Facilitator Spotlight: Gary Charwood Sr.

Born on the Red Lake Indian Reservation and raised on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, Gary Charwood Sr. loves to talk about the good people of his community and the surrounding communities. He grew up in an alcoholic family with his father, community members and Elders observing the model of what he thought was normal. After his own struggles in the judicial system of losing his driver’s license, he decided to break the cycle and get clean and sober. He has now been clean and sober for 28 years.

His mother wanted Gary to take on her father’s Native name to carry on to future generations and arranged for the sacred, ancient naming ceremony that brings a special spirit to the community.  His Native name is Niizhoo Anung which means “Two Star”, which was his grandfather’s name from Obaashing, located on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.

With courage and determination, Gary worked to get his four children back and became a single father. He shares his testimony to anyone who wants to break that cycle and says, “It is up to us to work towards a clean life. It boils down to depending upon ourselves”, and he credits his culture and identity that helped him accomplish his goal.

He found Native American Fatherhood and Families Association (NAFFA) in 2016 and became a certified facilitator in the Fatherhood is Sacred® program. Gary incorporates that program in all of his work for the community.  He became a cultural coordinator in the tribal courts for the Ojibwe community and then became a Holistic Health and Spiritual Care Coordinator for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe tribe incorporating the five principles of Fatherhood is Sacred®: Creator, Choice, Being Teachable, Wisdom and Service, to his behavioral health services.

He is so enthusiastic when he talks about all of the participants in his class and calls them “relatives” as he feels they are family to him not just clients. Gary travels to treatment facilities in the surrounding counties, sometimes driving anywhere from 40 to 80 miles one way to help parents bolster themselves and strengthen their families through Fatherhood is Sacred®. He tells them that he is there because “he chooses to be there and enjoys helping others”.

He has helped numerous parents and encourages them to find a sponsor to help stay on track, and warns that if they don’t find a sponsor, they will more than likely end up back where they started. Graduation from his class ends with a certificate and special coin they can carry to help them remember what they learned and he encourages them to take their workbooks home and read portions to their families each evening to strengthen them as well.

NAFFA is proud of the work Gary does to help strengthen families in his community. He is a warrior for his people and continues to do great work.