Twelve Years of Honoring the Denver Elders

Dec 12, 2012 | Blog, Inside the College Fund

Panoramic view of the Elders Dinner.

 

Panoramic view of the Elders Dinner.

Denver’s community of American Indian elders seated at the hall at All Saints Church for the annual Elders Dinner. More photos available at Flickr.com

For the twelfth straight year, the American Indian College Fund hosted its annual holiday dinner for American Indian elders. Three-hundred elders from an array of tribes gathered at the Church of All Saints at 2559 S. Federal Blvd. in Denver to enjoy a feast of buffalo, other treats, and American Indian entertainment. Diane Buck and Grace Gillette were honored as Elders of the Year for founding the Denver March Powwow. They were honored with Pendleton blankets and given the traditional honoring. Later in the evening, an Indian Santa Claus arrived to distribute goody bags and hams to the assembled elders.

At the conclusion of the program, an Indian Santa “Claws” arrived singing, dancing, and jingling his sleigh bells. He gave out hugs and told jokes as his many helpers distributed hams, gift cards, and goody bags to the elders, whose eyes twinkled like children.

In addition to the American Indian College Fund, community sponsors of the event include:

Apple Device Users: Click here to see the slideshow on Flickr.com

 

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