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Alyssa Daugherty works out on stationary bike.

DAHLONEGAH, OKLAHOMA - Dahlonegah School has used $76,000 in grant money from Cherokee Nation to furnish a new fitness center.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith and council member Jackie Bob Martin were on hand for the ribbon cutting of this new facility.

"Diabetes is devastating many Cherokee communities", said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "We want to promote a healthy lifestyle in those communities, for kids and adults. This new facility gives folks in Dahlonegah a place to exercise, which is a key factor in preventing and controlling diabetes."

"The Cherokee Nation, Chief Chad Smith and the council have been a tremendous support to our school and this new fitness center is just another part of their help", said Jeff Limore, superintendent of Dahlonegah School. "We have a set of pre-requisites for community members to fill out before they can use the facility, but I hope that they will start to take advantage of this."

"I look forward to using all this new equipment", said Alyssa Daugherty, Dahlonegah student.

"The kids are excited about this new facility and I think it is pretty neat myself", said Tim Darr, Dahlonegah football coach.

"We currently have four trainers staffing the facility on a rotation basis and hope to have health and nutrition classes here as well as have a physician come down from Wilma P. Mankiller Health Center at times and check things out", said Limore.

The Cherokee Nation selected Dahlonegah School as one of seventeen schools to share in a $1 million Diabetes Prevention Grant. Schools that applied for the Cherokee Nation Diabetes Prevention Grant had to submit a plan for improving their existing physical activity program or starting a new one.

The Cherokee Nation distributed the grant as a form of diabetes prevention among Native American people. Schools with a high number of Native American students were given top priority in the selection process.

The fitness facility is open from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday for members of the community. They also offer a time slot for women only and then one for co-ed, which rotates on a daily basis.

For more information on joining the Dahlonegah fitness center please contact Stephanie Ketcher, school nurse, phone: 918-696-7807.

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma Attn: (Department Name) P.O. Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465 Telephone: 918-456-0671 (Toll Free OK) 1-800-256-0671