Your Help is Needed Now!

Last Sunday we talked about the plight of the Native Americans in South Dakota. The region has been battered by unusually cold and inhospitable weather this winter. I was honored to have Beki (Tat2dnurse) on as a guest to talk about this, and was equally honored to have Robin from NAMAPAHH Radio in the chatroom.

These folks need our help. As we discussed on the show it is an easy and almost seductive thing to think that the Native Americans live off the land, and easily fend for themselves. Well, 100 or so years ago, they could, but the Native Americans of today are just as dependent on electricity, running water, ect as we are. Right now you have a population of 15,000 living on 2.8 million acres. To cut it down to size that works out to about 2800 acres per person. In one of the most recent storms many of them lost power. Right now as they await the repair of almost 3000 telephone poles many of them have no running water, due to the fact that it's well water, no electric, no water pump, and the water system they do have is almost 200 years old.

I had promised some links during the show, sorry it's taken me so long but I'm traveling and have access only to not so fast internet on my laptop but this couldn't wait until I got home so here it is;

http://ndnnews.info/news/2010/01/disaster-declared-on-the-cheyenne-river-sioux-indian-reservation-in-south-dakota/

http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Cheyenne-River-Tribe-Storm-Relief-Emergency-Assistance

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_95604146-0ab5-11df-88a7-001cc4c03286.html

You can donate at any Well's Fargo branch (I was not able to find out if you can donate at Wachovia which is owned by Wells Fargo, will post here if I do) and any little bit helps.

One final note, not to take anything away from the victims of the Haiti earthquake, that is also a devastating tragedy. I would like to note however that for every dollar given to help the Haitian people on average only one CENT goes to actually helping these people. Think about it on a larger scale, out of every THOUSAND dollars donated, they get ONE dollar.

It's great everyone is jumping onboard and helping the Haitian people out, they certainly need it, but so do some very proud folks closer to home.

Thank you for your support.