July 31, 2019

Minogizhebaawagad (Good Morning),

Image Courtesy of GLIFWC
Tribal offices were closed this past Monday in observance of Treaty Day.

According to Wikipedia.org:  The 1837 Treaty of St. Peters, or the Treaty with the Chippewa (also informally known as the White Pine Treaty), was conducted between Governor Henry Dodge for the United States and representatives from Ojibwe bands located across today's Wisconsin and Minnesota. It was conducted on July 29, 1837, at St. Peters, Wisconsin Territory, known today as Mendota, Minnesota.

Today, we call this treaty the Treaty of 1837, which was proclaimed on June 15, 1838. In the treaty, the Ojibwe nations ceded to the United States a large tract of land located from the Mississippi River in east-central Minnesota to the Wisconsin River in northern Wisconsin, using as its southern boundaries the "Prairie du Chien Line" as established by the 1825 First Treaty of Prairie du Chien, between the Dakota and the Ojibwe, and using the Lake Superior watershed as its northern boundaries.

Chief Buffalo, a principal Chief of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa (Ojibwe). From the Wisconsin Historical Society.
The land cession was conducted to guarantee access to the Wisconsin Territory's lumber resources that was needed to help build housing for the growing populations in St. Louis, Missouri, and Cleveland, Ohio.

In the sale, the United States obligated itself to payments to the signatory Bands for 20 years and additional provisions for the Metis in the territory. In turn, the signatory Ojibwe Bands retained usufructuary rights to continue hunting, fishing and gathering within the Ceded Territory.

Signatories included La Pointe Band Chiefs Bizhiki (Buffalo) (recorded as Pe-zhe-ke), Dagwagaane (Two Lodges Meet) (recorded as Ta-qua-ga-na), and Jechiikwii'o (Snipe) (recorded as Cha-che-que-o).

The above information was obtained from Wikipedia.org, GLIFWC and Treaties Matter.org.

Scroll down to see the good news and many activities happening in the Mashkiiziibiing community.
Elders Birthdays
Mino-dibishkaan (Happy Birthday) to Our Elders:

August 2
Dave Parisien

August 3
Nixola Cloud
George Bigboy

August 4
Sis Wiggins

August 5
Leslie Cloud

August 7
Karen Burns

August 8
Grace Lemieux
August 10
Eugene Bigboy, Jr.
August 11
Elenor Teague
Robert LaFernier
August 12
Dan Rufus
Lawerence Plucinski
News
Band Files Suit Against Enbridge

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa filed suit against Enbridge on July 23rd to force the decommissioning and removal of the Line 5 pipeline, which runs across 12 miles of sensitive habitat in the Bad River Reservation.

This litigation follows a failed multi-year mediation process with the company, and is necessary to force the Canadian-owned company to comply with its legal obligations to decommission and remove the 66-year-old pipeline from the Bad River watershed.

Enbridge has continued to operate the pipeline for six years since easements allowing it to maintain the Reservation right-of-way expired in 2013, and this action seeks to bring the company's unauthorized presence to an end.


The Bad River Band has carefully reviewed alternatives to Line 5, and understands that the majority of the product on the line is for export and that ready substitutes are available for the few services Line 5 actually provides to the region. Given these realities and the threat posed to the Bad River watershed and coastal wetlands and to Lake Superior, which together serve as the lifeblood not only for the Band but for many neighboring communities, the Bad River Tribal Council cannot allow the community to shoulder the significant and unacceptable risk associated with a foreign company's aging pipeline.
 
Bad River Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr. agrees with the Council's decision. "No amount of compensation is worth risking Wenji-Bimaadiziyaang - an Ojibwe word that literally means 'From where we get life'. It's time to end the imminent threat the company is presenting to our people, our rivers, and Gichi-Gami (Lake Superior). It's not only an infringement of our sovereignty, but a burden felt by our people having to engage in the perpetual chase for the next pipeline rupture. It's time to stop the flow of oil immediately."   Read more.
Bad River Youth Assist St. Croix Following Storm

Several Bad River youth traveled to St. Croix following the storm that devastated the area on Friday, July 19th.

