Thanks from Our Friends at Pine Ridge Reservation!
|
Kiyuksa O'Tipi Reintegration Center Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyapi, Inc. (LOWO) Little Wound Elementary School Little Wound High School Library Red Shirt School Sewing Circle |
March 7, 2008 Hi Chris, I know many of the donated children's books we get for our Build Your Own Library project are coming from Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation donors and we continue to try and send thank you notes to everyone but we may miss some. Please let those in the organization that continue to help us in any way they can know that they are soooooo appreciated. I wanted everyone to know what we are doing with the Build Your Own Library project and why we have chosen this method rather than only doing summer programs or a month. Thanks, Chris, for all your help. I know your donors well understand that libraries are always understaffed. We have such a struggle trying to organize a structured summer program in all the districts on our reservation; so many children aren't able to attend so we thought we would try to help them build their own little libraries so they can ALL have books in their homes. It was with the intent to get these little people and their brothers and sisters the books to take home that we started this project. Needless to say it has been so rewarding personally and professionally for all of us to receive books that are given with love and no strings and we thank you so much for your interest, time and the generosity that we have all benefited from. With the Build Your Own Library project, one of our targets is preschool children and the picture books you are sending are so loved and treasured. We also accept chapter books and junior high materials and paperback novels for teenagers and adults are also very well received. When we first started we had too tight of a schedule and had not anticipated the response we would get from donors and were just buried in books, but we now have a marvelous system worked out where we can sort the books, box them up and can track the approximate number of books we'll have and children we are able to help. This summer we will put it to the test and once again we will go to each of the 11 districts once every two weeks, have story reading for several hours and make sure everyone has 3 to 4 or more books to take home! During the winter we provide donated books to the Early Head Start, Head Start and day care programs across the reservation. Books are sent home with the children and we replenish them on a monthly basis. We also have Tuesday and Thursday story time when little groups of Early Head Start, Head Start and kindergarten children come into the main library and we read to them. We have boxes prepared to send to their centers and then we put a book in every pair of little hands--it is fabulous to see their little faces; ahhhhh life is good! Thank you everyone!
Michelle May
November 9, 2007 Hi Chris, This has been marvelous, we actually are receiving books as I write and have received enough that we will do two book talks--we will have one book talk at our library the second Tuesday in February and the other in April at another center way north, the Eagle Butte center. The biggest thank you to all those in the organization that take the time to donate material that helps us find ways to encourage children and adults to keep reading!!!! Your generosity empowers us to serve a much larger group of families, and community members as well as school children. We are always and always wishing you all the best and the biggest thank you to each and everyone of you!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle May
Sep. 18, 2007 Dear Friends of Pine Ridge Thank you for the Uniforms, Shoes and Totebag that we received through the OLC Nursing Department with your help. Clincals have started and they are busy but exciting! Thank you supporting the OLC nursing program. Sincerley,
__________
Sep 12, 2007 Dear Friends of Pine Ridge, Hello! I am _______ ________ and I am a first year student at Oglala Lakota College for Nursing. I was pleasantly surprised when I was informed that my uniform, shoes, and tote bag were donated to me from your organization. I am extremely appreciative for your generosity. Thank you so much for your donation. I promise to wear my uniform with pride and to give the best possible care that I can give. Thank you!! Sincerely, ___________ Sep 14, 2007 Friends of Pine Ridge, My name is ______ _______. I live in Martin, South Dakota. I am in my first year study of the OLC Nursing. I am e-mailing you nice considerate people who took the time to donate such wonderful gifts to me. I am very fortunate to have the uniform, shoes, and tote bag for my clinicals. I wore them last week on our first assignment. They are very, very nice! I appreciate the gifts very much, and may God bless you all on your thoughtful contributions to all of us at the OLC Nursing Department. Thanks again, ______ _______
February 8, 2007 Dear Chris: School supplies including four rolling book bags have arrived; notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, paper, legal pads and the like. It has been wonderful. The students are very appreciative indeed. We have enough donations to cover a TV with DVD and VCR capabilities for the dorm--that is so wonderful. We hope to purchase it next week. We also received a coffee maker for the dorm and some food and towels. We are so grateful for all this help to make things so supportive for our students. Thank you all again so very much.
Sarah Coulter Danner
August 17, 2006 Dear Chris and Friends: We want you to know how much we appreciate the time and generosity you and your organization has spent over the past year to increase our resources at this library. Your donations have exceeded 40 books, 30 magazine subscriptions and 20 CD's of traditional, ceremonial and contemporary Native American music. It is an amazing experience to watch a patron when they realize we have a resource that has been made by your donation! We appreciate your generosity, your time and your interest. Thank you once again and best wishes to you and yours. Sincerely,
Michelle May & Staff
August 16, 2006 Chris: Please say a huge thank you to all the wonderful people that sent school supplies for our nursing students. We have them here ready for the day they come into orientation. Also, two more rolling book bags arrived. Thank you so very much, you very nice people out there. We should put up a plaque for Friends of Pine Ridge at OLC Department of Nursing! All the faculty join me in saying thank you.
Sarah Coulter Danner MSN, CNM, CPNP June 23, 2006 Chris: You and all the "friends" have been so generous to us. The towels, and wash cloths, rugs and bath mats are so very appreciated. Our dormitory is a great resource for our students. Thank you for making it just that much more useable and comfortable. The pillow cases and tote bags will be very appreciated as well. Please thank all the donors from all of us. Sarah
Sarah Coulter Danner MSN, CNM, CPNP June 15, 2006 Chris: I picked up the vacuum cleaner yesterday. Oh, my I can hardly believe it! Please tell the donors that we are so very grateful. It will be kept in the dorm for use there where we have had to make do without one. Thank you so very much. The white board also arrived and it is wonderful. I hope to have it mounted by Monday. Thank you so much!!!
Sarah Coulter Danner MSN, CNM, CPNP March 30, 2006 Chris, The books have arrived and are already in use by faculty. We think they are excellent. Please thank the donors very much. We are very grateful and the students will benefit from our new ideas and approaches for teaching. Yesterday we received another bedside lamp and some towels, blankets, pens, pencils and soaps. Please thank your donors. They have been taken to the dorm where they will be most appreciated. Thank you so much,
Sarah Coulter Danner MSN, CNM, CPNP December 19, 2005 Dear Friends of the Pine Ridge Reservation: I hope this finds you in good spirits as your gifts have found us!! Thank you all so very much for the magazine drive, the titles are going to be a wonderful addition to our subscriptions at our academic/public library. Your gifts of time and material are greatly appreciated. A special thank you to Chris for including us in your wonderful idea! Thank you again and may you all have a wonderful Christmas. Best wishes to you all!
Michelle May |