Today, FBI Director Robert Mueller III awarded the 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award to Gordon Thayer, Executive Director and founder of both Overcomers Ministry and the American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC) for his strong participatory involvement and dedication to addressing issues of homelessness that result from chronic alcoholism and for his compassionate assistance to those living with chronic alcoholism in the American Indian community in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Director Mueller presented the 2006 Director's Community Leadership Award to Gordon’s wife Shelia Thayer and Robert Albee, Assistant Director of the AICDC, in a ceremony attended by employees of the Minneapolis FBI office in downtown Minneapolis. Mr. Thayer was unable to attend the ceremony due to a prior charitable commitment. The Director’s Community Leadership Award is reserved for those individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution within the community towards crime prevention and community awareness.
Overcomers Ministry was founded in 1988 as an outreach ministry for Native Americans struggling with alcohol abuse. In addition to offering a Christ based approach to combat alcohol addiction; Overcomers Ministry launched the "First Nations Recovery Program," an outpatient Alcohol Treatment Program now licensed by the State of Minnesota and currently in partnership with the American Indian Community Development Corporation. The Center is a culturally unique program focused on Native people in this region and the curriculum will offer both a Faith-Based track and a generic treatment model.
In August 2000 Overcomers opened "On Eagles Wings" a nine-unit apartment building in South Minneapolis for individuals in recovery or who have stabilized their lives. The Ministry also provides weekly support group meetings for people struggling with alcohol related issues. The meetings vary and offer support, prayer, music, speakers, and personal testimonies. During the month of June, a five day Overcomers Ministry Family Camp is offered in Northern Minnesota near the Red Lake Indian Reservation for adults and children. The camp provides services, learning opportunities and recreational activities for families. The aforementioned programs developed and maintained by Overcomers Ministries have impacted numerous lives of Native people living in the Twin Cities Metro Area and the region.
The Mission of the American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC) founded in 1992 due to the innovative ideas, foresight and dedicated work of Gordon Thayer, is to: "provide culturally unique initiatives, housing and entrepreneurial opportunities that will strengthen American Indian communities." As part of that mission AICDC:
• Operates Kola, a street-based case management program that includes a full time medical doctor and service center.
• Contracts with Hennepin County in the daily operation of a 50-bed medical Detox facility at 1800 Chicago Avenue South.
• Provides housing advocacy services for people in need.
• Developed "Many Rivers" East and West apartment buildings located on Franklin Avenue that includes 12,000 square feet of commercial space.
• Continues to develop housing initiatives with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe for their constituents who reside in the Twin Cities.
• AICDC has seen significant financial and staff growth over the past few years. Annual revenues have grown from $1.3 million in fiscal year 1999 to $4.5 in 2006 and currently have a staff of 95.
• Operates Anishinabe Wakiagun, a 40-unit housing facility for chronic inebriants. Gordon Thayer envisioned this plan to house those that are chronic alcoholics in the Native Community. The concept is a "supportive housing model" that does allow chronics to drink in their rooms. This was a new idea and unheard of at the time. A condition for staying at all homeless shelters in Minneapolis was that the homeless had to stay sober to be there. This, for some chronic alcoholics was an impossibility and the risk of dying of extreme elements on the streets, for some, inevitable. To Gordon Thayer, this was unacceptable and something could be done to help late stage chronic inebriates from dying in the streets.
Gordon Thayer envisioned Anishinabe Wakiagun "The People's Home." Anishinabe Wakiagun is a culturally specific permanent supportive housing program for late stage chronic inebriates. It is a wet/dry facility that does not require residents to be sober in order to retain their housing. The program goal is to minimize the negative consequences of the residents' drinking patterns, while providing a stable, culturally appropriate living environment which encourages a reduction in alcohol consumption.
The mission of Anishinabe Wakiagun is to provide a culturally-based permanent supportive housing environment in which sobriety is encouraged for chronically intoxicated, homeless men and women. Anishinabe Wakiagun has been a proven success for residents of the home and also for the community in which it resides. Since inception 10 years ago Wakiagun has dramatically reduced costly Detox utilization and expensive ambulance and emergency room services. Numerous former residents have moved on and stabilized their lives. The American Indian Community Development Corporation continues to develop further housing plans to assist the Native community in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area and beyond.
