By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – March is Women’s History Month. For the month of March, the One Feather will be sharing articles that highlight strong, intelligent women behind the day-to-day operations of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).
Kamiyo Lanning, manager of Cherokee Recreation, and Janell Rattler, senior games coordinator for Cherokee Recreation, are preparing for a busy season of Spring sports.
Janell Rattler and Kamiyo Lanning are shown facilitating the Qualla Boundary Senior Games. (Photo contributed)
The Qualla Boundary Senior Games held their opening ceremony on Tuesday, March 4 at the Peaches Squirrell Sports & Recreation Complex in Tsisqwohi (Birdtown), and Cherokee Youth Wrestling kicked off on Feb. 24 in the Donald “Koolaid” Queen Gym & Recreation Center in Wayohi (Wolftown).
Lanning and Rattler, both members of the EBCI, say every day is different at Cherokee Recreation, but that’s part of the fun.
“My day-to-day duties could be anything. I just registered a senior games participant. I’ve got staff that are down at the bowling alley right now with our Special Olympics athletes. I’ve got two other staff that are down at the senior center in Snowbird doing registration. I walked the playground yesterday. My day-to-day could be anything that deals with any one of our facilities, and I oversee all six of our recreation facilities including the skate park, John Crowe Complex, and the EMS playground,” Lanning said.
Rattler works closely with Cherokee women who are elders in the Senior Games, which she says is rewarding, “When you work with the elders, it’s keeping them active, keeping their mind active. Our Native women are really competitive, and each of my seniors always aspire to bring home as many medals as they can. It’s a good feeling knowing we can help provide that.”
Rattler said it’s also rewarding to see each athlete’s growth at Cherokee Recreation, from youth league sports to the Senior Games. “No matter how young or old they are, from the beginning to the end is what is amazing because for a child or a senior, if they’ve never done that sport and they are willing to advance and branch out and learn something new, it’s just amazing what they learn and grasp, and in the next year, you’ll really see the difference.”
Lanning said providing sports and recreation for women and girls is an important part of her service to the community. “I think it’s important because they see women in leadership in sports. They see they can move up and aspire to that, to being a part of a team, the basketball teams, the volleyball teams, and being a part of the team environment allows you to grow,” she said.
“This is service. You don’t get into a service job without wanting to give back to the community, and I think we do that through every facet.”
