{"id":9384,"date":"2019-10-09T11:15:21","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T16:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/never-count-out-the-elderly-ladies\/"},"modified":"2019-10-09T11:15:21","modified_gmt":"2019-10-09T16:15:21","slug":"never-count-out-the-elderly-ladies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/never-count-out-the-elderly-ladies\/","title":{"rendered":"Never count out the elderly ladies"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Waylon Rogers, Tribal Council (Ashland, MT) Elderly Liaison; Mrs. Janet Scott, Vanna Schwamb, Katherine Haugen, Elderly Program Administrative Assistant and local Sheridan volunteer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

SHERIDAN, WY \u2013 \u00a0In September, two elderly ladies, Janet Scott (82) and Vanna Schwamb (93), both of Sheridan, WY teamed up for a labor of love and philanthropy to benefit elders of the Shoulderblade Center on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana.\u00a0 This was the donation of many contents of a large thrift store: bags and bags of very good, clean and high-end clothing (many with prices tags), blankets, shoes and many other treasures, including youth clothes since many elders are now raising grandchildren.\u00a0 The give-away held for elders in September on the reservation was highly attended and greatly appreciated by the elders said Roberta Bigback, Shoulderblade Center Director.\u00a0 \u201cIt only took a couple of hours for them to clean us out,\u201d she laughed. \u201cEach one went home with sacks and sacks of goodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

The background for this event was almost serendipitous.\u00a0 Vanna, an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe has for years dedicated herself to collecting items for the Everything Beautiful Thrift Store, in Lame Deer on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, a labor of love at her own personal expense. About once a month, Pastor Willis Buzentiz, White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church and also \u00a0\u00a0chairman of the non-profit thrift store board, brings a U-Haul truck to Sheridan to collect the very useful treasures which Vanna has amassed, filling up a three-car garage about once a month. In the process Vanna has become well known to thrift store managers in the Sheridan area who well know she will drive a hard deal on behalf of the Northern Cheyenne.<\/p>\n

Recently Vanna\u2019s attention has turned to the Elderly Shoulderblade Center after learning that one old residents ha to wash one of his only two pairs of jeans in the bathtub every other day, not having enough for laundry machines or soap. \u201cThey need some help too,\u201d she decided.<\/p>\n

Bill Mason, Northern Cheyenne tribal member and Everything Beautiful Thrift Store Board member said.\u00a0 \u201cAt our Board meetings, we often thank and praise Vanna for all the things she has donated over the years, amounting to a considerable personal investment on her part.\u00a0 We are very, very thankful of everything she has done and donated to the people.\u00a0 Her name is very well known among our board, but perhaps not the people, as Vanna prefers to stay in the background.\u201d<\/p>\n

At any rate, when Vanna learned that the Next To New Thrift Store, a 38 year institution was closing, she descended, hoping for some screaming bargains, such as towels, blankets and men\u2019s\u2019 jeans in good condition, all hard to come by.\u00a0 There she met a kindred spirit, Janet Scott, who had dedicated 38 years to a similar mission, her store benefiting the Sheridan Children\u2019s Center which serves more than 200 kids in Sheridan, providing pre-school and after-school services, especially for the low-income.\u00a0 \u201cNobody is ever denied admittance,\u201d she explained. \u201cAnd if they cannot pay, the parents work one Saturday each month, pulling weeds, washing windows and toys, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n

That program also provides gymnastic and swimming lessons for those who cannot afford them.<\/p>\n

Serving as the volunteer director of Next To New for 38 years, Janet remarked \u201cIt\u2019s been great. We all volunteer and everything for the store has been donated.\u00a0 The building was initially purchased by the First Interstate Bank Foundation which also pays the utilities.\u00a0 And, the First Interstate Bank Foundation has also been very generous to the Everything Beautiful Thrift Store, a 501(c)3 entity. (Janet is married to Homer Scott, Jr. of the Padlock Ranch fame, one of the largest ranches in the country, leasing much tribal land, located on the Crow reservation, close to Northern Cheyenne.\u00a0 Many Crow and Cheyenne cowboys worked on that ranch throughout the years.) \u00a0\u00a0From what I understand, the Padlock Ranch was the lynchpin to enable the Scott family to become one of the most formidable financial forces in the west.<\/p>\n

The problem in closing a very large thrift store is inventory.\u00a0 What to do with a football field size store of items, stuffed to the gills?\u00a0\u00a0 Thus, when Vanna suggested that the Northern Cheyenne, especially the elders can always use good stuff, Mrs. Scott readily agreed. \u201cTake the whole store,\u201d she suggested.<\/p>\n

That was the original plan, eagerly endorsed by Roberta Bigback, tribal elderly director.\u00a0 Thus, the two elderly philanthropists gained some volunteers and went to packing and sorting.\u00a0 After a few weeks, it became evident that this was beyond them.\u00a0 And besides how could the Shoulderblade Center deal with a whole thrift store inventory, storage ever a problem? So, Vanna decided to become selective \u201cWe\u2019ll get the cream, the best stuff\u201d she decided.\u00a0 Still, that amounted to a lot, requiring several vehicles for transport.<\/p>\n

Finally, in mid-September, representatives of the Shoulderblade Center arrived to pick up the loot including Katherine Haugen, Administrative Assistant; Avalee Littlewhirlwind, Caregiver and support coordinator and Waylon Rogers, Tribal Council liaison.\u00a0 \u201cThis donation is greatly appreciated and needed.\u00a0 Everything helps our poor elders,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very, very happy to provide some help to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, especially the elderly,\u201d Mrs. Scott concluded. \u201cIt only happened because of Vanna.\u00a0 She sure is persistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShoot,\u201d Vanna grinned. \u201cIt\u2019s just a small thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the opinion of this writer, it is not a small thing at all. It is a classic example of philanthropy at its best: putting your back and into it, an act of kindness very much appreciated by Northern Cheyenne elders.<\/p>\n

Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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Waylon Rogers, Tribal Council (Ashland, MT) Elderly Liaison; Mrs. Janet Scott, Vanna Schwamb, Katherine Haugen, Elderly Program Administrative Assistant and local Sheridan volunteer SHERIDAN, WY \u2013 \u00a0In September, two elderly ladies, Janet Scott (82) and Vanna Schwamb (93), both of Sheridan, WY teamed up for a labor of love and <\/p>\n

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Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> October 9, 2019<\/p>\n

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