A crowd of approximately 90 people gathered at the Bad River Community Center on June 20th for a community meeting regarding the Enbridge Line 5 crude oil pipeline.

People came to express their concerns and learn from Tribal leaders and the Tribe's Natural Resource Department about the dangers of the underground river of oil that flows through Bad River lands and our watershed.

Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr., welcomed everyone with the question, "What sense does it make to put an oil pipeline and natural gas lines through a floodplain and a watershed with miles of rivers, tributaries and wetlands so close to Lake Superior?"

Tribal Elder Joe Rose, Sr., said an opening prayer, and the Bad River Youth Drum Group provided songs. Members of the Tribal Council were present, as were Tribal and non-Tribal Members of the Mashkiiziibii and surrounding communities.

"The Enbridge crude oil pipeline has been running through 12 miles of Bad River lands since 1953. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) gave Enbridge permission. In the 1970s, the 20-year lease expired and the BIA renewed it. In 1993, the lease expired, and at that time our Council chose to re-enter into a 50-year lease agreement for $800,000," Chairman Wiggins explained.

"There's certain language within that agreement that we take issue with today. In 2013, another type of lease expired on private property parcels. Through land consolidation and land buy-back efforts, 11 of those 15 parcels that came up in that expired lease are now owned by the Bad River Tribe. In January 2017, our Tribal Council passed a resolution that rejected renewal of any easement for that pipeline."

The lease denied the easement and called for its removal from Bad River lands.

"Regardless of any lease, the change in climactic conditions, extreme flooding events, the way our river is moving, and slopes that are shifting all show that the line is under assault by our environment. The water and soil and clay of our Rez is in active rejection of that pipeline. Our home is saying 'Gaawiin. No. Go away'," he continued.

The pipeline was constructed in 1953, prior to modern-day realization of issues such as climate change, concerns over ruptured lines and fear of oil spills.

Chairman Wiggins shared, "Winona LaDuke says we are in the extreme end days of the fossil fuel era. These are very dangerous times. Things like fracking at the Alberta tar sands are underway. The very product that is getting piped through Enbridge Line 5 has changed. When they talk about their product, they use the term 'light sweet crude'. That was a different type of oil that, if spilled, floats on water. That product has changed. There is more of a benzene-type product that's heavier and sinks to the bottom of waterways. The product and the way they approach the industry has become more extreme and hurtful to the environment. Those changes have never been reflected in any of these agreements in monitoring or protection."

Chairman Wiggins invited visitors to visit the sites covered in the Natural Resource Department presentation. "We will be getting together again and again to talk about these things as we look to get this line out of the ground and protect ourselves. We're going to use every option to protect our waters."

The pipeline runs from Superior and snakes through the Upper Peninsula, across the Straits of Mackinac and lower Michigan to Sarnia, Ontario. Approximately 540,000 barrels of oil run through it each day.

Naomi Tillson, Natural Resources Director, gave a detailed presentation explaining how the pipeline affected the flow of the Denomie Creek tributaries. She included photos of erosion in areas along Denomie Creek pipeline trail, and explained how the pipeline has changed the meandering course of it. "There was a spill in 2010 along the Kalamazoo River in Michigan on Enbridge's line 6B. More than a million gallons spilled into the river. If a spill occurred along Line 5 in Bad River, it would take five to nine hours for the oil to reach Bad River and Lake Superior."

Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Edith Leoso spoke about the Nest of the Thunderbirds (the Bad River watershed) and the industrial threats to Lake Superior from oil pipelines, mines and pollution runoff.

A traditional talking circle was held after the presentations.

Chi Miigwech to Tonya Kozuch for sharing your photos.

The Health and Wellness Center kicked off the official start of Niibin with the annual Health Fair on June 26th. This year's theme was centered on "Keeping the Spirit Strong".

It was a day for family and kids of all ages. Children (and adults) enjoyed a jumbo waterslide, and a free lunch for youth was provided by the Summer Feeding Program. There was a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and more than 75 booths were onsite with programs sharing information, offering giveaways including seeds and plants, candies, eco-friendly straws, water bottles, T-shirts, toothbrushes, bike and safety locks, and much more. There were many chances to learn and win.