Many communities suffered damage, and St. Croix Tribal communities were hit hard. The Polk County Sheriff's Department issued a statement last Saturday saying, "Polk County had a strong storm enter the northwest corner of the county. Winds were reported in excess of 84 mph. Hail and heavy rainfall amounts accompanied this weather event. The storm continued across Polk County in a southeast direction. Communities included in the path of this were Cushing, Frederic, Luck, Milltown, Centuria, Balsam Lake, Clayton and Turtle Lake. Our county sustained damage to buildings, power lines, property and trees. Flash flooding occurred."

Photos Courtesy of Lynn Bigboy

Youth who assisted with cleanup in St. Croix included: Marcus Agostine, Garrett Bell, Daryl Burns, Allee Bigboy, Sydnee Bigboy, Collin Bressette, Dylan Burns, Charlene Couture, Alyssa Denasha, Alanna Ford, Justice Ford, Lucias Herron, Rayonah Hill, James Jackson, Isabel Kraft, Brandon Lemieux, Hunter Lemieux, Dylan Livingston, Joelee Lowmaster, Ashton Mayotte, Loren Nelis, Donavin O'Claire, Emma Parisien, Neveah Petras-Bates, Shirley Powless, Winter St. Germaine, Dominic Suarez, Shaleana White, Amayah White, Janae Whitebird, Issac Wiggins and Kaitlyn Wolf.

Miigwech for your efforts!
Bad River is Going Solar

Photo Courtesy of Next Energy Solutions
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the Bad River Tribe is one of 14 Tribal Energy Infrastructure Deployment Projects selected, and awarded the Tribe $999,099 to implement the first phase of Tribal energy independence.

The project is called "Ishkonige Nawadide (They Bring/Capture Fire) Solar Project". Dan Wiggins, the Tribal Renewable Energy Coordinator, will be the Project Manager and will work within a team put together by himself and Bill Bailey from Cheq Bay Renewables. Bill, President of Cheq Bay Renewables, assisted the Tribe with preparing the DOE grant and helped assemble the collaborating team that includes Niels Wolter of Madison Solar Consulting, Travis Simpkins and Amy Simpkins with MuGrid, the Bad River Natural Resources Department and Tribal Planning Department.

The team will collaborate throughout the project, and Bill expressed, "We are trying to assemble a microgrid, and brought together the best in the country to help us with this project."

The project partially stemmed from the emergency response to the 2016 flood in Bad River. Dan explained, "A lot of people saw power outages with the 2016 flooding. Houses, water infrastructure, and many of the buildings we relied on were not equipped for electrical outages at that intensity. One of the unfortunate things here is that we're at the end of an electrical line. The line ends at Birch Hill, and because of that, we're at risk for being without power for periods of time due to natural causes. More than 80% of the reservation is powered by Bayfield Electric. These grants target crucial facilities essential for emergency management."

The project outlined in the Department of Energy proposal notes that, "Systems will be capable of operating independent of the grid. The systems are expected to offset 100% of annual electric usage at two of the buildings, and are estimated to reduce electric bills by approximately $841,000 over 25 years."

Solar panels will be installed at three Tribal buildings. The Health and Wellness Center will receive a 300 kilowatt Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The Wastewater Treatment Facility will receive a 200 kilowatt system, and the Chief Blackbird Administration Center will be fitted with a 20 kilowatt Ready-To-Install (RTI) system. All three of the buildings installations are solar plus storage systems, with two of the systems completely offset with battery storage. The buildings were chosen for their significance in emergency response plans, such as the Administration building being utilized as command and control center.

