A Family Reunited

The Cheyenne Sisters Mission, consisting of Amber and Ashley Wolfchief-Hartwell and parents Kirk and Julie, brother Eli and Aunt Joni, to carry clothing, household, and school supplies to Cheyenne/Arapaho Indian Territory provided many blessings. We delivered 18,000 pounds of supplies in an 18-wheeler provided by Howard Sheppard Trucking and driven by Ben and Patricia Rowland. A tag along trailer, containing nearly two thousand pounds of school supplies, was provided by Billie and Robert Nicholson, representatives of First Nations Intertribal Association, Inc.

Clifton Ellis, Crisis Assistance Director, worked with all the tribal services departments and put together volunteers, vehicles, food and tables for settlement distributions and a schedule for each day’s trip. The settlements are one hundred to one hundred fifty miles apart allowing us time to set up in two locations each day. In the two day period, we provided washers or dryers to sixteen families, household and clothing to over four hundred families and we logged five hundred sixty-one miles doing it.

Chief George B. “White Antelope” Dodge, Sr. from Pensacola, Florida established First Nations Intertribal Association, Inc. as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation to provide help to Native Americans living in destitute conditions on tribal lands. He has traveled to Nebraska, South Dakota and Louisiana taking donations including clothing, medical supplies and household items. The Hartwell family has known him for over forty years. One day Kirk was discussing Chief Dodge’s work with their two adopted Cheyenne daughters. The young women, Amber and Ashley, expressed an interest in helping to do that for their tribe. Chief Dodge recalls:

“When Kirk and I first spoke and I learned of the desire of Amber and Ashley to help me help Indian people, I thought there is something more going on here than what meets the eye - something from the Spirit World and something bigger than all my previous efforts. I had no idea how I would logistically manage collection and distribution of goods from Rentz, Georgia. I went to bed praying for guidance and remember a peace coming over me as I went off to sleep. In the morning I had the answer as clear as crystal in the sun. These Cheyenne sisters will return to their people and they will bless their own blood and inspire them with hope and love. The name of the mission was given to me on that morning as well. This will be called the 'Cheyenne Sisters Mission'.”

From Chief Dodge’s suggestions, Kirk contacted the local newspaper, The Courier Herald. They wrote an article about the project and soon groups and individuals began calling. Local churches gave financial and product contributions. The response was overwhelming. Kirk arranged for an early delivery of the tractor-trailer rig so they would have a place to put the items. Working evenings and weekends to collect and sort items, the family soon had the truck full.

Contact with the Tribal Leaders finalized the travel time. We needed to know that they were interested in and ready to receive the items collected. As a part of the contact, an article, written by Billie Nicholson, about the project was being passed around all the offices. One afternoon a telephone call came into Billie. She recalls:

“We received a phone call in response to the article from the lady who adopted Amber and Ashley's younger brother. He has a birthday on June 13^th, a day we’ll be in Oklahoma. She is excited to see the girls (and has some infant photos of them). We had an extended conversation with her and learned that the grandparents are deceased and that a young aunt is also living nearby.”

We traveled two days to get to western Oklahoma. Late that afternoon we had our first meeting with the tribal leaders. Amber and Ashley were welcomed as heros of their people. The next morning they met the volunteers who would help in the distribution, the tribal leaders and their younger brother! Near the end of our morning meeting, another lady came to the microphone. She is a great aunt and she introduced the young aunt, too. She said:

“After the grandmother died, I kept Amber and Ashley until Child Welfare collected them. I have often thought of them but I did not know until today where these girls were. I am thrilled to see that they have grown into lovely young women. I am thankful to their parents for protecting them and for bringing them back to us.

During the remainder of this first meeting other family members approached the girls to acknowledge their relationship. At each delivery location other people spoke about the family and their relationship.

Chief Dodge’s response to the reunion:

“It has all come together as I had dreamed and prayed it would and I feel so full of happiness for the Hartwell's' and all the relatives. This is not the end of a Mission. It is the beginning of something bigger than we now know. The Wolfchief family has been reunited by this Mission and that in itself is a marvelous work and a wonder and worth the entire effort. There is so much pain in the Indian heart but this was a healing and building of spirit beyond any measure. The girls have touched their brother and all Cheyenne and Arapaho people and set an example for others to follow. Even though this mission was accomplished by Kirk and the Hartwell family, and I was only there to make suggestions and offer direction, I've felt the pulse of what has happened. I feel our ancestors are pleased with this and are dancing a Victory Dance in the Spirit World. The relatives have come together.”

