

fishing, flint knapping, traditional

bow building and

all types of crafts.

John also enjoys

spending time with

WEBB

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

his family, playing with grandkids

(10 in total) and studying the word

of God. John has been married for 36

years to a Wyandotte tribal citizen

and is a member of the Wyandotte

Honor Guard. We are very happy to

have John join our team and wish

him much success in his new position.

Sara Wright, a

tribal citizen and

our Wyandotte

Nation Princess,

enjoys spending

time with her family. Sara’s hobbies

include Culture,

Pow Wows, and

drawing. We are

very fortunate to

WRIGHT

have Sara on our

team and wish her much success in

this position.

Debbie Bussey

is retired from

the postal service

and enjoys spending time with her

family and her

grandkids. We are

pleased to have

Debbie and wish

her much success

in her new position.

BUSSEY

Ellen Chrisos

was a cosmetologist and has now

retired. In her

spare time, she enjoys spending time

bowling, ice-skating, and horseback

riding. We are very

fortunate to have

Ellen to fill in as

CHRISOS

needed.

The Facilities Department has a

new full time staff member, tribal

citizen Cindy

(Betts) Pulido.

Cindy has joined

us as a Custodian.

Cindy has experience in the field.

In her spare time,

she enjoys painting, drawing, and

flipping any flea

market findings.

PULIDO

She also enjoys

spending time with her family, has

a baby boy she loves teaching new

Page 7

things, and spends as much time outside exploring new places with them.

We are very fortunate to have Cindy

on our team and wish her much success in her new position.

The Facilities Department is also

very excited to welcome Darren

Workman and James Heffren into

custodian positions.

Darren graduated from Nevada

High School. In his spare time,

he enjoys hunting, fishing, and

gardening. Darren

also enjoys spending time with his

girlfriend doing

whatever and going

to flea markets. He

also enjoys spending time with his

only daughter. We

WORKMAN are very happy to

have Darren on our Facilities team

and wish him much success in his

new position.

James graduated from Seneca

High School. In

his spare time, he

enjoys hunting,

fishing, and golf.

James also enjoys

spending time with

his wife Tammy.

We are glad to

have James on our

HEFFREN

Facilities team and

wish him much success in his new

position.

July 1 and Sept. 30, and a couple

programs funded by the CARES Act

that are currently available as well

as Annual Meeting and enrollment

information.

The School Supply Program

started July 1 and is available to all

students nationwide pre-k (must be

at least 3 and enrolled in a qualified

learning program) through grade

12. Each student is eligible for up

to $100 for school supplies, clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, etc.

Walmart gift cards are available for

tribal citizens who reside in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri,

and students nationwide will be reimbursed for expenses. Please note

that all applications and receipts

must be original so they will either

need to be mailed or hand delivered.

Applications for both the gift card

and the reimbursement program are

available on the website homepage

as well as a one page information

page with details about the program.

Applications MUST be postmarked

or hand delivered no later than Sept.

30. If you have questions, please call

Leeanna at 918-678-6329.

The Senior Energy program began

July 1 and will make one payment of

$100 between July 1 and Sept. 30 directly to your energy provider. This

program does require an application

each year and is available nationwide. Please submit the application

Family Services

TAG REMINDERS:

Submitted by Dana Butterfield,

Family Services Director

“We are strong Wyandotte

women!” That has been the motto

for the Family Services staff this

summer. During this pandemic, we

have worked together to the best of

our ability, to continue to provide

services to our citizens. Somethings

may look different and may have

different requirements to meet social

distancing guidelines, but most all of

our services are still available.

In this article I would like to highlight a few of our existing programs

that are only available between

Continued on Page 8

• Must be an enrolled citizen of the

Wyandotte Nation, an Oklahoma

resident AND the car must be principally garaged in Oklahoma Indian

country.

• Oklahoma Insurance Verification

must accompany renewals (except

for RV’s and Travel Trailers).

