Halito!

My name is Arlene Strohmaier. I have been involved with the Okla Chahta Clan since 2006. I currently hold the board position as the Assistant COO. I started this fundraiser to ask for your help.

On April 26-27, 2025, the Okla Chahta Clan of CA, Inc. celebrated our 27th year with our annual California Choctaw Gathering. We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

On May 22, 2025, our storage unit, along with other storage units in Bakersfield, CA were broken into and vandalized. Many items were stolen and other items damaged beyond repair.

Some of the items taken from us were 2 generators, big screen tv, numerous bows and arrows for archery along with the animal decoys, M16 replica pellet guns for color guard, audio equipment and speakers, and numerous totes that had supplies that we used to put on our event. Items that were inventory for our Choctaw store such as jewelry, beadwork, and t-shirts were also taken or damaged. Both backdrops for our photo booths were taken.

Some of the items that were destroyed were custom play costumes that our youth use to perform Choctaw stories, stickball sticks, and so much more. There is still an ongoing investigation, but our items have not been recovered.

The Okla Chahta Clan of CA, Inc was established on April 15, 1998, as a way to bring the Choctaw families together here in California.

Our vision is to provide a common ground for the study of heritage, history, language and ancestry of the Choctaw people and serve as a resource to build a strong Choctaw cultural foundation, supported by promoting health and education in California.

We would greatly appreciate any help you can give us. All donations will go directly to Okla Chahta Clan of California, Inc, and are tax deductible. Please consider sharing our story with friends and family so we can continue to provide our Choctaw gathering in the years to come.

Yakoke