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Indian Voce
Published each Thursday in Pembroke. N.C.
"building Communicative Bridges In A Tri-Racial Setting" | AUG ~ A dUJ I 1
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Becky Bullard appointed
to UNCP trustee board
Pembroke, N.C.?Rebecca B.
Bullard, human resources director
for Converse, Inc. in Lumberton, has
been appointed by Gov. James B.
Hunt to the UNC Pembroke Board of
Trustees.
Ms. Bullard will complete Fred
George's term on the 13-member
board. The term expires in 2003.
Chancellor Allen C. Meadors welcomed
Ms. Bullard to the board.
"We are delighted to have Ms.
Bullard join The University of North
Carolina at Pembroke's Board of
Trustees," Chancellor Meadors said.
"We look forward to the abundance of
talent and energy that she will bring
to this board."
Ms. Bullard said she is excited
about the future of UNC Pembroke
and pleased to be a part of it.
"The people of North Carolina are
seeing UNC Pembroke evolve as an
outstanding resource," Ms. Bullard
said. "The university serves not only
the students, but businesses, governmental
and civic agencies."
"As students graduate and establish
their careers in a global economy,
UNCP is represented across the U.S.
and internationally," she said. "I look
forward to working with this outstanding
institution, staff and board."
Ms. Bullard is active in the business
apd civic life of the community,
including terms as president of the
Lumberton Area Chamber of Commerce
and vice chair of the Tourist
Development Authority. She is married
to Cliff Bullard, Sr., a
businessman and former mayor of
Lumberton.
She is president of Lumberton
Rotary and has volunteered with the
Robeson County United Way. Ms.
Bullard is also president of the
Wingate University Alumni Association.
f"
A 1981 Cum Laude graduate of
Wingate University, Ms. Bullard
majored in business administration.
She is professionally certified by the
Society of Human Resource Management,
and is a career human resources
manager, including management
positions with Gerber Childrenswear
and International Jensen in Lumberton.
Other UNCP trustees: Chair Roger
Oxendine of Rowland, Sybil Jones
Bullard of Pembroke, Mac Campbell
of Elizabethtown, Bob Caton of Lumberton,
Sybil Collins of Pembroke,
McDuffie Cummings of Pembroke,
Thomas Jones II of Whiteville, Henry
Lewis of Lumberton, Cheryl Locklear
of Red Springs, Gary Oxendine of
Southern Pines, Sherry Prince of Tabor
City and Student Government
President Veronica Hatten of Cary.
Power Wheelchairs
Available
The Senior Wheels USA Program
makes available Power
(Electric) Wheelchairs to Senior Citizens
(65 yrs. old & up) and the
Permanently Disabled at no cost to
the recipient, if they qualify.
The power Wheelchairs are provided
to those who cannot walk and
cannot self-propel a manual wheelchair,
and who meet the additional
guidelines of the program. No deposit
is required.
If your need is for use in vour
home, please call for more information
to see if you qualify. Call toll
free, Leon Johnson at 1-800-2466010.
Becky Bullard
Senator Edwards Backs
Medicare Improvements
frasmngton?i>enaiOT John
Edwards has joined a bipartisan coalition
of Senators calling on Finance
Committee Chairman William Roth
of Delaware to rescind cuts in Medicare
payments to rural hospitals,
teaching hospitals, home health
agencies and nursing homes.
Health care services for the elderly
could be jeopardized unless
Congress cancels cuts that are scheduled
to take effect October 1 under
provisions of the 1997 Balanced
Budget Act.
"When Medicare fails to pay its
share, it threatens health care for all
patients," the letter from Senator
Edwards and others said.
"Reduced Medicare payments are
contributing to decisions by many
providers and insurers that threaten
Medicare beneficiaries' access to care,
including staff layoffs, reductions in
services, or even outright facility closures
or decisions to withdraw from
the Medicare program," the letter
added.
Signed by 72 senators, the letter
also was sent to Senator Daniel
Patrick Moynihan of New York, the
ranking Democrat on the panel that
oversees the Medicare program.
Reductions in. Medicare outlays
have been almost double what the
Congressional Budget Office projected
in 1997 before the Balanced
Budget Act was passed by Congress.
Last year, Congress concluded that
savings had exceeded what was intended
under the 1997 law and
provided short-term relief to Medicare
providers. "We continue to be
deeply concerned that the relief is not
sufficient to maintain the availability
of all the high-quality providers who
deliver health care to Medicare beneficiaries,"
the senators said in the
letter to Chairman Roth.
The Finance Committee is expected
to take up Medicare reforms
in September after Congress returns
from its August recess.
"Something will happen this year
for a very simple reason, because
everyone knows that if nothing happens
we are going to lose hospitals,
and when we lose hospitals the people
in our local communities will not be
able to get the medical care they
need," Senator Edwards said in a
recent interview with WECT-TV in
Wilmington, N.C.
