Thanks!

Hi Betsy,

I just feel as if we, as a B.O.D, have been so remiss in not expressing our wonder and awe at what the good folks out there have done and are doing for Pretty Bird Woman House.

Last spring when Norman Bier stood up on behalf of the women of Standing Rock and set up the Chip In Site, we talked and talked about writing a letter. And now, you and your friends are doing the same so we can have a Shelter! It really does take one’s breath away….truly!

Two of us live about 100 miles from McLaughlin and when we do gather at the Office their for our Meetings, we have so much to ponder and look at. We’ve worked long and hard to develop and set into place all of our Policies/Procedures, etc. and all of the other every day things that come up and need to be dealt with. We are working very hard to make sure we dot every i and cross every t!!!

I think one of the biggest problems is that there are not words to truly convey how we feel. I remember one day last spring, while we were having a Meeting, Georgia brought the mail and handed each of us a stack, telling us to start opening it. Betsy, in less than 10 minutes, I was holding a little under $15,000 in my hand! For Pretty Bird Woman House! I couldn’t speak; we just looked at one another and cried.

Our vision, our dreams for the women of Standing Rock….it’s happening and it is happening because of folks the likes of yourself, Norman, your colleagues, and all of the caring folks out there who believe and want to make a difference in the world.

I think of those 61 courageous women from Standing Rock, as well as the women from Alaska and Oklahoma who came forward to Amnesty International with their stories. What they did was so very brave and risky. We know that many of them had never ever told their stories before, some of them were Elders in their 60’s and 70’s!

What I’m saying is the actions of all of you, once you read the A.I. Report, tells women and their children….”we believe you and you don’t have to live that way. You have a right to be safe and we’re going to help you be safe.” Too many times, women are doubted and not believed.

So, to each and every one of you, thank you for believing and standing beside each one of us!

Working to end violence against women and children, I am

Respectfully,
Shirley Erhart
Rural Outreach Advocate/CISS
B.O.D. Member/PBWH

P.S. Isn’t our Georgia just a gem? I consider it a gift to have her in my life…..
I am blessed to call her a Sister

And thank you so much for this. If anyone doubts if this has an impact this is what happens when you give:

I just got off the phone with Georgia Little Shield, Director and Advocate at the Pretty Bird Woman House. Over the weekend, the shelter received a call from a woman who needed to be evacuated. If this had happened on Thursday, the shelter would not have been able to do much more than take the call. But because of your efforts, Georgia was able to tell this woman: “Don’t worry about the money–we have money coming. Just get out and come in.”

That’s what happened when the progressive blogs stepped in and helped last time. This time, we buy the building, get Pretty Bird Woman House a permanent home and access to the grants and funding to make them a permanent shelter for the women of the Standing Rock reservation.

Thank you.

Download the igive window, and it all happens automatically (the site also lists discounts and coupons foryour purchases on dozens of sites) and they’re the top sites, you’d use anyway.

I painlessly gave $62, just in the last two weeks, doing my normal Christmas and business shopping.