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Thank you to everyone who came out this evening for the Lumbee Winter Solstice (Celebration of Blessings) event. Hundreds of people from across the region enjoyed the Drive-thru Holiday Lights and special goodies. We want to say a special thank you to our Lumbee Tribe staff, Miss Indian NC Miss Kaitlyn Deal and everyone who has worked diligently for weeks to prepare for this event and to make it extra special. Our staff has been cutting, painting. sawing, gluing and everything in between for our community. Even though it rained this evening and the weather was very chilly, all of our staff worked hard to serve the community and make tonight a great success. If you were unable to attend tonight, the Lumbee Winter Solstice event continues Saturday and Sunday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. This weekend will be only lights. The Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center is located on Terry Sanford Drive in Maxton, NC. Visitors are required to remain in their vehicle. Drivers may listen to holiday music once they arrive at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center by tuning your car radio to Channel 104.9 radio. This event is paid for with NAHASDA Cares Act Funding and BCBSNC Blue Cross Blue Shield of N.C.

All offices of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will close today at 3 pm to prepare for the Lumbee Winter Solstice (Celebration of Blessings) event which begins at 5:30 pm. this afternoon. The festivities are Free to the Public and will feature Drive-thru Holiday Lights Friday through Sunday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Visitors to the Lumbee Winter Solstice are required to remain in their vehicle. On Friday, drivers will be instructed to open your trunk to receive goodies. Drivers may listen to holiday music once they arrive at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center by tuning your car radio to Channel 104.9 radio. The Lumbee Tribe Winter Solstice (Celebration of Blessings) event will be extended from Friday through Sunday to allow more people the opportunity to enjoy the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center decorated for Christmas. The Saturday and Sunday Drive-thru will only offer a chance to see the lights. Participants will only receive goodies on Friday, December 10th, while supplies last. The event is paid for with NAHASDA Cares Act Funding and BCBSNC Blue Cross Blue Shield of N.C.

The Lumbee Tribe Supreme Court will hold a Hearing today. LTSC 2021-003 Kindra Locklear v. Lumbee Tribe Board of Elections Hearing will be heard today - Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 2:00 pm. The hearing will be livestreamed on the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Website at https://www.lumbeetribe.com/live-stream

The Lumbee Tribe Winter Solstice (Celebration of Blessings) event will be extended from Friday through Sunday to allow more people the opportunity to enjoy the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center decorated for Christmas. The Saturday and Sunday Drive-thru will only offer a chance to see the lights. Participants will only receive goodies on Friday, December 10th, while supplies last. The festivities are Free to the Public and will feature Drive-thru Holiday Lights from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Visitors to the Lumbee Winter Solstice are required to remain in their vehicle. On Friday, drivers will be instructed to open your trunk to receive goodies. Drivers may listen to holiday music once they arrive at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center by tuning their car radio to Channel 104.9 radio. The event is paid for with NAHASDA Cares Act Funding and BCBSNC Blue Cross Blue Shield of N.C.

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. has joined a community effort to provide vaccinations for everyone to make our community safer by offering FREE COVID-19 Vaccinations each Thursday through Saturday at the Lumbee Tribe Boys & Girls Club. This partnership includes the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Old North State Medical Society, Mt. Calvary Center for Leadership Development and the Robeson County Health Department. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for children ages 5-11. Each week, the vaccinations are available Thursday through Friday: 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm and Saturday from 9am - 12pm. Vaccine boosters are also available. The site will be closed December 10th. The address is 120 Youth Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372. Need transportation? Call 910.618.5679 to arrange your ride. For more information, visit MySpot.nc.gov or call 888-675-4567.

Thank you to everyone who turned out for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina's Annual "Lighting of the Turtle" Ceremony tonight. It was exciting as our community joined together to countdown to light the Lumbee Tribe Housing Complex for the holidays. Due to COVID-19, the ceremony was not held in 2020. Thank you to Taylor Davis for blessing us with special music tonight. We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas Holiday.

