September 3, 2009 - The Cheyenne River Youth Project
Transcription
September 3, 2009 - The Cheyenne River Youth Project
Cheyenne River Youth Project ® ® FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cheyenne River Youth Project Contact: East Lincoln Street P.O. Box 410 Eagle Butte, SD 57625 Julie Garreau (605) 964-8200 [email protected] CHEYENNE RIVER YOUTH PROJECT® VOLUNTEERS HOST INTERNATIONAL FAIR AT COKATA WICONI TEEN CENTER EAGLE BUTTE, SD (September 3, 2009) — Volunteering with the Cheyenne River Youth Project® (CRYP) in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, provides men and women from around the world with the opportunity to learn about and experience Lakota culture. It also gives the local community a chance to learn about diverse world cultures — and cuisines. On Thursday, August 20, long-term CRYP volunteers hosted the Cokata Wiconi International Fair at the youth project’s East Lincoln Street campus. Held in the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center’s Internet Cafe, the international fair featured a selection of “stalls” where guests could learn about the featured country or region and sample its cuisine. All ages turned out for the first-time event. “We were thrilled, because we got families and young children as well as teenagers,” said Alexandra Meador, youth programs director. “It was fun to watch everyone trying the different foods, asking questions and socializing with the volunteers.” At the Germany display, Sophia Tauber, Karla Harms, Anna Pallaske, Henrike Kahl, Linda Zech and Alina Nagel tempted passers-by with such culinary offerings as pasta salad, meatballs and potato pancakes with applesauce. At the New Zealand table, guests could indulge a sweet tooth with homemade trifle — or take a walk on the adventurous side with Kiwi volunteers Kieran Buckham, Petrina Hennessy and Carole Spice, who wielded a tube of Vegemite. “All the kids have tried it,” Hennessy and Spice commented at the event, observing that the dark brown, salty, yeasty concoction is deeply beloved Down Under but is not fully appreciated in this hemisphere. At Megan “Jasper” McCallister’s table, guests could sample South American thanks to her study-abroad experiences. They could also discover an all-American treat: Buckeye candy, since McCallister hails from Ohio. Wiyaka Chasing Hawk, CRYP’s wellness coordinator, had a table as well. Here, guests could sample the traditionally prepared, pounded, dried buffalo meat that was a staple for Lakota warriors. As they tasted, Chasing Hawk talked about related Lakota culture and history. CRYP’s staff and volunteers came up with the Cokata Wiconi International Fair concept as a direct result of planning for the organization’s first annual board of directors meeting, held August 22. “Our PR manager’s husband, Richard Steinberger, was coming to town for the meeting as well, and he volunteered to prepare a fancy fourcourse meal for the staff and board members that would be served the night before,” explained Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “He’s from Germany, so his dishes have a European flair. We got to thinking, wouldn’t it be great to share these different foods and flavors with the kids?” She said the volunteers loved the idea and immediately began preparing menus and shopping lists for their own special event. “So much of what we do on a daily basis develops organically like this,” Garreau said. “We planned the dinner for the board and staff as a special icebreaker before the meeting, but also as a dry run for a potential fundraising dinner at Cokata Wiconi. We never expected to generate a new youth event as well, but here we are — and due to its success, international fairs are here to stay.” Meador observed that future fairs may focus on one country at a time. “That way, we can spend more time and resources on each country, offering more foods as well as a more well-rounded educational experience,” she explained. “And each volunteer will have a chance to lead his or her own project, with the other volunteers in supporting roles. It’ll develop leadership and teamwork in our volunteer corps, and it’ll be so much fun for our youth participants and their families because we can host the fairs on a regular basis. We’re all very excited about the possibilities.” Garreau agreed. “The international fair proved, once again, that our volunteers are more than young people providing a service — they are ambassadors,” she said. “They come from countries around the world, and they share their cultures with us as they’re learning about ours. “So many of our volunteers are returning for the second and third times, maybe more,” she continued. “Volunteering here builds connections, and it takes you in directions that you never expected. And that’s very exciting to all of us here.” To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project® and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit CRYP’s recently redesigned Web site at www. lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, visit the youth project’s new Facebook group page. All group members will receive regular updates through Facebook. The Cheyenne River Youth Project, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.
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