A Wyandotte Nation Publication (2020)

The Turtle Speaks

Gyah’-Wish

Atak-ia

A Wyandotte Nation Publication

Volume 24, Issue 1

www.wyandotte-nation.org

February 2020

Man v Bear:

Tribal citizen tests

his strength against

mighty grizzlies

Pages 4 - 5

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:

•

•

•

Wyandotte book featured in article

Holiday in Pictures

Shop With a Cop a growing success

(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

CALENDAR........................................... 3

FEATURE: Man v Bear..................... 4-5

Shop With a Cop.................................... 6

Town Hall Meetings............................... 6

Holidays in Pictures............................... 7

Book featured in historical article.. 8-11

What to know about 2020 Census..... 12

Tribal Department Reports........... 13-19

Important Numbers............................. 18

Community News................................ 20

Editor/Design: William Swaim

Cover Photo:

Sheldon Jackson

competes against

a bear in new

TV show

Photo: from

MVB

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

www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation

www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation

February 2020

From the Chief

Billy Friend

Happy New Year

Did 2019 just race by?

It certainly did! The years seem to

zoom past, and this past year was no

different.

At the end of each year, most of us

look back to see what we have achieved

and make plans for the year to come.

If we take a close look at what had

been accomplished during our year, it

is surprising to discover that we have

made some real headway. Of course, we

have days during the year when we feel

as if we have just been spinning our

wheels, but if you look at some key accomplishments, you can measure your

results and see how much progress you

are actually making.

At the Wyandotte Nation, the

Wyandotte people were at the top of

our minds during the year. Our team

actively worked to develop new opportunities for you to make your life better

and bring you closer to your Tribe.

Almost all Wyandottes are familiar with the many programs related

to education, health care, housing,

employment and so much more. Those

who work for you at your Tribe are

continually driving new plans designed

to make your life better.

As our society has changed over the

past several decades, and it is important to be attentive and reactive to

those changes, and especially to your

needs. Today, single parents raising

children are much more common.

People are living longer, so our elder

“Trust in the Lord with

all your heart and lean

not on your own understanding; in all your ways

submit to him, and he will

make your paths straight.”

-- Proverbs 3:5-6

population is growing. These changes

present opportunities for improvement

in our delivery of services.

Just two decades ago we had strictly

limited resources. We were almost

completely dependent on federal funds,

and those dollars were not enough to

fulfill our true needs.

Changes began to be initiated that

would develop new resources for us

and, in turn, present new opportunities

for Wyandotte people. It was determined that, as a sovereign nation, we

would grow our own, self-made businesses to get where we needed to go.

Plans were made to enter commercial

business and produce income to support our programs. It was always Chief

Bearskin’s and the Board of Directors

goal to eventually become self-sustaining and self-reliant.

Through hard work and a proper

foundation we begin to have success in

commerce, and those successes have

fueled growth of our vital programs

From the Second Chief

and new opportunities for Wyandotte

people. Every day we witness success

stories, and it is incredibly gratifying to

see Wyandotte’s grow and prosper.

We are now one of the largest

employers in Northeast Oklahoma, and

our growth continues daily. We are engaged in a variety of business ventures

and we value our diversification. We

have an active, innovative management team that keeps our businesses

operating and profitable.

With all that we have been able to

do our greatest tribal success is…you!

You are now recognizing the unique

opportunities your tribe offers and

taking advantage of those opportunities. Our job here at the Tribe is to keep

those opportunities flowing, and help

Wyandotte families achieve success

and happiness.

We must continually adjust to the

changing lifestyles and needs of Wyandottes across the country. It is our

desire to always bring to you the very

best your tribe has to offer!

Yes, 2019 has flown by, and we

can take a bit of time to check our

achievements. Many Wyandotte people

across our great country this past year

grabbed opportunity and connected

with their Tribe in positive ways. We

plan to keep up the pace in 2020 with

our mission always “to improve the

quality of life for every Wyandotte

Citizen.”

Happy New Year!

Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

A bit of history: Wyandots

departure from Ohio

Kweh

I hope everyone survived the

holidays and are looking forward to

an exciting New Year. Here at the

Wyandotte Nation we are always trying to improve the area to benefit not

only our Wyandotte Citizens, but the

Wyandotte area as a whole. Our new-

est project is Wyandotte Ridge north

of Twin Bridges State Park. It is a

beautiful piece of property that should

appeal to anyone wanting to build

a home in a quaint country setting,

and they are reasonably priced. If you

are wanting to move and build in the

Wyandotte area I hope you check out

Wyandotte Ridge.

In October I went to Albuquerque

for the National Congress of American

Indians Annual Conference and Marketplace. This year was an election

year and my term as Eastern Okla-

See SECOND CHIEF, Page 3

February 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 3

Upcoming Events

Town Hall Meetings

2020

Gathering of Little Turtles

June

26 - 28

March

28-29

Fireworks Celebration!

July

2

Newport Beach

& Sacramento,

Calif.

The Gathering

Sept.

9 - 11

Annual Meeting

31st Annual Pow-Wow

Sept.

11 - 13

Sept.

12

10 am

All events in Wyandotte, Okla. unless otherwise noted

Second Chief

Continued from Page 2

homa alternate Vice-President was

ending so I ran for Eastern Oklahoma

Vice-President and won, I am the first

non-Cherokee to hold this position

in a very long time. It is my honor

to be able to represent the 20 tribes

headquartered in Eastern Oklahoma

for the National Congress of American

Indians -- the largest Tribal Advocacy

group in the United States. I will also

enjoy working with David Woerz of the

Chickasaw Nation as my Alternate

area Vice- President.

As everyone knows last September

the Methodist Council deeded over

to the Wyandotte Nation the Old

Methodist Mission Church in Upper

Sandusky, Ohio, the site of our last

recognized reservation. Before our

ancestors left Upper Sandusky, Squire

Greyeyes gave a farewell speech that

continues to bring tears to our eyes to

this day, here is what happened.

On Sunday, July 9, 1843 the entire

Wyandot Tribe, at least the 664 souls

who intended to move west, assembled

at Upper Sandusky. One last service

“Fill your mind with the meaningless stimuli of a world

preoccupied with meaningless things, and it will not be

Temple to sing the sacred songs and

easy to feel peace in your heart.” -- Marianne Williamson

was held on the grounds of the Mission

Church. Reverend Wheeler presided

over the service and preached the last

farewell sermon. Squire Greyeyes,

also an ordained Methodist minister,

delivered to those assembled a rousing

farewell speech in Wandat. Greyeyes

eulogized the Wyandot Tribe’s departure from Ohio, and here it is:

“My people, the time for our departure is at hand. A few words remain

only to be said. Our entire nation

has gathered here for farewell. We

have this morning met together for

the last time in our Love Feast. More

than two hundred have testified

to the great power of God. Brother

Wheeler has preached the funeral

for our dead – our John Stewart, our

beloved Monobcue, our recently murdered Summundewat, our eloquent

Between-the-Logs. They sleep the

sleep of death, but the hope of immortality is strong within our breasts.

