A message from Executive Director, Will Paese

As we begin the new year, I want to share a brief personal message.

2026 will be my last year with Re-Member. I first set foot on the reservation as a volunteer in 2015 – more than 10 years ago. I turned 21 on that trip. Staff and volunteers sang "Happy Birthday" to me over a piece of toast on a lunch tray with a candle. It was simple and quirky. It was kind and considerate. It was very Re-Member. It was the first of many birthdays and amazing memories for me here on Pine Ridge.

I moved to the reservation and began working as a Construction Assistant for Re-Member in early 2020. It was a semi-eventful year, as you might recall. Despite a global pandemic, no volunteers, and great uncertainties, Re-Member’s work continued. Later that year, I became Operations Manager. I was thrilled to continue in this role as we welcomed volunteers back into our program after being unable to host groups for more than two years. Serving as Executive Director for the past couple of years has been an incredible honor. Working with this community has meant everything, and it is hard to find words that fully express my gratitude to the Oglala Lakota people.

I look forward to the work ahead to set Re-Member up for continued success. You can expect to hear more in the coming weeks about our plans for the next generation of organizational leadership. There is still much to do and so much to be excited about in the next 12 months and beyond.

Our winter heating assistance work continues as we offer seasonal utility payments and firewood deliveries to help families heat their homes. Our crew of Bill, Trevor, Jory, Lane and Mahto is back at the woodpile – cutting, splitting, and making deliveries around the reservation. Kim and Alison, in our office, continue to field requests and work with the community to keep folks informed. Utility assistance was received by more than 200 households in the fourth quarter of 2025, along with hundreds of firewood deliveries. We will provide these vital resources throughout the winter season. We are grateful to our committed staff and to everyone who makes this work possible.

2026 marks our 27th year of welcoming volunteers to the reservation. In addition to our much-loved regular program, we have introduced new opportunities. Mini-weeks are an abbreviated program to accommodate folks who may not have been able to commit to a full-week stay – half the price, half the time, as we like to say. The Way of Life program, led by Kelly and Susie Looking Horse, will return for several sessions, offering an immersive educational experience that dives deeper into Lakota history, culture, and spirituality. We will offer two Senior Weeks and continue to host caring and compassionate professionals for Healthcare Week as well.

Feather II continues to grow and inspire tremendous visions for what can be here on the reservation. The Veggie Wagon will be rolled out more frequently as we finalize programming and grow more produce in our gardens. We plan to add 15 apple trees to our fruit forest this spring and will continue to expand growing operations on the property. Once mature, these trees will provide fresh fruits for years to come! We are implementing a supplemental heating system in our four high-tunnel greenhouses to further protect from rogue frosts and extend our growing season. And of course, we continue a meaningful dialogue with our sometimes friends, occasional enemies, the beavers of Porcupine.

This work is not easy, but it is so very worth it. What has kept me going is the belief and knowledge that there is so much of value here on Pine Ridge. There is so much potential that is too often dismissed or diminished. So much that is and so many who are worthy of investment, attention, and opportunity. There are lessons here that we have forgotten in the larger national and global societies. There are connections to things that remind us of who we are and what it means to be human, and to be part of a community.

Places like Pine Ridge and people like the Oglala Lakota – their culture, their stories, their wisdom – remind us of what we owe to each other and to the life around us – the interconnectedness of all things and the simple truth that we are all related. There are also reminders of our societal failures and shortcomings. Of the ways we can and must be better to inform a healthier and more equitable world. If we acknowledge them, these simple truths can be guiding lights through the ever-increasing uncertainties of our times – we only need to take the time to listen.

I believe in the future of Re-Member because I believe in the future of Pine Ridge – my utmost thanks to everyone in the community, our donors, supporters, volunteers, and staff.

You have made this place a home, and it will always feel like home to me.

Gratefully,

Will Paese
Executive Director