• If you are purchasing a new/used

vehicle, the Tribal citizen’s name

MUST be on the Title at the time of

assignment. Wyandotte Nation Tax

Commission staff CAN NOT add or

delete names.

For questions, please call (918) 6786329 or (918) 678-6319

Page 8

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 7

along with a copy of your current

electric bill. Applications can be

found on our website or one can

mailed/emailed to you. If this is your

first time using this program please

allow up to 30 days for processing as

we are required to obtain a W9 from

your provider, which takes some ad-

ditional time.

The Low Income Heat Energy

Assistance Program (LIHEAP) began

July 1 and will be available on a

first come first serve basis to those

living in the state of Oklahoma and

has an income requirement. Eligible

families have the choice to apply for

LIHEAP either through the state

of Oklahoma or with the Tribe.

Eligible households may only use

LIHEAP from one entity per year

during the winter and again during

the summer. For questions please

call Tara Gragg at 918-678-6355.

The Family Services staff, accounting staff and any other employee

we can recruit, have been fervently

COVID-19 Updates

Public Health Emergency Relief Program

The Wyandotte Nation on June 22, 2020, created the

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Relief Program as

part of the Wyandotte Nation’s General Welfare Program.

The purpose of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

Relief Program is to provide direct emergency financial assistance from the Wyandotte Nation’s Coronavirus Relief

Fund monies to our citizens to alleviate the hardships

our citizens are facing as a result of the COVID-19 public

health emergency. Eligible tribal citizens may apply for a

disbursement of $1,500.

Eligible tribal citizens are those who will be age 18 or

over as of Oct.1, 2020, and who submit the COVID-19

Public Health Emergency Relief Program Application

certifying they have suffered economic impacts due to the

COVID-19 public health emergency and that economic

assistance is necessary. Applications will be sent out to

those who answered questionnaires on Monday, June 29

and will also be posted on our website and Wyandotte Nation Citizens Facebook page. Applications will be accepted

through Aug. 31, 2020.

Please direct any questions you may have to Family

Services by phone at 918-678-6319 or email at

wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org.

CARES Act Funds for students

Using CARES Act funds afforded to the Wyandotte

Nation, we are providing a maximum of $700 towards the

purchase of, or reimbursement for, a computer, such as a

Chromebook, desktop, iPad, laptop, or Tablet. We have determined the expense of ensuring our tribal citizens have

access to computers in order to facilitate their distance

learning is a necessary cost arising from the COVID-19

public health emergency.

The Tribe will either purchase the required computer

or citizens can apply to be reimbursed for purchases made

after March 1, 2020. This program is available to enrolled

Wyandotte Nation citizens who are enrolled in a school

or educational institution, and proof of enrollment is

required (e.g. class schedule, letter from school).

Applications can be found on our website or by calling/

emailing the office, and must be received in our office by

Sept. 30, 2020. For questions about this program, please

call (918) 678-6319.

Here is the link to the application on our website:

http://www.wyandotte-nation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WyandotteNationCARESActComputerApplication.pdf

Start your journey today

You don’t have to be perfect to be a foster parent!

Every year thousands of children are placed in foster care. When a child who is a member or is eligible

for membership in the Wyandotte Nation is placed

into foster, the ideal situation is for that child to be

either with family or in another Wyandotte tribal

home. Children need a safe, loving place to stay. That is all you need to start the process of becoming a foster parent. It doesn’t matter where you live, please contact the Family Services Department

to start your journey today.

August 2020

working on the COVID Relief Program funded through the CARES

Act. If you have been adversely

financially affected by COVID-19 you

are eligible to apply for this program, which is a one-time payment

of $1,500. You are required to keep

receipts for this program between

the dates of June 29 and Dec. 30 for

such things as food, rent/mortgage,

utilities, expenses for PPE, distance

learning/working, etc. We are not

asking you to submit the receipts at

this time, but to retain them in case

we need at a later date. This application is on the website, Facebook

or can be obtained from our office. If

you have questions please call 918678-6319

Another CARES Act funded program is to assist with the purchase of

laptops/computers for students who

are either opting or being required

to participate in distance learning.

