#NoDAPL - Tents for the Winter

In April 2016 a movement was started in North Dakota with the Sacred Stone encampment. After news spread of the approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline, hundreds and then thousands of Indigenous people and Indigenous allies from across the globe came together to pray peacefully and bring attention to the disgraceful work of Energy Transfer Partners and those who approved the Dakota Access Pipeline project. Today, thousands are living at the encampment and they will not leave until the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline stops. Winter is coming and it's already getting too cold to camp which drives people away from the encampment. 

We stand with Standing Rock and the Sacred Stone Encampment and we’re here today to help those at the front lines stay warm so they may continue their peaceful acts of protection.

ABOUT THE MOVEMENT:
After the failed Keystone Pipeline, a new and virtually regulation free Dakota Access Pipeline was approved. Energy Transfer Partners was awarded the right to build a pipeline. The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) will be built on top of several burial grounds and sacred sites - some of which have already been decimated by Energy Transfer Partners employees back in September. Energy Transfer Partners plans to build the pipeline under the Missouri River which is the main source of drinking water for the Standing Rock Reservation and several outlying communities. If this pipeline were to burst or leak – drinking water would be contaminated - potentially all the way down the Missouri River to the Mississippi and on into the Gulf of Mexico. As we’ve seen time and again, there’s no pipeline that’s completely secure. Billions of dollars (in some cases taxpayer dollars) have been spent on cleaning up messes left behind by oil companies. Leaks and spills have ravaged communities and their water supply in the wake of these spills.

CALL TO ACTION:
It is time to stop looking to oil and fracking companies to solve our energy problems. It is time to rethink energy use, respect the earth, and importantly, it’s time to support the Indigenous people who have relatives in the ground where this pipeline is to be built. It is time to respect Native holy sites which are now being destroyed by big corporations which seem to care more about money than respect for our earth and the generations to follow.

We have been working with a group of people within the Sicangu Camp (a camp within Sacred Stone) who have dedicated their lives to this encampment until the day this pipeline is stopped. They plan to stay no matter how cold it gets and no matter how much money they lose from their day jobs - it’s that important. We reached out to our friends at the front line and asked them what would help them the most as they brave the winter. Tents and warmth were their first concern, so now we’ve organizing, researched the best possible wind and weatherproof systems, and figured out how to get it to Standing Rock.


THE ACTION:
Our goal is to raise funds to purchase ten large wind and weatherproof tents, woodstoves to be used inside the tents, firewood, and hand cranked laundry machines for the encampment. With these weatherproof tents and woodstoves, peaceful protectors will have a space to gather, sleep, eat and keep warm during the frigid cold North Dakota winter. (Check out the video to see how durable these tents really are!) Keeping clothing clean is difficult as winter approaches. Having a hand-cranked washing machine wringer will help those who are camping stay clean. This will be funded last, as warmth is the priority. 

 
THE PLAN:
A tent, wood stove and piping can be purchased for $1549/unit. Every time we hit this threshold of $1549, we will send a tent and woodstove out to our friends at the encampment. The tent/stoves will be purchased from Cabela’s in Rapid City. Each time we deliver two tent/stove units, we’ll raise another $600 to send a load of wood. Once we are able to supply the camp with the warmth of tents, stoves and wood, we'll send the washing units.


Cost breakdown:

Tent/Stove Package
12 x 20 wall tent with woodstove = $1,549/unit including tax.
10 tents including stoves units = $15,490 (includes tax). 
 

Firewood delivery
$600 per load (load = 1 ton trailer 16ft long stacked 5ft high)
5 loads x $600 = 3,000

Wash stations
Includes clothes wringer, 1 gallon bucket for hot water, 5 gallon cold water container/rinse station = $282/unit including tax
2 washing units = $564 (includes tax) 

Delivery charges 
FREE 

Subtotal: $ 19,054

Go Fund Me 8% site cost: $ 1,525

Grand total: $ 20,579

 
If you feel compelled to stand with those on the front line, but cannot be there in person, please donate and know that you’re supporting the movement. If you cannot donate at this time, please share this page and let’s get help to those standing at Standing Rock. Once we have tents on the ground, we will send updates with photos so you know they've arrived and you can see your donation in action. Please help us spread the word. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your support!

For transparency purposes, the tents are being purchased by Joyce McPherson and funds will go to her for the purchase of the tent/stove/washing units and she will pay the person delivering wood. We are then having members from the Sicangu Camp pick-up the tents/stoves/washing units at the Rapid City Cabela's (closest store possible) and deliver them to camp. We are happy to provide receipts for all transactions. If there's any funding above and beyond our goal, it will go toward more tents - or what ever is the most practical for the campers on the ground.  Please email us if you would like to see receipts or with any other questions.