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Lumbee Tribal Chairman Lowery recently visited Raleigh to meet with North Carolina Lawmakers and Administration officials. House Speaker Tim Moore recognized Chairman Lowery during the North Carolina House's Annual meeting in the historic Capitol Building. Later in the day, Senate Leader Phil Burger and Senator Danny Britt also recognized Chairman Lowery on the floor of the North Carolina Senate. Chairman Lowery met with Department of Administration Secretary Pamela Cashwell (Lumbee/Coharie) to discuss numerous items and how they relate to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Chairman Lowery said, "We had very productive meetings with elected and appointed officials during our time in Raleigh. Our relationships and continued networking will lead to a number of successes for the Lumbee people in the future."

Reminder - Families mark your calendars for the PBS Rootle Roadster Tour which is tomorrow, Saturday, June 25, 2022. The event is on the Quad on the Old Main side of UNC Pembroke from 9:30 till 12:30 pm. Don't miss this opportunity to visit during one of the tour stops across the state. It will be a great time to PLAY, LEARN and SHARE free hands-on activities, games, demonstrations with community partners, PBS KIDS education resources and more. Rootle’s Roadster Tour offers learning experiences through purposeful play that families can take home with them. Stops will include: • STEM activities • Literacy Activities • Physical Activities • Social Emotional Activities • Sensory Activities

Pembroke, NC - (June 21, 2022) - The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has a new Tribal Administrator. During a special called meeting on Tuesday evening, the Tribal Council voted to approve Ricky Harris as the new Tribal Administrator. Harris is already well known across the region, as he served as the former county manager for Robeson County for eight years. Harris is from the Prospect Community. Tammy Maynor served as the Interim-Tribal Administrator for two years. Maynor also serves as the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Lumbee Tribe Of North Carolina. The Tribal Administrator is nominated by the Lumbee Tribal Chairman and approved by the Tribal Council. Chairman John Lowery said the selection of a Tribal Administrator of this caliber with Harris’ experience is a win-win for the Lumbee people. “Ricky Harris has a proven track record as a leader and he brought Robeson County forward during his time as county manager,” said Lowery. “Harris has a wealth of public administration knowledge and understands day to day operations of a governmental entity. I am honored to have his guidance and leadership during my term as Tribal Chairman.” Ricky Harris has worked with the Lumbee Tribe in recent months as a tribal consultant. Harris said he is most excited about this opportunity to be able to work with the Lumbee People and advance the mission of improving services. “Over the past few months, it has been amazing to see the Lumbee staff at work,” said Harris. “This team provides services at a level like no other organization in Robeson County and I am honored to work with them for the continued advancement of my people.” Harris will begin work immediately as the new Tribal Administrator.

A District 7 Community Meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 27, 2022 at 6:00 pm. The meeting is hosted by Council members Rudy T. Locklear, Nanci Locklear and Yvonne Dial. The meeting will be at Pembroke Rescue Squad at 564 Candy Park Road in Pembroke. Dinner will be served.

Addendum #1:

Congratulations to Sharon McNeill Burnette as she is crowned as the new Senior Ms. Lumbee. The pageant was held at UNC Pembroke’s Givens Performing Arts Center. Tammie Chavis Jump took 1st Runner Up, Joan Blackwell received 2nd Place, Clementine Porter was 3rd Place and Marilyn Bullard received 4th Place and the People’s Choice Winner. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible including the Lumbee Tribal staff, volunteers, the entertainment, Chairman Lowery, the Lumbee Tribal Council, Preacher Mike and Sister Quae, the contestants and the sponsors.

Congratulations to all of the students for their amazing entries in the Lumbee Tribal Council Creative Poetry and Creative Short Story contest. The winners were recognized tonight at the June Lumbee Tribal Council Business Meeting. Creative Poetry Kaleb Jacobs - Creative Poetry 1st Place Morgan Clay - Creative Poetry - Honorary Mention Creative Short Story Adiston Hunt - Creative Short Story 1st Place Kendyll Clay - Creative Short Story 2nd Place Rayleona Emanuel - Creative Short Story - Honorary Mention Kara Locklear - Creative Short Story - Honorary Mention

Bradley Locklear, Housing Director for the Lumbee Tribe, has several tips to help keep your home cool and your family safe as temperatures soar more than 100 degrees in the coming weeks: Set your thermometer at 76 degrees or higher. Close the blinds in your home. Clean air filters. Operate your ceiling or floor fans Turn off when not in the room. Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly and children. If you your is not functioning properly or you don't have an AC Unit, visit public places such as a mall, stores or library in the heat of the day. Stay hydrated.

