April 10-16, 2023

Iskigamizige-Giizis (Sugarbushing Moon)

Explore the role of the Name/Nmé (sturgeon) in Great Lakes traditional cultures, the life cycle of Nmé, the demise of once pristine Nmé habitat, and the Tribal nations that are assisting the Nmé as they lead Great Lakes restoration efforts with outstanding results!

This viewing event is free! Join this Thursday April 13 at 5 PM at Legendary Waters event center in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang.

Please call 715-779-3766 or 715-779-3761 with any questions.

Congratulations to Red Cliff and partner staff for being invited to present at this year's Anishinaabemowin-Teg, the largest conference on revitalizing Anishinaabemowin!

Zhingwaay Bines Marvin DeFoe, Ziigwanikwe Edwina Buffalo-Reyes, Joe Bidwewegiizzhik Montano, Gimiwan Bresette, Martin Powless, and Mishkwaa-desi Kalvin Hartwig had successful presentations with great compliments and feedback from their audiences. More staff from Red Cliff and Bad River were also able to attend the conference.

Naadmaadidaa Ji Zhaabwitoying Gidinowewinaa

"Let's Help One Another Save the Sound of Our Language"

Anishinaabemowin Teg works to provide a stable foundation and environment with resources that allow Anishinaabe the chance to come together to maintain culture and language for ourselves and future generations. Learn more about Anishinaabemowin Teg and this year's conference HERE.

See more photos from the conference on the Anishinaabemowin Teg Facebook page.

Boozhoo Gaa-Miskwaabikaang, join this community gathering this Wednesday April 12 at Legendary Waters beginning at 5 PM for updates on projects, timelines, funding, what you can expect to see, and more.

Please contact the Planning Department with any questions at 715-779-3700 or via email to planning@redcliff-nsn.gov.

The next Badger Box Food Giveaway is scheduled for Thursday April 13. Due to the limited number of boxes available, this giveaway is for Red Cliff Tribal Members only.

The giveaway will begin around 10 AM at the Food Distribution Building. Due to a staff shortage, home delivery will be very limited.

The boxes will contain:

Potatoes, onions, butter, cheddar & swiss cheese, milk, eggs, Farmstead Blend, cherry jam, granola, smoked ham, bacon.

Please call the Food Distribution Program with any questions at 715-779-3740.

Red Cliff's Mino Bimaadiziiwin Tribal Farm has opened registration for its 2023 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm Share Box program! Limited spots are available. If you are interested, sign up HERE.

Drop in at the Nuzzo House any time between 9 AM and 3 PM on Friday April 14 for this workshop on making your own medicine pouch! Materials are provided.

Please call Amaris at 715-979-1554 to sign up or with any questions.

The Nuzzo House is located at 88985 Nuzzo Road in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang.

Wisconsin Native Loan Fund will host a Financial 101 workshop on April 21 at New Hope Housing in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang. Learn about managing your finances, credit, budgeting, and more. Please contact RCCHA at 715-779-3744, or email Kayla.LaGrew@winlf.org with any questions.

Sign up online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZPBZVGB

New Hope Housing Complex is located at 37580 Pageant Road in Gaa-Miskwaabikaang.

The Volunteers in Mission Ministry Group offers free labor for a variety of projects. The group is accepting work orders until June 12, with work scheduled to be done between June 19 - June 23, 2023.

If you are interested in getting some assistance at your home or perhaps on a community venture, please fill out the form and return to the Tribal Administration Building. Forms are also available to pick up at the Admin Building. If you know of anyone that could make use of these services, please feel free to make a referral or assist the individual with the form.

Please call the Administration Building at 715-779-3700 with any questions.

The Tribal Council is seeking community input to help inform decision making about the future of some Tribal properties. Click HERE to learn more and provide feedback.

Please think about priorities, needs, and uses for the sites. The sites include:

Merchant Property

Merchant House site

Former Jim Pete House on Hwy 13 North

Former Cheers Bar site on County Rd K

Duplex on Hwy 13 next to Red Cliff Storage

House on Nuzzo Rd

Buffalo Bay Store (current site)

88260 Hwy 13 (Former Living Adventure's Kayak business site)

Open the survey for more details on each site, and to provide your suggestions.

Please contact the Planning Department with any questions at 715-779-3700.

Gaa-Miskwaabikaang elders attended the Great Lakes Native American Elder Association meeting in Mole Lake last month.

GLNAEA is made up of elders representing and advocating for positive changes in the quality of life of elders. Chi-Miigwech for your work!