Billie and Robert Nicholson are business mentors helping small businesses increase public awareness of their services. They can be reached at billieandrobert@gmail.com. www.RustyBuggy.com.

Cheyenne Sisters Mission Accomplished

June 12, 2009 – El Reno, OK – Today we were off to the western border of Oklahoma to deliver household items, school supplies and clothing to some of the poorest Cheyenne/Arahapo Native Americans. Our team about twenty five of volunteers set up tables in the Hammon Park and made signs to indicate clothing for men, women and children. We had an additional area for school supplies including the hand-made book bags created by the Agape Stitchers from Allentown Methodist Church in Georgia. Paper, pencils and crayons went fast as the children filled their new book bags. Toothbrushes and dental floss, provided by Doctors Daniels and Talbert, DDS of Pensacola, FL, were gratefully received by all families. Tooth decay is a large problem for The People.

Sixty Hammon and Elk City families carefully selected items for their households. We had the opportunity to meet some more of Amber and Ashley’s relatives. What a great reunion they are having! The family Elders told them more about their family history. Their new-found brother, Jose, spent the day with the Hartwell family, too. 

In the mid-afternoon, we repacked unselected items, broke down empty boxes and headed the 18 wheeler and support vehicles east to the Clinton area. One hundred twenty families came to make selections. We didn’t distribute everything, so the remainder was transported to a temporary storage area at the Tribal Government property. Additional distribution days will be announced for other tribal areas. 

We have been so impressed with the way the Cheyenne/Arahapo tribal staff had organized the entire experience. There were twenty to thirty staff members available for each distribution. Clifton Ellis, Crisis Assistance Director deserved a medal for his skills in spear heading this event. In total, over four hundred families were able to receive household goods. We logged an additional five hundred miles of travel for the distribution trips. Transportation costs for the entire trip were covered by all of our cash contributors. The settlements are one hundred to one hundred fifty miles apart. 

The Cheyenne Cultural Center is near the Clinton distribution site. We had an opportunity to tour the center and to visit with Lawrence Hart, the Executive Director. He explained some early history – Cheyennes originated in the western Great Lakes region. Their language sounds much like the Algonquin language of the eastern Great Lakes people. They began making treaties with the US government in 1825. Some of the early treaty signers were White Antelope, A Light in the Clouds and Little Chief. White Antelope was killed during the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 while standing under the American flag, being flown per instruction by the US Military, to signify peace. We could have spent hours with this Elder listening to stories. 

 

Billie and Robert Nicholson are business mentors helping small businesses increase public awareness of their services.  They can be reached at billieandrobert@gmail.com.; www.RustyBuggy.com

Cheyenne Sisters Mission – Something for Everyone

June 11, 2009 – El Reno, OK – Our day began early with a live radio report on WRNE 980 AM radio. We shared the great anticipation we had for the day’s events and some facts that we’ve learned about the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribe. There are about 8,000 members of this tribe.

• They have land allotments from their ancestors (1868) in 160-acre allotments. For a while the land was divided among the heirs in a family. This means after a few generations the amount of property was getting divided into smaller and smaller areas. A recent law change has modified that to allow the land inheritance to go to the oldest child. If there are no available heirs, the land returns to the Tribal Leaders to administer.
• Tribal land is not all together. It is spread out among eleven counties. There is often 100-150 miles between settlements.
• Some of the land is in agricultural or oil/natural gas lease programs.
• Wheat is ready to harvest here. What golden waves of grain! 

We traveled to the Tribal Community Center for the morning meeting. The first event of the day was an opportunity for Ashley and Amber to meet their brother, Jose. Then we were welcomed and Amber and Ashley were introduced and given many thank you gifts. All of them were of tribal significance. The gifts included a tribal flag, blankets, CDs, blessed tobacco, photographs of the Tribal Chiefs and a framed Frank Sheridan print. Robert and I received a beautiful tribal designed blanket. After the presentation, Chief Yellowman blessed the food and the items we have brought and the people who will receive these items. Ashley and Amber were introduced to several other relatives, including an aunt their age. 

After a great breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and biscuits and gravy, we all proceeded to the Lucky Star Casino where the 18-wheeler had been secured overnight. Chief Yellowman blessed the volunteers and the vehicles bearing the donations with sweetgrass. The fragrance of the burning grass filled the air as Chief Yelllowman conducted the smudging. Everyone posed for a quick photo beside the truck and then the trailer doors were opened. Workers transferred the washers and dryers to another vehicle so they could be transported to the distribution sites more easily. 

