Community

November 23, 2016 by Dave Farrell

The Christmas trees have arrived.

Dads arrived Saturday morning at 8:00 am to unload the trailer, set-up the tree racks, and erect the tent for the upcoming annual Christmas tree sale. Dads returned early Sunday morning to unload three semi trailers carrying over 750 Christmas trees. This is a massive undertaking. Tree Masters Terry Jolineau and Joe Ott masterfully organized and managed the all volunteer crew. Dads completed the set-up in record time on Saturday and Sunday.

A special thank you goes to all of our volunteers this weekend. Without these dads help, this Christmas tree sale would not take place. All proceeds are donated to local charities and other non-profit organizations. Since 2008, the Park Ridge Wilderness Scouts and Princesses have donated over $125,000 to help the community.

May 19, 2015 by Chief Dreaming Eagle

Happy Memorial Day! From the Parade to Joining a PRISIP Tribe

This is an older post, but a good one for Moms and Dads who have seen the Indian Princesses and Indian Scouts in the Memorial Day Parade to check out! We welcome you and invite you to take a look!

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Greetings, and happy Memorial Day! It’s a wonderful day, not only because of the long-weekend or the excitement of the parade here in Park Ridge, but because it’s a day for looking back in remembrance, but also looking ahead and considering a course of action for the future.

If you saw the Park Ridge Indian Scouts and Indian Princesses in the Parade on Monday and are wondering about what your future with our organization looks like, I’d like to share a few observations with you.

Nation Chief Dave and his daughter enjoy the Memorial Day Parade in May 2013.

First of all, there have been so many thoughtful, helpful words shared through the years concerning the PRISIP organization – in particular the Indian Princesses, who are truly the heart and soul of the broader organization in my view – and you’ll want to read them all. Reflections from dads and daughters who have been in our organization a long time. Thoughts on the Native American symbolism. Expectations around the annual schedule commitments. Take a look by reading this article from May 2012.

Daughters of the outgoing and incoming Iroquois Nation's Nation Chiefs welcome you! — Daughters of the outgoing and incoming Iroquois Nation’s Nation Chiefs welcome you!

PRISIP is divided into 5 “Nations” (three girls’ nations and two boys’ nations). Far and away the very best Girls’ Nation is the mighty Iroquois (I’m somewhat biased as the outgoing “Nation Chief” for the Iroquois) and if you and your daughter are looking to join a tribe, this is the Nation to find your right fit. We’ve got guys from all walks of life and girls from all local schools. If you’re looking for a girls tribe to join, consider our Crow, Comanche, Nez Perce, Navajo, Seminole and Sauk tribes – you’ll be glad you did!

The Iroquois are also the most socially active of all the Nations – going far beyond the annual “required events” to enjoy a year full of campouts and activities. In 2012, our Iroquois founded the annual Together Forever 5K which just completed it’s second strong year earlier this May. This past winter, Navajo girls worked to enhance the annual PRISIP tree sale by creating holiday ornaments.

Navajo girls used monthly craft night to create ornaments to share at the annual PRISIP Tree Sale.

You and your girl (or your husband and daughter – Hi Moms!) will find a wealth of meaningful activities and a lifetime of memories in our Iroquois Nation. To get stared, just download the registration forms and have them ready for the fall to bring to our annual Registration Night. (Keep an eye on this site for more details.) Or send us a note using the contact form found on this very site!

We hope you had a good time at the Memorial Day parade and that you enjoyed seeing our PRISIP dads and daughters, and the fathers and sons, in action. That’s what it’s all about – making memories and having fun!

May 27, 2012 by Chief Dreaming Eagle

A Significant Part of Their Lives

Jay Pinkerton is both the past and future Tribal Chief of the Iroquois’ Comanche Tribe. Now in his eighth year with our Nation, the Iroquois have gotten significant mileage over the years out of this photo (above) of Jay and his daughter Abby, which remains an elegant expression of what Indian Princesses and the Iroquois are all about – a father and daughter, happy together. It’s that simple. In the coming year, the Iroquois are actively working to help grow the Comanche, and new recruits and interested families are invited to join Jay and his daughters in their tribe for the adventure of a lifetime. Here Jay shares some of his experiences with his daughters in the Comanche:

My youngest daughter, Abby, was asked by a friend of hers recently “What does your Dad look like?” Abby decided to bring a picture to school with her from the Daddy/Daughter dance sponsored by the Iroquois Nation of the Park Ridge Indian Princesses. I realized at that point that the Indian Princess group really does help define who you are and what type of relationship you have with your daughter.

Abby went on to talk with her friend about how fun the camp outs are – the plate hunts, games, haunted houses, sledding hills, ziplines, rock climbing walls and on and on. The girls also look forward to the other Indian Princess events throughout the year, including working on crafts together during our monthly meetings, Halloween window painting and the tree sales (actually, the hide and seek and chase around the tree lanes at the tree sale). When I think back on my time with this group, I see traditions built around friendship and activity. We have taken advantage of our December meeting over the past 4 years to go caroling around our neighborhood. It’s amazing to see how a wild and crazy group of girls can get so organized and perform so well on a moment’s notice as soon as a door is opened!

I first joined Indian Princesses with my oldest daughter, Taylor, almost 8 years ago. My wife is involved with our daughters through such things as Girl Scouts, serving as a room parent at school and being primarily responsible for taking them to and from school, sports practices and so on.

