Oneida Indian Nation Homelands (February 21, 2018) – After a successful debut in Sherrill, the Oneida Indian Nation is excited to announce tomorrow, February 22 will mark the Grand Opening of its second Maple Leaf Market store, which is located in the Village of Chittenango on Route 5 near Tuscarora Road. The Nation plans to continue expanding its new brand of convenience stores throughout Central New York with its third Maple Leaf Market store scheduled to open in Sylvan Beach. Located on Route 13, the third location is currently a SāvOn, set to close on February 25 at 9:00 p.m. Construction will begin immediately and reopen early summer as a Maple Leaf Market.

With a focus on providing fresh, made-to-order food and convenient grab-and-go options, all Maple Leaf Market stores will feature a robust menu of fresh hot and cold sandwiches, soups, salads, pastas, freshly-cut fruits and vegetables, gourmet coffee, freshly-baked pastries and more. Maple Leaf Market features a variety of items from regional companies, which is a prominent part of the culinary experience. Local partners include an exclusive gourmet coffee partner, Utica Coffee Roasting Company, offering all 35 of their flavors, blends and single origin specialty coffees, guaranteed to be freshly brewed every 30 minutes; jerky, maple syrup, honey and a variety of spices from Joe’s Jerky in Sherrill; donuts and other sweet treats from Tasswood Bakery in Pennellville; fresh bread and rolls from Syracuse-based New York Bakery; and milk and cream from HP Hood in Oneida.

“After receiving an incredible response to our first Maple Leaf Market in Sherrill, we are excited to continue our Central New York expansion with our opening in Chittenango and to offering guests fresh, made-to-order food,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO.

Maple Leaf Market in Chittenango will offer additional conveniences such as, full-service gasoline at self-serve prices, a two-bay touchless car wash, a comprehensive loyalty program, special gasoline discounts, no ATM fees, top-selling grocery and essential items, a variety of imported and domestic beers and more.

With the Oneida Nation’s innovative TS Rewards Loyalty Program, guests can also earn and use points on all Maple Leaf Market purchases, as well as purchases at all Oneida Nation Enterprise businesses, including Turning Stone Casino, Yellow Brick Road Casino, the golf courses, spas, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment and nightlife venues.

Book Review: Forgotten Allies, The Oneida Indians and the American Revolution, Joseph T. Glatthaar and James Kirby Martin

By Kandice L. Watson (Oneida, Wolf Clan)

Oneida Indian Nation Documentarian

Forgotten Allies discusses the Oneida Indian Nation’s involvement in the Revolutionary War as an ally of the fledgling United States. As an academic, I have always been interested in history and the interactions of peoples throughout time, and was anxious to learn more about how those occurrences shaped who our people became. As an enrolled Member of the Oneida Nation, I have found our history to be amazing and enlightening, and reading this story helped me to feel a closeness to my ancestors like I have never felt before.

Glatthaar and Martin take us through Oneida Indian Nation history from around 1635 when Dutch adventurer Harmen Van Den Bogaert visited an Oneida village through the end of the Revolutionary War. There were many influences at play for the Oneidas during this time period that would last for generations, and the authors present the information in a chronological, straightforward manner that allows the reader to follow along without having to know very much about the Revolutionary War.

Certainly as a scholar and teacher, I have heard of our predecessors and their involvement in various events: how Han Yerry and his wife fought tirelessly at the Battle of Oriskany, how Polly Cooper joined some men to bring corn to Gen. Washington and his starving army during the winter of 1777-78, and also how Samuel Kirkland had such great influence on Chief John Skenandoah – enough to convince him to side with the rebels. I have heard these stories over and over and have even repeated them in my teachings throughout the years. After reading this book, I now know that some of these stories were incorrect, or had missing information.

I feel like I know the full story now, or at least more of it than I knew before. For example, I now know that the group of Oneidas left for Valley Forge on April 25, 1778, which is certainly not winter. I always found it hard to believe they would make such a trip in the dead of winter! Also, they went down there at the request of Gen. Washington via the Marquis de Lafayette to secure warriors for him. Lafayette was able to gather 47 warriors to make the trip to Pennsylvania where they quickly joined Gen. Washington’s regulars in the Battle of Barren Hill, about 4 days after their arrival on May 15, 1778. So, they went there for other reasons, not simply to bring Washington’s army some corn.

Whether Polly Cooper was with them or not is also a point of confusion. I have read accounts from the soldiers who remarked at the presence of the Oneidas, but no mention is ever made of them having a woman with them. It seems odd that they wouldn’t mention this since they mentioned many other things about the men. A few instances in the camp had men writing in their journals of how one Oneida helped himself to a shank of meat in Gen. Washington’s tent. Rather than make an issue of it, Gen. Washington let it go. Another time, one invited himself to sit in on Gen. Washington’s planning meeting and was politely escorted out. If a woman was with the Oneidas, it seems the soldiers would have at least made mention of it.

I am curious to go and find these old Oneida villages now as well. I have lived in Oneida my entire life, and have been through Oneida Castle (Kanonwalohale) many times – but I never thought about the actual borders of the village, its exact location, location of the church, saw mill or grist mill or what families lived there. I was always under the impression that I knew where these towns were, but now I understand that some of them were quite large and sprawling.

I had also heard of Oriska, and have visited the battlefield many times with school groups or for the annual solemn commemoration held on August 6 of each year. Again, I made the assumption that the village was where the battle occurred, which is not the case. The Oneida village of Oriska was located several miles west of the battlefield and I would be interested to visit that site. Very few families lived at Oriska, Han Yerry’s being the most prominent.

I was also surprised to hear of Old Oneida. Old Oneida is one of the oldest Oneida villages, and managed to survive the Revolutionary War unlike all of the other Oneida villages. Old Oneida also stayed relatively traditional and did not accept Christianity in the village. Old Oneida was located about 7 miles south of Kanonwalohale, most likely somewhere near Primes Hill in Munnsville.

As a resident of Territory Road, I assumed I knew about the religious rivalries that occurred in our villages. I was aware that the Oneidas who left and went to Wisconsin were Christians, but had little idea how this religious affiliation determined everything about their lives. In addition to the Traditionalists vs Christians, we also had divisions between the Christian religion in regards to Presbyterian and Anglican teachings. The war brought out rivalries that might not have existed prior to the war or the encroachment of white settlers.

I assumed that I knew about the main players, who were influential in the Oneidas’ decision to enter the war, but now I know different. I assumed Skenandoah and Han Yerry were the biggest players, but there were many other Oneidas that played significant roles in our history and I am enlightened by this information. Skenandoah spent almost 3 years in captivity at Fort Niagara, so his influence was very minimal. The fact that he was good friends with Kirkland has obviously affected his prominence in our history. Men like Good Peter, Grasshopper, Thomas Spencer and others had more influence on our involvement than either Skenandoah or Han Yerry.

As a history buff, I am thankful to have researchers like Glatthaar and Martin, who have made it their mission to revive our history, and tell it in a truthful, respectful manner. So often, our contributions to the American cause are overlooked or watered-down, and this book lets us be proud of that history and to ensure that it is not forgotten.

In recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month in April, the clinical staff at Oneida Indian Nation Health Services are ready to provide education, support, and treatment to clients who are affected by problem drinking.

How can you tell if drinking is a problem? Start by asking yourself or your loved one the following questions:

• Have you ever felt you needed to cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt guilty about drinking?
• Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (“eye-opener”) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

Answering “yes” to two or more of the above questions may be a sign that alcohol use is a problem. The medical providers at Health Services recommend that if you chose to drink, that it be in moderation. This means no more than 1-2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink a day for women. One drink can equal:

• 12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol
• 5 ounces of wine, which is typically about 12% alcohol
• 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, which is about 40% alcohol

Individuals who are ages 21 and younger, pregnant women, and those who have health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and liver disease should avoid alcohol. Also, please talk with your doctor if you take prescription or over the counter medication, as it may be dangerous to combine them with alcohol.

