Archived Community

Our Elder Nutrition program is doing well. We are having a good crowd every day. We try to serve a variety of foods and our cook, Archie, is doing a good job of preparing it.

The kitchen addition will be starting soon. The new equipment is ordered and will be ready for installation as soon as the building is finished.

We will have a couple of special treats for the elders they should really enjoy. We are still playing Bingo on Thursday after lunch and have chair exercises on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:45 am. Lunch is served at 12 noon. Come and join us!–Judy Dull, Elder Nutrition Supervisor

This is a Title VI program for Native American Elders, 55 and over. Native Americans under 55 and other guests can come eat for a small charge (under 18 are free). Donations are appreciated.

The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) is pleased to announce that it has selected the recipients of our prestigious national “Native American 40 Under 40” recognition awards. This award and honor recognizes 40 emerging American Indian leaders between the ages of 18 to 39 who have demonstrated leadership, initiative, and dedication to achieve significant contributions in business, communities, and Indian Country. The “Native American 40 Under 40” Awards will be presented at the 37th Annual Indian Progress in Business Awards Gala (INPRO), a featured event of RES Oklahoma, November 14-15, 2012, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, OK. Delaware Tribe of Indians leader Jenifer Pechonick has been selected as a recipient of this esteemed award. “I am honored to have been nominated and selected for the NCAIED’s ‘Native American 40 Under 40’ award,” Pechonick said.

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• Photo by Titus Frenchman.

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• Jared McGaha carries the Paul Bunyan Trophy following Michigan State University’s 28-14 win over Michigan on October 15, 2011. Jared is the son of Tony and Denise McGaha, grandson of Dennis and Karen Cummings and great-grandson of Bonnie Thaxton.

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert R. Watters of Copan, OK will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on March 24, 2012 at New Hope United Methodist Church in Dewey, OK.

Gilbert Ray Watters and Mary Louis Skye were united in marriage on March 24, 1952 at the First Baptist Church in Dewey, OK.

They moved to San Angelo, TX where Gilbert finished his tour of duty in the US Air Force at Goodfellow Air Force Base. In 1954, they returned to Dewey where they lived until 1974 when they built their home near Copan Lake west of Copan, OK.

Gilbert retired from Bartlesville Fire Department in 1979 and Mary retired from Phillips Petroleum Company in 1986. Their children Bo and Carrie Ann Watters and Laura and Jack Maynor are hosting the reception on Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Gilbert and Mary are very proud of their family. Their grandchildren are Jennifer Revard and her husband Chris; Jeremy Scott Johnson and wife Red Day; Jimmie John Johnson and wife Jade; Katie Wilson and her husband Tim; and the late Sarah Scimeca and her husband Bill Scimeca. Their great-grandchildren are Chase Brantley and Lyndee Paige Revard; Marian Rae and Jennings Cash Johnson; Trey Christian, Grant Austin and Maura Lee Johnson; and Skye Elizabeth, Anna Rose and Beau Michael Scimeca.

Whitney Thomas was recently crowned Miss Phoenix 2012 on Saturday January 28th, and will be preparing for the Miss Arizona pageant in June. She is the daughter of Kevin Thomas and Kala Ketchum (Delaware) and the granddaughter of Dee and Annette Ketchum (maternal), James Thomas, and Michael and Jeanette Gardner (paternal).

Whitney is a 23-year-old graduate from California State University, Fullerton. She received her B.A. in Communications/ Entertainment Studies and minored in Women’s Studies. One of her many passions is promoting her platform, Love Doesn’t Hurt: Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence. She has volunteered at numerous shelters and coordinated events benefiting victims, through her involvement in her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega and as a member of the Miss America Organization. Whitney is a fourth-generation flutist who shares her love for music and the arts with her grandmother.

As a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians she is very involved in her culture and celebrates her heritage at the annual Delaware Tribal Powwow in Copan. Through competing in the Miss America Organization she has earned over $5,000 in scholarships and plans to continue her education at Arizona State University, pursuing a Masters degree in Marketing. Her ultimate goal is to become an event planner, specializing in fundraising for charitable causes.

Jeffrey Journeycake, a Delaware soldier in the United States Army, 1/75 Rangers Battalion, has sent to the Tribe a flag that he had carried on his last deployment. His words are better than any I can give you so I type what he has written below for you to read for yourselves.

Wanìshi Jeffrey, for your service to our Country and for our people. Thank you so much.

To: The Delaware Tribe of Indians

Hello, my name is Jeffrey Journeycake. I am a proud member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. I’m from Miami, Oklahoma but currently stationed in Savannah, Georgia, in the 1/75 Ranger Battalion.

I would like to dedicate this flag in honor of the Delaware Tribe. I carried it with me on over 60 missions in Afghanistan, on my last deployment.

Best Regards,
Jeffrey Journeycake

The annual Halloween party was held at the Delaware Community Center on Saturday, October 22, 2011.

Michael Pace (Xinkwilënu), former assistant chief and part-time interpreter specialist for the Lenape Camp Trading Post at Conner Prairie Museum, was invited to go to Germany to take part in the Karl May Festival. His trip was funded by the organizers of the Karl May Festival in the German town of Radebeul. It was held on June 3rd and 4th.

The schedule for the event was for Mike to give presentations on Saturday at 2:00, 4:00 and 6:00, and on Sunday at 12:00, 2:00, and 4:00. The official brochure read, “Songs and dances by Native Americans from the USA and Canada with Michael Pace (Delaware) and Wade Fernandez (Menominee). Moderation (translation of the stories into German) by Kerstin Groeper-Schmäling.”

In addition to the daytime presentations there was one on Saturday night, “9 o’clock – The night of the Indian myths and tales at the High Stone area with Michael Pace, Wade Fernandez and Red Feather Dance Company.”

It is amazing to think that just a little over twenty years ago it might not have been possible to attend such an event as that part of Germany was then East Germany.

Although it was extremely hot during the daytime schedules, Mike did a number of things during the event such as telling Lenape traditional stories and dance demonstrations. He also did the same things the following Tuesday at the Montessori Schule (School) in Niederseeon, Bavaria.

Mike was accompanied by his wife Ella on the trip. Jim Rementer also went along to take some photographs and to visit other places in Germany and Switzerland. We would like to thank our host Robert Goetzenberger and his family for his time and efforts to take us where we needed to be and hosting us.

One of the directors at the Festival said, “I was told that the Delawares were nice people, but after meeting and working with Mike Pace I would have to say they are VERY nice people.”

Please note: Mike Pace’s trip was funded by the organizers; Jim Rementer’s trip was self-funded as he went to do some research on his ancestry. No tribal funds were used for any part of the trip.

Mike Pace leads the Lenape Bean Dance.	Mike tells a Lenape story while Kerstin Groeper-Schmäling translates into German.