The festivities included a delicious Indian Taco dinner and there were displays of books, photos, a cradle board, clothing and other ceremonial items.

The event also honored veterans, including Michael Lombard of the Comanche County HSC who left Oklahoma on Nov. 30 to serve a tour of duty in Afghanistan.  Lombard is in the U.S. Air Force reserves. 

To the delight of those who attended, children from Numunu Turetu, the local Comanche Tribal Child Care Center, came to sing. 

Ft. Sill Apache Tribal Chairman, Jeff Houser and former Comanche Tribal Chairman Wallace Coffey were among those who spoke about different tribal cultural practices and how the tribes have evolved over the years. The Ft. Sill-Apache Tribe was the first to have a children’s shelter in Southwest Oklahoma. Currently the Kiowa Tribe and the Comanche Tribe have children’s shelters in southwest Oklahoma as well.

There were many people dressed in traditional tribal clothing who performed. Some danced, some sang and some performed their tribe's traditional sign language. Door Prizes were given throughout the program. Some of the participants in the performances were local OKDHS employees. 

T.W. Shannon, Oklahoma State Representative for district 62, spoke about the Chickasaw tribe. Shannon's mother, Joyce Shannon, attended and she is a retired OKDHS employee. Bill Drapala, director, OKDHS Office of Civil Rights, also attended.

"This was an excellent example of how to enrich our relationships through our cultural diversity and learn more about each other and the many backgrounds we come from," said Michael Beadles, OKDHS Comanche County HSC.

Beadles added that Sheryl Mather, Ebony Williams, Charlotte Juarez, Matt Bisbee, Karen Ritter, Phyllis Pack, Stephanie Roebuck, Tracy Paras, Kay Mopope and Brandy Martinez were among the OKDHS staff who helped organize the celebration.