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Registration for first-ever summit still open and slots still available for social this evening from 6-8 p.m. at Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina headquarters on N.C. 711 in Pembroke PEMBROKE – Sen. Richard Burr will be the keynote speaker for the upcoming Lumbee Nation Economic Summit June 1-2 at Givens Performing Arts Center and the University Annex at UNC Pembroke. The registration fee for the two-day event is $75.Dr. Freda Porter has been instrumental in planning the first-ever Economic Summit. She is President of Porter Scientific in Pembroke. “The summit promises to be a pivotal event in bringing together individuals across the state to encourage connections, build relationships, and gain information to promote success for their businesses,” said Porter, who is organizing the event. “The summit is already generating a lot of response from the public and we expect a large crowd.” The summit is strongly supported by the U.S. Government as well as the State of North Carolina. Porter said it would be a “conduit to new opportunities for today’s American Indian enterprises.”The summit starts June 1 with an evening welcome social at the Lumbee tribal headquarters on N.C. 711 just east of Pembroke. Confirmed keynote speakers include: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Navy for Installations, Energy, and Environment, the N.C. District Director of U.S. Small Business Administration, North Carolina Senator Burr, Director of N.C. HUB office, and a key Energy Resources and Renewable Energy professional. Porter said there would be more than 150 people at this event. Tribal leaders, Congressional members, federal agency representatives, state and local elected officials, primes, and top chief executive officers are expected to attend. “Government buyers will present forecasts of opportunities and talk about doing business with Federal, State and Local Government,” Porter said. “The summit is an opportunity for local businesses to partner and network.”The focus of the summit is to bring together companies from across the state to give them an opportunity to connect, gain information, meet resources, and build relationships that will result in growth for their business. Another highlight is the business expo and American Indian Artisan Market.“The summit showcases local talent and achievements and energizes the dialogue to rapidly grow new and broader economic opportunities in our region," Porter said. To register, visit on the web.For more information, contact at Anne Priest (910) 521-0703 or apriest@porterscientific.com on the web.

WAKULLA -- Rocky Locklear of Wakulla has made a career of living the “Sheetrocker’s Dream,” a way of life for many Lumbee construction workers. Locklear is one of the many talented contractors who does work for the Lumbee Tribe’s housing program. Locklear has been working in the drywall industry for nearly 40 years now, starting as a young teenager in the mid-1970s. He is shown applying sheetrock mud to the interior walls of a home the tribe is building on Whistling Rufus Road in the Prospect community near Pembroke. Locklear said he expects to have the final coats of mud applied this week as the walls of the home will then be painted. Lumbee tribal members are regarded as some of the top drywall workers in the world. Lumbee first started working with sheetrock in the late 1950s and reached a peak of their work during the 1980s and 1990s. Though, the trade has fallen on hard times with the recent downturn of the housing market, Sheetrock contractors have noticed a pickup in work recently as the housing market continues to improve. Locklear said he became interested in sheetrock work as a young boy in the 1970s after his father the late Riley Locklear Sr. built his family a new home on Mt. Zion Church Road in the Wakulla community near Red Springs. He said he was amazed at how their bathtub was molded perfectly into the wall. “I use to stare at it all the time and I wondered how they did that. I was so use to living in houses with cracks in the walls I had never seen anything like that. I made up my mind then that that’s what I wanted to do and I’ve done it ever since,” Locklear said. Since that time, he has become one of the area’s top finishers in Sheetrock. He is no longer amazed at how a home’s bathtub seems to fit seemlessly into a wall. He has become a pro at making them fit that way. And, he is still living the sheet rocker’s dream. The Lumbee Tribe offers New Construction to low-income families who potentially would not be eligible for conventional loans through a lending institution. The homeownership program is for qualified first time homeowners. The Lumbee Tribe will construct the home and act as the lender. Homes may be built on the owner’s land, or in a tribal subdivision. The New Construction program operates on a first-come, first-serve basis; therefore, there is a waiting list. To Apply, the applicant: * Must have an annual family income which is sufficient to pay administration fees, utilities and upkeep costs; * Must have the potential for maintaining at least their current income level based on the national median income guidelines; * Must be a first-time homeowner; * Must be an enrolled Lumbee; * Must be below 40% to 80% of the national median income; and * Must have an approved criminal background. The applicant may not have received prior housing assistance from the Lumbee Tribe or any other governmental housing agency for construction of a new house, and must be willing and able to meet all obligations of the Homeownership Program. Anyone interested in the Lumbee Tribe’s new housing program can call New Construction Manager Anthony Holden at (910) 521-7861.