The Tribe will either purchase the

required computer or citizens can

apply to be reimbursed for purchases

made after March 1, 2020. This

program is available to enrolled

Wyandotte Nation citizens who are

enrolled in a school or educational

institution and proof of enrollment is

required (e.g. class schedule, letter

from school). Applications can also

be found online or by calling/emailing the office and must be received

in our office by Sept. 30, 2020. For

questions about this program please

call 918-678-6319.

Applications for enrolling new

Wyandotte Nation citizens must be

received in the office or postmarked

by Aug. 15. Each application must

be accompanied by an original state

certified birth certificate. The birth

certificate will be returned. Applications received prior to a child’s first

birthday will receive a $100 Walmart

gift card and a special blanket.

As mandated by the Constitution,

the Annual Meeting will be Saturday, Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. in the gymnasium of the Bearskin Healthcare

and Wellness Center. Due to the

current health crisis ONLY enrolled

Wyandotte Nation citizens age 18

and over will be allow to attend the

meeting. Tribal leaders are working

on the ability to livestream the meeting so be sure to follow our Facebook

Continued on Page 9

August 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 9

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 8

page and website for additional information regarding this. We will also

have the meeting power point and

reports available to any tribal citizen

who would like to have one mailed.

There will NOT be an election this

year at the meeting. However,

citizens will still be required to show

their tribal membership or citizenship card (CDIB’s are not proof of

enrollment and will not be accepted

at the meeting) and photo ID to be

eligible to register for the meeting

and receive your gift certificates. If

your citizenship card has a photo

included this will meet both requirements. If you are in need of a tribal

card please call the office or stop

by and see us. Be sure to read the

Annual Meeting notice elsewhere in

the newsletter for additional details

regarding social distancing, etc.

The Family Services staff would

like to take this opportunity to

tell you about our Intern, Sydney

Nesvold. Sydney, has interned in

the Family Services Department all

five years she has participated in

the Intern program. She is smart,

kind, funny and an absolute joy to

be around. She has been a huge

asset to the Department. Each year

she has increased her knowledge of

Education

our programs and is able to work

independently. This will be our last

year with Sydney as she will graduate from Pittsburgh State University

in the Spring of 2021 with a degree

in Education and start her teaching

career. Sydney is the great-granddaughter of Artie Peacore Nesvold,

the granddaughter of Charles

Nesvold and the daughter of Rob and

Angela Nesvold. She is definitely

Submitted by Cristi Hudson, Education Director

a “strong Wyandotte woman” and

while we will miss her tremendously,

we wish her well in her future and

hope she knows she will always have

a place in our hearts.

Sydney Nesvold

Courtesy Photo

Wyandotte Nation

Family Services Programs

Dates to Remember

Elder’s Assistance: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30

Senior Energy - Winter: Oct. 1 – Feb. 28

Senior Energy - Summer: July 1 – Sept. 30

LIHEAP - (if available) Winter: Dec. 1 – Feb. 28

LIHEAP - (if available) Summer: July 1 – Sept. 30

School Supplies: July 1 – Sept. 30

Children’s Winter Clothing: Nov. 1 – Feb. 28

Extracurricular Activities: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30

Jr./Sr. High School Assistance: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30

Wyandotte Nation Annual Meeting: Sept. 12

Children’s Christmas Party: Dec. 12

(Second Saturday of September each year)

Note: All applications must be in our office or post marked on or before

the last day of the program.

