• Thank you for the support
• Community invited to school pow wow
• Casino thanked for donation
• Reader responds to column
• Women's night out a success
• Youth writes apology
Thank you for the support
Dear Friends,
On Sunday my mother-in-law, Aggie Carrick, arrived at our house and presented me with an envelope of money. She said it was from a bake sale that all of you did for my husband, Dale.
I don't even know how to begin to thank all of you for your hard work, prayers, support and overwhelming generosity. Through all of these frightening, uncertain weeks, I've learned that there is nothing more precious than friends and family. The Carrick family has made sure that somebody is with Dale every weekday so that I can work. They've been talking him to his medical appointments and caring for him at home while I'm gone. As you know this involves a 300+ mile trip to Willis, not to mention the time away from their own families and jobs. I can never thank them enough for their love and support. I am very proud to be part of such a large, loving, supportive family. I am also proud to be a part of the Bay Mills Community. The tribal council has made sure that we have money for gas for the 70 mile round trips to Detroit. That has been a huge help. I have never in my life experienced such an outpouring of loving support from so many people. I thank every one of you from the bottom of my heart.
Dale continues to fight his cancer. As most of you know, it started as esophageal cancer. Dales had a 14 hour surgery on Dec. 19. He was in the hospital for 31 days. He then came home for three days and went back in for a week with double pneumonia. Once again, he beat it and came home. He was home for a couple of weeks when he had a seizure. He went back into the hospital. They ran tests to find out what caused the seizure and discovered that his cancer had spread to his brain. Further tests showed it was also in his liver, spine and kidneys. The doctors told us that we need a miracle. Dale and I believer in miracles! Dale will continue to battle this horrible disease with chemotherapy for as long as he can. He is not in a great amount of pain, for which we are very grateful! He can't leave the house unless he is in a wheelchair. Our neighbor built us a handicap ramp in the breezeway of our home so I can get him in and out of the house. I am told that his brothers are building one on Aggie's house so that I can take him "home" for Easter. Please call or stop in and say hello while we are at Aggie's house. We'll be there from April 14 to April 23. I know that Dale would love to see everybody!
Again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Please continue to keep Dale in your prayers. Dale is a strong, faithful and optimistic man. If anyone can beat this, it will be him! I hope to see many of you during the 10 days that we will be there.
With my deepest gratitude and love,
Linda Rose Carrick
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Community invited to school pow wow
It is exciting to see all the letters of concern and interest in Brimley School. Just imagine a community where no one cares about the educational programs that are available to their youth. We are lucky!
As you read the letters and start forming your opinions, I would ask that you do one more thing. Come to our school pow wow on May 12. Those of you that believe it to be a wonderful opportunity to share some of our culture would show your support by attending. Those of you that are a bit more reserved and still have some questions about it could get your questions answered.
Instead of sitting home and imagining all sorts of negative things it would be better for you to come to the school and see for yourself. I want you to see how the kids act with each other. Watch how the big ones take care of the little ones. Listen to some stories. See the beautiful dancers. I want you to meet and talk with the teachers and the administrators. I want you to taste an Indian Taco and try not to go back for another one. I want you to see the good will and sense the forward movement.
Now I know that it is probably easier to stay at home, read the paper and opine about what is going on at Brimley School. Maybe you attended this school 40 or 50 years ago and know all about it. But I know that it is better for you to come and see for yourself. Have your own experience. Form your own opinion and then go home and write a letter.
Brimley School Pow Wow
Friday, May 12
1 to 3 p.m.
To be held somwhere outside (just listen for the drums)
In case of rain -Middle School Gym
Dollar donation goes to the Bay Mills Pow Wow Committee for the June Pow Wow. Traders welcome, no charge. You take what you make! But remember that these are just kids with anywhere from one to five dollars pocket money. Also, any people with Fry Bread or Indian Taco Stands, please come! The kids just love that. Last but not least, CALLING ALL DANCERS, THE MORE THE BETTER!
