Lynch delivers two gifts of a lifetime

Photo by TC District Media

Final touches are put on the new Veterans Center in Tuba City. Lynch participated in the dedication ceremony on the 18th, along with Navajo Code Talkers and other veterans.

Outside, there is a custom back yard barbeque area, a play area with wooden play equipment, a slide and sandbox, and two horse corrals for the Piestewa’s horses, one of which was a gift to Carla from the Arapaho Tribe. The home features custom landscaping provided by two landscaping companies from Flagstaff surrounded by custom fencing.

In addition, passive, photovoltaic and wind turbine solar has been installed to keep the home completely energy efficient, so utility costs can be kept to a minimum in the years to come.

On the April 19, the house was turned over to the Piestewas and their grandchildren. The American flag flew in a strong north face wind above 1,000 workers, spectators, media-television personnel, VIPs, and family members. There ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition host, Ty Pennington and his design team gave this incredible home to Terry and Percy.

There were tears, hugs, and shouts from everyone, even the crew members, at the “Revealing”.

Piestewa and Baca family members who stood just above the media pit could be seen crying as Percy made the sign of the cross over her heart in silent appreciation of their most recent blessing of this home.

Terry Piestewa’s reaction was one of awe and overwhelming happiness. He did not stop smiling as he gazed at the huge house that he was now to call home.

After the formal television “gifting” of the house, the media was invited to watch monitors as cameras recorded Pennington guiding the Piestewas and their grandchildren through a tour of their new home.

Carla Piestewa was seen running from room to room, yelling and shouting to her grandparents about the aquarium, the furniture, and the three specially created fireplaces. Meanwhile, her brother Brandon was enthralled with all the Hopi Tihu (kachina dolls-sculpture) that was the focus of an entire room that featured all Native American artwork.

A veterans office for Tuba City

Lock and Key Productions had hoped that the Hopi village of Upper Moencopi would have received the gift of a veterans office building, but in 2004 its request was not supported by the village administration. Another site and support veterans group had to be selected for the project, which was on a tight schedule to meet both production and financial planning.

Though the opening was not without its own obstacles in dedication planning and public relations oversight, it a beautiful building boasting four acres, complete with a traditional log pole hogan for veteran’s holistic use, a permanent five flag pole arena, and a dedication stone made from Moencopi slate that features custom Native American veteran tribute engraving.

Native veterans from the both the Hopi and Navajo reservation areas were on hand to help assist celebration of the addition to the Tuba City community.

Two student groups were also featured that day. The state award-winning Tuba City MJROTC Program marched under the direction of 1st Sgt. Kenneth Bustamante and Guy. Sgt. Timothy Shaner. The ROTC program of fellow Hopi High appeared under the direction of Sgt 1st Class-Kevin Nance.

At the time of this writing, the Piestewas had not seen the new Veterans Center that was also unveiled on the 18th.

(Rosanda Suetopka Thayer is Public Relations Director for Tuba City Unified School District.)

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