The project overview provides for $1,000,000 in solar panels, and $1,000,000 in battery, switches and controllers. "Solar plus storage is being done in the country. It is fairly new, with battery prices coming down, and now in market for viability. This will be the largest battery storage system in Midwest!" Bill said.

The timeline originally looked at beginning installation process in late fall and winter. The updated timeline now has construction beginning next summer at all three locations simultaneously. "It will be a quick process once it starts. The components are already picked out for the Ready-To-Install system at Administration building, provided by Next Energy Solutions."

Primary goals of this program are to train Tribal and community members to install the systems, with job creation a component of the grant. A developer will be hired and trained as a part of the maintenance plan, and a majority of Tribal Maintenance staff will also be trained. Facility managers will be trained to operate systems at each building. The contractor will have a maintenance contract for a five-year period as a part of the warranty and maintenance process. The solar equipment has 25 year warranty, and are designed to last 40 to 50 years.

This is phase one. The long-range energy plan is developed and being worked on to include the new Head Start building, the Casino, and other Tribal housing and buildings. The Tribe is exercising their sovereignty by moving away from the grid and toward being independent. The goals and resources come from the Bad River Band Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan and the Tribe's Strategic Energy Plan, with the vision "to empower and enable the community to move toward energy independence".

The Ishkonige Nawadide Solar Project will be a model for other Tribal communities, offering an example for other Tribes to begin the process, help each other, and be a resource.

For more information, contact Daniel Wiggins, Tribal Renewable Energy Coordinator, at 715-685-7840, ext 1553.
Luanne Wiggins Graduates from UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program

Training completed by Head Start executive Luanne Wiggins will ultimately benefit children and their families enrolled in Bad River Head Start.

Luanne is one of 38 graduates of the 2019 UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program, an intensive 12-day leadership and management development program, conducted at the UCLA Anderson School of Management in Los Angeles. The program was developed in 1991 to strengthen the management and leadership skills of Head Start administrators, and is currently funded by the Head Start National Center on Program and Management and Fiscal Operations.


Throughout the program, fellows are equipped with the tools they will need to effectively lead and deliver developmental services in changing environments, secure funding, efficiently implement programs and network with other Head Start executives across the nation. Since the program's inception, 1,600 executives have graduated with enhanced management and leadership abilities.

"Head Start creates the foundation for a wonderful future for children and their families," said Yasmine Daniel-Vargas, director of the National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations. "Graduates of the UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program have introduced successful community initiatives that make a lasting impact on the health, nutrition, and school readiness of the children they serve. The commitment of the UCLA Anderson School of Management to teaching excellence is a hallmark of the program's enduring success."

Head Start programs provide comprehensive developmental services to low-income, preschool children and their families. Head Start also provides a range of medical, dental, mental health and nutrition care, and parent involvement services. Program directors supervise nearly 265,000 paid staff and more than one million volunteers nationwide. In FY 2018, Head Start programs served 1,050,000 children ages birth to five and pregnant moms, making a total of more than 36 million since its inception in 1965.

Congratulations Luanne!
Community Service Initiative Offers Focus and Assistance

There's a new community service initiative in Bad River bringing volunteers and organizations together.

Brian Nordin, the AODA Program Peer Specialist, says the initiative will connect community service needs with those who would like to volunteer or are required to do community service.
 
Brian's initiative is geared for AODA clients, but is also open and welcoming to community and staff members. He is excited to encourage and assist clients stay busy and focused, "Doing something meaningful in our own community.''
 
As a Peer Specialist, similar to a Recovery Coach, Brian knows the importance in recovery of giving back, helping others and being focused. With six years of sobriety, Brian focuses on being a role model of walking in recovery as he accepted the Peer Specialist position in May.

Brian holds a Bachelor's Degree in Health and Wellness Management, and is certified as a Peer Specialist. He wanted to offer volunteer services, with an interest in helping in behavioral health issues. He is very passionate about health and wellness and helping people find balance in their lives. He works in all areas of recovery with clients, providing one-on-one support, overcoming barriers, goal-setting and finding new resources.
 
