The Cherokee Nation announced new funding for its community center health and wellness programs on Friday.
The Cherokee Nation is hosting a community group meeting in Catoosa this weekend.
Everyone can access $2.1 million in new funding to promote healthier living.
There are 86 groups participating to help provide resources provided by the Cherokee Nation.
Abby McLemore, from Chewy, works in a town that doesn’t have many other resources.
“If we need anything, Kansas, Oklahoma or Westville are the closest places,” Abby said.
Funding from the Cherokee Nation will create new health opportunities, especially in small towns.
“People should understand that these 86 organizations are often located in rural areas that don’t have access to the amenities people take for granted and are often the nucleus of very small communities,” Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said.
In Marble City, residents can take advantage of fitness equipment at a new community center that just opened.
The new $21 million center in Kenwood will feature training space as well as courts and fields for traditional and modern games.
“These Cherokee youth are getting some physical fitness and maybe being exposed to a traditional game like stickball for the first time. They’re just here to have fun, but this is a win for the entire community,” said Chief Hoskin Jr.
The Cherokee Nation will provide each community group with $25,000 to decide how to spend the money.
The Cherokee Nation is building new clinics, like this one in Vinita, but it is also spending more on prevention to reduce smoking and encourage physical activity.
“They come to us and talk to us about healthy eating and healthy recipes,” Whitmire said.
The chief said the new $25,000 grant will be paid out annually.
They will also begin paying electricity bills to increase community organizations’ ability to support their neighbors.
