F E ATU R E ST ORY
CELEBRATING SILVER
N R C N AA 25T H ANNIV ERSA RY – DE CE MBER 1 8, 2019 From left: Cynthia LaCounte; Shawn Egeland, representing Leigh Jeanotte; Kathy and Gina Allery, representing Allan Allery; Richard Ludtke; Brad Hawk, representing Russ McDonald; Twyla Baker; Paula Morin-Carter; and Collette Adamsen, current director of the NRCNAA.
NRCNAA looks to the future while honoring the past. The National Resource Center on Native
The gala event also included members of
A look back
American Aging (NRCNAA) celebrated
American Legion Post 262 and the Lake
Through a cooperative agreement with the
its 25th anniversary recently not only by
Region Singers. The NRCNAA’s current
Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency
honoring those who helped get it this far,
Director, Dr. Collette Adamsen, and Dr.
within Administration for Community Living
but also by focusing on the future and its
Joshua Wynne, interim president of the
(ACL) and United States Department of
continued mission to help Native elders.
University of North Dakota (UND) and dean
Health and Human Services, the NRCNAA
of the UND School of Medicine & Health
was founded within the UND Center for
Sciences (SMHS), offered welcoming
Rural Health in 1994. Dr. Leigh Jeanotte
remarks at the event. Dr. Donald Warne,
served as the NRCNAA’s inaugural director
associate dean of Diversity, Equity, &
for about one year while the grant program
Inclusion at the UND SMHS and director of
objectives solidified. Jeanotte realized the
the School’s Indians Into Medicine (INMED)
enormous task of overseeing two programs
program, provided the keynote address.
and leaned on Dr. Alan Allery for leadership.
In addition, Adamsen read a proclamation
Jeanotte spoke fondly of Allery’s
from North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum
leadership and background in health and
declaring December 18, 2019, Native
credits Allery for “getting the program off
American Elder Recognition Day.
the ground and moving forward.”
Among the highlights of the celebration was a banquet held December 18 at Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D. Emceed by Chance Lee Rush of Three Affiliated Tribes, the banquet honored former directors and advocates of the program, including Leigh Jeanotte, Alan Allery, Leander “Russ” McDonald, Twyla Baker, Paula Morin-Carter, Richard Ludtke, and Cynthia LaCounte.
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North Dakota Medicine Spring 2020
