8
S MOKE S IGNALS
MAY 15, 2019
Feting mom
Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez
Synthetic turf was recently installed at Uyxat Powwow Grounds to help
prevent dancers from twisting or spraining their ankles on the uneven sod
during the Tribe’s summer powwows.
Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez
Natural Resources Department Senior
Administrative Assistant Michele Volz shared
a laugh with her daughter, Madalyn Volz, 14,
during a Mother’s Day Tea event held at the Tribal
Community Center on Saturday, May 11. Along with tea, mothers,
daughters and granddaughters created art to adorn small pots that
were used to hold small fl owers. The event was organized by the
Community Health Department.
Tribal
member
Nevaeh
Grijalva,
4, gets
her hand
painted by
her mother,
Amanda
Grijalva,
during a
Mother’s Day
Tea event.
Uyxat Powwow Grounds
surfaced with synthetic turf
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Participants at this year’s two
major powwows – the Marcel-
lus Norwest Memorial Veterans
Powwow in July and the Contest
Powwow in August – will not have
to worry about possibly twisting
their ankles by landing in a hidden
depression in the grass.
The Tribe contracted with C&D
Landscaping of Dayton for $86,000
to dig up the 8,800 square feet of
sod, lay down foundational gravel
and then cover it with synthetic
turf.
Engineering and Public Works
Manager Jesse White said most of
the work was performed in April
and the powwow grounds is ready
for the upcoming powwow season.
“It is perfectly smooth and fl at,”
White said. “If there are any twist-
ed ankles, at least it will not be-
cause of the sod.”
C&D Landscaping co-owner Josh
Kearns said the synthetic turf fea-
tures “eco-cool technology” designed
to keep the turf 15 degrees cooler
than the ambient air temperature.
It also has a 15-year warranty, he
added.
The Tribe received complaints
about the uneven powwow grounds
surface after some participants
twisted or sprained their ankles
while dancing, which prompted the
move to synthetic turf.
General Manager David Ful-
lerton said there were a couple of
incidents at each powwow over the
last two years. n