Warm Welcome and a Visit from a Very Interesting Man

Duane Hollow Horn Bear

Duane Hollow Horn Bear with Pope John Paul

Chief Hollow Horn Bear ---Great Grandfather of Duane

What a great day I had--they keep getting better and better! Today I helped out in the Warm Welcome store where people can come and get just that---a warm welcome! I helped out in the morning in the store part where folks can come in and get a free meal and some grocery items, clothing and personal items. We had about 100 people sign in but there were many more than that and I told the ladies that their till would be off tonight when they went to count because I was sure I was not too accurate!!! Got a little crazy now and then and I did not necessarily have it all together but it was all good!!! I had a good time joking around with the folks that came in and all were very respectful and grateful for what they were able to get. With so much poverty here it is maybe the one place that they can get some needed things----shampoo is a luxury item and we gave out a lot of that. After being here it is making me think a little differently about what I take for granted and all the stuff that I could be collecting to send out here!

Later in the day I went to the back room and helped stack products on the shelves and then delved into packaging up more undies and socks that will be given out in the store. Had some great conversations with the ladies who work there---Gwen and Kathy and it is nice to be able to joke back and forth a bit and share some things while we work on things.

Tonight we had a guest speaker---Duane Hollow Horn Bear---what a story he has! His grandfather was Chief Hollow Horn Bear and I post the following information taken from a website Native Leaders Past and Present:

Chief Hollow Horn Bear-Matihehlogego Son of Chief Iron Shell, Hollow Horn Bear fought with the leading chiefs of the Plains against subjugation until the 1870s; after that, he favored peace with the whites and became something of a celebrity along the East Coast. In his later years, Hollow Horn Bear attended several official functions as a Native representative, including two inaugural parades. His likeness appeared on a fourteen-cent stamp as well as on a five-dollar bill. Born in Sheridan Country, Nebraska , a son of Chief Iron Shell, Hollow Horn Bear earned his early fame as a warrior, he raided the Pawnees at first then aided other Sioux leaders in harassing forts along the Bozeman Trail, between 1866 and 1868, when the Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed. During this time, he gained fame as the chief who

Photographer John Anderson 1900

defeated Lieutenant William Fetterman. Hollow Horn Bear was appointed as head of Indian police at the Rosebud Agency, South Dakota ; in this role, he arrested Crow Dog for the murder of Spotted Tail. Hollow Horn Bear also became involved in treaty negotiations because of his oratorical abilities. In 1905, Hollow Horn Bear was invited to take part in the inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1913, he led a group of Indians to the presidential inauguration parade for Woodrow Wilson. On that visit, Hollow Horn Bear caught pneumonia and died.

This was a pretty amazing man with a pretty incredible story and once again I marvel at his ability to move on from some of the things that he has endured during his life. He is an amazing example of someone who has led a full life because he believed that he could do and achieve anything that he wanted. He really opened my eyes to some of the things that I had no idea happened and I was blessed by what he spoke about. One of the neatest things is that we have a young man along with us the second half of the week--Josh. He came with his dad who is one of the UM ministers in Mason City. Josh is in 4th or 5th grade---I forget which--and he asked if he could take a picture for his school report which he was happy to do. After the picture was taken Duane gave him his baseball cap ---a very common thing in this culture is to give gifts and what a special thing this young man will have and what a story he will have to tell!

So the rest of the gang is upstairs talking and I am waiting to Skype with Chris ---I am not that tired tonight but I also needed to catch up on emails and have some "Beth Ann" time so this is good!!! Unwinding after a long day---tomorrow is our last actual work day with Saturday being a sightseeing day and Sunday traveling home. More tomorrow!