December 4-10, 2023

Manidoo-Giizisoons (Little Spirit Moon)

Boozhoo Aaniin Gaa-Miskwaabikaang! The Red Cliff Band is set to launch a Tribal Census survey taking place from mid-December 2023 through February 2024. All households on-reservation will receive a door hanger with an online survey code in mid-December. This survey is an important data collection project designed to compile accurate information about Red Cliff tribal members. The data collected during this survey will be used to enhance local programs and attract funding for various community programs.

What to expect

Beginning in December 2023, survey staff will drop off information and instructions so you can complete the survey online. You will also have the option of completing the survey in-person with field staff if you choose. Survey topics include income and employment, health and human services, education, and Red Cliff culture and language. All household information requested by the survey is essential to accomplishing the project’s goals. The responses provided to field staff and via the online survey will remain confidential and anonymous.

Please provide honest and complete answers to the survey. Your answers will help to:

-Enhance the ability of the Tribe to plan and develop programs

-Ensure that the Tribe receives its fair share of funding

-Affirm the Tribe’s sovereignty and expand its self-determination

-Determine current and future need for essential services that benefit you

The information you provide will help our community!

The survey will take about 15-30 minutes to complete. As a special thank you, each household that completes the survey will receive two $15 gift certificates of their choice for Buffalo Bay Store, Peterson's Foods, Red Cliff Fish Company, and Legendary Waters. Households will also be entered into weekly drawings for a $100 Walmart gift card.

Keep an eye out for your door hanger! It will have a unique survey code that you can use to complete the survey. Once you have your survey code, you can take the survey online at www.redcliff-nsn.gov/census. On-reservation households that do not have internet access will receive paper surveys if they choose not to complete the survey in-person with survey staff.

For questions or additional information, please contact:

Liz Boyd, Tribal Survey Manager

715-779-3744 ext 3518

Liz.Boyd@redcliff-nsn.gov

Kevin Klingbeil, Big Water Consulting

206-466-2065

kevin@bigwaterconsulting.net

The Red Cliff Tribal Council is set to meet this Monday December 4 at Legendary Waters.

The Regular Session is scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM. Community members are encouraged to attend.

New Platform To Access Agendas and Watch Meetings Live

The Tribal Council has started using a new platform for Council meetings. This platform will give easier access to community members to follow along with meetings both in-person and virtually. Community members can now watch council meetings live through this new platform. Community members can also "subscribe" to receive notifications when a meeting agenda is published.

Please contact the Tribal Council Secretary with any questions via email at secretary@redcliff-nsn.gov.

Holiday Ham Giveaway begins December 11! Pick up your certificate at the Administration Building, then take your certificate to Food Distribution to pick up your ham.

Please call the Administration Building with any questions at 715-779-3700.

Boozhoo parents! The Zhawenimikaang Child Care Center is accepting child applications beginning Monday December 4, 2023. The Child Care Center is open to children aged 6 months - 5 years.

The selection process for enrollment will begin Monday December 18. There are currently 4-6 open slots and more will become available as allowable.

APPLY

Applications can be submitted online through Brightwheel. Please note you will need to create a Brightwheel account to apply if you don't already have one. Paper applications are also available at the Zhawenimikaang Child Care Center located at 37495 Watertower Rd.

MORE INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS

Please contact Jennifer Meierotto at 715-779-3200 ext 2600 or Jenn Leask at 715-779-5030 ext 2561.

Boozhoo Aaniin! This year's Kids Christmas Gift Giveaway is set for Wednesday December 13 from 10 AM - 6 PM at Legendary Waters. Reminder to please be sure to sign up by this Friday December 8 at www.redcliff-nsn.gov/kidsxmas.

The Christmas & Santa Party is set for Sunday December 17 from 1-4 PM at Legendary Waters. Kids can meet Mr. & Mrs. Claus and decorate an ornament. Snacks and drinks will be served.

The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important action in reducing your risk of flu and its potentially serious outcomes. Everyone 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine.

The CDC also recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax, to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.

The Red Cliff Community Health Nurse will be facilitating influenza and/or covid vaccine appointments to be held at the Red Cliff Health Center from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on the following dates.

Wednesdays

December 6 & December 27

Fridays

December 8, December 15, & December 29

Appointments can be made by calling the Red Cliff Health Center at 715-779-3707. If you have questions, please call Theresa Morris at extension 2329.

Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with viruses that cause flu and covid-19.

In Case You Missed It -- Our Ojibwemowin Language Table is every Wednesday from 5:30-7:00 PM at the Tribal Historic Preservation Office located at the Cultural Grounds, 36750 Hwy 13 in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang.

This is a wonderful place to practice and learn from our Ojibwemowin Trainees and community members. Join us! Please call THPO with any questions at 715-779-3761.

From Andrea Leider, Foster Care Parent

"I am doing a Buddy Drive this holiday season for an organization that is near and dear to us.

Our Red Cliff ICW story and why it means so much to us:

About 7 years ago I started working with an amazing little girl Miley Gordon at school. She was with another amazing foster family, which my husband had known for years. I started doing a little respite care for them and Miley quickly became one of the family. About 3 years ago now we started working with ICW and became her foster family! Shortly after she was with us we decided we wanted to be her forever family. After going and seeing a lot of her family and sibling and talking to them about it we started the adoption process. She has now been a permanent part of our family for almost 2 years and we wouldn't have it any other way. We love her so much and love that she is still able to be in contact with her family and keeping her native traditions.

ICW has done a fantastic job working with Miley and so many other kids finding them either a temporary home or permanent home, keeping kids safe and connected to their families. For all the hard work they do and everything they have done for us and Miley, I am wanting to give back to them and help them make some great kids smile this holiday season!

Please consider helping make a child smile this holiday season by donating to this amazing cause."

Please contact Andrea directly at 715-419-9463 or see Caitlin Penhollow with the Red Cliff ICW to pay by check or cash. This Buddy Drive will go until December 12.

There are two more Crafters Niche dates before the new year!

Join us at Ginanda Gikendaasomin Red Cliff Library this Saturday December 9. There is no formal instruction -- bring any project you want to work on and enjoy the company of others.

Beaded Ornaments Giveaway

Red Cliff Family Violence Prevention Program will be giving away supplies to make your own beaded ornaments!

Pick up supplies on December 18 at the Family & Human Services Building, 88385 Pike Rd in Gaa-MIskwaabikaang. To sign up, please call 715-779-3706 ext 5012 or ext 5022.

Send a picture of yourself working on your ornament by December 22 for a chance to win a raffle prize! Send your picture to aubrey.defoe@redcliff-nsn.gov or andrea.beeksma@redcliff-nsn.gov.

Supplies are available on a first come basis. There will be no holds.

Adult & Children Paint Supplies Giveaway

Pick up supplies on December 11 at the Family & Human Services Building.

Paint the design provided, submit a picture of it for a chance to receive a prize! Pictures due December 17. Send your picture to aubrey.defoe@redcliff-nsn.gov or andrea.beeksma@redcliff-nsn.gov.

To sign up, please call 715-779-3706 ext 5012 or ext 5022.

The Red Cliff Legal Department is proposing changes to the Red Cliff Code of Laws Chapter 16 and Chapter 25.

Proposed changes to Chapter 16 pertain to business licenses and tax law. Proposed changes to Chapter 25 pertain to rights of way, service lines and trespass.

Public comment on these proposals is encouraged. View all details by clicking the button below. Please drop your comments at the Tribal Administration Building or forward them directly to the Tribal Council. These proposals will be voted upon on Tuesday December 19, 2023 at the Tribal Council meeting. Please contact the Legal Department with any questions at 715-779-3725.

Free workshop opportunity for business owners. Register online at https://www.tfaforms.com/5099733

Fall Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. This period is also sometimes called the Annual Election Period. During this time, you can make changes to your health insurance coverage, including adding, dropping, or changing your Medicare coverage. Even if you’re happy with your current health and drug coverage, Fall Open Enrollment is the time to review what you have, compare it with other options, and make sure that your current coverage still meets your needs for the coming year.

You can make as many changes as you need to your Medicare coverage during Fall Open Enrollment. The changes you can make include: 

1. Joining a new Medicare Advantage Plan
2. Joining a new Part D prescription drug plan 
3. Switching from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan 
4. Switching from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare (with or without a Part D plan) 

Regardless of how you receive your Medicare coverage, you should consider:  

• Your access to health care providers you want to see 
• Your access to preferred pharmacies 
• Your access to benefits and services you need 
• The total costs for insurance premiums, deductibles, and cost-sharing amounts  

If you have Original Medicare, visit this page or read the 2024 Medicare & You handbook to learn about Medicare’s benefits for the upcoming year. You should review any increases to Original Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance charges.  

