OPENED: Dwayne “Tuff” Jackson (orange shirt), Wolftown Community Club chairman, cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Wolftown Community Building on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 23. Shown (left-right) are – Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed; Painttown Rep. Tommye Saunooke; Vice Chief Alan B. Ensley; Wolftown Rep. Bo Crowe; Tammie Ledford, Wolftown Community Club vice chairperson; Jackson; Tammy Jackson, Wolftown Community Club secretary; Mary Long, Wolftown Community Club treasurer; and Wolftown Rep. Jeremy Wilson. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The day after Birdtown residents cut the ribbon on their new community building, members of the Wolftown Community got to do the same. Wolftown’s new facility, a 3,200 square foot building with an open floor plan, two restrooms, and a kitchen, opened officially as Dwayne “Tuff” Jackson, Wolftown Community Club chairman, cut the ribbon on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 23.
“I thought a lot about the old community club building and how humble it was, just a concrete block building, but I also thought about how many memories were made there and how many important decisions were made,” Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed said during Thursday’s event. “I thought about how many community members came and voiced their opinions to their elected officials and how much laughter was there and certainly some tears as well. Nevertheless, it was time for a new building, and this is a wonderful facility. It is almost identical to the Birdtown facility other than the really nice Porte Cochere drive-thru that you have which is great. It’ll be nice on the rainy days.”
He went on to say, “With the building itself, the same way the old building was the centerpiece and hub for the community for fellowship and decision-making, it my sincere hope that this building will fall in that same tradition and will be a gathering place for families, for neighbors, and for friends.”
Vice Chief Alan B. Ensley commented, “This is exciting. Coming from Yellowhill, we got our building a while ago, and it reinvigorated our community…I’m just so happy for you to get this new building here.”
He related that many events are held at community buildings including fundraisers. “We host a lot of them in Yellowhill. Hopefully, with Birdtown getting their new building and this one, the people in each of the communities can have their own sense of pride and have a building in their own community.”
Vice Chief Ensley thanked Tribal Council for their support and especially Wolftown Rep. Bo Crowe and former Tribal Council Chairman Bill Taylor who co-sponsored the legislation to have the new facility built. “It’s fun to do these projects for the communities.”
The building, which is handicapped-accessible, also has a utility room and a storage room as well as a covered drive-thru Porte Cochere. 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.
Rep. Crowe said, “I really want to thank the Community Club and Community Club officers. They had a really big part in everything that went into this building.”
He added, “I hope that you come back and enjoy the building. We meet on the first Tuesday of every month.”
Rep. Crowe also thanked Tribal Council for their support. “I know when it came up for a vote, it was a unanimous vote that every Council member voted for.”
Wolftown Rep. Jeremy Wilson commented, “It’s really good to see the community grow the way that it has with the Community Club…we’re all here for each other, and at times when we see epidemics with the opioids and all the things we see and hear about negatively in the news, we’re here, and if we stay firm within our community and stick together then we’ll be able to do so many great things for our community. Wolftown can be the staple within our Tribe for helping to shape that.”
