By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Jennifer Thompson, DPT, CLT, physical therapy manager at the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), and the CIHA Physical Therapy Department were named the winner of the 2024 Dr. Frell Owl Award. The annual award ceremony was held at Granny’s Kitchen in Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Greg Owle, right, Cherokee Boys Club general manager, presents the 2024 Dr. Frell Owl Award to Jennifer Thompson, DPT, CLT, during the annual awards banquet held at Granny’s Kitchen in Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 10. Thompson, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who is the physical therapy manager at Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), was presented the award along with the CIHA Physical Therapy Department. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
The Dr. Frell Owl Award, previously known as the Frell Owl Award, is given each year by the Cherokee Boys Club (CBC)and honors the memory and service of Dr. Owl, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Born March 1, 1899 on Rattlesnake Mountain in Cherokee, N.C., Dr. Owl graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in English. In 1969, he was honored by the school with an honorary doctor of humane letters. Dr. Owl retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs after 33 years of federal service and received the Certificate of Honor for Meritorious Service by Steward Udall, then-Secretary of the Interior.
During Tuesday’s event, Greg Owle, Cherokee Boys Club general manager, said, “The Dr. Frell Owl award is given to those who best exemplify the character and accomplishments of the late Dr. Frell Owl, Cherokee educator, civic leader, and those who have significantly contributed to the welfare of Cherokee children and families.”
He added, “Dr. Frell Owl’s accomplishments spanned his entire lifetime, and it is a great honor to be nominated for this award for service to children, family, and community for our Cherokee people.”
After receiving the award, Thompson, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who also serves as the Cherokee Central School Board chairperson, told the crowd, “This community is my community. This family is my family. This is an extension of my family. We treat every single patient as if they are my family. That’s always been my motto – to treat every patient as if they were mine.”
She thanked the staff of the CIHA Physical Therapy Department for their work and commented, “Just the love that we share for all of our patients, I couldn’t ask for a better team. They’re an extension of me and I can’t thank them enough for all that they do.”
Thompson and the department were nominated for the award by the Jackson family who were grateful for the wonderful care their son, Kodesgi Jackson, received.
The nomination letter reads, “The unwavering support from Jennifer (Thompson) and the physical therapy team was proof that they had the same goal.”
It continued, “Someone that displays that level of concern for your child when they’re not required to speaks volumes…Frell Owl was a civic leader and an educator. In many ways, Jennifer and the physical therapy team are a perfect example of both.”
The award winner is decided annually by the CBC Board of Directors which includes: Aaron Bradley (President), Donnie Owl, Tagan Crowe, Benny Graves, Tara Reed-Cooper, Doris Johnson, Brad Letts, Tayvin Bark (student representative), and Perry Shell – Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) representative.
Past recipients of the Frell Owl Award include: Principal Chief John A. Crowe (1983), Stella Kanott (1984), The Scar Crowe Family (1985), Ray Kinsland (1986), Pearl and John Reagan (1987), Betty Crisp (1988), Jerri Reagan Kinsland (1989), Mary Chiltoskey (1990), Dora Reed (1992), Marie Junaluska (1995), David and Sharon Crowe (1996), Ernestine Walkingstick (1997), Jody Adams (1998), Gary Maney (1999), Mary Sneed (2000), Mary Mantooth (2001), David McCoy (2002), Glenda Crowe (2003), Denise Ballard (2004), David McQueen (2005), Skooter McCoy (2006), Johnson “Booger” Arch (2007), Kathy Wolfe (2008), Carmaleta Monteith (2009), Roy Lambert (2010), Sandi Owle (2011), Lana Lambert (2013), Catherine Blythe Sanders (2014), Will Poolaw (2015), Lou Johnson and Wilbur Paul (2016), Alan and Mary Jane Smith (2017), Isaac “Ike” Long (2018), Michael Yanette (2019), Peaches Squirrell (2021), Lloyd Carl Owle (2022), and Butch and Louise Goings (2023).
The staff of the CIHA Physical Therapy Department is shown following Tuesday’s event.