Lumbee Tribe holds educational workshop on healthy living Living Together, Screening Together community outreach program draws about 150 tribal members to Harvest Church in RaynhamWednesday night RAYNHAM – Cancer is the leading cause of death among Indians in Robeson County. And, it’s one of the most preventable. Dr. Cherry Beasley is hoping to spread the word about the importance of living healthy, getting regular checkups and other measures to stop the spread of the deadly disease that is ravishing her Native American people. Beasley is a UNC Pembroke professor with more than 45 years experience as a nurse. She knows the devastating effects of cancer and knows that her people don’t have to die from it. “Most cancer can be prevented through healthy living,” Beasley said. “A person’s lifestyle contributes risk factors, including obesity and smoking. We need to go back to our traditional ways of life and start eating healthy.” This is the sixth community health outreach program for Beasley since January. She has preached the message of the importance of healthy living constantly each time around. She presented a 20-minute segment in the Living Together, Screening Together community outreach program Wednesday night at Harvest Church in Raynham. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the American Indian Center for Health Education and Technology sponsored the three-hour program, which featured educational workshops for elders and games for the children. Lumbee District 7 Councilwoman Jan Lowery is the chair of the tribe’s health committee. She too has been spreading the word of healthy living. Lowery has an extensive background working in healthcare as well. “We need to just get back to the basics,” she said. “We need to eat healthy and get rid of sugars in our diet.” Maintaining healthy eating tips was the ideal topic for Lumbee Chef Pat Dial, perhaps the most popular of all the presenters at the workshop. He prepared low fat, low sugar deserts for a dinner prior to the workshops. Once inside, he provided tips to tribal members on cooking more healthy dishes. Dial explained how traditional Lumbee dishes seasoned with pork could be just as tasty seasoned with a more healthy meat like turkey. He drew a warm reception from the crowd when he told the story of cooking smoked turkey legs on green beans instead of using ham hocks. He also explained how salty pork like fatback can be consumed healthier and yet retain its flavor by simply washing away some of the salt and soaking it in a garlic based oil mixture. “We need to take in less a salt and sugar,” Dial said. “But, you don’t have to sacrifice the taste of your cuisine, but just learn to modify it.” Dial also encouraged people to buy locally grown produce. He said fresh fruits and vegetables were always part of the Lumbee diet, but tribal members have gotten away from it through the years. He said it’s time for the Lumbee people to go back to the old ways to regain their health. “We have to find healthy ways to eat and stay true to our culture,” Dial said. Kathy Woriax is the director of the Changing Lifestyles Living Longer Program. She said the program’s purpose is to promote healthy lifestyle choices among the Lumbee tribal community as a way of life. “We are educating our Lumbee tribal membership in ways to prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, obesity, and diabetes and the importance of early screenings proper diet, exercising regularly, and routine health exams in an effort to improve their quality of life and to close the gap in health disparities,” said Woriax, who has more than 30 years experience in healthcare. Woriax has seen the health issues her people have faced first hand since the 1970s working with her late father, Dr. Frank Woriax. Diabetes is one of the worst health issues among Indians here that she has had to deal with. She shared a story about how a former patient came for a visit and was hesitant to remove her sock. She said when she finally convinced the patient to let her examine her feet, she found that two of the patient’s toes had rotted completely off, a third was hanging on by a thin stand of skin and her toe was completely black. The Harvest Church sanctuary drew silent, save only a few gasps, after Woriax showed them a model of a rotted diabetic foot with an ulcer three inches in diameter on the sole. “This is what uncontrolled diabetes can do to you,” she said as she held the gel-coated model foot up for all to see. “You have to be real careful about having diabetes.” The Lumbee Tribe’s Changing Lifestyles Living Longer program serves as an educational platform to educate the Lumbee tribal membership on how to prevent chronic disease specifically cancer, obesity and diabetes. The huge numbers of Indians here dying of breast, colon and prostate cancer weighs heavily on Dr. Cherry Beasley’s mind. She is hoping her people return to their traditional ways. “We have to get back to who we are as a people,” Beasley said. “We have to take care of each other. We can solve our own problems.” Changing Lifestyles Living Longer is a grant-funded program through the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. For more information on the Lumbee Tribe’s Changing Lifestyles program, call Director Kathy Woriax at (910) 521-5580 or Michael Brooks at (910) 674-7960 or visit www.lumbeetribe.com on the web.

