AWARENESS...............

Hello fellow Floridians,
I want to share with you all a little about the Muscogee Nation, an Indian Tribe in Bruce, FL.  Some of you may have heard about it and sat in wonder, some of you this will be the first time you have heard of Indians in Florida and others have been there and seen it.  What ever the case may be, I feel it is important we bring some awareness to the Muscogee Nation of Florida and find out what is going on out in " our neck of the woods."  Most in Walton and South Walton County think of  Walton County as a beach community, a  community that has not been badly effected by the economy and BP Oil Spill.  Many think, "There is no homelessness or poverty in Walton County."  STOP and shake the salt water out of your ears, and Listen carefully.  THERE IS A COMMUNITY IN CRISIS IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS. Right out your back door and over a little bridge.  Believe it or not Walton County has 51 citites within our borders.  This is our community and WE have families and children out there in need.  Although my focus of this email is Bruce and the Muscogee Nation I want to make it clear.  Walton County is a community in crisis.  There are homeless families, parents struggling to feed their children or to cover their bottoms in diapers, sick elderly that have no way to get help. There are families in need in most of our surrounding areas, yes even out in our beach communities in Santa Rosa Beach and  Miramar Beach, FL. 
Back to Bruce....
 Some of you are already going, What?? we have Indians around here still? Yes, we do and NO!, as Ann Tucker would say, "They are not in tee pees cooking of over stick in the woods."  They are an Indian Nation that has been in Bruce, FL for 160 years. They have homes and a community within their Nation.   The Indian people of Bruce have managed for themselves for all those years not really knowing what had moved in and around their tribal nation. The Muscogee Indian Nation had been living a life as they know it to be comfortable.  It was not until Ann Tucker, Chairwomen of the Tribal Council had the trees pulled back and got a peek of the outside by a wonderful women of God, Pastor Elaine Barrow, Bruce United Methodist Church.  Ann was quickly made aware that this Nation in Bruce was no longer just her and the Muscogee Tribe, e it was a "Community in Crisis."    Ann Tucker, Chairwomen of this Indian Nation, and her husband Chuck, did not hesitate to jump in and help.  See Indians help Indian people but they also know help others when they are needed.  Regardless of what help we were over the last 100 years to these Indians, they never second guessed their role in this.  They understand that under our "Creator" we all have an obligation to women, children and elders. What Ann found down the back dirt roads was horrific. I know because I have been out there.  I have seen the rusted out trailers with no windows, roofs caved in and doors hanging off.  I have seen people living in trailers and homes that should be condemned.
I will share. We were delivering a King Mattress, toiletries, clothing and their groceries from the food pantry in Muscogee Nation of Bruce, to a grandmother of 9 kids. Yes they live with her.  She was having surgery for Uterine cancer soon so we had to get to her. Her mattress was in really bad shape. We wanted her comfortable for her long recovery.  As we pulled up the dirt driveway I notice one trailer crumbled to pieces on one side. My first thoughts were 'No, Way, this is not what this family is living in.' As I kept looking another trailer sat behind it.  It wasn't much better but it had a roof (bad roof I must add.)   An ill grandmother, 9 kids and 2 adults living in one trailer, a red blanket over a window was lifted from the outside by a child, as he  screamed in the house "Their here!" We unloaded and took in.  I won't continue.....
This family of 12 people had been living out in our community for 3 years with NO POWER and  only water because they had a generator that it was running off of.  Praise God, Village Baptist got power restored for this family and we all came together to feed, clothe and furnish them with things they so desperately needed. 
This is only one family.  There are many more like this that Ann, Chuck and the Muscogee Nation is dealing with  on a daily basis.  
What Ann Tucker and the Muscogee Nation of Florida has done to bring awareness out there is unbelievable.  She has started a food pantry that just this past weekend served approx 360 people.  A thrift Store and soon a medical clinic and a fuller house (Cold night shelter).  She has rose to the challenge, taken no color or creed, no status or situation into consideration.   She has just provided help because that is our duty and our obligation as human beings. 
When she called our state representatives, she asked, "We have a community in Crisis, what do you want me to do?"  See she didn't ask them what they could do for her and the people in our community. She knew she was going to do what she needed  to help but she was bringing it to their attention to the problem. 
We are not living in a 3rd world country (God bless those that are).  We live in America, where have neighbors to call upon, government to call upon, we have EACH OTHER!  We should not have starving children running our schools and streets, we shouldn't have struggling parents lost in despair not even knowing where to turn to in our government agencies for help.  Sick and starved elders wasting away in their homes with no companion or attention. 
On behalf of BeGenerous Inc, I want to thank Ann and Chuck, the Muscogee Nation and all the volunteers that have stepped up to help our community and our nation.  Please help support the Muscogee Nation of Bruce Fl and other organizations that are fighting for our children, our next generation and  our nation under GOD!
Visit www.mnof.org for more info on the Muscogee Nation or www.begenerousinc.org to see how you can help our community. 
HEADING OUT SATURDAY IF YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER.
Many Blessings,
Stephanie