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A portion of the gifts for 700 Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare angels in need adopted by Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Entertainment employees were gathered at the Indian Child Welfare office located in Catoosa. In addition to the adoptions, the Cherokee Nation and CNE recently contributed more than $25,000 to the Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree to help fulfill the gift requests of approximately 650 – 700 angels not adopted. The Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Entertainment recently contributed more than $25,000 to the Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree to purchase gifts for angels in need. “This contribution is a huge help because it will be used to shop and provide gifts for the angels that don’t get picked,” said Brandy Lemley, Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree head coordinator. The Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree helps children in need receive holiday gifts they might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy. More than 1,600 special “angels” of various Native American descents were represented on the tree this year. The children all reside within the Cherokee Nation’s 14-county jurisdiction. “Helping the angel tree is a perfect example of how we strive to support our communities. The tree not only represents our Cherokee children in need, but Native American children located throughout the Cherokee Nation,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. In addition to the monetary contribution, employees at the Cherokee Nation and CNE generously adopted 700 angels individually. CNE employees adopted the angels at each of the seven CNE casino locations in Catoosa, Claremore, Tahlequah, Sallisaw, Roland, West Siloam Springs and Ft. Gibson. “CNE definitely helps. They always take more than half the load with the employees’ donations and the substantial check donation,” said Sherri Davis, Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare clerk and co-coordinator for the Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree. Angel tree participants must live within the Cherokee Nation boundaries and meet low-income family guidelines. Children include those in tribal custody, low-income students at Sequoyah Schools, and children currently living at the Jack Brown House in Tahlequah and the Murrow Home in Muskogee. The Cherokee Nation’s angel tree project has been successfully assisting disadvantaged children within the Cherokee Nation for more than a decade. Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree volunteers will be shopping this week to purchase gifts for approximately 650 – 700 angels that were not adopted from the tree. For more information about the Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Angel Tree, contact Brandy Lemley, phone: 918-266-5626 (ext.7730) or send email to: brandy-lemley@cherokee.org.

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

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

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org