MONDAY 161st YEAR • NO. 159 NOVEMBER 2, 2015 CLEVELAND, TN 16 PAGES • 50¢ OCC recipient comes full circle Rwandan orphan now helping Operation Christmas Child By JOYANNA LOVE tribal unrest (when I was) a little boy. I April to July 1994. need a place to live,” Nsengimana said. Banner Senior Staff Writer was raised by my grandmother because “Within that time, about a million peo- “For me and my brother and my sister, my biological mother passed away due to ple lost their lives,” Nsengimana said. we were very young and we were just A shoebox and a candy cane brought a HIV/AIDS when I was very young and I Nsengimana’s grandmother was killed, wondering why are these people doing ray of hope to Alex Nsengimana. never knew my dad,” Nsengimana said. leaving his uncle to care for him and his this, because they are our neighbors. We Nsengimana was an orphan in The tribal unrest came to a climax in siblings. ran from place to place.” Rwanda. Now he is a college graduate 1994 when the Rwandan president was A few days later, members of the Hutu Nsengimana and his siblings fled from working with Samaritan’s Purse: assassinated. tribe came looking for his uncle. They the village they lived in, and moved to a Operation Christmas Child to bring this The Hutu tribe began aggressively killed him when they found him. city. same hope to other children. killing members of the Tutsi tribe, which “He told those guys, ‘Please do not “Rwanda was going through a lot of Nsengimana’s family belonged to, from destroy my house because my children See RECIPIENT, Page 8 Alex Nsengimana HHWCD event is "#%%#&%%(!*+ "*#+,&++$,-')*(.#+ ,"(+#''#',"(&&-'#,1 coming /#," ((+,)%+ (*,""(%#1+ " -'/"#"#+ #+ .(%-',*+-))(*, (*, (&(0+*0), soon to ,(!#.'(-,,"#+1* (',#('+&1&#%,(#*+, ''++'$(0 Tri-State %.%' (* *())( ,#*+,''++ '$, #,", Collection is Inside Today set Saturday By RICK NORTON Associate Editor While autumn whisks in her flare for scintillating change, the colorful lady also brings a key reminder — that it’s time to show some love for the environment. One way of doing it is to partici- pate in the semi-annual Household Hazardous Waste Banner photo, ALLEN MINCEY Collection Day scheduled for EMERSON BEGAY of the Navajo nation and his brother were among the special guests at the “Blessing of the Buffalo” Saturday. Saturday at Tri-State Exhibition Center from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Most Cleveland and Bradley County residents who have made drop-offs in past events know the ‘Blessing of the Buffalo’ drill. But it’s always worth repeating, espe- cially for com- Event commemorates conservation, heritage munity new- comers or Royals crowned By ALLEN MINCEY HHWCD first- Banner Staff Writer timers who are baseball’s kings “Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam ...” may have been looking to do some cleaning The Kansas City Royals are on visitors’ minds over the weekend as they viewed many of the ani- mals at the special “Blessing of the Buffalo” event in Georgetown. up and cleaning World Series champions after out ahead of their 12-inning Game 5 victory in The buffalo blessing on the Greg Vital farm was just one of the Dunson many special events held on Saturday, as visitors to the site also winter. New York. A “payback” wreck Cheryl Dunson, executive vice secured a championship spot for viewed native Americans performing music, corn shuck dolls were made and other activities took place. president of marketing for Santek NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon. The Waste Services Inc. who coordi- Titans faltered in Houston. Peyton “This is the seventh time that we have opened up the farm to what we call the ‘Blessing of the Buffalo’ and fall festival to really nates the popular initiative, said Manning looked like his old self in it’s not just a matter of clearing out a Broncos win. The Predators celebrate the Thanksgiving season and symbolically say thank you for the conservation efforts of the buffalo and open spaces we have unwanted waste streams from came up short in Anaheim. See storage sheds, basements, closets Sports, Pages 9-11. in our area, and our Cherokee heritage,” Vital said. “It gives visitors the chance to view the bison and calves that we have had this year.” and garages; it’s also a matter of Vital said that there is a novelty to presenting his small herd of disposing of them properly ... in a buffalo to the public, as many have never been in these iconic ani- way that protects the environment Forecast mals’ presence. and assures the safety, and “They are a symbol of the early American pioneers, and even a longevity, of the Bradley County Rain showers should give way to connection with the Cherokee people and the native tribes of our Landfill. overcast conditions by late after- country,” Vital said. He has 16 of the animals on his farm. It’s also about continuing to noon. The high should be around He said about 10 years ago, he started breeding buffalo on his build public awareness about the 