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Reservation first among several to officially designate a spot for facility; Toiyabe to begin buying equipment
By Mike Gervais Register Staff
The Big Pine Paiute Tribe is getting healthy, and other Native American tribes throughout the Eastern Sierra are right behind them.
After months of planning, negotiations with the Toiyabe Indian Health Project and searching for funding and grant opportunities, the Big Pine Paiute Tribe is on its way to opening a new wellness center for its members. The Toiyabe Indian Health Project has been working to help establish wellness centers throughout its district, from Bridgeport to Death Valley. Though other tribes have began working towards that goal, the Big Pine Tribe is the first to dedicate a space for the wellness center. Th Big Pine Tribal Council voted last week to dedicate space in the Anchor Building, south of Big Pine, near the old casino. With a site planned for the wellness center, Toiyabe may now begin purchasing work-out equipment, training staff and preparing the site for the future wellness center. “We have been encouraging tribal administrators from Bridgeport to Death Valley to identify space on their respective reservations for wellness centers or smaller fitness stations, and Big Pine’s council resolution is the initial formal response,” said Dr. Jagdish Goswami, executive director at Toiyabe. “As soon as we complete safety checks at the facility, we can begin to identify appropriate equipment, work with the tribe to place it for maximum effectiveness and actually begin utilizing the facility.” The move to establish wellness centers at local reservations was spearheaded by Toiyabe’s Healthy Heart Program, a national demonstration project designed to combat the risk of cardiovascular disease in Native Americans with diabetes. It will provide the majority of funding to outfit the wellness centers through grants. “We have enough grant support to help all of the tribes in our service area,” Healthy Hearts Coordinator Dr. Rick Frey said in a press release. “Although the Fort Independence Paiute Tribe and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe in Death Valley were the first two of our seven tribal entities to identify wellness center space, Big Pine is the first to get a formal resolution passed by their Tribal Council. We’re looking forward to working with (Tribal Chairperson Gina Jones) and Tribal Administrator Sanford Nabahe, to have a fully functioning wellness center for the Big Pine Tribe this summer.” “Without (Jones’) efforts and the keen foresight of their council, Big Pine would still be only dreaming about a wellness center,” Goswami said. “Now the Big Pine Tribe is only a few weeks away from actually having an operational fitness facility. (Jones) and the council deserve most of the credit for the new spirit of health and wellness now evident on the Big Pine Reservation.” According to Frey, the Fort Independence Indian Reservation is right behind Big Pine as far as establishing a wellness center. Frey said Carl Dahlberg, chairperson of the Fort Independence Tribe, applauds Big Pine for moving ahead, and plans to join them in providing fitness and wellness opportunities for his tribal members. According to a press release, Dahlberg and Tribal Administrator Norman Wilder met with Toiyabe staff earlier this year and agreed to make a room available for exercise equipment in the new tribal building on the Fort Independence Reservation. However, the tribal council has yet to pass a resolution formalizing the plans. “Likewise, the Shoshone at Furnace Creek have identified a temporary space in the Timbisha Village that will serve as their fitness station,” the press release states. A new community building is being constructed on the Timbisha Reservation in Death Valley, and, according to Trial Chairperson Joe Kennedy, the tribe plans to make health and wellness one of the main functions of the new building. “This is going to be a great help to the Timbisha people,” said Toiyabe’s community health representative in Death Valley, Dale Newell. “The Death Valley Indian community is overjoyed that Toiyabe has shown such support. We are looking forward to the new community building; and to the continued support of Toiyabe’s Healthy Heart Program. Currently, Newell drives from Lone Pine to Death Valley at twice a week to lead exercise classes at the Timbisha Reservation. “Having increased wellness opportunities in Death Valley will do a lot to help us reduce obesity and the devastating complications of diabetes,” Newell said.
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