CELLULARONE® and Pendleton® Announce the Launch of a Special Artist Edition Healing Blanket to Raise Funds for Missing & Murdered Diné Relatives and National Indigenous Women's Resource Center

SHOW LOW, Ariz. , Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This year Cellular One and Pendleton have partnered on a powerful philanthropic initiative to raise awareness and contribute to nonprofits working toward solutions that address the disproportionately high rates of missing and murdered Indigenous persons. This spring the two companies commissioned "The Healing Blanket" designed by a talented Navajo Artist Leandra Yazzie from Blue Gap on the Navajo Nation in the American Southwest.

Produced in the USA by Pendleton Woolen Mills, this special Artist Edition blanket will retail for $329 on pendleton-usa.com. From the sale of every blanket, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to support Missing & Murdered Diné Relatives (MMDR) and National Indigenous Women's Resource Center.

"Giving back is in our DNA as a company, but initiatives like this are of the utmost significance to us as a corporate citizen," said Judd Hinkle, CEO of Cellular One. "Most of us cannot begin to imagine the pain of a loved one going missing or being found murdered. But we must face these dark realities if we are going change things for the better in the communities we serve. Madam Chair Amber Kanazbah Crotty and her MMDR organization are doing crucial work and they are gaining momentum. We are proud to lend our support."

"The mission of the MMDR and National Indigenous Women's Resource Center is as challenging as it is rewarding," said Pendleton President and CEO John Bishop. "We are proud to team up with Cellular One and Leandra Yazzie to support their work. The sale of the Artist Edition Healing Blanket will help fund the effort, and we hope the blanket itself will bring greater public awareness to the issue."

Against the blue of Father Sky, songbirds rise from Mother Earth to greet the healing rays of Morning Sun. The birds carry messages of harmony, balance, and renewal in a design that brings awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Movement. A band of turquoise symbolizes Life, with bands of red for missing Native relatives who will never be forgotten. Diné artisan Leandra Yazzie's design brings a powerful message of resilience and hope.

• 64" x 80"
• Unnapped; fabric is uncombed for sharper pattern definition
• Ultrasuede® binding
• 82% pure virgin wool/18% cotton
• Fabric woven in our American mills
• Dry clean
• Made in USA

Leandra Yazzie (Diné) lives in Blue Gap, Arizona. Growing up, her grandmother and aunt, both renowned Navajo weavers, shared their talents, techniques, and histories with her. Ms. Yazzie credits the resilient women in her life with inspiring the vibrant cultural undertones that inform her work.

The Healing Blanket is now available for purchase nationwide on the Pendleton website: www.pendleton-usa.com. 

For almost 30 years, Cellular One has been a leading regional provider of mobile technology and wireless communications service for underserved tribal lands and rural communities in the American Southwest. The company operates a network of more than 230 cell sites, covering 60,000 square miles and has almost 200 employees, many of whom are Native American.

Founded by philanthropist Smith Bagley, community giving is a vital part of the company's DNA. The carrier consistently sponsors a wide variety of regional events, scholarships, fundraisers, and charity organizations including Native Americans for Community Action, Navajo MMDR, The Annual Hopi Earth Day Cleanup, the White Mountain Apache Kids' Fishing Derby, and many more. For more information, please visit mycellularone.com.

Pendleton Woolen Mills is a heritage lifestyle brand and the leader in wool blankets, apparel and accessories. Weaving in Oregon since 1863 and located in Portland, Oregon, Pendleton weaves iconic designs in two of America's remaining woolen mills located in Pendleton, Oregon and Washougal, Washington. With six generations of family ownership, Pendleton is focused on their "Warranted to Be a Pendleton" legacy, creating quality lifestyle products with timeless classic styling. Inspiring individuals from the Pacific Northwest and beyond for over 150 years, Pendleton products are available at Pendleton stores across the US, select retailers worldwide, and on pendleton-usa.com.

Pendleton is part of a connected community that only grows stronger through education, preservation, wellness, and care for America's heroes. The company has a track record of giving back through donations, contributions, and philanthropic partnerships. Philanthropic partnerships include: the American Indian College Fund, Fisher House Foundation, Native American Rehabilitation Association, Wildland Firefighters Foundation, Center of Southwest Studies, National Park Foundation, DigDeep's Navajo and Missing & Murdered Dine Relatives.

SOURCE Cellular One