A ribbon-cutting for a community pavilion

I recently attended the Spokane Indian Housing Authority’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 13. The ribbon cutting was a celebration for the opening of the new pavilion that is a part of the tribe’s second Low Income Housing Tax Credit project. It was a top-notch way to thank business partners, investors, sponsors and staff who made the new addition possible.

The pavilion is a beautiful structure that boasts a fireplace, fully equipped kitchen and indoor restrooms. In addition to these items within the structure, the residents and Spokane tribal community also now have multiple horseshoe pits and an outdoor fire pit with seating and will soon have a completed playground, basketball court and volleyball court for their enjoyment outside. The Spokane Indian Housing Authority was very excited to open the pavilion and hopes that it will be a great place for families to connect, celebrate birthdays and holidays and in general bring the community together.

The new pavilion was blessed with a traditional Native song and prayer prior to the ribbon cutting. Tim Horan, executive director of SIHA, addressed the crowd sincerely thanking the tribal board, housing authority staff, force account crew, business partners and several others who made the project possible. We all were invited to “break bread” together and enjoyed a fantastic lunch served by the SIHA staff.

The day ended with a tour of one of the project’s new construction homes. Charles and Kathryn Garcia, new residents in the home,  welcomed us all into their home for a tour. The couple expressed sincere gratitude for not only their new home, but also the safe play area for their five children. They said they plan to use the pavilion to mentor community youth about the effects of drug and alcohol use.

I was honored to be invited to the celebration, and I was excited to see the community all come together for such a great cause.