District 3, October 2023

Halito!

I for one am welcoming the cooler temperatures that we’ve recently been experiencing. We were certainly blessed with the slightly cooler than 100 degrees temperatures during the Labor Day Festival. Our 2023 Festival had a generous attendance. With all the sports, arts and crafts, activities, entertainment and carnival, there was certainly something there for every one of every age.

Business was also conducted during the Labor Day weekend. The Choctaw Princess Pageant was held Friday evening. Congratulations to the Princesses, Senior Miss Aliyah Myers, Dist. 7, Junior Miss Kassidy Lee, Dist. 9, and Little Miss Sophia McFarland.

In other business, the newly elected/re-elected councilmen and the Chief and Assistant Chief were sworn in to serve the Choctaw Nation for the next four years. Let me take this opportunity to again thank my voters for giving me the opportunity to serve. Yakoke. We have a lot to look forward to.

One of many things we are looking forward to is the opening of the Three Rivers Meat Company, expected to be before the end of October. The Three Rivers Meat Company held job fairs with onsite interviews at both the Smithville and the Talihina Community Centers with a very good turnout of applicants. It is exciting to see new jobs offered locally. Applications are available online.

Black bear season is open throughout the month of October. In conjunction with the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Department, Choctaw Nation hosted several bear conservation/hunting workshops. While educating about how hunting and conservation work hand in hand, these workshops are designed to educate the hunters of what is expected of them. For more information contact the CNO Wildlife Conservation Department at [email protected].

At the Talihina community center, the potluck “Choctaw Social” is back and held on the first Thursday of the month at 5:30. The purpose of this social is to rejuvenate and promote the use of the Choctaw language in everyday life. This is an interactive class that will teach conversational Choctaw language, Choctaw hymns and reading Choctaw. Everyone is welcome, bring a dish and come learn with us.

The senior citizens of the Smithville and Talihina community centers always have something on their calendars. Besides the meals served, they plan chair volleyball games, trips, and many activities to keep their seniors interested, active and engaged within the community. If you are a senior, come join us. For District 3 news, follow me on Facebook.