Retired Air Force Col. Phil Locklear was the guest speaker Monday morning for the Lumbee Tribe’s inaugural Memorial Day ceremony at the Cultural Center. More than 200 people attend the ceremony. A group of military veterans from all four branches joined Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin in a wreath-laying ceremony at the veteran’s memorial. And, family members of Lumbee soldiers killed in war placed more than 50 American flags around the veteran’s memorial on the lake. “It’s truly an honor to be here to honor our veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Godwin said. “I think it’s important for us to pay homage to these brave men in uniform for what they did to keep our country free. And, we have to make sure we share their stories with others so that their brave legacies live on. We celebrate their lives today and say thank you for what they did.” Dozens of local Lumbee, Tuscarora and other Indian veterans from Robeson and surrounding counties gathered around the veteran’s memorial by the lake as Col. Locklear gave a synopsis of the importance of veteran’s day. Col. Locklear drew applause from the crowd as he described the characters that shape the United States soldier, especially character and integrity. He recalled the days of his youth in the 1970s, dreaming of the day when he would fly an airplane for the Air Force. “I can remember being in the tobacco field and cucumber field watching those C-130s from Pope (Air Force Base) flying over head,” Col. Locklear said. “I told myself I would fly one of the military aircraft one day. Through hard work and perseverance I was able to do just that.” Col. Locklear commended the chairman and the tribe for hosting a ceremony to honor the veterans. He said our country must never forget the sacrifice these brave soldiers made. “They paid the ultimate price for our freedom,” Col. Locklear said. “What does that mean? That means they never came home. We grieve with the families of these men and women today. We have to always remember what they did for us all.” One of the oldest living veterans in the ceremony was retired educator Roland Coulon, a Mohawk Indian who was a prisoner of war in the Korean War. The crowd gave Coulon a rousing applause when he was introduced. Coulon, a reserved man who shuns the spotlight, said he was pleased to see these veterans honored. Many of the Korean War veterans like Coulon were never recognized after coming home from the bloody fighting in Korea, which came to be known as “The Forgotten War.” Coulon and the late Marvin Lowry were both captured and brutalized in Korean prisoner of war camps. He rarely talks about his wartime experiences, only with fellow veterans. Wednesday morning provided him plenty of opportunities to talk. “I just think this is wonderful,” Coulon said. “The tribe has done a great thing here. The soldiers killed in wars must be recognized. I’m just happy to see this ceremony.”

Monday, May 30th at 11am Cultural Center

The Qualified Bidders List for the Rehabilitation Program is now currently open for new applications. The Bidders List is only open twice a year, in January and in June. Any tribal member or American Indian who would like to place their name/business on the Qualified Bidders list for the Lumbee Rehabilitation Program must submit an application to Nichole Dial at the Tribal Housing Complex. Applications may be mailed or hand delivered, but must be received at the Tribal Housing Complex by 3 pm on Friday June 10, 2016. Applications can be mailed to Post Office Box 2709, Pembroke, NC 28372 or be submitted at the complex at 6984 NC Hwy 711 West in Pembroke, NC. Further information or an application may be obtained by contacting Nichole Dial at 910-522- 2213.

Long Lance is another man of Lumbee descent discovered by Dr. Kevin Locklear of Arizona during research for his doctorate degree. This remarkable man’s birth name was Sylvester Clark Long. He was a native of Winston Salem.Like yesterday’s post of Ormer Locklear, Long Lance was a pilot during World War 1. He served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. His grave is behind the War Memorial Monument. Long Lance was also a student at Carlisle Indian School with Jim Thorpe and a few Lumbees from Robeson County in the early 1910s.In the 1920s, he worked for a Wild West Show and became immersed in the Native American culture to the point of learning to speak Cherokee fluently.He was also regarded as one of the leading journalists of his time as well as a silent movie star like Ormer Locklear.In 1930, he was in the movie The Silent Enemy under the name of Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance.Suffering from alcoholism and depression, he committed suicide by gunshot in the home of silent film actress Anita Baldwin.

