Newsroom

Mackinac Trail Construction will begin on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. The Sault Tribe Food Distribution will be accessible during this time. The Road Commission has stated that one lane will remain open at all times.

UPDATE: The Elder parking lot planned to be under construction starting Sept. 16 will now be under construction beginning Sept. 23.

The Elder Services/Gaming/Enrollment building parking lot at 2076 Shunk Rd. will be under construction beginning Sept. 23. The parking lot will be constructed in sections, so Elders and patrons of Gaming and Enrollment can access the parking lot. The building will remain open throughout the construction. During the first phase of the project, Elders will need to come into the building to get their meal, as the drive thru window will not be accessible.

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting beginning 5 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the Munising Tribal Center in Munising, Mich., in person or via Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/83640619761.

“Membership Participation” will be held at 5 p.m. in person or by virtual attendance. The link is available Sault Tribe website under membership assistance for the meeting link and Membership Form that must be completed. The deadline to submit a form is 1 p.m. on meeting day. The link is https://zoom.us/j/83640619761. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again unless they have a matter for the board.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

On the agenda under Resolutions is: ACFS – Social Work FY24 Budget Mod, GLRI Wolf - Establish FY24 Budget, Planning St. Mary’s Coastal Wetland Establish FY25 Budget, Monitoring/Restoration-St. Mary’s Establish FY25 Budget, Lake Whitefish Experimental Rearing Establish FY25 Budget, Sault Housekeeping/Maint & 3rd Party FY24 Budget Mods, Manistique Admin., Optical & 3rd Party FY24 Budget Mods, Sault Pharmacy FY24 Budget Mod, Governmental – Elections FY24 Budget Mod, Approve JKL Fiduciary Comm & Sault Schools Agreement, Approve Contractor Selection – Marquette Facility Renovation, Accept Inter-Governmental Forest Protection Award, Accept USFWS Aquatic Invasive Species Award, Approval of 6th Amendment to Tax Agreement, Authorize Use Tribal Logos - American Indian Law Handbooks, Authorize Joint Venture – Tierra Cheboygan Project, Authorize MOU/MOA for MI Native American Boarding School Project, NCAI 2024 Annual Convention Delegates and 2025 Dues, Establishing Grants Department, Tribal Styrofoam Ban, Purchase Narcan Dispensers for Each Unit, and Kewadin Casinos Smoking Ban Implementation Plan.

Under New Business, the board will consider Committee Appointments and Board Concerns

September 17 Meeting Resolutions

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for Sept. 10, 2024, is the following: Closed Morning Session: Membership Liaison/Participation Questions, Budgets, and Executive Reports Casino/EDC. Afternoon Session: 1 p.m., Narcan Dispenser Purchase – Director Hampton; 2 p.m., 2025 Indian Housing Plan and Budgets – Joni Talentino; 3 p.m. DRAFT Code of Ethics – Josh Elliot; and 4 p.m., Intellectual Property Use Manual – Josh Elliot.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

Please see the amended 2024 board meeting calendar.

Board Calendar 2024

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser Sept. 21, 4 p.m. at the Dafter Hall.

$10 per person.
Price includes:
Spaghetti dinner, salad and garlic bread.
$5 for children 12 and under.

Proceeds go to Veteran Terry Niemi, who is battling pancreatic cancer. For any questions, please call Suzy Niemi at 906‑379‑7310.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting beginning 5 p.m. on Sept. 3 at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Room, in person or via Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/83640619761.

“Membership Participation” will be held at 5 p.m. in person or by virtual attendance. The link is available Sault Tribe website under membership assistance for the meeting link and Membership Form that must be completed. The deadline to submit a form is 1 p.m. on meeting day. The link is https://zoom.us/j/83640619761. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again unless they have a matter for the board.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

On the agenda under Resolutions is: ACFS USDA Emergency Supplies FY25 Budget, ACFS Emergency Assistance FY24 Budget Mod, Indirect Costs FY24 Budget Mod, FY 2025 Continuing Funding – Health Division, Comments on GLRI Action Plan IV, Auth. to Enter into Contract – JKL School Storage Building, Ishpeming Lofts Project – Auth. To Invest Eagle Lending, Acceptance of Altria Settlement Offer, Investing in the Rx Kids’ Initiative, Approval of JKL Fiduciary Committee Bylaws, Affirming JKLFC Recommendations – ARPA Projects, and Obligation ARPA Funding for Tribally Controlled School.

