Doyu ulihelisdodi agiwonihisdi hi gvnigesv igvndii.
Over the past several weeks there have been many exciting events take place; I would like to share these with you.
The Operations Division in cooperation with the Division of Commerce hosted the 12th Annual Talking Trees Children’s Trout Derby on the Island on Saturday, Aug. 3. This annual event is a unique opportunity to bring families to the Qualla Boundary to expose them to the great outdoors. This year, there were 1,979 children signed up for the Derby. Hopefully these children learned how enjoyable fishing and being outdoors can be. I would like to thank all those involved in the planning and implementation of this event as it would not have been successful without your contributions.
This year, the Trout Derby Committee approached the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation for some joint fundraising activities. The Madison Hornbuckle Foundation hosted its 1st Annual Cornhole Tournament, sold t-shirts at registration day, took donations at the Trout Derby and auctioned off a set of Cornhole boards. The Foundation was able to raise a total of $6,827 from all of these events. These proceeds will directly benefit WNC families that have children suffering from cancer. To learn more about the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation call Ashleigh Stephens (828) 497-7029.
On Wednesday, Aug. 7, the Benefits department hosted the EBCI Wellness Fair to promote healthy living amongst EBCI employees. Participants learned about the programs offered by the Benefits departments, had the opportunity to meet with health insurance vendors, and had the opportunity to plan for retirement by examining their 401K plan. I hope everyone took advantage of this Fair and the opportunity to learn more about their physical and long-term financial health. I would like to thank the Benefits department for their hard work in organizing this Fair.
To kick off Breastfeed Awareness Month, the WIC office hosted the 1st Breastfeeding Expo to expose Cherokee community members to the benefits of breastfeeding as well as the resources available to mothers. Georganna Cogburn a lactation consultant spoke regarding the importance of breastfeeding as well as the health benefits to the child and mother. Bettina Hornbuckle, a breastfeeding peer counselor at WIC, is available for questions and support. Bettina can be reached at (828) 554-6233.
Unelanv adatolosdi nihi.