I wanted to be a significant part of their lives as well. I feel like Indian Princesses has given me an opportunity to do so. Who does Abby ask for when she gets hurt or isn’t feeling well? Her Dad. — Jay

May 27, 2012 by Chief Dreaming Eagle

The Greatest Gift

Ed Latko should be the “poster boy” for “too busy for Indian Princesses” – between his work schedule and his five children and their schedules, “taking on one more thing” sounds like the sort of thing Ed shouldn’t have done. But each month, Ed not only finds time to share in the Iroquois’ Sauk tribe with his daughter (where he has been tribal chief and continues to be actively involved in the Nation), but also attends a whole other set of of meetings with his sons! Why? Well, because – as he explains here in the following post– it’s more than time well spent, it’s a gift and a joy:

Attending the Park Ridge Daddy/Daughter dance with my then-preschool daughter has proved to be one the luckiest thing that has happened to us. There, we met a group of dads and daughters who were attending the dance together as an outing of their tribe from Indian Princesses. They invited us to join their tribe. Being new to Park Ridge and not knowing anything about Indian Princesses, I was hesitant. Nonetheless, with the insistence of my wife, we joined – and are overjoyed that we did.

This organization has given my daughter and I a vehicle to spend quality time together. As a father, it has allowed me to watch my daughter interact with other girls from other schools and areas that she never would have met otherwise. It has allowed me to watch her grow and gain confidence in her public speaking abilities by reciting the Seven Aims, being in charge of a meeting, or telling the group of the good deeds she has done since our last meeting. It has allowed me to see her understand and embrace helping others through the many charitable ventures the organization and our tribe undertake.

It has also allowed me to meet and spend time with other fathers. I’m pleased to say that these friendships made will outlast our time in Indian Princesses.

All told, the greatest gift a father can give his daughter is his time. To put all aside and spend time together attending monthly meetings, monthly activities, and campouts has been an experience of a lifetime that my daughter and I have been blessed to share together. — Ed Latko

May 24, 2012 by Chief Dreaming Eagle

Making a Difference in the Community – and In Our Lives

Matt Wagner is the outgoing Chief our current Iroquois Honor Tribe, the Sauk. His ongoing journey within the Iroquois is common to many of our members – from initial reluctance to whole-hearted participation with his tribe and his Daughter. During 2011-2012, Matt has been instrumental in helping evolve aspects of the Iroquois, and crucial to ongoing recruiting effort. His leadership of the Sauk, including the Sauk’s annual food drive at the holidays (seen above), has been sincerely appreciated.

When first asked to join Indian Princesses, I found myself thinking: “This is for people that need help getting off the couch and doing something with their kids – I already do plenty with my children.” I actually said “no” to my first invitation to join the Iroquois. Upon being invited a second time, I figured “what would it hurt to see what it is all about.” The first meeting was a little slow, since I didn’t know anybody at that time, but my daughter loved it. We decided to continue coming, and found that the activities and events were a great opportunity to meet new people, and do things that you wouldn’t usually be able to do on your own. To be a part of this group and take advantage of these opportunities has been a wonderful experience for my daughter and me.

Experiencing the campouts, and the helping of others, and the friendships, have made our entire family feel like a part of the community. Watching the girls grow and help each other out has been my biggest joy. Starting when my daughter joined and seeing the older girls help her adjust on her first campout, to now seeing her help others, has been inspiring. Watching the girl’s confidence develop as they speak in front of others, work together, and plan things out, gives you hope for their continued growth. They are learning life lessons with your guidance. It all makes for great memories and a promising future.

In Indian Princesses, there is the perfect amount of Dad-and-Daughter-Time mixed with the daughters and dads developing their own relationships with their peers. This dynamic makes for growth and fun for all, and develops new relationships that likely would not have happened without this experience. That, mixed with the minimal pressure of attendance (we all are busy), makes for an ideal situation. You don’t have to attend everything, but like anything in life, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Annika and I are glad we made the effort and joined! — Matt Wagner

May 23, 2012 by Chief Dreaming Eagle

Why Indian Princesses?

Not only a strong leader for our Crow Tribe, Perrin Stephens has served as our Nation’s Wampum Bearer for the past four years, managing the countless dues, fees and campout checks, as well as coordinating all of the campouts. Perrin and his daughters complete their time with the Iroquois this year, following our annual Spring Campout in June. Here, Perrin reflects on the takeaways from their time with the Iroquois:

What a great opportunity I had as a Father to spend invaluable one-on-one time with both of my Daughters. As the saying goes, “Don’t blink, or you’ll miss your kids growing up.” For 6 years, I have been a Member of the Mighty Iroquois Nation and proud Brave of the Crow Tribe, having served as a Tribal Chief and Nation Wampum Bearer (Treasurer) for 4 of those 6 years. I remember my wife telling me how she remembers her time spent with her Dad when they were a part of the PR Indian Scouts (PRIS), and that sealed the deal for me.

Our takeaways are simple: we have enjoyed the chance to be together in environments that we may not have had the chance to do otherwise, from campouts, to parade marches, to museums and various other places that have helped to cement memories that we all believe will stay with us.

For my Daughters, they made new friends, many of which they didn’t know through school or the neighborhood. For me, I met some great Dads, many of whom are still in my network of friends and colleagues. The relationships built over 6 years are not easily forgotten – nor should they be – and I feel that all of us will cherish these relationships as we move through life.

Lastly I think the values that PRISIP instills through the 7 Aims are very thoughtful and easily remembered so that they can be practiced daily. I think for us the key value has been “To bring honor to and to increase the love within my family”.

Together Forever as Father and Daughter. —Perrin, Claire & Sarah Stephens