Tribal Council Member Tony Ward and Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr. unveil a rendering of the clinic with the new name along with Ruby Choate's close family members and the Choctaw Nation Princesses.
Broken Bow Clinic Celebrates 15 Years with a New Name
Published July 20, 2022
BROKEN BOW, Okla. – Recently, the Choctaw Nation Clinic in Broken Bow, Okla. celebrated its 15th year anniversary with a ceremony and a new name. The clinic will now be known as the Choctaw Nation Ruby Choate Clinic.
In attendance, was Choctaw Nation Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr., Tribal Council Members Tony Ward and Thomas Williston, family members of Ruby Choate, several Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority leadership staff, and the award-winning District 2 Choctaw Nation Singers.
In the last 15 years, the clinic has seen over 67,000 patients. It houses several departments in addition to the urgent care clinic, including a WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) office and Choctaw Nation’s Healthy Aging personnel.
Ruby Choate spent 22 years as a nurse at the Broken Bow Clinic. During the ceremony, several speakers shared stories of the care and comfort she gave. The Choctaw Nation Tribal Council honored her dedicated service by naming the clinic for her. “I look back to the time of the Trail of Tears. If you think about it, Ruby had a lot of those same qualities as our people from a long time ago,” said Thomas Williston, Tribal Council Member and Speaker. “The qualities of caring for others and serving her country are just some of those qualities.”
“We are all excited about renaming the Broken Bow Clinic,” said Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr. “It’s an honor to recognize a dedicated nurse in this way.”
About The Choctaw Nation
The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest Indian Nation in the United States with more than 225,000 tribal members and 12,000-plus associates. This ancient people has an oral tradition dating back over 13,000 years. The first tribe over the Trail of Tears, its historic reservation boundaries are in the southeast corner of Oklahoma, covering 10,923 square miles. The Choctaw Nation’s vision, “Living out the Chahta Spirit of faith, family and culture,” is evident as it continues to focus on providing opportunities for growth and prosperity.
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