Online Resources

Community members can now access Iskigamizigan resources online! Visit www.redcliff-nsn.gov/sugarbush.

You will find vocabulary videos to watch and listen to, a downloadable document with vocabulary to use while you're out at your sugarbush, a How To Guide, information on accessing supplies, Maple ID Booklet, and a maple coloring activity for your little ones. Aho!

Click imto access the entire vocabulary document.

Iskigamizigan supplies available to use

Red Cliff's Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Mino Bimaadiziiwin Farm are offering supplies and guidance for community members to start their own sugar bush! Howah!

See flyers below for all details. Please contact the THPO Department at 715-779-3761 or the Farm at 715-779-3782 with any questions

Beginning April 4, 2023, eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans no longer have to pay a copay for VA health care services and urgent care. The VA will also review copays received for covered services on or after January 5, 2022.

Find out if you’re eligible for a copay waiver HERE.

Ginanda Gikendaasomin Library's next Book Club date is scheduled for April 27. The group will review Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley.

Contact the Library with any questions at 7156-779-3766.

The Red Cliff Tribal Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee has developed the Red Cliff Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan in coordination with Northwest Regional Planning Commission. This plan demonstrates the Red Cliff Tribe’s ongoing commitment to reduce risk and improve resiliency to hazard events.

This plan serves as a guide to decision makers to direct hazard mitigation programs, activities, and resources. The draft Plan can be viewed HERE or onsite at the Environmental Department, located at 37295 Community Rd. We invite written comments on the Draft Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan. Comments and questions will be accepted until April 15th, 2023 and can be directed to:

Linda Nguyen, Environmental Director 

Red Cliff Band – Environmental Department 

(715) 779-3650 x 4310

Linda.nguyen@redcliff-nsn.gov 

Emily Nelson, Planner

Northwest Regional Planning Commission

(715) 635-2197

enelson@nwrpc.com

Giwiidosendimin Project LAUNCH and Zaagichigaazowin Home Visiting Program will host a Birth Doula Training & Traditional Indigenous Birth Teachings course April 17-21, 2023 at Legendary Waters.

The course will be taught by Dr. Erin Tenney, with Cultural Support provided by Penny Powless. Participants will have all costs covered and meals will be included. Child care is also available during the training upon request.

Spots are limited for this training. Please register by contacting Mercie Gordon or Amber Hanson.

Red Cliff Community Members:

On April 4, 2023 the Red Cliff Tribal Council passed changes to Chapter 18 Land Lease Regulations as shown below:

Pertaining to Chapter 18 - Land Lease Regulations, subsection 18.8.2

Transfer and assignments. The Lease holder may transfer or assign his leasehold only to another Tribal member with prior approval of the Tribal Council. Transfers or assignments within the first two years of a lease term are prohibited, except in the case of transfers to or from cooperative associations of members of the Tribe, including the 

Tribally-Designated Housing Entity, for the purposes of acquiring new housing units or selling units to Tribal members. All lease transfer requests must be in writing and must bear the leaseholder's original, notarized signature. Monetary consideration is not allowed in regards to transfers, except regarding the improvements or structures on the lot. When necessary, the Tribal Council will approve the transfer and/or assignment based on the same criteria set forth in section 18.4.2 above. Transfer and assignment of the leasehold interest is further restricted if the leaseholder has already obtained a mortgage. In this case, the leaseholder interest can be only transferred or assigned with consent of the Tribe, mortgagor and guarantor as required by the governing lease document. 

(04/04/23B) 

You can find the entire Chapter 18 online.

Please contact the Legal Department with any questions at 715-779-3725.

Boozhoo families with the Red Cliff Early Childhood Center! Week 27 of the Second Step Curriculum will work with your children to help prepare them for riding the bus. Teachers will be implementing this curriculum and families will also receive these exercises to continue practicing at home.

Contact the ECC with any questions at 715-779-5030.

Dear Early Head Start Families,

I hope that the New Year finds you and your family happy and healthy.

I would like to let you know that we will be reducing our service hours for Early Head Start. We will be closed for students eight extra Fridays through the end of the school year.

Below are dates of closure that were regularly scheduled for services. We will also be sending out amended calendar pages to assist with keeping track of the changes.

May 5, May 19, June 2, July 14 

This is only through this school year and will impact 8 scheduled Fridays. We know that this may cause challenges for some families and for that we apologize!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jamie, Center Director, at 715-779-5030 ext. 2527 or Jenn, Center Administrator, at 715-779-5030 ext. 2561.

The Red Cliff Education Department is offering additional financial support for those who have already applied for the Higher Education and Job Training Program.

