Eight Years in Rosebud: A Personal Reflection

Sometimes, when I tell people I'm originally from Massachusetts, they ask, "How did you end up out here in South Dakota?!"

 

The short answer? I was looking for something new. I wanted an opportunity to make a difference, experience a different part of the country, and see where life might take me. When I came across an AmeriCorps VISTA position with the Boys & Girls Club of Rosebud, I decided to take a chance and see where it led. AmeriCorps VISTA helps organizations build the resources and capacity for lasting impact, and I would be supporting the important work BGCR was already doing.

 

During my interview, I was asked about my experience with small towns. At the time, I was living in a Massachusetts community of more than 50,000 people. Moving to Mission, South Dakota, with fewer than 1,200 residents, was going to be quite a change! Everyday things like public transportation, shopping, and access to medical care look very different in a rural community. It's one thing to know that life will be different; it's another to experience that difference firsthand. And there was certainly an adjustment period.

 

What started as a change of scenery became a new way of living. Eight years later, I'm grateful to be woven into the community I came to serve.

 

I have worked at all three BGCR Club sites, primarily in Parmelee, alongside incredible people who show up every day for our youth. I began as a Youth Development Professional and have since returned to AmeriCorps VISTA in a different capacity. Today, as a Resource Development and Impact Specialist, I support BGCR behind the scenes, helping build the resources and relationships that sustain its work.

 

Over the years, I've had opportunities to learn from the people and community around me, deepening my understanding of Lakota history and culture, present-day realities, and the lasting impacts of colonization on Indigenous families and communities. I've also been able to continue my education, taking Lakota language classes and earning a Lakota Studies certificate from Sinte Gleska University, the local tribal college.

 

Through what others have shared with me through Lakota teachings, I've come to appreciate the Seventh Generation principle: considering how the choices we make today may affect generations to come. It offers a meaningful perspective on why investing in young people matters. The opportunities, relationships, and support they receive today can help shape their futures, and that is at the core of what the Boys & Girls Club of Rosebud is all about.

 

I've also witnessed meaningful efforts toward healing, renewal, and growth during my time in Rosebud. I've seen ancestors returned to their families and tribal communities from the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, efforts to bring buffalo back to the land, new schools built, and, at BGCR, gardens flourish, chickens arrive at Club sites, and young people start their own businesses and grow under the guidance of caring mentors. And that's just a small glimpse of all the incredible things happening in Rosebud.

 

I've learned so much from the people I've met and the community I've grown to be part of. I'm glad to play a small role in BGCR's work and have seen what can happen when people believe in young people and continue investing in their futures. From healthy meals and positive mentorship to hands-on learning and new experiences, the Club creates opportunities for youth while providing a source of consistent, year-round programming and support.

 

Much like the seeds planted in the Club gardens, I've watched ideas take root, grow, and become something lasting, with so much more still to come.

 

Eight years ago, I said yes to an opportunity without knowing where it would lead. Today, I'm grateful it brought me here, to a community and a purpose that have become such meaningful parts of my life.