Post by Okwes on Mar 4, 2007 22:17:51 GMT -5
Chippewa tribe to open community center for Standish branch
HELEN LOUNSBURYTIMES WRITER
STANDISH - Saginaw Chippewa tribal leaders have talked of building their Saganing members a community center near Standish for a dozen years.
This month, the Mount Pleasant-based tribe's vision becomes reality.
The Chippewas' Saganing branch moves from its current center, a doublewide trailer in Standish Township, to a lodge six times its size near the Saganing Indian Church at Whites Beach.
And though members consider their rural center homey, its quality can't compare with the carefully chosen, specially crafted timber, stone, tile and elk antlers built into their new home.
The new Saganing Community Center is the pride and joy of the Arenac County branch, members say.
The full Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe celebrates the milestone Jan. 19 with a grand opening aimed at welcoming the broader community.
The surprise for some will be that the new center is what the tribe says, not more. Contrary to persistent rumor, the Saginaw Chippewas have no intention of starting gaming operations at the Saganing Center, leaders say.
''We just want an outreach center where we can give our members more access, more of the services we offer in Mount Pleasant,'' said Frank Cloutier, Saginaw Chippewa public relations manager. ''We've always wanted that, but the physical distance between (Isabella and Arenac counties) makes it difficult.''
It's been 13 years since the tribe's economic plight shifted dramatically with the opening of Soaring Eagle, its Mount Pleasant casino. But the gaming operation, while successful, is a means toward self-determination, not an end in itself, Cloutier said.
''The whole purpose behind Native American gaming is to make tribal members more self-sufficient,'' he said. ''This new center is a step in that direction.''
Among the programs the tribe plans to expand are its health care and fitness services for members. Also envisioned for the new center are added educational workshops for Saganing elders and children, improved tribal police presence and more social and cultural gatherings for members and the community.
The Saganing district has 56 tribal members, said Don Nelson, Saganing Community Center director. In all, the outreach center serves about 130-150 people with members' families.
''We're ecstatic,'' Nelson said. ''It's overwhelming for us. We'll be able to serve our members better and have more opportunity to connect with the larger community.''
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The hold-up for the Saganing center has focused on utilities, not political will, leaders say.
Because the rural parcel has no municipal water service, for example, the tribe had to specially design and engineer a septic system to accommodate its plans.
The huge mound to the center's right is its septic field.
''It's very involved,'' Cloutier explained. ''And its size, as big as it is, is based on minimum, Monday through Friday business use of the center. It's not designed to be a 24/7 business. Again, we just needed a community center.''
As it is, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe runs the largest, Indian-owned gaming operation in Michigan, the fifth largest nationally, Cloutier said. The tribe still has more than enough overhead to manage in Mount Pleasant without considering operations elsewhere, he added.
On Jan. 19, the tribe plans a 10:30 a.m. public opening with cultural fanfare. The tribe's drum academy opens the celebration with its youth drummers, for example. A women's vocal troupe plans to sing in its native Ojibwa. The tribe's veterans' society, too, the Ogitchedaw Warriors, will post U.S. and tribal colors.
Finally, a welcome by the tribe's chief and center director open the morning to a building tour and luncheon.
''We do hope to increase participation from our tribal community,'' Nelson said. ''But we want to bridge the gap with the larger community, too. For people who are interested, we want to share our history, to help them better understand who we are. We're all neighbors.''
- Helen Lounsbury covers regional news for The Times. She can be reached at 1-800-727-7661 or by e-mail at hlounsbury@bc-times.com.
HELEN LOUNSBURYTIMES WRITER
STANDISH - Saginaw Chippewa tribal leaders have talked of building their Saganing members a community center near Standish for a dozen years.
This month, the Mount Pleasant-based tribe's vision becomes reality.
The Chippewas' Saganing branch moves from its current center, a doublewide trailer in Standish Township, to a lodge six times its size near the Saganing Indian Church at Whites Beach.
And though members consider their rural center homey, its quality can't compare with the carefully chosen, specially crafted timber, stone, tile and elk antlers built into their new home.
The new Saganing Community Center is the pride and joy of the Arenac County branch, members say.
The full Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe celebrates the milestone Jan. 19 with a grand opening aimed at welcoming the broader community.
The surprise for some will be that the new center is what the tribe says, not more. Contrary to persistent rumor, the Saginaw Chippewas have no intention of starting gaming operations at the Saganing Center, leaders say.
''We just want an outreach center where we can give our members more access, more of the services we offer in Mount Pleasant,'' said Frank Cloutier, Saginaw Chippewa public relations manager. ''We've always wanted that, but the physical distance between (Isabella and Arenac counties) makes it difficult.''
It's been 13 years since the tribe's economic plight shifted dramatically with the opening of Soaring Eagle, its Mount Pleasant casino. But the gaming operation, while successful, is a means toward self-determination, not an end in itself, Cloutier said.
''The whole purpose behind Native American gaming is to make tribal members more self-sufficient,'' he said. ''This new center is a step in that direction.''
Among the programs the tribe plans to expand are its health care and fitness services for members. Also envisioned for the new center are added educational workshops for Saganing elders and children, improved tribal police presence and more social and cultural gatherings for members and the community.
The Saganing district has 56 tribal members, said Don Nelson, Saganing Community Center director. In all, the outreach center serves about 130-150 people with members' families.
''We're ecstatic,'' Nelson said. ''It's overwhelming for us. We'll be able to serve our members better and have more opportunity to connect with the larger community.''
Advertisement
The hold-up for the Saganing center has focused on utilities, not political will, leaders say.
Because the rural parcel has no municipal water service, for example, the tribe had to specially design and engineer a septic system to accommodate its plans.
The huge mound to the center's right is its septic field.
''It's very involved,'' Cloutier explained. ''And its size, as big as it is, is based on minimum, Monday through Friday business use of the center. It's not designed to be a 24/7 business. Again, we just needed a community center.''
As it is, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe runs the largest, Indian-owned gaming operation in Michigan, the fifth largest nationally, Cloutier said. The tribe still has more than enough overhead to manage in Mount Pleasant without considering operations elsewhere, he added.
On Jan. 19, the tribe plans a 10:30 a.m. public opening with cultural fanfare. The tribe's drum academy opens the celebration with its youth drummers, for example. A women's vocal troupe plans to sing in its native Ojibwa. The tribe's veterans' society, too, the Ogitchedaw Warriors, will post U.S. and tribal colors.
Finally, a welcome by the tribe's chief and center director open the morning to a building tour and luncheon.
''We do hope to increase participation from our tribal community,'' Nelson said. ''But we want to bridge the gap with the larger community, too. For people who are interested, we want to share our history, to help them better understand who we are. We're all neighbors.''
- Helen Lounsbury covers regional news for The Times. She can be reached at 1-800-727-7661 or by e-mail at hlounsbury@bc-times.com.