OKMULGEE, Okla.- The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Center for Victim Services (CVS) hosted a Valentine’s Day-themed party for MCN tribal employees. It consisted of activities including Valentine’s Day card making, cookie decorating and self care. It was held at the MCN Housing Building on Feb. 13.
MCN Center for Victim Services Outreach Coordinator MaCaylin Autaubo (Wichita) spoke about the event. According to Autaubo, 51 people participated in the activities. The event aimed to recognize MCN employees for their hard work, encourage mental health wellness and promote self care.
The annual event started off as a small gathering, but has since grown. MCN CVS Director Shawn Partridge has seen the event grow into what it is today. This year’s theme was a play on the classic Beatles’ track, “All you need is love and respect”.
According to Autaubo, event planners wanted to provide stress-free activities because their department knows first hand how stressful a full-time job can be. They wanted to stress the importance of individuals taking intentional time out of the day for self care.
“We got really great feedback from employees just taking time to really acknowledge them and the work stress that they go through on a day to day basis. CVS is really a big advocate for self care and wellness, and making sure to take the time to take care of yourself and to also make sure that you’re coming to work with the best of your ability. By making sure you’re not running into burnout and things like that, this party is just kind of a way for them to kind of take a step back, relax and have some fun with each other,” Autaubo said.
This year the event’s Valentine’s Day cards proved to be popular, with participants decorating each one with different colors and stickers. One participant remarked that she enjoyed taking time to sit down and work on her craft project because it was an activity she had not done since she was a child.
Each participant was given promotional items with helpful MCN CVS information and a take-home healthy relationship quiz, which rates respectful relationships. The quiz questions red flags that may appear in relationships, and what behaviors need to be changed. Advocates were also available to answer questions.
For further information about the MCN CVS program, contact them at their office at 918-732-7979, or contact Autaubo directly at maautaubo@muscogeenation.com.
