Repeat of June 2023

Public Affairs Director, Jon Michaels (since 1977), talks Donn Hill and David Jai about life in Sudan then and now.  The Khor Wakow Project is sponsored by area Churches and service organizations to help children and families in Sudan.  

Repeat of June 2023
Public Affairs Director, Jon Michaels (since 1977), talks Donn Hill and David Jai about life in Sudan then and now.  The Khor Wakow Project is sponsored by area Churches and service organizations to help children and families in Sudan.

A community issues and answering program that focuses on the city and people of the Sioux Empire.

Jon Michaels' Forum

Lost boys  of Sudan in Sioux Falls: The Khor Wakow Project

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Mike Costanzo (Media Rep.) and Dean Rasmussen (Founder) about the P.D.R. Yourh Deer Hunt for kids with disabilities on September 20th and 21st near Clark, SD.

From their website: www.PDRYouthHunt.com

OUR STORY Our background

The PDR Youth Hunt began in 2008. Held in Clark, SD, the hunt is meant to honor Payton Dean Rasmussen whose life was taken by spinal meningitis in 1999. The P.D.R. Youth Hunt allows children with disabilities to enjoy a weekend of hunting where friends & memories are made.



A  radio interview on PDR Youth Hunt with Jon Michaels!



The 2023 Hunt was Sept. 22-24, 2023. It was a rainy weekend but still filled with lots of fun times and memories made!

5 of 8 hunters had a successful hunt.



We look forward to the 2024 hunt Sept. 20-22, 2024. !



***DONATIONS***

If you would like to donate to the PDR Youth Hunt, contact any Dacotah Bank!!!!

Contact Us


Call Dean Rasmussen at (605) 233-0331 or email Dean at

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Mike Costanzo (Media Rep.) and Dean Rasmussen (Founder) about the P.D.R. Yourh Deer Hunt for kids with disabilities on September 20th and 21st near Clark, SD.
From their website: <a href="http://www.PDRYouthHunt.com">www.PDRYouthHunt.com</a>
OUR STORY Our background
The PDR Youth Hunt began in 2008. Held in Clark, SD, the hunt is meant to honor Payton Dean Rasmussen whose life was taken by spinal meningitis in 1999. The P.D.R. Youth Hunt allows children with disabilities to enjoy a weekend of hunting where friends &amp; memories are made.<a href="https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhzXrUnmZ9S-g4kuUq31cTzttFVTxg"> </a>
 
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/jon-michaels-forum/pdr-youth-deer-hunt-in-clark-south-dakota">A  radio interview</a> on PDR Youth Hunt with Jon Michaels!
 
The 2023 Hunt was Sept. 22-24, 2023. It was a rainy weekend but still filled with lots of fun times and memories made!
5 of 8 hunters had a successful hunt.
 
We look forward to the 2024 hunt Sept. 20-22, 2024. !
 
***DONATIONS***
If you would like to donate to the PDR Youth Hunt, contact any Dacotah Bank!!!!
Contact Us
 
<ul>
<li>Call Dean Rasmussen at (605) 233-0331 or email Dean at</li>
</ul>

P.D.R. Youth Deer Hunt Where Kids are Kids 2024

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with James Oppenheimer, Executive Director, and Dana Konzem, Community Outreach Director, of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society about their many dozens of jobs, many volunteers and of course hundreds and hundreds of cats, dogs, gerbils and etc.

from their website: https://www.sfadopt.com

 Mission and Values

The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society helps over 8,000 animals every single year while creating hundreds of happy families, and helping thousands through education, programs, and services.

Serving since 1919, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that takes in abandoned, abused, homeless and unwanted animals that need tender loving care until they can find a permanent home. We help these animals find their permanent home, prevent animal cruelty and educate people on the humane treatment of animals.

The SFAHS is 100% community-funded and is not affiliated with nor funded by any national humane societies or pet organizations. The funds for our organization are raised through donations and bequests, special events, adoption fees, and community fundraisers completed by generous people right here in our own communities.


Our mission is to be a safe haven and human voice for all animals in need.

We currently provide services to an area with over 250,000 people with humane officers outside Sioux Falls city limits, public low-cost microchipping, and community pet food bank, . We are proud to host many amazing events throughout the year, provide tours and give the opportunity for service groups, and are continually amazed by the generous individuals to donate to our shelter every day. We are blessed to have a community that supports our mission through Monetary donations, adoptions, food and wishlist donations, as well as volunteering their own hours to help us care for the animals in need and so many more ways.

We will be known for quality of animal care, a high level of customer service, and our ability to guide every animal to their forever home. 


Values
Compassion: We will treat everyone with compassion. We will empathize with the people we serve, regardless of their circumstances. We will uplift each other, showing kindness and understanding as we work together to determine the best outcomes for the animals in our care.

