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Last year’s annual Soboba Braves’ hosted basketball tournament was played just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down sports for many months. This year, the 8th annual tournament was bigger and better than ever with 17 teams competing during three days of play, July 9 through 11.

Matthew Quinn, under secretary for Memorial Affairs, National Cemetry Administration - Quinn leads 155 VA national cemeteries and 119 VA grant funded state and tribal Veteran cemeteries in providing a dignified burial in national shrines for Veterans and eligible family members. His responsibilities include maintaining the cemeteries as national shrines; design and construction activities related to the establishment of new national cemeteries; overseeing memorial programs to honor the service of Veterans, including the provision of headstones, markers, medallions and Presidential Memorial Certificates; and administering federal grants to help states, territories and tribal governments establish Veterans cemeteries.

The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $418 million in grants to more than 260 non-profit organizations in June, allowing low-income Veteran families around the nation to access services under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.

The Department of Veterans Affairs grows its PRIDE In All Who Served (PRIDE) program to include 10 additional VA locations across the country where classes are available. PRIDE is a 10-week health education program focused on reducing health care disparities among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Veterans.

Kelli Hurtado has started a program to help Soboba Tribal Members and employees get healthier by learning more about fitness and wellness. “Let’s Get Moving” has begun with a walking group on Mondays. Currently serving on the Soboba Tribal Council, Hurtado has been planning this program for quite a while but was waiting for the right time.