THE COUNCIL • PAGE 1 D e n a ’ N e n a ’ H e n a s h O u r L a n d S p e a k s VOL. 28, NO. 8 A REPORT TO THE MEMBER TRIBES OF THE TANANA CHIEFS CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 2003 Minto Health Aide: Silas Helps Crash Victims Honoring Health Aides Continues By Ginger Kennedy Placeres, Editor he got there, the doctor was saying ‘do this, countries would watch do that’ and he was excited. When I told Alaska, see how the health them that my son was lying over there, they aides work in the rural were different (to me).” Sarah’s voice was area, and used us as an quiet as she explained the tragedy, quiet but example. I think that’s the strong and it’s obvious that her strength best thing to happen to carried her through many difficult times. the villages, when they “At first people didn’t trust me, you know started the health aide how people are with new health aides, they and VPSO positions.” think we didn’t know. But then after I took I used to talk to care of all those in the wreck, people felt Tanana all the time by different about me.” radio from the Minto She described an unfortunate plane School. It was terrible. I crash which landed on a road in Minto with talked to Dr. James all the seven (including the pilot) people aboard. time, explain things over “They were all alive though but this lady the radio. The students had a severed spinal cord. They were flying were aware of my talking to Nenana from Bettles, they were having but they didn’t bother me.” and saw three preserved bodies; a man, plane trouble. He tried to land on the airstrip Like other featured health aides, Sarah woman, and child. They gave us gloves, and but the wind was blowing so hard when the talks of her historical position as an early the body was dried, just like moose skin. plane quit, it just came down by the health aide, saying “I had to fly out with They say ‘you operate on the body.’ One Sarah Silas was the Minto health aide roadside. The pilot had a fractured leg. The patients, in really, really, bad weather. We health aide walked out she got so sick. Some for 17 years, having started in October 1974. whole village came out and helped, they followed creeks and railroads for said ‘I’m not gonna eat lunch!’ Seem like it “After all my kids were grown up and I brought blankets.” sometimes two hours.” She talks of the didn’t bother me, it was natural. Maybe us didn’t know anything about medicine, all I Patients were treated at her old house, changing times, “They have a lot of new older people was like that, not the young knew was Bayer aspirin. We didn’t have a much smaller than her house today, and equipment that we didn’t have back in the people.” clinic with medicines in those early days” supplies were mailed in. “I didn’t know I old days. We used to shake up the “I tell this guy one time, ‘I do face lifts Sarah describes her history as well as the was calm. I pray about everything, when thermometer, the kind with mercury in it. too. You see that guy right there; he was community’s early stages. the accident happened, I prayed. I didn’t The doctors used to fly in about once a year drunk one time and fell and it tore (point to The visit to her home had its own know how serious it is. So I pray about to visit.” facial area). It was just all torn up. I had to rewards; looking out her front window felt everything…it’s by the grace of God that I When asked how to encourage health cut some pieces off and stitch it together, 16 like a private viewing of the entire Minto do what I do. That’s what I tell everybody. aides, she said “I don’t know, it’s really stitches. The man said, ‘No wonder his skin Flats. Sarah and her husband Bergman, Vivian Liners is the woman who was unique, they’re really something. I’ll support looks tight!’ They joked about it. who have been married for 59 years, have injured, of Sarah she says “I believe to this anyone who is a health aide. I had to take Even if I’m in Fairbanks, they come to eight kids: Ronnie, Nolan, Frankie, Nicky, day that her lovely, quiet healing ways held care of two people with stab wounds, this me, in my room, where I’m at. If I’m in Vera, Burma, Selma, and Elaine. all six of us who were injured in Minto.” one guy died. The police come down and another village, they’ll call me to come and “The worst thing I can remember is “I was really busy with alcohol-related interview me, I say ‘I just had tunnel vision. help. No matter where I went, even way when my son got killed on the road. Seven accidents. Seems like it’s not that bad right All I thought about was saving a life. So he down the highway, they’ll call me where I’m kids on that truck, the cop thinks there was now, people probably learned ‘cause they didn’t ask me many questions. When you’re at. Not only what I do or what I did, it was a blown-out tire. It went out of control and had me going 24 hours a day-sutering, trying to save a life, you have a different all the health aides. We don’t brag-we just my son, Stanley, fell out and got killed; the sutering, sutering! Most of the deaths with attitude. I never knew in my life that I would try to tell what we did, and what it was like. others were okay but hurt. I had to take the young people were alcohol related- be touching a dead body, it don’t bother Now that Sarah’s retired she takes care of the injured while my son laid there, gunshot wounds, drowning. Health aides me.’” advantage of her free time “we go camping, people just stand back and watch. Someone had to pronounce them dead, we did a lot She shared a crazy story about her times fishing, travel to villages like Nenana, threw a jacket over his head and my of things: suturing, temporary fillings in the with the other health aides, “I knew Rose, Tanacross, we feel free and just go!! We feel husband had a blanket. My husband stood teeth, a lot of things that the nurses don’t in Jesse, Freda Esmailka, Pauline Peter. Once too free after being tied down with a job. there and I threw the blanket over my son hospitals today.” Sarah helped to bring life we went to Chena Hot Springs, the guy said My husband took care of the generator for and then took care of a head injury; the boy into the world as well, delivering four babies ‘before we go out, we’re going to the almost 30 years too.” No doubt they enjoy was having convulsions before the doctor in her 17-year career. university to examine a real body.’ We didn’t their home; it’s peaceful, warm, and host to and nurse got there (they flew over). When “They used to tell us that other know what they meant but we got there an unforgettable view. Village Americorps Volunteers Ready to Begin Service in Their Communities Community gardens, youth councils, include different generations within families. fish camps, baseball, newsletters, basketball, While doing so, they hope to develop their spirit camps, dances, Earth Quest…These leadership abilities and job skills, as well as are just a few of the activities that increase community involvement and AmeriCorps Members are coordinating. participation in activities. After an intense orientation September Village AmeriCorps Members 8-12th in Fairbanks, AmeriCorps Members Circle: Jessica Boyle, full-time returned to their homes to begin giving back Fort Yukon: Kelly Carroll, part-time to their communities for a year. The Huslia: Cesa Sam, full-time members spent the week exploring Tetlin: Angela Sam, full-time opportunities that they could share with Tetlin: Patricia Young, full-time youth. There were speakers addressing An important aspect of the program, topics as diverse as community gardening, aside from strong Village Council and Get Out The Native Vote, and Family community support, is the mentoring and Mapping. They also went on exciting field support garnered from the supervisors in trips to Calypso Farm in Ester, TCCC each village. Without them, the program Guest speaker Sam Demientieff praised the volunteers. Campus in Nenana, and the University of would not be as strong or successful. If you would like to know more about as well as interested in your thoughts and Alaska, Fairbanks. Upon return to the Supervisors this year are Vicki Thomas in the program, please speak with the suggestions. Also feel free to contact the villages, members will be coordinating Fort Yukon, Crystal Charlie in Circle, AmeriCorps member in your community. AmeriCorps Programs Coordinator, activities in three areas: youth activities, job Selina Sam in Huslia, and Kristie Young in They are eager to talk about the program Stephenie Bennett toll-free at 800-478-6822 readiness training and activities which will Tetlin.