"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization Center

MULDROW, Oklahoma - Cherokee Nation citizens in Muldrow will hold the grand opening of their new Cherokee Community Center, 603 North Main Street, on Sunday, April 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization (MCCO) will offer a multitude of cultural classes on-site at the center, including Cherokee language classes, Cherokee history classes, cooking and exercise classes, a Cherokee Heritage Library and Resource Center and a Heritage Research Program that will be available at the Heritage Library each week. MCCO also plans to offer field trips and tours to its members to Cherokee sites of historical and cultural interest.

Janetta Barrow, who is one of seven board members and a grant writer for the MCCO, says she believes that the community will benefit greatly from this new addition to their area. She hopes community members will take advantage of the free classes and activities that will be offered on a weekly basis.

“We are already working on our master plan to expand our facilities within the next three years to accommodate all our members,” said Barrow. “This expansion will allow us to develop a Cultural Center and a pavilion for outdoor activities.”

The Cherokee Nation has provided non-profit training sessions through its Community Organization Training and Technical Assistance (COTTA) program and has assisted in grants to make it possible to build the community center.

In addition to that, two other Cherokee Nation programs were instrumental in bringing the new community center to pass. Cherokee Nation’s Community Buildings Project, a tribal self-help program dedicated to assisting communities build their own multi-purpose centers, also provided funding to facilitate the construction of the building. The Cherokee Nation’s Healthy Nation program is also working closely with the MCCO to help provide the community members with ways to improve their health.

The community center grand opening is open to the public. For more information about the grand opening event or the MCCO, contact Barrow, phone: 479-221-8482 or by e-mail: thingsofcloth@sbcglobal.net.