May is here! Finally, the seeds begin to sprout, the leaves pop out, and life explodes all around us. At this time of year, we see once again how something very little, with a little bit of water and sunshine, turns into something big and beautiful!
Follow the Buffalo, Inc. presents an opportunity for you to share in growing something beautiful. Continue reading
I had the chance to speak with a friend on the Pine Ridge Reservation recently. We spoke of many things, but what really stayed with me was his concern for the youth living on the reservation. The teen suicide rate on the reservation has been three times as high as the rest of the United States. Depression and substance abuse are also at elevated rates. But our talk was not about statistics – rather he spoke of real people coping with tragedy and seeking to ease their suffering and provide hope for the next generation.
I asked him what he thought made life so difficult for young people on the reservation. The first thing he said was loneliness. Loneliness that comes from physical distance, but also from losing connection with family.
This month, Follow the Buffalo, Inc., was pleased to contribute to the Elder Wood Project. The donated funds enabled Arlin Whirlwindhorse, the leader of the project to purchase 2 new chainsaws.
Wopila, Thank you!
We are so grateful for your generous responses to our call for help at Follow the Buffalo. We wanted to let you know that your help allowed us to purchase 2 Stihl chainsaws to aid the work of the Elder Wood Project. These sawswill help put a crew of 5 young men to work cutting, splitting, and delivering badly needed firewood to seniors on the Pine Ridge Reservation. This is just a first step in this process, but a very important step that will make an immediate impact in the community. We will keep you posted on the progress of this project.
One of the crew members of the elder wood project, using one of the new chainsaws
Thank you all for your continued support of our mission!
Winters on the Pine Ridge Reservation are harsh. Weather is extreme – severe winds are common and temperatures are bitter cold, frequently below zero. Many Reservation homes lack adequate insulation. Even more homes lack central heating. Wood burning is the second most common form of heating a home, although wood supplies are often expensive or difficult to obtain. Continue reading
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