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Lumbee Tribe Takes Heart Challenge to Join a Nation of Lifesavers! Pembroke, NC (March 15, 2024) - The Lumbee Tribal Employees and Tribal citizens recently met the American Heart Association’s Heart Month 100 person Hands-only CPR Challenge. Healthy Heart Coordinator Vanessa Locklear taught hands-only CPR to more than150 people during the month of February and continues to educate more people that it only takes 90 seconds to save a life. The challenge is part of the American Heart Association celebrating 100 years of lifesaving work. During February, there was a renewed focus on CPR. Throughout the month, the Lumbee Tribe staff hosted Healthy Heart Month activities, which included sharing information on ways to work toward a healthier heart, fitness and exercise examples, healthy recipe tips, healthier food options during “Love Week” and onsite hands-on CPR Demonstrations. These demonstrations included elders in the community, Lumbee Tribal Staff, and 50 children at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club. Some of the club members participating in the lifesaving training were as young as 9 years old. The campaign is part of the Lumbee Tribe’s partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA) to encourage Lumbee Tribal Citizens and the community to be engaged in better heart health.  The goal is to promote heart healthy initiatives, while also sharing educational information with our tribal citizens, community groups, and the community. This year, the American Heart Association’s celebration of 100 years of dedication to fighting heart disease and stroke, extended all the way to a Mobile CPR Unit at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Even though February is over, community groups will still be learning about Hands-only CPR and ways to keep your heart healthy. Photo 1- Children at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club participating in lifesaving training of hands-only CPR. Photo 2- Lumbee Tribe Maintenance Staff participated in lifesaving training of hands-only CPR in February.

Today, UNC Pembroke celebrated its 137th year as an institution. Current students, Alumni, County Commissioners, as well as many others from the community joined the celebration! Croatan Normal School, as the institution was originally called, was established with 15 students in a single building. UNC Pembroke is now home to more than 8,300 students. The ceremony was extra special today as many descendants from the original founders were in attendance as well as some of the eldest living alumni. The current oldest alumni is 96 years old. She was joined by her daughter, granddaughter, as well as great-granddaughter, current Ms. Lumbee Ashtyn Thomas. The (7) seven founders’ of UNC Pembroke were Isaac Brayboy, James E. Dial Sr., Preston Locklear, W.L. Moore, James Oxendine, John J. Oxendine and Olin Oxendine. We are thankful that these seven founders, and their wives, had a vision to create a learning environment that has withstood the test and trials of time! HAIL TO UNCP!

Help us improve the health of our Tribal Community by participating in the Lumbee Tribe Health Assessment Purpose: The purpose of this Lumbee Tribe health assessment is to systematically collect, analyze, and interpret data to understand the health status, needs, and assets of the Lumbee Tribe community. Understanding the community health needs will help to identify the prevalent health issues and challenges faced by the Lumbee Tribe members. Participants: The Lumbee Tribe health assessment involves collaboration and engagement with board members, local organizations, healthcare providers, and other community members. This process helps to foster partnerships, encourages community participation, and ensures that the assessment reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of the Lumbee Tribe community. Procedures (methods): In this study, the participants will be asked to complete a short survey. The survey will not ask for name but will document age, race or ethnicity and gender as well as other demographic information such as health, working and living arrangements. Use your phone to scan the QR code to complete the survey

