By Roy Cook

August 9. 2009 Richard Parker Van Dyke, IHRC board chairperson, announced the recognition of two 30-year employees of the Indian Human Resource Center, IHRC, June Hudson and Avella Hunter. This community picnic is filled with fun activities for all age groups and fine entertainment for those who just want to sit and have a good time in the shade of a bright summer day.

Historically this Mission Valley-Admiral Baker area is one of the best known of the twenty-five and more villages all along the banks of this San Diego River. From Cosoy to Nipaguay we will again be in the midst of well known Kumeyaay Indian trails and locations. Our Native American heritage is still here today and in plain sight and yet so often unseen. Our Native American Tribal people, both locally and from across Indian country, have been constantly and are still residents of America’s finest city today.

Randy Edmonds is a Kiowa-Caddo American Indian from Oklahoma. On the Kiowa side, he is a descendent of the Chief Poor Buffalo family. On his Caddo side, he is the son of Randlett Edmonds a Caddo speaker and historian. He attended Riverside Indian Boarding School and he was very active and popular and into all sports while growing up in the Anadarko area of Oklahoma. He was a participant in the Bureau Of Indian Affairs Relocation program of the 1950's. He was relocated with his family to the Los Angeles area in 1954. Events and opportunities brought him to San Diego in 1974.

On September 7, 1979, he founded the Indian Human Resource Center and brought together several Indian Leaders in the Indian community to the Board of Directors and he was appointed the Executive Director. During his term in office, he was very active in civic affairs, sitting on many advisory boards and commissions achievements and successfully operating the IHRC for 20 years he retired on April 29th 1999. He has been the Emcee at Pow-wow's and Indian events for over 40 years. In his retirement, he continues to participate in American Indian community activities. He is currently serving as a Senior Advisor for the Southern California American Indian Center, Inc. (SCAIR) and the San Diego Indian Center.

Chuck Cadotte organized the Soaring Eagles dance group and called upon the Soaring Eagle Singers to be part of the afternoon entertainment. The singers sang an appropriate honoring song for our good friend Randy Edmonds.

Good times, good food, good friends, great weather and good songs make for an Aho day.