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina sends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Ray Oxendine. Mr. Ray crossed over on June 7, 2022, at the age of 85. He will be remembered by his students and many communities for his commitment to education, but more specifically to each student. Mr. Ray was a longtime educator who believed in the power of an education. Mr. Ray Oxendine was born in Pembroke on March 22, 1937. Born to Thomas Hilliard and Georgia Rae Maynor Oxendine, Ray grew up a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe in a small farming community. Many of the core values that Ray Oxendine championed came from his upbringing in Pembroke, NC. He committed himself to a lifetime of service: God, Country, Family, and Community. Mr. Ray joined the U.S. Army following high school graduation, where he proudly served deploying to Germany for two years and earning his Army paratrooper wings. After his service, he went on to Catawba College where he captained both the football and baseball teams, graduating in 1962. He was the head coach of the Catawba baseball team where he was the Carolinas Conference baseball coach of the year twice and contributed to his eventual induction into the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He worked in NC public schools for over 30 years as a teacher and administrator in many local high schools. His leadership and charisma as a principal, teacher, and coach positively impacted generations of students with his infamous “neck squeeze” across NC and beyond. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Maxton, where he taught Sunday School for many years. Post retirement, Ray was a volunteer for the Red Cross deploying to assist during disaster relief and recovery efforts, including Hurricanes Katrina and Irene. He also traveled extensively visiting his family and watching his grandchildren participate in sporting events around the country and overseas. Mr. Ray is survived by his longtime companion, Lynne Morgan; his daughters, Beth (Chris) Snyder of Mandeville, Louisiana, Susan (Dean) Valentine of Los Angeles, California, 8 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, all of whom he was immensely proud. He was the brother of Louis Oxendine, Magnolia Lowry, Ruth Hurnevich, and the late Thomas Oxendine, Robert Oxendine, Joseph Oxendine, and Earl Hughes Oxendine. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday June 11, 2022 at Pembroke Gospel Chapel, 406 N. Jones St, Pembroke, NC. The funeral service will be on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at 2 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 303 N. Patterson St, Maxton, NC followed by the burial service at Sandcutt Cemetery, Oxendine Road, Pembroke, NC. Mrs. Beth and Mrs. Susan request that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Catawba College for the Oxendine Family area at Newman Park, the baseball stadium where both Ray and his brother Joe played baseball at Catawba College. Any donation is appreciated as we look to keep the legacy, the teachings, the enduring memory of Ray Oxendine alive, and promoting continued connection to the Native American community as well as diverse athletes around the world.

The Lumbee Tribe Keeps You Warm In the Winter and Cool in the Summer. Through July 8th, the Energy Department is accepting applications for the LIHCAP - Low Income Housing Cooling Assistance Program. The Lumbee Tribe Energy Program offers The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) throughout the year. For more information call 910.522.2206 or visit www.lumbeetribe.com

Pembroke, NC (June 10, 2022) - The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is bringing Tribal services into a new age to streamline how Lumbee Tribal Members apply for Housing services and access their Tribal Enrollment information. Lumbee Tribe Department Managers are now working with Salesforce to develop a Tribal Citizen’s portal that will be an extension of the Lumbeetribe.com website. On the new site, tribal members may apply for Housing services virtually from anywhere. The site will allow members to upload required documentation online. They will also be able to see their application status through the portal. Even though the portal will simplify many aspects of tribal enrollment, applicants for new enrollment and members who are updating must still apply in person, in accordance to tribal law. Members will be able to access their enrollment to review items such as their tribal status and request information such as Family Trees, Certificates of Tribal Enrollment and Certificates of Indian Blood. Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery said he is very proud to see the Lumbee Tribe enter into the agreement with Salesforce. “This is an effort to better serve our Lumbee People by streamlining services to our tribal members,” said Lowery. Salesforce is considered a global leader in digital commerce and data access. The company works with tribal communities across the nation. Salesforce is currently working with Lumbee Managers to make the portal user friendly as well as make sure it has all services that Lumbee Members will need. The site will extend accessibility for all Lumbee Tribal Members. For tribal members without internet or internet compatible devices, the Lumbee Tribe Housing staff will be available to assist them in person to process applications. The portal is also part of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s commitment to “Go Green”, thereby being paperless in the coming years. The online portal site is anticipated to be completed by mid-August 2022. For departments such as the Lumbee Enrollment Department, the changeover will require the staff to upload around 100,000 records pertaining to membership and ancestry. The Tribal Portal will roll out in phases. Once completed, the change from filling out paper forms is anticipated to cut the application process time in half.

Mark your calendars for June 25, 2022 for the Rootle Roadster Tour. It is from 9:30 till 12:30 pm. Don't miss this opportunity to visit one of the tour stops. It will be a great time to PLAY, LEARN and SHARE free hands-on activities, games, demonstrations with community partners, PBS KIDS education resources and more. Rootle’s Roadster Tour offers learning experiences through purposeful play that families can take home with them.