Congratulations to all the winners of the United Tribes Community awards, which were presented this weekend at the 49th Annual NC Indian Unity Conference in Charlotte, NC. We wanted to take time to celebrate our Lumbee Tribal Citizen recipients. Congratulations to Rudy Locklear, who was recognized for his service during the Veteran Honoring Ceremony. Mr. Rudy, a Purple Heart Recipient and Union Chapel Community resident, was drafted into the Vietnam War on January 5, 1966. He went to Fort Jordan for Advanced Infantry Training in Georgia and then onto Fort Benning Airborne School, aka “jump school”. From there he went to Vietnam and spent 8 months in combat. He served with the 4th and 9th B Company, 25th Infantry Division. During a search and destroy mission on March 29, 1967 outside of Saigon, Vietnam, he was severely wounded by enemy gunfire and had to be airlifted by a medevac helicopter. His recovery was spent at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC and he completed his mission and military career at Fort Bragg, NC in 1968. He still has the telegrams from the US Army that his parents kept informing them that their son had been wounded. Congratulations to Mr. Larry Townsend, who received the Unsung Hero Award. Lumbee Tribal Chairman Lowery accepted the award on Mr. Larry’s behalf. Mr. Larry, who lives in Pembroke, helped to establish the Lumbee Tribe Veterans Office, which assist veterans of all races from around the nation. He worked to draft legislation to begin this office, which opened in 2004 and has helped thousands of veterans. Mr. Larry is a Vietnam Veteran and spent years serving as a Veterans Service Officer for the Lumbee Tribe. Through the Lumbee Tribal Veterans Office, Mr. Larry also worked with other veterans to establish the Lumbee Warriors Association, which honors and recognize veterans for their service and promotes veteran issues. Mr. Larry served multiple terms on the Lumbee Tribal Council, and would go on to serve as the Southeast Region Vice President to the National Congress of American Indians. During his time at NCAI, Mr. Larry represented 29 American Indian tribes throughout the Southeast. He worked with the full NCAI Executive Committee Members to fulfill a variety of national and regional responsibilities to ensure that NCAI remained a strong, stable organization that serves the broad and best interest of American Indians and Alaska Native tribal governments and communities throughout the United States. Also, Congratulations to Perry Hunt Senior, who received the Economic Advancement of Indian People award. Mr. Hunt is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe. He lives in the Piedmont/Greensboro area. Congratulations to all of the recipients who received a Lumbee Warriors Association Pin. These included Secretary Pamela Brewington Cashwell (Lumbee/Coharie) who is Secretary of the NC Department of Administration, United Tribes Vice President Nora Dial- Stanley (Lumbee), United Tribes President Jessie Jacobs (Coharie), United Tribes Treasurer Corbin Eddings (Lumbee), NC Commission of Indian Affairs Executive Director Gregory A. Richardson (Haliwa-Saponi), Coharie Tribal Administrator Greg Jacobs, Commission Board Member Hattie Campbell (Waccamaw Siouan), Commission Board Member Danny Bell (Coharie), and NC American Indian Heritage Commission Associate Director Quinn Godwin (Lumbee). Congratulations to all of the students who received scholarships on Saturday. It was exciting to see that more than a dozen of the 24 recipients were from the Lumbee Tribe. Thank you to all of the Lumbee presenters and Key Note Speakers who represented our nation so well. Also, congratulations to all of our winners in the art, quilting and writing contest.

REMINDER: April 5, 2024 is the deadline to return your application for the Lumbee Cords of Honor Ceremony. On April 25, 2024, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will honor all Lumbee High School and College Students, who are potential 2024 graduates in the Lumbee Cords of Honor Ceremony. Applications are now being accepted for graduates to apply. These cords represent this important milestone in the life of our Lumbee Students. The cords comprise the colors of the Lumbee Tribal Seal and the Medicine Wheel. This symbolism represents the four directions, four seasons, as well as our sacred path in life. The application is available at https://www.lumbeetribe.com/_files/ugd/6ca8af_e3a7a7468ebc4570bb4279afdc099586.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1ez6LpTxdCQX8_fky3bIQNovLlieF7EfmP1icJXFgHyJQbqfU6HYznTSw You may upload the application to a google form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3Z9fwVFTdeJafSp-USXDiKX0jPUETh-17cnYX6oQ8LVsnpA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR33Lrmyco07VRgtNMIndxkCZQTJbVz9qTUKOJIHe6-cfr0WGK-uDK-i1gY The application must be fully completed, signed by a school counselor or college advisor, and returned by April 5, 2024 by 5:00 pm to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Please email or hand deliver your application to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Housing Complex at 6984 NC Hwy 711 West in Pembroke. (Attn: Cords of Honor) Or Email to : cordsofhonor@lumbeetribe.com. Students must be actively enrolled. Enrollment Office information - 910.668.6099 or 910.521.7861 or email the Enrollment office at enrollment@lumbeetribe.com **Please note: Students that graduate(d) in Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Fall 2024 may apply for a Cord of Honor. Due to the limited seating available, this will be a ticketed event and graduates MUST RSVP to attend. Each graduate may bring (2) two guests and show their tickets at the door to be scanned. As your life moves into future directions, we wish you success and honor your accomplishments. Education is a core value of the Lumbee People. We know it is our path to success. You crossed this milestone. We want to celebrate your journey.

Finding your Roots from Roanoke to Robeson is the camp for you, if you are interested in diving into our Lumbee history. Your experience begins with checking in at UNCP to begin the journey. You’ll hear the historical facts about our people and visits the historical sites on our Tribal lands. You will see your own genealogy chart to discover, “Who’s Your People”. We then travel from Robeson to Roanoke for 3 days and dig into the myths and facts on Roanoke Island. We close our last night viewing the “Lost Colony “outdoor drama and our last day visiting historical sites in Nags Head, NC before we head home. Register NOW for Finding Your Roots. Space is limited—camps will be first come, first serve. For more information and to register, please visit https://indigechoice.lumbeetribe.com.