Our chiefs have committed to the care

of our White Brothers, our temple;

to the Great Spirit, the grave of the

Wyandots. The Indian does not forget

the pale-faced brother who came to

him with the message from the Great

Spirit, and who loved him well and

served him well.

The White Man’s God has become

the Indian’s God, and with us go

ever to our new home, our beloved

shepherd, Brother Wheeler, and sister

Lucy Armstrong, the Wyandot bride.

Surely like the white-faced truth of all

that she says: Whither thou goest, I

will go and where thou lodgest, I will

lodge; thy people shall be my people,

and thy God my God; where thy diest I

will die, and there will I be buried.

It remains only for me to say

farewell. Yes, it is indeed farewell. No

more shall we engage in the solemn

feast, or the feast of rejoicing. No more

shall Sandusky’s Plains and forests

echo to the voice of song and praise.

No more shall we assemble in our

hear the story of the Cross. Here our

dead are buried. We have placed fresh

flowers upon their graves for the last

time. No longer shall we visit them.

Soon they shall be forgotten, for the

onward march of the strong White

Man will not turn aside for the Indian

graves. Farewell – Farewell Sandusky

River. Farewell – Farewell our hunting grounds and homes. Farewell to

the stately trees and forests. Farewell

to the Temple of the Great Spirit.

Farewell to our White Brothers, and

friends, and neighbors. It is but a little

time for us till we leave our earthly

home; for here we are no continuing

city, but we seek one that is to come,

whose builder and maker is God.

Let us remember the dying words of

Brother Stewart: Be Faithful.”

It was indeed a very moving speech,

and tells everyone that they didn’t

want to leave but they had to for the

survival of the Tribe. It is events like

this that makes me proud to be Second

Chief of the greatest nation in the

country, the Wyandotte Nation.

Page 4

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

February 2020

Photo Courtesy of MVB

Jackson tests his strength in a monumental tug of war with a grizzly bear (pictured above) during the Discovery Channel's new show 'Man Vs. Bear.'

(Below) Jackson tests his stamina while being chased up a tree by one of the grizzlies.

Jackson left in awe after grizzly encounter

Tribal citizen competes in new TV show 'Man Vs. Bear'

By William Swaim

Wyandotte Nation

Very few people, if given the opportunity

to square up against three grizzly bears,

would welcome and cherish that moment.

But that wasn’t the case for Wyandotte

Nation tribal citizen Sheldon Jackson,

who tested his mettle against three grizzlies on the Discovery Channel’s new show

‘Man Vs. Bear.’

“It was great,” said Jackson, of Watts,

Okla. “I loved the opportunity to be that

close to a grizzly – it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s hard to explain -- it

just leaves you in awe.”

Jackson, a football coach, was one of

three contestants on the Dec. 18 “Human

Kannonball” episode of the show to challenge Bart, Honey Bump and Tank in a

monumental game of tug of war, a test of

strength in rolling giant logs, and a test of

agility while a grizzly bear chased them

down. The episode was filmed in August

at the Utah sanctuary where the bears

reside.

According to the show’s website, the

competitions for ‘Man Vs Bear’ were

designed around the exercise routines the

bears regularly follow – a combination of

encouraging natural Grizzly instincts and

actions.

For Jackson, the biggest challenge

wasn’t necessarily the grizzlies.

“Honestly, the part that really got me

was getting out of my own way,” Jackson

said. “I made myself nervous because I

wanted to make friends and family proud,

and the Wyandotte Nation proud. The

hardest part was just getting out of my

own head.”

See MVB, Page 5

February 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

MVB

Continued from Page 4

Jackson, in fact, did get out of his

head long enough to finish as the

winner on the episode. And at the

time, had posted the second best

score so far on the show. That is

important because at the end of the

season, the top three competitors

with the most points will return

one more time for the super-human

showdown against the bears.

Jackson’s road to the show came

as a bit of a surprise. He said the

show found him and at first he

thought it might be a scam. However, after doing a little research found

that they were just looking for every

day people who were athletic.

“They wanted someone ready

to go out and prove to themselves

they had that drive and passion to

compete,” he said. “What guy doesn’t

want to test himself? And what

better way than to do it against a

grizzly bear?”

Sheldon grew up playing basketball and baseball in high school, and

was very competitive. With part

Wyandotte and part Cherokee in his

blood, Sheldon’s Native American

culture has always been important

to him and his family. He grew up

hunting with his dad, and learned

how to make bows and chip his own

arrowheads.

“A lot of it stemmed from my dad

and he was big on not losing that

part of our heritage. It’s an important part of my life,” he said.

“It makes you proud. We’re

smaller than other Tribes, but to say

you are Wyandotte, it is a big thing

to us. To let the world know we are

here is a big thing.”

His appearance also made him a

bit of a local celebrity. While a few

called him crazy, even more thought

it was ‘really cool.’

“I was at my son’s basketball game

the other night and some little kids

stopped me and said they saw me on

TV. I never imagined I’d be a local

celebrity. It is pretty wild.”

The TV series includes commentary from Brandon Tierney and

Casey Anderson. Brandon is an

Emmy Award-winning sports commentator. He is no stranger to live

sporting events – hosting game coverage for the New York Knicks and

serving as a commentator for college

basketball for the last 20 years.

Casey, a wildlife expert with 25

Photo Courtesy of MVB

Jackson finds himself in a caged ball

pushing back against a grizzly as

one of three competitors in MVB. In

addition, he was tasked with a giant

log rolling challenge.

years of experience, has lived with

bears nearly his entire life. After

graduating college, he became a

wildlife filmmaker, and expert on

animal biology and behavior as well

as the founder of the Montana Grizzly Encounter.

If given the chance to do the show

again, he said he wouldn’t even blink

before agreeing to do it.

“I talked to Casey Anderson and

he said it was really neat, only handful of people have been that close

to a grizzly and survived,” Jackson

said. “Before the show, I thought

about hunting bears, but it has

changed me. After being that close,

it is different, you feel connected. I

don’t think I would ever hunt one

now.”

The show airs Wednesdays at 8

pm (CST) on the Discovery channel.

Viewers can also join the conversation on social media by using the

hashtag #ManVsBear and follow

Discovery on Facebook, Instagram,

and Twitter for the latest updates.

Page 5

Page 6

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

February 2020

'Shop With a Cop' expanding its reach

Program doubles the

number of kids and families

helped during holidays

By William Swaim

Wyandotte Nation

The Wyandotte Nation Tribal

Police Department (WNTPD) hosted

its annual ‘Shop With a Cop’ Sunday, Dec. 8, and the impact of the

program is being felt by even more

families in the area. Participating

officers, including WNTPD and

other area law enforcement, shopped

for 14 families with a total of 46

children.

WNTPD Police Chief Glenn

Johnston said 32 children went

shopping but they bought for 46.

They also shopped for 21 Angel Tree

Kids later in the month. WNTPD

had 44 volunteers, including seven

Wyandotte Nation Officers, one

Park Ranger and two Quapaw

Marshalls involved in the shopping.

The program doubled the number

of children the department provided

for last Christmas. That is the most

kids the program has provided shopping for since the WNTPD started

taking part in it.

