Cuyahoga Valley chapter celebrates 100 years of Native Sons and Daughters

by Emily Canning-Dean

When Tom Kundmueller looks back on the time he spent with his kids through the Cuyahoga Valley Native Sons and Daughters program, he recalls countless cherished bonding experiences.

“The whole point is dads creating memories together with their kids,” said Kundmueller, who is now the National Longhouse Chief of the Native Sons and Daughters Programs. “I joined with my oldest son in 2004 and my middle son a couple years later. My youngest son began the program in 2018.”

The Cuyahoga Valley chapter is for dads and kids, ages kindergarten through eighth grade, in Brecksville, Broadview Heights and Independence.

“Life can get busy and as a father, you want to make sure you make time to establish that relationship with your kids at a younger age as it paves the way for your relationship with your kids in the future,” said Kundmueller.

While the Cuyahoga Valley chapter has been around since at least the 1980s, the organization as a whole has been in existence since 1926, and the chapter hosted a centennial alumni reunion at the Brooklyn Exchange Cabin in Hinckley this summer. The three-day event included an overnight gathering for current members at the cabin July 17, an adult-only alumni reunion July 18 and a continental breakfast July 19.

“It was a great weekend to honor the heritage of the organization,” Kundmueller said. “There were a few families that were reunited and we had a bunch of archives and nostalgic items on display.”

The organization was originally known as the Indian Guides and Indian Princesses programs, and was founded 100 years ago by Joe Friday and Harold Keltner in St. Louis, Missouri. The Native Sons and Daughters Program was independently founded in 2002 but continues the tradition that Friday and Keltner started a century ago.

“The National Longhouse works to provide the infrastructure and support to the local groups across the country so they can continue the traditions of the original organization,” Kundmueller said.

Kundmueller said the Cuyahoga Valley chapter is an active group.

“We usually do three campouts a year in cabins,” he said. “We usually do a rocket launch and activities like bumper bowling, a pine car derby and a father-daughter dance. Usually during February we have a late night gathering at the Independence Civic Center where kids can enjoy the pool and the gym and we will have entertainment, like Jungle Terry or a magician. It’s a chance in the winter for the kids to just blow off some steam.”

Every other year, the chapter goes to the Buffalo Naval Park to sleep on a battleship.

“While a lot of our events are geared for dads and kids, we have other events for the whole family. We just recently had a pool party and a cookout in Independence and everyone brought a canned good that we donated to a local food bank,” Kundmueller said.

Kundmueller said the chapter not only provides a good opportunity for dads to make memories with their kids, it also builds friendship and community among families in the area.

“I have met a lot of likeminded dads and forged a lot of close friendships over the years because of this program,” he said. “Now that my kids are grown, that’s why I am working with the National Longhouse. I got so much out of the program, and it’s impacted me as a father in a positive way. When you find something that is this beneficial and helpful, you want others to be able to enjoy it as well.”

Local families interested in the Cuyahoga Valley chapter can find more information at cvnsd.org.

For those who live outside of Brecksville, Broadview Heights and Independence, Kundmueller said there are other local chapters. Families can find more information at nationallonghouse.org.