Other service programs available

through the Family Services Department include: Elder’s Assistance, Extracurricular Expense; High School

Jr/Sr Benefit; Fuel Assistance; Child

Safety Seat Program; Tribal Tag

Program; Supplemental Health (aka

Benny card); Burial Assistance; Indian Child Welfare, Family Violence

Prevention Program and Winter

Clothing. Please note that all of

the Family Service programs (with

the exception of the Supplemental

Health Program/Benny card) end on

September 30th. No applications for

this fiscal year will be accepted after

that date. Most program guidelines

and applications can be found on the

tribe’s website http://www.wyandotte-nation.org/community/familyservices/ or by calling the office.

As always, it is a great pleasure for

us to be able to serve the citizens of

the Wyandotte Nation. Please feel

free to reach out to us if you have a

need and we will do our best to assist

you. Dana Butterfield, Director,

918-678-6319; Tara Gragg, ICW

Supervisor, 918-678-6355; Leeanna

Radabaugh, Family Services Assistant, 918-678-6329; Tiffany Webb,

ICW Social Worker, 918-678-6353;

Lisa Arnold DV Advocate/Educator,

918-678-6324; and Cesilie Hale, 918678-3269.

Kweh,

Wyandotte Nation’s Preschool

program recently held their annual

preschool graduation. The setting

was different from what we are used

to, but we still had a great turn out

of family and friends who gathered

at Bear Park to watch their graduates receive diplomas.

This year’s top Kumon student is

a Wyandotte Nation tribal member,

Silas McLaughlin. Congratulations

to Silas, on a great accomplishment!

If you have a child, ages 3-5, and

live in the Wyandotte, Okla. area, we

still have a few openings for the upcoming preschool year. The first day

of preschool for the 2020-2021 school

year will be Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.

Applications can be obtained by

emailing Lindsay Cooper at lcooper@

wyandotte-nation.org or you can request one by calling Lindsay at (918)

678-3267. Our Infant, One-year old

and Toddler programs are currently

full. To be added to the waiting list,

please contact Lindsay.

The Child Care and Development

Fund program is accepting new

applications for families that are

seeking childcare assistance. We

would be happy to assist in getting

an application to you and answer

any questions you may have. To be

eligible for the Wyandotte Nation

CCDF program, a household member must obtain a CDIB or tribal

card, parents must be working or

attending school, and you must live

within certain counties in Oklahoma,

Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas. To

request an application, or if you have

any questions, you can email Sami

Butterfield, our Child Care Coordinator, at sbutterfield@wyandottenation.org; or you can call her office

at (918) 678-6330.

The Wyandotte Nation Library

is open. The hours are Monday

through Thursday 8 am to 5:30 pm

and Friday 8 am to 3:30 pm. New

books have recently been added with

more arriving soon. Be sure to let

Deb, our librarian, know if there is

a certain book or movie you would

like to see added to our collection.

Continued on Page 10

Page 10

Important

Numbers

Police Department

Glenn Johnston (918) 678-6365

gjohnston@wntpd.com

Family Services / Enrollment / Tags

Dana Butterfield (918) 678-6319

dbutterfield@wyandotte-nation.org

Leeanna Radabaugh, (918) 678-6329, lradabaugh@wyandotte-nation.org

Family Violence Program

Lisa Arnold, (918) 678-6324, lisaarnold@

wyandotte-nation.org; Cesilie Hale, (918) 6783269, chale@wyandotte-nation.org

Tribal Social Workers

Tara Gragg (918) 678-6355

tgragg@wyandotte-nation.org

Tiffany Garner (918) 678-6353

tgarner@wyandotte-nation.org

Human Resources

Deana Howard (918) 678-6320

dhoward@wyandotte-nation.org

Nutrition & Caregiver Services

Brenda House (918) 678-6327

bhouse@wyandotte-nation.org

Education / Library / Child Care

Cristi Hudson (918) 678-6334

chudson@wyandotte-nation.org

Tribal Heritage

Sherri Clemons (918) 678-6344

sclemons@wyandotte-nation.org

Environmental / Planning / Development

Christen Lee (918) 678-6341

clee@wyandotte-nation.org

Housing

Kathy DeWeese (918) 678-6339

kdeweese@wyandotte-nation.org

Bearskin Healthcare &

Wellness Center

Kelly Friend (918) 678-3259

kfriend@wyandotte-nation.org

Clinic Appointments

Dee Dee Clapp (918) 678-3228

lcoatney@wyandotte-nation.org

Dental / Vision

Ashley Crawford, (918) 678-3221,

acrawford@wyandotte-nation.org

Pharmacy (call-in only)