Mr. Leroy Freeman, Chairman of the LRDA Board, is shown
presenting a financial contribution to Miss North Carolina Lorna
McNeill.
LRDA supports Miss North
Carolina, Lorna McNeill
Lumbee Regional Development Association, Inc. pOss'eda motion In
support of Lorna McNeill, the reigning Miss NC at its monthly board
meeting held July 3, 2000. McNeill, an enrolled member of the Lumbee
tribe was crowned Miss NC on June 17, 2000 in Raleigh, NC. She is also a
former Miss Lumbee. The agency has pledged financial support for
McNeill who will be competing in the Miss America pageant in October.
LRDA accepting
applications for enrollment
but will delay processing
The Tribal Enrollment Office
of LRDA is continuing to accept
applications for enrollment although
they will not be processed
until
after the tribal rolls have been
purged and updated.. The purpose
in failing to process applications at
this time is to work in conjunction
with the Lumbee Self-Determination
Commission in order to have
the tribal rolls accurate in time for
the tribal election scheduled for
November 7, 2000.
In order to participate in the
LSDC planned election, one must
be an enrolled member to vote for
representatives of a governmental
body. The LSDC is working under
a court order to oversee the election
of a governmental body of the
Lumbee Tribe if the tribal members
detefmine by survey that they
wish to be governed by a tribal
council.
In order for the tribal rolls to be
ready for the scheduled November
election, deceased members must
be removed and current addresses
are needed. The updating of the
tribal rolls will help to ensure the
integrity of an election.
According to Leroy Freeman,
Chairman of the LRDA Board of
Directors, the agency is committed
to working with the LSDC to bring
a peaceful resolution to the issue of
tribal government.
"If the people want a government,
and I believe they do, then
they should certainly have accurate
information for election
officials to determine if a tribal
member is eligible to vote, Freeman
said."
Mr. Freeman continued, "It is
our position at LRDA that we must
do everything in our power to expedite
the necessary purging of the
tribal rolls. We are planning to hire
more staff people so that the removing
of deceased members
names and updating of addresses
can be done in a faster more efficient
manner."
Any Lumbee who has not yet
enrolled may come into the Tribal
Enrollment Office on Union Chapel
Road, Pembroke, NC and fill out
an application, although the application
will not be processed until
after the updating of the tribal
rolls.For further information call
(910) 521-2462.
Teresa Cummings named
UNCP's alumni director
Pembroke, N.C.?Pembroke native
and UNC Pembroke graduate Teresa
Cummings has been named director
for the Office of Alumni Relations,
according to an announcement by Dr.
. Glen Burnette, Jr., vice chancellor for
Advancement.
Ms. Cummings served as interim
director since August 1999. She
graduated from UNCP in 1997 after
returning to the university as a nontraditional
student. She was Miss
Pembroke State University in 1974.
Her responsibilities include planning
student and alumni events on
campus and at chapter sites throughout
North Carolina. Ms. Cummings
directs the annual alumni giving campaign
and manages the alumni
endowment, which is UNCP's largest.
She reports to Dr. Burnette, the
vice chancellor for Advancement.
"We are excited about Ms. Cummings
joining the Advancement
team," Dr. Burnette said. "She takes
on challenges as opportunities to bring
alumni closer to the university. This
is important because the mission of
the Alumni Relations office is to offer
opportunities for alumni and friends
to get involved in the life of the university."
Ms. Cummings said she has several
important goals for the office.
"First, I would like to see our major
alumni chapters revitalized in
order for them to participate in all of
the exciting things happening at
UNCP, and, eventually, claim ownership
for some of them," she said.
"Next, 1 would like to establish a
travel program which would allow
our alumni to reconnect with the university
and with each other."
"Finally, I would like to implement
several new programs and
activities that will bring alumni and
friends back to campus more often,"
the new alumni director said.
Ms. Cummings received a B.A. in
English from UNCP. She worked in
education and health 'care before returning
to the university.
Active in the community, Ms.
Cummings serves on the Pembroke
Advisory Board of the State Employees
Credit Union and is a committee
member for the future grand opening
of the First Health of the Carolinas
Medical and Fitness Center. She was
chairperson for the Town of
Pembroke's Bicentennial Celebration
Committee,
An original cast member of "Strike
at the Wind!" she was featured soloist
on the original soundtrack for the
outdoor drama. She also played a
lead role in the recent movie version
of the drama "Through Native Eyes:
The Henry Berry Lowrie Story."
Ms. Cummings is married to Jerry
Cummings, a 1958 UNCP graduate.
He is owner of Pembroke Tire Service.
She has one son, Joel.
