MUCKLESHOOT MESSENGER

August 2026

Vol. XXVII, No. 8
Muckleshoot indian reservation, wash.
August 2026

Muckleshoot Community Center: Celebrating Three Years of Community, Culture & Connection

By Shayna Brown

This June marked three years since the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe opened the doors to the Community Center and Youth & Teen Center – a milestone that celebrates not just a building, but the growth, connection, and strength of our people.

On June 21, 2023, the Tribe welcomed the community to a grand opening celebration that introduced a vision years in the making: a 124,000‑square‑foot facility designed to be a safe, welcoming, and vibrant home for the Muckleshoot community. The center was designed to be a place to gather, celebrate, and learn.The center has flourished over the past three years and it has truly become the heart of our community.

Only weeks after opening, the center proudly hosted Paddle to Muckleshoot 2023, welcoming nearly 11,000 guests from across the region. The gathering marked a powerful beginning for the facility, showcasing its role as a place of unity, filling it with song, laughter, and shared heritage. This is a powerful reflection of what the center was built to represent.

Since the first celebration, the Community Center and Youth & Teen Center have hosted countless events, programs, cultural gatherings, youth activities, and family celebration -- each strengthening the bonds within our Tribe.

As we honor this three‑year anniversary, we celebrate not only the facility itself, but importantly the people who bring it to life every day. The center stands as a testament to the Tribe’s commitment to future generations, cultural preservation, and community wellness.

To honor this milestone, the Tribe hosted Community Fun Day on August 1, 2026, inviting the Muckleshoot community to join in a day of celebration featuring:

  • Musical Chairs
  • Plant Walk
  • Corn Hole Tournament
  • Karaoke/Lip Sync Competition
  • Traditional Squirrel Dance Challenge
  • Bouncy Houses, Water Slides, Fresh Cotton Candy

As we celebrate this anniversary, we recognize not just the building itself, but the community that fills it - families, youth, elders, and staff who bring energy, culture, and connection into every room. The center stands as a testament of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s dedication to creating spaces where our people can thrive together.

Here’s to many more years of gathering, learning, celebrating, and building good memories at the Muckleshoot Community Center.

More from This Edition

Vol. XXVII, No. 8

August 2026

view pdf

More from the Messenger

September 2026
Edition

NPAIHB Native Fitness Conference Brings Wellness Leaders Together at Muckleshoot Indian Tribe

Wellness-Fitness professionals and Tribal leaders gathered August 4–5 at the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe for Native Fitness, a two-day event focused on health, movement, culture and community wellness.

read article
September 2026
Edition

Building Positive Futures: Youth Health Fair & Back to School Bash

This year’s Back to School Bash in partnership with the Youth Health Fair on Aug. 27 was the perfect sendoff to summer – and our community showed up ready to celebrate.

read article
September 2026
Edition

Larry Gossett Returns to Muckleshoot, Shares Progress on Book

More than five decades after Larry Gossett came to the Muckleshoot Reservation looking for Native students to recruit to the University of Washington, the longtime civil rights leader returned to the Muckleshoot Tribal Council Chambers.

read article
September 2026
Edition

Chairman’s Corner September 2026: Orange Shirt Day

Tribal Council Chairman Donny Stevenson shares about his ancestors' and elders' surival of residential and boarding schools. "Sadly... my family’s story and experience are hardly the exception or unique in our Tribal communities..."

read article

About the Muckleshoot Messenger

The Muckleshoot Messenger is a monthly Tribal publication. Tribal community members and Tribal employees are welcome to submit items to the newspaper such as announcements, birth news, birthday shoutouts, community highlights, and more. We want to hear from you!


Muckleshoot messenger Submissions