Published each Thursday lti Pembroke, N.C. H K
CAR?& UNA iNDpVaCE
"Building Communicative Bridges In /\ Tri-Racial jcttipg" (
Volume 27 dumber 39 Thursday, September 28. 2000 | NCLPEMBR"ry' Uverr lore Librarv 25c
[ iKlr-n ' ' *
Purnell Swett files to
represent District 13
on Tribal Government
rumen aweit, lormer superintendent
of the Public Schools of Robeson
County, has filed for a seat on the
Lumbee Tribal Government, representing
District 13.
In makinghisannouncement, Swett
released the following statement:
"I am offering my candidacy to
represent District 13 in the November
7 election for a representative body to
establish Lumbee Tribal Government.
1 will bring to this position many years
of leadership experience on the local,
state and federal level. I believe my
varied experience will afford ,e the
opportunity to work in harmony with
the other elected members for the
benefit of all tribal members. I will
support the establishment of a tribal
recognition committee to continue the
efforts toward gaining federal recognition.
1 believe my experience
? *? ? ? ? n
working at the federal level will allow
me to have a positive influence in the
recognition process.
"My wife Annette and I reside in
Boiling Spring Lhkes, located in
Brunswick County, NC. I am a retired
educator with forty years experience
at the local, state and federal level.
Presently I work part time as a Realtor
with Century 21 Dorothy Essey and
Associates in Southport, NC.
"The establishment of a Lumbee
Tribal Government will required much
hard work and dedication. It requires
a commitment to work together with
other elected officials to bring about a
peaceful and smooth transition as we
work together to provide for the future
of our children and grandchildren."
District 13 includes all of Cumberland
County, Pender, Brunswick,
Bladen and New Hanover Counties.
The winners of the First Annual Lumbee Tribe's Ambassador Charity
Golf Tournament are shown left to right: Michael Baxley, William E.
Locklear; Clyde Jacobs; and Joe Locklear.
First Annual Lumbee Tribe's
Ambassador^Charity Golf
Tournament is Successful
Lumbee Regional Development
Association sponsored the First Annual
Lumbee Tribe's Ambassador
Charity Golf Tournament on Thursday,
September 21,2000 at Riverside
Golf Course. Proceeds from the event
were used to assist Miss North Carolina
Lorna McNeill and the
2000-20001 reigning Lumbee queens.
The entry fee was $200 per foursome
and included 18 holes of golf. Many
individual also played for an entry fee
of $50.
A check for $3000 was presented
to Miss McNeill by LRDA Board
Chairman Leroy Freeman and Executive
Director James Hardin earlier in
j_
the week..
LRDA supports Miss North Carolina
Loma McNeill who is a former
Miss Lumbee. She is the first American
Indian to hold the title of Miss
North Carolina. She served as Miss
Lumbee in 1994 and will represent the
State of North Carolina at the Miss
America Pageant October 14, 2000.
She will be leaving today, September
28, for the Miss America Pageant.
LRDA officials wish her great success
and many of them will travel to
the pageant to offer their support.
LRDA wishes to express their gratitude
to the players, sponsors and all
participants of the Tournament.
. IMJ ? J Hi
Purnell Sweti
Larry Townsend
"Chief Iror Pem',oke Nc j83- I ins
files for Tribal Chairman
"Chief Iron Bear" Harold Collins,
owner of the Pembroke Powerhouse
has filed for Tribal Chairman. Collins
is a 1975 graduate of Red Springs
High School and earned a degree in
Welding and Carpentry in 1978 from
Robeson Community College.
Collins holds the title of "The
world's strongest Native American."
Other achievements include: 1989
Power lifting Champion; three times
United States National Power-lifting
Champion, 1991, 1992, 1993; Congressional
Recognition by
Congressman Charlie Rose in 1994;
two time Gold Medalists in the World's
Bench Press in 1991 and 1992; and
"Chief Iron Bear" day was established
by the Town of Pembroke June 23,
1989.
