NNOG provides propane to those in need

Posted by Cindy Yurth | Jul 30, 2020 | Community, CORONAVIRUS |

WINDOW ROCK

The Navajo Nation and a multitude of volunteer relief groups are delivering food across the Navajo Nation so vulnerable elders and COVID-positive families don’t have to leave their homes during the pandemic.

But free food doesn’t do you much good if you’re out of fuel to cook it with. With that in mind, Navajo Oil and Gas has been traveling across the Nation filling up propane tanks. An average of 120 tanks are filled at each location, ranging in size from 20 to 100 pounds. Last week the enterprise was in Oak Springs/Pine Springs Chapter, where Community Services Coordinator Flavian Tabaha estimated about 120 families were helped.

Tabaha said many people in the rural chapter use propane to cook with and the community was very appreciative. “This is a high-unemployment area and most people don’t have a big 3,000-pound tank because they can’t afford to fill it,” Tabaha said. “When you see all these people bringing these small tanks, you know they really need it.”

According to Tabaha, the Oil and Gas employees tested the tanks before they filled them to make sure they were safe, and found quite a few that needed repairs, which they performed. “That was an important part of the service,” he said. Tabaha said the chapter worked closely with the community health representatives to identify “high-risk elderlies and people without transportation” as priority for the program.

“I’d just like to thank the Navajo Nation, Navajo Oil and Gas, our local delegates, the chapter officials and the Fort Defiance Community Development people for all their help during this pandemic,” he added.