Almost a month later...

Almost a month later, here's a picture of VISTAs at the Brandon Hometown Days Arts in the Park Event! Melissa, Mike, and Tami were all involved in Hometown Days in one way or another and all helped out to get the word out about Volunteers of America, Dakotas! Thanks everyone for all your help!

Talking tours in Rapid City

Roast beef over horseradish mayonnaise with slivered shallots, sliced avocado and garden tomatoes on whole wheat bread.

Half a sandwich with a side salad of mixed wild greens, fresh basil, cucumbers and garden tomatoes.

Today we hosted four guests for our second Talking Tour of the season. At a Talking Tour, we provide a modest lunch over a video about Volunteers of America, Dakotas programs and what we offer in Rapid City. The lunch is followed by a brief power point presentation and Q&A, then a tour of the offices and introduction to our staff.
I am given a small budget, so far I've gone over a bit each time, but I'm getting the hang of it. And truly, plates, forks, napkins, these things take out of my budget and don't help the menu at all. I'm looking forward to using the Food Bank more frequently, but it does mean I can't plan my menu until they get their delivery.
 I like to go first to the Food Bank to see what they have since they do have the best prices, hands down, and I try to plan the menu around what's available there. Then I go to Family Thrift or Safeway or Walmart to complete the meal with as many sale items as I can find. Since it's still summer, I've gotten great prices on vegetables. I can't wait till fall and winter, though, so I can make soup!!!

Housing on Rosebud

Hey, Emily! I know you're not doing housing, but I thought you'd like to see this, and maybe some good contacts, too. 


Rosebud Sioux Tribe shows off new housing plant

AmeriCorps Rocks!

Washington's newest AmeriCorps State employee and SD VISTA Carrie, both Clemson graduates

About ten years ago, I went back to school after a 7 year hiatus. It was difficult. I was older than most of my classmates and I hadn't been living in my home town for a while, so I didn't know anybody. There was one girl in my photography class, though, that said she recognized me from being friends with my sister in high school. Turns out, we lived in the same neighborhood, too. 

A postcard shot of the Needle's Eye if ever I saw one: I caught the sunlight bouncing off a cloud through the eye!

Sylvan Lake

a buffalo

a bighorn ram

Over the next decade, we traveled different roads but kept in touch (loosely) and even attended Clemson together. My friend Kristi graduated in May and got a job with AmeriCorps State in Wenatchee, Washington doing direct service which is different from what I do as a VISTA. Kristi stopped by to spend a few days in the Black Hills to explore and see what South Dakota has to offer. She started while I was at work with Dinosaur Park and the Journey Museum, then, with fellow VISTA Robbie, we hit up the Badlands and Wonderland Cave (by far the best location on our tour). Then on Saturday, in 97 degree dry heat, we drove Needles and Iron Mountain Road. We saw Rushmore and Crazy Horse. We dipped our toes in Sylvan Lake and took pictures of buffalo and big horn rams. Later, we enjoyed Beau Jo's Pizza with Robbie and Emily, who was also visiting this weekend. The Black Hills are amazing and I'm glad Kristi stopped by, but also, I'm glad I'm here so she had someone to show her around on her long drive to Washington State from South Carolina. Clemson Girls Rock!!! And AmeriCorps lets us represent our school across the country!

Even fuzzy, this badlands sunset is spectacular.

Carrie enjoying Hole in the Wall picnic area and little cave

In Wonderland Cave, some of these formations seem vaguely human.

Wind Cave claims to possess 98% of the world's boxwork formations. Jewel Cave claims to have the rest.  Wonderland Cave had plenty, though.

Flowstone is an interesting looking formation. It looks like a slime pool, frozen.

Kristi takes advantage of the touchable flow stone area. Wonderland designates two places in the cave where visitors can touch the formations.

This dogtoothspar is one of my son Max's favorite formations. 

Max explains his theories on rock formations to Robbie and Kristi.

This is part of a curtain of formations.

Another section of curtains.

I forget what this formation is called, the part where it's curving upward. The water comes down through a tube and when it's exit is blocked, it sometimes pushes outward from various other points in the formation creating interesting tentacles.

Max drinks the holy water, blessed by the mountain itself and collected for the tours.

drip drip drip through the rocks to create a cave of wonders

A bat!!

Rapid City from Dinosaur Hill

The Badlands

more Badlands

still more Badlands

Robbie lookin' good in the Badlands

I went to Sioux Falls too!

I need to thank Tami Francis, Sara Carothers, Melissa, and the other Sioux Falls Volunteers for helping me have a great time in Sioux Falls. It was worth the 750 miles of driving.

I went to the Big Sioux to meet with Tami and Sara in order to learn everything there is to know about Volunteer Management and creating a volunteer program. They know so much and were able to show me everything I need to lay a solid foundation for my organization's volunteer program. I know my work will be twenty times better because of the few hours I spent with them.

Aside from the interviews, I was able to hang out with Melissa, our VISTA leader, and Michelle and Mandy, two VISTA's serving in Sioux Falls. They each contributed to a delicious potluck lunch at the Help!Line Center.

After work was done for the day, I visited my cousin and his family, ate some wonderful Hy-Vee chinese food, and went down to 8th and Railroad to the Block Party. Melissa and I, along with her friend Lucy and three white rappers from Minneapolis, well, two rappers and a dj, watched the art battle and had a great evening downtown.

Then, the next day I visited Brandon Valley's Hometown Days festival. I ran in the Big Sioux Sun Run that Michelle helped put together. The festival looked like it was going to be a warm, fun-packed day. I hope Melissa, Tami, and Michelle enjoyed themselves and got to share with the entire festival how incredible it is to be part Volunteers of America and VISTA.

Wow. Who knew Sioux Falls was such a cool place?! I sure didn't until I came to visit. I'm already looking forward to the next time I get to visit all of you in the east.

Take care.
- Mike

Cold Pop, Water, or Juice with free rewards, anyone?

I thought I would share this great website with everyone called My Coke Rewards (mycokerewards.com). Basically, you get rewarded if you (or your family, friends, or co-workers) drink any Coke beverage. The codes are found on any Coke beverage and you simply enter them online and you are able to choose from a variety of "Rewards".

I don't drink a lot of pop, but my parents enjoy drinking Diet Coke and because of it, I have been able to get "free" items in the past few years including a pair of shoes and a cooking bowl set, among other things. It's a great VISTA budget friendly resource!

New VISTA in Town

My name is Emily and I just signed on to serve as a VISTA with Volunteers of America-Dakotas in South Dakota. I will be stationed on the Rosebud Indian Reservation for at least the next year and will be working with the community to promote and increase elder volunteerism. I'm very excited to be working and living in Mission, South Dakota. This will be my second year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.

After I graduated from DePauw University in Indiana in May of 2009 I joined VISTA and served in Helena, Montana. I worked with the Montana Council on Homelessness to promote awareness of homelessness in the state of Montana as well as help start a family shelter in the city of Helena. As my VISTA year came to a close I was anxious to find a new opportunity within AmeriCorps and continue a career of service.

I grew up just outside of Saint Louis, Missouri my entire life until I went off to college at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. At DePauw, I majored in History, minored in French and got to experience a semester abroad in Ghana, West Africa and a Winter Term in Istanbul, Turkey. I hope that my diverse experiences will help me support the community in which I am working this year.