Wednesday, February 25, 2009

REZonate Music Fest

REZonate Music Fest is on Myspace!

If you're in the greater Cincinnati area, send us a friend request!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Backpack Packing Party

Its that time again ... time to fill and pack the backpacks for the kids at Pine Ridge.

Friday, April 3, 2009

At the Buriff's home.

7 pm - 9ish??

We have 500 backpacks to fill and pack this year and will need your help.

Anyone can help regardless of age. We cannot take more than 12 people so email Amber amberburiff@aol.com if you want to be a part of giving to the kids on the Rez.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

So This is Your Able-Bodied Crew??

This is for all the crew members who have gone with us the past 5 years. I've reworked it and I think you'll enjoy it.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Extreme Makeover Home Edition: Pine Ridge!

GOOD MORNING PINE RIDGE FAMILY!!
I want to introduce you to Melda and her family and show you what our work project will be this year.

This is Melda and one of her grandchildren.

She lives on her own property near the reservation. Melda's husband passed away 8 years ago.

Our crew met Melda in 2007 and needless to say, we all fell in love with her and her family.

This is the road to Melda's place
(and yes, those are the church vans - don't look board members!)

This is what you see as you approach the top of the hill.
This is Melda's place.


This is the front of Melda's house - her kitchen area where she prepares the family's meals

You will notice, there is no door.

This is the view after you go through the kitchen to the other part of the house.

It is a 150 year old log cabin that has been in Melda's family for generations.

Inside you will see all sort of old photographs of the classic "Indians" that we all think of when we think of the Great Sioux Indians. These are Melda's family members.

There is no indoor plumbing at Melda's.
When it snows, as it often does in South Dakota, the snow drifts can be as high as 20 ft high.
Melda and her family walk though the snow to the outhouse they have.
Because they have no door to their home, the snow often piles into the kitchen.
While most of us shovel snow from our driveways, they shovel it out of their home.
Because she lives on her own property, she does not qualify for any federal assistance to the tribe. She is one of those people who have "fallen between the cracks" of society.
And yet...
Melda never complains.
She takes each day as it comes and accepts the path she has been given in life.
And ...
she and her family are very generous.
They hold strong to the Lakota value of generosity.
They willingly share with us (strangers) what they have, be it food, company, or their culture.




Our crew has decided that its time Melda had a new kitchen and that repairs were done to the front part of her home.
This summer we will demolish the front of her house and rebuild it, giving her a real kitchen with running water.


We will work on Melda's house every morning and do a VBS for the children in the afternoon.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Remember this?

Remember about a month ago when Brian and I went to Winchester, VA for a benefit at The Virginia Brewing Company that our friends from 8 Lives Spent put together? The benefit was for the purpose of raising funds to purchase heaters for the people on the Rez. Thanks to Roy who got us a good deal and thanks to Brody for helping us pick them up, they are now sitting in my dining room ready to be taken to the Rez and distributed!

Click on the pics for a larger view!





OK, Pine Ridge crew ... get in shape cause next July we'll be loading and unloading these along with 500 backpacks and our supplies. :)
These things always amaze me ... a bunch of folks in Winchester, VA (near DC) got an idea to have a benefit show to raise money for heaters for the Lakota people ... They gave me the money .... Roy found a good deal ....Brody picked them up and brought them to my house ... and we'll be taking them out to Pine Ridge in July so that next winter some folks will have heat that might not otherwise have it. From DC to Rapid City ... people pitching in and doing what they can to make a difference. How cool is that?

Monday, February 02, 2009

Feb. Meeting

Team Meeting

Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009
4pm

We will be working in teaching teams, talking about physical prepardness and I have some important info regarding fundraisers so please be there!

$135.00 is due at this time

Fundraisers!

Just a reminder about some fundraisers ....

To protect the integrity of current and future fundraisers, please turn in all of the money you raised ASAP. ALL fundraiser money should go directly into your account and is not meant to be used for any other purpose.

Some fundraising opportunities that are coming up include:

The Rock-A-Thon
Sat. March 21, 2009
See Tammi for a sponsor sheet soon so you can begin getting sponsors. Thanks Tammi for including the Pine Ridge crew along with the Haiti crew!

Silent Auction
Sat. March 21, 2009 (along with the Rock-A-Thon)
Tables will be set up in the Narthex and the bidding will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will end at 6:00 p.m. (so everyone can claim their items and we can clean up on our last couple of breaks from rocking.)

So ... clean out your garage and basement and if you find any items that you think might be worth something, bring them for the auction. Let me know what items you are bringing so we can advertise ahead of time. Only bring items that are worthy of selling -- no junk. All money will go directly to the individual who brought the item. Invite your friends and relatives to come and bid on our auction and they can stop by and say "hi" to us, too!