Send2Press Newswire

Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Stephen Schneider Hails Tribal Snow Contributions: 'Whatever Works, Go For It!'

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:02:02 GMT

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 29 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- "I think it is wonderful that ski areas have been inviting the tribes back to ski and snowboard, which inspired them this winter to share their earth-honoring prayers and snowdances for all U.S. Ski Areas. It would be wise to further explore and expand such cross-fertilization," said Stanford Climatologist Dr. Stephen Schneider, 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Winner as part of the Intergovernmental Panel for Change Climate (IPCC) team, who has been working with the Native Voices Foundation.

"Because large scale systems affect our complex weather, it is difficult to say which elements affect the precipitation outcome most, so one needs to work with all sides of the street. It would be foolish to dismiss anything that helps in this environmental crisis, especially if it costs almost nothing," said the former skier.

Professor Schneider has been chief writer on IPCC's Team for 20 years, Aspen SkiCo's consultant, Squaw Valley's climate conference speaker, and Tom Brokaw's expert on his HBO Global Warming Special. The Nobel Laureate bikes to work and uses natural household products as cancer and pollution prevention, given its link to glacier melting (ref: mindfully.org/Air/2003/Home-Chemicals-Smog9mar03.htm).

"What combination of practical and spiritual solutions might have contributed to 'America's record snow season,' is not a matter of measurable science, but a matter of belief. Communities like Aspen Valley and this year, Arizona's Snow Bowl, uniting to give good stewardship, along with group prayer, psychologically serves as a support system that gives the feeling of belonging and hope. So whatever you believe works, go for it," he advises.

"Last year Stanford's Woods Institute on the Environment, of which I am a Senior Fellow, launched an environmental exchange starting with the (NZ) Maori and Hawaiian tribes, which has expanded our understanding and way of working in more harmony with Nature," said the professor. "That is why we are following the National Ski Areas Association's lead in partnering with American Indian Elders to help 'Keep Winters Cool,' thanks to a meeting with a team from Native Voices Foundation (NVF)," he said.

It included America's Cup Winner Dick Enersen, Kirk Casselman, working on putting an Elder on Yale's Forestry faculty, and Olympic skier and NVF co-founder Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee, along with Winona Simms, Stanford's Native Studies director.

This snow bridge was made possible by the Faraway, Enersen, and Calvert K.Collins Foundations; Tex Hall (ND's Mandan-Arikara-Hidatsu), former President of the National Congress of American Indians; Ambassador Gilbert Robinson (Ret.); Moose and Ann Taylor; and Send2Press(R) Newswire (www.Send2Press.com), a unit of Neotrope(R).

Native Voices Foundation (NVF) is a non profit 501(c)3 Colorado partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians, "To create joyful unity through sports and education to help heal Mother Earth."

More information: www.snow-riders.org.

All trademarks acknowledged.

*(PHOTO Link 72dpi: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/08-0620-NVFgroup_72dpi.jpg)

*(Photo Caption: Graduating Hawaiian and Maori Stanford Fellows and Native Voices Foundation's (2nd from left) Dick Enersen and Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee, who have been exploring tribal solutions to "Keep Winters Cool" with Nobel Laureate Dr. Stephen Schneider.)

*(PHOTO Link 72dpi: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/08-0620-NVFschndr_72dpi.jpg)

*(Photo Caption: 2007 Nobel Laureate, Dr. Stephen Schneider, Stanford Climatologist, whose institute has been exploring solutions to "Keeping Winters Cool" with American Indian, Hawaiian and Maori Tribes.)

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Intergovernmental Panel for Change Climate, Native Voices Foundation

Ski Areas End 'Awesome Season' with Gratitude Ceremonies

Fri, 02 May 2008 15:36:35 GMT

ASPEN, Colo., May 2 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- "On Closing Day at Spirit Mountain, Wisconsin, 14 year old 'Honor the Earth Princess,' Mariah Cooper (Ojibwe-Oneida), a Native American Olympic Hopeful, led their first Snow Gratitude Ceremony. They joined Steamboat, Telluride, Ascutney (Vt) and Arizona SnowBowl in ceremonies during April expressing appreciation for one of America's best snow years," said amazed Olympic skier Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee, Native Voices Foundation's (NVF) facilitator.

"Just like people, Mother Earth and Creator, respond favorably to appreciation," say Tribal Elders.