From 1962 to 1970 Gordon Thayer honorably served in the United States Air Force and was trained in the elite Para rescue unit. During his two tours in Vietnam, Thayer was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf cluster, Air medal and other awards and commendations. Mr. Thayer is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Ojibwe Tribe of Wisconsin where he served eleven years on the Tribal Governing Board and four years as the Chairman of the tribe. In 1985, Mr. Thayer received a Bush Foundation Fellowship where he obtained his Masters degree in Education Administration from Cambridge College.
FBI Director's Community Leadership Award Recipients
2006
Gordon Thayer
The Minneapolis Division nominates Gordon Thayer, Executive Director and founder of both Overcomers Ministry and the American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC), for his strong participatory involvement and dedication to addressing issues of homelessness that result from chronic alcoholism and for his compassionate assistance to those living with chronic alcoholism in the American Indian community in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
2005
Target Corporation.
Supporting local communities is the cornerstone of Target Corporation. Target gives more than $2 million a week to local and national nonprofit organizations in education, the arts and social services. Target team members and retirees give more than 345,000 volunteer hours to more than 7,000 projects annually. As part of Target's commitment to communities comes a long history of support, collaboration and partnership with law enforcement, both locally and nationally. Through these partnerships, where resources, connections, information and expertise are shared, Target makes a difference.
2004
No Award Given
2003
Morton W. Ryweck, Director of the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, for his strong participatory involvement and dedication to the prevention of hate crimes within the State of Minnesota. Mr. Ryweck, in coordination with the league of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, developed community-based action groups to combat hate and bigotry in the aftermath of 09/11/2001.
2002
Robert Olson, Minneapolis Police Chief, for his crime prevention initiatives and relations with the community.
2001
Steven R. Silberfarb, Minneapolis, Minnesota, for his efforts in combating hate crimes within the Minneapolis Division through the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). Mr. Silberfarb is the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
2000
Pastor Rocky White Mountain, McLaughlin, South Dakota, for his multi-discipline Violence Awareness Project targeting violence, gangs, and all types of crime on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.
1999
Rev. Devin Miller, St. Paul, Minnesota, for his efforts with area youth in the Black Teens for Advancement (BTA) programs and his recent "Just Stop It" non-violence program.
1998
Sheriff Larry Costello, Clay County, Minnesota, for his hands on approach to decreasing gangs and gang violence in the community.
1997
District Court Judge Kevin S. Burke, Minneapolis, Minnesota, for his innovative efforts with Hennepin County's Drug Court.
1996
Lt. William Whelchel, Sturgis, South Dakota, for establishing a number of drug demand reduction programs on both the state and local level including a crime prevention and School Liaison Program, establishing of a McGruff House Program, and Drug-Free School Zones.
1995
Sheriff Gary L. Waller, St. Louis County, Minnesota, who was very instrumental in implementing D.A.R.E. training for his personnel and furthering the D.A.R.E. program in St. Louis County schools.
1994
Sgt. Michael J. Ganley, Minneapolis, Minnesota, who was the first Minnesota Law Enforcement Officer to complete D.A.R.E. training and initiate the Minneapolis D.A.R.E. Program.
1993
Tom H. Swain, St. Paul, Minnesota, who was instrumental in establishing the D.A.R.E. drug education program in St. Paul schools by personally raising the necessary funding from area businesses and foundations.
1992
No Nomination
1991
Michael Wright and Patrick Mc Gowan. Mr. Wright, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, for his efforts with the Super Valu Stores for the "Hugs Not Drugs" and "Be Educated, Aware, and Responsible" (BEAR) Programs and implementation of the programs in the public schools. Sen. Mc Gowan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, for introducing legislation to strengthen career criminal sentencing, promoting drug free school zones for school children, increasing state penalties for transporting drugs/narcotics into the State and redefining a reporting system for dispensing prescription and precursor drugs.
1990
Herschel Walker, Minnesota Vikings, for making a significant contribution toward helping our Nation make the right choice to be drug-free in various public appearances.
