Call To Action -

Crow Creek Indian Reservation

Fort Thompson, South Dakota

On Saturday September 20th, CAN-DO will be at Crow Creek participating in the "Day of Dignity" project, a humanitarian effort to be held at Crow Creek Indian Reservation, Fort Thompson, South Dakota. The event is being held to help relieve the Crow Creek Sioux tribal community as well as others in dire need in the area, in hopes of bringing some relief from the hardships that these people endure.

In August, CAN-DO was in Oakville, Iowa, distributing supplies that were donated from various places.  Fresh Produce, a boutique clothes line, donated boxes and boxes of brand new clothes, Airline Ambassadors partnered with CAN-DO supplying CAN-DO with numerous supplies to help the people of Oakville.

After the day of distribution there were many boxes of clothes left over. CAN-DO with the encouragement from the people of Oakville, brought the remaining clothes to the people of Crow creek. The people in Oakville, suffering themselves, reached out and gave aid to others in tremendously difficult circumstances.

CAN-DO loaded the trucks and headed to South Dakota.

The Crow Creek Situation, as told by Eric Klein, founder and President of CAN-DO:

In our initial visit, Peter Lengkeek took us on a tour of the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. Along the tour Peter shared the travesty his people endure. The Crow Creek tribe, located 60 miles from the nearest interstate has a population of 2225, as well as an 80% unemployment rate.

With a housing shortage and a lack of adequate housing, it is commonplace to have 8 adults and 10 children living in a single family house, which still only brings in a combined income of less than $10,000.00 per year.

Located two miles from a private Hydro electric plant, the people of Crow Creek are paying 24 cents a Kilowatt hour, (national average is 11 cents per kilowatt). Most states in the country have laws prohibiting the shut off of electrical services, for lack of payment, in the winter months (October to April).  However, in Crow Creek, it has become the norm for the utility company to show up for payment, and, if not received shut off the power -- even when life threatening weather is expected, and people living there are elderly or sick.

All members of his community experience prejudice and biases every time they leave the reservation and travel to Chamberlain for school and living supplies. For the 250 high school students, 375 grade school and 200 preschool students there is little to no funding for the local Indian schools. The majority of these kids exist on 1 meal a day.

One of the projects CAN-DO is putting into action is finishing the building a community thrift store (35x55) metal pole barn. They have erected the building and are in need of concrete to finish the slab and also insulation, 2x4,2x6, drywall, conduit pipe and electrical wiring to complete the store.  They will also need a forced air heating and cooling system and also a pellet stove. Our goal is to get the materials as fast as possible with the intentions of having the building complete for the Day of Dignity Event, September 20th, 2008.

(Building Community Center - 12k)

Also needed for the community is:

Non perishable foods,

Diapers,

Hygiene kits,

Winter clothing -- adult and children

Arts & craft supplies

BLANKETS

To see a detailed Needs List, please visit...

If you can help with donations or time, please contact:

Eric Klein, CEO/Founder/Director, CAN-DO, at:

ek@can-do.org