Mahkato Wacipi Meet the Committee

Updated: September 13, 2007

	Mahkato
	35th Annual Traditional
	Wacipi

Meet Our Committee and Volunteers

President
Leonard Wabasha

Leonard is a member of the Lower Sioux Dakota Community. He is a traditional dancer. He attends many pow-wows throughout the year. Leonard recently completed a degree at the St. Paul Technical College. He is currently employed by the Cultural Resources Department at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

Vice President
Bill Taylor

Bill is originally from Sioux Valley, Manitoba. Although he is young, Bill has lots of experience pow-wowing in the US and Canada. He is a fancy dancer, a singer and has served as arena director on many occasions.

Bill is a former member of the Brandon Wheat Kings Hockey Club.

Vice President
Glenn Wasicuna

Glenn is originally from Sioux Valley, Manitoba. He is well known as a fluent Dakota speaker. He recently served as an instructor with the Dakota Language immersion course at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

Vice President
Art Owen

Art is a member of the Prairie Island Dakota Community. His committment to preserving and maintaining community traditions is well known. Art is an excellent spokesman and leader.

Secretary
Eva Klein

Eva has been a member of the association for quite a while. Many will remember Eva as the kind lady who cooks breakfast during the wacipi. A glutton for punishment, she volunteered to serve as secretary.

Treasurer
Bob Rolfes

Bob has served as our treasurer for many years. It is rumored that Bob invented paper money to make his record keeping easier.

Volunteer Coordinator
Nancy

Nancy is our volunteer coordinator. She recruits, schedules and supervises the multitudes of local community volunteers needed to do many of the important jobs around the pow-wow grounds. Nancy is a volunteer as well ... and this is her 1st year, We wish her well.

If you want to volunteer ... please contact Nancy at: butchwaxy@charter.net

Public Relations
Alice

Alice has served as our volunteer coordinator for several years. She did it all ... recruiting, scheduling and supervising the multitudes of local community volunteers needed to do many of the important jobs around the pow-wow grounds.

Now she has taken a new role. She will be conveying our news to the communities we serve.

You can contact Alice at : gem7773@mchsi.com

Education Day Coordinator
Paul Barry

Paul has been helping with Education Day, as a presenter, since its beginning. He and Vicki Barry volunteered to take a more active role in 2000. Paul also serves as our webmaster.

Education Day Coordinator
Vicki Barry

Vicki is relatively new to the area. She helped out in 2000 as an "ad hoc" secretary, so we gave her the job. She and, her husband, Paul Barry also volunteered to take a more active role in Education Day in 2000. Vicki edits and publishes an online newsletter that celebrates Native America ... Canku Ota (Many Paths) http://www.turtletrack.org/

Sandra Turpin

Sandra has very ably served as our wacipi's head cook for many years. She supervised a crew of volunteers to prepare and serve the meals to the elders, singers, dancers, and staff during the pow wow. Sandra is employed by the University of Minnesota. Sandra is recovering from a very serious car accident.

Dakota Women’s Society

The Dakota Women’s Society is a traditional women’s society committed to ensuring the preservation and roles of our Dakota women, to promote our Dakota, history, language, culture, and to strengthen our compassion for each other as relatives in which we stand together to maintain our integrity as a true Tiospaya.

Member
Dan Zielski
Glenn Wasicuna

Dan has been very active in the club for many years. He has been the moving force behind the CD. Dan has many interests including local history and music composition. One of Dan's many claims to fame is his recipe for Tater Tot hotdish using "vintage" ingredients.

Founder/Community Liaison
Bud Lawrence

Bud has been here since the beginning. Bud is always here. You will see Bud doing what needs to be done ... selling buttons, moving tables, making friends, writing letters ... all with a smile.

Founder
Jim Buckley

Jim, too, has been here forever. Jim is always on hand to "help-out" whenever and wherever he is asked or simply to enjoy the pow-wow and the people.

Left to Right: Jim Buckley, Alice DeYonge, Dan Zielske, Bill Taylor, Bob Rolfes, Bill Taylor's daughter, Vicki Lockard, Paul Barry, Sheryl Dowlin, Bruce Dowlin, and Bud Lawrence.

I would like to place photos and short bios of the significant committee members and provide a means of recognizing of volunteers.

The Mahkato Mdewakanton Association is 501(c)3 corporation whose purpose is to promote closer ties with our Native American communities. We conduct an annual pow wow and other cultural events throughout the year.