I’ve been camped out at the local hotel in Stilwell Oklahoma for the last few weeks. I was originally here to educate the Cherokee Tribe on how to safely in place manage the lead-based paint and asbestos in their buildings and housing. Also how to fortify their properties against heavy weather events and restore roofing. Things expanded from there as I came in just as the area was being hit with strong and disruptive weather.

They were getting pounded with a triple whammy of strong thunder/lightning rain storms, tornados and intense flooding. All that bad weather brought with it devastation and tragedy to many along with a huge mess to clean up. I’ve been well trained to assist with educating all that clean-up needed to be accomplished with safe practices including proper lock-down procedures. I’m always amazed at how much people want to do to help themselves when they have the right information and how little and scarce information is available to help them make the right decisions.

Being in Stilwell I immediately saw its beauty and after being here for a couple of weeks I really see the attraction of the Oklahoma hills that Woody Guthrie wrote his song about. It was sung by his cousin Jack and his son Arlo. Arlo’s version was the one I listened to growing up. It was on his Running Down the Road Album. And even though there were other more popular songs on the album that was one of my favorites. I now see the allure of the Oklahoma hills first hand. I’m very much enjoying being here with the people. This is where the Trail of Tears ended and there is incredible pride and such a wonderful culture to be learned about and a great continuing education for me on the actual factual events that are part of our past.

I’m here working with Tim Houseberg whose father Sammy Houseberg, retired Staff Sergeant in the US Army and the oldest member of the Cherokees to complete the annual bike ride retracing the Trail of Tears.

Tim is a strong member of the Cherokee Nation and one of the founders and Vice President of Native Health Matters Foundation, a Non-Profit 501C organization. Him and his organization are tackling so many important issues. I’m able to educate them on how to sensibly deal with lead-based paint and asbestos that plague their housing and buildings and can negatively affect so many families. Also, how to protect their buildings and people from future weather events along with learning how to properly clean up from those events with safe procedures. In addition, learning how to restore roofs as opposed to waste generating and unnecessary removal and replacement. All of this accomplished with Green Coatings Encasement.

To learn more about Native Health Matters & GLOBAL Encasement, Inc. go to these websites:

https://nativehealthmatters.com/

https://www.encasement.com/