Hope to see you all there.
Adel Easterday
Brimley Schools Indian Education Coordinator
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Casino thanked for donation
Dear Bay Mills Resort and Casinos,
Thank you so much for your donation of hot dogs and hot dog buns for our Reading Month Carnival. The carnival went wonderfully and every student, teacher and community member who attended had a grrrrreat time! The students sure deserved to be honored at that event for all their reading and participation during reading month. We, the teachers, do our best to instill, not only a love of reading, but a love of learning as well. It is when the community gets involved that our students see how important their success is to all.
Again, Chi Miigwetch!
Ojibwe Charter School Reading Committee
Marcia Malloy
Happy Teacher at OCS
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Reader responds to column
Dear editors,
This week I read Art LeBlanc's column "It's time to get it right; culture is important," and I have some comments. It is important to note that he says his source for the information is 30 years of "gathering information" and visiting "other tribes." To me, this means that the information given may not be original to this area, or even valid for this area.
I would like to object to his clear intent to list both women on their moon time and homosexuals as "impure." This is a negative connotation. Women on their moon time are not impure, they are simply exhibiting a "medicine," a "power" that is incompatible with fire keeping, but in no way less than or undesirable. Women, though different than men, are in all ways equal and equally valuable and empowered.
In regards to homosexuals, until, and unless authentic pre-missionary cultural information for this area can be discovered to enlighten us as to how homosexuals be treated and labeled, I think we should treat all gay men and lesbian two-spirit people as a particular and unique expression of the creative power of the Big Spirit that guides and cares for us all. I do not think it is appropriate or useful to apply terms such as, "backwards" to this group. Let us open our hearts and minds to accept and embrace everyone in the community.
I do appreciate Mr. LeBlanc taking the time to write what he has to share with all of us, I just want us all to give attention to any details that may be exclusionary, or demeaning, or inappropriate to this area. I have never thought of a woman on her moon time as anything less than miraculous. And gay and lesbian people are also a mysterious wonder, I believe.
Ayla Z.
Metis-Salish
Anishinaabe-American
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Women's night out a success
I would like to thank everyone that participated and made our Women's Nite Out a success. There were more than 65 participants that were able to enjoy the company of other women and share in the door prizes, snacks, as well as see what all the vendors had to offer. With the surveys that were returned the event scored an overwhelming "10" and there were some good suggestions also. I would like to apologize for the misunderstanding that everything was free. Although there were some vendors that gave away samples of their products, the overall theme of the night was to show women what was available within the community, develop female camaraderie, and to promote healthy living.
Events such as this are made available through a grant called "Healthy Anishnaabe Women." This is a grant that is applied for every year and it does have certain criteria to be met, as well as a budget. There were five events planned for this year. They included Dinner and Movie in December, the Baby Celebration in January, Women's Nite Out in March, Mother/Daughter/Grandmother Brunch in May, and another Dinner and Movie event in June. Once again, a huge thank you for your participation, and hopefully you can make our next event, which is Mother/Daughter/Grandmother Brunch in May. This event will be totally free. We will post additional information soon. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email me.
Joann LeBlanc
Healthy Start Nurse
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Youth writes apology
Dear Boys & Girls Club,
I know the children of the Boys & Girls Club need older kids to give them someone to look up to. I am not sure how many kids look up to me, but it doesn't matter if there is only one, because I failed to be a role model for any of those children. The adults wouldn't want their kids to grow up and do bad things and I wouldn't want my kids to be like me.
I know how it feels to look up to someone and see that person go to jail because of alcohol or breaking and entering. It made me think that he was stupid because he got in trouble and didn't get to come back here for a long time. I don't want other kids to think I'm stupid for the mistakes I've made, but I am doing better. I listen to what my parents tell me and have learned why they try to keep us from trouble.
Jesse Bennett
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