I commend you for your efforts to recognize the contributions of Native Americans in our country. I think the Native American Olympic idea is great. I ll do anything I can do to help. Olympians Billy Kidd, Steve Mahre, Tommy Moe, Norwegian Champions Stein and Jahrle Halsnes, British Olympian Martin Bell, Senator Bill Bradley, Basketball Guru Coach Phil Jackson, America's Cup winner Bill Koch, editor, publisher of Manhattan Magazine, Rick Bard, a former Golden Gloves Boxer and recipient of the UN Eco Award, plus Eco Angels like Jack Chrysler. NVF is now guided by some of the most respected influential Native leaders in America.
Natives are brilliant peacemakers.
Lakota Chief Mel Lonehill led NVF's Peace Pipe Ceremony at Telluride's '99 World Snowboard Championships with youth from 25 countries and 6 Indian Nations during the Kosovo War, as an example of healing our own ethnic cleansing history. The Navajo, who have employment shortages, are getting jobs as lift operators, in hotels and restaurants and as construction workers and craftsman in Colorado ski towns. Anglos dropped the ball on sports for 1,200 years, apart from military games and knightly jousting, after the Olympics died when an Emperor cheated. Through NVF Ski Celebrations, locals and visitors, who are already kindred with the outdoors, start seeing Nature through Native eyes, remembering our own tribal roots in Europe. Movers and shakers, who live and play at ski resorts, then make more enlightened policy decisions.