“Shop With A Cop 2019 was even

bigger and better than in previous years,” Johnston said. “As the

donations grew, so did Pat Wilson’s

William Swaim/Wyandotte Nation

Wyandotte Nation officers help provide gifts for area children as part of the

annual 'Shop With a Cop' program.

list of children that would see a little

bit brighter Christmas. We were

amazed at the outpouring of volunteer support.”

Officers would like to thank all the

volunteers for their help as well as

all who donated to this great cause.

Donations: Wyandotte Nation Education Department, Wyandotte Nation Cultural Department, Title VI,

T-shirts from Metal Fab, Walmart,

Allgeier Martin & Associates, The

Garrette’s, Mike Melnikoff, Bank

of Wyandotte, Lion’s Club, Anonymous, River Bend Casino & Hotel,

7th Street Casino, Turtle Stop, Jar

at Turtle Stop, and WTOK.

Also, thanks to all the officers

that showed up to help on their off

time, as well as Stephanie Hamilton,

Twilia Stone and Chris Turner.

Participating officers treated the

kids to lunch and snacks at the

Wyandotte Nation’s Title VI Building before heading to Miami for

an afternoon of holiday shopping.

Following the shopping, the officers

loaded the kids and volunteers on

two buses and brought the kids back

to wrap the presents.

Local families experiencing

economic hardships are not always

able to provide children with their

own celebration of Christmas. That

is where the ‘Shop With a Cop’

program comes in, joining underprivileged children with WNTPD

officers and other area tribal officers,

providing the children with money

to shop for Christmas presents for

their families and themselves. Local

donations and volunteers make this

program possible.

“The bar was raised beyond our

expectations and we as a department are looking forward to what

2020 has in store for us,” Johnston

said, adding that he has approached

other tribal, local and state law

enforcement about getting involved.

“The program has put us a little

closer with the children that we supported with this cause, and each and

every one of us have crossed paths

with several of those children who

have nothing but good to say about

their experiences with us, as did

their parents.”

Town Hall Meetings set for Northern, Southern California

In 2020 the Wyandotte Nation

will hold two Town Hall meetings in

northern and southern California.

The first Town Hall will be held

in Newport Beach, Calif., Saturday,

March 28, at 10 am. Registration

opens at 9 am at the Hyatt Regency

John Wayne Airport Newport Beach,

4545 MacArthur Boulevard, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Lunch will

be provided after the meeting. An

afternoon Q&A and historical session will also be held.

The second meeting will be held in

Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, March

29, at 1 pm with registration opening at 12:15 pm. The meeting will be

held at the Four Points by Sheraton,

4900 Duckhorn Drive, Sacramento,

CA 95834. Lunch will be provided

before the meeting beginning at

11:30 am. There will also be a Q&A

and historical session held after the

meeting.

Post cards will also be mailed

to those who live in this area. To

RSVP: Please respond by Friday,

March 13 to Dana Butterfield (918)

678-6319 or dbutterfield@wyandottenation.org.

In 2013, the Wyandotte Nation

started a new tradition of hosting

off-site Town Hall meetings to be

able to make connections with tribal

citizens/members who live away

from the Tribal headquarters in

Wyandotte, Okla.

At these meetings citizens are able

to meet the Chief, Second Chief and

key Wyandotte Nation staff, hear

the state of the Tribe, and make connections with family members and

other citizens who reside in their

local areas. Each adult (18 and over)

enrolled Wyandotte Citizen who

attends will receive $50 to assist

with the expenses associated with

attending the meeting. Spouses and

family are welcome and encouraged

to attend.

The postcards will give instructions on the registration process. If

you don’t receive a post card, but feel

you are within traveling distance

and would like to attend either of the

meetings you are welcome to do so.

Submit Your News: Submit a story idea or your latest news and photos. Email William Swaim at wswaim@wtok.org.

February 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Holiday in pictures

A few images from

our annual

Children's

Christmas

Party, the

Turtle Tots

Christmas

Program, and

the Elders

Christmas

Dinner.

Photos by

William Swaim

Page 7

-- Article/Pages reprinted with permission from the Ohio History Connection

'On the Back of a Turtle'

is available at the Senior

Turtles Gift Shop for $10

Page 12

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

February 2020

What to know about the 2020 Census

By April 1, 2020, every home will

receive an invitation to participate in

the 2020 Census. You will have three

options for responding:

• Online

• By phone

• By mail

The 2020 Census marks the first time

you will have the option to respond online.

You can even respond on your mobile device.

During the 2020 census, the bureau will

distribute only short-form surveys, making it

more critical to know how and why to fill out

the form to give accurate data.

Overall Timeline

Counting every person living in the

United States is a massive undertaking, and efforts begin years in advance.

Here's a look at some of the key dates

along the way:

• January–September 2019: The U.S.

Census Bureau opens 248 area census

offices across the country. These offices

support and manage the census takers

who work all over the country to conduct

the census.

• August 2019: Census takers begin

visiting areas that have experienced a lot of

change and growth to ensure that the Census Bureau's address list is up to date. This

is called address canvassing, and it helps to

ensure that everyone receives an invitation

to participate in the 2020 Census.

• January 2020: The Census Bureau

begins counting the population in remote

Alaska.

• April 1, 2020: Census Day is

observed nationwide. By this date,

every home will receive an invitation to

participate in the 2020 Census. Once the

invitation arrives, you should respond for

your home in one of three ways: online,

by phone, or by mail. When you respond

to the census, you tell the Census Bureau

where you live as of April 1, 2020.

• April 2020: Census takers begin

visiting college students who live on

campus, people living in senior centers,

and others who live among large groups

of people. Census takers also begin

conducting quality check interviews to

help ensure an accurate count.

• May 2020: The Census Bureau

begins visiting homes that have not

responded to the 2020 Census to make

sure everyone is counted.

• December 2020: The Census

Bureau delivers apportionment counts to

the President and Congress as required

by law.

• March 31, 2021: By this date, the

Census Bureau will send redistricting

counts to states. This information is used

to redraw legislative districts based on

population changes.

Why We Conduct This Count

The census provides critical data that

lawmakers, business owners, teachers,

tribes and many others use to provide

daily services, products, and support for

you and your community. The government determines how to distribute

millions of federal dollars to programs,

grants and Native American tribes

through the data collected by the U.S.

Census Bureau. Filling out the form

truthfully and accurately remains one

of the best ways to ensure the Tribe

remains vibrant and an essential part of

the broader community.

Counting Everyone

Participating in the census is required

by law, even if you recently completed

another survey from the Census Bureau.

A complete and accurate count is critical

for you and your community, because the

results of the 2020 Census will affect community funding, congressional representation, and more. One quarter of Native

Americans, live in areas described by the

census as ‘hard to count.’ An inaccurate

count has far-reaching effects most-often

carried by our most vulnerable citizens.

Who To Count

The 2020 Census will count everyone

living in the United States and the five

U.S. territories.

Who Counts as Part of Your Home?

If you are filling out the census for

your home, you should count everyone

who is living there as of April 1, 2020.

This includes anyone who is living and

sleeping there most of the time. If someone is staying in your home on April 1,

and has no usual home elsewhere, you

should count them in your response to

the 2020 Census.

Counting Young Children

It is important to remember to count

any children who are living with you.

