Certificate of APPRECIATION 

                                The Comanche Nation of Oklahoma and

                                            Chairman Johnny Wauqu

                                   John Madden on behalf of 4Directions    

     

Mission Statement: To help improve the life and well being of people and families by collecting, and distributing new and lightly used clothes, toys, books, house hold items and equipment on an annual basis.

In 2012 we have developed a great relationship with Maxine Thompson, the Title XI Part C - Director of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Left to right:

Carolene Poole, Maxine Thompson, Judy Madden

(Carolene and Judy are part of 4Directions)

We first went to Ponca City December 11, 2011 and serviced over thirty tribes and hundreds of people. Since then she has created a "Clothes Closet" for anyone from any tribe, to come and get clothes. We have been able to deliver clothes to the clothes closet three times this year: February 4 th, April 2 nd, and May 7th.

We are currently preparing to take our fourth load to them in the next couple of weeks,

It's the most fulfilling, rewarding, and enjoyable experience. We've met so many wonderful people and their thanks and smiles have filled our hearts with so much joy.

There's nothing like a family being able to get clothes for every member, for now, six months, and a year. Seeing a little girls fall in love with a small, fake Christmas tree and taking it home.

How can you not see and feel her happiness?

Children getting to pick some of the toys we're able to bring. Helping an elder finding shoes his size. Parents being able to find clothes for their babies and other children. Elder women finding clothes they can use and things for their grandchildren.

We're fortunate to have some items that are very unique, so we give everyone a raffle ticket when the come in. As the day progresses we draw tickets for specific items that they get. It's so much fun as people get to pick up those items.

For several years we've been able to have a drawing, for veterans, for a quilt honoring the military. That's one of our favorite things. So many veterans never received "thanks" and "honor" for their service. That's what our quilt give-a-way represents.

Kenneth Kemble, Vietnam Vet 68-69 with the 1st Cavalry

Received the Purple Heart

In the six years, since we started our goal of helping as over forty tribes, including but not limited to: (Lakota, Navajo, Comanche, Apache, Pawnee, Creek, Seminole, Northern Ponca, Ponca, Kiowa, Musquekee, Kickapoo, Kaw, Omaha, Otoe-Missouri, Cherokee, Sac, Chickasaw, Sac n Fox. and Tonkawa) and over 4,000 people.

Where have we gone?

2007: Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota;
2008: Comanche tribe at Cache, Oklahoma
2009: Mescalero tribe at Mescalero, New Mexico
2010: Navajo tribe at Encino, New Mexico
2011: Comanche tribe at Lawton, Oklahoma
        : Ponca tribe at Ponca City, Oklahoma
        : 1 more trip planned in the next
2012: 3 trips to the "Clothes Closet" at the Ponca Tribe in Ponca City, Oklahoma
        : A tribe to be determined around the first or second weekend of December for Christmas
2013: Tribe or tribes to be determined


We're in the process of applying for and becoming a 501(3)(c) charitable charity, so we can expand our out reach and expand our goal of helping the needs of Native American families and communities.

We have been able to find and bring books for children, youth and everyone else. 

One of the many specials items, we've gotten at different times is COATS for children, women and men.

We hope to walk, help, meet, visit, and cross paths with many other tribes and tribal members.

2011 Clothes Drive - December 10, 2011

December 7th we load up to go to Ponca City, OK to meet four tribes, the Kaw, Otoe, Ponca and Tonkawa all of Oklahoma. We'll load up and travel on the 7th and set up, with help from the Ponca Tribe on Thursday, December 8th and Friday, December 9th.

At 8 AM, Saturday, December 10th, we'll open the doors of the Ponca Cultural Center and welcome everyone. We're asking them to get what they need now; for Christmas; six months and a year down the road.

The Ponca tribe has offered help in unloading, setting up tables and items for give away, gas and distributing everything. We greatly appreciate their help, use of their facility. Help from the tribes we visit help us make this work. Without their help we couldn't pull it off as we do not receive any financial help from other sources other than our selves.

WE DON'T BRING BACK ANYTHING and EVERYTHING IS FREE!

We have clothes (men, women, children and teen from XS to 4X on some items), sports equipment, household items, golf balls, toys, shoes and many more things for everyone to look through.