(918) 678-3244

Fitness Center

Sharon Bartley (918) 678-3231

sbartley@wyandotte-nation.org

Contract Health

Bridget Hart (918) 678-3227

bburleson@wyandotte-nation.org

Diabetes Clinic

Donna Spaulding (918) 678-3258

dspaulding@wyandotte-nation.org

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

August 2020

Housing

Submitted by Kathy DeWeese,

Housing Director

The Housing office reopened on June

1. All of the employees are back to

work full time.

There are masks and gloves available for your needs.

The Heritage Acres Community

Center is also open and available for

rent. If you are interested in renting

the center, contact our office to see if

the date is available.

The weather has been hot and the

splash pad has been full! The Splash

pad is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Bring the kids and enjoy the park.

Nahasda (Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act) is the

program governed by the Department

of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD). Each year a Housing Plan

Continued from Page 9

Deb’s email address is dhaynes@

wyandotee-naiton.org, and her office

phone is (918) 678-6332.

Wyandotte Nation Scholarship

Program and WIOA are currently

processing fall 2020 semester scholarships.

Here are a few Wyandotte Nation

Undergraduate Scholarship reminders:

• Undergraduate scholarships

are limited to eight (8) semesters.

• 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

programs duration.

• Deadline for spring submission

is Feb. 15.

• Deadline for fall submission is

May 1.

The Wyandotte Nation Education Department also oversees the

WIOA program. These funds are

available to assist members of federally recognized tribes residing in

Crawford and Cherokee Counties in

Southeast Kansas or Barry, Barton,

Dade, Jasper, Lawrence, Newton and

McDonald Counties in Southwest

Missouri.

must be summited and approved by

HUD. This plan provides for the upkeep

of units, rental assistance to college

students and down payment assistance,

as well as the day-to-day activities of the

Department.

If you are purchasing a home within

a 50 mile radius of Wyandotte, and are

a first time homebuyer, let us see if

we can help you with Down payment

assistance. The participant must meet

income guidelines and be eligible for a

conventional loan.

If you are interested in applying for a

rental unit, please turn applications in

at the housing office, or mail to 14325

Porcupine Rd., Wyandotte, OK 74370.

If you are

IHS -121 Program

This program is funded through

the Department of Health & Human

WIOA eligibility requirements

include:

• You must be Native America,

Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian

• Possess a C.D.I.B. card

• Member of a federally recognized tribe

• Must be a resident of the service area listed above

To obtain a scholarship application that Wyandotte Nation offers,

you can email your request or any

questions that you may have to Evan

Hotulke, our Education Specialist at

ehotulke@wyandotte-nation.org; or

by calling his office at (918) 6786331.

We are available to assist you with

the application process in any of our

programs and we look forward to

working with you soon.

Department Contacts:

Cristi Hudson – Education Director,

(918) 678-6334 or chudson@wyandottenation.org

Sami Butterfield – Childcare Coordinator – CCDF, (918) 678-6330 or

sbutterfield@wyandotte-nation.org

Lindsay Cooper – Early Childhood

Program Coordinator, (918) 678-3267 or

lcooper@wyandotte-nation.org

Evan Hotulke—Education Specialist,

(918) 678-6331 or ehotulke@wyandottenation.org

Services, to ensure safe drinking

water and proper sanitation facilities

for our tribal families. These services

include drilling wells, installing septic

systems, rural water hook-ups, and

connections to city water and sewer.