This includes:

• All children who live in your home,

including foster children, grandchildren,

nieces and nephews, and the children of

friends (even if they are living with you

temporarily).

• Children who split their time

between homes, if they are living with

you on April 1, 2020.

• Newborn babies, even those who

are born on April 1, 2020, or who are still

in the hospital on this date.

Data Protection and Privacy Program

Law does not only require being

responsible stewards of your data, it is

embedded in Census Bureau culture.

Strict policies and statistical safeguards

help protect the confidentiality of your

information. Before releasing data products, the Census Bureau verifies that

they meet its confidentiality standards.

Avoiding Scams Online

Phishing is a criminal act in which

someone tries to get your information by

pretending to be an entity that you trust.

Phishing emails often direct you to a

website that looks real but is fake—and

may be infected with malware.

It is important to know that the Census

Bureau WILL NOT send unsolicited emails

to request your participation in the 2020

Census. Further, during the 2020 Census,

the Census Bureau will NEVER ask for:

• Your Social Security number.

• Your bank account or credit card

numbers.

• Money or donations.

In addition, the Census Bureau will not

contact you on behalf of a political party.

Staying Safe at Home

If someone visits your home to collect

a response for the 2020 Census, you can

do the following to verify their identity:

• First, check to make sure that they

have a valid ID badge, with their photo-

graph, a U.S. Department of Commerce

watermark, and an expiration date.

• If you still have questions about

their identity, you can call 800-923-8282

to speak with a local Census Bureau

representative.

Reporting Suspected Fraud

If you suspect fraud, call 800-923-8282

to speak with a local Census Bureau

representative. If it is determined that

the visitor who came to your door does

not work for the Census Bureau, contact

your local police department.

2020 Census Jobs

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting

to fill hundreds of thousands of temporary positions across the country to

assist with the 2020 Census count. For

more information about 2020 jobs, please

go to 2020census.gov/jobs.

If you have any questions, you may

contact Debbie Dry (918) 678-6315 or

ddry@wyandotte-nation.org

February 2020

Human Resources

Submitted by Deana Howard, HR

Director

The Wyandotte Nation Education

Department would like to welcome

tribal citizen, Ashley

Buss to her new

position as Early

Childhood Toddler Program Lead

Teacher. Ashley

has her AA in Early

Childhood, Certificate of Mastery

in Early Childhood

Education, BA in

BUSS

Sociology and eight

years’ experience

in childcare. She enjoys reading and

spending time with family in her spare

time. We are happy to have Ashley on

our team.

Ally Bartley has joined the Wyandotte Nation as a

Substitute in our

Education Department. Ally currently

attends Wyandotte

High School. Ally

enjoys spending

time playing softball, crocheting,

and weightlifting.

She gives softballBARTLEY

catching lessons, she

loves to hunt, be outdoors, and spend

time with her family. We are pleased to

have Ally and wish her much success in

her new position.

Kamrie Bunce joins Wyandotte

tribal citizens Jennifer Burwell and Jill

Hawkins as Infant

Caregivers for the

Wyandotte Nation.

Kamrie graduated from Miami

High School and

has several years of

experience working with infants. In

her spare time, she

enjoys spending time

BUNCE

painting with her

friends, watching football, and cheering

her son on at all his sporting events.

Kamrie has two boys that are or have

been a part of the Turtle Tots Program

and she is thankful for the program and

opportunity to be a part of the Education Department. We are happy to have

Kamrie join the Education Department

and wish her much success in her new

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

position.

Jennifer has an

Associate’s Degree

from NEO. She

enjoys spending time

watching movies

with her family,

playing outside with

them and reading

bedtime stories. We

BURWELL

are pleased to have

Jennifer join the

Education Department and wish her

much success in her new position.

Jill has an Associate’s Degree and a

Bachelor’s Degree with several years’

experience with

infants. She enjoys

spending time with

her family, and has

been married for

15 years and has

three children. In

her spare time, she

enjoys baking and

reading. We are

pleased to have Jill

HAWKINS

join the Education

Department and wish her much success

in her new position.

The Bearskin Fitness Center is very

happy to welcome Thatcher Smalley

and Liz Mensink.

Thatcher graduated from Fairland

High School and is

currently attending

NEO A&M College.

Thatcher will serve

as a Fitness Front

Desk Assistant. He

enjoys spending

time with his friends

and family, fishing,

sports, and video

games. We are very

SMALLEY

fortunate to have

Thatcher on our team and wish him

much success in this position.

Liz will serve as a Front Desk Assistant. Liz is currently attending college

and her field of study

is Physical Therapy

Assistant. She

attended Independence Community

college on a softball

scholarship and then

transferred to NEO

for the PTA Program. In her spare

time, she enjoys

MENSINK

spending time with

her family and friends. She likes to play

softball, workout, shop, and walk her

dog. We are very fortunate to have Liz

on our team and wish her much success

in this position.

The Wyandotte Nation Planning and

Natural Resources Department is very

happy to welcome Brittany Crowe. Brittany is our new Environmental Technician II. She has

her AA from NEO

and her Bachelor of

Science from MSSU.

In her spare time,

she enjoys spending

time with her family

and animals on their

5-acre farm. She

also loves making

homemade gifts and

CROWE

enjoys spending time

outdoors or hanging out in the barn. We

are very fortunate to have Brittany join

our team and wish her much success in

her new position.

Family Services

Submitted by Dana Butterfield,

Family Services Director

It’s hard to believe that we’re in the

year 2020! The Wyandotte Nation has

seen so many changes and has experienced such amazing growth over the

past 20 years. The Tribe now has many

programs available to citizens nationwide such as the Supplemental Health

card, senior energy, school supplies,

burial assistance and scholarships.

The Family Services staff are thankful to Tribal leadership for expanding

these programs and look forward to the

future and being able to continue to

expand programs and services.

The annual children’s Christmas

party was held Dec. 14 with 160

children who attended along with their

families. Each child received a gift

from Santa, enjoyed cookies and milk,

and worked on crafts. A special treat

this year, to help keep attendees warm

during their wait, was a food truck

with hot chocolate, coffee and donuts.

This is always such a fun event for

all involved. Be sure to check out the

pictures in this newsletter and on our

Facebook page.

Town Hall meetings have been set

for March 28 in Newport Beach, Calif.,

and March 29 in Sacramento, Calif. As

always, we are excited to be assisting

Page 13

Tribal leadership with these meetings

and look forward to seeing old friends

and making new ones. Postcards will

be mailed to citizens who live in California. However, if any citizen would

like to attend, they are more than welcome. More information can be found

in the Town Hall article elsewhere in

this newsletter.

Some of the events we are working on this coming year are: April

quarterly Domestic Violence Cultural

event, April 11; The Gathering of Little

Turtles, June 26-28; The Gathering,

Sept. 9–11; Pow-Wow, Sept. 11–13; and

Annual Meeting, Sept. 12. Be sure to

visit the Nation’s Facebook page and

website for events and activities happening here at the Nation.

As always, it is our pleasure and

honor to serve the Wyandotte people

and if there is ever anything we can do

for you please don’t hesitate to contact

us.

