Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center

Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center logo.
Two Native American girls in traditional regalia balancing a potato on their foreheads in a community gym.

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.

OYATE TA KOLA KU, A NATIVE AMERICAN 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

As a leading Pine Ridge community center, Oyate Ta Kola Ku offers programs that foster cultural preservation, education, and well-being. These initiatives provide hands-on learning, food access, and essential resources to empower families and strengthen the community.

Logo with a red chef’s hat and crossed utensils, representing the Teaching and Community Kitchens program.

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—featuring walk-in freezers and coolers, double ovens, double sinks, and more—healthful cooking is a cornerstone of the Center. The produce used in the kitchen, directly supporting the families and community, comes directly from the gardens at Oyate Ta Kola Ku. The Center’s greenhouse, hoop house, and gardens provide the foundation for improving the nutritional lifestyle of youth, families, and the community.

Logo with red leaves in a circular design, symbolizing the Medicine Root Garden program.

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 where tons of produce are grown each year.

Logo featuring a red Native American headdress, representing the Culture and Education program.

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 have even been able to create enough of their handicraft to sell and generate much needed income!

Logo with a red floral-like pattern, symbolizing Community Events in the Gym.

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.

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICES

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!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can use the community center's programs?

The center is open to all members of the Pine Ridge community, including youth, adults, and elders.

We offer cultural education, food security programs, sports and recreation, financial literacy, sewing and beading classes, and much more.

Yes, many of our programs and resources are free for the community, thanks to our partnerships and funding.

You can support by volunteering, donating, or attending events. Visit our contact page for more information.

Yes, Running Strong is a 501 c3 organization and as such, your gift is fully deductible. No gifts or goods are provided to you for your donation.

STORIES OF IMPACT & NEWS

Group of CERT trainees wearing safety vests at a training.

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,

SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS

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

Adults gym
7:00-9:00pm
🏀
... See MoreSee Less

Staff League Teams‼️
We just want to confirm with the teams before we do the bracket for the tournament this weekend, we don't want to put anyone on there that won't show up. So far the teams confirmed are:
Oyate Teca, Little Wound, OLC, Loneman/P.M., East Wind Casino, Lakota Tech.
Need to know if Thunder Valley, Makoce, and OSTDPS plan on playing, please confirm with Trent by tomorrow so we can do the bracket!
... See MoreSee Less

Middle School Basketball Workouts today! ... See MoreSee Less

Middle School Basketball Workouts today!

Tuesday Special!!!!
Chicken with verde sauce
Beef with red sauce

$14.00
2 enchiladas of your choice with beans and rice
... See MoreSee Less

Tuesday Special!!!!
Chicken with verde sauce 
Beef with red sauce

$14.00 
2 enchiladas of your choice with beans and riceImage attachment

... See MoreSee Less

Photos from Oyate Teca Project's post ... See MoreSee Less

Image attachment

Watermelon Salad anyone?
Full - $9.50
Half - $7.50

5/12/2025
... See MoreSee Less

Watermelon Salad anyone? 
Full - $9.50
Half - $7.50

5/12/2025

Happy Monday
#bluebirdcafe
... See MoreSee Less

Happy Monday 
#bluebirdcafeImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment
3 days ago

Just couple picture from today. Oyate Teca, Little Wound, East Wind Casino, OLC, Loneman/Peaceful Means finished the league strong! Will post scores tomorrow! The tournament WILL BE HAPPENING this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday! Please let Trent know if you will be there, all teams! ... See MoreSee Less

Just couple picture from today. Oyate Teca, Little Wound, East Wind Casino, OLC, Loneman/Peaceful Means finished the league strong! Will post scores tomorrow! The tournament WILL BE HAPPENING this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday! Please let Trent know if you will be there, all teams!Image attachmentImage attachment+3Image attachment
Load more

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