Native American tribes in the United States are working to protect their oldest members from the new coronavirus. A Navajo woman, Monica Harvey, wanted to help the oldest members of her tribe get needed household goods without the risk of becoming infected with the virus. So, she started Defend Our Community, a group that sends supplies to older tribe members. She said she got the idea from watching crowds at a Sam’s Club store in the northern part of the state of Arizona. People bought up all the necessary products. Older Native Americans did not move fast enough. Harvey saw them looking sad when they reached empty places in the store. Harvey’s effort is about saving lives, but it also is about more than that. Tribal elders serve as honored links to the past and often have rare knowledge of language, history and culture. The knowledge of elders is valuable because tribes often pass down their traditions using spoken words or by telling stories.