The Muscogee Nation

Tag: oklahoma

  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation statement regarding U.S. Supreme Court decision

    For Immediate Release
    July 9, 2020

    OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision on McGirt v. Oklahoma:

    “The Supreme Court today kept the United States’ sacred promise to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of a protected reservation. Today’s decision will allow the Nation to honor our ancestors by maintaining our established sovereignty and territorial boundaries. We will continue to work with federal and state law enforcement agencies to ensure that public safety will be maintained throughout the territorial boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.”

     

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  • Mvskoke Fund partners with organizations to host series of webinars aimed at helping producers in agriculture industry

    For immediate release
    April 23, 2020

    Mvskoke Fund partners with organizations to host series of webinars

    Webinars aimed at helping producers in agriculture industry

    OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — As there is an uncertainty in today’s world, the Mvskoke Fund has begun partnerships with several organizations to help producers and businesses in the agriculture industry to adapt to changes and economic disruption caused by COVID-19 through a free webinar series.

    The webinars are hosted by the Native CDFI Network, the Center for Farm Financial Management (CFFM) and Mvskoke Fund support from the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) and will focus on topics that will help Native American farmers, ranchers and fishers.

    “We are really excited to get these webinars going,” Mvskoke Fund CEO Christopher Coburn said. “We have organizations from all across the country that are helping with the webinars and we want to do what we can to help anyone that works in agriculture.”
    Coburn said they want to host at least four of the webinars but more if needed. The first webinar will focus on tools for Native American farmers, ranchers and fishers.

    Native CDFI Network Executive Director Jackson Brossy said the Native agriculture industry has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

    We are excited about this partnership. We are pleased to join forces with the Native American Agriculture Fund and the Mvskoke Fund to provide these resources for farmers, ranchers, and fishers.The COVID-related downturn has put extreme pressures our Native ag industry. As margins disappear, financial management is even more valuable. The Center for Farm Financial Management has decades of delivering high-quality resources for the ag industry – it is time Indian Country accesses these first-class resources at a national scale,” Brossy said.

    NAAF CEO Janie Hipp said they are looking forward to working with the other organizations to help spread the information to those in need.

    “We are encouraging all the grantees we currently work with to consider doing whatever they can to reach out to Tribal producers to assist them in adjusting their financial management strategies, their business plans, marketing plans and their loan needs,” Hipp said.

    The first webinar will be on April 29, at 2:00 p.m. (CST).

    For more information contact the Mvskoke Fund at: 918-549-2608 or visit: www.mvskokeloanfund.org/ag-resources/.

  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health statement concerning prescription fills

     

     

     

     

    For Immediate Release

    Oct. 31, 2019

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health statement concerning prescription fills

    OKEMAH, Oklahoma — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health experienced technical issues this week at the Okemah pharmacy, affecting wait times for prescriptions.

    The robotic fill unit had a part malfunction, which resulted in manual fills of over 800 prescriptions in a day. A new part was received and installed on Oct. 30 to restore the system to working order.

    “In addition to mechanical setbacks, MCNDOH is installing new software necessary for integration of their new refill center and familiarizing staff so that they may better serve patients.  It is always difficult for our staff and patients when our equipment fails and technology upgrades are required,” MCN Secretary of Health Shawn Terry said. “The new refill center will take a significant workload off the clinic pharmacy and patients will be able to receive their medications much faster.”

    Terry assured patients that operations will improve once these issues are resolved.

    “MCNDOH would like to apologize for the delays, but remain confident these issues are being resolved and our patients will be much better served,” he stated.

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  • 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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  • Fountainhead Creek Golf Course holds ribbon cutting for re-opening

    by: Amanda Rutland/MCNPR

    CHECOTAH, Okla. — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Fountainhead Creek Golf Course held a ribbon cutting Oct. 1 to celebrate the new facility updates.

    The updates include new golf carts, new greens and a new roof among other things. Principal Chief James Floyd said the state of the art golf carts have lithium batteries to last longer. The carts are more efficient and are equipped with GPS.

    “It will be a lighter foot print on the golf course and so the golf course is a jewel here and one we want to protect,” Floyd said.

    Fountainhead General Manager Jimmy Saenz started four months ago. He said the facility has a lot of plans including hole re-configurations and they are just getting started.

    “We are looking to bring quality back to the golf course,” Saenz said. “I’ve gotten an opportunity to play the full 18 holes here, love it.”

    Fountainhead has also moved to a tiered pricing structure to make the course affordable for everyone.

    Saenz announced that in the spring, they would be opening a teaching academy for high school students.

    For more information about Fountainhead Creek Golf Course, visit: www.fountainheadgolf.com or call: (918) 689-3209.

  • 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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