A Letter from Dr. Mark Butterbrodt

about the Annual Pine Ridge Book Drive

Dear LaVonne and Rainy,

Wanblee is the most remote community on Pine Ridge Reservation.  Many of our family have no cars, lack telephones, and obviously have no jobs.  I can only imagine the geographic isolation a single mother with several young children but no car, no prospects, must endure.

Fortunately I see another side of life in the Wanblee.  Several times a day, thanks to the dedicated efforts of you and others, I hurry to catch up with excited children as they run down the hall to my exam room, hoping to get another book.  (we limit them to one a visit).

I gave some thought to taking some pictures for you, and we did get a photographer over from Lakota Times, the local newspaper.  I’m trying to get an article together to go with the pictures and will get you copies when that gets done.  I asked a friend of mine, Lyle Noisy Hawk, who is a guidance counselor of one of the Pine Ridge high schools, how we could best improve school performance in Pine Ridge.  His answer: “That’s easy.  Improve reading skills.”

In 30 years of medical practice, this is without any question the neediest community I’ve worked in.  Doing general practice as I do, there are days I don’t know if I can go on.  There is a seemingly endless stream of chronically ill adults to see, and it can be disheartening.

So I’m not sure who is more grateful for the books – the children, the parents and guardians, or me.  To have – in the middle of a hard day – a four or five year old pick out a book and sit down and start paging through it, just makes my day.

For all the children and teenagers who got and are still getting books (they’re going fast), I thank you.  Our nurses here thank you for all the time they’ve been able to cheer up a child after the shots by giving him or her a book.  You’ve made many people happy here by your generous gift.  Hilu piemoya yelo!  (many thanks in Lakota)