Red Lake Coalition Meeting Minutes 6 Mar 07, Scheduled for 3 pm

1.    At approximately 3:35 pm, members of the Red Lake Coalition, gathered at the Ponemah Outpatient Program conference room.  Violet Stillday opened the meeting.  Members in attendance: Larry Stillday, Violet Stillday, Alice Benaise, Lance Egley, Vickie Fineday, Rose Cloud, Mary Ringhand, Brian Dow, Wanda Graves, and Denny Fox.

2.    Invocation –Larry Stillday offered a prayer.

3.    Meeting Agenda – Disseminated.

4.    Minutes of the Previous Meeting – Disseminated and approved as written.

5.    Old Business

v    Traditional Drum Feast - Alice Benaise explained that Dwight Bellanger, who was to be the next Public Safety Director, passed the week the Traditional Drum Feast had been scheduled.  Hereditary Chief Greeting Spears asked for the feast to be postponed.  Larry had received a call from someone who stated that the feast shouldn’t happen until the Spring.  During the Ponemah Community Meeting, Feb 27^th, there was a discussion about holding it in conjunction with the Spring Youth Conference, starting the day before and continuing during the three evenings of the conference instead of the normally scheduled conference powwow.  However, the conference agenda has been finalized and published and there is no powwow scheduled this year.  Another idea would be to hold it on June 19^th, Red Lake Nation Drum Day.

v    Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner – Alice Benaise introduced Wanda Graves General Manager at the 7 Clans Casino.  Alice reported that the Project Safe Neighborhood sponsored dinner scheduled for March 7^th at 6 PM in the Humanities Building in Red Lake, was completely organized.  She suggested that they have servers for the dinner.  James Cloud, Jr. volunteered his group of Warrior Down youths as servers. Herman Lussier was cooking Walleye and the 7 Clans Casino the rest of the dinner.  Red Lake Nation Tribal Council donated the meal.  Tables will be set up like the Summit in a half circle.  Beltrami County Sherriff Hodapp will be attending.  She nominated Larry Stillday to MC and was confirmed by the other members.  Larry Stillday reported that this was the first time Law Enforcement was publicly appreciated and recognized.  Mary Ringhand commented that this type of event helps the community and it’s healing.  A Sanitation Appreciation event done at Red Lake Nation College was greatly appreciated by the sanitation crew.  Alice ended the discussion by suggesting that this type of event needs to continue in recognizing others.

v    Wellbriety Hoop – Violet reported that the Red Lake Nation Healing Day on March 23^rd was being finalized.  Don Coyhis’ agenda will be shorted to accommodate the time slot.  At this time the agenda is: 

                    Opening Ceremony will bring the Hoop in
                    Chairmen Jourdain’s comments & comments from elders
                    Don Coyhis to tell the story of the Hoop
                    Workshops
                    Healing Ceremony around the Hoop

Tribal Council was asked and will pay for the feast and two nights’ accommodations for Don and his party.  Violet asked if anyone had a spiritual advisor they want to ask to come for the day.  No one responded.  She recommended Tommy J. Stillday since he is a member of the coalition and asked for any objections, none were given.  Violet will ask him in the proper way.  She also asked if anyone had a drum group and singers that they would like to have for the opening ceremony, Vickie Fineday recommended the P-Town Boyz. There was general agreement with all members.  Violet asked about a Master of Ceremonies.  Alice nominated Larry Stillday for the task and there was general agreement will all members.  Violet asked if there were any other suggestions about speakers.  Don Coyhis recommended elders and youth and their vision for Red Lake.  Lance Egley suggested that the Warrior Down Program had done this already and could be asked to present their vision.  Vickie suggested that we contact the Youth Council.  Alice suggested that maybe we ask other youth from school that do not have the exposure of other programs and that she is working on getting school participation for the event.  Violet commented about having the Middle and High School students participate, but wasn’t sure about the attention span of the Elementary School students.  Vickie agreed that their attention span was not adequate for an all day event.  Larry commented that we only have 6 hours for this event and was concerned about keeping the focus.  Alice stated that the school kids should hear the story of the Hoop and that she will be coordinating with the school and for buses.  Alice also stated that Brent Gish, High School Superintendent, asked to be included.  Violet recommended that after the agenda is finalized then we will know when the kids should be there.  There was then a discussion about general agenda items, that Project Safe Neighborhood will provide a stipend for Don, discussion that there should be gas money for them for the drive from Colorado.  Red Lake Chemical Health will furnish drinks and perhaps sweet rolls like at the Summit.  Wanda stated that the casino can supply meat trays, rolls, and little small items and can put all this together, drinks, rolls etc, with Chemical Health paying the bill.  Alice suggested that they plan for at least 300 people to attend and more if the school students are involved.  Violet added that White Bison has “Got Wellbriety?” t-shirts, but that it is too cost prohibitive to buy them and give away.  Also there are two of White Bison’s books Ponemah Outpatient tries to keep available for clients and they will be bringing a bunch to sell.  Denny & Vickie volunteered to man that table for them.  Lance suggested that Chemical Health buy any remaining copies.  Violet also talked about putting together gifts for Don and Woody from Red Lake and suggested birch bark baskets with assorted Red Lake Foods.  Chemical Health Program will pay for.  She asked for any other suggestions and Alice asked if a small Red Lake Flag could be included in the basket.  Vickie volunteered to make and put the baskets together.  Violet reported that efforts are underway to publicize this event in the Red Lake Newspaper and Net News.       

