Victory Cherokee Organization -- Jan. 11, 2005 -- Collinsville, OK -- www.cvilleok.com

This web site is brought to you by the Newspaper Museum In Collinsville and the other advertisers appearing on these pages. If you would like to provide content or advertisements ...
call Ted Wright (918) 371-1901 or send email to wrightted@aol.com.

Collinsville's recently organized Cherokee organization adopted a set of bylaws and a constitution Tuesday night. The preamble of that document follows: "Under the guidance of the Almighty God, we the members of the Victory Cherokee Organization, Inc. of the Cherokee Nation, to preserve and enrich our tribal Culture, to promote our common health, educational, social and economic well-being; to insure harmony and responsibilities offered to us by and/or through the Creator, do hereby associate ourselves together for the purpose of forming a community organization, and for that purpose establish and adopt the following Constitution and By-Laws of the Victory Cherokee Organization, Inc."

Guest speaker at the Jan. 11th Collinsville meeting was Myron Taylor, administrator of the Cherokee's Bartlesville, Nowata and Vinita health clinics. Myron gave a brief overview of services and on-going improvements planned at those clinics which serve members of all Indian Tribes (not just Cherokees). He explained that the Nowata Clinic would soon be able to mail prescription drugs directly to eligible participants and x-ray capabilities would be added.
A van currently runs to/from the Cherokee facility at Sperry to the Nowata Clinic. The potential for a van pickup in Collinsville was discussed now that the Cherokee Nation has a facility here (the new housing office at 1323 W. Broadway ... formerly the office of Home Town Real Estate). Questions ranged from lack of dental coverage, limits to vision coverage at different clinics, to comparisons with the Claremore Indian Clinic. It was noted that the Claremore clinic was federally funded and was not controlled by the Cherokee Nation as are the clinics discussed above.

Buel Anglen (District 8 Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilman) also addressed the Collinsville group. Buel stated the Cherokee Nation had approved a total of $30,000 donation to aid in Tsunami relief efforts. Anglen also answered questions about a questionaire related to potential Cherokee election reform. The likelyhood of another Cherokee History class this spring was discussed. Another set of Cherokee language classes was also agreed to by the teachers from the previous classes. There will likely be limits on class size this time and possible a split between those just wishing to speak -vs- write the language.

Charles Tripp, president of the Victory Cherokee Organization, indicated that future meetings would be at an as yet determined location as the American Bank community room was no longer available on the 2nd Tuesday which the group wanted to keep for their meeting date. Tripp also indicated the group would be looking to purchase property for a community room for general use by the organization. Tripp noted that membership in the group was open to non-Cherokee Indians. Interested non-Indians were also welcome at meetings.