OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Updated 12/13/08 December 9, 2008
Jan Rockwell is a local artist who creates water color painting and collages. For our program this week, she showed an exhibit of Ponca Indian pictures she has drawn. (Examples of her artwork are shown on the left. Click on the picture for a larger version).
She has created several photo collages of tribe chiefs and members. Some of the collages have landscapes and she creates some from recycled materials. "After I made a couple of these, I made larger ones that were displayed at Dickson Mounds" she explained. Jan says she felt driven to do the collages and contacted someone in Nebraska who, in turn, contacted someone who was an ancestor of a member of the original tribe who was very excited about her working on the project. She said they were a "peace loving tribe" and got along well with the U.S. Army. Jan described some of the Indian Chiefs she painted including White Eagle who went to Washington to speak to President Rutherford B. Hayes on behalf of the tribe to talk about remaining on their lands and treaties. He told officials "we are becoming like grass that has been downtrodden." The Chief was shown in her painting wearing a modified soldiers uniform. Standing Bear was one who protested their relocation to Oklahoma. He did not think the land would be suitable for their families and was told "well then, you'll just have to walk home." That walk was over 600 miles and they had limited provisions. They made it as far as Nebraska and decided to settle there. After trying to settle around Omaha, they were arrested and taken to an Army fort where they were placed into custody. A court hearing was held where Standing Bear testified about their conditions. Eventually, the hearing determined that the Ponca Indians were humans like everyone else and they were allowed to stay on their homelands. Jan says they were fierce warriors but could be peaceful when dealing with the government agents. She says they still celebrate "Standing Bear Days" in Nebraska every year. For more information on the Ponca Indians, click here
President Tim Moss presided.
Tim led a discussion and vote on updating the club bylaws that included changing the number of board members from five to seven and staggering their terms. It was moved and seconded and approved by a unanimous voice vote. The bylaws will be submitted to Kiwanis International.
On behalf of Jeremy Benson, Tim thanked everyone for helping out at Breakfast with Santa last Saturday at Macomb High School. Over 600 people were served and we had a lot of fun! Click here to view a photo album from the event. You'll see people lining up for pancakes, Kiwanis members making and serving pancakes, kids talking with Santa, WIU mascot Rocky visiting with kids, one of Santa's helpers (also known as club Secretary Sue Dexter) and WIU cheerleaders lending a helping hand.
***UPDATED 12/13/08*** Click here for a new photo montage of Children's Christmas Shopping.
Kiwanis is also helping with the Salvation Army food baskets at Family Video December 23. We assist in packing and distributing the baskets to families from Macomb and McDonough County.
Debbie is trying to get an Interclub in for the month of December. She said we could go to the Galesburg Noon Club next Tuesday. Their program will feature older members reminiscing about Christmases past. The group will leave at 10:30 from the Days Inn parking lot and we need two more members to sign up to make it an official interclub visit.
The official Governor's visit that was scheduled for December 13 in the Quad Cities has been cancelled. It looks like it will be rescheduled for the first quarter of next year.
The 50/50 Drawing was won by Hassan Espahbodi and he donated his share to the Salvation Army.
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