OPENING: Stephan Watty (front row center with scissors), Birdtown Community Club chairman, cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Birdtown Community Building on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 22. Shown (left-right) front row – Painttown Rep. Tommye Saunooke; Kallup McCoy II, Birdtown Community Club vice chairman; Watty; Birdtown Rep. Boyd Owle; Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed; back row – Vice Chief Alan B. Ensley; Birdtown Rep. Albert Rose; Cherokee County – Snowbird Rep. Bucky Brown; Big Cove Rep. Perry Shell; and Big Cove Rep. Richard French. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Birdtown Community has a new 3,200 square foot community building. The facility, which includes an open floor plan with two restrooms and a full kitchen, opened officially as Stephan Watty, Birdtown Community Club chairman, cut the ribbon on the facility on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 22.
“We’re a Tribe,” said Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed who spoke on the importance of community. “Everything that we do must be done together, and it must be done in the spirit of unity and mutual respect for one another.”
He said people disagree every day, but it’s important to disagree in a respectful manner on both sides. “We need to be inspiring to one another realizing that everything that we do we are inspiring something in somebody else – for good, for bad, or indifference. So, we have to question our heart every day, who are we inspiring and what are we inspiring them to be?”
Chief Sneed said it is important for members of the community and Tribe to believe in each other. “It troubles me, at times, that we seem to be really good at tearing one another down. That really bothers me because we’re a family, we’re a community, and we’re better than that…families build one another up, they don’t tear each other down. So, I hope that this community center will be just that – a gathering place for our families, a gathering place where we can become closer as family and friends and a place where we can encourage one another to do our very best.”
Vice Chief Alan B. Ensley commented, “It’s a great day in Birdtown…I remember back when Butch Goings was a Council Member, and he always talked about how Birdtown needed a new community center. Being from Yellowhill, I know what it means to get a new building and what it does for your community. More people will come out and the more events you can have…to have a new building will invigorate the entire community.”
The building, which is handicapped-accessible, also has a utility room and a storage room as well as a new covered outdoor batting cage. The project was combined with the new Wolftown Community Building and together came in at a total of $1,280,685 for the buildings, furniture, and site work.
Both of the Birdtown Council representatives were present at Wednesday’s event. Rep. Albert Rose noted, “It’s a beautiful building, from the sheetrock to the floor, the concrete, the cages outside – you guys did a wonderful job. There are so many people to thank. I want to thank Justice Wright Builders for the design and build, Chris Greene and Ken Green for overseeing the project, Travis Smith (EBCI Secretary of Housing) for helping to push this project through, Chief Sneed and Vice Chief Ensley for all you do for our communities, Tribal Council for supporting this project, and our community club officers. I always say anytime we cut a ribbon or break ground in our community on a project, it’s a good day.”
Rep. Boyd Owle said, “This is a good day. I want to thank Justin Wright and his crew for doing an excellent job.”
He added, “We’re expanding and growing. People say we’re lucky, but we’re not lucky; we’re certainly blessed…this is a place for people to come and voice their opinions, suggestions, and grievances. I encourage all people in the Birdtown Community to come out.”