In New Business, the board will consider Conservation Committee Request, Board of Directors 2024 Calendar, and Board Concerns.

September 3 Meeting Resolutions

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN—The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan (ITCMI) in partnership with The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) has released the updated version of the Gigiigoo’inaan Application (App for iPhones, AndroidS, or similar Smart devices) to guide users in their fish-eating choices throughout the Great Lakes and Bemidji Region waterways. Environmental exposures in the waterways such as PBT or Mercury can disturb human health. The Gigiigoo’inaan “Our Fish” App makes personalized recommendations for safe fish consumption based on the user's biological sex, weight, portion size, and the waterway where fish is coming from.

The input for the design and content of the app came from representatives from the 5 Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) tribes; Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Features of the app support help users of all ages and life phases make informed choices regarding fish consumption by providing personalized recommendations for fish harvested from Lakes Huron, Michigan, Superior, Inland Lakes and even Store-bought Fish. The app includes details of the fish's habitat, behaviors and in some circumstances gaming regulations to support sustainable harvesting. The app also features simple and affordable fish recipes from the local regions. A significant and valued feature of the App is that it DOES NOT collect or store any personal data.

Fish are more than just a healthy food source for the Anishinaabe. Cherished fishing traditions are threatened by environmental risks. This work is significant because it addresses the need for effective fish consumption advice for the Anishinaabe whose tribal governments oversee treaty-related natural resource practices in Northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

This app is the result of a multi-year project aimed to develop culturally tailored advice to encourage consumption of low contaminated species of fish among Native American Anishinaabe peoples and waterways. However, this app supports safe fish consumption for people of all races.

The app was previously tested in Michigan tribal communities in 2019 and reviewed again in 2023/2023. It was observed that app users reported improved confidence, increased fish consumption and increased understanding of environmental health in response to the Gigiigoo'inaan “Our Fish” App. The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and the Medical College of Wisconsin are grateful for the input and support provided by the Anishinaabe people which makes this resource available for all.

Those looking for more information on the Gigiigoo’inaan “Our Fish” app https://www.itcmi.org/fishapp.

Fish App Posters

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. on Aug. 27, at the Sault Kewadin Casino, in person or via Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/83640619761. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again.

On the agenda under Resolutions is: Retention/Recruitment of Early Childhood Education Program Positions.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

August 27 Meeting Resolution and Workshop Agenda

With youth e-cigarette use remaining a serious public health threat and threatening to addict a new generation to nicotine, The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan has partnered with Truth Initiative to offer This is Quitting–the first-of-its-kind, free and anonymous text message quit vaping program with over 750,000 enrolled to date.

Launched in January 2019, This is Quitting is designed for teens and young adults looking to quit e-cigarettes. The program provides them with tailored advice, cognitive and behavioral coping strategies, and social support to help them quit. Results from a clinical trial published by JAMA Internal Medicine demonstrate the effectiveness of the program and found that young adults aged 18-24 who used This is Quitting from Truth had nearly 40% higher odds of quitting compared to a control group.

Youth e-cigarette use remains a serious public health concern. More than two million teens reported vaping nicotine according to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, demonstrating that much more needs to be done to address this ongoing public health threat.

Young people in Michigan who are looking to quit vaping can enroll in This is Quitting by texting SACREDBREATH to 88709.

“This is Quitting is meeting a need for hundreds of thousands of young people through a channel they’re comfortable with and use every day,” said Dr. Amanda Graham, Chief of Innovations at Truth Initiative. “Many young people now want to quit more than ever, and This is Quitting can help them get support quickly, discreetly and anonymously, wherever they are.”

Through its digital quit-smoking programs This is Quitting, EX, and the EX® Program, Truth Initiative has a long history of innovation around developing engaging and effective quit programs and has helped more than a million tobacco users on their journey to quit. Parents of young people who vape can get support at www.BecomeAnEX.org. Employers, health systems and health plans can learn more about the EX Program, a quit-smoking and vaping service for employers at www.theexprogram.com.

For more information about the program or to request materials contact Heather Medicine Bear at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This is Quitting Flyer