Once again, the local Dairy Queen is planning its popular “Sweet Tooth for Youth” fundraising event to benefit the Cheyenne River Youth Project. From Sunday, May 5 to Saturday, May 11, $1 of every malt, shake, Blizzard and Orange Julius purchase will be donated to CRYP.
The goal for the fourth annual fundraiser, say DQ owners Lonnie and Jackie Heier, is to raise $2,000 to benefit youth programming and to raise awareness about the nearly 25-year-old youth project’s mission in the community.
“In the last three years, we’ve consistently raised more than $1,000 for the youth project,” Lonnie Heier commented. “We’ve been thrilled with turnout, particularly in such a small community, but we know we can draw even bigger crowds. So that’s our goal, and we’re going to work closely with CRYP staff and volunteers to spread the word.”
Not only will staff members and volunteers be posting signage for the event across the Cheyenne River reservation, many are signing up to appear at Dairy Queen dressed as ice-cream shake with a cherry on top. And, CRYP is developing a “Buy a Blizzard” program for area youth; that way, donors around the country can make a contribution.
“In the past, ‘Sweet Tooth for Youth’ has strictly been a local fundraiser,” explained Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “Many of our friends who live out of state have expressed their desire to help out, and their disappointment in not being able to be on site to buy the sweet treats. With the new ‘Buy a Blizzard’ program, we’re giving those supporters a way to participate, and in turn, even more kids can join in the fun.”
The idea is to keep a record of all the “Buy a Blizzard” donations, and on a particular day, make one big delivery to the kids for whom the treats are intended. Donations can be made online at www.lakotayouth.org; simply make a note that the contribution is for “Sweet Tooth for Youth.”
According to Garreau, the most rewarding aspect of this annual spring fundraiser is the partnership with a local business, one that has shown its steadfast support for CRYP and its mission time and again.
“It means more than words can say, to have a local business show us this kind of support,” she explained. “And this really is a community-wide effort; it’s exciting that local families and children of all ages can show their support as well. With every sweet treat they buy, they’re supporting what we do. That means everything to us.”
Garreau emphasized that every dollar raised through the “Sweet Tooth for Youth” fundraiser will directly support CRYP’s programs, which have been serving children and families on the Cheyenne River reservation for a quarter century. She also acknowledged the importance of community fundraisers like this one.
“While we do conduct national and international fundraising efforts throughout the year, community fundraisers are so much more than raising money for a cause,” she explained. “They foster goodwill, and they bring members of the community together for a common purpose. That has immeasurable value.”
When the fundraiser kicks off on Sunday, May 5, CRYP will post fundraising updates through Facebook and Twitter. To follow the fundraiser’s progress as it marches toward its $2,000 goal, join CRYP’s social media community and log on throughout the week.