Today will be a milestone of the Walk for Wellbriety and Healing... we will be leaving Oklahoma and crossing the River at Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Another well worn and highlighted map of a State along our route will be folded and packed away.... memories of the places and people will be tucked into our hearts and our memories.

After breakfast... we pack up the 'camp' and gather for the Morning Talking Circle. We are joined in the circle this morning by supporters from Lawrence Kansas. They have been following the Journey on this website ... we are told. Gil Hood, Laurie White Hawk, and Kenny N. Reed arrived during the evening last night. They join us this morning in our Circle and they are planning to Walk with us today from Sallisaw to Ft. Smith. We listen to their words of encouragement and we share with them about the Walk and the "Message" of the 4 Gifts of the Sacred Hoop of 100 Eagle Feathers. It's a good time of sharing for all of us.

After the Morning Circle... we have our 'logistics' briefing with the relay drivers and the Walkers. We are joined during this time by Runners who have driven from the Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Our appreciation to their Coach for bringing them all this way to be with us ... and to RUN the 16 miles that they will cover this morning. We are scheduled to arrive at the Arkansas River at 11 AM for the Ceremony to transfer the Sacred Hoop from Oklahoma to Arkansas... and having Runners join this effort is appreciated.

Welcome to The Journey of the Sacred Hoop - Sequoyah HS Runners:

• Lisa Rhodd
• Michael Scott
• Michael Elizondo Jr.
• Tony Elizondo
• Ashley Brewer
• Melinda Muskrat (Coach)
• Lance England

The Co-ordinator for Arkansas - Ken Winans - is at the River to greet us. He has worked with Richard Simoneli of White Bison Inc. to notify the news media... television and newspaper... for coverage of the Ceremony that will signify this milestone today. As the cameras record the Walkers and the Blessing of the Sacred Hoop ... the People walk across the bridge over the Arkansas River... stopping at mid-point to celebrate. Women's trills and the men's cries of victory over the adversities we have encountered on this Walk sound out loud and clear and can be heard on both sides of the long bridge that divides these two States.

There is more going on here than the collective Walk that we are doing as the Core Team of Walkers on the Journey of the Sacred Hoop. Each and every one of the members of the Core Team have their own individual Walks ... we call the Journey of Life. So the celebration includes personal 'victories' over adversity and the healing process. This is also true for the people who come to visit us.. walk with us.. follow us on this website or thru phone calls and letters. Each and every one of us involved in this Journey are on a 'walk'. Each and every one of us come to this Walk for our own individual reasons.... but we are united in the cause of a 'call' for The Coming Together Time and Wellbriety among all People.

It's good to see the honor and sacredness with which the Arkansas People held Brandy Jo's silhouette and the Sacred Hoop. It feels good to hear the words of encouragement and to hear the stories of those who joined here with us today to celebrate this milestone on the Journey. We appreciate the local media for the coverage that they offered to our message of Hope and Healing. Getting that message out there... to as many people as possible... that's what we need. Each of us needs to share this message. The sharing ... people to people... that is the 'breath of life' to this Wellbriety Movement and the Journey of the Sacred Hoop.