Project IndigeCHOICE’s ‘The U.niversity Experience’ is now open for registration! ‘The University Experience’ includes a free tour of Campbell University and East Carolina University. Students will be have the opportunity to tour the NASA Moon Rover Lab, College of Pharmacy, as well as the School of Medicine at Campbell University. While touring ECU, students will tour the Health Sciences, Queen Anne’s Revenge Lab, as well as the Virtual Reality Lab. Space is limited—camps will be first come, first serve. For more information and to register, please visit https://indigechoice.lumbeetribe.com

Please mark your calendar for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Dance of the Harvest Moon Powwow. The Powwow will be Friday through Sunday, September 27 - 29, 2024. Tribal Chairman John Lowery hopes you will make plans to join the Lumbee People during this time of celebration and fellowship.

Join us for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s Inaugural Gala, "Protecting our Past, Moving Toward Our Future” on  June 29, 2024. With your sponsorship, we will increase our efforts toward full federal recognition, acknowledgment and benefits, which will make a difference in the daily lives of our elders, children, and community.  The event will be held at the Southeastern Ag. Events Center in Lumberton. The sponsorship packages are listed below. For more details, call Belinda Brewer at 910.522.2219. Individual tickets will go on sale May 1, 2024 for $125.

Thank you to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH), Richard J. Monocchio, for his visit today to the Lumbee Tribal Housing Complex and several facilities and properties to spotlight the Lumbee Tribe’s Housing program. PDAS Monocchio, along with Neil Whitegull, Eastern Woodlands Area Administrator for PIH's Office of Native American Programs (EWONAP), and EWONAP Grants Management Team Lead Mary White toured several Lumbee Housing Communities and walked through a new home in the Dreamcatcher Arrowpoint subdivision. In addition to the tour, the delegation met with Tribal Chairman Lowery and tribal administrators to discuss affordable housing developments, affordable housing services, building and maintaining Native communities, Holistic wraparound services, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, interest rates and home mortgages, the current housing crisis, partnerships with local municipalities and leveraging and layering funding sources. Before leaving, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Monocchio visited with children at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club.

Register NOW for free residential camps through Project IndigeCHOICE! Students may attend the North Carolina Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO) Camp or the Understanding Your Environment Camp. Space is limited—camps will be first come, first serve. For more information and to register, please visit https://indigechoice.lumbeetribe.com Students attending NCNAYO will participate in 5 days of learning experiences on the beautiful campus of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The North Carolina Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO) will sponsor this camp. Students will engage with various tribes from across NC. They can discover and understand better their personality and leadership style. The student, along with other American Indian students can learn how to set their future educational goals and how they can be of service to the Native people in their community. Come join us for the opportunity to make a difference in your life. During Understanding Your Environment, students will tour sites in the Lumbee Homeland to discover the work Lumbee people are doing to preserve our tribal natural environment. Students will work side by side with an expert in the field of Environmental Science and meet staff who work in critical areas at the Environmental Protection Agency. Canoe down the Lumbee River to view our native land while discovering careers that help to preserve our natural environment. Additionally, students will have an opportunity to travel to Washington DC to visit with native people who work daily to protect our land and water.

Project IndigeCHOICE has exciting news about our camps to share! Camps are now open for registration!  Let's discover and explore together by signing up for our FREE camps. The student must be rising K-12th graders. Space is limited—camps will be first come, first serve. For more information and to register, please visit https://indigechoice.lumbeetribe.com The University of North Carolina at Pembroke offers rising 1st through 5th graders the opportunity to join the Junior Braves (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Agriculture, Math) program for a week of fun, creativity and problem solving. The Junior Braves program is designed to motivate and inspire young learners to explore and excel at challenging activities. Not only will the campers have fun learning, they’ll have the opportunity to experience team building, critical thinking and decision-making skills. The academically challenging classes are designed to foster development of independent learning strategies as well as offer new experiences, discoveries, and excitement. ————— Native Young Visionary Women Camp is for rising  6th – 8th grade girls. This camp provides the opportunity expose students to various STEM academic areas as well as subject areas that will lead to careers of interest for the students and will focus on college and career readiness. Students will explore the native culture and history and meet our native people currently working in various careers. This camp will be held at the UNCP "HUB" and girls will travel to UNC Chapel Hill to meet Visionary Women of today. UNCP’s Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub is located at 202 Main St, Pembroke, NC 28372.