By By JESSICA SIEFF / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Presale tickets for Port-A-Pit chicken are on sale now to benefit a Vacation Bible School trip by members of First Church of God in Niles.
The sale will end June 2 and are good for a fundraiser taking place June 14 at the church from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fundraiser will also include a garage sale and bake sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eleven members of the church, including nine adults and two 12-year-old girls, will be making the trip July 5 to Wounded Knee, S. D. on the Pine Ridge Reservation – the historical site of the famed massacre.
Two of those making the trip include administrative assistant at First Church of God, JoAnn Barkman and member Kathy Barnes.
"We are so blessed to go out there to Wounded Knee with all the history out there and everything," Barkman said.
The reservation is the home of the infamous event between United States soldiers and the Native American Lakota tribe. Historical accounts state that after being told to surrender all weapons to the United States, an altercation had broken out with a member of the tribe and a member of the Seventh Cavalry. When a gunshot was heard – more followed. It has been estimated that approximately 350 Lakota men, women and children were killed at Wounded Knee.
Now the reservation struggles and, according to information provided by First Church of God, the Lakota Sioux Indians are the poorest in the United States.
First Church of God in Niles will make their way to Wounded Knee for a week in July for the children of the Lakota people.
"It's going to be for the children," Barkman said. "We'll have some services at night for the community but it's mostly for the children."
According to Barkman, First Church of God has started supporting the Church of God ministry, which includes Wounded Knee Church of God, run by Pastor Stanley Hollow Horn.
Each day the children of the reservation will be picked up and brought back to Wounded Knee Church of God, where they will receive a hot lunch, which Barkman says could be the only hot meals they get. They will also take part in various activities including arts and crafts and members will teach them about Jesus Christ.
The church funds trips like the one being taken to Wounded Knee primarily through the gifts of others. "A lot of it is through donations," Barkman says. While she adds that the group is not quite sure what mode of transport they'll be taking to the site, they'll need fuel, which is costly, in addition to providing food and supplies.
"We're going to buy all of the food for lunch everyday," Barnes says. "And for the meals for ourselves three times a day."
The proceeds from the Port-A-Pit dinners as well as a garage sale and bake sale, taking place the same day will go towards First Church of God's trip to Wounded Knee. Barkman says anyone unable to make a visit June 14 for the sale can donate in several ways including sending checks to the church or even bringing by supplies to be taken with the group. "They really need medicines out there," she said.
Prices for the Port-A-Pit fundraiser are $5 for chicken only and $6 for a chicken dinner that includes a roll and coleslaw.
"It's so neat," says Barkman. "Because history is still being made out there." Through its dedication and with the help of the community – First Church of God is also a part of that history.