Evers, Barnes, and Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Secretary-designee Timberlake visited the District 1 Community Center (D1CC) on
Thursday, March 25. The group toured the Ho-Chunk Nation point of
dispensing COVID-19 vaccine site near Black River Falls.
The Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Health (DOH) offered
COVID-19 vaccine community events each Wednesday and Thursday in March. Clinics on Wednesdays were at the House of
Wellness (HOW) in Baraboo and clinics on Thursdays were at D1CC.
The DOH administers the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and
dispensed 658 vaccines that day.
“I’ve had the opportunity to visit a lot of sites like this
across the state,” shared Gov. Evers.
“I’d say the joyfulness is a little higher. Everybody I’ve talked to whether it’s getting
a shot in the arm, doing technology work behind the scenes, or people actually
putting shots in arms. Everybody is
happy. They are smiling, you can tell
even with the mask on.
“I have to congratulate President (White Eagle), you and
your staff. Everything is so well
organized. It is a friendly
organization. People feel welcome
here. It’s done in a way that people are
getting shots and they are being treated well.
They are walking out of here with a smile on their face.”
HCN President Marlon White Eagle and HCN Department of
Health Executive Director Kiana Beaudin joined the visitors for a press
conference in the Youth Services Gym.
Wisconsin State Senator Jeff Smith was also in attendance. He represents District 31 which includes
areas between Eau Claire, Prescott, Trempealeau, and Black River Falls.
The Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Health opened the clinics
beyond Ho-Chunk Nation tribal members, descendants, employees, and their
household members to anyone 18+ with underlying medical conditions in the
counties of Columbia, Monroe, Jackson, Juneau, Sauk, and Wood on March 23.
“As soon as you are eligible, make sure you take advantage
of that opportunity and get vaccinated, for yourself, for your community, for
our entire state,” expressed Lt. Gov. Barnes during the press conference,
“Thanks again for doing the hard work to not just vaccinate members of the
Ho-Chunk but also the broader community because that’s what leadership is all
about. Making sure that the entire
community is taken care of and you’ve done that.”
Per the HCN COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, HCN DOH dispensed
a total of 5,379 COVID-19 vaccines as of March 29. From that number, 47% were tribal members and
53% were non-tribal.
“Ho-Chunk Nation has been great partners to our state and
the communities. Not only vaccinating
members of the tribal nation but others.
Today is a good example of that.
We know that when people get vaccinated, we are all safer, not just the
people that are getting that vaccination.
Thank you Ho-Chunk Nation, Executive Director Beaudin, and other
officials that have done such a great job,” said Gov. Tony Evers
The day following the visit, HCN DOH opened their COVID-19
vaccine community events to anyone 18+ with no county or underlying medical
condition restrictions. By approximately
4:30 PM, registration was closed for the Baraboo event because of the
overwhelming response.
On March 30, Gov. Tony Evers announced everyone 16 and older
will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine starting April 5.
The HCN DOH continues to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to
tribal members and employees during the month of April. The goal is to vaccinate between 70% – 80% of
tribal community members. Watch the HCN
DOH and Hocak Worak Facebook pages for community event updates.