Announcements & Events

AST High School Seniors College Scholarship Entry Form AllNations Bank is providing one (1) $500 scholarship to an AST high school senior. The bank’s president, Steve Smith, is providing one (1) $500 scholarship to an AST high school senior. These scholarships are to assist in furthering their education after high school. The information you provide below will be used to contact you regarding your entry. You will be notified if your name has been selected and we will schedule a time for you to take a photo to be placed in the AST Newsletter and on the Tribe’s media outlets. The scholarship check will be issued directly to the school the student attends. Name:                                                                                                                   Address: Phone:                                                                                                                  Email:                                                                                                                   Required documents: Tribal Enrollment Card Copy (must be the updated card) Submit forms via fax, email, mail, or at the Education drop box on the AST Shawnee Complex. DEADLINE: RECEIVED BY MAY 15, 2024 AT 5:00 PM CDT Education Department 2025 S Gordon Cooper Drive Shawnee, OK 74801 405.275.4030 Ext 3533 405.273.7938 (fax) tresham@astribe.com

The Executive Committee of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, in accordance with the Constitution, Article XVI, Section 3, “Executive Committee Meetings” here by calls and declares public notice that the REGULAR meeting of the Executive Committee of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Complex in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Misty McGirt, Tribal Secretary Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma Dated this 1st day of April 2024.

PACT ACT: Bringing VA Benefits Home Event!   Thursday, May 30th, 2024 10AM- 3PM  AST Multi-Purpose Building (2029 James L. Edwards Lane, Shawnee, OK) We welcome everyone at this event to: • Speak with representatives • Get answers to VA Benefits & Claims questions • File Your VA benefit claim • Get same-day decisions (when sharing complete information) • Receive VHA Toxic Health Screens and more! Questions?  Please contact Mary Culley  405.626.3426 or mary.culley@va.gov or Connie Bottaro  405.701.7629 or  cbottaro@astribe.com!

AST Agriculture SEED POTATO & ONION SETS  43406 Benson Park Rd  Shawnee, OK 74801  March 7th & 8th , 2024  Beginning 7am while supplies lasts  Red Pontiac  Yukon Gold  ‘Ebenezer   Red, white, and yellow onion sets  For Questions, call 405.531.3518 Event open to everyone.

You are cordially invited to attend the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House for   AST Afterschool Building   March 1st, 2024 Ribbon Cutting will begin at 3:00pm with the Open House to immediately follow.   Cake will be served.     2025 S. Gordon Cooper Drive Shawnee, OK 74801   Please RSVP with Ashlynn Gouge at AshlynnG@astribe.com  or 405.275.4030 Ext. 3645      

Marvin Lee Smith, 63, of Shawnee, Oklahoma passed away Thursday, February 8, 2024 in Norman, Oklahoma.  He was born February 1, 1961 to Mickey Smith and Velma Blanchard in Norman, Oklahoma. Marvin was raised and born in Norman, Oklahoma and raised in Little Axe. He lived in Bethel acres for the last 25 years. He attended school in Noble, Oklahoma then Ft. Sill Indian School before joining the U.S. Marine Corps proudly serving his country.  After returning from the marine corps, he returned to Little Axe area and began his career in the pest control business for Terminex then opened his own pest control business "All Nations Pest Control" in Shawnee for many years. Marvin enjoyed camping, floating the river, boating, and going to the lake. He loved dogs, but most of all his family and attending all family functions.  He had a wonderful sense of humor and was known as the comedian of the family, along with Sherry they loved bowling and went all over the US for tournaments. He was an avid OU football and Thunder basketball fan. He was preceded in death by his sister, Anna Smith; father, Mickey Smith; son, Landon Davenport; brother, Mickey Smith Jr.; nieces, Dasia Neconie-Shawnee and Anna Roberts. Survivors include his daughter, Jordan Byers; significant other, Sherry Byers; mother, Velma Blanchard; sisters, Sharon Shawnee, Katie and Todd Yates, Melissa Smith, brothers, Roy and Lois Gibson, Gary and Nicole Gibson, Archie Smith, grandchildren, Ryder and Landyn and many nieces and nephews and extended family and friends and Everett, Bart, Nick and Darrol whom he loved like sons.

Check out the following testimonial from the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System’s program, Music & Memory. The Music & Memory program is funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) though the Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) grant. Click here to watch the video, https://www.asthealth.org/seeking-hope

THE 477 OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FOR TRAINING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8 8 AM - 5 PM AND FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 9 8 AM - 1 PM

Know Your Native Options! Oklahoma’s State SoonerCare Medicaid program is moving to a new health plan program with managed care network plans called SoonerSelect starting February 2024. Know your options. Opt Out: Native Americans will automatically be opted out and remain in the traditional SoonerCare medical and dental programs. Native American SoonerCare members have the choice to opt in to a SoonerSelect network plan, however it would then be necessary to verify the new medical and dental plans work for you and your tribal health program. If you stay opted out, your SoonerCare benefits will remain unchanged and no action is required. Opt In: SoonerSelect network plans may offer some extra benefits not offered with traditional SoonerCare to help improve your health, however Native Americans will need to opt in, shop the medical and dental plans, and enroll. Note: Non-Native SoonerCare family members must select a medical and dental plan before open enrollment closes or the member will be auto-enrolled. Dental Plan Open Enrollment: December 1, 2023 - January 10, 2024 Medical Plan Open Enrollment: February 1, 2024 - March 10, 2024 Two Ways to Enroll: 1) Contact an OHCA Choice Counselor via the SoonerCare Helpline At 800.987.7767 2) Visit mysoonercare.org to view, compare, and pick a plan that’s right for you. Please be advised, Patient Benefit Advocates cannot enroll members in SoonerSelect plans but can help navigate the process.