The Bad River Powwow Committee hosted a picnic-style lunch fundraiser for the August Manoomin celebration. Keith and Val Smith from Canada shared traditional guidance sessions all day. Many programs provided self-awareness checks for HIV and diabetes testing, and mental health screenings. The Natural Resources Department hosted their annual Fun Run in the morning, and there was live music, dancing, hula-hooping, and prizes and a hot sun throughout the day.

Special guest Bronson Koenig, a Ho-Chunk Tribal Member and former Wisconsin Badger basketball player, visited and shared highlights of his college career. He also shared how he keeps his spirit strong through believing in himself, meditations and prayers.

Many Miigweches to Bronson for sharing your time with our youth and our community! We wish you well as you prepare to head to Spain this fall.

Many Miigweches to everyone who participated and to all who worked so hard to organize the Health Fair!

There's nothing more impactful than connecting classroom instruction with real-world learning opportunities. During his 24 years in the U.S. Senate, Herb Kohl welcomed Wisconsin students to Washington, D.C.,  and witnessed their curiosity and commitment to learning about our nation's capital, the center of American government and history.

Today, Herb Kohl Philanthropies is committed to supporting organizations that provide access to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience and learn about our civics and democracy through the power of travel with a front-row seat.

Herb Kohl Philanthropies funds Learning Journeys, run by separate sponsoring organizations that give youth the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., and gain the invaluable experience of travel, personal responsibility and leadership development. Students learn information that can be applied in the classroom and skills that help them develop individually.

Learning Journeys are customized experiences designed to fit the age and schedule of interested participants. Three intervals throughout the year - fall, spring and summer - are available for groups to select for their trip. All costs related to travel, lodging, trip materials, meals, snacks and exhibits, including chaperones, for the duration of the trip are covered under the Learning Journey experience.

The Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club will be able to bring six youth on this amazing trip August 18-23, 2019! 

2018 Trip to Washington, D.C.

Youth and chaperone will depart the Boys & Girls Club at 6:00 pm on Sunday, August 18th, and will return by 8:00 pm on Friday, August 23rd.

During this trip youth will be going to: the Arlington National Cemetery, Marine Corps War Memorial, Lincoln, Jefferson, FDR and MLK Memorials, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veteran and Korean War Veteran Memorials, Photos of the White House, a Supreme Court lecture and tour, photo stop at Library of Congress, United States Capitol Building, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Water Taxi to Alexandria, a Walking Ghost & Graveyard Tour of Alexandria, a Walking Tour of George Washington University, and visits to the Pentagon Memorial, National Museum of African American History & Culture, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of the American Indian.

In order to participate on this trip, youth applicants must:

• Have completed 6th grade through 11th grade at the end of the 2018-19 school year.
• Have a current Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club membership on file.
• Be an active, regular participant at the Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club, and be respectful to other Club members, staff and facilities.
• Have consistent school attendance.
• No behavior reports from school or the Club.
• Submit a two-page, double-spaced essay on why they should be able to go and how they will benefit from the trip. A copy of their last report card should be attached. This is due to the Mashkisibi Boys & Girls Club by July 19th. 

The top six youth participants will be chosen by July 31, 2019.

The Bizindaadidaa (Listening To One Another) Program is a new prevention program that aims to prevent the use of drugs and alcohol with preteens and teens ages nine to 17. The program encourages good mental health practices with parents, grandparents and guardians, and works on coping mechanisms, social skills and communication, and identifying warning signs and providing assistance.

From left: Hope Mayotte, Shane Wilmer and Maggie Morrison

Shane Willmer is overseeing the program and is the In-Home Safety Services Case Manager, Maggie Morrison is the Program Director, and Hope Mayotte is Program Co-Facilitator. They are aiming for a September program start, and will be spending the summer training and visiting other program sites to see what has worked, including Leech Lake in Minnesota.

The Bizindaadidaa Program will be hosting 14 weekly sessions, with family members helping at the gatherings. Cultural and Elder contact will be important at every meeting, with an Elder doing teachings and giving advice to kids and parents. There will be individual, pairs and group sessions helping participants learn how to communicate with each other. 