Winter Programs:

Winter Clothing – Began Nov. 1

and ends Feb. 28 for pre-K (must be

at least 3 years old and enrolled in a

structured learning program) through

grade 12. OK, MO, AR, KS residents.

Reimbursement program or Walmart

gift card for $100 per student. Applications, along with guidelines, are

available on the home page of the

Tribal website. Please note there are

separate applications for the gift card

and reimbursement program. If you

did not return your gift card receipts

for either the School Supplies or last

year’s Winter Clothing, you will be

required to use the reimbursement

program this year.

Senior Energy – This program is

available nationwide for citizens who

are 55 and older! $100 will be paid directly to the utility provider. Program

began Oct. 1 and ends Feb. 28. Please

continue to pay you bill as normal and

the payment from the Tribe will show

as a credit when it has been applied.

This process can take between 2-4

weeks, especially if it’s the first time

applying for the program.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE

ABOVE WINTER PROGRAMS

MUST BE RECEIVED OR POST

MARKED BY FEB. 28 TO BE

ELIGIBLE AND BILLS/RECEIPTS

MUST BE DATED BETWEEN OCT.

1, 2019 AND FEB. 28, 2020.

Continued on Page 14

Page 14

Continued from Page 13

The following are programs that run

throughout the year for residents in

OK, MO, AR, KS.

Applications must be received or

postmarked by Sept. 30:

Elders Assistance – One-time

expense for $250 for tribal elders aged

55 and over.

Extra School Expense/Extracurricular Activities – One-time payment of $100 per student aged pre – K

(at least 3 years old) through 12th

grade.

Jr/Sr Benefit - $250 benefit for

expenses associated with the Junior

and Senior years of High School.

Fuel Assistance – Programs available for fuel assistance: Hardship

– personal hardships, emergencies,

travel for work/job interviews, etc;

Medical – travel to/from doctor/dental

appointments and pick up prescriptions; Major Medical – extreme medical

issues (must be life threatening, terminal, etc. not chronic medical issues)

that require multiple trips outside of

the local area.

Other Programs provided by the

Family Services Department:

Child Safety Seats - Each child

is eligible for three seats in different

sizes and can be picked up at the tribal

office.

Promoting Safe & Stable Families/Indian Child Welfare – This program is funded through a federal grant

from the Administration for Children

and Families and is designed to help

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

keep children in their homes with their

family or ensure that if there is a need

for removal that federal guidelines

are adhered to and the best interest of

the child is first and foremost. If your

family is in a situation where the state

is involved, please contact one of the

Tribal Social Workers.

Enrollment – Aug. 15 is the deadline to be considered for enrollment at

the 2019 Annual Meeting. Applications must be submitted along with an

original state certified birth certificate.

New Enrollee Benefit - Each application received prior to a child’s first

birthday will receive a $100 Walmart

gift card and a blanket embroidered

with the Tribal Turtle.

Tribal Tags – Available for tribal

citizens who reside in Oklahoma. Passenger, RV, Motorcycle and Handicap

tags are available. Please call the

office for prices and additional information.

Supplemental Health Benefit

(Benny Card) – The company that is

contracted to manage this program for

the Nation has changed their name

from CoreSource to Trustmark. This

change should not cause too many issues, but if you have problems feel free

to give us a call or call Trustmark directly. New Wyandotte Nation citizens

should have received their Benny cards

in December along with any replacements for cards that have expired. The

new cards being sent are now blue

in color. All accounts were loaded on

Jan. 1, 2020 and the benefits are the

same as previous years with a $1,000

per year benefit for adult (18 and

over) tribal citizens. Tribal citizens

who have enrolled Wyandotte Nation

dependents will receive an additional

$1,000 for a maximum of $2,000 per

account. Please keep in mind that this

benefit is only for enrolled citizens of

the Nation and is not to be used for

spouses, step-children, etc. CoreSource

will be following up more closely with

accounts this year and asking for

receipts periodically.

Quarterly statements will continue

to be mailed by Trustmark and account

balances can be obtained at any time

via www.trustmarkbenefits.com , by

calling Trustmark at (800) 990-9058

ext42086 or via the mobile app. If you

have a smart phone I strongly encourage you to download and use the app.

With the app you can see balances,

file claims, see purchases/expenses,

see if any receipts are required and

scan items to see if they are an eligible

expenses.

Burial Assistance - $1,500 to be

paid to the funeral home or to the family representative if the funeral is paid

in full.

Family Violence Prevention

Program: The Wyandotte Nation

receives grants from the Office of Violence Against Women, Office of Victims

of Crime and the Administration for

Children and Families to help support

victims of domestic violence, sexual

assault, dating violence, stalking and

sex trafficking within a 25 mile radius

of the tribal headquarters. A victim is

not required to be Wyandotte or Native

to receive services from this program.

Services offered include advocacy,

February 2020

court accompaniment, assistance with

obtaining protective orders, relocation

expenses and other basic needs. The

Domestic Violence Advocate/Educator regularly makes presentations to

schools and organizations providing

education and awareness about these

issues. Program staff, in conjunction

with the Cultural Advisory Board, also

hosts quarterly cultural events. The

next event will be Saturday, April 11.

If you are in the area we’d love to have

you join us.

February is Teen Dating Violence

Awareness Month and Lisa Arnold will

be providing educational outreach at

Continued on Page 15

TAG REMINDERS:

• 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

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.

Our benefits administrator, CoreSource, is changing their brand name to

Trustmark Health Benefits. This name

change does not affect your benefits.

Between now and Jan. 1, 2020, you’ll

start seeing the name Trustmark Health

Benefits in places like:

• New ID Card

• Explanation of Benefits (EOB)

• Letters and Communications

• Your Web Portal

• Mobile App

• Customer Service

February 2020

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 14

local high schools and colleges. The

Month of April will be observed as

Sexual Assault Awareness month.

Lisa has several activities planned

for this month so be sure to watch

Facebook for any opportunities to help

support victims of sexual assault.

Family Services Staff:

Director, Dana Butterfield, (918) 6786319, dbutterfield@wyandotte-nation.org

ICW Supervisor, Tara Gragg, (918)

678-6355, tgragg@wyandotte-nation.org

ICW Worker, Tiffany Garner, (918)

678-6353, tgarner@wyandotte-nation.org

Assistant, Leeanna Radabaugh, (918)

678-6329, lradabaugh@wyandottenation.org

DV Advocate/Educator Supervisor,

Lisa Arnold, (918) 678-6324, lisaarnold@wyandotte-nation.org

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

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is National Child Abuse

Prevention Month. This month and

throughout the year, we encourage

all individuals and organizations to

play a role in making our communities a better place for children and

families. By ensuring that parents

have the knowledge, skills, and

resources they need to care for

their children, we can help prevent

child abuse and neglect by creating

strong and thriving children, youth,

and families in our communities.

Research shows that protective factors are present in healthy families.

Protective factors are conditions or

attributes of individuals, families,

communities, or the larger soci-

ety that reduce risk and promote

healthy development and wellbeing.

Promoting the following protective

factors is one of the most effective

ways to reduce the risk of child

abuse and neglect:

• Nurturing and attachment

• Knowledge of parenting and of

child and youth development

• Parental resilience

• Social connections

• Concrete supports for parents

• Social and emotional competence of children

Don’t be afraid to reach out for

help and support or to offer support

for others!

