TULSA, Okla. – A community collaboration between Indian Health Service (IHS) and Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa (IHCRC) will bring the 2025 Wisdom Warriors: Just Move It! event to Centennial Center in Veterans Park at 1028 East Sixth Street in Tulsa from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 25, 2025. The event is free and open to all citizens of federally recognized Native American tribes, ages 55 and older.
This will be the third event in the “Just Move It!” series and the first hosted in Tulsa, after the September 2023 and June 2024 summits were in Oklahoma City. Like IHS’ previous years, “Just Move It!” will provide a day filled with activities focused on elder fitness, nutrition, and brain health. The Tulsa area Native American community will experience educational, artistic, and enriching workshops and sessions designed specifically for elders.
“IHCRC is home to a team of caring and compassionate people who are dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our elders, and we are honored to host this year’s event,” said Pamela Wiernasz, IHCRC Gerontology Educator. “We want our elders, who are the backbone of our community, to have all the information they need to make overall good, informed decisions. This event will bring together many local and state agencies that will help our community with healthy aging.”
Featured speakers include:
- James Hutchins, MD, Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center of Bartlesville Chief of Psychiatry, geriatric psychiatrist and healthy living leader.
- Morgan Hamilton, MPH: Oklahoma State Department of Health Healthy Brain, Heart, Diabetes, and Tobacco Program Manager.
- Ron Eppes, International Association for Indigenous Aging, Director of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease Projects.
- Cassie Rebeor, CFLE-P, Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) later in life outreach/client advocate.
- Pamela Wiernasz, IHCRC Gerontology RN Educator.
Featured activities include:
- Exercise activities especially for Native American elders, including cardio drumming, round dancing, making medicine bags, Tai Chi, Good Medicine “chair exercise” bingo, chair yoga, and gardening/flower planting.
- IHCRC’s elders performing the Lord’s Prayer in Plains Indian Sign Language.
- Raffles with prizes throughout the day.
IHCRC’s growing Gerontology program had its foundation set in September 2021, when a United Health Foundation (the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group) awarded the organization a $1.8 million grant for its Protecting our Elders program. IHCRC’s participation in “Just Move It!” will further the organization’s Mission: “To empower the American Indian through exceptional healthcare!”
