Last Thursday, Apr. 18, the Cheyenne River Youth Project and the Indian Child Welfare Agency co-hosted a Community Dinner and Easter Egg Hunt at CRYP’s Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life) in Eagle Butte. Scheduled for 6-8 p.m., the special event was open free to the public—and more than 160 community members came through the doors for an evening of delicious food, holiday festivities and fellowship.
“The event was a huge success,” says Meghan Tompkins, CRYP’s deputy director. “We were thrilled to have such a large, enthusiastic crowd, and we’re grateful to both the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s Indian Child Welfare Agency and ABC Committee for helping to make this wonderful evening possible.”
The evening’s home-cooked meal included turkey, ham glazed with chokecherry sauce, green bean casserole, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, several salads, and pie. There were plenty of leftovers for guests to take home, as well.
After dinner, CRYP staff held an Easter egg hunt for ages 6 and under in the Nutrition Center parking lot across from Cokata Wiconi. And, they opened the gates to the Kaboom playground at The Main so children ages 7 and up could search for their own candy-filled eggs.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are,” says Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “A festive, family-style meal and an outdoor Easter egg hunt bring so much joy to this wonderful springtime holiday. It was a lot of fun for all of us, kids and grown-ups alike.”
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.