Presently we have two storage buildings, one if completely full and the other will be in a week or less.

Should we have, and we always do have, things left over we ask that they go to orphan homes, battered women shelters, senior citizens, and any organization the tribes have that are helping the needy.

We always have a raffle for a hand made, one of a kind - Veterans Quilt - as well as raffles for very unique and extreme high quality items, such as coats, dresses and sometimes IT items.

Our long range goals are to:

* Add arts and crafts to our items

* Develop a scholarship fund for college

* Develop tools to enhance and encourage reading and learning programs

* Along that line we are working on developing a "Coloring Book" of

and for Native American children of dancers, drums, teepees, and

animals, to be given away so they their culture continues to live

* To go to different reservations "TWICE" a year, instead of one.

* We welcome suggestions and as much information as possible as to where,

who to contact, where they're located, estimate of size (population) of tribe

* At this time that information can be mailed to the below address

We are constantly looking for help of any kind, especially financial, prior to getting a 501-c-3

in place. Should you know of anyone or any source, please do not hesitate to contact us.

J Madden

Ref: 4Directions

PO Box 52768

Amarillo, TX 79159

Thank you for taking your time to check out our blog. Bookmark it and come back anytime.

Happy Veterans Day to all veterans, their families, friends and loved ones!

If you're in the area December 10th, come by, introduce yourself and see for yourself.

We'd like to meet you.

4Directions

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Click to enlarge:

Comanche Nation

May 6th was a great day for 4Directions. We were in Lawton, OK at the Comanche Tribal Complex for our annual 5th clothes to rez drive. The doors opened around 9 AM and went till 2 PM. We have no idea how many people showed up. Seniors, families, lots of little ones, single parents and people from several tribes including Comanche, Apache and Kiowa.

We had near twenty tables set up with clothes from toddler, youth, young girls and boys, junior and senior high boys and girls, men and women from sizes s to 2XL, coats, suits, toys, household goods, soap, shampoo, lotion, desk, jewelry, books, hula hoops, shoes and a headboard for a bed.











We want to thank Will Owens, Comanche Tribal Administrator, for all his help and encouragement. He was helped us in so many ways we can never thank him enough.

Tribal Chairman came by and thanked us. It's truly our mission, pleasure and goal to help as many people from as many Tribes as possible. It's also a gift to get to meet so many wonderful people.

So many people benefit from the items we're able to get donated from churches, garage sales, individuals and,purchased at a discount. Presently we do not recieve any financial support from anyone or any organization.







4Directions consist of Kenneth (KP) and Carolene Poole, my lovely wife Judy and myself. We are in the process of applying for a
501 c 3 so we can expand our annual drive.

The for of us all have Cherokee heritage, attend and dance at Pow Wows and when possible present programs on our heritage.

It's a honor for us to do this and we want to expand it to include college scholarships some day.

Our ancestors helped each other and provided what they had for the good of everyone. That has been a major force in our desire to help our brother and sister Native Americans.

We came in contact with a orphan home and made sure all the girls received dolls (with five sets of custom made clothes by Carolene Poole). All the boys got toy trucks. Moments like that fill our hearts with so much happiness.

Everything we had left over, we gave to the Women's shelter.

We look forward to our next give-away, the wonderful people we'll meet, especially the children and the smiles on their faces.

Our mission ...

Welcome to Four Directions

On an annual basis, before Christmas, our group take clothes we've collected from donations, bought (with the help of generous companies) at great discounts; including toys; electronics; household goods; and or anything that we can get that might be of benefit to Native Americans living on reservations.

To give you an idea this is where we've gone so far and where we're working towards for this year.

First year: Pine Ridge Reservation, Lakota, South Dakota.
Second year: Cache, Oklahoma, Comanche tribe
Third year: Mescalero, New Mexico-Mescalero Apache Reservation
Fourth year: Ojo Encino, New Mexico-Navajo tribe
Next: Cherokee tribe in Oklahoma

So who is we?

We are: Kenneth and Carolene Poole, my wife Judy and myself (John Madden) all of us are of Cherokee heritage.
Our goal is to find those on the reservations who have the greatest need.

We fund everything ourselves, and if we get any financial help, 100% goes to purchasing clothes, toys soap, lotion and books. We are going to file for a 501c so we can broaden our outreach.

John Madden