Donations

I have been asked to write this page by a number of people who have found out about the dire straights the Center has been in. They say that the people who care about the Pipe, and Pipestone have a right to know what is happening here. So I will do my best to let you know and maybe you can help in some way. - Gloria

As you have read on other pages of this site Chuck has had the Center since 1988, he has managed to fund it himself and with help from myself and a few other people. We have never applied for a 501c3 for the Center because we felt that we would not be able to apply our usual care and consideration to those who pass through our door every year with the restrictions placed on such a status. So we never applied for grants but continued to pay for things ourselves as best we could. However when Chuck retired and I had to come back to England to live, things started to get on top of us, and the responsibility of the Center fell on Chuck's shoulders completely. Over the years bills have been paid for via credit cards, and those have built up until thousands of dollars are now owing. Yes the bills were paid, but Chuck has been left to pay the credit cards bills from his pension which is a small one.

Chuck has talked about selling the Center as it is the only way he can see to get out of this dilema. He has felt like he is drowning in financial worries and it has caused him to be very depressed. I feel that to sell the Center would be a bad decision but I also see that it is all that he can really do. If he sells up then of course there would be no Indian center in Pipestone, and nowhere that people can go to for their questions to be answered fully, also a big resource of education would be gone.

Chuck and his family have dedicated their lives to the Pipe and to Pipestone, he worked at the National Monument for 31 years and has quarried and made Pipes for almost 60 years. In his mid 60's now this financial burden to continue working for the Pipe is not what he had expected or what he deserves. Considering many people believe that money is being made in Pipestone by the Pipe makers and quarriers you would think that Chuck would have enough money to pay for this, well there isn't money be made and so Chuck is in dire straights. Recently he has started a job at the Casino to make ends meet. For a man who has given his life for the Pipe this is not a fitting thing to be happening to him in his golden years.

In the Center there is a donation box and some people who come in do leave one or two dollars when they leave which does help in a small way, but it only really skims off a small amount of what is owed on the gas, electricity or phone bill.

Now why have these people asked me to write about this? Well they feel that maybe people who are interested in the site, who care about the pipe, who have a pipe themselves or those who follow the red road would maybe want to help the Center by giving a donation. So if anyone would like to help to keep afloat this wonderful resource, that not only brings the Pipe to the People, but also teaches the protocol, and the history of the Pipe, please contact us at the email below, or you could send a check or money order to the address below if you would rather.

All of those who have donated will have their name up in the Center, (unless they let us know otherwise). This will be on a 'Wall of Thanks' so that we can honor your wonderful gift and you.

I am thanking you in advance, and I hope that between us we can keep the doors of the Center open. It is well worth it.

Gloria

littlefeather4@hotmail.com