Tonkawa Council of Elders
Respect Native American Traditions
The Tonkawa Council of Elders was founded in 1974 by a consortium of American Indian individuals, many of whom were tribal seniors. At that time, they were employed by the San Diego Indian Center located downtown, on Fifth and Cedar. This organization and services no longer exist. Tonkawa Council of Elders is the traditional rock of Native American wisdom for the new millinium.
Our Purpose:
The purpose of the Tonkawa Council of Elders Development Project is to improve the quality of life for American Indian Elders. Our major focus is community development.
Our goal is to provide the resources to assist all American Indian elders in a respectful, traditional manner.
To improve the quality of life for American Indian Elders we will inform and facilitate their access to services that will maintain them in their homes, as respected members of their communities and as keepers of our tribal custom and traditions.

TONKAWA SENIOR CLUB
Meeting Dates
Kumeyaay Selected as Senior Leader
Honoring Our Elders Pow wow 2001 - Jane Dumas
1ST ANNUAL PICNIC - SAN DIEGO
Support Services for Senior

TONKAWA COUNCIL of ELDERS
TONKAWA Talking Leaf Newsletter
Previous Newsletters Click on Month January Meeting Newsletter, February, March03, April, June, July, Oct, Jan04, July, Aug, Sept,Oct, Nov, Dec Feb05 March April June July AUG PICNIC Oct Nov Dec March06 April June Picnic06 Picknic07 July Nov07 Feb08 Mar Sept 2009 Jan09 Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2010 Jan Feb Apr May June Aug Oct Nov Dec 2011 Jan11 Mar Apr June Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

TONKAWA San Diego Elders Club

TONKAWA MIGHTY MINUTES

January 8, 2012 - Noon TONKAWA secretary Roy Cook arrived early and was soon joined by Jerry Starnes, Rita and Nellie Ruiz.


This meeting had a thin turn out (after the Holidays the only ‘thin’ in sight) of our faithful TONKAWA membership and members of the American Indian Warriors association. We were pleased to see faithful members at the monthly gathering. Our blessing was provided by Barbara Shramek. It is all good when we can gather to feast and enjoy each others’ company. Regardless of other priorities of those that didn’t remember or couldn’t make it.



Dr. Gewendalle Cooper ‘found’ an alumnus of her Colorado Springs College days, Barbara Shramek. Additionally, she allowed ‘big mouth’ Roy Cook to announce her selection as the Honored Elder at the San Diego State annual Pow wow on March 17, 2012. Also, American Indian

Warriors Association will be the Honored Color Guard and the AIWA President William Buchannan will be the Head Gourd Dancer.
We ate up the fine selection of 15 bean soup macaroni salads, spicy and sweet delights and naturally good TONKAWA coffee. We chatted up HOLIDAY activities in addition to a lively and exchange of jokes and humorous episodes of our elders’ long lives and cleaned up the room. We were still wishing each other good health options as we scooted out the door to follow on with the late afternoon activities- naps or mega-tons of play-off FOOTBALL.


Maybe we will see you and a friend February 12, 2012 (We are always recruiting Elders to be TONKAWA members!). It is always nice to see new members and guests drop in and are encouraged to return. This is a real nice down home meeting to attend. We are also very pleased to enjoy the regular attendance of TONKAWA along with community guests and family member.

Our next TONKAWA meeting is at noon February 12, 2012 at the IHRC offices, 4265 Fairmont Ave. San Diego 92105. There is plenty of good parking with easy access. Thank the Creator and all of you for being there or not today. Mehan, aho.
Respectfully submitted: TONKAWA Secretary Roy Cook