There is help and support available at Health Services. Our Health Services team can provide the following services to our registered clients:

• Confidential assessments and screenings
• DWI evaluations
• Patient/family education
• Referrals to inpatient, detox, and intensive outpatient treatment
• Individual or family counseling
• Information on AA meetings, Al-Anon meetings, and other community supports
• Support for those who have a loved one who is using/abusing alcohol
• Auricular Acupuncture to assist in reducing cravings for use
• Treatment planning that is driven by the individual

For more information on how the Oneida Indian Nation Health Services can help, call (315) 829-8700 or 1-800-663-4324 and ask to speak with an available counselor or your primary care provider. We are here to help.

From the Oneida, Vol.4, No. 4, April, 1993:

When Elder Keller George (Wolf Clan) was a boy, he remembers playing longball, a Native American game enjoyed by many generations before him. The game bears a certain resemblance to today’s game of baseball, America’s ‘national pastime.’

Longball was played on any long, narrow field, even as much as 50 yards long. Teams of 10 or 11 players were chosen and captains determined who would bat first by going hand over hand up the bat. The winning captain, with his hand on the very top of the bat, had to swing it round his head three times to prove he really had a good hold on it. If it slipped from his grasp, the other team batted first.

A small leather ball, about the size of a tennis ball, was hit with a four or five foot wooden bat, approximately three inches in diameter. Each player got one chance at bat, with the exception of the last player, who got three swings. When the ball was hit, the player would attempt to run to the far end of the field without being hit with the ball by the other team. If his ball was caught in the air, the batter was ‘out.’ Three outs meant the teams switched positions.

Once reaching the end of the field, the player would have to wait for the next hit, and then make it all the way back to the starting line in order to score a point. It sounds pretty straightforward so far, but there’s a twist! Players were allowed to ‘pass’ on their turn at bat. Often, a whole team would ‘pass,’ leaving one ‘designated hitter,’ usually the best on the team. He would then have one chance for each of his teammates and three for himself, being the last to bat. The rest of the team would line up beside him and, if there was a good hit, the entire team could run. If the ball was hit to the right, only the players on the left might run. Or, the fastest players would run and others would just lope along, acting as decoys. On any given hit, it was possible to have four or five players running in each direction. The team would develop a strategy that it thought would outsmart the opposing team.

The game was ended after a pre-set amount of time no matter what the score. If everyone desired to keep playing, different teams were chosen and everything started again.

This story originally appeared in The Oneida newsletter, issue 3, volume 12, April/May 2010

Approximately one-half mile from the site of the former Hamilton-Oneida Academy (which eventually became Hamilton College) sits a stately home that once welcomed Oneidas on a regular basis. The Harding Farm, as it is now known, is the home built in 1793 by the Rev. Samuel Kirkland, who founded the academy. Oneida Chief Shenendoah, Kirkland’s long-time friend, advised the missionary on the best placement for the home.

In the 1848 book, “The Life of Samuel Kirkland, Missionary to the Indians,” by the subject’s grandson, Samuel Kirkland Lothrop, the missionary’s open door policy to the Oneidas was discussed:

“… every year he [Kirkland] expended nearly all and some years more than all, his salary in gifts and hospitality to the Indians. His house was the constant resort of Indians from all the Six Nations in wanderings to and fro, and particularly of those on the territory of the Oneidas and in his immediate neighborhood. It was no unusual thing for him to furnish seventy, eighty, and sometimes even a hundred meals to Indians in the course of a single week. This was the custom and he could not break it.”

