3:45 pm unveiling to be followed by a blast on the mountain

On Tuesday, August 4, Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation officials will take possession of a custom made motorcycle created by Eric Gorges with Voodoo Choppers out of Clinton Township, Michigan. The handcrafted bike also features a custom paint job with a Crazy Horse Memorial theme.

Gorges is the founder and owner of Voodoo Choppers, which began its custom made bike business in 1999. A friend of the Korczak and Ruth Ziolkowski family, Gorges donated the bike to the project to help with the Memorial’s fundraising efforts. Voodoo Choppers has been featured in several magazines and books spanning the globe, and primarily produces handcrafted and one-of-a-kind work. The unveiling of the bike will take place at 3:45 pm on the viewing veranda.

This bike represents the 5th annual bike raffle fundraiser sponsored by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. The exclusive bike will be on display in the Visitor Center. Tickets are one for $20 or three for $50. They may be purchased at the Memorial or by calling 605.673.4681.

The winning ticket will be drawn on Sept. 6, 2010, celebrating what would have been sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski’s 102nd birthday.

Following the bike presentation, visitors will be able to witness one of the biggest blasts of the season, removing 2,450 tons of rock off the mountain.

Marcella Ryan LeBeau will present “World War II Experiences & Fool Soldier Band History” on Thursday, July 23rd at 6 p.m. during the free Thursday Night Summer Performance & Lecture Series at Crazy Horse Memorial.

Marcella Ryan LeBeau is a World War II veteran and member of the Two Kettle Lakota of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.  She served as a nurse in World War II, becoming a 1^st Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps.

Marcella was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2006 in the category of Professional.  She was born in Promise, S.D., and is a descendant of Joseph Four Bear.  Marcella was one of 100 U.S. World War II veterans to receive the French Legion of Honor Award in 2004 in Paris, at the 60^th anniversary of D-Day.  Her service in the Army took her to Wales, England, France and Belgium.  She has spoken at many veterans’ events about her military experience in World War II.

Marcella is a founding member of the North American Indian Women’s Association.  She retired as the director of nursing from her career of 31 years at Indian Health Services in Eagle Butte.  She raised a family of eight children and is an advocate for the Lakota language and culture, youth, veterans, elderly, upholding treaties, and wellness.

There will be free admission to Crazy Horse Memorial for those attending this education program, with a suggested donation of 3 cans of food per person for the KOTA Care & Share Food Drive.  After the program please take the time to tour the complex and stay for the spectacular laser light show at dark.

On July 30th, the 2009 Summer Performance & Lecture Series will feature Faye Longbrake, presenting “Lakota Family History.”

For more information about the free Thursday night Summer Performance & Lecture Series, contact Anne Ziolkowski at (605) 673-4681.

$5 million dollar endowment to benefit Crazy Horse

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – Crazy Horse received a welcome boost in funding as they were named the recipients of a generous endowment gift.  Mrs. Paul “Muffy” Christen, the former Director of First Western Banks and Chair of the Board of First Western Bancorp, Inc. and current Chair and Director of Christen Group, LLC, Huron, SD, today announced a $5 million dollar endowment gift to the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.  The first installment, $2.5 million dollars, will be awarded immediately and placed in the newly created Crazy Horse Centennial Fund at the South Dakota Community Foundation.  The second half of the gift will be placed in the endowment fund within the next several years.  The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation will earn yearly interest off the endowment in perpetuity.  Mrs. Christen established an open-ended endowment fund so others like her who believe in the work being done at Crazy Horse can continue to add to the principal.

“I consider it an honor to play a role in continuing the progress that is being made on all fronts at Crazy Horse,” said Mrs. Christen. “I have told Ruth that she can spend the yearly interest payments any way she chooses so the dream that was started six decades ago can continue to become a reality.”

“We are so overwhelmed and blessed by this incredible gift from Muffy Christen,” said Mrs. Ruth Ziolkowski, President and CEO of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.  “Muffy and her husband, Paul, have been such wonderful long-time friends of the project and their faith in our work at Crazy Horse bolsters our determination to accelerate progress on the mountain as well as create new educational opportunities for young Indian students.  We just can’t thank the Christen family enough for their amazing generosity.”

