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THANK YOU from Rosebud Rez: Photos of your propane donations

by: navajo

Mon Jan 10, 2011 at 08:24:13 AM PST

Some folk were happy to be photographed and this diary is their thank you to YOU for helping them get through another terrible winter in South Dakota since Federal LIHEAP funding ran out in early December.

Sherry says that the common incredulous comment is, "Who is doing this?? Tell them thank you!"

Sherry tells them about us, YOU, Daily Kos and the community that we are.

11 more photos below and details on how you can contribute to this on going effort.

here are some pics of the people/households that have been helped due to you and your friends generosity.  i guess some people are shyer than others (many ducked out from the camera), but i did get a pic of at least 1 of the family.
my mom is sending out the lpg receipts/tickets.  the pictures are named by the lpg ticket number rather than family name.  there are a few families that have been helped, that i didn't get pictures of.  helped before the picture idea came about.

Sherry, who is Creek/Seminole, took her July vacation in Las Vegas during NN10 just to meet us. We had a dinner for her and her family.

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The blizzard aftermath:

And THANK YOUs from all these families, all these folks are smiling at YOU. These are households that Sherry was aware of who were about to run out of propane and unable to order more:

Notice the little face peeking out of the door below:

From Sherry:

one of the houses dkos bought lpg for.  if you zoom in you can see a little girl peeking out of the front door.  this house has alot of ppl living in it, but one person was willing to have their pic taken.  

My earlier diaries explain in more detail why and how we are helping:

Here we go again: Blizzard hits Dakotas

Band-Aid for the Lakotas

Pine Ridge: American Prisoner of War Camp #334

Revealing Pine Ridge Rez Demographic Information

Employment Information

• Recent reports vary but many point out that the median income on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.




• The unemployment rate on Pine Ridge is said to be approximately 83-85% and can be higher during the winter months when travel is difficult or often impossible.
• According to 2006 resources, about 97% of the population lives below Federal poverty levels.
• There is little industry, technology, or commercial infrastructure on the Reservation to provide employment.
• Rapid City, South Dakota is the nearest town of size (population approximately 57,700) for those who can travel to find work.  It is located 120 miles from the Reservation.  The nearest large city to Pine Ridge is Denver, Colorado located some 350 miles away.

We have bypassed the middlemen, the 501c3s, the red-taped strangled Tribal Councils and the pathetic Federal LIHEAP program which runs out too quickly.

We've set up relationships with the propane companies that service Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservation. The kind operators/owners know who needs help and can't get it from their Tribal, State or Federal government.

Last Monday I received donations from Australia and Germany at our PayPal link at Native American Netroots, the donate button is in the upper right of the page.

Help buy propane for Lakota families in South Dakota:

Telephone:

Sherry Cornelius of St. Francis Energy Co.
at  6 0 5 - 7 4 7 - 2 5 4 2
11 AM - 6 PM MST

Ask for Sherry or her mom Patsy. Normally a minimum order is $150, but they have an account to accumulate small donations to a minimum order. Credit Cards welcome and they are the only Native owned fuel company on Rosebud.  Rosebud is next to Pine Ridge Reservation and in the same economically depressed condition.

If you'd like to mail a check:

Attn: Sherry Cornelius
St. Francis Energy Co. / Valandra's II
P.O. Box 140
St. Francis, South Dakota 57572

[make check payable to: St. Francis Energy Co.]

NOT tax deductible

http://sfec.yolasite.com/

 

You can also call Sherry's cell phone: 605.208.8888

Telephone:

The Lakota Plains Propane Company

at  6 0 5 - 8 6 7 - 5 1 9 9
Monday- Friday 8-5pm MST

Ask for Crystal to contribute to someone from Autumn's list. $120 minimum delivery. This company serves Pine Ridge Reservation.

NOT tax deductible