Today, the Harding Farm offers a different type of hospitality as it accommodates overnight guests and facilitates events. Apart from Kirkland’s former home, the area is ripe with additional palpable reminders of its Oneida connection.

Skenandoa House, a Hamilton College dormitory, was dedicated in memory of the Oneida Chief, Kirkland’s steadfast friend. Such was the friendship between the two men that Shenendoah requested to be buried alongside Kirkland “that I might cling to the skirts of his garments and go up with him at the great resurrection.”

The friends rest side by side in Hamilton College’s cemetery.

More on Kirkland

During the span of his life, Kirkland earned the respect of not only Shenendoah, but other Oneidas as well. Though charity and kindness he lived the Gospel he preached.

“Kirkland opened his larder and shared all he had, providing for the needy when he had little of his own, and enduring hunger pangs alongside the Oneida villagers. He collected clothing, household items, and farming and carpentry tools for all to use. And in times of hardship, he dipped into his own shallow pockets to buy clothing and blankets for desperate people.

“Having preached Christian charity, he could not behave contrarily toward his parishioners. ‘In such an Extremity, I apprehend no Christian spectator could stand unaffected,’ he explained to his sponsors back in New England. ‘It must move the most sturdy relentless heart to benevolence & charity,…even when I am destitute & in want myself. I have often borrowed, yea sometimes hired money to relieve Persons in such distressing circumstances,’ He concluded: ‘Now if some little Charities are not communicated in such cases of necessity, I don’t know how the credit of the Gospel can be maintained among them.’

“Kirkland aspired to live as an exemplar of Christian benevolence, and he succeeded. He accumulated almost nothing and spent his salary on foods for himself and the Oneidas. In days when communal responsibility and the concept of reciprocation seemed to be declining, and the European emphasis on individual acquisition increasing, the missionary’s daily actions constantly reminded his Indian friends of those critical cultural and religious values deeply embedded in their traditional belief system.”

Excerpt from “Forgotten Allies, The Oneida Indians and the American Revolution” by Joseph T. Glatthaar and James Kirby Martin.

This story originally appeared in The Oneida newsletter, issue 4, volume 2, June/July 2010.

In the oral tradition of the Oneida, the life of Chief Shenendoah has been retold time again. A brave man who served his people well, he has also been acknowledged from those outside the Oneida Nation. The following is a homage, illustrating the esteem bestowed upon the great chief as chronicled in:

“Proceedings of the … Continental Congress of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution”

By the Daughters of the American Revolution:

 “…..Floyd Chapter. Daughters of the American Revolution, for the year 1912, placed four bronze markers with tablets at the graves of soldiers of the Revolution. The first to be erected was to pay tribute to Skenandoa, the great chief of the Oneida Indians, whose services to the cause of freedom were very great. This famous chief is buried in the little cemetery connected with the campus of Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y. On June 20 some 200 or more people were gathered to do honor to this brave man of long ago. In the cemetery the D.A.R. ritual was read. The Chaplain, Mrs. Church, leading the exercises. Then the marker was placed by Mr. Fred Payne, President of the Skenandoa Club of Clinton, N.Y. The flag was set bravely fluttering by Miss Mary Kirkland. A large delegation of school children heaped up flowers about the gravestone. A bunch of pansies sent by Mrs. Catherine Burning, a great granddaughter of the great chief, was placed on the top of the stone, then after a prayer by Rev. Mr. White, the company crossed the beautiful campus and held the rest of the exercises comfortably seated in the college chapel. Mrs. Jackson, the Regent Mrs. Oldfield, the Registrar, Mrs. Keller of Little Falls and Mrs. Roberts of Utica, occupied places on the platform. Mrs. Margaret L. Sanford, Chairman of the Marker Committee, then read a brief history of Skenandoa, portions of which are as follows: He was born in 1706. He was not an Oneida, but was captured, when a small child, in a raid and adopted into the tribe. Being a person of unusual ability, he soon rose to a position of power and influence in the League of the Iroquois. During the French and Indian wars, the tribes of the Long House espoused the side of the English and when the Revolution came, they, most of them, were faithful to their English allies. The Oneidas alone of the six nations were friendly to the cause of the Colonists, and it is to Skenandoa, his friend and teacher, Rev. Samuel Kirkland, missionary to the Indians and Judge James Dean, that this one tribe was held to the cause of Liberty. There is no way now of estimating the value of Skenandoa’s services. It is even possible that if he had chosen differently, the Burgoyne campaign would have been successful and British power forever established over all of North America. He was with Gen. Nicholas Herkimer on his march to the Battle of Oriskany. When Sir John Johnson, Walter Butler and Brant, the Mohawk, hung like a pestilence around the armies and settlements on the frontier, Skenandoa with 250 warriors ever kept a watchful eye upon their movements and gave warnings that often saved the Americans from ambush and massacre. After the war was over, he continued as the “white man’s friend” and advisor. He lived in peaceful security for the rest of his days at Oneida Castle on the Oneida Reservation, and was visited by many distinguished people, among them Gov. DeWitt Clinton. It was then, when old-age had descended upon him and he was blind, that he made his famous speech which has never been surpassed for dignity, pathos and eloquence. ‘I am an aged hemlock; the winds of a hundred winters have whistled through my branches. I am dead at the top. The generation to which I belong has run away and left me. Why I live, the great good spirit only knows. Pray to my Jesus that I may have patience to await my appointed time to die.’ He desired greatly to die and be buried in Clinton, because he wished to cling to the skirts of his teacher in the resurrection, but the end came at his home in Oneida Castle in 1816 at the great age of 110 years. His wish was carried out, and he was borne on the shoulders of his faithful Indians to his last resting place in Clinton, beside his earthly father and friend, Rev. Samuel Kirkland. Mrs. Sandford then read some very interesting letters, among them one from former Senator, Frederick M. Davenport, and W. Pierrepont White. Rev. Henry White read a poem by Prof. Edward Worth on Skenandoa and Mr. Clinton Scollard, the poet, read a selection from his dramatic poem on ‘Skenandoa.’

This article originally appeared in The Oneida newsletter, issue 2, volumes 13, February 2011.

The name of Hanyery is synonymous within the Oneida Nation with the Battle of Oriskany. His valor at this pivotal battle of the Revolutionary War is legendary. Though wounded, he continued to fight with the help of his wife, who loaded his gun. But what of his life off the battlefield? What manner of man was he? A few clues can be gleaned from the pages of Forgotten Allies, wherein Joseph T. Glatthaar and James Kirby Martin’s research conjures a flesh-and-blood man – husband, father, neighbor and warrior.

Hanyery Tewahangarahken, “He Who Takes Up the Snow Shoe,” was born in 1724 and would eventually ascend to the position of chief warrior of the Wolf Clan. Even as a young man, he was noted for his “exceptional courage and coolness in combat.” Circa 1750, he married Tyonajanegen, also known as Two Kettles Together. The couple lived in Oriska as part of the founding Oneidas of that village, raising three sons (Peter, Jacob and Cornelius) and a daughter (Dolly).

At Oriska, Hanyery and his family thrived on a large farm, selling their produce to travelers stopping off at the Oneida Carrying Place and the inhabitants of Fort Stanwix. According to the authors, the family dwelled in a framed house and had a barn, 15 horses, six cattle, 20 hogs, two sheep, six turkeys and 100 chickens. In addition to the menagerie, they grew an assortment of crops and had farm implements that included a wagon and sleigh. Meals were cooked in brass and copper kettles, and guests ate off of pewter plates with pewter spoons. Although Hanyery had become wealthy in terms of material possessions around his home, very few Oneida families at the time had European furniture. Oneidas still kept a central fire in the middle of the room with simple sleeping bunks on the walls of the house.