The announcement was held on the viewing deck at the Memorial with the massive mountain carving serving as the backdrop.  A blast was conducted on the mountain after the announcement in celebration of the gift.  Among the speakers at the announcement were Governor Mike Rounds, South Dakota Community Foundation President Bob Sutton, and Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Board Chairman Dick Tobias.

For additional information about the new endowment fund please contact James Hagen at 605.673.4681 or email giving@crazyhorse.org.

Donna “Muffy” Christen

Donna “Muffy” Christen was born in Mitchell, South Dakota to Herbert & Gyda Starr.  Muffy graduated from Mitchell High School and later from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD, with a B.A. Degree.  She completed post graduate study in Marketing at the University of Denver and later received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Dakota Wesleyan University.

Muffy met her husband, Paul Christen, while attending college together, and they married in 1951.   Muffy and Paul have two daughters, Rebecca Christen Pohlad and Kathryn Christen Ramstad.  Both daughters have homes in Minneapolis, MN and elsewhere.  The Christen’s have 3 grandsons, Thomas, Joseph and Christopher Pohlad and 1 granddaughter, Christen Mitchell.

Muffy, along with her husband, Paul, sold their First Western Banks in January 2008 to First Interstate BancSystem.  At the time of the sale they had 17 banking locations, all in western South Dakota.  Muffy held the position of Director of First Western Bank and Chair of the Board of First Western Bancorp, Inc.

The Christen’s presently own First Western Agency, with insurance offices in western South Dakota.

Currently, Muffy is serving as:  Chair and Director of Christen Group, LLC, Huron, SD; Director  & Vice President, Asst. Secretary/Treasurer of CG Properties, LLC, Huron, SD; Member & Manager of Christen Co., LLC, Huron, SD; Board of Directors

of South Dakota Community Foundation, Pierre, SD; Co-Founder, Director and Chair of the Christen Hohm Lusk Greater Huron Area Foundation, Huron, SD; Director and Chair of the James & Zelda Ruddy Nursing Scholarship Foundation, Huron, SD; Member

and Past President of Chapter F, PEO; Member and Past Chair and Trustee of the Methodist Church, Huron, SD.

Muffy also served as:  Founder and Chair of the Spirit of Dakota Award Commission for 8 years; Charter Chair of the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation for 3 years; and Charter Member of the South Dakota Judicial Qualifications Commission for 5 years.

She was honored with the Distinguished Civic Service Award by the Huron Chamber of Commerce in 1991 and as the South Dakota Philanthropist of the Year in 1990.

Muffy has also held various offices and served in many capacities on numerous other State and local organizations.

Paul and Muffy reside in Huron, South Dakota and also own a home in Indian Wells, California.

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – Ernie LaPointe will present “Perspectives on Sitting Bull, by His Great Grandson” on Thursday, July 16th at 6 p.m. during the free Thursday Night Summer Performance & Lecture Series at Crazy Horse Memorial.

Earnest (Ernie) LaPointe, a disabled Vietnam Veteran, was born in 1948 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota.  He grew up in Rapid City, S.D. with his half-sister Marlene Little Spotted Horse.  Their late mother Angelique LaPointe nee Spotted Horse was a housewife.  His late father Claude LaPointe farmed on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and worked in a lumber yard in Rapid City.

On his mothers side he is the great grandson of Sitting Bull and Seen By Her Nation Woman, grandson of Standing Holy (Sitting Bull’s youngest daughter) whose Christian name was Mary Sitting Bull, and Urban Spotted Horse.  His grandfather Spotted Horse was the son of Hunts Enemy and the grandson of Chief Charging Bear.  His great grandmother’s (Tokala Win LaPointe) brother was Chief Painted Horse.

Ernie LaPointe spoke at the induction of Sitting Bull into the Hall of Fame of American Indian Chiefs at Anadarko, Oklahoma, in 1992.  He has presented at the Battle of the Little Bighorn National Monument in Montana; at universities in Michigan and Ohio; the Custer Celebration in Monroe, Michigan; and Fort St. Joseph Museum in Niles, Michigan.  He has also lectured in Germany and Finland.

