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In This Issue
Keya Gift Shop Online: JANUARY SPECIAL!
Volunteer with CRYP
CRYP's Sponsor Enrichment Activities
Sponsor a Birthday Cake at The Main
Meet Our Board of Directors
Support CRYP with Amazon Smile, GoodSearch & GoodShop, and Capital One
Check Out Our Needs List
Our Mission
300 Letters Still Need Adoption in Xmas Toy Drive
Enter to Win an Authentic Lakota Star Quilt
Wellness Wednesdays Are Back
45 Teens Completed Lakota Culture Camps This Fall
CRYP Hosts Annual Xmas Parties for Children & Teens
Hall of Fame: Charly Etzkorn
Hall of Fame: Maliyah Lee
Quick Links
  News
   
Select items from CRYP's Keya (Turtle) Gift Shop are now available online, and proceeds benefit the nonprofit organization's youth programming and family services.

JANUARY SPECIAL:

Long-sleeve, crew-neck CRYP shirts in white, tan and gray:

S-XL $17.25
(regular price $23 sale) 

XXL-XXXL $18.00
(regular price $24)

Quantities are limited, so order yours today!



By supporting the Keya Gift Shop, you're also supporting  local artists and craftspeople; our youth artists, who are learning how their creative passions might translate to possible career opportunities; and our teen interns, who work in our gift shop every day, developing valuable skills in customer service, financial literacy and business management.



   

CRYP is actively seeking volunteers to work at our Eagle Butte campus. 

 

If you are interested in applying for our volunteer program, please click here to learn more!

 

 

Sponsor Enrichment Activities for CRYP Youth

 

The Main youth center and Cokata Wiconi teen center are looking for sponsors to support art and athletic enrichment activities for our after-school and summer programs. 

 

We are actively looking for people willing to make monetary or in-kind donations to fulfill these needs. You can donate online by clicking the link below or by mailing donations to the Cheyenne River Youth Project, P.O. Box 410, Eagle Butte, SD 57625.  

 

If you'd like to see a Needs List for our enrichment programs, please contact us at (605) 964-8200 or send us an email at lakotayouth@gmail.com

 

 


Sponsor a Birthday Cake at The Main!
Main Birthday Party 1
Few days in a child's life are as precious as his or her birthday. Unfortunately, for far too many underprivileged children, that day passes with little celebration - if any at all. CRYP wants to make sure that the young children who attend The Main youth center have the birthday festivities they deserve.

Each month, The Main hosts a birthday party for the children whose birthdays fall during that month. To offset the cost of each party, CRYP seeks monthly sponsors to contribute $40 for the birthday cake. Please consider sponsoring a birthday cake this year! Every dollar makes such a difference in the lives of Cheyenne River's children.

Meet Our
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Jeremy Patterson

VICE PRESIDENT
Karla Abbott

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Jeffrey Meyer

DIRECTORS
Kibbe Conti
Peggy Gallipo
Lonnie Heier

For more info and bios, click here!

Support CRYP When You Shop Online!
What if CRYP earned a donation every time you searched the Internet or made an online purchase?

Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to CRYP when you shop at smile.amazon.com. To make shopping even easier, you can add the AmazonSmile 1 Button to your web browser.

Then there are GoodSearch and GoodShop.

GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up.

GoodShop.com is an online shopping mall that donates up to 30% of each purchase to your favorite cause. Hundreds of great stores have teamed up with GoodShop so that every time you place an order, you'll be supporting your favorite cause.

And, if you download the
"GoodSearch - Cheyenne River Youth Project - CRYP toolbar," our cause will earn money every time you shop and search online EVEN if you forget to go to the GoodShop or GoodSearch sites first! Click here to add the toolbar.

While you're online, you even can make a secure donation with your Capital One credit card. Simply click here. You even can add an easy-to-use widget for future contributions.

Needs List
Three girls

CRYP relies on in-kind donations as well as funding to continue our mission. If you'd like to help, please check out our Needs List. You also may contact us at (605) 964-8200 if you'd like a copy of our most up-to-date list and price quotes for particular needs. Thank you for your support!
Our Mission


Spanish Class at The Main
The Cheyenne River Youth Project is dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities, ensuring strong, self-sufficient families and communities.
 
Join Our Mailing List
January 2019 News
 

Our Christmas Toy Drive Served a Record 1,700-Plus Children This Holiday Season


CRYP has announced that it served a record number of children in its 29th annual Christmas Toy Drive. The nonprofit, grassroots organization also has released touching photographs from this year's drive.