Inclusivity: We will be inclusive and accepting of all animals, adopters, staff, and volunteers in support of our work as an open-admission shelter.

Community Responsibility: We will be responsible for promoting animal welfare and controlling the pet population in the Sioux Falls Area. We do this by providing education, housing, and animal control services, as well as by spaying or neutering every animal before it leaves our care.

Innovation: We will not accept the status quo. We will always be looking for new and innovative ways to improve the care and treatment of animals and how to best serve the people who love them.

Transparency: We will be transparent with our staff, volunteers, board members, the public we serve by providing regular and open communication celebrating both success and challenges. We will trust our leadership to share the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society's motivations, processes, and outcomes to gain trust, support, and obtain assistance.


OUR HISTORY

Serving since 1919, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society takes in abandoned, abused, homeless and unwanted animals that need tender loving care until they can find a permanent home. We help these animals find their permanent home, prevent animal cruelty and educate people on the humane treatment of animals. Our mission is to be a safe haven and human voice for all animals in need.

The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society was first founded in 1910, becoming a recognized organization in 1919.
Our first location was located at 110 East 10th Street, which is now a Lewis store! In 1926, they moved their operations to 700 South 8th Avenue, into a 7-room house that was to be used for headquarters for the humane society to use for children and unwanted animals. In 1947, land was purchased north of the penitentiary at 2105 North Drive. The humane society was renovated in 1964 and 1977 while at this location. The address was eventually updated to 2001 N. Third Street. This remained our home until 2002, when we were relocated East of town off Benson Road where we still remain today. In 2012, we went through a large expansion to fit the growing need in Sioux Falls and surrounding communities.

We've come a long way and are growing each and every day. We are an open admission shelter, and we have made a promise to never euthanize animals for reasons of space or time, and we've upheld that commitment ever since. Strong community support helps make each and every day at the shelter a possibility and a bright future for each animal.


We continue to move forward and be innovative in our ideas and processes to help save more of the animals that need homes each year. Many of our intakes come from people surrendering their animals because they have nowhere else to go. For a variety of reasons, they can no longer care for their animals and have often exhausted their own placement resources - family, friends, online listings, etc. We make no judgment on why an animal comes to us and understand when someone feels they can no longer adequately care for their animal. That's where we come in; to help give that animal a voice and find it a forever home.


The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society also provides animal control services for multiple counties surrounding the Sioux Falls Area, as well as a partnership to help care for the animals taken in by the Animal Control of Sioux Falls. We also receive animals from other shelters and rescues across the United States that can no longer care for their animals or animals that may have an "expiration" date at a different shelter.

To all these animals we offer clean kennels, warm beds, loving hearts and medical attention. We are proud to be entrusted with the care of so many wonderful animals every year and we deeply value the compassion and respect our staff upholds in every animal interaction. Sadly, not all of these animals can be saved, although we do try our hardest and exhaust all resources we can on a daily basis. We rehabilitate the animals we can, with great volunteers, partnerships, and programs but we will not place a dangerous animal back into the community, nor will we allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily from medical issues that cannot be treated.

How can the public help continue and improve the future of SFAHS?The dream of all who work at the shelter is to work ourselves out of a job; that no animals will be homeless or needing to be saved. We want kennels emptied into loving homes and for there not to be a need for a shelter. While that will likely not come true, we still work every day to find homes for every single adoptable pet. So how can you help? Can you foster a litter of kittens? Can you sponsor a spay/neuter surgery? Can you donate food or other wishlist items? Do you have an extra half hour a few days a month to come and show some love to the animals? We need community support to continue our mission, and we need the people and funding to provide resources to the growing number of animals who are in need of medical and behavioral support.