Shane is a Bad River Tribal Member, and has served as the Foster Care/Kinship Care case worker since October 2018. He  described the Bizindaadidaa Program as a cultural prevention unit within the Tribe. "We're really excited to have Elders and culture with this program, and there are two great, passionate and dedicated people running the program. I think they're going to do great things, and this is a great opportunity for our community."

Shane recently graduated with a Human Services associate degree, and will be pursuing a bachelor's degree in the fall. He has three children and a niece. He spends time with his family in nature, hiking, walking and swimming.

As the program comes together, established cases will continue to be assisted and some cases will be referred as needed. "We haven't worked out all of the details; we're working on that. We want to help parents be better, which will help our kids. Then our kids will be better parents, and so on," Maggie said. "We want to make their paths less difficult than some of our paths. Sometimes parents want their kids to have better lives than they had, and this gives us better opportunities to help them do that."

Maggie interned with the Social Services Department last summer where she heard about the Bizindaadidaa Program, and is happy that she is now able to help implement it. She graduated from Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College this past May with an Associate Degree in Human Services. She is a Bad River Tribal Member, has a fiance, a 12-year old and a little dog. She spends her time at baseball practice and football games, and likes to read, paint and be with friends and family.

Hope previously worked part time with In-Home Safety Services, another preventative program working to keep families intact. She is now serving both programs. She  focuses on Indigenous midwifery, offering teachings about traditional births. "Teaching and prevention starts prenatally," she said.

Hope is expecting her sixth child and is pretty busy! She volunteers as a doula and midwife, and is raising her family.

In the Summer issue of the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission's (GLIFWC) publication Mazina'igan, it was announced that an extra day has been added to the 2019 Healing Circle Run.

"This year, it has been decided to add a day to the event and make an iconic stop in the Mille Lacs community. In an effort to involve more Ojibwe communities, the committee unanimously agreed to work towards even more inclusiveness."

This year's run will feature starting points in Lac Courte Oreilles, Lac du Flambeau, Mole Lake, Lac Vieux Desert, Red Cliff, Fond Du Lac, Mille Lacs and St. Croix, covering approximately 790 miles over eight days.

For more information on the Healing Circle Run, please email Jenny Krueger-Bear at GLIFWC.

GLIFWC has shared another film in the series of short videos called "Ogichidaa Storytellers" that centers on the Healing Circle Run. View "Every Step: A Healing Circle".

 

View the Brochure

Email Lucy Koivisto Your Suggestions

The Chippewa Fresh Start YouthBuild provides education, employment skills and career direction for at-risk young adults by involving them in the construction of a new house. When completed, the house is sold to an income-eligible family in the community. During the course of the program, the young adults gain valuable skills, perform community service, and prepare for post-secondary education and careers. The most important goals of the project are to build self-esteem and help young adults become self-sufficient.

The young adults who participate in the Chippewa Fresh Start YouthBuild program are ages 17 to 24 and may have a variety of barriers to self-sufficiency. A majority of program participants have dropped out of high school or are struggling to finish high school. As stated in the program name, they're looking for a fresh start.

How To Enroll
Start by completing and submitting this online application.

The Program
Participants work together for 28 hours each week (Monday thru Thursday), and over the course of one year, they will be involved in every phase of new home construction. In addition to this hands-on learning experience, part of each day is devoted to education. Participants will complete classes leading to a high school diploma, GED or HSED. Fresh Start also provides the resources and support needed to stay on the road to success including leadership development, substance abuse education, motivation, health and nutrition training, independent living skills, career planning and job search assistance.

The Outcome
These young adults, their families and the entire community benefit from the program. Upon successful completion of a 900-hour AmeriCorps term, each participant will receive a Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate from the Home Builders Institute (HBI), and an AmeriCorps educational award. The goal is for each young adult to be fully employed or enrolled in post-secondary education when they leave the program.

View the brochure. For more information, visit the website.

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Healthy Living with Chronic Pain Workshop Series - thru July 16th Tuesdays from  12:30 to 3:00 pm at the Red Cliff Elderly Site. Transportation Available - Van leaves at 11:00 am	Language Table 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Head Start
Picnic in the Park Play Group Thursdays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Head Start

Visit these sites for current employment opportunities:

Bad River Lodge and Casino

Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College

Job Center of Wisconsin

Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program (CEP)

2020 Census Jobs