The phenomena followed an international prayer on December 10, orchestrated by NVF, in partnership with the 13 tribes of Arizona plus California and Colorado, to inspire natural snow at all U.S. Ski Areas to safeguard America's water. Arizona SnowBowl was blessed with six feet, which protected its sacred San Francisco Peaks and other drought-challenged ski areas from needing to use wastewater in snowmaking, with unfilterable pharmaceuticals.

Nearby Flagstaff TV aired NVF's Christmas Snow Gratitude Prayer, and the snowblessings continued. Sedona Environmental Scientist, Matthew Turner, praises Flagstaff's biodiesel mass transit and NAU's 22,000 students switching to Green Cleaning, for contributing to Snow Bowl's comeback.

"This was our record snowfall," said Steamboat's Olympian Billy Kidd at their first Gratitude Ceremony. "The dancers and Elders from our 'Ute Future Olympians Ski Program,' touched everyone."

Chaffee hosted Telluride's Ute Mountain Gratitude Ceremony, also honoring Kit and Calvert Collins, America's Cup-winner Dick Enersen, and the late Loey Ringquist, a pioneering supporter. Eddie (and Betty) Box Jr, who joined December's snow prayer, also participated, following the visionary pathway of his father, 'Red Ute,' former Southern Ute Tribal Council member.

"Tsunamis of Appreciation to Red Ute and the Cloud Clan for transforming their Rain-dance to the first Snow-dance. And to Vail's Bob Parker and Dick Houseman for desperately asking them to help end their opening drought in 1963," said Chaffee. (CBS' Huntley-Brinkley Report - snow-riders.org/mir.html).

Aspen, the "Greenest Resort in North America," just closed with their annual (N) Ute Gratitude Ceremony/ski program, the most splendid of all. Given Aspen's now consistently abundant snowfall, the Snow Gods must love these practical-spiritual solutions.

NVF is a Colorado 501(c)3 partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians, and sponsored by Send2Press.com (a unit of Neotrope(R)), "to create joyful unity thru sports/education to help heal Mother Earth for all our children."

All trademarks acknowledged.

Send2Press(R) is the originating wire service for this story.

NEWS SOURCE: Native Voices Foundation

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Olympic Hopeful Mariah Cooper, Native Voices Foundation

Six Year-Old Indian Is Nastar National Ski Champion

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:43:19 GMT

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo., March 26 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- "I won the gold because everyone helped me," said 6 year-old Oglala-Sioux, Delaney Tyon, at Nastar's National Ski Championships, according to Olympic skier Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee, co-chair of Native Voices Foundation (NVF). The event including Canada and Australia, was held at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, last week.

"I'm so proud of Delaney," said Olympian Billy Kidd (Abenaki), now Captaining the Native American Olympic Ski Team. "He's the fastest six-year-old on skis. Four runs means he was consistently fast," said Kidd, who put Delaney and his grandparents, Kathy and Lou of Pine Ridge, SD, under his wing, including jobs. And the pint-sized phenomenon got coaching at Steamboat's Winter Sports Club, producer of over 60 Olympians.

"Both Native American Olympic Hopefuls, Dalaney and Mariah Cooper (14 yr old Lac Court Oreille), are a joy to work with. They're smart, fun, great kids and students," said Billy. As NVF board members, he and Chaffee are assisting Native youth with opportunities to compete in the Olympics. While training with the best, Mariah, who "prayer signed" for two Wisconsin Governor's events, was inspired to honor Delaney with a ceremony after his earlier victory, saying, "He's a very nice boy."

Delaney's mom, Misty Tyon, first contacted NVF through www.SNOW-RIDERS.ORG, after Dalaney was featured on Rapid City TV for "skiing like a Pro" (www.Rezriders.org). Delaney credited his Grandpa Lou, Derren Derosier, Terry Peak's Ski School Director, and watching people, for his technique.

Mariah fell in love with skiing after Billy and Suzy inspired Ski Industry leaders to donate 60 pair of skis so Indian youngsters could compete in Wisconsin's 2003 Birkebeiner X-Country Race (14 countries). Last year, Mariah placed 2nd in her age group.

"I found Suzy also on the internet and she and Billy made it possibly for my parents, Dale and Nancy, and I to get my dream coaching to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics."

"Mariah is another beautiful 'clean and lean' role model. Also competing in track in September's North American Indigenous Games in Vancouver, Mariah was voted to represent the voice of Indian youth on NVF's board," said Chaffee.