As Glatthaar and Martin noted, “Han Yerry had become one of the wealthiest of all Oneidas.”

When the British coerced the Oneidas into ceding a section of their territory, including lands encompassing Oriska, in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768, the villagers were incensed. Thus, by 1777 the Oriska Oneidas, which included Hanyery’s brother Han Yost Thahoswagwat (or His Lip Followed Him), decided to fight along with Hanyery on the rebel side.

By the time he fought in the Revolutionary War, Hanyery was in his fifties and was recalled by one observer as an “ordinary sized” man and “quite a gentleman in his demeanor.” His Oneida friend Hendrick Smith said of him, “Han Yerry was too old for the Service, yet used to go fearlessly into the fights.” Bravery’s age is limitless.

1779 brought Hanyery a commission from the fledgling United States government as captain to the Oneidas. The rank was given to him on the advice of the chief warriors of the Oneida. It was a deserved recognition for Hanyery, who had “distinguished himself at Oriskany and Saratoga and led the Indian column to Valley Forge.” And it was at Valley Forge that Hanyery was asked to sup with George Washington.

In addition to his fighting prowess, Hanyery was also a signer and participant at many conferences held at Johnson Hall, Fort Stanwix and Fort Herkimer.

Repercussions for the Oneidas’ decision to side with the rebels were forthcoming, however. Following the Battle of Oriskany, other Haudenosaunee, who had sided with the British, burnt the village of Oriska to the ground in retribution for the Oneidas’ choice. Hanyery’s home and all his possessions were also destroyed in the tumult. After the burning of Oriska in September 1777 by Joseph Brant and other pro-British Indians, Hanyery moved to Canajoharie and lived in Molly Brant’s house for a few months as compensation for her brother’s destruction of his village.

When the war was over, Hanyery once again held a leadership role in an Oneida village, but not his former Oriska.

He died around 1794, predeceasing his wife and battlefield companion, Two Kettles Together, by nearly three decades.

Oneida Nation Homelands (April 24, 2018) – Turning Stone Resort Casino is excited to announce this week’s launch of its all-new professional comedy series – Jokers at The GIG. Beginning Thursday, April 26 and running on select Thursday nights at the popular Exit 33 venue, the series will feature an impressive lineup of comedic headliners who have appeared on Comedy Central, America’s Got Talent and NBC’s Last Comic Standing.

This week’s inaugural show will feature headliner Julia Scotti, the “Crazy Old Lady of Comedy” who was a quarter-finalist and fan favorite on Season 11 of America’s Got Talent. Opening for Scotti will be the likeable and quick-witted Mike Speirs, who will appear this year in Showtime’s Escape at Dannemora, directed by Ben Stiller and starring Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano, and Benicio Del Toro. The evening’s emcee will be high-energy comedian Pat DaBiere, who has performed at venues up and down the East Coast and toured with The Italian Comedy Festa and The North Country Comedy Tour.

Additional upcoming dates and performers include (subject to change):

• Thursday, May 3 – Nick Marra, Aaron David Ward and Joe Bronzi
• Thursday, May 17 – John Iavarone, Gene Trifilo and John Mulrooney
• Thursday, May 31 – Pat DaBiere , Ellen Karis and Andy Pitz

Admission to all Jokers at The GIG events is $10 per person, and tickets can be purchased at the door, through Ticketmaster or in advance at the Turning Stone Box Office. The doors open at 7p.m. with the first comic set starting at 8p.m.

For more information, please visit www.turningstone.com/nightlife-lounges/the-gig.