In 1994 Collins was entered into
the Guiness Book of World Records
as the only man to pull seven semitractor
trucks at one time. In 1995
Collins' picture was presented to Governor
Jim Hunt and was hung in the
governor's office. In 1998 Collins
served as Grand Marshal for the Lumbee
Homecoming Parade in
Pembroke.
In 1999 Chief Iron Bear broke a
Guiness Book of World Records by
pulling 50,433 pounds 160 feet in 44
seconds. This event was filmed by
EXTRA television show on November
3rd.
"Chief Iron Bear" has set numerous
records in the World's Strongest
Man Contest. These competitions have
been shown on ESPN Nero Sports,
the BBC, Hungary T.V., Russian T. V..
NBC, and CBS World's Strongest
Man Competition.
In addition, Collins holds the Bench
Press Record in two weight classes,
275@ 601 lbs and Super Heavyweight
@ 633 lbs. These records were set in
1984 and have never been broken.
Collins has made numerous appearance
for charities, including the
March of Dimes. In one event he
bench pressed 10,000 dollars in dimes
and raised $ 100,000 at $ 10,000 a rep
for the March of Dimes.
He raised S3,000 by pulling two
semi-trucks 11/2 miles in Lumberton,
NC in the "Pull for Life" event held
for St. Jude Children's Hospital.
During Lumbee Homecoming in
1997 in Pembroke he raised $ 1800 to
purchase a wheelchair for a child. He
also raised $ 10,000 for the North Carolina
Indian Cultural Center by
auctioning off the Lumbee Shoe created
and designed by him in a joint
partnership with Converse Shoe
Manufacturer.
Collins owns and operates Pembroke
Powerhouse Gym where he
developed a youth program where he
works hand-in-hand with the schools
and parents to help meet the needs of
' ' *****
the students.
His personal appearances in his
"Say No To Drugs" Campaign have
been numerous. They include appearances
in the public schools in North
and South Dakota. Arizona, Texas,
North Carolina. Canada, Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Russia and Lithuwania.
Col I ins was born in 1957ofNative
American parents Redell and Evelyn
Collins of Shannon, NC. His family's
religious affiliation is The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He
was raised in a small farming community
with his seven sisters and two
brothers where as a little boy he
dreamed of becoming a power-lifter.
Collins and his fiance Trisha Carter,
have a daughter, Cheyenne Alexis
Collins, 24 months old, and a step
daughter Crystal Carter, 16 years old.
Said Collins: "My objective as
Chief of the Lumbee Cheraw is to
work di I igently, encouraging and motivating
my people to become strong
leaders in their native land. We must
bond together as proud people paving
a path for our native youth without
boundaries. 1 will strive to encourage
unity and instill pride in an effort to
preserve and ensure the Lumbee
Cheraw heritage and recognition. I
will serve as a voice for all Lumbee
Cheraw, encouraging and grasping
the vision of our forefathers: honesty
promoting togetherness."
Larry Townsend Seeks
District 6 Seat as
Tribal Representative
j-arry i ownsena nas rued to represent
District 6 (North Pembroke) in
the soon to be established Lumbee
Government. Townsend is a Facility
Technician with BellSouth/Southern
Bell Telephone Company. He is married
to the former Rose Marie Lowry
and they reside on Deese Road in
Pembroke.
Townsend released the following
statement:
"If elected tot he Lumbee Tribal
Government, 1 will endeavor to work
with fellow elected tribal members to
achieve full Federal Recognition, continued
economic development, and to
build a more cohesive tribe. I will
strive to help develop a constitution
that will be inclusive rather than exclusive.
"We must be ever diligent to protect
our heritage, our culture and our
way of life as a people while striving
to protect our identity as an indigenous
people. What we do and how
we vote in the November 7th, 2000
election will be very profound and
will have long lasting effects on
present tribal members and future
generations of our people yet to come.