Robert and I went with Clifton Ellis to the Darlington School to deliver the school supplies donated by Florossa Elementary School and WRNE 980 listeners. There we met Dara Franklin, the Education program director. We gave her the cameras for distribution to children for the ‘through their eyes’ project. She will supervise their return as well. The school was full of summer camp students who helped unload the teaching materials, each asking for a “heavy box.” 

From the school we traveled across country with Cliff Ellis to the first distribution site, the Fonda Community hall. A team of volunteers had already set up tables and opened boxes to display the clothing and other items available. School supplies and the toothbrushes went fast. We had a steady stream of families coming to receive the donations for the next two hours. After that the volunteers repacked the remaining items and loaded them in the truck to move to the second location.  By the time we arrived at Geary, people were ready to make their selections.

Several people picked up their washers and dryers. More relatives stopped by to meet Ashley and Amber. What relation is the grandson of a cousin? There was a steady flow of recipients until 6 PM. The 18-wheeler returned to the Luck Star Casino and we couldn’t get ready for bed fast enough!

 

Billie and Robert Nicholson are business mentors helping small businesses increase public awareness of their services.  They can be reached at billieandrobert@gmail.com.; www.RustyBuggy.com

 

 

Cheyenne Sisters Mission – Arrival in Oklahoma

June 10, 2009 – El Reno, OK - We arrived this afternoon about 4:20 PM. Got our rooms and had a meeting with Clifton Ellis. He and two of his associates took us back to the Cheyenne/Arapaho Tribal Headquarters where we met Susan Hart, the Tribal Governor’s Executive Assistant. She told the girls how heroic they are for coming to the aid of their tribe!  

We also met Geraldine Warledo, a lady that kept Amber and Ashley for a while when they were very small, and the adoptive mother of their brother.   The girls are planning a private first time meeting with their eleven year old brother, Jose, tomorrow. 

We have a meet and greet  breakfast session planned at 8 AM tomorrow with the tribal leaders and with the volunteers helping with the event. The Social Services Department has predetermined who will receive the washers and dryers. They have arranged for a rental truck to off load them from the 18 wheeler and take them where they need to go.  

At 9 AM we will go to the casino parking lot where the truck is parked, the truck will be blessed and the distribution work will begin. There is a school very near the headquarters where the school supplies from Florossa will be donated. We'll get photos and video of that as well as be on the road with the team for the deliveries.  We'll visit two locations tomorrow and two on Friday. 

We are to be on the radio with Robert Hill at 7:05 AM tomorrow. The tribal officers kept saying how things have really come together for tomorrow's event. I suspect there will be some kind of special recognition for the girls. Should be a really emotional day. Amber and Ashley are beginning to embrace all of this. Tomorrow should be really special. I'm glad we're here to capture it for them.

 

Billie and Robert Nicholson are business mentors helping small businesses increase public awareness of their services.  They can be reached at billieandrobert@gmail.com.; www.RustyBuggy.com

Cheyenne Sisters Mission - It's Not About Us

June 9, 2009 - After arriving safely in Rentz, GA on Sunday evening, we spent Monday working with the Hartwell family making final preparations for the journey to deliver household and school supplies to Native Americans in Cheyenne Territory, OK. Dad, Kirk Hartwell, had telephone conversations with the Tribal Leader’s representative confirming details of our arrival and with our tractor-trailer rig driver.  All is GO for a Tuesday morning departure! After months of hard work and preparation, excitement is in the air as the 18-wheel rig is starting to roll toward Oklahoma over a thousand miles away. 

During the time that we interviewed Ashley and Amber, they spoke easily about the Cheyenne Sisters Mission project.  They told about their speaking engagements at local churches and the support they received from their community and the many hours they spent sorting and boxing the hundreds of clothing and household items they received.  

They are especially excited about the school supply donations.  Our Tribal Leader contact, Clifton Ellis, has expressed the dire needs in Cheyenne Territory for school items.  Agape Stitchers from the Allentown United Methodist Church has hand made 100 book bags and filled them with paper, pencils and crayons. In addition, the Florossa Elementary School in Ft Walton Beach, FL has contributed an entire teaching series for math and reading including math and reading work sheets and flash card sets for grades 1-6. We also have scissors, glue, chalk and some stuffed animals and story-books for preschoolers. 

When we talked about their lives, Amber and Ashley were quick to say how blessed they have been and how important it is to them to help those less fortunate. When Amber said, “This trip is not about us, it’s about the families we’re helping,”  Mom, Julie, smiled approvingly. 