Many ideas and projects are being proposed, such as assistance with the Elderly building and services, the powwow grounds, sewing and beading, and Tribal programs. Brian says they're already busy with the Food Sovereignty program. There's always something someone can do, and Brian looks forward to helping clients and the community find new opportunities.
 
If you have community service ideas, interest or needs, Brian is looking for more! Please feel free to email Brian or call 715-292-0015.
LCO College Knock and Talk Campaign Coming

The Knock and Talk Campaign is an information sharing event and promotion to maintain awareness of the College's return to Bad River.

Beginning on August 12th, a  team will be going door to door in the community to talk with people.  "We want to share the opportunities that are offered right now in Bad River, but also find out what people would like to see offered at the College. Our goal is to grow, and we want to do so in a good way," Jimmy White, Recruitment and Admissions Specialist, said.


There will be a feast from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on Monday, August 12th at the LCO College site at the Chief Blackbird Center.

"At the feast, we'll have food, door prizes and information about the campaign efforts. Any employee at the Chief Blackbird Center that would like to participate will be granted administrative leave," Jimmy shared.

For more information, contact Jimmy at 715-558-5304 or 715-634-4790, ext 148.
2019 Climate Strong! Institute Integrates Ojibwe Teachings

A diverse group of 25 teachers and community educators attended the 2019 Climate Strong! Educator Institute from July 8th through July 12th.

The Institute was held at a variety of field locations within Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay region including in the Bad River and Red Cliff Tribal communities. Most of the participants were Tribal educators or people who serve Tribal youth. 

This is the first of three summer Climate Strong! professional development institutes that will be held in each of the Ceded Territory states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.


The five-day program integrated Ojibwe traditional ecological knowledge and leadership teachings to build awareness of how a changing climate is affecting culture, and to empower action. Bad River Elder Joe Rose offered an opening ceremony to start the Institute in a good way, followed by a keynote address from Bad River Tribal Chair Mike Wiggins, Jr. Classroom sessions to learn about treaty rights and climate change were mixed with place-based investigations. A Kakagon Wild Rice Tour lead by the Bad River Natural Resource and Tribal Historic Preservation Department helped educators understand the importance of manoomin and how climate change and other environmental threats are affecting it. A session at the Bad River Tribal Food Sovereignty gardens reinforced connections to the land and the importance of climate resiliency.

The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) climate team, together with representatives from the 1854 Authority and Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, shared how their new "Climate Vulnerability Study" and "Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu" tools can be used to integrate Technology, Experience and Knowledge ( TEK) into youth climate education. The educators also learned about the importance of language from Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Ranger Damon Panek.

The group then traveled to Red Cliff's Raspberry Bay Language Camp where Red Cliff Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Marvin DeFoe explained the impact of climate change on Wiigwaas. The group was welcomed to participate in a variety of traditional activities including a plant walk that reinforced the impact of climate change on medicinal plant species.

Photos Courtesy of Cat Techtmann

Throughout the Institute, educators received multi-disciplinary teaching tools and resources to build climate leadership confidence and capacity, both for themselves and for the youth they serve. Mini-grants for youth-led community climate resiliency projects and for attending other  Climate Strong! community events are also available for educators completing the training.

Climate Strong! is a partnership between the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, 1854 Treaty Authority, and the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve with help from the Bad River and Red Cliff Tribes, and through a NOAA Climate Resiliency Grant. The goal of this three-year program is to develop the competencies of educators to help them engage Tribal youth in building climate resiliency within their communities.

