The board of the Southwestern Commission (Region A), which serves the seven westernmost counties in western North Carolina, voted on the evening of Tuesday, May 20 to endorse in principle the Regional Vision drafted during the 15-month Opt-In SWNC process. Next up, they have to hammer out specific strategies suggested by the Vision.

The EBCI Office of Internal Audit is seeking nominations for its 3rd Annual SOAR (Success in Operations, Accountability, and Reporting) Awards. Last year, the EBCI Finance Division’s Accountability Team won the Chief Noah Powell Fiscal Excellence Award. Cherokee Choices won the Fiscal Commitment Award, and the EBCI Risk Management Division won the Fiscal Recognition Certificate.

Jo Blaylock (right), Harrah’s Cherokee vice president of human resources, presents a donation check for $2,300 from the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise and Harrah’s Cherokee to Aneva Turtle-Hagberg, EBCI Public Health and Human Services health operations director, on Wednesday, May 21.

A new sign was unveiled on Tuesday, May 20 for the Ledford-McCoy Community Housing in the Birdtown Community.

On Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, our nation honors its fallen heroes. In Cherokee, at the Yellowhill Veterans Memorial Cemetery, our ceremony will be at 11am. Please come and be with us as we pause to remember those who gave all of their tomorrows to ensure that ours would be free. We are all indebted to them. Their names are chiseled in stone on thousands of white markers standing in uniform rows around the world.

A total of 225 volunteers completed 10 projects in 10 communities on EBCI trust lands during the annual Cherokee Day of Caring on Thursday, May 15.

The annual Elders Walk was held, in conjunction with Older Americans Month, on Friday, May 16.