This year, the Osage Nation’s Communities of Excellence program honored seven local people and entities for their efforts in promoting healthy lifestyles and choices.

Those recognitions were delivered during the Communities of Excellence’s Healthy Harvest Dinner and award ceremony held Oct. 2 at the Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center.

In keeping with the healthy living theme, the dinner event featured healthy dishes prepared with fresh fruit and vegetables and meat that was locally grown.

According to Electa Red Corn, community liaison for Communities of Excellence:

“The majority of the vegetables – turnip greens, radishes, banana peppers, tomatoes, and okra – were purchased and donated by Tom Trumbly of Allred Patch. Squash from the Cultural Center garden was also served and this was grown by Ta-Wa AmeriCorps staff:  Bruce Tiger, LaTonya West, Tom Trumbly, Nikhazi Supernaw, Nataska Rouse, and AmeriCorps Program Coordinator Katelyn Rulo. Also some Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) friends provided manoomin (wild rice) from Wisconsin.“

This year’s Healthy Harvest award winners are:

• Elaine Hight and Ross Mashunkashey (Osage) each won the Rising Star Advocates for Healthy Living award.
• Jacquelin Boulanger (Osage) won the Community Health Champion award.
• McCord Public School is the recipient of the Champion of School Health award.
• Fi Davis, director of the Osage Nation Food Distribution Program won the Champion of Senior Health award.
• Osage Nation WIC program won the Champion of Children’s Health award
• Theresa Flowerette, RPN and Acadia Family Clinic won the Champion of Business Health.

According to the Communities of Excellence website, its “mission is to address the issues causing chronic disease within the Osage people and residents of Osage County. We will accomplish this by educating the citizens in healthy lifestyles and the process of disease prevention through healthy food choices, exercise, and being tobacco-free.”

For more information on the Communities of Excellence program and its services, visit: www.osagenation-nsn.gov/what-we-do/communities-excellence