There are no income guidelines.

Tribal citizens must reside in the

following counties: Craig, Creek,

Delaware, Mayes, Nowata, Okfuskee,

Okmulgee, Ottawa, Rogers, Tulsa,

Wagoner, or Washington.

Department Contacts:

Kathy DeWeese-Housing Director

Don Graham- Housing Specialist

Paul Parker- Project Coordinator

Levi Griffin- Project Coordinator

Larry Hamilton- Residential

Maintenance Technician

Drew Lankford-Residential Maintenance Technician

Elder Services

Submitted by Brenda House, Elder

Services Director

With the COVID-19 virus continuing to hang around, we were

forced to cancel all of our Health

Fairs, Senior Days, Proms and other

events, so we had to get creative to

try to find something for the Elders

to do that would be fun and safe. We

came up with Car Bingo. Since all

of the casinos were closed, we used

the casino parking lots. As the cars

entered the parking lot they received

a nice goodie bag, a ticket and a

bingo card. They parked in every

other space for social distancing. No

one was allowed out of his or her car.

They played four rounds of bingo. We

had several drawings for door prizes

and we also gave prizes to the best

decorated car or sign.

As the summer heat came on, we

started having the bingo early in

the morning. Duke Mason joined

us and provided his amazing Elvis

music, and then we got more creative

and surprised them with the ice

cream truck as they drove out. They

absolutely loved it! Sponsors for the

Car Bingo were Wyandotte Nation,

Continued on Page 11

August 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 11

T ribal D epartment R eports

Tribal Police Department

Continued from Page 10

Submitted by Glenn Johnston,

Chief of Police

While the rural town of Wyandotte

has been fortunate to not have the high

numbers of persons testing positive for COVID-19, the safety of the Tribe is first and

foremost. Therefore, we regret to announce

that National Night Out will be cancelled

this year due to the pandemic.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the

Tribal Advocates are still in full force.

Anyone needing assistance from one of

our many Tribal Advocate services will

still be able to receive the same

services as in the past.

Finally, after one and a half

years of service to the Wyandotte Nation Tribal Police

Department (WNTPD), Officer

Denton Ward (Pictured Right)

has moved into another phase

of law enforcement. Denton

was offered a position with

the Bureau of Indian Affairs

(BIA). Denton’s last tour of duty

was on June 29, 2020. Denton

came aboard with the WNTPD

during the Summer Youth

Program. Denton recalled

that during his early years, he

wanted to be a law enforcement

officer. Officer Ward strived to

fulfill his endeavors and did

just that. For most Cadets that

go through basic training in

Ada, Okla., home of C.L.E.E.T.

(Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training), it is a very trying time. The rigorous 12-week

school is both physically and mentally challenging. While some cadets make

it through, many do not. Denton was at the top of his class and named class

leader. What Denton achieved during his tour of duty for the Wyandotte Nation and the Town of Wyandotte is second to none. We are all very proud of his

accomplishments and what he has achieved. We wish him the very best in his

endeavors in law enforcement. Be safe brother. We will always have your 6!

Eastern Shawnee Tribe, Ottawa

Tribe, Peoria Tribe, Quapaw Nation,

Good Shepherd Hospice and Grand

Gateway Area Agency on Aging.

We certainly are going to miss

seeing everyone at the gathering and

Pow-Wow this year. Looking forward

to seeing you next year. Stay safe

everyone!

CAREGIVER

(Suspended due to COVID-19) The

Caregiver Support Group meets the

first Thursday of each month in the

Artie Nesvold Community Center

(Title VI) Safe Room beginning at

10:30 am. This group is for all cur-

rent and former caregivers. It is also

for Grandparents raising grandchildren.

It is always a pleasure serving the

Wyandotte Nation Citizens. Please

feel free to call us anytime.

Department Contacts:

Brenda House, Elder Services Director,

(918) 678-6327.

