The Muscogee Nation

Tag: MCN

  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    For Immediate Release

    Oct. 30, 2019

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    Survivors discuss experiences dealing with disease

    GLENPOOL, Oklahoma —

    I got this feeling inside my bones
    It goes electric, wavy when I turn it on
    All through my city, all through my home
    We’re flying up, no ceiling, when we’re in our zone

    The lyrics to Justin Timberlake’s hit song, ‘Can’t stop the feeling,’ blared through the speakers at the 17th annual Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health Pink Party.

    Accompanying the song was a dance video involving Muscogee (Creek) employees and youth throughout the jurisdiction.

    Employees, citizens and above all, survivors of cancer filled the event center for this year’s celebration.

    MCN Secretary of Health Shawn Terry welcomed everyone to the party and recognized the many survivors that participated.

    “It is such a celebration in who we get to honor,” he said. “More and more people want to become a part of this [Pink Party] and get more knowledge and awareness on breast cancer.”

    Terry said Native American women have some of the highest rates in getting breast cancer and the event has helped with recognizing the women and men that have faced this type of cancer.

    “We have done such an amazing job in honoring the survivors,” Terry said. “When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it’s not only affecting that person. It affects their family.”
    MCN Principal Chief James Floyd spoke to the audience about the importance of having the Pink Party and why it is necessary for the awareness of breast cancer.

    “It tells me the people here at the Pink Party are interested in learning how to recognize breast cancer and the steps they should do if they have a concern,” Floyd said.

    According to breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women, roughly 12 percent, will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

    This year, an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.

    Doctors representing the Saint Francis Oncology and Breast Cancer Group in Tulsa, Okla., were keynote speakers for the Pink Party. They spoke to the audience on how they team up to help patients who are combating breast cancer.

    “No two cancer cases are the same,” Oncologist Dr. Fuad Hassany said. “Each breast cancer is different.”

    Muscogee (Creek) citizen and butterfly whisperer, Virginia Williams was there and served as moderator for a panel of survivors who spoke about their breast cancer experiences.

    “One of the things that bothered me when I found out I had breast cancer was not being in control,” breast cancer survivor Sandra Lambert said. “I wanted it gone (breast cancer). It was a process and I like things to happen quickly. Having to depend on others was hard for me.”

    Floyd had one last thing to say to the survivors at the Pink Party.

    “I want to thank you for being here today at the Pink Party,” he said. “You are beacons in your family and the communities. You represent strength and we need that.”

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  • 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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  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Native American Nations recognized with commemorative statue

    (Photo by: Amanda Rutland/MCNPR) Artist Daniel Horsechief looking toward statue titled ‘Transcendent’ as it is delivered to Blairsville, Ga.

    NEWS  RELEASE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Sept. 26, 2017

    CONTACT Neely Tsoodle
    PR Manager
    P.O. Box 580
    Okmulgee, OK 74447
    (918) 758-6599
    NTsoodle@muscogeenation.com

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Native American Nations recognized with commemorative statue

    Blairsville, Ga. — We Are Still Here is the name of the organization that unveiled “Transcendent,” the statue that now overlooks Meeks Park, Blairsville, Ga. The 10-foot transcending warrior overlooking the park was revealed Sept. 21 before community, state and tribal leaders of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Eastern and Oklahoma Cherokee and Keetoowah Nations.

    We Are Still Here are an organization called Leadership Union is made up of Blairsville leaders whose mission is to educate the history of the “Trail of Tears” and the Muskogean people who once lived in this area, the Cherokee and the Mvskoke (Muscogee) to be exact. Kathie Tiger Garrett became the face of the organization, not purposely but because she inadvertently met the man who chairs the organization. Jim Brown and Garrett became the perfect duo to help raise awareness.

    Garrett explained how her son was learning the Native American ties to the area. She was astonished that no one in her son’s classroom or school for that matter knew that Mvskoke people were still alive and thriving. Even more surprising, the class didn’t even realize her son was an Mvskoke Native. “We are a people that’s growing and thriving economically, in the gospel, in the traditions and in our language,” said Garrett. This became her mission to have a commemorative piece placed in the community.

    Daniel Horsechief, Cherokee and Pawnee, was selected to fashion a sculpture that would capture its history. He worked with We Are Still Here to come up with “Transcendent,” which represents the original people who lived here that didn’t rely on the outside world, yet rose from adversity. “We worked on this together for three years,” said Horsechief. “You realize what a team effort it is. Even the artist, it’s your hands but it’s actually the visions given to you by the Almighty.”

    We Are Still Here raised more than $40,000 for the sculpture and event cost. The occasion was marked with a proclamation read by Muscogee (Creek) Nation Second Chief Louis Hicks, hymn singing from the Native Praise group of Oklahoma, a stickball exhibition from the Eastern Band of Cherokee and stompdance performance from the Chickasaw Nation.

    “It’s a humbling thought to be a part of something so great and the Creator to allow me to play a little part. It was emotional for me,” said Garrett. “It’s who we are. That’s our tradition, we’ve not gone anywhere. Even though you know we were removed years ago, our ancestors but yet we are still here,” said Garrett.

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    (photo by: Neely Tsoodle/MCNPR) Tribal Officials and state artist during the unveiling Sept. 21.

  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Youth Council awarded Youth Council of the Year

    For Immediate Release

     

    July 27, 2016

     

     

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Youth Council awarded Youth Council of the Year

     

     

    The United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (Unity), which is an organization dedicated to augmenting social and mental development to contribute to a stronger Indian Country, named the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Youth Council as Youth Council of the Year July 25 during the 2016 National Unity Conference 40th Anniversary Gala held in Oklahoma City, Okla.

     

    The MCN Youth Council was established in March 2015 and since that time has hosted different community and awareness events.

     

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Youth Services Program Director Nancy Mason said, “We started about March of last year, of 2015 planning our youth council, bringing young people together and in just that short time they did service learning projects. They developed their youth council, their bylaws, elected officers and they haven’t stopped since that time.”

     

    One of the projects planned and completed by the Youth Council was the Mvskoke March, a walk from Okmulgee to Oklahoma City to bring awareness to teen dating violence.

     

    Youth Council member Tafv Sanders said the Youth Council means a lot to him.

     

    “They are like my second family,” Sanders said.

     

    MCN Youth Council Sergeant at Arms Tyler Hill felt delighted about the award.

     

    “It feels exciting, actually first year coming to Unity as a group of youth council and actually winning as a unit,” Hill said.

     

    CONTACT:

    Geebon Gouge

    918-732-7617

    ggouge@muscogeenation.com