White House Allegedly Rejects Indian’s Gifts After She Lectures Reagan on Aid

A White House aide rebuked an elderly Navajo woman who pleaded for help for Native Americans from President Reagan at a ceremony honoring her for rescuing 10 children from a burning bus, a Navajo spokesman said Friday.

The woman, 72-year-old Mae Chee Castillo, dressed in bright Navajo garb and speaking through an interpreter, told Reagan at a Rose Garden ceremony honoring elderly volunteers that her people need schools, hospitals, housing for the elderly and other facilities.

Social Security Plea

“We need to continue the current level of economic benefits such as Social Security since many, many Native American elderly depend on this support for their only source of income,” she said.

“We need funds for these services that I have mentioned because, in Indian country, there is little or no private sector. I ask for your support, Mr. President.”

Reagan replied: “Most of those things that you were talking about here, those problems come under what we have called the safety net and which we intend to continue and, even in regard to our battles to lower the deficit, these things will not be done away with or reduced.”

Navajo spokesman Dan Lewis said that, after the ceremony, White House aide Anne Kelly said Castillo “was supposed to say something very appreciative, not what she did.” Lewis said that Castillo tried to give Kelly a woven basket and a woven rug for the President but that the aide said: “I don’t want it.”

“She was very, very rude,” Lewis said of Kelly. “She ushered us right out very quickly, hustled us out.”

Reprimand Denied

Kelly, who works for the Office of Private Sector Initiative, was not available for comment.

However, the White House denied a report that Kelly had rebuked Castillo. White House spokesman Rusty Brashear said Kelly “was courteous . . . . No way was she rude.” He added: “There was no reprimand.”

Reagan honored 150 senior volunteers from all 50 states, in particular Castillo, who, along with a grandson, Willie, was cited for rescuing 10 children from a burning school bus on which she served as a volunteer aide.