v    Coalition Visibility – Violet Stillday reported that Denny Fox and she had obtained email addresses for the coalition, clans@redlakecoalition.com  and events@redlakecoalition.com “Clans” to be used to contact the coalition office and “Events” for the purpose of announcing events.  The Balanced Wheel has become the coalition logo.

v    Other Agencies/Organization to Invite – Violet started a discussion on what other agencies and organizations could be invite to participate in the Coalition.  Denny Fox recommended the community boards.  Lance Egley suggested inviting the Redby Community Board to the next meeting and Alice stated that they have just formed and may not be ready.  Violet said she would invite them.  The next Ponemah Community Board is scheduled for March 20^th at 6 pm.

v    Heal the Healer Support Group – Violet stated that last spring and summer there was an on-going Heal the Healer Support Group that had talking circles and sweats.  Did the coalition want to start that up again?  Alice asked if it could be a once a month gathering.  Violet reported that it died out when summer came.  Denny wondered if it could be done as a fall, winter, spring gathering.  Violet answered that we will talk more about this again.

6.    New Business

v    Horizons Report – Mary Ringhand reported that at this time the Horizons has low attendance but is still trying to get more people interested.  Horizons is not a new program on the reservation, but is intended to be support for community programs but instructing people is how to facilitate sitting and talking circles to help people talk about past hurts.  Rose Cloud asked where is originated from?  Mary explained that Burlington Northern Railroad set up the Northwest Area Foundation in 2003 to help the people in the states that supported the railroad, WA, ID, MT, ND, SD, and MN, to reduce poverty and help people heal.  Their goal is helping 80 to 100 communities be involved and at this time all four districts of Red Lake Nation have accepted this help.  Facilitator training is completed and now the talking circles are trying to be established.  30 people in each district are required for a talking circle in order for the curriculum to be followed.  She reiterated that this is for the healing of the community and not a separate program, but support for the current community programs.  She went on the comment about the desire for youth safe houses in the community and that they can be made.  Also the desire of people for round houses to be brought back, as a community tradition.  Horizon can help, by organizing and supporting action and not just by having meetings.  Horizons still meets, but each district is wrestling with scheduling problems.  Alice commented that in her experience each community has days that work and she/PSN try to adapt. She went on to add that each community is putting together a community board and that PSN supports them in their control of their part of PSN program.  Last night Redby put together a community board.  Mary suggested that Horizon could be placed on the board’s agenda and a piece of the curriculum could then possibly be conducted during their meetings, 45 minutes.  She also added that 30 people are needed for that process but it didn’t make any difference where the 30 people came from.  Alice stated that the key is working with the community boards.  There is a link on PSN page of RLNN for community board meetings and that PSN meets with them.  Red Lake is getting a board together this month.  She also when on to comment that the community coordinators should answer to the community boards.

v    Traditional Winter Storytelling Day – Mary reported that Bill May will be holding a Traditional Winter Storytelling Day next Thursday, March 15^th at the Tribal Council and in the evening at the College Commons.  An agenda will be forthcoming.

v    Law Enforcement Reunion Dinner – Alice reported that Red Lake Law Enforcement has an idea to host an all Red Lake Law Enforcement Reunion in May for all the present and past Law Enforcement officers and worker.  She suggested that the Coalition could sponsor and have a slide show of photos with service dates.  Mary suggested that it may be appropriate to have a speaker to come in for the reunion and talk about traditional law enforcement, the Warrior Societies.

7.    Next Meeting – Tuesday, April 3rd in Redby at 3:00 pm. (Meetings are scheduled for the 1^st Tuesday of each month.) Alice will coordinate to use the Redby Community Center and Vickie will coordinate the possible use of the Water Bottling Plant with Roger Head because of the possibility of the community center not being available due to a funeral.  Violet added that agenda items for that meeting will consist of the Drum Feast on June 19^th, and other community events.

8.    Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:05 pm.

Minutes Approved as written or with changes as stated on ___________

By __________________________________________________________

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