LUMBEE TRIBE OF NORTH CAROLINA RESTRICTED SOLICITATION THIS INVITATION IS RESTRICTED TO QUALIFIED TRIBAL AND /OR INDIAN OWNED ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE RE-ROOFING OF 22 (TWENTY-TW0) UNITS . THIS IS A SINGLE PRIME SOLICITATION FOR LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTORS: The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will receive SEALED BIDS, mailed or hand delivered, until 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday June 7 th , 2016 at the Lumbee Tribal Housing Complex located at P.O. Box 2709 ( 6984 NC Hwy. 711 West) Pembroke, North Carolina 28372; ATTN: Grace Deese Oxendine . Bids will be opened and read aloud on Tuesday, June 8 th , 2016 at 11:00 am in Conference Chambers located at the above The Lumbee Tribe is soliciting sealed bids for qualified contractors to remove and replace shingles on 22 units. This work will be performed at Red Hill Apartment complex at 4982 Red Hill Road Maxton NC 28364. Contractors will be responsible for all permits, materials, labor, utilities and removal of debris for the entire project. Contractors must submit documentation of:  General Liability insurance coverage- $500,000  North Carolina General Contractors License (with proper classification)  Workers’ Compensation- $250,000  Surety bid bond, certified check, or letter of irrevocable credit specified for each particular job, equivalent to 5% of the bid price  Statement identifying business as Indian owned and operated  A list of subcontractors and material suppliers.  NOTE: ALL BONDING COMPANIES MUST BE ON THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY’S LISTING OF APPROVED SURETIES Bids not containing ALL listed items will be deemed incomplete and unacceptable. All qualified proposals meeting required terms and specifications will be evaluated and approval made by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to constitute the most responsible bid for the services requested. A firm fixed price contract award will be made in writing to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. As stated in 2 CFR part 200.320 (C) (2) For contracts exceeding $150,000, the selected contractor will be required, within 14 calendar days, to produce a payment and performance bond for 100% of contract amount. Contractor is responsible for a builder’s risk insurance policy for each project. 75% of all subcontracts and material suppliers shall be with Tribal and /or Indian-owned economic enterprises and organizations. The submitted list of subcontractors/material suppliers cannot be changed without written permission from the Owner. Contracts may be terminated for improper subcontracting, failure to supply wage or sales tax information, or false certification as to subcontracting with Tribal and/or Indian- owned economic enterprises and organizations. Contact Grace Oxendine at 910-522- 5160 at the Lumbee Tribal Housing Complex located at (6984 NC Hwy. 711, Pembroke, NC 28372) for blueprints and specifications on these homes. A refundable $200 deposit is required for blueprints and specifications. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals presented and the right to waive any informalities or irregularities.

A Lumbee Indian, Lieutenant Ormer Locklear, was a pilot in the United States Air Service during World War I. Locklear would go on to become the world’s greatest wing walker and all-American actor/stuntman. He was one of the biggest actors during the silent film era and was killed after crashing his plane while filming a movie on Aug. 2, 1920. He was only 30.

The LUMBEE Tribe of North Carolina, North Carolina Military Business Center and the University of North Carolina – Pembroke will host the 2016 Lumbee Nation Economic Development Summit on June 1-2 in Pembroke, North Carolina. When. June 1-2, 2016 Where. The University of North Carolina – Pembroke 1 University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372 Campus Map Purpose. Building New Economic Opportunity The LUMBEE Nation will feature access to Tribal leaders, members of Congress, Federal agency leadership, state and local elected officials and top business leaders. Attendees will benefit from high caliber networking, teaming opportunities, business development sessions, a Business Tradeshow and an American Indian Artisan Market. The event, strongly supported by the State of NC, will be a conduit to new opportunities for today’s American Indian enterprises. The Summit will include the a traditional exhibitor trade show and expo with Native American businesses showcasing their products and services – to include will include an American Indian Art Market with Native American vendors showcasing their wares. Art Market booth locations are available on first come first serve basis. This event is expected to draw participants and provide an outstanding opportunity to network as well as showcase your products and services to Native American businesses doing business across the country. Exhibitor booth locations are available on first come first serve basis. Summit Partners include: Lumbee Regional Development Association North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs Robeson Community College Robeson County Economic Development Commission Small Business and Technology Development Center Procurement and Technical Assistance Center Registration click here Flyer click here Agenda click here Sponsorship click here