Greetings,
I’ve been enjoying getting outside and taking care of a few yard projects, since the weather is finally warming up. Also enjoying catching some lacrosse games. Time to get all the gardens ready for planting. I hope everyone enjoys these warmer days!
The Seneca Nation was recently awarded two grants from the Built to Play Skatepark grant fund. The grants were secured by our Seneca Nation Department of Transportation, working cooperatively with the Community Planning & Development Department. The grants will either fully, or in part, pay for the permanent concrete skate parks on the Allegany and Cattaraugus territories. In Cattaraugus, the skate park will be located on the site of the Cattaraugus Community Center; while the Allegany site is yet to be determined. Now that the award has been announced, the Nation will host two community meetings to seek community input: Allegany community meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 17th, 2022, at the Allegany Community Center at 6:00pm; and the Cattaraugus community meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 18th, 2022, at 6:00pm. If you require additional information, please contact Sharon Ray in our Allegany Department of Transportation, at (716) 945-1790, X3137.
The unofficial beginning of summer is generally marked by Memorial Day, which occurs on the last Monday of May. This day is set aside as a traditional day to remember fallen service members and to decorate their graves with flags and flowers. This is a busy time for members of Iroquois Post #1587, on the Cattaraugus territory. The Memorial Day remembrances begin on Sunday, May 22nd, 2022, from 10am to 3pm and continues on the 23rd, 24th and 25th, until all graves are decorated, starting each day at 10am. On Sunday, May 29th, there is a sunrise service scheduled to start at Good Shepard Church, in Irving, at 8:30am. Additional salute honorings will follow at: Newtown Cemetery in Lawtons, Pinewoods Cemetery in Pinewoods and Indian Hill Cemetery up Indian Hill. The final salute will take place at the SNI Cemetery at 11am. Iroquois Post #1587 and the Nation invite our community members to attend the Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 30th, 2022, at 11:00am, at the Seneca Allegany Administration Building (SAAB), as they pay tribute to and honor our Seneca warriors whom have paid the ultimate sacrifice. For more information or to provide Iroquois Post #1587 with information about a family member and their service, please email Ron Cook, Jr., Post Commander, at: americanlegioniroquoispost1587@gmail.com or call (716) 532-1587.
On the COVID front, there were two vaccination clinics set up earlier this week at both of our health centers. You may be eligible to get your second booster, if you are over fifty years of age.
If you need to check your eligibility or make an appointment for vaccinations and booster shots, you may call Teri Cowles at (716) 945-5894 (Allegany); or Kim Bradley at (716) 532-5582 (Cattaraugus). Stay safe!
Respectfully,
Rickey L. Armstrong, Sr.
