{"id":7898,"date":"2021-02-22T01:22:03","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T06:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=7898"},"modified":"2021-02-22T01:24:03","modified_gmt":"2021-02-22T06:24:03","slug":"gaylord-news-kiowa-tribe-severe-weather","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/02\/22\/gaylord-news-kiowa-tribe-severe-weather\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaylord News: Kiowa Tribe helps citizens amid severe weather"},"content":{"rendered":"\"kiowa\r\n
A Kiowa Tribe volunteers load free food into a recipient\u2019s car after severe weather conditions hit the state of Oklahoma. Photo courtesy the Kiowa Tribe\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Oklahoma tribe volunteers pass out food boxes, supplies amid harsh winter weather<\/div>\r\n
Monday, February 22, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Nancy Spears<\/div>\r\n
Gaylord News<\/div>\r\n
gaylordnews.net<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nCARNEGIE, Oklahoma -\u2013 Oklahoma\u2019s Kiowa Tribe is moving to expand emergency assistance efforts for tribal members as severe weather conditions are now only beginning to abate.

<\/p>\r\nThe tribe is offering free firewood, and households with tribal elders are the first priority.

<\/p>\r\n\u201cWe are monitoring the storm and doing the best we can to get help to those most in need. We are clearing driveways to those in rural areas with extreme emergency needs to get in and out,\u201d Kiowa Chairman Matthew Komalty said in a statement.\r\n

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\r\n\"kiowa\r\n
Oklahoma Kiowa Tribe volunteers load free food into a recipient\u2019s car after severe weather conditions hit the state. Photo courtesy the Kiowa Tribe\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nIn sub-freezing weather conditions, more than 20 Kiowa tribal employees volunteered on the frigid plains of the Kiowa Dance and Activity grounds to hand out food boxes to anyone who showed up on February 12.

<\/p>\r\nThe bitter cold didn\u2019t deter those in need from showing up, and more than 45,000 pounds of food was distributed to tribal members and non-Native recipients, despite a two-hour delay when the food truck got held up in Tulsa due to the weather.

<\/p>\r\nGlenn Powell, a non-Native, drove the first car in line. He said COVID-19<\/a> is no joke.

<\/p>\r\n\u201cI lost my job and everything, needing money and food.\u201d

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