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or a stand-alone Part D plan, read your plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and/or Evidence of Coverage (EOC). Review these notices for any changes in: 

• The plan’s costs 
• The plan’s benefits and coverage rules 
• The plan’s formulary (list of drugs your plan covers) 

Make sure that your drugs will still be covered next year and that your providers and pharmacies are still in the plan’s network. If you are unhappy with any of your plan’s changes, you can enroll in a new plan. If you want assistance reviewing your options, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for individualized counseling.

Even if you are happy with your current Medicare coverage, consider other Medicare health and drug plan options in your area. For example, even if you do not plan to change your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you should check to see if there’s another plan in your area that will offer you better health and/or drug coverage at a more affordable price. Research shows that people with Medicare prescription drug coverage could lower their costs by shopping among plans each year. There could be another Part D plan in your area that covers the drugs you take with fewer restrictions and/or lower prices.

Click to access the entire ECC December newsletter

The Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet on Monday December 11 at the Housing Authority Offices.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM.

Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority is accepting applications for housing and housing assistance!

RCCHA provides clean, safe, adequate, and affordable housing for qualified families and elders.

Housing options to apply for include low rent, 6-plex, 4-plex, Elderly, Tax Credit, Tax Credit Rehab.

Oski-Ombendaam New Hope Supportive Housing

The Oski-Ombendaam New Hope housing contains efficiency, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. The goal of New Hope housing is to provide supportive services to those individuals and families while providing clean, safe, adequate, and affordable housing.

You are also able to apply for Home Repair Assistance and Down Payment Assistance.

Click HERE to access an application.

Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority tenants have access to a Residential Resource Coordinator. The coordinator will help tenants get connected with various resources.

This service is available to Housing tenants Monday through Friday at New Hope Building A, at 37580 Pageant Road.

Please call 715-779-3744 extension 3514 with any questions.

Click to access the entire Treaty Natural Resources Division Ganawenjigaade newsletter for dagwaagin (fall) 2023.

Click HERE to order online!

The Indigenous Futures Survey is an annual survey that aims to capture Indigenous people’s voices, perspectives, and concerns for use in developing policy, understanding socio-economic trends, and highlighting important issues impacting Indian Country. This information will help inform Tribal leaders and members of Congress about issues facing Indigenous People. This survey will ask about your experiences, thoughts, and beliefs on current and historical issues within your community. Your participation in the survey is entirely voluntary, and you can choose not to answer any question or leave the study at any time.

This year’s survey is co-led by IllumiNative and Native Organizers Alliance, with Kauffman and Associates, Inc. supporting the survey development and analysis.

The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council has purchased land in the Town of Cassian within Oneida County to build an Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center. Above is an image to get an idea of what the youth facility will look like on more than 150 acres of land.

If you’re concerned about the opioids, fentanyl, heroin, and meth flowing into Oneida County and the greater Northwoods, please read the letter below and support construction of this adolescent treatment facility.

Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council CEO Bryan Bainbridge addresses each point within Cassian Town Resolution 2023-01 opposing the proposed Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center. 

The project plans follow Oneida County zoning ordinances, and we look forward to continuing to work with elected officials and the community to ensure we’re doing our part to build desperately needed treatment capacity in the Northwoods for youth fighting addiction, he says.

"Doing nothing to fight addiction will only continue to diminish the quality of life for all residents of Oneida County—including the Town of Cassian—and the Northwoods," Bryan writes in the letter below. "The associated costs of not approving this youth treatment facility are too great."

The proposed youth recovery and wellness center is a 36-bed residential facility centrally located in Wisconsin to best serve all Member Tribes and urban Indians. It will provide culturally relevant services and responsive residential substance abuse treatment for Native American youth, ages 13-17, who are suffering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and any co-occurring mental health conditions. Priority will be given to Native American youth, but the facility would be open to non-Native adolescents as well.

Click here to follow GLITC on Facebook for updates and opportunities to voice support for this project throughout the permitting process.

The Following Letter From GLITC To Cassian Town Board Encourages Support For Youth Recovery Center

Wisconsin Conservation Voices is looking for a Native Vote Director who has a deep commitment to Wisconsin’s tribal communities, enjoys managing staff and developing programs, and believes in the power of voting to create positive change. This is a full-time position and there is geographic flexibility within the state. The full position description can be found HERE.