Ernie works with Go Native America Tours and has assisted the History Channel in two documentaries in 2004 and 2005.  He was also featured on German TV in March, 2009.

There will be free admission to Crazy Horse Memorial for those attending this education program, with a suggested donation of 3 cans of food per person for the KOTA Care & Share Food Drive.  After the program please take the time to tour the complex and stay for the spectacular laser light show at dark.

On July 23rd, the 2009 Summer Performance & Lecture Series will feature Marcella Ryan LeBeau, presenting “World War II Experiences & Fool Soldier Band History”.

Crazy Horse Memorial – On Tuesday, July 14 at 10:30 am, Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation officials will hold a press conference at Crazy Horse to make a major gift announcement.  The gift is being given by a long time friend of the Memorial, with the intended purpose of enhancing educational outreach at Crazy Horse.

It will be among the largest gifts in the project’s 61-year history.

“Over the years, we’ve been blessed with friends from all walks of life who believe in and support this project” said Mrs. Ruth Ziolkowski, President and CEO of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.  “The extremely generous gift we are announcing is from a dear friend who is among those believers and wants to help with the educational component of Crazy Horse” Ziolkowski stated.

The 10:30 am announcement will include the donor, Governor Mike Rounds, Mrs. Ruth Ziolkowski and others.  It will be followed by a blast on the mountain, which will remove 1,680 tons of rock.

Press conference participants will be available for interviews after the blast.

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – Lorenzo Black Lance, artisan and educator will present “Sicangu Lakota Art” on Thursday, July 9th at 6 p.m. during the free Thursday Night Summer Performance & Lecture Series at Crazy Horse Memorial.

Lorenzo Black Lance was born on the Yankton Sioux Reservation and his Lakota name is A-nuk-a-sun Wam-bli (Golden Eagle).  He has taught Native American Studies for 20 years in grades K-12 and on the college level.  His work experiences include art teacher, Native American Studies Specialist, U.S. Probation Officer, Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court Administrator, and Executive Director/Vice President of Native American Heritage Association, a non-profit charity organization.  As a Sicangu Lakota, Lorenzo Black Lance now lives in Rapid City, S.D.

Lorenzo has done documentaries for the countries of Germany, Switzerland, and Poland, and he has provided lectures throughout the U.S. on Native American art, Native American history, culture, song and dance, social systems, environment, as well as Native American contemporary events in today’s society.

Lorenzo Black Lance’s gift for art runs parallel with his love for teaching.  As a Lakota and artist, he realizes all things are connected in a continuous cycle of unity.  The Ghost Dance, Sun Dance and other Lakota rituals are all part of a continuous cycle that reappears in different forms at different times.  The hopes and dreams of these rituals are not forgotten, they have only readjusted to today.

There will be free admission to Crazy Horse Memorial for those attending this education program, with a suggested donation of 3 cans of food per person for the KOTA Care & Share Food Drive.  After the program please take the time to tour the complex and stay for the spectacular laser light show at dark.

On July 16th, the 2009 Summer Performance & Lecture Series will feature “Perspectives on Sitting Bull by his Grandson,” a program by Ernie LaPointe.

For more information about the free Thursday night Summer Performance & Lecture Series, contact Anne Ziolkowski at (605) 673-4681.

July 6-9, 2009

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – Enrollment is now open for the summer course Seminar in Lakota History 1840-1890, a Black Hills State University class offered at Crazy Horse Memorial.  This class is a one (1) semester credit hour class which will be held over 4 days, starting Monday, July 6th through July 9^th.  The afternoon sessions are held from 1 p.m to 5 p.m.

AIS 490 Seminar in Lakota History will examine the history of the Lakota people along with major historical events in Lakota history during the time period of 1840-1890.  The events and people will be studied, and will include area Black Hills field trips.

Available to meet public following July 4^th blast

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – On Saturday July 4, Crazy Horse Memorial will have the distinct privilege of having three Navajo Code Talkers as their honored guests.

