September Update

 

We’re getting close to the end of another summer here at Re-Member and are excited for the final month of what has been a wonderful season. Senior Week and a few more busy weeks will help us close with a bang. It is so incredible to witness the number of individuals and amount of support that flow through our program every year. Hundreds of meaningful projects completed, a robust garden - planted and cultivated - that continues to grow larger and more impactful each year, connections made, stories shared, lessons learned and the consistent reminder of how very important we all are to one another.

A lot has happened since our last update! Of course, we continue to respond to requests from the community, completing various construction projects weekly across the reservation. We also had a well put in at Feather II, which will greatly increase our crop-watering capacity on the property! Hydrants will be installed to supply water to each of our four high-tunnel greenhouses and ensure our crops never get too thirsty! We plan to continue to grow our garden operations and expand opportunities for the community on the property. There is so much potential at Feather II and we are thrilled to continue to fuel the dream of all that it can be.

The Veggie Wagon has been rolling around the reservation, bringing fresh produce and warm healthy meals to folks in communities across Pine Ridge. Most recently we were in Manderson where we served a delicious stew loaded with veggies from the gardens. We distributed squash, zucchini, potatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers and even our own Re-Member jalapeno hot sauce! We had so much fun hanging out and sharing our harvest with the community. We look forward to getting out in the Veggie Wagon several more times in the coming weeks!

We will continue distributing produce and completing construction projects until the weather dictates that we switch our focus to our Winter Heating Assistance Program.

Re-Member on the Road: We’re coming to a community near you!

We are traveling across Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska this week to visit with Re-Member supporters and volunteers -- and will be heading to New England and New York in October!

For our east coast friends, we'll be in:

We hope you can join us!

Are you interested in having Re-Member staff visit your community in the future? Let us know by replying to this email. We're happy to discuss possibilities.

Plan your 2026 Volunteer Trip to Re-Member:

We will begin accepting trip requests for 2026 on Monday, September 15 at 9 a.m. EDT.

Whether you are interested in our traditional volunteer experience, a mini-week, or our much-requested Way of Life program, there's something for everyone in next year's calendar!

You will find program descriptions and fees (unchanged from 2025), our real-time availability calendar, and much more on our website.

The season begins on Saturday, February 28.

Clouds on a prairie evening

As another season draws closer to its close, we are reminded of all the people who make it possible. We are so grateful to all the volunteers, donors, partners, staff and community members who make it all happen. Thank you for continuing to keep up with our story.

We hope to see you on the prairie in 2026!

Sincerely,
Will Paese
Executive Director

 
Will Paese