TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner along with other tribal leaders and members of the Tahlequah community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the state-of-the-art, 75,000 square foot Tahlequah Wellness Center.
The $30 million two-story wellness center has a fitness center with weight and cardio space, six group exercise rooms, locker rooms with saunas and showers, two batting cages, two basketball courts, a golf simulator, an indoor walking track, a child watch area, office space and more.
“This facility is about more than fitness, it is an investment in healthier families and stronger communities for generations to come,” Chief Hoskin said. “It’s important that every Cherokee citizen has accessibility to live healthier lives and by creating these spaces, this gives them chances to support both physical and mental wellbeing. Through these facilities, Cherokee Nation is committing to a healthier tribe.”
The Tahlequah Wellness Center was funded through the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act of 2021, which dedicates 10% of the tribe’s annual third-party health insurance collected to physical and wellness programs. Additional funding from the American Rescue Plan Act was also used for the wellness center.
This wellness center replaces the tribe’s Male Seminary Recreation Center also known as “Markoma,” which has more than 12,500 total members, with an average of more than 9,300 monthly gym visits, an average of more than 840 monthly childcare visits and an average of more than 1,700 attendances to group class. With the new wellness center open, the numbers are expected to grow.
The Tahlequah Wellness Center is free for Cherokee Nation citizens and memberships are open to the community for $20 a month, which totals to $240 per year. The average private annual gym membership total adds to more than $1,100 per year.
“What a blessing it is to witness the opening of this magnificent building. This facility is a place where Cherokees can come together to improve their health and wellness, while also encouraging one another to build lifelong habits,” Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “This investment is not only for the Cherokees of today, but it’s for generations of Cherokees to come.”
Since enacting the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act, the tribe has actively been funding buildings and programs for health and wellness across the reservation, which includes the Mary L. (Holland) Carson Wellness Center in Stilwell. The wellness center in Stilwell has been open for one year and has more than 6,700 members.
The tribe also operates wellness spaces in Kenwood and Marble City along with the wellness center in Salina that has more than 2,600 members. The Claremore health campus also has plans for a wellness center, which will begin construction soon.
“This is so much more than a building. It’s new opportunities and it’s about investing in the health and wellbeing of our people and our community,” District 2 Councilor Dr. Candessa Tehee said. “When we create spaces like this that encourage healthier lifestyles, we’re creating opportunities for stronger families, for stronger communities and for a stronger Cherokee Nation.”
Last month, Chief Hoskin signed an executive order establishing a task force to develop a strategic roadmap for expanding wellness infrastructure across the reservation in the next decade. The task force will present their findings later this month.
“This moment represents not just a new building, but a powerful investment in the health, wellbeing and future of Cherokee families across our reservation,” Cherokee Nation Public Health Executive Director Lisa Pivec said. “Here, people will move, recover and build strength, mentally, physically, and spiritually. They will gather with family, build community and support one another.”
Hours of operation for the Tahlequah Wellness Center are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
cara-memahami-fitur-free-spin-dan-multiplierCherokee Nation will retain the property of the Male Seminary Recreation Center and will consider its future use.
For more information and events on the wellness center, visit https://www.cherokeepublichealth.org/tiles/index/display?alias=wellness or the Cherokee Nation Public Health Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CNPublicHealth/.