Ten Quiet Heroes Were
Honored for Exemplary Community Service
during the Event
CHEROKEE, June 28,
2005—The
ten communities on the Qualla Boundary
came together on June 27 to help families
and individuals in need during the
first annual Cherokee Day of Caring,
and the event was a big success. By
nightfall, more than ___ volunteers
had put in a full day of work helping
their neighbors, and ten Quiet Heroes
were honored for their long-time, extraordinary
community service. The Cherokee Day
of Caring event has been established
as an annual event by the Eastern Band
of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee Preservation
Foundation and Harrah’s Cherokee
Casino and Hotel to build on the Cherokee
ga-du-gi tradition of community service.
During the daylong event,
members of the tribe helped ten families
or individuals
in particular need, lending a hand
with painting, yard clean up, gardening,
and even widening a door so it could
accommodate a wheelchair. Each community
club within the ten communities on
the Qualla Boundary nominated a beneficiary
of the community endeavor. The Tribal
government, Cherokee Preservation Foundation
and Harrah’s all made special
arrangements that enabled many of their
employees to serve as volunteers.
The
event culminated with an evening program
in which ten Quiet Heroes who
have served their communities unselfishly—also
nominated by the community clubs—were
honored during a program held at the
Fairgrounds. The Quiet Heroes are:
Cindy
West, Big Cove Community
Cindy West gives a generous amount
of her time to the Big Cove Community
Club. She helps out in the club’s
youth and teen programs, coordinates
efforts on the community floats for
local parades, and works in the Big
Cove Community booth at the Cherokee
Indian Fair.
Roland Crowe, Big Y Community
Roland Crowe is very dedicated to helping
others in need, and is always willing
to lend a helping hand.
Bessie Myers Sexton, Birdtown Community
Bessie Myers Sexton gives freely of
her time to serve others and is always
there when someone in the Birdtown
Community needs assistance.
Kenny Rodgers,
Cherokee County Community
Kenny Rodgers is always helpful and
ready to serve his community on any
project.
He can be counted on to go the extra
mile.
Paul Mitchell Taylor,
Painttown Community
Paul Mitchell Taylor is the leader
of the Painttown Community’s
ga-du-gi group. He is always willing
to help someone in need, whether he
is asked to help
dig a grave, work on a construction project, repair something, and much more.
Shorty Kirkland, Snowbird
Community
Shorty Kirkland is always available
to assist the members of the Snowbird
Community in any way he can. For example,
he helps to dig graves for the deceased,
and
he takes wild foods to elders who cannot get out and gather for themselves. Shorty
works very hard every year to help organize the Snowbird Community’s Fading
Voices Festival.
Frances Green, 3200 Acre Community
Frances Green is dependable in supporting and participating in all community
activities, preparing delicious dishes for community gatherings and volunteering
to make phone calls for the 3200 Acre community club as needed.
Robert Matthews
Robert Matthews, Towstring Community
Robert Matthews serves the Towstring Community in a quiet way by doing things
for others that they cannot do for themselves.
Jean Arch, Wolftown Community
Jean Wolf is dedicated to the people
in her community. She makes daily
visits to check on the elderly and
infirmed, and provides them good
company and laughter.
Sylvester "Crowe" Crowe, Yellowhill Community
Sylvester Crowe is an active member of the Yellowhill Community Club and voices
his concerns for the people in his community. Not only does he speak up, but
he also goes the extra mile and helps with whatever is needed. He also attends
reservation-wide activities and voluntarily represents the Yellowhill community.
He attends many conferences involving the interests of our elders.
About the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians (EBCI) is one of the three
federally recognized Cherokee tribes
and the only one east
of the Mississippi River. There are approximately
13,000 EBCI members, many of whom live on the Qualla Boundary, more than
56,000 acres held in trust by the federal
government specifically for the EBCI.
About
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and
Hotel
Harrah's Cherokee is
an enterprise of the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians
and managed by Harrah's Entertainment Inc. Located one mile from the downtown
area
of Cherokee, the facility features a gaming area, a hotel, a conference center
and restaurants. Harrah’s Cherokee is one of the largest employers
in North Carolina west of Charlotte, employing nearly 1,800 people. Harrah’s
Cherokee seeks to make positive change in the region through employment,
volunteerism
and financial contributions to non-profit groups.
About Cherokee Preservation Foundation
Cherokee Preservation
Foundation (CPFdn) was established
on November 14, 2000, as part of the
Second Amendment to
the Tribal-State Compact between
the EBCI
and the State of North Carolina. It is an independent nonprofit foundation
funded by the EBCI from gaming revenues generated by the Tribe. CPFdn is
not part of
or associated with any for-profit gaming entity. Since CPFdn’s inception,
it has made 219 grants totaling more than $15.5 million.
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