Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
SHOWING SUPPORT — The Houlton Rotary Club presented the Houlton Band of Maliseets with a check for $4,000 to assist with the creation of a Maliseet language picture book. Taking part in the presentation are, from left, Brenda Commander, tribal chief; Cecelia Tibbetts, Boys and Girls Club director for HBMI; and Lori Weston, Rotary president.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Youngsters in the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians will soon have a picture book to help them better understand their Native American language, thanks to a donation from the Houlton Rotary Club.
The Houlton Rotary Club regularly provides financial assistance for various groups to help with the cost of many types of projects, said Rotary President Lori Weston. The picture book is one of several projects that Rotarians are supporting this year.
“This project is important to me because of my granddaughter’s connection to the Houlton Band,” Weston said. “Leigh Cummings suggested we do a project with HBMI because of that connection. Plus it is an important piece of their history.”
A total of $4,000 was presented to the HBMI, including $2,000 from the Rotary Foundation and $2,000 from the local Rotarians.
“It will be a Maliseet picture book to give to babies and youngsters to introduce our language,” said Cecelia Tibbetts, Boys and Girls Club director.
Weston said her granddaughter is aware of her Native American origins, but has not learned as much of the history of the HBMI, especially the language.
“We have a lot of resources here at the tribe that we feel we can put together a really nice book,” said Brenda Commander, chief of the HBMI. “We hope to have it complete within the year and we are very grateful for this presentation. Our language is really important for the future generations.”
Commander said a core group within the tribe will work on the project, which will also include support from members of the Houlton Rotary.