About Turning Stone Resort Casino

A renowned, award-winning destination resort in Upstate New York, the Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino features world-class amenities including four hotels, two luxurious spas, five golf courses, more than 20 dining options, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas-style gaming floor, a cabaret style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, and several nightlife venues. Conveniently located 30 miles east of Syracuse at NYS Thruway exit 33, Turning Stone was named “Best Countryside Hotel/Lodge” in 2015 and “Most Excellent Golf Resort” in 2010 by Condé Nast Johansens. Turning Stone has also earned the prestigious Forbes Four Star Award for The Lodge, Wildflowers restaurant and Skʌ:nʌ́: spa, and for 12 consecutive years, the AAA Four Diamond Award for The Lodge, The Tower Hotel, and Wildflowers restaurant.

For more information and reservations, call (315) 361-7711 or (800) 771-7711. Visit the website www.turningstone.com.

The Oneida Indian Nation will host the 18th annual “Aging Well: Healing and Hope” conference for American Indians and their caregivers on May 24 and 25 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Conference Center.

The conference workshops will offer a diverse range of topics for participants, from stress-relieving exercise, and an introduction to the medicine wheel teachings, to ways to love our Elders in a respectful, honorable way.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Darryl Tonemah, who will discuss substance abuse within families and communities; and Kara Kaplan, manager of Oneida Nation Behavioral Health Services, who will examine the current drug trends.

The conference will also feature a bus trip to a local mall, Elders panel, healthy cooking demonstrations and social dancing with the Kontiwennenhawi: Akwesasne Women Singers.

Free to American Indian Elders and staff from Indian Nations in New York State that work with American Indian Elders. All others pay $25 registration fee.

For additional conference information, call (315) 829-8155.

Click here for the Registration Form

Click here for the 2018 Aging Well Elders Conference Brochure

As America’s First Allies, the Oneida Indian Nation has a long and storied history of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War. Nation Members have served in the U.S. military in every major conflict since the country’s founding, and American Indians continue to serve at the highest rate of any ethnic group in the nation.

That spirit of honor and service is built from the bottom up and is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. The Nation has always sought ways to give back to Veterans whenever possible, not only with employment opportunities, but also through special programs and events that bring Veterans’ issues to the forefront.

Employees with military experience are an invaluable part of the Oneida Nation workforce. With flexible shifts and opportunities in security, communications, health services and government administration – among many others – there are a wide breadth of opportunities for Veterans at the Oneida Indian Nation.

Build your career with an organization that has been dedicated to diversity and inclusion for over 25 years. As one of the largest employers in Central New York, the Oneida Nation and its enterprises provide a healthy, energizing workplace that values the types of skills and training veterans bring to a workplace.

Search Opportunities Here.

The Oneida Indian Nation and its SāvOn Convenience Stores continued their longstanding partnership with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help make a difference in the Central New York community. Over the past 14 years, the Oneida Indian Nation and its SāvOn stores have raised more than $240,000 for the MDA, and hit its personal best mark this year raising $11,917.

Through the money raised during the MDA’s annual Shamrocks initiative, SāvOn stores helped the MDA improve the lives of families living with muscular dystrophy.

“Our relationship with the MDA over these 14 years has been wonderful and the Oneida Nation is proud to partner with such a fantastic organization, and contribute to a very worthwhile cause,” said Chuck Fougnier, Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Council Member and Chairman of the Oneida Nation Foundation, during a check presentation to MDA officials April 18.

MDA of Syracuse Executive Director, Tony Ortega, and Fundraising Coordinator, Karen Fink were presented the check by Chuck and several of the SāvOn store managers and assistant managers. Karen said, “The Nation and SāvOn are very supportive and we are honored to have worked with them for all these years in support of the MDA’s mission.”

Pictured, left to right: SāvOn managers Tina Abbott, Linda Harrington, Stephen Sims; MDA of Syracuse Fundraising Coordinator, Karen Fink; Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Council Member and Chairman of the Oneida Nation Foundation, Chuck Fougnier; MDA of Syracuse Executive Director, Tony Ortega; SāvOn managers Dustin Eddy, Zach Eddy, Joe Ingalls, Maren Perry, Ruthann Cadrette, Jeannette Forbes and Chris Walters.