AND Our Friends in Calico Community

Thank YOU for the Truck of supplies that YOU, Our Donors, Provided

 

The Truck load of furniture, appliances, goods, clothes, food and bicycles was delivered three days before Easter !! The old “Head Start Building” was available.  The building has been turned over to become the Calico Community Center through an Oglala Sioux Tribal Resolution.  

No electricity can be turned on until the ceiling is fixed. Since November 2008 of last year, we have been looking for Donors to assist in replacing and repairing the ceiling due to water damage from previous storms and no maintenance from its prior occupants. However, it has not been an unused building. It currently serves as the Calico Community Center where we make the best of it. Meetings are held during the daylight hours. Community members donate their own portable heaters during the cold days, etc.

 

    When we received the Truck, the Community was ecstatic; the Calico Community   has not had any services or action in the Community for over 15 years!!! The last Pow-Wow was held in 1992 under Stanley Little Hawk. After learning about the donation of the Truck, we held two meetings to discuss the distribution, inform community members of donations from Devils Tower-Sacred To Many People Foundation and One Nation Walking Together, identify volunteers to help unload the Truck, etc. When the Truck arrived, 15 volunteers came to assist in unloading the Truck along with 2 students from OLC who are Brave Heart Basketball Players. Everyone worked diligently, laughing, and was very happy at what they were seeing. Curious community members would drive by, then walk up and help unload. Everyone was peeking out the windows and those people who were not in direct view would just pull up in their cars. Word traveled fast and by the end of the Truck load we had over 30 community members surrounding the building to help. The donations filled the back room with clothing, the hallway with crafts, two and a half hallways with household goods, and the building repair supplies were put in another corner. The entire front room was filled with the furniture, washing machines, beds and other large items. There was one row left to walk. The Truck left. The Truck driver was very happy to see everyone. He was also amazed at the turn out and the help at hauling items into the building.  Everyone was so excited and they were in awe of the goods. The women and men there quickly began to request items, however, it had been decided during one of the meetings that the Elders would be first, and then the families would be able to get what they needed.

 Three trucks then went up and down the Calico Community housing first taking orders from the Elders, many of them very humble, but excited, when they put together a wish list. The volunteers sorted through the items, attempting to accommodate each need, then took the items to each Elder’s home. By the end of the day, we had managed to clear most of the front room. The community members who had vehicles came in and delivered the mattresses, beds, etc for their families. Everyone had such a need.  One of the life long community members, an Elder named Ramona Long, age 80+, claimed “This is the best furniture I have had in my whole life”.

      

Another young boy commented “Nothing ever happens in Calico!” Other community members were so proud and happy, they said, “I have never had my own washing machine and bed.” A young man who had helped unload proudly selected a crib and baby items for his young family, commenting that he had not known how he was going to get this for his family.  At the end of the day we were tired but felt very grateful to see all the Community members get what they needed. As we drove away we noticed that everyone was busy cleaning their homes and moving in the new furniture. The whole community was busy !!             

   

The Truck had a total of 18 bikes, and we knew that this was not enough for everyone, therefore, we as a Community decided to use those bikes for our planned Easter Egg Hunt. The Easter Egg Hunt was scheduled to on April 11, 2009 with foot races and Community distribution of food items received from One Nation Walking and Sacred To Many People along with cupcake plates and Easter baskets donated by the Community members. Community members made cupcakes and placed them on decorated plates with real colored eggs. These plates were hand delivered to all Calico Community Elders. The Easter baskets were given as prizes during the egg hunt.

 

 

      The household item distribution was led by Wanda Two Bulls, a Community Volunteer who is not on the Community Board. We were successful in serving well over 20 families with the bedding, washing machines, and furniture items. Some of these families have more than 8-10 people living in a home with some families having multiple families in their home. We expect the service numbers to increase with the clothing distribution.  The Calico Community is one of the largest communities in the Wakpamni district. In FY 09, the applications for heat assistance showed that 890 families were demonstrating need in the Calico Community. There are a total of 79 Elders identified in the Calico Community.  Outside of donations, we had our 1st Annual Mni Huha Wacipi with Co-ed Softball Tournament,3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, Parade and a Walk & Run !!! This was a huge success. We estimate that over 300+ people were in attendance in all events.  It is with Great Gratitude and Sincere Thanks that I can say “Wopila Tanka Iciciyapi” (Great Thanks from me) on behalf of the Calico Community and families.  I would also like to commend Devils Tower-Sacred To Many People and your staff for all your compassion, generosity, and dedication in helping others.  

   

Pilamaya ye, 

Dawn Frank,Calico Community President