Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center

Oyate Ta Kola Ku New Community Center in Memory of Gene Grizek, Co-Founder of Running Strong

OYATE TA KOLA KU COMMUNITY CENTER

For Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, this Community Center is a 21,000 foot state of the art Center place where imaginations and dreams can thrive.
…Where excited children can shoot some hoops in state-of-the-art gymnasium for the very first time for the many years to come.
…Where adults and tribal elders can use the classrooms and teaching kitchen facilities to teach arts, language, beading, and traditional cooking classes they could soon teach.
…Where all in the community can feel welcome in a safe, healthy, accessible space for all.

ABOUT OYATE TA KOLA KU COMMUNITY CENTER

In spring 2021, Running Strong for American Indian Youth® proudly announced our vision for the Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center to be constructed on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

The 21,000-square-foot center, named Oyate Ta Kola Ku – Friend of All Nations – in memory of the late Running Strong co-founder, Gene Krizek, is now providing more than triple the amount of programming space previously offered by our partner on the reservation, the Oyate Teca Project.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 14, the 58th anniversary of Running Strong co-founder Billy Mills’ historic gold medal win at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he stated: “Our elders have the vision our youth have the dreams.”

OYATE TA KOLA KU COMMUNITY CENTER

OUR PROGRAMS

Teaching and Community Kitchens

Teaching and community kitchens at the Center are each equipped for classes in Indigenous food preparation and preservation, while also providing easy access to healthy meals for residents living on the reservation. The 362-square-foot teaching kitchen has four cooking stations and a center island to accommodate lessons. Combined with the 1,400 square foot commercial kitchen, with walk-in freezers and coolers, double ovens, double sinks, and more, healthful cooking will be a cornerstone of the center. The produce used at the kitchen, and directly supporting the families and community at large, will come directly from the gardens at Oyate Ta Kola Ku. The Center’s greenhouse, hoop house, and gardens will provide the basis to changing the nutritional lifestyle of youth, families, and the community.

Medicine Root Garden

Our organic gardens and food programs strive to tackle malnutrition by providing healthy meals and fresh produce to Native American children and their families. Medicine Root Garden is the community growing and teaching garden with tons of produce are grown each year.

Culture and Education

The education classrooms are the site for after school mentoring, financial literacy classes, and so much more. The sewing room helps promote the preservation and renewal of traditional sewing craft, including traditional regalia, star quilts, and shawls. The sewing classroom accommodates up to 12 students stationed at sewing machines, and more on a longarm quilting machine, with a separate instructor’s stations, as well as 30 feet of floor to ceiling cabinets holding dozens of bolts of fabric and ample supplies. Youth and adults can take sewing and beading classes, practice their skills using our sewing and quiliting machines. Some will even be able to create enough of their handicraft to sell and generate much needed income!

Community Events in the Gym

The community center includes a full high-school size indoor gymnasium/multipurpose room to host sports, powwows, events and more to provide a safe and constructive environment for youth and their families, and build a vibrant community through sports and exercise.

PROGRAMS

Farmers’ market year-round to provide healthy food access points and income for seasonal growers

Warehouse and expanded storage for distribution of food, medical, educational, and clothing needs

Public Wi-Fi and computers help students succeed with reliable Internet connections

Teaching kitchen and cannery for home economics and mass food prep

Indoor gymnasium and multi-purpose room to host sports, powwows, events, and more

Multiple arts, music, and sewing classrooms allow for simultaneous classes

Outdoor area supports gardening, sports, social events, and more

... And More!

SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Related News

CERT Training on Pine Ridge

The Oyate Teca Project on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation held a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course on April 14, 15 and 16,

Contact US

Address:

39 Wakpala Ave Kyle, SD, US 57752

Phone: +1 605-441-9892

Email: Sample@email.com

Opening Hour: 

Saturday10 AM–12 AM
Sunday10 AM–11 PM
Monday10 AM–10 PM
Tuesday10 AM–10 PM
Wednesday10 AM–10 PM
Thursday10 AM–10 PM
Friday10 AM–12 AM