JUNE 8, 2021 Ira H
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THE GRIN VOL. 24, NO. 11 GILA RIVER INDIAN NEWS || www.GRICNEWS.org JUNE 8, 2021 Ira H. Hayes Post 84 Honors Fallen Service Members Christopher Lomahquahu he was 17, after having dropped- Gila River Indian News out of high school,” said Irene Members of the Ira H. Hayes Daniels, Celaya’s caretaker. American Legion Post 84 held Celaya is one of 316 sailors, who a solemn tribute to the service survived the sinking of the U.S.S. men and women who paid the Indianapolis. During WWII the ultimate sacrifice. Post 84 lowered U.S.S. Indianapolis was sunk in the colors at the Ira H. Hayes/ middle of the South Pacific by a Matthew B. Juan Park in Sacaton Japanese submarine, while on its in recognition of Memorial Day, way to the Philippines. on May 31. Today, Celaya is one of only The ceremony started off five living survivors of the U.S.S with a fly-over made by a WWII Indianapolis, residing in his Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer hometown of Florence, Ariz.. bomber plane based out of Casa Celaya recalled witnessing Grande Municipal Airport. the raising of the American flag “Normally we go to all of on Mount Suribachi. “I saw the the locations in the Community, flag go up, I was aboard the U.S.S. that have monuments,” said Tony Indianapolis when [I] saw it go McDaniel, Post 84 Adjutant. up, through a pair of binoculars. He said the event followed That’s a memory I will never past Memorial Day events, which Members of the Ira H. Hayes Post 84 perform a Memorial Day tribute to service members, who were killed in forget,” said Celaya. combat, during a ceremony held at Ira H. Hayes/Matthew B. Juan Park in Sacaton. Christopher Lomahquahu/GRIN consisted of a laying of a wreath, At the time of the flag raising, 21-gun salute and playing of the Day video message, Gov. Lewis who have served at the highest service members and families he did not know Ira Hayes was taps. also laid wreaths at the foot of rates in the armed forces. who lost a loved one to combat. among the five Marines and one “With the help of the District monuments located at the Ira H. “So many of our Community The Memorial Day event Navy Corpsman who raised the 3 recreation department, [we] were Hayes/Matthew B. Juan park. members gave their lives in was attended by Adolfo “Harpo” flag on Mount Suribachi. able to get the park open and host Gov. Lewis said, “[We] take service to our country. Let’s honor Celaya, a U.S. Navy WWII He said in recent years, “I was the ceremony,” said McDaniel. this time to remember all those them and remember them for their Veteran and survivor of the very fortunate to meet the family He said Post 84 appreciates the who have given their lives while sacrifice and offer our prayers U.S.S Indianapolis. Celaya laid a of Ira Hayes and the community assistance of District 3 and Gov. serving in the military.” He said the for [those] still serving in the wreath at the Ira. H. Hayes/Iwo Hayes came from.” Stephen Roe Lewis. Community has a proud history of military,” said Gov. Lewis. Jima memorial to help honor the In a pre-recorded Memorial military service along with other He also called for a moment service members killed in combat. Native American communities, of silence to remember the fallen “[He] joined the Navy when More Photos on Page 3 Rep. Stanton Tours Gila River Indian Community to Discuss Infrastructure, Education and Vaccinations Roberto A. Jackson important to the entire region and Communications & Public Affairs state,” said Stanton. Office Gov. Lewis said the tour was Arizona Congressman Greg an informative way for Stanton to Stanton visited the Gila River see the Community’s innovative Indian Community on Wednesday, approach to using federal dollars. June 2, for a tour and a discussion “Rep. Greg Stanton was very with Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis at impressed with how the Gila River the Governance Center in Sacaton. Indian Community is approaching Stanton’s stops included the transportation, education and Gila River bridge along the I-10, vaccinations – in particular our the site of the new Casa Blanca use of the Mobile Vaccination Community School in District 5 Units,” said Gov. Lewis. and a tour of one of the Mobile Stanton’s tour initially Vaccination Units which have focused on infrastructure with been deployed in the Community a stop at the Gila River bridge for the past month. along freeway between Phoenix Stanton, a Democrat who and Tucson. Representatives previously, served as Mayor of from the Arizona Department of Phoenix from 2012 to 2018, said Transportation and Wild Horse he will continue to advocate for Pass Development Authority the Gila River Indian Community were also on