The Muscogee Nation

Tag: angel tree

  • MNBE continues annual donation to the Paper Butterfly Project

    MNBE Chief Executive Woody Anderson, right, presents Muscogee (Creek) Nation Children and Family Services Administration Director Kimee Wind-Hummingbird with a check for the Angel Tree Project.
    • MCN Travel Plazas raised $866 during National Adoption Month for MCN Angel Tree Program

         OKMULGEE, Okla. — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Business Enterprise (MNBE), along with employees at Travel Plazas in Okmulgee and Muskogee, continued their tradition of giving, by once again raising funds and donations toward the Paper Butterfly Project during the National Adoption month in November. MNBE Chief Executive Woody Anderson presented a check for $866 to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Children and Family Services Administration (MCNC&FS) at the Okmulgee Travel Plaza.

    The paper butterflies could be purchased in any dollar amount during the month of November at the MNBE Travel Plaza locations. Once purchased, the butterfly would be displayed in the store to show support for adoption during November National Adoption Month. Even though November has come and gone, the donations carry into the Christmas holiday season. All proceeds donated to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Angel Tree Project.

    “We have been doing the Paper Butterfly Project with Children and Family Services for a few years now,” said Anderson. “It’s a way for us to help with the Angel Tree Program and provide for families who are in need.”

    According to Tribal Reunification & Permanency Services Program Manager Melody McPerryman, MCNC&FS partnered with the MNBE during the month of November to kick off the Paper Butterfly Project. The Paper Butterfly Project is a way of boosting November National Adoption and also a way for MCNC&FS to bring in monetary donations to help provide a great Christmas for all the children within the Angel Tree Project.

    All the proceeds from the Butterfly Project will go towards providing Christmas gifts for all the children and a Christmas Party for all the Angel Tree, including their families and MCN foster families. Unfortunately, since MCNC&FS deals with child welfare, several children and families filter through the program at any given time. The donations will also go towards helping any children that may come through the program just prior to Christmas.

    The Angel Tree Project provides for all the children that are receiving services through MCNC&FS, which may be through Child Protective Services, Tribal Custody, Tribal Juvenile Justice, or Promoting Safe and Stable Families. The Paper Butterfly project started in November 2015 and with the partnership of MNBE will continue annually.

    Along with the money raised at the Travel Plazas, Rick Verity and his wife Sue, owners of Burger King at the Okmulgee location, will be donating an additional $250. Anderson and his wife, Rebecca, will be donating an additional $100 as well.

    “My mother and father always taught us to help people and give back,” said Anderson. “We are very fortunate to have what we have and if we can give anything to help those in need it’s worth more than anything we receive.”

    For more information, contact the Melody McPerryman or Children and Family Services Director, Kimee Wind-Hummingbird at (918) 732-7869

     

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  • Out of state citizen makes donation during Christmas season

    (Photo by: Amanda Rutland/MCNPR)  Muscogee (Creek) Nation Children and Family Services Staff Steve Wahnee Holly Dunn, Second Chief Louis Hicks, Muscogee (Creek) citizen Cindy Yahola and her daughter Aspen with the toy and clothing donation to the Children and Family Services department.

     

    For immediate release

    Dec. 14, 2016

    Out of state citizen makes donation during Christmas season

    OKMULGEE, Okla. — Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen Cindy Yahola and her daughter Aspen drove from Lebanon, Tennessee Dec. 8 to make a surprise visit at the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Children and Family Services office on the MCN Tribal Complex in Okmulgee. Yahola had packed the trunk of her car full with toys, clothes, and games to donate.

    For the past four years, Yahola has conducted the toy drive out of her home to give to the Nation, but said this is the biggest donation yet.

    “The first year was kind of small, the next year was a little bigger, and last year was even bigger and now this year we’ve got this much,” Yahola said while gesturing to the plastic bins of toys.

    Yahola received some help collecting items this year from a friend.

    “This year I had a friend of mine that is a news writer for one of the local papers and she did an article. I had people I didn’t even know coming to my house this year with toys and stuff,” Yahola said. “I was aware of the cutbacks from the layoffs. I let the newspaper know that so I think that might have helped generate more.”

    Yahola said she just wants to help her tribe.

    ““It warms my heart to be able to do something because like I said, nobody ever thinks of the Native kids [in Tennessee] and the Natives are near and dear to my heart,” Yahola said. “It is a way for people to know of the Native culture because they don’t get it out there.”

    Children and Family Services Administrative Assistant April Welch said this donation would make Christmas for a lot of children.

    According to Welch, the donation would go to children in tribal custody as well as other needy families.

    “These are going to go to kids in tribal custody or that are on our case plan currently. Also, because there is such an abundance that we are willing to look into reintegration is doing a drive, Domestic Violence [Prevention Program], they help their children,” Welch said. “So, definitely going to share the wealth here and share with our citizens.”

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