This week, the Lumbee Tribe enjoyed a great opportunity to share Lumbee Culture with employees and Naval Officers from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, DC. The Lumbee Tribe Culture Team provided a rare presentation in celebration of Native American and Alaskan Native Month as an opportunity to educate about the Lumbee Tribe’s proud heritage and culture. The program was hosted by NAVSEA at the Washington Navy Yard. The historic event was coordinated by Lumbee Tribal member Robert D. Deese Jr., (Deputy Command Information Officer, Program Executive Office SHIPS, who leads the Native American Indian and Alaskan Native Employee Resource Group in collaboration with the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity.) The Lumbee delegation was comprised of Lumbee Tribal dancers, singers and Miss Lumbee 2019-22 Taylor Brooke Locklear. The Culture Team presented a variety of dances and songs, ranging from a War Dance to a Prayer and Honor Song. Through their performance of each dance and song, the team was able to showcase the Lumbee Tribe, its beliefs, clothing, as well as the history and significance for each dance and song. The Cultural Exchange Program offers the opportunity to share the story of the Lumbee with thousands of Naval Personnel and civilians around the globe. Lumbee Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin, Jr., the keynote speaker at the special event, presented Robert Deese with a Star Blanket, which was quilted by a Lumbee Elder and a Eagle Feather for Deese’s service, dedication and commitment to his community and nation. Deese is from the Maxton Community. He is the son of Robert and Betty Deese. During his presentation, Chairman Godwin shared Lumbee history, the current position regarding Federal Recognition, as well as treasured stories of the heroism and bravery of Lumbee Veterans who have served in various capacities supporting the US military throughout America’s history. The cultural exchange program has already opened the door for future partnerships for STEM Programs and possible internships for Lumbee Youth. NAVSEA’s (Naval Sea Systems Command) mission is to design, build, deliver and maintain ships, submarines and systems reliably, on-time and on-cost for the United States Navy. The Lumbee Tribe would like to thank NAVSEA Commander William Galinis, Executive Commander Ms. Giao Phan, Rear Admiral Tom J. Anderson, Thomas Rivers, and Robert D. Deese Jr, for this historic opportunity.

Congratulations to Ashley Minner as she is spotlighted this week by the Smithsonian! Ashley is the Smithsonian’s First Curator from the Lumbee Tribe. For the full article, visit https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/native-curator-ashley-minner?fbclid=IwAR2n-G2KtxLRhNTfyxz2VD6Kz0a7NYyha7Obq7TlpaA-soaAfmwSZvaM128.

Throughout American Indian Heritage Month, we have shared the story of Lumbee Hero and Veteran Tom Oxendine with people across the country. His story is extremely special to his Lumbee People, not only because of his accomplishments as a Navy Pilot, but especially because he always held his tribal family close and brought his travels of the world home to share with us. Tom Oxendine always remembered where he came from and wanted to make sure his people knew they too could achieve their dreams. Thank you to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials for helping to keep his story alive. For the full article, visit: https://transportationhistory.org/2021/11/30/national-native-american-heritage-month-thomas-oxendine-u-s-navy-pilot/?fbclid=IwAR0Jcvlk4P8sF-Vwj56wAhvo26FT4IpXaQICvaz6WdfvHm63VKt9BmuAMZQ.

As we near the end of November, we continue to count our blessings. We are thankful for our friends near and far and those who are new to our circle. We also say thank you to those allies who stand with us through thick and thin and help us to carry the extra for our young and our elders. Today the leaves showed the beauty of our nation, but also serve as a reminder of the circle of life. Like the trees and leaves, we grow with the help of our friends, family, and our surroundings. Together, we help each other blossom into who we are meant to be. Blessed American Indian Heritage Month.

Congratulations to . This week, he is the only Native American in NC showcased in the N.C. State Fair Livestock Hall of Fame for swine! Mr. Anthony and his family have been showing pigs at the fair for over 30 years. Before focusing his primary efforts on agriculture, he spent years molding and growing the minds of young people as an educator.

Thank you to the Fort Bragg Administration for allowing us to share our Lumbee Culture during American Indian Heritage Month.