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.

Education

Submitted by Cristi Hudson, Education Director

Kweh,

The New Year is off to a great start

for us at Wyandotte Nation and we

hope it is for you as well. The Education

Department is happy to announce the

opening of the Infant and One-year old

program. The program began Jan. 7 with

five children ages 0 to 12 months, five

children ages 12 to 24 months, and five

staff members.

The preschool building has received a

makeover by adding the new classrooms

and nursery for the Infant and One-year

old program, new cabinets for storage,

cubbies, paint, flooring, and expanded

the library for our education programs.

The back playground is in the process of

a makeover as well and will be ready for

the children to enjoy very soon.

With the addition of the new Infant

and One-Year old program, we have

added more staff members. We would

like to welcome back Twylia Stone.

Twylia transferred from the Title VI

kitchen to the preschool kitchen as the

lead cook. We would also like to welcome

Tammy Sherwood, who transferred from

the preschool kitchen to the Infant and

One-year old program.

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

Page 15

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 has

new hours. The hours are Monday

through Thursday 8 am to 5:30 pm and

Friday 8 am to 3:30 pm. New books and

movies 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. 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 spring 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

Continued on Page 16

Page 16

Continued from Page 15

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.

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) 678-6331.

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

Elder Services

Submitted by Brenda House, Elder

Services Director

The Elder Services Department is

happy to welcome Robyn Beaty to our

Food Service Team. Robyn began her

tenure with the Wyandotte Nation in

the Education Department Kitchen.

She enjoys spending time on her farm

with her husband Charlie and her three

grandchildren.

Our Valentine Party is Thursday, Feb.

13, during the noon hour. Prizes will be

given to the Oldest Valentine, Couple

married the longest, the Newly Weds,

and the one that has been married the

most times and is willing to admit it.

The Senior Turtles Gift Shop will be

having their 4th Annual Flower and

Candy sale in the Artie Nesvold Community Center (Title VI) Safe Room Feb.

13-14. (See Advertisement)

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Tribal Police Department

Submitted by Glenn Johnston,

Chief of Police

We have a few upcoming events. The

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

takes place April 19-25. In addition, we

will be holding a Pancake Breakfast

Saturday, March 14, from 7:30 to 11:30 am

in the Title VI Building (64700, E. Hwy 60

in Wyandotte). See the flyer in this issue

for more information. Proceeds from the

event go to support our ‘Shop With a Cop’

program.

We shopped for 14 families with a total

of 46 children during ‘Shop With a Cop’ last December. Thirty-two children

went shopping but we bought for 46. We also shopped for 21 Angel Tree Kids

later in the month. We had 44 volunteers, seven Wyandotte Nation Officers,

one Park Ranger and two Quapaw Marshalls involved in the shopping.

The following were sponsors: Lions Club, Bank of Wyandotte, WTOK,

Allgeier – Martin, Education Department, Tribal Heritage Department, River

Bend Casino & Hotel, 7th Street Casino, Title VI, Turtle Stop, Mike Meinikoff,

Crossland Construction, The Garrettes, and Metal Fab of Miami.

February 2020

Tribal Heritage

Submitted by Sherri Clemons,

Tribal Heritage Director

Kweh, kweh! Happy New Year!

The Cultural Center is gearing up for

some fun times this coming year. The

Cultural Committee is making plans for

Little Turtles Kids Camp June 26-28.

The Lacrosse camp is held in conjunction with the Kids Camp. The Lacrosse

Camp is Tuesday, June 23 through

Friday, June 26 the same week. Last

year coaches and players from Springfield, Mo., worked with the kids, and

they had an outstanding week.

If you know of a boy or girl who would

be interested in learning more about

the game, we have a chance to do some

offseason practices and maybe get a

team going. Contact Teresa Wilson at

Continued on Page 17

Our Easter Party is Thursday, April

9, during the noon hour. Prizes will be

given for the prettiest bonnet, funniest

bonnet and men’s leg contest. We will

have an Easter Egg Hunt and prizes

given to the one that finds the prize egg

and one that finds the most eggs.

Mother’s Day Dinner will be held

Thursday, May 7.

If anyone is in need of food, we collaborate with area tribes and the Tulsa

Foodbank to host a Food Distribution

at the Highwinds Casino parking lot on

the third Thursday of each month from

11 am to Noon. Each Title VI program

has tickets to distribute to those in need.

Participants will need to get their tickets

prior to the distribution.

CAREGIVER

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 current 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 or come by and visit 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

February 2020

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T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 16

the Cultural Center, (918) 678-6318.

River Bend Hotel & Casino has blocked off 15

rooms for Little Turtles at a rate of $59 for the

weekend. Make your reservations soon (918)-6784946.

The Gathering is Sept. 9-11 with Pow-Wow

starting Sept. 11-13. This is also a very busy time,

so reserving your room now is wise.

We have a few other events coming up:

• May 25, 10 am, we will have a Memorial

service honoring a veteran for their unselfish act

for our freedom. All are welcome.

• July 2, starting around 7 pm, Fireworks display. Vendors, live music and beautiful fireworks.

Bring your chairs and come enjoy. No personal

fireworks please. This keeps everyone safe.

I hope to see all of you at these events.

Health

--Submitted by Kelly Friend, Director of

Health Services

Bearskin Health Clinic Purchased/Referred Care is

a federally funded program to assist eligible patients

financially with specialized care that is not directly

available from the Bearskin Health Clinic.

ASSISTANCE DEPENDS ON ELIGIBILITY,

RESIDENCE, MEDICAL PRIORITIES, ALTERNATE RESOURCES, AND AVAILABILITY OF

FUNDING.

The Bearskin Health Clinic Purchased/Referred

Care program also contracts with specialty care

physicians, hospitals, diagnostic groups and other

health care providers to treat our patients at prearranged fees.

The Purchased/Referred Care Program is funded

annually with federal funds by the Department of

Health and Human Services (DHHS). Medical priorities have been established for determining which

referrals can be authorized for payment, dependent

upon the availability of funds.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR

BEARSKIN HEALTH CLINIC PURCHASED/

REFERRED CARE

1. Must be eligible for direct patient care services

provided by Bearskin Health Clinic contracted facilities and/or an IHS facility. An individual is eligible if

they are of Indian descent and a member of the Wyandotte Nation or Eastern Shawnee Tribe. Patient

must also have an established medical health record

at Bearskin Health Clinic and reside within the

Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Area (PRCDA).

2. Non-Indians may be eligible in these situations:

A non-Indian woman who is pregnant with an eligible

Indian’s child through pregnancy and postpartum; A

non-Indian member of an eligible Indian’s household

who resides within the Purchased/Referred Care

service area is eligible for Purchased/Referred Care if

the Medical Officer in charge determines that services

are necessary to control a public health hazard or an

acute infectious disease; A non-Indian under 19 years

old who is an adopted child, stepchild, foster child, legal

ward or orphan of an eligible Indian under specific

circumstances.

3. Patient must reside within the Bearskin Health

Clinic 12 county Purchased/Referred Care service area.

