Vern Ashley (Dakota) is 95 years old and was the first president of the Crow Creek Tribal Council.
Vern Ashley (Dakota) is a 95 year old elder and the first Tribal President from the Crow Creek Indian Reservation in central South Dakota. When he first met with Lyle Rustad, executive director of the Diversity Foundation of Minnesota, Lyle asked him what needed to be done at Crow Creek. Vern Ashley talked about the conditions of the local cemeterys and said,"It's just a shame we don't keep these graves up, the cemeteries are one of many things that need attention at Crow Creek."
Vern Ashley is 95 years old an a former member of the Crow Creek Tribal Council.
One of the many cemetaries at Crow Creek
Diversity Foundation contacted people in Rochester Minnesota to see if anyone there would be interested in helping restore the cemeteries at the Crow Creek community. A delegation from the Rochester Trinity Presbyterian Church has been working on this restoration project since 2006.
After a hard days work of mowing lawns and mending fences, the team from Rochester had a chance to relax and listen to Tribal member Peter Lengkeek as he discussed his trip to Washing D.C., some of the changes that have taken place at the Crow Creek community, and some of the history of his ancestors who arrived at this location almost 150 years ago.
The Crow Creek Cemetery Restoration Project with members from the Rochester Trinity Presbyterian Church
This video shows you why this is such an important project.