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with James Oppenheimer, Executive Director, and Dana Konzem, Community Outreach Director, of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society about their many dozens of jobs, many volunteers and of course hundreds and hundreds of cats, dogs, gerbils and etc.
from their website: https://www.sfadopt.com
 Mission and Values
The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society helps over 8,000 animals every single year while creating hundreds of happy families, and helping thousands through education, programs, and services.
<hr>
Serving since 1919, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that takes in abandoned, abused, homeless and unwanted animals that need tender loving care until they can find a permanent home. We help these animals find their permanent home, prevent animal cruelty and educate people on the humane treatment of animals. The SFAHS is 100% community-funded and is not affiliated with nor funded by any national humane societies or pet organizations. The funds for our organization are raised through donations and bequests, special events, adoption fees, and community fundraisers completed by generous people right here in our own communities.
<hr>
 Our mission is to be a safe haven and human voice for all animals in need. We currently provide services to an area with over 250,000 people with <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/humane-law-enforcement">humane officers</a> outside Sioux Falls city limits, <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/microchip">public low-cost microchipping</a>, and <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/petfoodbank">community pet food bank</a>, . We are proud to host many amazing <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/calendar">events</a> throughout the year, provide <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/tours">tours</a> and give the opportunity for <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/aboutservicegroups">service groups</a>, and are continually amazed by the generous individuals to <a href="https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E55188&amp;id=13">donate</a> to our shelter every day. We are blessed to have a community that supports our mission through <a href="https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E55188&amp;id=13">Monetary donations</a>, <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/adoptionprocess">adoptions</a>, food and <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/wish-list">wishlist</a> donations, as well as <a href="https://www.sfadopt.com/volunteer">volunteering</a> their own hours to help us care for the animals in need and so many more ways. We will be known for quality of animal care, a high level of customer service, and our ability to guide every animal to their forever home. 
<hr>
 Values Compassion: We will treat everyone with compassion. We will empathize with the people we serve, regardless of their circumstances. We will uplift each other, showing kindness and understanding as we work together to determine the best outcomes for the animals in our care. Inclusivity: We will be inclusive and accepting of all animals, adopters, staff, and volunteers in support of our work as an open-admission shelter. Community Responsibility: We will be responsible for promoting animal welfare and controlling the pet population in the Sioux Falls Area. We do this by providing education, housing, and animal control services, as well as by spaying or neutering every animal before it leaves our care. Innovation: We will not accept the status quo. We will always be looking for new and innovative ways to improve the care and treatment of animals and how to best serve the people who love them. Transparency: We will be transparent with our staff, volunteers, board members, the public we serve by providing regular and open communication celebrating both success and challenges. We will trust our leadership to share the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society's motivations, processes, and outcomes to gain trust, support, and obtain assistance.
 OUR HISTORY
Serving since 1919, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society takes in abandoned, abused, homeless and unwanted animals that need tender loving care until they can find a permanent home. We help these animals find their permanent home, prevent animal cruelty and educate people on the humane treatment of animals. Our mission is to be a safe haven and human voice for all animals in need. The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society was first founded in 1910, becoming a recognized organization in 1919. Our first location was located at 110 East 10th Street, which is now a Lewis store! In 1926, they moved their operations to 700 South 8th Avenue, into a 7-room house that was to be used for headquarters for the humane society to use for children and unwanted animals. In 1947, land was purchased north of the penitentiary at 2105 North Drive. The humane society was renovated in 1964 and 1977 while at this location. The address was eventually updated to 2001 N. Third Street. This remained our home until 2002, when we were relocated East of town off Benson Road where we still remain today. In 2012, we went through a large expansion to fit the growing need in Sioux Falls and surrounding communities. We've come a long way and are growing each and every day. We are an open admission shelter, and we have made a promise to never euthanize animals for reasons of space or time, and we've upheld that commitment ever since. Strong community support helps make each and every day at the shelter a possibility and a bright future for each animal. We continue to move forward and be innovative in our ideas and processes to help save more of the animals that need homes each year. Many of our intakes come from people surrendering their animals because they have nowhere else to go. For a variety of reasons, they can no longer care for their animals and have often exhausted their own placement resources - family, friends, online listings, etc. We make no judgment on why an animal comes to us and understand when someone feels they can no longer adequately care for their animal. That's where we come in; to help give that animal a voice and find it a forever home. The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society also provides animal control services for multiple counties surrounding the Sioux Falls Area, as well as a partnership to help care for the animals taken in by the Animal Control of Sioux Falls. We also receive animals from other shelters and rescues across the United States that can no longer care for their animals or animals that may have an "expiration" date at a different shelter. To all these animals we offer clean kennels, warm beds, loving hearts and medical attention. We are proud to be entrusted with the care of so many wonderful animals every year and we deeply value the compassion and respect our staff upholds in every animal interaction. Sadly, not all of these animals can be saved, although we do try our hardest and exhaust all resources we can on a daily basis. We rehabilitate the animals we can, with great volunteers, partnerships, and programs but we will not place a dangerous animal back into the community, nor will we allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily from medical issues that cannot be treated.
<hr>
How can the public help continue and improve the future of SFAHS?The dream of all who work at the shelter is to work ourselves out of a job; that no animals will be homeless or needing to be saved. We want kennels emptied into loving homes and for there not to be a need for a shelter. While that will likely not come true, we still work every day to find homes for every single adoptable pet. So how can you help? Can you foster a litter of kittens? Can you sponsor a spay/neuter surgery? Can you donate food or other wishlist items? Do you have an extra half hour a few days a month to come and show some love to the animals? We need community support to continue our mission, and we need the people and funding to provide resources to the growing number of animals who are in need of medical and behavioral support.
<hr>

Sioux Falls Area Humane Society's Impact on the City

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator Allison Morrisette

Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Allison Morrisette, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator about a serious situation in South Dakota

from Attorney Generals press release:

The attorney general’s office has put a new focus on crimes against Native American people, recently hiring two women to address problems Vargo described as interrelated: human trafficking and missing or murdered Indigenous people.