Teresa Cummings
%
Locklear-Brooks
Family ,
Decendants
Sought
I am hoping to establish contact
with my sisters and brothers and
cousins. Are you a Descendant of
one of the following:
BROOKS: Jackson, Duckery,
Lawrence, Little Will, Martha,
Gretchen, Lillian, Hansel, Esther Lee;
whose parents were Chief Wi II Brooks
and Leanna Loclrlwtr: whose parents
were Duckery & Callie Brooks and
David & Mary Locklear. Chief Will
Brooks was born 8/8/1890. Leanna
Locklear was bom 10/5/1895. All
the above bom in Robeson Co. Add.
info: Leanna had tow (known) sisters:
Lovedy, married to Ralph
Brooks, two known children, Silas &
Betty Rose; The other sister was
Emma Locklear who married a Jacobs.
Please send any infor. to:
Eaglehawk Clan Lumbee, 4820 Old
Harrisburg Road, Lot 5, Gettysburg,
PA 17325 or call (717) 338-0807 or
(717) 338-1686, ask for Elizabeth
Brooks or Lisa Ann Brooks, (marrinrl
narrtA TU?L ^/
?vm Munav i cauiivi /. I IIQIIIV Y Uli:
Indian Housing and Economic Development to Benefit from Federal Leaislatinn
Washington (7/26/00)?The
House passed legislation today that
would provide new economic benefits
for Native Americans, via a
boost to their economic base through
tak-breaks and other federal assistance,
according to the National
American Indian Housing Council.
The measure, which benefits other
ailing communities in addition to
those in Indian Country, still requires
Senate passage to become law.
NAIHC Chairman Chester Carl
said, "This measure, if enacted into
law, will greatly benefit the 559 fed
erally-recognized tribes in the country
through specific incentives that will
help to jumpstart new businesses,
creating needed jobs within Indian
Country. In addition, the change to
the Low-Income housing Tax Credit
will also spur greater production of
affordable housing for Native American
communities."
Low-Income Housing Tax
Credit Provision
Targeted toward distressed communities,
the bill includes two
provisions important for Indian housing.
The first is a provision NAIHC
has been advocating for two years,
which would make all NAHASDA
(Native American Housing Assistance
and Self Determination ACT)
block grant funds "non-federal" for
the purposes of rhe Low Income
Housing Tax Credit.
American Private Investment
Corporations: one for Indian Country
The other provision is a "New
Market" initiative that would allow
the Secretary of HUD to license and
regulate a system of investment centers
known as American Private
Investment Corporations or APICs.
These corporations would provide
investment mechanisms to low-income
or rural communities that have
traditionally been ignored by private
capital investments.
If passed, this bill would allow
HUD to license up to ten APICs
nationally. Earlier this spring, the
House Subcommittee on Housing
and Community Opportunity
Chairman, Rick Lmio (R-NY),
added to the bill a requirement
that one of the ten APICs must be
for Native American investmentdesignated
NAPIC - or Native
0 ? ? - American
Private Investment Corporation.
Its primary purpose would
be making community investments
within Indian Country, including
Hawaiian homelands.
The bill would also allow HUD to
designate up to 40 communities as
"renewal comrrfunities," eligible for
special tax breaks, loan guarantees,
and environmental help. At least
eight of these communities must be
in rural areas.
Christopher Boesen, Executive
Director of NAIHC and the Coalition
for Indian Housing and Development
said, "We're glad to know that
Local Educator
Attends Seminar
Cullowhee?Ruby B. Hammonds
of Lumberton, fifth-grade teacher at
Pembroke Elementary School, recently
attended a seminar at the North
Carolina Center for the Advancement
of Teaching.
Hammonds was one of 23 North
Carolina teachers participating in
"Homesteads, Cabins, and Barns: A
Photographic Journey" June 26-30,
conducted by center fellow Tricia
Cook.
Part of the Clniversity of North
Carolina, NCCAT provides a yearround
series of residential seminars
and teacher-scholar programs for
teachers and professional development
activities for teachers and staff
in selected school systems. At the
center, teachers engage in stimulating
scholarly activities and
professional networking to renew
their vitality for teaching and learning.
Mary Jo Utley is center director.
Local Educator
Attends Seminar
Cullowhee?Myma Strickland of
Pembroke, second-grade teacher at
Prospect Elementary School, recently
attended a seminar at the North Carolina
Center for the Advancement of
Teaching.
Strickland was one of 23 North
Carolina teachers participating in
"Homesteads, Cabins, and Bams: A
Photographic Journey" June 26-30,
conducted by center felio.v Tricia
Cook.
Part of the University of North
Carolina, NCCAT provides a yearround
series of residential seminars
and teacher-scholar programs for
teachers and professional development
activities for teachers and staff
in selected school systems. At the
center, teachers engage in stimulating
scholarly activities and
professional networking to renew
their vitality for teaching and learning.
Mary Jo Utley is center director.
political leaders of both parties, when
lookingat revitalizing distressed communities,
place a priority on Native
American communities.
The National American Indian
Housing Council is a national nonprofit
organization representing
tribes and tribal housing entitles
across the country. NAIHC provides
training, technical assistance,
and research and publishes Native
American Housing News. NAIHC's
sister organization. Coalition for
Indian Housing and Development,
is a non-for-profit organization
representing tribes and tribal housing
organizations.