VOLUNTEER SERVICE TRIPS

Tipi Raisers offers two types of Volunteer Service Trips; Open Trips and Customized Trips.  Open trips are listed on our calendar for the upcoming year and are first-come, first-served. They come with a nominal fee of $100/person. See more on Open Volunteer Service Trips HERE.

Customized Volunteer Service Trips can be designed to fit the schedule of your particular group and each trip can be customized to your specifications. Volunteer Trips will include all or any combination of the following:

• Community Service – May include renovating or repairing homes in need of windows, doors, handicap ramps as well as providing firewood, delivering mattresses, etc.  Projects are designed based on the skill level and interests of the visiting group. These projects are done cooperatively with the local Lakota people whose home we are working on (when physically able)

• Educational and Cultural Presentations/Ceremonies - Discussions with tribal elders and youth ambassadors, visiting Fort Laramie and Wounded Knee, participating in traditional dance and drum circles, etc.
• Recreational Activities - As our mission statement indicates, playing together is integrated into everything we do. Lakota friends and guides join us in hiking the Badlands, touring the Black Hills (Paha Sapa), horseback riding and more.

The Tipi Raisers provides food, lodging, transportation around the reservation and the educational, cultural and recreational experiences. Trips vary in length but are typically four to seven days with a mix of work days, touring and recreation.

Customized Volunteers Trip costs range dependent on the specific requests and needs of the group (e.g. lodging, transportation, etc.) and are negotiated in consultation with The Tipi Raiser's staff.  If you belong to a school, university, business, church, etc. and would like to arrange a Customized Volunteer Trip for your group please contact us to discuss scheduling and details.
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NOTE: Food and modest lodging are provided.  If you have specific food requirements please bring what you need- there are multiple refrigerators and shelving space at Base Camp for you to keep items. Transportation to the reservation is not provided.

For more information, please contact us at: info@thetipiraisers.org.

Drone footage from 2016 Volunteer Trip:

Traditional Hand Games during University of Georgia Spring Break 2019 Volunteer Trip.

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Examples of Past Community Service Projects:

• Construction of a new home for a family in Slim Buttes, South Dakota.
• Collaborating with the Oglala Lakota tribal government and Camp Justice to cut and distribute firewood to multiple families around the reservation.
• Hosting multiple community meals, holiday celebrations and gatherings in support of requests from local community requests.
• Construction of wheel chair ramps, remodeling of home interiors, reconstruction of burned out house interiors, etc.
• Construction of multiple community gardens.
• Delivery of over 50 mattresses
  

LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING AND PLAYING WITH YOU ON PINE RIDGE!