hand to join on-site as a member of the U.S. House of discussions with the congressman. Representatives from Arizona’s After a tour of construction of Rep. Greg Stanton (left) visits the Governance Center and one of GRIC’s Mobile Vaccination Units accompanied by Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis (right). Roberto A. Jackson/CPAO 9th District. the new Casa Blanca Community “The success of the Gila School, members from the Office Congressman to see the vehicle – Executive Office where Gov. “I trust Governor Lewis and River Indian Community from a of Emergency Management which is currently being used to Lewis and Stanton discussed the I trust the Community leadership transportation perspective, from took Stanton and Gov. Lewis to take vaccines out into the districts Community’s water settlement, and plan to continue to be an an education perspective, from a see a Mobile Vaccination Unit – up close to get a sense of how the recently signed amended advocate for as long as I can,” said health care perspective, is not just parked outside the Governance the MVUs operate. gaming compacts and the progress Stanton. important to the Community but Center. The tour allowed the The visit concluded in the of the vaccine program in GRIC. Huhugam Heritage Center Completes Gila River Indian News PRESORTED Expansion on Page 3 P.O. Box 459 STANDARD U.S. Postage Sacaton, AZ 85147 PAID Change Service Requested Sacaton, AZ Permit No. 25 Page 2 Gila River Indian News June 8, 2021 COVID-19 Test Dates, Vaccines & More! COVID+FLU Resource Center Visit GRHC.ORG/HUB GRHC.ORG/HUB COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABILITY JUNE 2021 SCHEDULE DATE: LOCATION: TIME: June 5 D3 Boys & Girls Club 9 am – 3 pm June 9 D3 Boys & Girls Club 9 am – 4 pm June 12 D6 Service Center 9 am – 3 pm June 16 D3 Boys & Girls Club 9 am – 4 pm June 23 D3 Boys & Girls Club 9 am – 4 pm June 26 D3 Boys & Girls Club 9 am – 3 pm June 30 D3 Boys & Girls Club 9 am – 4 pm GRHC.ORG Save The Date Services opening June 21st For further information, please call GRHC at (520) 562-3321 Reminder JULY 4TH Closure Gila River Health Care’s Administrative Offices and Outpatient Clinics will be CLOSED MONDAY, JULY 5, 2021 Gila River Indian Community CRISIS HOTLINE: 1-800-259-3449 June 8, 2021 Gila River Indian News Page 3 Huhugam Heritage Center Completes Expansion of Cultural Exhibits Emma Hughes Gila River Indian News While the official reopening date has not yet been set, the substantially renovated Huhugam Governor Heritage Center (HHC) is hoping Stephen Roe Lewis to safely reopen to the public later this fall 2021. Lt. Governor HHC along with Tribal Monica Antone Projects Department, DWL Community Council Architects + Planners, Ganymede Representatives Design Group, Digiscura and District 1 Arzie Hogg Pimmex Contracting completed Joey Whitman renovations to its museum building in January of 2020, a project that District 2 Carol Schurz took nearly five years. HHC held an open house for the Community in District 3 January and had plans to showcase Avery White Rodney Jackson the new building to the public – including hosting an Elder’s Day District 4 event – but all that was delayed due Jennifer Allison Regina Antone-Smith to the COVID-19 pandemic. Delmar Jones “It’s given us time to prepare Christopher Mendoza and get ready,” said Shirley Work has been completed on the Huhugam Heritage Center expansion project, which was finished last year. Emma Hughes/GRIN District 5 Jackson, Director of the HHC. “We Marlin Dixon are planning on coming back, it’s HHC staff worked together with Jackson, the museum hopes to do day.” HHC recently began sharing Brian E. Davis, Sr. going to be slow, it may not be what the four sister tribes, meeting to so in a significant way, including a series of videos on their Facebook James De La Rosa Wahlean J. Riggs everyone expects, but of course we share events and ideas. plans to resume the “First Friday” page. The videos provide a virtual want to be safe when doing so.” Jackson said the museum event that was popular in bringing tour of the museum’s exhibits, District 6 Jackson has worked at HHC has put in place physical distance together artists, food vendors, sharing the rich history and culture Anthony Villareal, Sr. Terrance B. Evans from its early days, serving over the markers, plexiglass between music and more. of the Akimel O’otham and Pee Charles Goldtooth years as the museum’s historian, staff and visitors, hand sanitizing During the pandemic, HHC Posh. The exhibits include jewelry, curator and archivist. When the stations. Disposable masks are also has been utilizing social media pottery, baskets, carved stones and District 7 Devin Redbird pandemic hit, said Jackson, HHC likely to be used.