Passamaquoddy people of Indian Township celebrate two new facilities

Assisted living facility to open; ground broken on senior apartments

On June 19, Passamaquoddy people of Indian Township celebrated the completion of a six-bed assisted living facility for tribal elders to open in August.

Since 2003 the Genesis Fund staff have worked closely with tribal leaders and Planning Director Bob Tyler to leverage nearly $2 million dollars to support both the assisted living facility and for a six-unit senior apartment project currently under construction next door.

USDA Rural Development and MaineHousing provided a combination of loans and grants to make these two vitally important projects possible for this community of 700 people. An Administration for Native Americans grant funded the training of tribal members for jobs in the assisted living facility.

After the ribbon-cutting for the assisted living building and the ground-breaking at the senior apartment site, Tribal Governor William Nicholas and two elders, Blanche Socobasin and Joan Dana, burned sage leaves to purify the building. With song and drumbeat and the fragrant smoke of the leaves, they led those gathered through the facility and then welcomed the guests, including representatives from Maine's congressional delegation, to lunch.

"The building has been smudged," said Governor Nicholas, "so it is safe for our elders to be here."

 

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