The youth project brought Santa Claus to more than 1,700 children across 20 reservation communities in 2018, a herculean task that was made possible through the support of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Spirit of Sovereignty Foundation, Square, Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, Gitlin Family Foundation, Toys for Tots, the Rapid City Woodworkers Association and a broad range of additional nonprofit partners, businesses, schools and individuals across the country. 

"We're so grateful to our donors and partners, as well as to all the dedicated volunteers who helped bring Santa to our kids," says Julie Garreau, CRYP's executive director. "This is such an important program, for many reasons. It's not just about toys. It's about bringing a little joy and magic into the lives of our children, who have to grow up far too fast here. It's about letting them just be kids, and showing them how loved and treasured they are. It's about easing the burden on their families. It's really about making dreams come true. 

"Lakota Summer," an authentic Lakota star quilt hand-made by Cheyenne River Sioux tribal member Bonnie LeBeaux.

We Have a Winner! 

We're pleased to announce that  Lyn Madsen from Underwood, Iowa, is the winner of our "Lakota Summer" star quilt.  Congratulations, Lyn!

And a heartfelt thank you to everyone who bought raffle tickets, sold raffle tickets and simply helped us spread the word. This annual star-quilt raffle is an important piece of our Christmas Toy Drive fundraising, and we couldn't do it without you. Pilamayeye.


Back by Popular Demand:
Wellness Wednesdays Gymnastics 

Last fall, CRYP launched a "Wellness Wednesdays" program at Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life). With installments for both younger children and teens, courses included gymnastics, dance and circuit training; gymnastics, in particular, was wildly popular among the younger children.

So, CRYP staff decided to bring it back this month!   "Wellness Wednesdays: Gymnastics" takes place at Cokata Wiconi every Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. It's open free to 4- to 12-year-olds. Not only does this program allow children to learn the fundamentals of the sport and engage in physical activity during South Dakota's cold winter months, it gives them the opportunity to interact with CRYP's Native Wellness teen interns, who help design wellness programming and serve as youth mentors.

COMING UP: Youth Programs Assistant Anthony Potter will be launching a special weightlifting edition of Wellness Wednesdays on Jan. 30!


Main University Launches Its Winter Semester for 4- to 12-Year-Olds

Also kicking off this month is the winter semester of Main University. Open free to 4- to 12-year-olds, the program is running for six weeks, with one class per week from Jan. 15 to Feb. 19. Students who complete all six classes may participate in a special graduation ceremony on Feb. 26. 

"Main University was created by a CRYP volunteer in 2002, and it remains one of our most beloved programs," says Jerica Widow, youth programs director. "The kids look forward to every new session. They're excited to learn about new subjects that interest them, and they're so proud when they earn the right to graduate in front of their family members."

A recipient of the "Champion for Children" award from the South Dakota Coalition for Children, Main University gives our kids opportunities to take short courses that mimic those offered in a college setting, allowing them to explore subjects that may not be offered in school. Students learn the importance of taking responsibility for their attendance and their work, interacting with instructors, and being part of a team; they also learn to follow their passions, gaining valuable life skills along the way.

"That's at the heart of every program here at CRYP," explains Julie Garreau, executive director. "We offer opportunities to which our kids might not otherwise have access. It's so important for their growth and overall well-being."



CRYP Will Distribute Winter Coats and Clothing on Jan. 23

On Wednesday, Jan. 23, CRYP will host its annual Winter Coat Distribution at its Eagle Butte campus. From 1 to 6 p.m., the nonprofit community organization will be distributing winter coats to members of CRYP Family Services program.

With the support of a variety of donors from across the country, including Running Strong for American Indian Youth, the youth project also will be distributing boots, pull-over fleeces, and winter kits that include scarves, caps and gloves. Heads of households must be present, and any children on their household lists also must attend so they can try on the winter coats to make sure they fit. Interested families can purchase their own Family Services memberships at the door for just $30.

"We encourage all interested community members to come on Jan. 23 and learn more about Family Services," says Julie Garreau, CRYP's executive director. "You don't need to be current members. If you purchase a 2019 membership for your family that day, you can get the winter coats you and your family need."


January Hall of Fame:
Maliyah Lee 

This month, we're shining the spotlight on one of our newest teen participants at Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life). Eagle Butte resident Maliyah Lee, 14, first started coming to our campus this past December, and she's already completed her first internship. 

Maliyah says she immediately liked CRYP because the staff and volunteers were friendly and welcoming. Then she saw the application for the teen internship program.

"I knew it was something different that I wanted to try," she remembers. "I was told you get to meet people from all over the world, and that seemed pretty awesome to me."


Thank you so much for your interest in our youth project, and for your ongoing support as we pursue our mission in the community.

To learn more about CRYP and its programs, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Sincerely,
 
All of us at the
Cheyenne River Youth Project