" Whatever good things we build end up building us."

 I want to thank you for your donation for the food for the Waní-wí-iphá, the Winter Solstice storytelling event. It was a huge success for my program with 144 attendees.  There was barely enough food but everyone got a plate. It helped ordering the extra sandwiches and towards the end when we saw home many people came, we cut back just a little on the food portions.  But everyone got feed!!!  Nina phidamayayepi, thank you very much for your contribution.  The holiday season is challenging for a lot of families, I wanted to promote our traditional Dakota teaching of Winter Solstice where we planned to look forward to Spring.

The best part of the event were the speakers who talked about sobriety and recovery using art, traditional teachings and dance. Speakers were John Beheler, Lyle Miller, Kenny Miller. There speeches were so encouraging to over come struggles and find joy.

We handed out small throw blankets (native print) or stocking caps and lots of door prizes of bags, backpacks, gloves, scarves (with Sasquatch printed on them). We handed our Narcan which can reverse an Opioid overdose, Plan B emergency birth control pill, sanitary pads for those who wanted to take them, condoms to promote healthy choices.  It was a huge success, the best I’ve had since working under that grant for the Crow Creek reservation.  We are hoping to get another grant when this one ends August 2026.

Thank you again, take care and look forward to Spring Solstice.

-Jean