Thursday, November 5, 2009

Rug Show Weekend at Adopt a Native Elder


If you're like me, you're probably NOT going to make it out this year to Park City, Utah this year for the 20th Annual Navajo Rug Show sponsored by the Adopt-a-Native Elder Program. However, I can think of few charities as deserving of your attention at Adopt-a-Native Elder, which was founded by artist Linda Myers to assist Native elders, our national treasures, maintain their traditional life style on the reservation with dignity and purpose.

In their own words Adopt-a-Native Elder was "established in the Native tradition of the Giveaway Circle... support(ing) Elders living on the Navajo Nation. Each spring and fall volunteers deliver food, clothing, basic medicines and medical supplies to help the Elders sustain themselves as they maintain their traditional way of life. We provide wool yarn so they can continue weaving their rugs. The Rug Show is an important opportunity for the Weavers to sell their rugs and support their families. The event is also an exceptional window into the culture and traditions of the Navajo People."

Adopt-a-Native Elder looks for volunteers every year to travel out to the Rug Show and assist in all aspects of putting on and running the show and sale. An important aspect of the Rug Sale is, of course, purchasing the rugs. Even if you are unable to make it out to the show, you can go on line and check out their web site www.anelder.org and look up "Rug Sale" and "Catalogue" for the Rug Sale, and purchase a rug to be shipped to you.

Consider "adopting" a Native elder. For not much more than what winds up being about $10 a month, you can be assured that your elder will receive spring and fall food boxes that are important supplements to their resources. What better way to honor the indigenous people of this country than to respect, honor and assist their treasured elders.

www.anelder.org

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