NVF is a non-profit Colorado 501(c)3, partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians. Their mission is "To create joyful unity through sports and education to help heal Mother Earth for all our children."

All trademarks acknowledged.

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, ski champion Delaney Tyon, Native Voices Foundation

Billion Person Prayer Brings Snow to Europe - General Schwarzkopf Saluted by Olympians

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 16:00:00 GMT

ASCUTNEY, Vt. - Mar. 25 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Following a billion praying to help heal our Earth Mother of the man-made part of the global warming starting on February 14 - U.S. Valentines Day and New Years for many cultures - "She" responded! "We were blessed in February with enough snow to turn spring into winter so our European ski areas could open. Thank you, thank you," reported French Princess Caroline Murat, Native Voices Foundation's (NVF) Euro leader "of the Napoleon Tribe."

"Snow sports and Winter Olympics lovers were given hope and empowerment that by praying together we can help balance the weather and slow down the global warming," agreed the amazed organizers Mary Ho, a China Olympic host as President of the China Millennium Council, and Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee, NVF co-chair.

*(Photo Caption: (L-R) Mark Fitzgerald, Olympians Naomi Lang (Karuk) and Suzy Chaffee with scientist Sperry Andrews, at Tampa's DeBartolo Benefit, honoring General Norman H. Schwarzkopf for inspiring Colorado's Telluride SkiCo to share free skiing with the ancestral Utes, which led to turning around Europe's "catastrophic" snow drought in February.)

At the DeBartolo Family Foundation Benefit in Tampa, Florida in late February, Olympians Naomi Lang (ice dancer, Karuk tribe) Chaffee and scientist Sperry Andrews saluted General Schwarzkopf for helping plant the seed for Europe's snowblessings, which also ended droughts in the Midwest and New England. In his 1999 letter to Telluride's owners, the skiing General said, "It is entirely appropriate that Telski donate free skiing to members of the Ute Tribe. Native Americans were the original conservationists recognizing the impact of the environment and wildlife on the quality of life of human beings."

As a result, the program snowballed to 70 ski areas, which inspired Elders in 10 states to help their ski areas, (snow-riders.org miracles/index.html), and the SnowSports Industries of America and Stanford University to partner with Elders around the world to help "Keep Winters Cool." So when the IOC confirmed that Europe was having the warmest winter in 1,250 years, Woody Vaspra (Hawaiian-Chinese), fellow Viet Nam (pilot) Vet and athlete turned President of the World Council of Elders, graciously led the World Prayer so Native American youth and all youth have a chance to enjoy snow sports and compete in future Winter Olympics.

"I'm glad Europe finally got its winter because snowmelt is vital to the cycles of life. The World Prayer showed us that when our Earth Family unites to express our love and appreciation to Mother Earth, we can help heal Her, as scientists now agree that the warming is primarily man-made. This buys us time for our long range sustainable practices to take affect. We need to continue these prayers for the whole planet, especially to help the Arctic Circle, Australia, Africa, and other regions in the future," said Vaspra. "Following all traditions, please all join us in a Prayer of Gratitude for Europe's blessed snow," he said.

"We thank you Creator (other Source) for helping us with our prayer to assist our Mother Earth. We have become quite aware of what we need to do to help ourselves. It is time now that we take on our responsibilities to honor and care for our wonderful planet. We are working very hard to reunite as One Family. Again, we thank you for giving us your love, your help and your trust to retake our responsibilities," said Woody Vaspra, World Council of Elders.

Aspen (Ascutney, Vt.) hosts an annual Ute Snow Gratitude Ceremony on April 14th, during Closing Weekend, which does wonders for conditions and continuing their abundant snows. As water, proven by photographs of snow crystals in Dr Emoto's NY Times Bestseller, "Messages from Water," is a living, loving organism, like Mother Earth.

"We are grateful to all those who joined the Elders Prayer, especially our network leaders: UN NGO member Jan Roberts, Earth CharterUS President, Andrews, director of Human Connection Institute of the Oneness Network, Apache Elder Valerie Nunez, Abenaki Chief Nancy Lyons and Rick Hunt, Yellowbird's Earthdance 8 in Peru, as well as the DeBartolos, Stanford's Dick Enersen, Kit and Calvert Collins Foundation, and Ambassador Gil Robinson, for helping make this breakthrough possible," said Chaffee.

