What Inspires You?

When you were a child was there a book that inspired you to maybe be a better friend?  When you were a teen was there a book that maybe gave you hope and helped you struggle through some tough times?  How about as an adult?  Is there a book that has made you a better person?  Maybe a better wife, husband, sister, brother, mother, father?
Books can bring inspiration in all different forms.  They can inspire a person to give their mom a hug because they were reading about a girl without a mom and suddenly they are thankful for their own.  They can inspire a person to become a doctor and they end up saving lives.  Books bring inspiration, we all know that right?  Have you ever felt that maybe a book saved your life?  What about if someone who is a drug addict reads Crank by Ellen Hopkins and it inspires them to quit?  (note; I haven't actually read it yet!)  
What about you've lost a loved one and you just feel lost and like you can barely even hang onto life anymore yourself.  Then you pick up I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder.  Or Chasing Brooklyn, also by her.  And it opens your eyes.  You suddenly realize you can go on.  You've been inspired to live your life that you are lucky to have.
Imagine living out in the middle of no where.  No stores, no movie theaters, nothing to do.  Not even a tv to watch or a car to drive around.  Nothing to read because there's no money (or store) and the library is too far and has a sparse collection as it is.  What would you do with yourself?  Yeah, that's where trouble comes in.
Well, that's how it is for the people of Pine Ridge Reservation.  If you haven't yet please check out my post about the Pine Ridge Book Drive.
For this post I want you to tell me the books that have inspired you.  If you were to pick one, or a few books, that you think are the most inspiring what books are they?  Can you donate a copy(s)?  Even if you can't (trust me, I understand if you can't and no one will think badly of you) just let us know so we can add it to the list of books we MUST get to them.  Hopefully someone will have the ability to donate it.  You can leave your inspirational book in the comments.  If you want to donate you can fill out the form, and/or contact me at candace_redinger(at)yahoo(dot)com
Although this particular post is about inspirational books, they are in need of books of all kinds and all new or very gently used books are welcome.   I also plan to have some giveaways for all who donate but haven't yet worked out the prizes.  Thanks everyone for reading this, I really appreciate any and all comments (nice ones, anyway).

Books for Pine Ridge Reservation

Update: This is an old post, but for the most part the information is all relevant.  Donations are still needed.  Please feel free to email me about donating.  My contact info is at the bottom.


I've been thinking that I need to get out there and find a community in desperate need of books.  So here's the story:

I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  Pine Ridge Reservation is a short drive away.  I went to school with kids whose parents were still on the reservation all through out my school years.  I knew that they had it hard out there.  I knew they struggled and that life was bleak.  I also remember when my friend Raymond came over to my house he was in awe over all my books.  


So when I saw a website where they were asking for donations for a family (diapers, etc) in Pine Ridge, it clicked in my head.  I had just found who needed me, needed us.  Our help.  I had just drove through there a couple weeks ago and had thought about them and wished I could find a way to help them.  Just something to cheer them up, give them hope and something to wile away the time.  I had forgotten about it though.  It just slipped my mind.  So when it came back to me it was like it was meant to be.


Here are some facts:

Pine Ridge is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation.  It's the eighth largest reservation (according to Wikipedia though I found other sources that said second largest) in the US.  It's larger then Delaware and Rhode Island combined.  It is within the boundaries of Shannon and Jackson counties which are two of the poorest counties in the US.  According to a study by Colorado State University it's estimated the resident population at 28,787.  
Pine Ridge is not only the eighth largest reservation in the US but it is the poorest.  Unemployment is between 80-85% and 97% are below poverty level.  Teen suicide is four times the national average.  Many families have no electricity, phone, running water or sewer.  
Pine Ridge has the shortest life expectancy out of any group in the Western Hemisphere.  That is an average of 47 years for males and 52 years old for females.  The infant mortality rate is five times the US national average.  
School drop out rate is over 70%.  The schools are in the bottom 10% in school funding.  Teacher turn over is 800% that of the US national average.
Most live in rural and isolated areas.  There are few paved roads and most rural homes are inaccessible during rain or snow.  The weather is extreme.  Severe winds, and bitter cold that can reach -50*F (I remember one winter was -60*F).  Summers temperatures reach over 110*F.  
There are no banks, discount stores, movie theaters.  There is only one grocery store of moderate size and it is in Pine Ridge.  There are NO PUBLIC LIBRARIES except the ONE at Oglala Lakota College.

Now imagine living in an area that vast and there only being a college library?  Most people don't have access to a vehicle so many live a very long ways from any of the branches.
Fortunately the one library has a program running for the summer called the Build Your Own Library Project. They deliver books to each community.  It's mainly about providing books to the children, but they also provide books for the adults who bring the children.  LaVera is the wonderful librarian who I've been communicating with.  She's assured me that they need books for all ages.  She also says  "The Build Your Own Library Project is our vehicle for book distribution during the summer months but we also deliver to our district branch libraries on a bi-weekly basis year round.  In addition, we have delivered books to the juvenile detention center, senior citizen centers, and other places when the resources are available."

So will you guys help me make those resources available?  Can you help me provide books to the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation?  Some of these people were my friends, my confidants and some of the best friends I ever had.  I remember each of those friends clearly.  Each of them has their own story which is not mine to share, but I remember.  I remember very well.  

So what we are looking for is books that are new or in very gently used condition and less then five years old.  Not soiled or torn.  They are in need of books for all ages.  Board books for babies, children's books, middle grade reading, young adult, and adult books.  The young adult books, to me are very important because that's when they are on the cusp of deciding their future.  They need a boost in their dreams and they need hope, encouragement and something to do!  They also need books to help them preserve their native language that is being lost at an alarming rate.  You can see and purchase these books at http://stores.languagepress.com/StoreFront.bok.  

Because I want everyone to be comfortable in what they donate I'm giving you options!  Lots of options!  

-If you are an author or publisher willing to make a contribution please let me know.  I'm open for doing a raffle or for just giving you the address to ship to if you wish to send books. 

-If you already own new or gently used books (less then 5 years old and not soiled or torn) you can contact me with the address to ship them.  They will go directly to LaVera who will see them distributed.  

-You can donate a gift card. Contact me for an email address or address to send it to.

-Order a Book from Language Press to help preserve the Lakota language.  You can contact me for shipping information.

- Buy or order any new book.  Contact me for shipping information.

I'm also searching for those who are willing to donate books for prizes to those who donate books.

Please leave a comment!  When others see the interest it generates their own!  
Please email me at candace_redinger(at)yahoo(dot)com for any information and shipping info.

Pictures posted are my own from my recent trip to SD.  Although not taken on the reservation, they are right outside the reservation and the land on the reservation is basically the same in many areas.

The facts acquired for this come from Wikipedia and have been compared with other random sources.  I tried to get the facts right, but do not promise that everything is the current state of things.  Although the data seems to be up to date, it is possible that there are things that have changed.