As the Rez Turns
I think I've finally settled in, caught up with myself, and started to process being back -- three weeks later. It seems like it has been longer, actually. The familarity of my surroundings: seeing the same people at Bats from last summer, working in the same communities, and getting back into the routine at Re-Member.
This season, I've taken on a number of new roles with the organization, allowing me to be more closely involved with the day-to-day and long-term operations. I am also coordinating our Program Manager staff, consisting of former volunteers who elect to come back with us for anywhere from three to eight-plus weeks as staff. It is both a challenge, and an opportunity to coordinate this program, as I was in that role last year.
Spending more time in the office does have certain drawbacks, the greatest of which is spending less time out in the communities. I have certainly found myself missing the amount of interaction that comes with being in homes every day.
With being in the office comes a different kind of interaction: requests. For a little insight, here is a sampling of the intakes for today.
Porcupine: Home clean-up, flooring is collapsing, plumbing issues with toilet. Roof is peeling back, and leaking. Has an outhouse, but needs a new hole dug.
Oglala: Family is sleeping on the floor. Need a bunkbed.
Pine Ridge: Moving into a new trailer that doesn't have skirting around it. The ceiling is also collapsing.
Wolf Creek: Living in a trailer with no electric. Need wiring.
Calico: Need an outhouse
Pine Ridge: Plumbing froze over the winter. Needs to install a new hot water heater and new plumbing.
This season, I've taken on a number of new roles with the organization, allowing me to be more closely involved with the day-to-day and long-term operations. I am also coordinating our Program Manager staff, consisting of former volunteers who elect to come back with us for anywhere from three to eight-plus weeks as staff. It is both a challenge, and an opportunity to coordinate this program, as I was in that role last year.
Spending more time in the office does have certain drawbacks, the greatest of which is spending less time out in the communities. I have certainly found myself missing the amount of interaction that comes with being in homes every day.
With being in the office comes a different kind of interaction: requests. For a little insight, here is a sampling of the intakes for today.
Porcupine: Home clean-up, flooring is collapsing, plumbing issues with toilet. Roof is peeling back, and leaking. Has an outhouse, but needs a new hole dug.
Oglala: Family is sleeping on the floor. Need a bunkbed.
Pine Ridge: Moving into a new trailer that doesn't have skirting around it. The ceiling is also collapsing.
Wolf Creek: Living in a trailer with no electric. Need wiring.
Calico: Need an outhouse
Pine Ridge: Plumbing froze over the winter. Needs to install a new hot water heater and new plumbing.
hey cory!
ReplyDeletegood you're back on the rez. i had a long talk about pine ridge today at an interview (with a homelessness policy org here in dc). i'm glad you're back so i can live vicariously through your blog.
i remember taking requests last summer and feeling awful every time i got a request like the ones you've listed, and believe me, as you know, there were tons, and saying that at this point in time we wouldn't be able to go to their homes until the following march. ugh.
anyways, keep us posted, good luck and say hello to everyone :D if i don't get a full time job in the next couple of months i'm roadtripping out there.