"Finally collective consciousness is being factored into the Global Cooling Solution," applauded Roberts and Andrews.

"Thank you all for your warrior courage and spirit of light to inform our Earth Family that prayer can veer us off this road to extinction," said Flordemayo (Mayan) of the Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers from the Arctic Circle to the Amazon. "In unity we can pass on something we can be proud of to our youth of tomorrow."

"The World Council of Elders and NVF, both 501(c)3 Colorado non-profits, are seeking supporters to assist the Elders with expenses to also step up leading earth healing ceremonies (that stopped beetle bug epidemic in S.Cal) at sacred sites around the world," said Vaspra. The mission of NVF's partnership of US Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians is "to create joyful unity through sports and education to help heal Mother Earth for all our children."

Contact:
Woody Vaspra
www.worldcouncilofelders.org
wcoe4peace @earthlink.net

Suzy Chaffee
www.snow-riders.com
www.nativevoices.org
Suzynativevoices @aol.com

Mary Ho
www.chinafrontier.org
mary.ho @chinafrontier.com

Text provided by the news source.

Note: The cost of this news distribution was donated to the NVF by Neotrope / Send2Press.

Copyright © 2007 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Native Voices Foundation, World Council of Elders

Native Voices Foundation Celebrates Olympic Progress on 10th Anniversary

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:41:00 GMT

SEDONA, Ariz. - Dec. 6 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- On the 10th Anniversary of Native Voices Foundation, the board held an election and celebrated some "phenomenal" progress for Indian youth. As newly elected Co-Chairman, Gary Lake (Shasta Vice Chair) said, "A single tribe cannot get their youth to the Olympics, but together we can." "Thanks to key leaders of Indian Country uniting behind the Indian Olympic Bid, these dreams for their youth are within their grasp," according to re-elected Co-Chair, Suzy Chaffee, an Olympic skier.

"Sovereign Indian Nations have a higher legal status than our four US Territories who have their own Olympic Teams," said Jack Thorpe (Sac & Fox), son of Jim Thorpe, whom King Gustav of Sweden said: "You sir, are the greatest athlete in the world."

*(PHOTO Caption: Warlance Foster (Lakota-Navajo) Native American Olympic Basketball Team Hopeful for 2008 China. Fresh from Netherlands Astronauts Team where fans dressed Indian style, he is a lead scorer on "Gallop Outlaws" ABA Team.)

"If our Indian Nations now join together with mainstream sponsors to win the Olympic bid and finish finding and developing our elite talent, we have a good chance of marching under our own flag as a Native American Olympic Team at the 2008 China and 2010 Vancouver Olympics," said Jack, Special Advisor to the Native American Olympic Steering Committee.

"We are proud of our role model Olympic Hopefuls," said Woody Vaspra (Hawaiian) President of World Council of Elders, who is Chief Advisor to NVF and member of the Steering Committee. "Brandon Leslie, dubbed 'The next Billy Mills,' and Alvina Begay, a dietician, with assistance by their Navajo Nation, just qualified for the US Olympic Marathon Qualifications. NVF assisted Warlance Foster (Lakota-Navajo) in paving the way for a 'greased lightening' Native American Olympic Basketball Team for Beijing. Fresh from playing 1st string for the 'Netherlands Astronauts' (where his fans dress Indian style), Warlance is a leading scorer on the 'Gallop Outlaws' ABA Team," he added.

"We have some amazing talent on the Native American Olympic Ski and Snowboard Team, vying for the 2010 Vancouver Games," said Captain Billy Kidd. "Ross Anderson (Cheyenne/Marketing director Ski Apache), bronzed in the World Speed Skiing Championships last year and was the 'Fastest American on Skis' last year, clocked at 154mph. While speed skiing is not yet an Olympic sport, he could switch to Alpine Racing for Vancouver."

Lake assisted Naomi Lange (Karuk), America's five time National Ice Dancing Champion, who got a standing ovation at the 2002 Utah Olympics, with press recognition. "She is the only American Indian to make an Olympic Team in this Millennium," he points out. That is why Lake is spearheading his Shasta Nation's development of a Native American Olympic Training Center near their Mt. Shasta in Northern California.

"We support this Olympic quest, whether or not we win the bid, because it also gives our youth more opportunities to make US Olympic Teams, which has done the most to lift Blacks, Women and Aborigines. The Olympics teaches life skills that are a traditional to our culture predating Atlantis," said Joe Garcia (San Juan Pueblo runner), President of the National Congress of American Indians.

