Gift for Indian Cultural Center Made
Diocesan Press Service. July 23, 1973 [73171]
ALBUQUERQUE, N. Mex. -- The Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande has presented the All Indian Pueblo Council with a cash gift of $2,500 to help toward establishment of a proposed Indian cultural center in Albuquerque.
The Episcopal money represents the Council's first gift toward $50, 000 in local matching funds, required to make the Council eligible for a $1.6 million Economic Development Grant.
In making the contribution, The Rt. Rev. Richard M. Trelease, Diocesan Bishop, said, "the church feels that this good work should be backed to preserve Pueblo Indian religion and culture. The money will also aid Indian craftsmen economically, since crafts produced at the Pueblos will be sold at the center," he said.
The vestry and the Dean of St. John's Cathedral, Albuquerque, recommended that the Diocesan gift be made. The Episcopal gift comes from escrow funds which were withheld from the National Episcopal Church in protest to an Alianza Grant made three years ago.
The Indian Council represents 19 pueblos in New Mexico. The gift was presented to Valentino Cordova, Chairman, by the Very Rev. John B. Haverland, Dean of St. John's Cathedral.
The center, to be built on Bureau of Indian Affairs land, at 12th Street and Indian School Road, will house facilities for study, preservation and display of Pueblo Indian culture.
Since withholding funds from the National Church in protest to questionable national grants, the local Episcopal Diocese has used those withheld funds to make grants amounting to nearly $40, 000. The grants have been made to minority groups for worthwhile projects within the Diocese.