Re member reviews

1500804099

Loyalty Fresquez

google

2

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Laura Giles

google

1

It's really easy to be a Monday Morning Quarterback and talk about coulda, shoulda, woulda. My view is from where I sat. I can't speak to what goes on behind the scenes. Just keep that in mind. I volunteered with Re-Member thinking that it's a by Natives for Natives organization. It's not. It's primarily Anglos. There were few Native employees and little Native interaction. We had Lakota speakers but they were all of the same political slant (heavy on the white guilt). Their number one rule is no proselytizing - they reserve that option for themselves. The cost was $546 or something like that. As we were housed in a rough, no climate control bunkhouse and were fed really poor processed food (this from an organization that talks about the negative consequences of processed food or no food), I think they got the better end of the deal. With around 50 people the week I was there, they made about $27,000 that week. I didn't see that in equipment, services, or aid. In fact, a Lakota pulled into the parking lot when I was there. He was looking for someone to speak with. He was upset because he'd been waiting for a bed for a year. Another Lakota told me that he'd been waiting for 4 years for roof repairs. Another said they have good outhouses, but weren't great for anything else. Volunteers are over scheduled. We are told to listen and be still, yet we are scheduled from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30. It's not all work. They have tours and speakers, but most of the speaking was repetitive or political. The best two were Larry and Dakota- neither of whom strayed into that territory. The story of the Lakota is powerful enough to stand on its own without the preaching or guilt tripping. The staff is mean and lazy (exceptions: David, Jerry, Michelle, Erica, Bill).The volunteers had to clean the bunkhouse, vans, kitchen, and laundry area twice as well as do rotating kitchen duty while the staff supervises. Mind you, we don't have access to the laundry room. One staff members said that if we didn't do it, they'd have to do it. They get paid! We don't! Another thing I didn't like was that the volunteers were pimped out to Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center. I didn't volunteer to help Red Cloud. I volunteered to help Re-member. There were so many people and so little work that they had to find something for us to do though. Red Cloud was expecting a visit from investors so we weeded their garden to help them prepare for that. We wasted a LOT of time because of lack of organization. They say they are on Rez time (which means they can be late), but then get upset with the volunteers if we aren't on time. That pretty much sums up the whole experience. There are a LOT of kids and a lot of noise. It's sensory overload with little downtime. It's exhausting. Put that with heat, poverty, and politics and it's hard to walk away feeling good about the time and money spent here. I would have felt like my time and money were more meaningful if we had done more than skirted 3 trailers and delivered about 11 beds for $27,000. I would have felt more fulfilled had my time been used wisely instead of wasted. I also would have felt that the long term needs of the people were being served if they were actually part of the healing process and if what was provided was sustainable. I have been a part of a charity for 12 years. The amount of improvement to individual and community lives has been dramatic. I believe it's because when they dig a well, the whole community digs that well. Why give a bed to someone who doesn't build it, doesn't assemble it, and doesn't have a stake in it? It seems to be perpetuating the problem. Am I glad I came to Pine Ridge? Yes. Absolutely. I had friends here before and I have Lakota friends off the Rez. I am Native too, but no story can prepare you for the reality of the situation. Going to Pine Ridge on your own can be dangerous, so this is a way of doing that in safety. Still, it was an outsider's perspective. There was no intimacy at all.

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Heidi Koller

google

5

Awesome organization. Offering opportunities to make a difference and gain knowledge and insight into the Lakota culture.

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Krystina “Gibbs” Gibbons

google

5

Best service trip site ever 3 days of hard labor 3 days of cultural immersion You learn, work ,meet locals and create lifetime bonds! My NH group loved it there and hope to return next year!

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Linda Bergh

google

5

Very rewarding experience. Week long mission trip.