NVF is a Colorado non-profit 501(c)3 partnership of US Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians, whose mission is "o create joyful unity thru sports, education and health to help heal Mother Earth for all our children."

Please contact NVF for any Olympic caliber talent in Winter or Summer Olympic Sports at: (928) 282-5663, or suzynativevoices @aol.com. More info on: www.SNOW-RIDERS.org and www.nativevoices.org.

Text provided by news source. A portion of the cost of this news announcement was donated by Send2Press Newswire.

Vermont Ski Hall of Fame Inducts Billy Kidd and Warren Witherell

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:09:00 GMT

Two Native Americans Honored as MVP's of Skiing

STOWE, Vt. - Oct. 28 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A blanket of snow turned Vermont's Green Mountains white as Billy Kidd, the first American male to win an Olympic (silver) Medal in Alpine Ski Racing, was inducted into the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame at the Snowflake Lodge in his hometown of Stowe on Sunday. "Though not fully proven, it took the fearlessness of his Abenaki Indian and Pirate (Captain William Kidd) blood to break the glass ceiling," said fellow Olympian Suzy Chaffee, co-chair of Native Voices Foundation (NVF).

Photo Caption: Warren Witherell (L) and Olympic skier Billy Kidd (Abenaki) at induction into the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame. Koasek Abenaki Chief Nancy Lyons (L) presented Billy with an eagle feather and Olympian Suzy Chaffee a hawk fan for doing wonders for Indian youth.

Governor Jim Douglas saluted the First Vermonters, the Abenakis, on their State recognition, and Billy for evolving into one of the most respected and beloved figures in the Ski World.

Earlier in the day at the VT Ski Museum, Nancy Lyons, Chief of the Koasek Abenaki Nation, presented Kidd with an eagle feather, saying, "Billy is a hero and role model of the best way to lift the health and spirit of Indian youth whose Earth wisdom is critical to generations of skiers and people everywhere. And what a sense of humor!" Chief Nancy also presented Suzy with a red tail hawk fan for orchestrating this unprecedented bridge between the cultures.

Billy Kidd merited the ultimate eagle feather for these contributions:

www.SNOW-RIDERS.org

WARREN WITHERELL - FATHER OF US SKI ACADEMIES
Warren Witherell was another popular honoree. This World Masters Waterski Champion turned ski racer, Warren pioneered US Ski Academies starting with Burke Mountain, north of Mt Mansfield. As Burke's Headmaster his staff went on to produce 38 brilliantly educated Olympians and spread the ski, as well as snowboard academies, across America.

At Chief Lyons' ceremony at the Museum, Witherell announced with pride, "I am Chirakowa Apache."

As a result of a pow wow among these leaders at the Induction, US Ski Academies are considering offering Indian scholarships to enrich the experience of their students, while creating more Billy Kidds.

"Thank you Creator and the Abenaki ancestors for the SNOW," said Chaffee at the ceremony. "They must be delighted about this Abenaki progress, including their spiritual leader, Spotted Eagle, leading the invocation. And as we learned from the Western Indian Elders, whenever we thank Creator for snow, more snowblessings seem to follow."

This Who's Who of Skiing event was organized by Olympian Rosie Fortna, who founded the Abenaki Ski Program with the Olympic Cochran family and Cici Teague. Billy's coach, Bob Beattie, and hero, Jimmy Heuga, who together won the silver and bronze at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics, were some other superstars paying homage.

About Native Voices Foundation (NVF)
NVF is a Colorado 501(c)3 non profit partnership of US Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians, like Billy and Prince Albert, whose mission is: "Through joyful unity of sport, education and health, helping heal Mother Earth for all our children." More information: www.nativevoices.org.

"Given the Global Warming Challenge, I honor the foresight of fellow Olympians for voting NVF a grant to help preserve skiing for all our children through the tribes, and Billy Kidd is the MVP," said Chaffee. "I also salute Joe Jones of Rutland/Pico, our Abenaki coach who put five of us on the road to the Olympics, and my Olympic brother Rick, a Ph.D., who teaches the "Race to Save the Planet" course to corporations."

* Note: A portion of the cost of this news release distribution was donated to the NVF by Neotrope(R) and Send2Press Newswire.