Kalispel Tribe awarded for program for paralyzed veterans

USK – The Kalispel Tribe of Indians has been recognized with the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Speedy Award – Non-Member Category. This award celebrates individuals and organizations outside of PVA membership who have made significant contributions to improving the lives of America’s paralyzed veterans. This is the highest honor bestowed by the PVA.

The Kalispel Tribe’s Agriculture Department has a team known as the Buffalo Boys. In 2024, Derrick Bluff, Director of Agriculture for the Kalispel Tribe and leader of the Buffalo Boys, reached out to the PVA in hopes of building a partnership and as a means of giving back to veterans in the region. Bluff began working with Brent King, Northwest Paralyzed Veterans of America (NWPVA) Executive Director. The two men put together a program for harvesting buffalo as a means of herd management. Six or seven paralyzed vets can harvest a buffalo each year, receiving specialized attention from the Buffalo Boys to assist with their individual needs.