Halito from District 6, The Heart of the Nation. The month of April was busy with our District 6 Community Dinner to honor our Chiefs and also all of our Easter events. The District 6 Princess Pageant was originally scheduled for April 10, but due to scheduling conflicts, we have had to reschedule the Pageant for Tuesday, June 17, at 5:30 p.m. Please mark your calendars to come out and support our girls.
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and we are proud that the Choctaw Tribal Council has signed a resolution recognizing April as Child Abuse Awareness Month for the Tribe. The Indian Child Welfare (ICW) workers help our children and families by providing many services to prevent child abuse and to strengthen families.
The month of May brings many events that you will want to put on your calendar. First, May brings our high school senior graduations. We are so proud of their accomplishments. We are blessed that the Choctaw Nation has so many programs to assist our young people in the transition from high school to college.
Summer camps will be in full swing from May until July giving so many opportunities to our youth. Please keep all our kids and camp workers in your prayers.
We will be holding our National Day of Prayer Gathering on Thursday, May 1, at 8:00 a.m., with breakfast following. This is a community-wide prayer gathering, and we encourage all who want to come pray to join us.
On May 14, the seniors from across the reservation will participate in Elder Appreciation Day in Durant. Our seniors represent who we are, and we must learn from them. Don’t ever forget the stories they have told us, some that have been passed down from many generations. It’s important to remember where we came from.
We encourage everyone to attend our Memorial Day Ceremony on May 23rd at Tuskahoma, where we will honor the men and women who died in military service to our Nation.
On Saturday, May 24, we will be hosting the “20 Women Who Cook” event at the Jennifer Woods Community Center. We encourage you to come out and support this event and the ladies of District 6 who will be participating.
We are still looking for applications for LEAP, Independent Elders and Affordable Rental housing. We encourage you to apply, and please don’t prejudge your qualifications. Let us assist you with your housing needs.
Our community partnerships are important to growing District 6. We are looking for more job development and providing a workforce for companies interested in our area. It takes teamwork to develop and strengthen our resources.
The Tribe provides many resources for those in need of housing and jobs, and we have representatives from these departments housed at the Jennifer Woods Community Center. Our Choctaw housing representative, Ashley Pate, can assist you with your tribal housing applications. If you are in need of employment, Kimberly Hill with Job For The Day, Tyler Akins with 477 Employment Training Services, and Shonnie Hall with the Summer Youth Work Program are available to assist you. Community-Based Social Workers Heather Pugh and Jessica McCutcheon are here to assist families, and our CHRs, Lori Pugh and Priscilla Ward are here to assist our elders and make sure that they are taken care of. We also have ICW, Children and Family Services, Behavioral Health and Domestic Violence representatives, and a computer lab tech, all housed in the Jennifer Woods Community Center, to better assist you. Choctaw Nation is working to become more centralized so that you don’t have to drive to Headquarters in Durant for assistance. Please come by or call 918-465-2389 to get the assistance you need. Our associates are available to assist you.
As always, it is truly my privilege to serve you and I enjoy visiting with all, both young and old. I am thankful to be your Tribal Council Person.
Yakoke!