The code talkers, Arthur J. Hubbard, Sr., Joseph Morris, Sr., and George B. Willie, Sr. will be able to witness a blast on the world’s largest mountain carving in progress.  The Independence Day blast will take place at 11:00 am and will remove over 2,000 tons of rock.

Hubbard, Morris and Willie now hail from Arizona and California.  They were part of a group of specifically trained Navajo boys selected to participate in the war efforts in the Pacific from 1942-1945.  Without the help of these men, and over 400 other U.S. Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers who used their native language to send coded messages, it has been said that the United States would not have defeated the Japanese.

Mrs. Ruth Ziolkowski, the CEO/President of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation and wife of the late sculptor, said that “Korczak was a veteran of World War II, and had the utmost respect for anyone who fought for our country.  He would be honored that we’re able to have the Navajo Code Talkers as our guest at Crazy Horse, especially on a day as fitting as July 4th” said Mrs. Ziolkowski.

Following the blast, the code talkers will be available to greet the public and sign posters in the Crazy Horse visitor center.  The proceeds from poster sales will be used to help offset their travel expenses.

The code talkers will be honored guests at Mt. Rushmore for the annual Independence Day Celebration on July 3.

Crazy Horse Memorial is a nonprofit educational and cultural project honoring all American Indians.  Located on Highway 16/385 between Hill City and Custer, it is just 17 miles SW of Mt. Rushmore.  For more information on the Memorial and upcoming events, please call 605.673.4681.

Historian and author, Jerome Greene to speak at Crazy Horse Memorial

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – Jerome Greene, historian and author from Colorado will be discussing “Perspectives on the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877” on Thursday, July 2nd at 6:00 p.m. during the free Thursday Night Summer Performance & Lecture Series at Crazy Horse Memorial.

Jerome Greene is a graduate of Watertown High School and served in the U.S. Army. He received a B.S. degree from Black Hills State University, M.A. degree from the University of South Dakota, and did post graduate work in American History.

Since 1998 he has been a staff curator for Harpers Ferry Center and a historian with the National Park Service in Colorado. He is the author of numerous historic research and resource studies and reports. Current projects include an Administrative History of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and a study of the Nez Perce Indians who reached Canada during and following the Nez Perce War of 1877.

Jerome Green specializes in American Indian history, 19th century military history, western history, Indian-U.S. Army warfare, U.S. Army uniforms and equipment 1860-1900, and frontier forts and coastal defenses. He is the author of “Evidence and the Custer Enigma”, “Slim Buttes”, “Yellowstone Command”, and “Morning Star Dawn” to name a few. Some of his newest books are “The Guns of Independence” and “The Siege of Yorktown, 1781”.

There will be free admission to Crazy Horse Memorial for those attending this education program, with a suggested donation of 3 cans of food per person for the KOTA Care & Share Food Drive. After the program please take the time to tour the complex and stay for the spectacular laser light show at dark.

On July 9th, the 2009 Summer Performance & Lecture Series will feature Lorenzo Black Lance presenting “Sicangu Lakota Art”.

Saddle Bronc – Rollie Wilson, Buffalo, SD 75 points on Lion’s Den

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL – PRCA action wrapped up Sunday afternoon at the Crazy Horse Stampede with Rex Treeby, Hecla, SD winning the All-Around Cowboy honors. Click here to see more photos from the Crazy Horse Stampede Rodeo

Top place finishers from the 19th Annual PRCA Crazy Horse Stampede Rodeo:
Bareback: Joe Gunderson, Agar, SD with score 79
Tie Down Roping: Rex Treeby, Hacla, SD 9.4 seconds
Saddle Bronc: Ty Manke, Rapid City, SD score 82
Steer Wrestling: Todd Suhn, North Platte, NE 4.2 seconds
Team Roping: Jason Grubb, Spearfish, SD and Clint Hufty, Rapid City, SD 6.4 seconds

Girls Barrel Racing: Wendy Halweg, Mitchell, SD 14.45 seconds
Bull Riding: Jobie Dryden, Oelrichs, SD score of 61