Halito Chim Achukma,
Welcome to summer. I hope you and your family enjoy spending time together watching ball games, at the lake and on vacation for the next few months. We’re blessed to live in the Choctaw Nation with all the beautiful landscapes we have here when the grass is green, and the trees have all their leaves. The last three months we’ve held many meetings and events in District 11 and the CNO, I’ll share some highlights of what has happened recently and look at our summer schedule.
First, congratulations to all our Choctaw members who completed their education from high school to higher education. I wish you the best with your future plans. March 4 was Read Across America Day, I had the pleasure of spending time with our CNO Head Start kids and the 1st-4th grade students at Jones Academy. What a wonderful time I had reading with the students; it’s so nice to see how well our children are learning and growing within Choctaw Nation education programs, Yakoke, to all the staff. In April, I attended the McAlester High School JOM Senior Banquet; the MHS Indian Education Program employees do a great job of serving our Native American students. Star Program applications are now open for students enrolled in grades 2-12 on the Chahta Achvffa member portal.
May 14 was the Elder Appreciation Day at Durant. There was a good group of District 11 seniors attending, we placed second in the name tag competition. Yakoke to all the ones who helped in making the name tags. At the Trail of Tears Memorial Walk May 17, we seen our people come together to remember our ancestors long walk from Mississippi to Oklahoma. May 23 was the Memorial Day Ceremony at Tvshka Homma, where we remembered the ultimate sacrifices of our military servicemen and women.
Upcoming events in District 11 include the Princess pageant June 3, McAlester Wellness Center 10-year Anniversary Celebration June 4 and the community center senior veteran’s meal June 5 at 11:30 and Boom in the Valley at Tvshka Homma is July 3. I hope you have a great summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone at the Labor Day Festival in September.
We don’t have council elections this year in District 11, but members who are registered will receive a ballot to vote for Proposed Constitutional Amendments. Mail-in ballots will be distributed to current registered voters by June 21. Tribal members who have not registered or have changed addresses since the last election will need to complete a new Voter Registration form. You can go to the Choctaw Nation Voter Registration website and fill out a form or pick one up at the community center. Election Day is July 12.
I count it as an honor and privilege to serve the okla chahta (Choctaw people) of District 11; if I can help you in any way regarding the Choctaw Nation, please let me know.
Yakoke, Chihowa vt Achukma (God is Good)