BRATTLEBORO — Eleven teenagers and six adults of the Brattleboro Area Interfaith Youth Group spent the Fourth of July holiday week at the Cheyenne River Reservation working with an organization called Simply Smiles that is building community in the impoverished town of Laplante, South Dakota.
The group departed July 1, and flew to Minneapolis before renting vehicles to journey on to volunteer at the Reservation, working on projects to improve housing and provide a week of summer camp for the Lakota tribe that lives there. They will return Aug. 11.
Many members of the Guilford Community Church, Newfane Congregational Church, Dummerston Congregational Church, and Brattleboro Area Jewish Community, and family and friends of those going have contributed funds to make the trip possible.
Lise Sparrow, the pastor at Guilford Church, provides leadership for the trip, along with other adult volunteers.
“The fact that all the teenagers and adults are returning this year speaks for itself,” said JoEllen Tarallo-Falk, one of the adult leaders, adding that everyone agreed the experience last year was transformative.
The group planned to work with Simply Smiles, rehabbing the interior of a home for a Lakota family, building sheds to store wood pellets for economical heating, and concrete pathways to the community center, which was built several years ago. They also planned to help work in the greenhouse and carry out activities in an afternoon summer camp for Lakota kids.
The Brattleboro teens were looking forward to spending time with some of the friends they made last year among the Lakota kids.
There is a movement afoot to address the grave socio-economic conditions and significant mental health problems on the Reservation.
“Simply Smiles has built credibility with the Lakota Tribe over many years and has been able to have a positive impact through home improvements and establishment of a Community Center where there were no resources,” Pastor Sparrow said. “We are bringing our hearts, minds, and hands to help with this effort. Through it we fully expect the youth and adults alike to experience important intercultural awareness.”
The group prepared by learning about events in American history that devastated the native culture.