The local drum group played for the attendees.
What has 544 legs, 544 arms, 277 mouths, and eats 140 lbs. of buffalo, 25 pies, 2 cakes, and four-dozen cookies in one night?
The answer may surprise you—277 American Indian elders in the Denver area attended the annual Elders Dinner sponsored by the American Indian College Fund on Tuesday, December 14 at All Saints Catholic Church Hall at 2559 S. Federal Blvd. in Denver, Colorado.
Elder Sonny White was honored as the Elder of the Year.
The Fund served up a feast for Native elders, including roast buffalo, green beans, mashed potatoes, fry bread, and posole. Traditional Native entertainment included Native flute, drumming and singing, and a special appearance by Santa Claus, who distributed goodie bags and hams to the crowd. Drawings were also held for a variety of door prizes.
The Rev. Sonny White of Golden, Colorado received the “Elder of the Year” award for his work running a local soup kitchen and feeding more than 200 hungry and homeless families each week. The American Indian College Fund President Richard B. Williams wrapped him in a Pendleton blanket as drummers performed an honor song for the Rev. White and local elders paid their respects.
Event sponsors included the Alzheimer’s Association, CADDO, Denver Regional Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging, First Nations Development Institute, Intertribal Bison Cooperative, New West Technologies, Southwest Improvement Council (SWIC) Native American Outreach, Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery, and Rick and Sally Williams.