Billie and Robert Nicholson are business mentors helping small businesses increase public awareness of their services.  They can be reached at billieandrobert@gmail.com.; www.RustyBuggy.com.

Cheyenne Sisters Mission - Final Preparations

This week we've had an opportunity to speak about the Cheyenne Sisters Mission on WRNE 980 AM Radio. A number of additional donations are being made even as we write this. We are thankful for all the support our community has contributed. Some of our contributors include: Drs. Daniel and Talbert, DDS; Lacy Hamilton; Nan Harper of Pensacola Beach, and listeners WRNE 980 AM radio station like Liz Simpson. 

We have picked up the trailer and loaded the contributions. Last minute preparations will include checking our equipment to ensure that the documentation will be top-notch. We have submitted information to a number of local newspapers. If you know a contact, please pass this link on to them. Our plans are to make a nightly update as we make this trip.  We are leaving Sunday morning headed for Rentz, GA. Monday will be spent with the Hartwell family to finalize our travel plans. Six members of their family will make the trip.

Howard Sheppard Trucking (www.HowardSheppardTrucking.com) in Georgia has donated an eighteen-wheeler tractor-trailer rig. The driver and his wife will be volunteering their time.

Chief George B. Dodge, president and founder of First Nations Intertribal Association, Inc. is in Germany on business and is unable to be in two places at once, although he has tried. We will represent First Nations Intertribal Association (www.FirstNationsIntertribal.com).

The Cheyenne Tribal Governor's office has arranged a meeting place, volunteers and locations for tribal families to pick up these supplies.  The Cheyenne Territory covers eleven counties both north and south of highway 40.  Most settlements are one hundred to one hundred fifty miles a part. The Tribal Leaders have identified four areas that have the greatest need. (www.c-a-tribes.org). 

Some really good news: we had a telephone call from the adoptive mother of the Cheyenne Sisters' brother. A family reunion has been scheduled as an additional part of this journey. The date just happens to be his birthday. The sisters have never met their brother.

Cheyenne Sisters Mission

About ten years ago, a couple in Rentz, GA felt the need to adopt a Native American child.  After spending a day at a “match”, they were heading out the door, disappointed, when an agent rushed to them and announced that there were two Cheyenne sisters available. Thus, Amber and Ashley Wolfchief came to be a part of the Hartwell family. 

The sisters have grown up in middle Georgia in a comfortable, loving home. In family discussions they learned about the work of Chief George B. “White Antelope” Dodge, Sr., founder of First Nations Intertribal Association.  Like most Americans, they had no idea about the poor living conditions of Native Americans. The girls learned that on average, 50 people share one washing machine, that the average life expectancy of Native Americans living on reservations is 37 years, and that it is not uncommon for scores of people freeze to death in winter.  A visit to the website www.FirstNationsIntertribal.com gave them more information about the plight of Native American families.  They put their heads together and came up with the plan to collect items in their community and take them to their native Cheyenne homeland.  Parents, Kirk and Julie Hartwell have encouraged the girls’ efforts.  As alter servers at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Amber and Ashley grew up learning about service to others.  Now they were ready to put those lessons into practice.

They began speaking at local churches and at the Knights of Columbus.  The Allentown United Methodist Women outreach program “Agape Stitchers” learned about Amber and Ashley’s project. They contributed dresses, short sets, baby blankets and heavy-duty handmade book bags. 

The word spread rapidly and soon the Hartwell family had a garage full of items with people calling everyday.  Howard Sheppard Trucking, www.HowardSheppardTrucking.com,  has contributed a tractor-trailer rig for the trip.  Lots of hours later, the items have been sorted, boxed and labeled and the trailer is FULL!  

Billie and Robert Nicholson from Pensacola, FL, representatives from First Nations Intertribal Association will be traveling with the Hartwells to document this event in photographs and video.  In addition, they will be transporting school supplies donated by Florossa Elementary School in Florida. 

The trip is scheduled for the week of June 9^th and the Cheyenne Territory Tribal Leaders are planning to work with them to distribute items to the most needy.  The Wolfchief family has members in residence in the Territory who been invited for a long over-due reunion of brothers and sisters. 

The Lakota have a saying, “Mitakuye Oyasin”, meaning, we are all related. If you would like tohelp with this effort, you can make a 501 (c)3 deductible contribution at  www.FirstNationsIntertribal.com.  Be a part of delivering help and hope to Native Americans.

Billie and Robert Nicholson are business mentors helping small businesses increase public awareness of their services.  They can be reached at billieandrobert@gmail.com.; www.RustyBuggy.com.