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Native Sun News: Indian community center moves forward

Friday, November 6, 2015

From left: Bruce Long Fox, Kent Hagg, Rex Hagg, Sharon No Heart (holding granddaughter), and Denice Murphy. Photo by Richie Richards

Allender announces city’s support of new project
By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Managing Editor

RAPID CITY –– Officials announced on Friday, Oct. 30, the land selection for the new Rural America Initiatives Head Start and Community Center will be located on eight acres just north of the Rushmore Mall.

Mayor Steve Allender, along with Rural America Initiatives Executive Director Bruce Long Fox, project developer Hagg Brothers, LLC, and RAI-selected board members for the development project Denice Murphy and Sharon No Heart, met with members of local media to announce the new 28,000 square foot Head Start facility will include classrooms, support spaces, administrative offices, outdoor play space and indoor/outdoor play space for community use.

In a prepared statement, Bruce Long Fox announced, “Rural American Initiatives has been serving the most at-risk Native American children and their families in Rapid City since 1986. It is the mission of Rural America Initiatives that education, with pride through understanding of heritage, is the key to breaking the forward-continuing cycle of poverty.”

Artist's rendering of the Head Start and community center in Rapid City, South Dakota. Image from Rural America Initiatives

Continues Long Fox’s statement, “The many educational needs of families are met through a series of programs including Head Start, Early Head Start and Ateyapi, a mentoring program in Rapid City’s elementary, middle and high schools. Now that the site for the new facility has been identified, the goal of providing a more positive environment for the pre-K education and care of at-risk Native American children has taken a tremendous step forward.”

The press conference was attended by Kent and Rex Hagg of Hagg Brothers LLC, part-owners of Hagg Brothers, LLC along with Brian Hagg and John Gomez of Rapid City.