Celebrating Champions of Compassion in Rapid City

RAPID CITY – Community members gathered at the Minneluzahan Senior Center for a heartfelt evening of recognition and solidarity: the Celebrating Champions of Compassion event. Sponsored by Pejuta Waste Otipi (Good Medicine Lodge), an Indigenous led day center rooted in Lakota values of kinship and healing, the gathering honored individuals whose extraordinary compassion has uplifted Rapid City’s unhoused relatives.

Pejuta Waste Otipi provides food, shelter, resources, and a safe space for vulnerable community members. The event was not only a celebration of service but also a fundraiser, featuring a silent auction to sustain the lodge’s mission of healing and resilience.

The evening recognized three honorees: Captain Ryan Marks of the Rapid City Fire Department, teacher and community volunteer Deb Daly, and spiritual leaders Tom and Carla Cheyenne. Each was celebrated for their unique contributions to the community.

Daly was honored for her unwavering commitment to showing up every Friday to serve meals at the bandshell, her steadfast reliability, and her humility. From her teaching career to her outreach through Feeding South Dakota, Woyatan Church, and countless community meals, she has embodied the spirit of “just showing up” wherever she is needed. In her own words, “My life is so blessed. Woyatan just lets me show up there… They are so wonderful in letting me do what I need to do to help community and help families.”

Captain Marks was recognized for his extraordinary compassion in hazardous conditions, often searching late into the night for individuals exposed to the cold. His dedication has earned deep trust across the community. One speaker noted, “You consistently operate far beyond expectation each day when you are out there. Your compassion is demonstrated through extraordinary actions… that speaks volumes about the trust you earn and the respect we have for you.”

Tom and Carla Cheyenne were described as foundational spiritual leaders whose influence, consistency, and cultural stewardship have preserved traditions and inspired resilience. They were called the “central support system” of the mission, teaching perseverance through hardship and setting the highest standards of community leadership.

The evening began with a warm welcome from Annie Bechand, director and lead organizer at Pejuta Waste Otipi. She invited guests to share in a meal prepared with care: “You’re going to get to enjoy the Sacred Storm Buffalo that the team has been working on literally for a week. We have wild rice from our relatives in Minnesota, a great salad, and dessert.”

Krystal Rencountre, who runs the day center at Woyatan, reminded attendees of the deeper meaning behind the event. “We choose the title Champions of Compassion because the people we’re recognizing are not only our relatives, they are the people who fill the gaps we cannot reach, who act when no one else is watching. Their selflessness and love have a profound impact on our community and our vulnerable relatives.” She emphasized that the honorees represent the extended network of care that makes Pejuta Waste Otipi’s vision succeed: “Their dedication proves that when we act as good relatives, when we act as a community, we can truly change lives.”

In keeping with Lakota tradition, members of Pejuta Waste Otipi offered an honor song for the honorees. The song carried the spirit of gratitude and respect, lifting the room in recognition of those whose compassion has become a living medicine for the community. It was a reminder that honoring service is not only spoken in words but sung in the language of the people, binding the evening together in cultural strength and kinship.

The silent auction added another layer of purpose to the evening. Guests bid on donated items and experiences, knowing that every dollar raised would go directly toward Pejuta Waste Otipi’s mission of feeding, sheltering, and caring for Rapid City’s unhoused relatives. The auction transformed generosity into tangible support, ensuring that the lodge can continue to provide “good medicine” for the community.

The event closed with gratitude for the honorees and the community whose generosity ensures Pejuta Waste Otipi can continue its vital work. The Champions of Compassion Awards affirmed that true leadership is measured not by titles, but by the willingness to show up, to care, and to act as good relatives.

For those who wish to continue supporting this mission, Pejuta Waste Otipi (Good Medicine Lodge) is located at 522 Anamosa Street, Rapid City, SD 57709, on the campus of Woyatan Lutheran Church.

(Contact Ernestine Anunkasan Hopa at editor@nativesunnews.today)

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