Out-Of-State residents are not eligible for Purchased/Referred Care funds.

PURCHASED/REFERRED CARE IS A PAYOR

OF LAST RESORT! All other resources to pay

for medical care, such as Medicare, Medicaid, VA,

Worker’s Comp, Title 19, Sooner Care, automobile

insurance, and/or group health insurance, including

IHS facilities must be utilized first, when applicable.

Eligibility or ineligibility documentation will be

required at a minimum of once annually or with each

change of employment, income or referral.

As per the guidelines of the Public Health Service

Code of Federal Regulations, Purchased/Referred Care

(PRC) is a payor of last resort. All other resources to

pay for medical care, including IHS facilities must be

utilized first, when applicable. Alternate resources

were available.

[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 42, Volume

1] [Revised as of October 1, 2007] From the U.S.

Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE:

42CFR136.61]

[Page 738]

TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH

CHAPTER I--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE,

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

PART 136_INDIAN HEALTH--Table of Contents

Subpart G_Residual Status

Sec. 136.61 Payor of last resort.

(a) The Indian Health Service is the payor of last

resort for persons defined as eligible for contract health

services under the regulations in this part, notwithstanding any State or local law or regulation to the

contrary.

(b) Accordingly, the Indian Health Service will not

be responsible for or authorize payment for contract

health services to the extent that:

(1) The Indian is eligible for alternate resources, as

defined in paragraph (c) of this section, or

(2) The Indian would be eligible for alternate

resources if he or she were to apply for them, or

(3) The Indian would be eligible for alternate

resources under State or local law or regulation but for

the Indian's eligibility for contract health services, or

other health services, from the Indian Health Service

or Indian Health Service funded programs.

(c) Alternate resources means health care resources

other than those of the Indian Health Service. Such

resources include health care providers and institutions, and health care programs for the payment of

health services including but not limited to programs

under titles XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act

(i.e., Medicare, Medicaid), State or local health care

programs, and private insurance.

Continued on Page 18

Page 17

Page 18

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

February 2020

Housing

Submitted by Kathy DeWeese,

Housing Director

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

must be submitted and approved

by HUD. This plan provides for the

upkeep of Nahasda units, rental assistance to college students and down

payment assistance, as well as the dayto-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.

Continued from Page 17

[64 FR 58322, Oct. 28, 1999]

The priority system helps patients have

equal opportunity for specialty services

and to make sure the funds are used to

give the best possible benefits.

When services are not available at Bearskin Health Clinic and contracted facilities

or at an IHS facility where the patient regularly receives care, a physician will initiate a

referral to a contract specialty provider.

The Purchased/Referred Care Specialist

at the Bearskin Health Clinic prepares all

referrals to submit weekly for the Purchased/Referred Care Review Committee.

Referrals from the Bearskin Health Clinic

are reviewed and categorized in accordance with approved medical priorities.

If a referral is denied, the patient and/

or provider have 30 days from the date

the denial letter is received to appeal for

reconsideration. Appeal should be made

in writing and mailed to:

Attn: Kelly Friend, Administrator

Bearskin Health Clinic

One Turtle Drive

Wyandotte, OK 74370

EMERGENCY CALL-IN PROCEDURES:

Call-ins are to be reported to the

Bearskin Health Clinic in Wyandotte,

Oklahoma, (918) 678-3227.

• This call should be made when a

patient has an emergency and is unable to

go to Bearskin Health Clinic or the nearest

IHS facility. The patient must call the

Purchased/Referred Care office within 72

hours after the beginning of the treat-

Wyandotte Nation Housing has received a competitive grant. This was a

nationwide competition with only 200

tribes receiving the grants. This grant

will build three homeownership units,

and two family duplex rental units.

The Heritage Acres Community

Center is available for rent. The cost

is $50 for tribal members and $75 for

non-tribal. There is also a $25 deposit,

which is returned if the building is left

clean. Several dates are already filled

for next year. If you are interested in

renting, it is best to reserve early.

Before we know it, it will be spring.

The Splashpad will be opening May18.

IHS -121 Program

This program is funded through

the Department of Health & Human

Services, to ensure safe drinking water

ment (THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE

PAYMENT. The Purchased/Referred

Care Committee will follow the medical

priorities and make determination).

• Those individuals over the age of

55 years old have up to 30 days to call

in emergency room visit. (THIS DOES

NOT GUARANTEE PAYMENT. The

Purchased/Referred Care Committee will

follow the medical priorities and make

determination).

REFERRAL PROCESS:

1. The patient must be seen by a

provider at Bearskin Health Clinic.

2. If a referral is necessary, the Nurse/

Provider will direct referral to the Purchased/Referred Care office.

3. Purchased/Referred Care Specialist

will counsel regarding eligibility, alternate

resources such as Medicare, Medicaid,

insurance, VA, Workman’s Comp, Sooner

Care, and Title 19, and schedule the appointment, if necessary.

4. Patient will need a referral from

Bearskin Health Clinic for each additional

procedure, test, follow-up exams, and or

hospitalization. It is the patient’s responsibility to contact the Purchased/Referred

Care Specialist each time!

5. If a patient schedules or reschedules

an appointment, without proper Purchased/Referred Care authorization, the

patient will be responsible for payment.

6. If you receive a bill from the facility

or physician we have scheduled you with,

you have 10 days to provide Bearskin

Clinic with the bill or you may be denied.

The Purchased/Referred Care Specialist

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 members must reside

in the following counties: Craig;

Creek; Delaware; Mayes; Nowata;

Okfuskee; Okmulgee; Ottawa; Rogers; Tulsa; Wagoner; 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

at the Bearskin Health Clinic is available

to help with any scheduling and/or questions regarding Purchased/Referred Care.

Audiology, Dental & Optometry

1. Tribal citizens must be seen by

a physician at Bearskin Healthcare &

Wellness Center once every three years

to maintain an updated medical record.

If patient has not been seen in the clinic

within the last three years, they will not

be eligible for these benefits until appointment is completed. Information needed

at visit includes: tribal membership card,

insurance card (if available), social security

card, driver’s license and medical history

form.

2. All appointments must have prior

authorization with the providing facility.

Failure to do so is subject to declination

of payment for services rendered. Please

provide a minimum of three business

days’ notice on appointments regarding

referrals to ensure that proper protocol can

be followed in sending documentation to

providers.

3. All treatments must be pre-authorized by Bearskin Healthcare. It is the

patient’s responsibility to verify that treatment plans have been authorized, before

treatment is rendered.

4. In the event an appointment must

be cancelled or rescheduled, Bearskin

Healthcare should be notified. Habitual

failure to show for a scheduled appointment may result in revocation of dental

services for one fiscal year. Habitual is

defined as failure to call or attend three

consecutive appointments.

February 2020

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 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 am to 4:30 pm and 8 am to 3:30

pm on Friday. The facility can accept

the following materials: paper, plastic,

cardboard, tin and aluminum.

On Oct. 25, the Department provided education information during

Bearskin’s Health and Wellness Fair

regarding private drinking water wells,

septic systems, and other environmental issues.

Our department also participated in

the Tribal Preschool Halloween Carnival with a bean bag toss.

