"Here it comes!" Happy cheers rose from a crowd of children as the St. Joseph’s Bookmobile pulled up to the elementary school playground on the Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservation. "They love to look at all the books on the truck," said Steve, a teacher at St. Joseph’s who traveled with the bookmobile during the summer. "It’s nice to see the kids that attend St. Joseph’s during the school year bring their friends from their hometowns to pick out books. Sometimes, we even have St. Joseph’s alumni bring their children to pick out books." The Native American families from these tiny, isolated communities are so excited because, in many reservation homes, there are few or no books for children to read. In some cases, the nearest library is more than 30 miles away, making it difficult for parents to get reading materials for their children. For this reason, St. Joseph’s Bookmobile has been delivering books to reservation communities for over 30 years. Every summer, St. Joseph’s travels across South Dakota, offering reading materials to the young and old. In the past, St. Joseph’s has partnered with Reading is Fundamental (RIF) which provided new books for the bookmobile. Due to budget cuts, however, 2011 will be the last year RIF receives funding ... which means fewer books for the Lakota boys and girls. Your support for our bookmobile is more important than ever! Donations of gently used books from our tiyospaye — extended family — have always provided an extra boost to our bookmobile. Now, however, we are relying solely on your generosity. With such great need for books in reservation communities, reading materials are always gratefully accepted. Pilamaya — thank you — for helping us promote reading on South Dakota’s reservations! |
|