(bright upbeat music) - Sumi Nungwa provides food, clothing, medical supplies, and firewood to Navajo and Hopi elders seeking to maintain traditional lifestyles on reservations.

Cheryl Marzec and Darren Tucker are here to tell us about an upcoming fundraising gala.

Hi, both.

Welcome.

It's so great to have you here.

- Thanks, Mary.

- So, I mean, Cheryl, why don't you tell us a little more about Sumi Nungwa.

You started this years ago.

- Yep, my husband and I, we saw a need.

We saw a gap on the reservations and it's been 30 plus years, probably close to 35 years ago now since we started bringing things down.

And the organization has slowly grown, very managed, and it is a very important piece for these elders and their families and their lives.

You know, when you're coming into fall and harvest has taken place, but now they've gotta get through that.

And then again, in the spring, we also do a food run, which is very key because we're coming at a time when things are just beginning to bloom.

And so, food is actually rather scarce in the springtime.

- That's great, and I know everything you do at this gala goes directly to that.

- That's right.

- So Darren, tell us about that gala, it's exciting.

- The gala this year is November 13th from 6:00 to 9:00 at Millcreek Common.

We have all kinds of art for sale, for holiday gifts or for any purpose.

A wide variety of things.

Plus, this year we have a dancer coming back that we're so happy to see.

His name is Naakaii Tsosie.

He does a beautiful hoop dance.

Beautiful.

It's called "Dancy Dance."

It's just, it's just stunning.

Plus there's drawings, food, all kinds of great things.

It's really a lot of fun.

I've been going for a long time now.

(laughs) - Yeah, and the best thing is it helps the elders.

And you brought two beautiful pieces.

- I did.

I brought a piece of the pottery.

This is traditional Hopi pottery.

We will have some other pieces.

And also the katsina.

She's a Palhik Mana or a Butterfly Maiden.

- Right.

- [Mary] All right.

All right.

- I brought to share.

- Well, thank you so much for being here, both of you, and for the good work you do.

Thanks.

- Thank you.

- Thanks, Mary.

- And if you'd like to know more about that upcoming Sumi Nungwa fundraising gala, November 13th from 6:00 to 9:00 at Millcreek Commons, go to suminungwa.org.

suminungwa.org.

I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact."

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