For more information about the 2019 Climate Strong! Institute or program, call Cat Techtmann, University of Wisconsin-Extension Environmental Outreach Specialist, at 715-561-2695, or visit the Climate Strong! website.
Manoomin Celebration Shirts Now Available


Bad River Manoomin Celebration shirts are now available for purchase at the Administration building! Proceeds from these $20 shirts will go toward the Bad River Pow Wow. They're a steel blue color and come in sizes Small to 4XL.
Community Information
Special Tribal Council Meeting - August 2nd

Elections Committee - Deadline to Apply is August 2nd

LLC Code Review Comments Due August 26th

Community Notice - Enbridge Traffic on Pine Flats Road

Al-Anon Family Groups - Every Monday

Alzheimer's Family Caregiver Support Program

Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs


Get Paid to Learn!

Youth Ride Free on BART Now thru September 2nd

Nimikwendaagoziiyang ~ We Remember Our Ancestors

The Bad River Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Repatriation Committee are currently working on a project to create a Veterans Memorial at the Veterans Pavilion at the Bad River Cemetery.

Part of this project honors our Ancestors and their burial bundles long lost to museum collections and other sources, which will be repatriated and reinterred at an undisclosed location, to prevent theft.

Multiple black granite slabs will be added that recognize each conflict and war that Tribal Members have been involved in throughout history, including the Civil War through more recent overseas conflicts.

Community members can help fund this effort by buying a brick to be included in the paving of the memorial.  This project needs your support!
You don't have to have a Veteran in your family to contribute. By purchasing a brick, you become the sponsor and can create a customized engraved message on your brick that will be placed at the entry of the Veterans Pavilion.

Make it a family affair to Buy-a-Brick for your Ancestors and Loved Ones.

Smaller bricks are $50 and larger patio blocks are $100 each. Proceeds from sales will go toward creating the Veterans Memorial.

Fundraising will continue until the $125,000 goal is reached, or all projects are completed.  For information on the amount of sales to date, contact the Tribal Treasurer or Accounting office.
 
You may contribute online  or print the donation flyer For questions about the project, please email Edith Leoso or call 715-682-7123, extension 1662.
News from Head Start
Boozhoo!

We are still accepting applications for Fall Enrollment - Ages 3-5.

Orientation is August 15th and August 16th.
The first day of school is August 19th.

Welcome to our new staff:

Administrative Assistant: Nora Adams

Early Head Start Teachers:

Tiffany Crockett

Robin Powless

Lisa Whitebird

Paige Wiggins


Our current staff:
Director - Luanne Wiggins
Education/Disabilities Manager - Cheryl Pero
Family Services Manager - Nona Crowe
Health Services Manager - Suzanne Shubat

Teachers:

Wayne Burns

Renee Pero

Lisa Toman


Assistant Teachers:

Tia Burns

Rosie DePerry

Chula Ruiz

Malita Smart


Head Cook - Jack Corbine

 

Cook Assistant/Bus Monitors - Angelina Godinez and Danny Powless


Bus Drivers - Rochelle Bellecourt and Pat Mayotte

 

Head Start Policy Council Members (elections will be held in September 2019):

Chilly Burns (Chairman)

Jennifer Stone (Vice-Chair)

Lisa Wrazidlo (Secretary/Treasurer)

Donelle Bender

Alexandra Burns

Delphine Hurd


We still need additional staff:

Assistant Director and Teacher positions are posted.


Congratulations to staff that graduated from LCO College in May 2019:

Rosie DePerry - Associate Degree

Nona Crowe - Ojibwe Language Certification

Luanne Wiggins - Ojibwe Language Certification

 

Congratulations to staff that received training and certification in Indigenous Breastfeeding Counselor Certification in July 2019:

Sue Shubat

Paige Wiggins

News from LCO College
LCO College Library Hosts Native Voices Exhibit

The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College Library has been selected in a competitive application process to host Native Voices: Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness, a traveling exhibition to U.S. libraries.

Native Voices explores the interconnectedness of wellness, illness and cultural life for Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Stories drawn from both the past and present examine how health for Native People is tied to community, the land and spirit. Through interviews, Native People describe the impact of epidemics, federal legislation, the loss of land, and the inhibition of culture on the health of Native individuals and communities today. 


