Choctaw Nation Photo

Chief Batton, pictured with associates and Oklahoma Blood Institute representatives, displays the Choctaw Nation's trophies received from the Tribal Challenge.

Choctaw Nation proves its servants’ heart in blood challenge

Chahta Okla yvt i tishu chukvsh ahlichi

Published May 24, 2024

By Chief Gary Batton

Audio in Choctaw Language

Each year the Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) has a Tribal Challenge amongst the tribes. The contest measures which tribe will donate the most blood for the year.

This past year, from August 1 to January 31, the Choctaw Nation won the contest with a blood draw of 1,726, that equates to about 5,178 lives saved. We also won first prize with projection accuracy by exceeding OBI’s projection by 108%, meaning they projected our donation at 1,603 and the actual draw was 1,726. Even in years where we don’t finish in first place, our associates and tribal members place very well in the blood drive contest, and that shows that our tribe is ready, willing, and able to give the life blood needed to sustain lives during emergency needs. Donors, especially those who give regularly, keep our communities’ blood supply stable. And remember, blood is needed every day of the year.

We received the trophies for winning the challenge and the other for exceeding the projected number of tribal participants, from the Oklahoma Blood Institute. The trophies will be on display in the lobby of the Choctaw Nation Durant Headquarters at the welcome desk for everyone to see.

It is a great honor to win these trophies and to know that the Choctaw Nation is carrying on the traditions of our ancestors who answered the call when help was needed. Our Chahta pride will not allow us to turn a blind eye when someone is in need, and we can lend a helping hand. While the trophies are nice, the real source of our pride comes from saving lives, after all, one blood donation has the potential to save three lives.

It is a real source of pride that our tribe answers the call each year for blood drive donations and a great feeling of accomplishment that we took home the top prize this year for our efforts. Now, as we look forward to next year’s Tribal Challenge, I want to encourage all tribal members and associates to shatter our winning numbers and increase our blood draw for the next Tribal Challenge. I know we have it within the Choctaw Nation to come out and really show the folks at OBI what our tribe is made of, just as we did for the just completed blood drive contest. And remember, the more we give, the more lives will be impacted.

Yakoke Chito for bringing these trophies back to the Choctaw Nation and drop by the welcome desk at the lobby in Durant Headquarters and look at our prizes – they really are some beautiful trophies!

Yakoke and God bless!

Afvmmi aiyukak ma, Oklahoma Issish Vlhpisa yvt Apehlichi Paffi ya okla vhleha ittibataklvchit apesa. Okla katimma kakosh issish lawa moma i shahli habenacha chi ka ittimpakna yvt apesa.

Afvmmi ant ia kash, Takkon Hvshi nittak achvffa hikivt ia cha Koinchush Hvshi nittak pokoli tuchina akucha achvffa ona ka Chahta Okla yvt ittimpakna ya imaiya tuk. Issish kuchi tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa untuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha hannali ishi tuk. Yvmmvt okchaya hlakoffi kvt tahlepa sipokni tahlapi, tahlepa achvffa, pokoli untuklo akucha untuchina foka alaui. OBI tikba pisa ya 108% il atabli cha tikba pisa ahli ya vlhtoba vmmona il eshi tuk. Pi hvlbina ya tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa hannali akucha tuchina hotina tuk, kia holhtina ahli yvt tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa untuklo, pokoli tuklo akucha hannali atuk. Afvmmi kanimi ka e tikba kiyo, kia pim ibatoksvli anonti okla ibafoka yvt achukmali fehna. Pim okla yvt issish habenacha chi kvt im vlhtaha, vlhpesa ahni, micha kanihmi hatuk o talaia chilita ya okchaya vhleha issish abvnna kvt isha chi. Ilhpitvchi kanimi kvt ima bilia na pim okla im issish aiasha yvt kamvssa. Nittak moma ka issish abvnna yvt asha ka hvsh ikhaiyana chike.

Paffi ya il imaiya cha okla ibafoka holhtina vhlpisa ya il atabli tuk a Oklahoma Issish Vlhpisa yvt na wehpoa pima tuk. Moyumvt pisa chi ka na wehpoa yvt Chahta Okla Anumpa Aivlhpisa achukkoa ya tikba aholissochi ya ayopisacha chi.

Na wehpoa ilvppa il eshi tuk a aholittopa chinto hoke. Kvna hosh apela abvnna cha payah ma pi hattak tikba yvt anukwia iksho hosh apehinla toka Chahta Okla yvt nana vlhpisa ma isht mahaya. Kvna kia il apela hinlak ma pi Chahta fehnachi yvt il aksha chi ka pimissa kiyo.

Na wehpoa yvt achukma, kia okchaya hlakoffi ako pi fehnachi yvt ahlit aminti. Moma misha, issish habenachi achvffa kvt okchaya tuchina ka hlakofficha hinla chishba.

Afvmmi aiyukak ma pim okla yvt issish habenachi isht apela akosh fehnachi ahlit aminti. Himak afvmmi ya vlhtoba vmmona ya chukka il isht ia tuka pim vlhtaha yvt im anukfila chinto hvpima. Himonasi, afvmmi minti pa Apehlichi Paffi ya tikbanlit e pisa. Okla ibafoka micha ibatoksvli moma kvt pi holhtina ya shimma chi ka hvchi yimmintvchi li. Yvmmvt Apehlichi Paffi atukla ya pim issish kuchi i shahlicha chi. Chahta Okla yvt kuchvt minti cha OBI a pim okla yvt nana atoba kvt im oktvnichi ahla chi ka ikhana li. Issish habenachi ittimpakna chekusi kash taha tuka ohmicht e yvmihcha chi. I shahlichit il emak ma okchaya yvt i shahlichit kanihma chi.

Na wehpoa ilvppa Chahta Okla hvsh i falvmmichi tuka hvchi yakoke li fehna hoke. Anumpa Aivlhpisa achukkoa ya aiokpvchi aholissochi ya onvt pim vlhtoba hvsh pisa chike. Yvmmvt na wehpoa aiukli fehna hoke!

Yakoke anonti Chihowa hvt hvchi holitoblashke!