Ho-Chunk Census ready for kickoff in December

By Ken Luchterhand



The Ho-Chunk Census is scheduled to begin.
On December 7, the online version will become active, ready and willing to count people and all their associated household aspects.
Ho-Chunk members will be receiving information in the mail on how to complete the census survey. A link to the census is on the Ho-Chunk Nation web site at www.Ho-ChunkNation.com/census and a clickable link will soon be available to connect with the actual survey.
“The census will include questions about annual household income, monthly rental/mortgage and utility payments, the number of people and families in the housing unit, presence of anyone in the household with a disability that requires care-giving or adaptive equipment, employment and education, childcare, use of community services, transportation needs, and priorities for the Ho-Chunk Nation,” said Kevin Klingbeil, managing director of Big Water Consulting, who is organizing the census.
The census is important so that the Ho-Chunk Nation has accurate data on the Ho-Chunk population. That data is used for various programs and when applying for grants.
Also, the data will help with planning Ho-Chunk services and legislator redistricting. Each of the Ho-Chunk government department had input into the census survey.
After several weeks of the online version being available, a paper form of the survey will be mailed to households to those people who haven’t completed it. This ensures that people who don’t have access to the Internet will be able to fill out the form and send it back via the U.S. Postal Service.
Participation in the census is very important, Klingbeil said. For that reason, a “Census Day” will be employed in the second week of December. During that day, numerous sightings of census personnel will be scene throughout all the Ho-Chunk communities, along with using the social media abundantly to get the word out, such as FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapshot.
“We’ll get tribal leaders in photos to promote the census, plus celebrities such as Bronson Koenig,” Klingbeil said.
The message will be displayed on the marques at the Ho-Chunk Gaming facilities and on the gas pumps of the Whitetail Crossing businesses.
“We’ll have photos of people holding banners, wearing census T-shirts, and even do challenges for the census like the ice bucket challenges,” he said.
Also, incentives will be offered to entice people to complete the surveys. Names of the people who finished the survey will be gathered for a drawing of a number of prizes.
To help people fill out the online census surveys, a list of public accessible computers will be made available, such as computers at community centers, tribal aging units, the Tribal Office Building, the House of Wellness, and youth centers.
After the online forms and paper forms have been received, some months after the initiation, a list will be made of people who haven’t completed the survey. Volunteers then will go door-to-door to get the remaining surveys completed.
The last time a specific census of Ho-Chunk members was completed was in 1994 and 1995.
The information gained will be good for 10 years, Carol Garvin, former Planning Division director said previously. It will help Nation departments to use statistics when addressing needs.
“We want people to know it’s coming and they don’t need to be afraid,” said Angie Greengrass McDonald of the Planning Department. “None of the information will be shared with any other entity.”
“Many grant applications across all programs require information about the age, income and veteran status of the population that would be served in order to document the needs and eligibility for the grant award, so expect questions about the topics,” she said.
“There will also likely be some questions aimed to identify barriers to the use of some tribal programs and some questions targeted specifically to members living in each of the five districts,” Greengrass McDonald said.
Any questions about the census should be directed to Greengrass McDonald at (715) 284-3939 or Klingbeil at kevin@bigwaterconsulting.net.


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