Occasionally, we feature organizations who we know to be reputable that are serving the indigenous community in a number of important ways. Below you will find 3 such organizations working with Native Americans, the Thai community devastated by the Tsunami and orphans in India. Each are non-profit organizations that are working diligently with the local community to support their efforts. In some cases, goods and services are just as important or more so than funding. We hope to bring some of these wonderful people to our events in the future so you can meet them face to face. RESERVATIONS NEED YOUR HELP THIS WINTER From: Standing Elk standingelk1111@hotmail.com Relatives, The following message was sent out on November 1, 2005. The message was given to me by my uncle, Willard Pipeboy from Sisseton SD. I shared this message with Lelie and she was concerned for those that required help. So this plea is real and her organization has my trust and support. Her integrity shines in this effort. Please help and support this effort as well. If you know someone that is able to help, please share this message with everyone. Mitakuye Oyasin Chief Standing Elk Chief Golden Eagle, Chief Black Spottred Horse YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW !!! We need your help this winter. The hurricanes and weather changes have driven up the cost of propane and electricity. Our Relatives to the North (On the Reservations ) are having a hard time paying for heat and electricity. Life on the Reservation is difficult already, the high cost of heat and electricity has made it much harder. Families are having to choose between water and heat or food and heat. Elders have spoken in Ceremony and say that many will die ( especially the elderly) because they cannot heat their houses. We need your help to turn this prophesy around NOW !!We are taking donations to assist families with their propane and electric bills, we are sending donated clothing, blankets and supplies where they are needed and we are getting the word out. Many do not understand what life on a Reservation is like. People think that the tribes and the Government take care of everyone and that there is no poverty, no hardship. There is very little work, many mouths to feed, houses with mold and in need of insulation. People have to wait years for houses to become available and live in cars, tents and whatever they can manage to keep their children warm. We ask for your help in the following areas: 1. Donations in cash and toys for "The Giving Tree". "The Giving Tree" matches a child with a volunteer who sends a new toy to them for Christmas. Last year we made over 60 children smile. Many families do not celebrate Christmas, they cannot afford presents. We ask parents to give us the child's name, address, clothing and shoe size and address. We put the names on the tree at Earth Star and volunteers pick a name and send a gift. If they cannot mail the gift , we do. If they cannot go to Earth Star, we email them the information. ( we are making the lists now for "Giving Tree" if you want to help please email us and we will keep your address on file.) 2. Donations of cash for assistance with propane , water and electricity. We are working with the utility companies on the Rosebud and Yankton Sioux Reservations to help pay the bills. We do not want anyone to die because they could not afford heat. 3. Donations of blankets, coats, shoes and warm clothes. I have addresses of people who are willing to accept the boxes and pass them out to those in need. You can mail them directly or send them to Earth Star. Donations to Rosebud Reservation can be mailed to JIm Spresser 353 E. Todd St Mission, SD 57555 and to the Yankton Sioux Reservation can be mailed to Roz Zephier 430 James Ave Pickstown, SD 57367. Please send Blankets, sweaters, coats, hats, mittens, sneakers, winter boots,baby clothes. please send prewashed or new items. 4. Donations of plastic and caulking for windows and doors. We can make a huge difference if the houses can be sealed against the wind and cold. We need plastic and other materials and if possible people to help with the insulation in houses. You can also send gift cards from Home Depot or Walmart and we can buy the supplies and mail them for you. 5. Plumbers/ Handymen/women to help families repair leaking pipes and faulty plumbing. Leaks cause water damage and black mold. The reservations "Housing " Department has told many families that they do not have the money to repair the leaks and water damage. If volunteers can show people how to make the often simple repairs, mold can be prevented. Many houses are condemned because of black mold. If you can help please email us at earthstarcreations@hotmail.com, call us at 1-800-801-9207, write us at Earth Star 619 S.College ave #1 Fort Collins, Co 80524 Please make checks out to "The Giving Tree " ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTABLE. PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS SO WE CAN SEND YOU A RECEIPT. We Thank You for your help and prayers. Mitakuye Oyasin ( all my relations) Earth Star 619 S.College Ave #1 Fort Collins, Co 80524 1-800-801-9207 www.earthstarcreations.com www.star-knowledge.net Mitakuye Oyasin Standing Elk/Golden EagleChief/ChiefBlack Spotted Horse standingelk1111@hotmail.com The Planetary Awakening Network www.planetawake.org co-ordinator Maggie Erotokritou surya@spidernet.com.cy TSUNAMI CHILDREN'S FUND It was a calm, warm, quiet early morning on Thailand's southern island of Phuket-another typically magnificent beach day. The island, however, would instead awaken to the greatest tragedy the world has ever known. Not only this island, but 11 countries would be affected by the Indonesia based earthquake and its tsunami which shook the entire world into disbelief on Dec 26th, 2004. By now we all know the deadly and disastrous outcome of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, where so many lives, treasured personal possessions and livelihoods were taken away in an instant. As of Jan 2005, it had claimed over two hundred thousand lives, and thousands still are unaccounted for. This foundation started when Thailand's unofficial ambassador to the US, PBS Celebrity Chef Tommy Tang, wanted to find a way to care for the kids left behind. After quickly gathering a group of amazing people, all wanting to donate their talents, services, time and MOST of all, their overwhelming concern for the future of these children, it was decided to create a foundation to supply long term physical and psychological support to the survivors. Through the foundation, he would care for these people on a long term basis. While many countries, corporations and individuals rallied from all over the globe with financial support and man power to help with immediate needs of the people and to start the rebuilding process, the big concern of this group was the future of these children long after this event becomes remote history. Nobody can ever take the place of the parents they had lost, (approximately 1000 children so far are affected -losing one or both parents in Southern Thailand) but someone needed to address the day to day stresses, psychological traumas, educational issues, love and the nurturing of these children into young adulthood. Tommy was going to find a way, and he has found it: The Tsunami Children Foundation of Thailand. This foundation will be active for at least the next 15-18 years in order to see these children grow and to address possible future humanitarian needs which might arise. There will be many fund raisers, as well as this website to raise the monies needed. The first of our fundraisers was MEALS FOR MIRACLES, where 3500 Thai restaurants around the country will donate at least 10% of their gross sales between March 26th - April 1st 2005. Please see the press release below and a list of participating restaurants. We hope that you will share our dream for their progress with us, and we invite you to continue to support the effort in anyway that you can. Tell your family, friends and co-workers. Most importantly, let us not ever forget this tragedy or these children when the next media event occurs. They will need us for years to come, and we intend to be there for them, won't you? www.tsunamicf.org www.letsgetcooking.org PO Box 46700 Los Angeles, CA 90046 818 442 0219 818 782 1777 fax WORKING TO NURTURE THE ORPHANS OF INDIA Please visit www.orphanage.org who are working with orphans in India who are also still feeling the effectives of the tsunami and daily life in general in rural India.