Stephanie Hamilton, Food Service

Team Supervisor, (918) 678-6328, (Office) 6390

Seth Higginbotham, Chris Rhodes

and Robyn Beaty, Food Service Team

Members (918) 678-6328

Menu, (918) 678-6326

Tribal Heritage

Submitted by Sherri Clemons,

Tribal Heritage Director

It is with great sadness so many

cultural events had to be cancelled

for the year, and I am sure several

are asking why? It is part of our

culture to hug family and friends

when we see them and want to be

close. This virus has robbed us of

that. Tribal leadership have tried to

do this and be safe, but there is not

currently a way to do this safely and

be able to enjoy Pow-Wow the way it

was meant to be.

So rather risk someone, maybe one

of our elders get sick, we cancelled

our cultural events. We will plan on

2021 to be the best year for all of our

gatherings.

You can go to the Wyandotte website and brush up on history there:

www.wyandottenation.org

Stay healthy and stay in touch.

Page 12

Planning & Natural

Resources

Submitted by Christen Lee, Environmental & Planning Director

Wyandotte Nation’s mission is,

“To advance the standard of living

of the Tribe…and to promote in any

other way the general welfare of the

Indians of the Wyandotte Nation.”

To carry this mission forward in

our tribal community, the Planning

and Natural Resources Department provide a variety of services

including, but not limited to, private

well drinking water sampling as

and septic assessments for private

home owners. We also encourage

and provide a place

to recycle. Lost Creek

Recycling Center is

open to the community and surrounding

area Monday through

Thursday from 8 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. and 8

a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on

Friday. The facility

can accept the following materials: paper,

plastic, cardboard, tin

and aluminum.

Many, if not most, of Environmental Staff worked from home during

the month of April due to the COVID-19 health emergency. However,

we attended and participated in

many virtual meetings regarding

Natural Resource activities. Unfortunately, our monthly and quarterly

water samples on our eight sites had

to wait until May.

While May was a busy month

trying to catch up on postponements

and cancelations, our water staff has

been busy with an increased number

of private drinking well samples.

Sadly, we canceled this year’s Annual Environmental Festival because

of school closings and concern for

public safety.

On a lighter note, Lost Creek Recycle Center hosted a tire collection

event in early July. Last November

we collected 360 tires, which were

collected by a Qualified Applicant

for Collection & Transportation

from Bristow, Okla. All tires will be

refined and reused for other projects.

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

The Planning and Natural Resources Department is also dedicated

to researching and applying for

federal, state, and foundation grants

to benefit the Tribe and tribal community. Projects often serve Tribal

citizens within a 50-mile radius of

tribal headquarters; however, some

formula funded grants may serve

citizens within a 100-mile radius.

Ultimately, the department’s desire

to serve and create a positive impact

on all Wyandotte’s across the United

States. Selecting grants is based

upon community and departmental

needs as well as the availability of

funding opportunities. A summary of

approved and pending applications

can be seen in the tables to the right.

Courtesy Photo

(ABOVE) Staff put on a pollinator

class. (RIGHT) Planning & Natural

Resources staff conduct a bio assessment.

Department Contacts:

Director Christen Lee, clee@wyandotte-nation.org

Environmental Program Manager

Kathleen Welch, kwelch@wyandottenation.org

Environmental Technician 1 Janice

Wilson, jwilson@wyandotte-nation.org

Environmental Technician 2 Brittany

Crowe, bcrowe@wyandotte-nation.org

Recycling Center Coordinator John

Quick, jquick@wyandotte-nation.org

Land Management Technician Robby

Graham, rgraham@wyandotte-nation.org

Water Utilities Operator Braulio,

Ramirez bramirez@wyandotte-nation.org

Grant Writer Debbie Dry, ddry@

wyandotte-nation.org

Grant Writer 2/ 477 Coordinator

Michael Lowery, mlowery@wyandottenation.org

August 2020