68. Tonight’s forecast calls for property. dangers of household hazardous mostly cloudy skies, with a low “This is special land that has been preserved with a conservation waste. around 58. Tuesday should be part- easement, so this will always be a farm, and the added benefit is “We accepted almost 38,000 ly sunny, with a high near 71. that we have made it into a buffalo farm, and we’ve allowed our- pounds of household chemicals selves to be involved in the conservation of that great mammal and and electronics in April,” Dunson Tuesday night should be mostly said. “What’s remarkable about cloudy, with a low around 57. bring it back to our part of the nation,” he said. Lowery Begay and Emerson Begay of the Navajo nation did spe- Banner photo, ALLEN MINCEY that amount is that it didn’t cial blessings for the buffalo, as well as performed Indian rituals “THE BLESSING OF THE BUFFALO” took place Saturday at include empty paint cans, Index which included music and dancing. the Greg Vital farm in Georgetown. Vital has 16 bison and calves microwaves, vacuum cleaners and Charlie Rhodarmer was at the event, representing the Sequoyah on his property, and visitors had the chance to view these animals, tires which are not hazardous.” She added, “We directed resi- Classified......................................15 See BUFFALO, Page 13 many for the first time. Comics...........................................6 See HHWCD, Page 13 Editorials......................................12 Horoscope......................................6 MINI Page......................................5 CAI membership Obituaries.......................................2 Sports........................................9-11 Weatherford marks employs 6,000 in TV Schedule..................................7 Weather..........................................8 7 years at Chamber local community By BRIAN GRAVES Around Town By BRIAN GRAVES Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer PERSONALITY Nola Beth Greene getting four Manufacturing makes a difference in the eco- A’s on her report card ... Janice If you own or operate a ROFILE nomic well-being of Cleveland and Bradley Barnes showing off her new business in the P County. granddaughter, Violet ... Darlene Cleveland/Bradley County That is the founding Bryant anticipating getting a new area, chances are you know nications major, and the fit idea of Cleveland knee ... Traci Blackburn wonder- Aaron Weatherford. seems to be a very comfortable Associated Industries. SECOND ing if she really wants the new That’s his job. one. The 29 member free travel bag or not ... Cletis Weatherford is marking his With a quick wit and a companies of CAI OF 3 PARTS Bailey playing the role of senior seventh year as the member- broad smile, Weatherford employ over 6,000 tour leader ... Patricia Ellis being ship director for the defines what he does as a pub- workers, offering them a poet. Cleveland/Bradley County lic service — something that jobs with competitive wages, producing innova- Chamber of Commerce just as has developed from the way he tive products and making a significant contribu- the Chamber is marking its was raised. tion to environmental sustainability. 90th anniversary. “I seek out businesses who “Cleveland Associated Industries has, since its It was a job that “found” the inception in 1965, aimed to build an environ- former Lee University commu- Aaron Weatherford See WEATHERFORD, Page 8 6489076 75112 See MEMBERSHIP, Page 13 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Monday, November 2, 2015 www.clevelandbanner.com OBITUARIES (USPS 117-700) Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Nicholson; nieces: Angela Towl, Montoya, Michael Montoya and and will conclude with military Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) Kathryn Cook Kim Spence, Kristie Rayburn and Katie Montoya; 10 great-grand- honors. Kathryn Cook, 80, of in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday Lisa Dixon; nephews: Hunter children; and his siblings: Jack The interment will be in private and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. Cleveland, died this morning, Nicholson (Alexis), Dustin Vaughn, Wayne Vaughn and in the Chattanooga National Phone (423) 472-5041. Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, at an area Nicholson (Heather), Huey Long Danny Vaughn. Cemetery. hospital. Jr. (Tonya), Clyde Long II, Chris A Celebration of Life service is In lieu of flowers, the family Stephen L. Crass Jim Bryant Survivors and funeral arrange- Stafford and David Long; great- planned for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, request that memorial donations Editor & Publisher General Manager ments will be announced by Fike- nephew, Landon Nicholson; Nov. 3, 2015, at Companion be made in Eldridge’s name to Randolph & Son Funeral Home. cousin, Robert Patterson; chosen Funeral Home, 2419 the Disabled American Veterans Member of The Associated Press son, Jeff Waddell; goddaughter, Georgetown Road NW.