"The administration of our tribe
and the development of a constitution
will require our new leaders to listen,
respond, and implement the wishes of
individual tribal members while simultaneously
protecting the well
being of our entire tribe.
"Proven leadership is a must for
ournew LumbeeTribal Government.,
My leadership, skills and abilities on
local, state and national issues show
that I possess the necessary needed
skills to help form an effective Lumbee
Tribal Government,.
"I need you help, I need you support.
I need your vote on November
7th."
Native American Dance Classes held
at Cultural Center
Native American Dance classes are being held at the North Carolina Indian
Cultural Center on Tuesday nights from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. All ages are welcome
to attend. Younger children should be accompanied by an adult. For more
information contact the Cultural Center at 910-521 -2433.
The World's Strongest Native American, "Chief Iron Bear" Harold Collins
Peggy W. Chavis Files for District 9
Seat on Lumbee Tribal Government
A resident of the Saddletree Community-Peggy
W. Chavis- has announced
her candidacy for District 9
(Saddletree and West Howellsville)
as a representative of the new Lumbee
Tribal Government.
Mrs. Chavis, 3635 W. McDuffie
Crossing in Lumberton, is married to
Robert Lee Chavis. They are the
proud parentsoftwochildren, Robert
Jr. and Wendy. Peggy is the daughter
of Elkins Wilkins and the late Sallie O.
Wilkins also of Saddletree.
Chavis graduated from Magnolia
High School. She received her Associative
Art Degree from Southeastern
Community College, a BS Degree from
: Pembroke State University. Also she
has a Special Education Degree from
i East Carolina.
Mrs. Chavis taught in Columbus
s County as the Hospital/Home bound
I' Teacherforsixyears. Sheisemployed
by the Public Schools of Robeson
County as the Homebound Teacher.
She taught at Magnolia High School
for 11 'A years. She helped start the
Hospital/Homebound Program here in
Robeson County. She is a teacher of
28 years. She also taught Adult High
School for Robeson Community College
for 8 years (Shannon Fire Department
and Magnolia School).
Chavis served as the "Vice Chairperson"
of the Robeson County Democratic
Party. Appointed by Gov.,. Hunt
and served on the Board of Directors
for the Robeson County Department
of Social Services. She was chosen as
"Teacher of the Year" for Magnolia
School. She was a candidate in the
"Teacher in Space Program". She does
a great deal of marketing and research
for various companies. As a marketing
person, Mrs. Chavis was one of
the two people chosen in the United
States to be honored,
Peggy and Robert are farmers of
the Saddletree Community. They op
erate a poultry farm and she is the
owner of JR's Mobile Home Park.
"I am running INDEPENDENT for
the people, with no ties of any organization."
1 will represent our people
and what is best for their welfare. "I
make no promises to anyone, but I
pledge to serve and work with the
newly elected Lumbee Tribal Government
Representatives in developing
and maintaining a government
for all the people. I will support and
fight for equality for all the Lumbee
Indian People not just a chosen few.
"TOGETHER WE STAND BUT DIVIDED
WE FALL.
"As a committee of24 representatives,
we must put the people of our
tribe FIRST. Asateamwemustwork
together. As a goal for a brighter
tomorrow for the Lumbee Indians, I
will strive to bring federal recognition,
better housing, education, and
"affordable health care for the Lumbee
People and strive to work with
our local and state officials. If I am
elected, I will work hard for issues
that affect our tribe.
"Please go to your poll on Nov. 7,
and vote PEGGY W. CHAVIS as a
start of a new beginning forthe Lumbee
People."
Shown right Is James Hardin, executive director of LRDA. He and LRDA Board Chairman Leroy Freeman are
shown presenting a check for $3000 to Miss North Carolina, Loma McNeill. Ms. McNeill served ap Miss Lumbee
In 1994. Funds were raised at the Lumbee Tribe's First Annual Ambassador's Charity Golf Tournament held at the
NC Indian Cultural Center on September 21st. The event was sponsored by LRDA.