Click HERE to learn more and access an application.

The Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority (RCCHA) has two (2) openings in its Maintenance Department: Maintenance Foreman and Maintenance Worker. Both are full-time positions with a full range of benefits.

MAINTENANCE FOREMAN: Primary duties include, but not limited to, assisting the Maintenance Supervisor with the identification of housing units in need of repairs and or rehabilitation; ordering of materials and supplies; monitor daily work duties of Maintenance staff; prepare weekly work schedules of Maintenance Staff; possess knowledge of construction contracts, bid documents, procurement policies and solicitations of competitive bids.

MAINTENANCE WORKER: Primary duties for this position, but not limited to, are performing basic carpentry tasks; plastering and sheetrock duties; minor plumbing repairs; some electrical and HVAC repairs and general residential maintenance-related tasks.

FOR A DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF EITHER POSITION CONTACT ANGELA D. EMRICH, HR MANAGER, AT aemrich@redcliffhousing.org phone number is 715-779-3744, EXT. 3509

THE RCCHA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DOES CONSIDER INDIAN PREFERENCE IN SITUATIONS OF EQUALLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority is accepting applications for housing and housing assistance!

RCCHA provides clean, safe, adequate, and affordable housing for qualified families and elders.

Housing options to apply for include low rent, 6-plex, 4-plex, Elderly, Tax Credit, Tax Credit Rehab.

Oski-Ombendaam New Hope Supportive Housing

The Oski-Ombendaam New Hope housing contains efficiency, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. The goal of New Hope housing is to provide supportive services to those individuals and families while providing clean, safe, adequate, and affordable housing.

Click HERE to access an application for Housing Assistance.

Red Cliff Chippewa Housing Authority tenants have access to a Residential Resource Coordinator. The coordinator will help tenants get connected with various resources.

This service is available to Housing tenants Monday through Friday at New Hope Building A, at 37580 Pageant Road.

Please call 715-779-3744 extension 3514 with any questions.

Click HERE to order online!

Greetings, 

Aho! My name is Rachel Davis. I am the Native American Center Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). It is a privilege to announce that UWSP is celebrating a historic event in honoring our Indigenous ancestors who are buried beneath the UWSP administrative buildings. 

In the 1860s, Scarlet Fever devastated a diverse group of Native Americans including Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi, who, having been forced out of their ancestral homelands by settlement, were abiding outside Stevens Point. Decimated by disease and social forces in the wake of this epidemic, the living continued, but their deceased relatives remain interred within this site. As Stevens Point grew, the burial ground was knowingly used as a garbage dump. Following a series of land transfers, the Stevens Point Normal School was built on the burial site and opened in 1894. Today, we make plans to acknowledge these Ancestors, honor their journey and learn from our shared history, to move forward in a way respectful to those who lie here.

We do not know if our ancestors had the space and time to be grieved and honored in the various ways of our Native people. We hope to feed the Ancestor and our community members during this ceremony. Giving recognition to ancestors and recognition to all Native Nations that this is a burial site of our family members. Giving them some of the care and attention they deserve. 

I am honored to be selected to send this invitation to our Native people to celebrate this special occasion. On behalf of UWSP, it is my honor to extend an invitation and welcome you to this special occasion:

Ghost Feast 

April 13, 2023

4:30 – 6:30 PM

Dreyfus University Center, Alumni Room (1015 Reserve St, Stevens Point, WI 54481)

The artist who created our memorial mural, Chris Sweet, will be a special guest of honor during our dinner. Sonny Smart will be providing the Invocation and direction during this time. Allen Cloud will sing a song of dedication to the Ancestor. Karen Ann Hoffman will be providing the Ancestors their meal. Food and refreshments will be served after the ceremony.

We hope you can attend or reach out to others in the community who might want to take part.

To make sure that we have adequate food, please take a moment to let us know that you are coming. Please sign up HERE.

The Wooruwi Business Program is open to any Native American residing in the state of Wisconsin that wishes to start or develop their business.

The primary benefits of the Wooruwi Business Program include pre-funding services which include free Native-American focused business courses, solidifying your business idea, conducting market research, developing your financial statements, and assistance writing your business plan. Once a client is funded by First Nations Community Financial, a technical assistance plan is established to help shore up areas that need the most improvement and get set up with a business mentor to work on sharpening business skills.

For more information on the Wooruwi Business Program, interested individuals can contact First Nations Community Financial for more information, or visit https://firstnationsfinancial.org/ and submit a loan inquiry to get the process started.