Walters Service Club Honors Veterans at Powwow
On Saturday, November 16, Walters Service Club held its veterans powwow at Watchetaker Hall.
The organization honored two veterans, Jareld Rondell Kassanavoid Brown and Elton “Chubby” Permansu, and was co-hosted by the Esa Rosa Whitewolf Decedents.
Brown served in the Army and the Army Reserves, was first stationed in Germany, and was deployed to Israel and Iraq.
“I'm very honored to be chosen out of many veterans. I do know that a lot of veterans could have been chosen,” he said. “I wish I could honor all the veterans here, but I'm very honored, and I'm very thankful to just be here to be able to be honored, but it's a very high honor for me.”
Brown said remembering veterans is important for morale and to show support.
“Being noticed, being recognized, and always thought about is good,” he said.
Brown said his favorite part about the night was the whole powwow.
“It's like a rebirth for me at 47 years old. I wasn't raised up here with my family in Comanche Nation,” he said. “I was raised in another area of Oklahoma, but I'm just thankful to be back up here with my family again.”
Walters Service Club Member Brianna Tahdooahnippah is the newest member of the Walters Service Club.
“Being a new member, it's always nice to be able to learn how things are done and be able to support however you can,” she said.
Tahdooahnippah said it’s important for Walters Service Club to honor veterans.
“The freedoms that we enjoy every day aren't free. We have a lot of men and women in our armed service, in our armed services that have made those sacrifices for us to be able to enjoy the freedom that we do have being United States citizens and members of our tribal nations,” she said. “And we just really want to appreciate them and all that they have done and sacrificed for their families and for us, too.”
Tahdooahnippah comes from a warrior society.
“All my grandfathers and my dad and my brothers are all in the service, so we definitely have, you know, that warrior background,” she said.
Tahdooahnippah said every powwow is welcoming, and it is important to have these types of events.
“We just want to be able to say, you know, we appreciate, and we love all of the veterans of every branch of service, and we feel honored to honor them,” she said.
Comanche Nation Princess Bluesky Tosee, Jr. Princess Arlene Schonchin, Walters Service Club Princess Kyleigh Davidson, Jr. Tiana Rae Starr McClung and Little Miss Nahmi Poafpybitty were in attendance.