As one of 104 grant recipients selected from across the country, the College will host the traveling exhibition for six-weeks from August 20 to September 26, 2019.

"We are so pleased to bring to National Library of Medicine's fascinating exhibition to Lac Courte Oreilles and Hayward," said Caryl Pfaff, Librarian at the College's Library. "We hope the Native people in our community will take pride in the exhibition and that all visitors will enjoy learning about these powerful concepts."

The Library will host a reception on August 29th, featuring guest speaker Prairie Rose Seminole. Refreshments created from produce harvested from the College's Sustainable Agriculture Research Station will also be featured. Funding for Prairie Rose's presentation will be provided through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Native American Library Services Enhancement Grant.
Prairie Rose Seminole is an enrolled Tribal Member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, a descendent of the Sahnish/Arikara, Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Nations.

Ms. Seminole served on the Midwest advisory council to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, advising on labor, nonprofits and Tribal government. In 2014, the Bush Foundation recognized Ms. Seminole as a Native Nations Rebuilder, a program that recognizes individuals who have a passion for learning about innovative Tribal governance practices, and how they can take these ideas and approaches to their own Native nations to make a positive difference. In 2015, the North Dakota Center for Business and Technology recognized Ms. Seminole as one of 2015 Leading Ladies. She brought food sovereignty and Indigenous traditional medicine knowledge to global conversations as a Salzburg Global Fellow in 2016 and again in 2017.

Ms. Seminole was formerly the Cultural Advisor to the Sanford Health Systems One Care initiative and Strategic Prevention Specialist for the Boys and Girls Club of the Three Affiliated Tribes, serving eight communities and over 2,000 youth between the ages of 5 and 18. Currently, she is the Program Director for the American Indian and Alaska Natives with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She continues as an educator with an Indigenous lens to issues of justice, education and political participation.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) developed and produced Native Voices: Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness. The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, in partnership with NLM, tours the exhibition to America's libraries.

For more information, contact Jessica Wagner-Schultz, Director of Institutional Advancement, at 715-634-4790, extension 186.
Community Events
Weekly Activities

Click on an image to view a larger version

Language Table
2nd and 4th Wednesday
from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Head Start

Picnic in the Park Play Group
Thursdays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm
at Head Start
July Events

August Events

Click on image to view a larger version

LCO College Golf Outing
August 3rd

National Night Out Open House
August 6th

Working Toward Recovery
August 6th

Youth Basketball Camp
August 12th thru August 14th

National Night Out Open House
August 6th

A Shared Vision Community Discussion August 22nd

Hazardous Waste Collection
August 22nd



Traditional Pow Wow - August 23rd thru August 25th

Employment Opportunities
Visit these sites for current employment opportunities:







Request For Proposals (RFPs)
Bad River Housing Authority
P.O. Box 57 75860 US Hwy 2 Odanah, WI 54861

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Legal Services

Bad River Housing Authority is accepting proposals from responsive and responsible individuals and firms to provide the following legal services:

General Legal Counsel/Real Estate/Development/Employment-Labor Relations

Proposal Deadline: 8/1/2019

Complete bid information can be obtained by contacting:
Arthur Schenk, Assistant Director
assistexecdir@badriver.nsn.gov
715-682-2271, ext 1677
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Chief Blackbird Center, P.O. Box 39, Odanah, WI 54861

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Head Start Drumming/Singing Instruction - Deadline is Noon on August 16th.

Share Your News!
Share Your News

Share your good news and upcoming activities with the community!

The e-newsletter is sent every other Wednesday, and many items are posted on the Tribe's Facebook page.

The deadline for submitting information is Monday morning.

Email us  your information and story ideas. Please include your contact information so that we can follow up with you, and a photo if possible.

Chi Miigwech!

Kim Swisher and Aurora Conley
Tribal Communications Team
Office:  715-437-0090
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