Girls make cards, donate pizza to Coral Springs ER staff

U.S. Navy veteran Stephen Engasser, who served aboard the USS Saratoga during Operation Desert Storm, organized a community service project with his daughters and other members of their YMCA camping initiative for fathers and daughters. It is called the Seminole Nation Indian Princess Program.

Because they live in northwestern Broward County, they belong to the Mohawk tribe, Engasser said.

“We are self-run and managed by five volunteer dads. I was the chief of the program in 2019 and was called Chief Buffalo Burger," he said.

His daughters are Haley, Princess Shooting Star, 14; and Maddy, Princess Little Spark, who is 9.

The Mighty Mohawks and the Indian Princess program are quite different from scouting, sports teams and many other activities because it is a parent and child organization. Engasser asked the girls to make homemade cards, drawings and letters of appreciation and collected donations to provide pizza for the ER staff at Broward Health Coral Springs that were delivered along with the well wishes. About 20 of the girls in the tribe participated.

“Both of my daughters hate this situation,” Engasser said. “They miss their playdates, swimming in the pool, beach, going to the park, going out to dinner, hanging out with their fellow Mohawks during camping-out trips and visiting their grandparents.”

He chose this response to a teachable moment.

Veterans of Foreign Wars has asked its members to send their stories about how they’re #StillServing in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of the organization’s national initiative to bring attention to how veterans continue to serve others, even after their time in the military.

For information about the Indian Princess Program, visit seminolenation.org.

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