STILLWELL, Okla. — Cherokee Nation officials broke ground on the Mary L. (Holland) Carson Wellness Center in Stilwell Tuesday.
The $18 million state-of-the-art facility will sit on five acres of donated land and will feature outdoor and indoor activities in Adair County.
Council of the Cherokee Nation for District 8 Shawn Crittenden said;
“I am so excited to see the construction begin on this wellness center. I’m proud to be a part of this project and see it finally taking off. This will improve so many lives in Adair County.”
The roughly 50,000-square-foot two-story building will feature many amenities, including child watch services, a teaching kitchen, and a fitness center with basketball courts and studios.
- Previous coverage >>> Cherokee Nation opens Harm Reduction Clinic in Tahlequah
In 2021, Cherokee Nation Chief Hoskins signed the Public Health and Wellness Act, which allocates funds to Cherokee Nation's Health Services. The funds contribute to the building of substance abuse treatment and wellness centers.
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said;
“This new wellness center will be such a blessing to not only Adair County Cherokees, but will also assist our Public Health team in their efforts of helping Cherokees be proactive in their health and wellness. Our Public Health and Health Services teams both report high numbers of diabetic patients, patients with hypertension, those in need of physical therapy and patients at risk for chronic health conditions in Adair County. This wellness center is one great way we can help these patients overcome health and wellness barriers and I can’t wait to see how people’s lives will improve.”
The new wellness center is the first major construction project under the 2021 Act.
This project is estimated to take around 18 months to complete and will create around 150 construction jobs in Adair County.
The Cherokee Nation is also opening a new 15,000-square-foot Salina Health Center which will include physical therapy services as well as an outdoor walking trail and other fitness activities.
There are currently more than 50 infrastructure projects costing around $750 million being built on the Cherokee Nation reservation.
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