"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Chief Smith and CNE Donate Strawberries

TULSA, Oklahoma – In an effort to raise money for diabetes research, Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, initiated generous donations of this year’s prizewinning strawberries from the annual Stilwell Strawberry Festival to the 2008 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Dream Gala. Several Stilwell Strawberry Festival attendees contributed prizewinning strawberries to the Dream Gala, raising $2,500 for local juvenile diabetes research.

“It is a mission of the Cherokee Nation to help find a cure for diabetes, especially for our children who are faced with the disease. Oklahoma is one of the top-ranking states for people with diabetes, and the disease is prevalent within the Cherokee Nation,” said Chief Chad Smith.

Cherokee Nation Enterprises, which operates Cherokee Casinos, purchased the first place strawberries for $3,500 and donated them to the Dream Gala auction. In response, two other local business leaders donated more prizewinning berries to the Dream Gala auction, including Jerry Means of Means Furniture in Tahlequah and Stilwell, and Rita James of James Family Farms in Stilwell.

“I have two sons with diabetes, and I feel it is my duty to help support diabetes research,” said Jerry Means. “So many people come into my stores with diabetes. It’s just getting to be more of a problem, and we need to do something about it.”

Chad Smith was the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Dream Gala event honoree. The event honored Smith with the foundation’s Living and Giving Award for his leadership in the fight against diabetes. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is a worldwide organization dedicated to finding a cure for juvenile (type 1) diabetes through support of research. This year’s Dream Gala donations will go to support diabetes research at the University of Oklahoma. The local chapter, Tulsa Green Country Chapter, is located in Tulsa.