Pine Ridge Winter Clothes and Blanket Drive
Thank you! Philámayayapi
I want to take time to thank all of you who brought donations to the Pine Ridge Reservation Winter Clothes Drive. It was a wonderful turnout that we have just begun to box up for delivery. This will be an annual drive each October to benefit the children and adults who face challenges to stay warm during winter months.
If you would like to contribute to the needs of Pine Ridge Reservation, you can go
to Amazon and they keep a gift list for the reservation. Just remember to put Pine
Ridge as your address as you checkout. Amazon will ship your purchase. Use this
link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2W1J19J6FE4JX/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex
You can also go to https://www.re-member.org/contact or
https://friendsofpineridgereservation.org to see specific or emergency needs.
I pray that God would bless you for your generosity and compassion.
Billy Mills
Billy Mills, also known as Tamakoce Te’Hila (Oglala Sioux), who was a track and field athlete, won a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His 1964 victory is considered one of the greatest Olympic upsets.
Mills was raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Mills took up running while attending Haskell Institute, in Lawrence, Kansas where he won the 1956 KSHSAA Class B State Championship in Cross Country. He attended the University of Kansas on an athletic scholarship, and was a three-time NCAA All-America cross-country runner. In 1960, he won the individual title at the Big Eight cross-country championship. After
graduating in 1962, with a degree in physical education, Mills entered the
United States Marine Corps. He was a First Lieutenant in the Marine Corps
Reserve when he competed in the 1964 Olympics.
The favorite in 1964 for the 10,000-meter event was Ron Clarke of Australia,
who held the world record. Mills was largely unknown as a runner. His time
in the heats was a minute slower than Clarke’s record time. With two laps to
go, only two runners were still with Clarke. He had run a world record time
of 28:15.6, while neither Gammoudi nor Mills had previously run under 29
minutes. Mills and Clarke were running together, with Gammoudi im-
mediately behind, as they entered the final lap. Mills pulled out to lane
4 and sprinted past them both!
Mills is the co-founder of the nonprofit Running Strong for American Indian Youth. Mills is the subject of the 1983 movie Running Brave. President Barack Obama awarded Mills the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal.
A great role model for Pine Ridge and an example for all of us. I pray the youth of Pine Ridge Rez can find their dreams again.
Kathy Nunn
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV