The Cheyenne River Youth Project is moving forward with plans for its new playground at The Main youth center, which serves 4- to 12-year-olds on South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. On Wednesday, Apr. 25, it will welcome Kaboom representatives for a special Design Day at its campus in Eagle Butte, and staff members are encouraging community members of all ages to attend and share their ideas.
What:
Design Day
Who:
* The Cheyenne River Youth Project
* Kaboom, a national nonprofit dedicated to bringing playgrounds to communities in need
Where:
CRYP campus
702 4th Street (south of the powwow grounds)
Eagle Butte, SD
When:
Wednesday, Apr. 25
Site Walk, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Kids Portion, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Adults Portion, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Why:
Design Day provides an important opportunity for members of the Cheyenne River community to share their design ideas for this new play space. During the kid portion of the afternoon, children can use creative materials to share their vision; afterward, adults may ask questions and share their own unique perspectives regarding the community’s needs.
“This is an exciting opportunity, especially for Cheyenne River’s children,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “They’ll be able to draw and dream to make their ideal play space a reality. Then, Kaboom will take all of our ideas and come back a week later with a specific proposal.
“We’re so grateful to the team at ‘The Hero Effect’ for making this possible,” she continued. “These wheels were set in motion two years ago, and thanks to their friendship and dedication, our kids will finally be getting a brand-new playground at The Main.”
What’s Next:
Build Week for the playground is scheduled for July 26-28, 2018. Kaboom will devote two days to prep work, and construction will be completed on the third day. CRYP will be seeking 125-200 volunteers to help with prep and building.
For more information about Design Day and Build Week, contact Jerica Widow at (605) 964-8200 or youthpd.cryp@gmail.com. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on Facebook (/LakotaYouth), Twitter (@LakotaYouth) and Instagram (@waniyetuwowapi).
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.