Reflections From The Rez

My stay on Pine Ridge has concluded, for now. I left the Rez on Thursday, bound for Rapid City and an airplane that would jet me back into a reality that I wasn't quite prepared for. It has been a bit surreal over the past few weeks as I have packed my things, shipped them home, and attempted to prepare myself for the transition back home. In the last two weeks, as the weather became worse and worse, the requests for help only intensified. In spite of less than optimal weather -- everything from 15 degree days with snow, to 40 degree days with steady rain -- we slogged our way though a project a day at times, in our attempt to help as many families as possible before the end of the season. I made my last trip to Bette's Kitchen, Big Bats, Sioux Nation and the Pine Ridge Subway with Bryan during the last week, spending the time driving US-18 talking about the transition back home, and joking about how our outlook on day-to-day things have changed. It's impossible to describe...

The border town of Whiteclay, Nebraska

In the best of conditions, Pine Ridge challenges many of it's residents to survive on a day to day basis. This summer, at countless job sites, I have watched homeowners struggle to stay cool during the day, evading the blistering sun by chasing the slim shadow cast by their trailers from one side to the other as the heat builds through the day. Many homes sit on the grasslands, with no shade nearby. Running an air conditioner is impractical or impossible in many instances. Rain may cool things off, but brings a new set of issues. Many homes suffer from leaking roofs, an issue we encounter in many of the homes that we work on. With water damage, the whole structure can be compromised, and mold is a huge problem. Dozens of homes that I have worked in this summer have various stages of mold contamination, rotting wood and other issues brought about by water damage. A great number of the roofing problems arise from the incredible winds that take a great toll on the many trailers that d...

The 2000 Census (at which time Shannon County was the second poorest in the United States.) Pine Ridge, SD : -population: 3,171 -racial makeup: 94.2% Native American / 3.72% White -median age: 20 -per-capita income: $6,067 -population below poverty: 61% Augusta, ME : -population: 18,560 -racial makeup: 96.2% White / 0.5% Native American -median age: 40.3 -per-capita income: $19,145 -population below poverty: 15% Last week, for the first time since I arrived in June, I had a break. Re-Member was closed for the week -- the first "down week" since April for the full time staff. Bryan and I decided to head to the Rockies, and Colorado with no agenda, no reservations, no real plans. As we drove out of Pine Ridge, there was the joy to be getting away, mixed with a twinge of "so what do I do if I'm not here?" No sooner had we arrived in Fort Collins, Colorado -- our first stop -- than we were hit with a bit of culture shock. Everything from the mowed and manicured lawn...