The state’s Native American communities suffer from what advocates describe as crisis-level rates of people going missing or killed. Currently, 57% of people who are listed in the attorney general’s database of missing people are Native American, despite them representing less than 9% of the state’s total population. It’s a problem that is not restricted to South Dakota. Tribes, federal agencies and state governments nationwide are trying to tackle a decades-long crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

Allison Morrisette, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who previously worked in the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s office, will be South Dakota’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator. Mary Beth Holzwarth, who previously directed an organization dedicated to child sexual assault prevention called Endeavor 52, will be the Human Trafficking Coordinator.

Vargo said they would focus on pulling together resources to address crimes that often cross tribal and state boundaries.

“No single entity or agency can solve the problems that we face,” he said at a news conference. “We all face some of the same problems and we have to face them together.”

The hirings, however, come almost two years after the Legislature created the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator in the attorney general’s office.

Rep. Peri Pourier, a Democratic state lawmaker who spearheaded the effort to create the position, said at the news conference that she was frustrated that it had taken so long to hire someone, though she credited Vargo with making it a priority once he was appointed to the office in June.

“I am actually glad it took Attorney General Vargo to come to the table,” she said. “This is a problem that is going to take all of us.”

Vargo has also proposed a commission, made up of advocates, state leaders and tribal officials, to advise the attorney general’s office.

The hiring delay had come under the previous attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg. He had told the Legislature that he was supportive of the position, but he had not received the funding from the Legislature to do it.

Native Hope, an organization affiliated with St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, stepped in to fund the position with a grant for the first three years. Vargo said the funding will help the position get started and anticipated the state would fund the position after that.

Morrisette, the new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator said in a statement she was determined to change how Native Americans see the state’s law enforcement.

“A lot of my relatives feel they are overlooked,” she said. “My job with the Attorney General’s Office is to ensure that is not true.”

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator Allison Morrisette
Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Allison Morrisette, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator about a serious situation in South Dakota
from Attorney Generals press release:
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-dakota-sd-state-wire-rapid-city-law-enforcement-agencies-missing-persons-a0009380e2e0662b99f6e5a1e19b2eaa" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">The attorney general’s office has put a new focus</a> on crimes against Native American people, recently hiring two women to address problems Vargo described as interrelated: human trafficking and missing or murdered Indigenous people.
The state’s Native American communities suffer from what advocates describe as <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/missing-in-indian-country" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">crisis-level rates of people going missing or killed</a>. Currently, 57% of people who are listed in the attorney general’s database of missing people are Native American, despite them representing less than 9% of the state’s total population. It’s a problem that is not restricted to South Dakota. Tribes, federal agencies and state governments nationwide are trying to tackle <a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-in-indian-country-north-america-mountains-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-cb6efc4ec93e4e92900ec99ccbcb7e05" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">a decades-long crisis</a> of missing and murdered Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Allison Morrisette, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who previously worked in the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s office, will be South Dakota’s new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator. Mary Beth Holzwarth, who previously directed an organization dedicated to child sexual assault prevention called Endeavor 52, will be the Human Trafficking Coordinator.
Vargo said they would focus on pulling together resources to address crimes that often cross tribal and state boundaries.
“No single entity or agency can solve the problems that we face,” he said at a news conference. “We all face some of the same problems and we have to face them together.”
The hirings, however, come almost two years after the Legislature created the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator in the attorney general’s office.
Rep. Peri Pourier, a Democratic state lawmaker who spearheaded the effort to create the position, said at the news conference that she was frustrated that it had taken so long to hire someone, though she credited Vargo with making it a priority once he was appointed to the office in June.
“I am actually glad it took Attorney General Vargo to come to the table,” she said. “This is a problem that is going to take all of us.”
Vargo has also proposed a commission, made up of advocates, state leaders and tribal officials, to advise the attorney general’s office.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-south-dakota-sd-state-wire-3acb9d17927096fd780baa288ce0b6ca" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">The hiring delay had come</a> under the previous attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg. He had told the Legislature that he was supportive of the position, but he had not received the funding from the Legislature to do it.
Native Hope, an organization affiliated with St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-philanthropy-native-americans-south-dakota-sd-state-wire-9f8236677deaf4b6384df5ebcdc6043c" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">stepped in to fund the position</a> with a grant for the first three years. Vargo said the funding will help the position get started and anticipated the state would fund the position after that.
Morrisette, the new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator said in a statement she was determined to change how Native Americans see the state’s law enforcement.
“A lot of my relatives feel they are overlooked,” she said. “My job with the Attorney General’s Office is to ensure that is not true.”

Lost boys of Sudan in Sioux Falls: The Khor Wakow Project

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