Post by Okwes on Jun 2, 2008 10:58:50 GMT -5
Rsidents reaching out to Indian reservation
www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/default.aspx?tabid=71&pDesc=3551,1,1
<http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/default.aspx?tabid=71&pDesc=3551,1,\
1>
[file:///H:/Photos/0509 Book Story 1.eps]
Clah TwoEagles stands under the sign near Lame Deer, Mont., where the
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation is located.
As the forlorn wind blows through a desolate prairie, it is often filled
with overwhelming despair.
The deteriorating schools, which lack adequate books makes it hard for
residents to break the cycle of poverty.
The Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation "is one of the most
impoverished Indian reservations in the entire country," said Clah
TwoEagles. Being on the reservation is "like going to a fourth world
country."
A group of Fremont County residents are working to change the course of
the Cheyennes' lives when they take a load of books to the
reservation in Lame Deer, which is southwest of Billings, Mont.
When TwoEagles travels to the reservation, he said it is hard to see the
Indians living in such poverty.
"You go up there and look at those people, you might as well be
looking at the most indigent countries in Africa," TwoEagles said.
"They've lost hope."
After former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell described the poverty to
residents, the project became a Florence initiative to reach out to the
tribe to help them with educational material, said John Williams,
committee member.
TwoEagles, who is a member of the tribe, said it is hard to see the
despair.
"It breaks my heart when I go up there because the government
won't even allow them to drill water wells so they can irrigate
their fields to grow crops for their horses and cows," TwoEagles
said. "The schools are all run down" and the books are sparse.
Without an education, it's hard to get a good paying job or leave
the reservation, he said.
"The government wants to keep the Cheyennes down because they were
such a fierce" tribe, TwoEagles said. "But times have
changed."
He plans to take the books to the reservation as soon as he raises the
money to pay for traveling expenses.
To help him, a fund has been set up at the Pueblo Government Agencies
Federal Credit Union in Florence under the name of "Northern
Cheyenne Education Fund."
If any funds are left over, it will be used to take educational material
to the Northern Cheyenne.
Two years ago, the committee collected a load of books, which was picked
up by several members of the tribe. Spurred by several trips which
TwoEagles made to the reservation, the group decided it was time to
collect more books for them.
TwoEagles and Williams said they are grateful to those who collected
reading material: Florence-Penrose School District, Pueblo Community
College, Custer County elementary schools, Wetmore, Harrison School,
Cañon City Public Library and the Pueblo City-County Library
District.
Anyone who would like to donate money to transport the books to the
reservation in Montana may bring checks or send them to the Pueblo
Government Agencies Federal Credit Union at 123 S. Pikes Peak Ave.,
Florence, CO 81226.
www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/default.aspx?tabid=71&pDesc=3551,1,1
<http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/default.aspx?tabid=71&pDesc=3551,1,\
1>
[file:///H:/Photos/0509 Book Story 1.eps]
Clah TwoEagles stands under the sign near Lame Deer, Mont., where the
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation is located.
As the forlorn wind blows through a desolate prairie, it is often filled
with overwhelming despair.
The deteriorating schools, which lack adequate books makes it hard for
residents to break the cycle of poverty.
The Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation "is one of the most
impoverished Indian reservations in the entire country," said Clah
TwoEagles. Being on the reservation is "like going to a fourth world
country."
A group of Fremont County residents are working to change the course of
the Cheyennes' lives when they take a load of books to the
reservation in Lame Deer, which is southwest of Billings, Mont.
When TwoEagles travels to the reservation, he said it is hard to see the
Indians living in such poverty.
"You go up there and look at those people, you might as well be
looking at the most indigent countries in Africa," TwoEagles said.
"They've lost hope."
After former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell described the poverty to
residents, the project became a Florence initiative to reach out to the
tribe to help them with educational material, said John Williams,
committee member.
TwoEagles, who is a member of the tribe, said it is hard to see the
despair.
"It breaks my heart when I go up there because the government
won't even allow them to drill water wells so they can irrigate
their fields to grow crops for their horses and cows," TwoEagles
said. "The schools are all run down" and the books are sparse.
Without an education, it's hard to get a good paying job or leave
the reservation, he said.
"The government wants to keep the Cheyennes down because they were
such a fierce" tribe, TwoEagles said. "But times have
changed."
He plans to take the books to the reservation as soon as he raises the
money to pay for traveling expenses.
To help him, a fund has been set up at the Pueblo Government Agencies
Federal Credit Union in Florence under the name of "Northern
Cheyenne Education Fund."
If any funds are left over, it will be used to take educational material
to the Northern Cheyenne.
Two years ago, the committee collected a load of books, which was picked
up by several members of the tribe. Spurred by several trips which
TwoEagles made to the reservation, the group decided it was time to
collect more books for them.
TwoEagles and Williams said they are grateful to those who collected
reading material: Florence-Penrose School District, Pueblo Community
College, Custer County elementary schools, Wetmore, Harrison School,
Cañon City Public Library and the Pueblo City-County Library
District.
Anyone who would like to donate money to transport the books to the
reservation in Montana may bring checks or send them to the Pueblo
Government Agencies Federal Credit Union at 123 S. Pikes Peak Ave.,
Florence, CO 81226.