Cheyenne River Reservation residents need fuel, batteries, food after winter storm

Thanks to Alray Nelson, a community organizer, for the continued updates on what’s happening at Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. The Lakota people there are reeling from last week’s ice storm, a whopper that left thousands of people without power and water. “While many Red Cross resources are being diverted to relief efforts in Haiti, there is still the need for money and supplies in the upper Midwest, specifically for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, which has a full list of needed medical and general supplies,” writes Nelson, who also noted that power outages forced 35 kidney dialysis patients from the tribe to temporary relocate to Rapid City, S.D. The reservation citizens also need glucose strips, first aid kits and children’s medicine.

The local Wal-mart has sent food and supplies, but in-kind contributions are being accepted. Here’s a breakdown of what the tribe requests:

•Non-perishable food
•Coats
•Heat sources (heaters & fuel)
•Camp stoves & fuel
•Lithium 1, 2 and 3 batteries for law enforcement
•Lamps/Batteries/Lamp Oil
•Toilet paper
•Paper products for the shelters
•Pampers/formula
•Hand/baby wipes/Hand sanitizer

Ship in-kind donations to:
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman’s Office
Attn: Ice Storm Emergency Supplies
PO Box 590
2001 Main Street (Tribal Offices)

Jodi Rave