The weather for October was beautiful with a hint of cool weather in the

night air. The Neosho Jr. High, students from the Wyandotte Public School

students toured our Lost Creek Recycle

Center in late October. The students

learned the importance of recycling and

were shown the day-to-day process.

Lost Creek Recycle Center held a tire

collection event in early November. We

collected 360 tires, which were collected

by a Qualified Applicant for Collection

& Transportation from Bristow, Okla.

These tires will be refined and reused

for other projects.

On Nov. 12, Kathleen Welch attended

the Tribal Environmental Coalition of

Oklahoma (TECO) Meeting in Stroud,

Okla. At this meeting, elections were

held for the Regional Tribal Operations

Committee (RTOC) and Wyandotte Nation as voted to retain their seat on the

RTOC Board of Members.

On Nov. 19-20, Christen Lee and

Kathleen Welch attended the Tribal

Caucus and RTOC Meeting in Catoosa,

OK.

Christmas cheer invaded our hearts

in December as we welcomed our new-

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Page 19

est employee, Brittany Crowe. Brittany

will assist other department staff in

water sampling, recycling duties and

environmental education events.

Department staff continues to sample

eight ambient water sites on area lakes

and streams on a monthly basis. Staff

also provides private drinking water

sampling within a fifty-mile radius of

Wyandotte Nation offices.

Environmental Staff are working

with contractors to complete the Bearskin Fitness Center Remodel and Well

House #1 Improvement Project. We

anticipate this project will be complete

before the end of March. The State Line

Water Project was sent out for contractor bid in late December and early

January. This project will be awarded

during the next quarter.

Staff also continues to work on rental

properties, trust land leases and Fee-totrust projects.

UPCOMING EVENTS

•

•

•

Northeast Oklahoma Tribal Resilience Workshop, Quapaw Nation,

Feb. 4-5

Tire Collection Event, Lost Creek

Recycle Center, May 4-8

13th Annual Environmental Festival,

Heritage Acres Park, May 8

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.

Grants often serve the 1,470 citizens

residing in the 641 households within a

50-mile radius of tribal headquarters;

however, it is the department’s desire

to serve and positively affect all 6,609

Wyandotte citizens 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 above.

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 1 Debbie Dry, ddry@

wyandotte-nation.org

Grant Writer 2 Michael Lowery,

mlowery@wyandotte-nation.org

Page 20

Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal C itizen & C ommunity N ews

N ew T ribal C itizen E nrollment

NOTE: The following names of new citizens were inadvertently omitted from the November

newsletter. Here are the rest of the new tribal citizens:

Battle, Cheyna Christine

Battle, Montgomery Sloan

Brown, Allison Colleen

Brown, Amanda Sue

Brown, Collins Taylor

Brown, Landon Scott

Brown, Nolan Timothy

Cloninger, Easton Duke

Cloninger, Myla Jade

Cloninger, Natalie Michelle

Crouch, Isaac Cooper

Crouch, Lafonda Gail

Crouch, Theran Cade

Douthit, Morgan Saige

Elbert, Addison Blake

Elbert, Brock Michael

Elbert, Christopher Michael

Elbert, Madilyn Grace

Elbert, Marissa Ryann

Elbert, Meadow Brooke

Elbert, Miranda Lynne

Elbert, Timothy Scott

Elbert, Tracie Lynn

Enyart, Erik Layne

Montgomery, Donna Jean

Mosby, Hailey Rena

Nesvold, Kecia Rena

Onstott, Elliot Jayce

Onstott, Jill M

Onstott, Thayer Brooks

Onstott, Troy Jace

Sams, Angela Dawn

Sams, Lindsey Dawn

Sams, Parker Macauley

Sams, Peter Mackenzie

Stork, Abigail Lane

Stork, Jacob Michael

Stork, Logan Dale

Stork, Rhonda Renee

Weisinger, Lucas Dale

Winkler, Taylor Irene

Young, Emory Lyn

Young, Kristen Linn

Yousey, Leslie Lynn

February 2020

Tribal citizen achieves Eagle Scout rank

Wyandotte tribal citizen Ricky Adams

achieved Eagle rank in May 2019. Recently, the Scouts recognized Ricky during

his Eagle Court of Honor, held Nov. 2,

2019.

Ricky has always been a hard worker

and this was no different. He joined scouts

when he was 10 and worked hard to move

through the ranks. He was senior patrol

leader twice as well as assistant to the

Senior Patrol leader. Scouting has helped

him to become a leader in so many aspects

of his life including within his marching

band, at work and his scout troop. He has

made some lifelong friendships. He plans

to continue as an adult leader within his

troop and be there for the next generation

of scouts. His family is very proud of him.

OBITUARY

Jacob Franklin Fischer

April 4, 1938 – November 30, 2019

Jacob “Jake” Franklin Fischer, 81, died November 30, 2019 at Claremore, Oklahoma. The son of Benjamin and Ruth Long Fischer was born on April 4, 1938 in

Pawnee, Oklahoma. Following graduation from Pawnee High School, Jake completed an Associate of Science, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of

Education at Oklahoma State University. While in Colorado he taught for Denver

Public Schools, Jefferson County Public Schools and Metropolitan State College. In

Oklahoma he taught for Okmulgee Public Schools and Central Area Vo-Tech in Drumright. After 30 years working as a teacher and administrator in public education,

Jake retired January 3, 1995.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife of 57 years,

Ruth, of the home; one daughter, Carol Lynn McMurtrey and husband Robert of Carl

Junction, Missouri; one son, John Edward Fischer and wife Gerlynnda of Eureka,

Missouri, five grandchildren, Hailey Nicole McMurtrey, Tanner Wayne McMurtrey,

Jodi Gabrielle Fischer, Jessica Grace Fischer and Jackelyn Greer Fischer.

Services were held Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Eshelman Memorial Chapel

and internment was at Highland Cemetery in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Pallbearers were

John Fischer, Robert McMurtrey, Tanner McMurtrey and Jack Smith.

Invitation to Youth Movement Event at OSU

On behalf of Oklahoma State Athletics, we would like to cordially invite you to the

6th Annual Youth Movement Event presented by the OSU Student Athlete Advisory

Committee (SAAC) and Chickasaw Nation, with sponsorship from the Native American Students Association (NASA), Orange and Black Gives Back, Cherokee Nation

Businesses, CSN, Endodontic Associates, and Nike N7.

Students in grades 3rd-8th can participate in a field day that incorporates both

Native American culture and fitness activities. Event activities include: team sports,

traditional Native games, guest speakers, performers and much more. The event will

take place Monday, March 30, in Boone Pickens Stadium at Oklahoma State University. Limited spaces are available, so please sign up now to save your spot.

The goal of the event is to bring Native American youth together from across the

state to celebrate culture and promote a healthy active lifestyle.

N7 Youth Movement Field Day: Students Grades 3rd- 8th, Tuesday, March

30, 8 am - 1:45 pm, Oklahoma State University (Boone Pickens Stadium)

Wyandotte Nation will provide transportation to the event for participants. Please

contact Kelly Friend at (918) 678-3259 or email kfriend@wyandotte-nation.org to

secure a spot for your student before Feb. 18.