Three senior <br>citizens centers proposed for Hopi

KYKOTSMOVI, Arizona —Hopi elders are keeping an eye on bills in the Arizona legislature, where three senior citizen centers have been proposed for the Hopi Reservation at a cost of $779,590.

According to the proposal, Kykotsmovi would get a 4,850 square foot building constructed for $300,000 and Hotevilla would get a 5,300 square foot building costing $179,590.

The Hopi proposal is part of a larger bill attempting to fund many senior centers on reservations in Arizona including those on the Navajo Nation. Rep. Sylvia Laughter proposed a bill in the House and Senator Jack Jackson proposed a bill in the Senate. Each House is reviewing the bill by the other branch and eventually they hope to agree on specific language and send the bill to Arizona Governor Jane Hull for final approval.

Monica Navamsa, a spokeswoman for the Hopi chairman’s office, said the chairman has actively sought construction of these facilities. All three of these senior centers would be multi-purpose buildings that would be dedicated to senior services and the community.

The Kykotsmovi building activities would include nutritional services, youth and senior programs, community programs and administration. Hotevilla activities would include recreation and education. First Mesa activities would include education, food bank and youth and seniors programs. All three village buildings would include outreach programs such as Meals on Wheels.

In early March, Hopi elders lobbied state legislators at the state capital. They were well received after they presented the legislators with corn and performed the Corn Maiden Dance.

Lyold Ami Sr., chairman of the elders program for the Hopi Tribe, said elders throughout the Hopi Reservation need a place to gather for social activities. He emphasized that each of these communities will have a grand parenting program where they will encourage seniors and youth to interact something that isn’t happening on Hopi as often now as the elders would like.

“We need to get the elderly and the youth back together because right now there’s a separation where the youth aren’t looking at the elderly,” he said.

Ami said elders could teach Hopi youth about Hopi culture from planting to cooking.

Ami said a lot of Hopi elders like to sew, but they need a center where they can leave their sewing machines rather than carting them around. He said the seniors have many activities now, but often spend a lot of time looking for a building where they can meet.

Ami, who has held his post since July, said social security and other support services would be offered at these senior centers. Currently, support service representatives meet people at the Hopi Civic Center when its available or they have to seek the people out at their homes.

“It’s hard and difficult to get places in the villages to meet. Getting these centers would help because we don’t have enough facilities,” he said. “It would be great if the villages got this rather than people having to drive great distances for services. These people are elderly and sometimes they have to go out in bad weather. Transportation is a real problem and this would be a great help.”

Ami said the new facilities willmake it easier for elders to discuss important issues from diabetes to elderly abuse.

Ami said the legislators were receptive and happy to see them when they lobbied at the state capital. He praised Rep. James Sedillo, a Flagstaff Democrat, and Karen Johnson, Republican chairwoman of the House Budget Committee, for taking up this cause. He also praised Hopi Councilman Todd Honyaoma for helping the elders lobby.

Ami, graduated from Winslow High School in 1959, recalls that Hopi has not had any new seniors centers as far back as he can remember.

The buildings are small, old and unsafe,” he said. “First Mesa (became even smaller because it) had a partition put in so they could put in a post office.”

Ami said he remains upbeat about the state legislature approving funding.

“We have a positive attitude. We hope and pray that the state representatives and senators see the light that there’s a need for this,” he said.