History behind the Christmas Drive for Rosebud Reservation
My name is Jeff Madewell and I am a musician from West Milton, Ohio. In December of 1999, I found a link on a website that gave me the idea to organize a Christmas drive for Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. I had been feeling the need to somehow lend a hand to others that Christmas, but just could not figure out what I could offer. I lost about 95 percent of my vision at the age of 19, and understand that everyone needs help sometimes.
While doing a web search on the Lakota language , I was led to the Web site essentialdreams.com. As my speech software was reading the various icons on the home page, I heard it say "How can you help?" I followed that link to a paragraph or two about the desperate need for warm clothing, bedding, and food for the children and elders on Rosebud Reservation, and that a new toy might bring a smile to a Lakota child at Christmas.
I immediately knew I had been led there for a reason. This was what I had been praying and waiting for. I spoke to a very compassionate gentleman by the name of Louie, the owner of the Web sight, and expressed interest in starting a Rosebud Christmas drive in my home town. Louie had spent a lot of time on Rosebud and knew first hand of the dire conditions some of the families were living in.
After talking to him for a while, he agreed to give me the number for a person to contact on Rosebud if the drive was successful. I assured him I would be calling in a few weeks to get the information I would need. I have been blessed with an incredible family and circle of friends, so I knew I could count on their help. After getting several volunteers and the permission to use a local factory as a drop-off for donations, we began handing out fliers at local businesses and calling any aquaintances we could think of. We collected 7 skids of donated items, which included warm clothing, blankets, bedding, food, and toys. They were taken to Rosebud free of charge by a national trucking company.
Louie put me in contact with an elder on Rosebud and we made arrangements for the truck to deliver the items directly to her home. This wonderful lady has opened her home as a "distribution center" every year since. She and I have become very close over the past years and I truly cherish her and her family.
The drive has been consistently more successful each year, gaining media attention and spilling over into adjacent communities. I have received packages of donated items from all over the United States and from as far away as Spain. From 2005 to the present, we have sent a full 52' semi trailer loaded with donations from those who genuinely want to make a positive difference at Christmas in the lives of families living on Rosebud Reservation.
This effort is a part of me now, and I cannot express the gratitude for all of the businesses, churches, schools, citizens of West Milton and the surrounding communities, and people from far away that give so very graciously each year. My deepest thanks also goes to the owners and employees of Paragon Molding Ltd., the various trucking companies that have made delivery every year, Louie from Essential Dreams, my family, and all of the volunteers that show up bright and early on the dropoff day to sort, pack, and load all of the donated items on the truck. The idea for this drive may have started with me, but all of you are what makes it happen. God bless you all.