Black Hills Woman Magazine - January February 2021 by Tout Advertising

SPEARFISH CADILLAC

1910 North Main Street Spearfish, SD 57783 605-642-7000 SpearfishCadillac.com

HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:30pm Saturday 8:00am - 5:00pm Sunday Closed

Behind this Issue

Publisher Tout Advertising, LLC Tracy Bernard

Kara Azevedo

Editor-in-Chief

Accounting

Editor-in-Chief Tracy Bernard Copy Editor Katie Pavel Ad Sales Jessie McGriff

Katie Pavel

Jessie McGriff

Copy Editor

Advertising Sales

Layout & Design Tracy Bernard Danielle Beadle 527 Kansas City Street, Suite 2 Rapid City, SD 57701 605.877.1446 BlackHillsWoman.com

Danielle Beadle

Madonna Rose Conca

Content Specialist

Toutadvertising.com

Cover Photographer

@blackhillswoman

Farrah Beard Cover Model

@blackhillswoman

Tout Advertising, LLC assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork and reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. Articles, advertisements, and opinions in this publication do not necessarily carry the endorsement of Tout Advertising. ÂŠ2021 Black Hills Woman Magazine

Inside this Issue

Crimeaholics

Women in Business

Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Feature

Traditional Foods of Indigenous Women Cuisine

Sandy Swallow Artist

Q&A with Lily Mendoza Girl Gives Back

Lend a Hand and Your Heart Lifestyle

MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Improve your health. Keep up with your family. Create a balanced life. The Monument Health General Surgery Team provides support and a personalized plan for every bariatric patient.

DAVID FROMM, M.D.

IRONY C. SADE, M.D.

ANDREW VANOSDOL, M.D.

General Surgery, Rapid City

General Surgery, Spearfish

RAPID CITY CLINIC

SPEARFISH CLINIC

2805 5th Street | Rapid City, SD 57701

1445 North Avenue | Spearfish, SD 57783

605-755-5700

NOW SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS www.monument.health

605-644-4170

Adopt, Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Shop Animal Kingdom

Resolve to Start Eating Better by Next August Humor

Be Your Own Cheerleader: 5 Science-Backed Ways to Boost Your Mood Health & Wellness

Beauty Watch 2021 Beauty

Too Cool Fashion

2021 Interior Design Trends Home 6

FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULD HAVE A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR: 1

We are here to take care of your entire family

FAMILY DOCTORS FOLLOW YOUR LIFE CYCLE Family doctors treat a wide range of conditions for all ages and stages of life.

THEY KNOW YOUR PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OFTEN BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF YOUR FAMILY

Dr. Taylor Kapsch

When doctors treat you for years, they get to know your medical history inside and out. 3

FAMILY DOCTORS TREAT MORE THAN YOU THINK Family doctors are highly trained, board certified physicians who are skilled at making diagnoses and treating many conditions.

Dr. Kyle Larson

WHEN YOU NEED A SPECIALIST, YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR HELPS YOU FIND THE RIGHT DOCTOR Navigating medical care can be challenging and your family doctor acts as your advocate to make sure you see the right specialist.

FAMILY DOCTORS CAN IMPROVE LIVES AND SAVE MONEY

Patient studies reveal when they have a primary care doctor they have lower hospitalization rates, fewer emergency room visits and reduced costs of health care.

Dr. Nancy Babbitt

Dr. Jon Wingert

Dr. Carson Phillips

Jenna Dormann, PA-C

Steve Sachs, PA-C

Dr. Ann Hibbs

Please call to schedule an appointment.

2822 Jackson Blvd, Suite 101, Rapid City, SD 605-341-1208 creeksidemedicalclinic.org

Crimeaholics Two Ellsworth Air Force Base gals embark on a Podcast to highlight lesserknown crimes and gain national success. By Heidi Bell Gease

Women in Business

ome people looking for a hobby might start skiing or learn to knit.

Kenzi Durbin and Holly Allen, close friends and self-professed crime junkies, launched a true crime podcast. “It all started as just like a hobby, something for us to do outside of our mom life and school and being wives,” Durbin says. “I thought maybe we would do like 10 episodes,” Allen agrees. “But it’s grown.” The first episode of their Crimeaholics podcast, which featured “The Shoe Fetish Slayer” Jerry Brudos, was released March 3 of last year. Twice a week, they highlight the case of a missing or murdered person. Crimeaholics has quickly gained a following, with listeners in some 60 counties and a #9 ranking on Podcast Magazine’s “Hot 50” list of podcasts (all subjects). It started as a school project. Durbin and Allen, both Air Force wives, are currently pursuing criminal justice degrees online, and crime is a common topic of conversation between the two. One of Durbin’s assignments for a communications class was to create a podcast. Naturally, she did hers on true crime. “The feedback on it was just phenomenal,” she says. (She received an “A.”) Durbin and Allen had long joked about starting a podcast. Then, in February 2020, they decided to take the plunge. So far, they have highlighted about 60 cases. Because there are numerous true crime podcasts out there, Durbin and Allen decided to focus on lesser-known cases. Some story ideas come from news headlines, while others come from people they’ve met through true crime Facebook groups. Monday editions of Crimeaholics , called “Missing Mondays”, always

Women in Business

feature a missing person case. Several months ago,

In every case, people reporting loved ones missing have

a Native American friend of Allen’s suggested they

been told to “give it a few days,” Durbin says. Law

highlight missing indigenous women. Allen and Durbin

enforcement typically tells families the missing person is

planned a 30-day segment featuring Missing and Mur-

“out partying, they’ll be back.”

dered Indigenous Women (MMIW) cases. As a criminal justice major, it’s been eye-opening for her Crimeaholics shared the story of Selena Not Afraid, 16,

to talk with victims’ families, many of whom feel the

who disappeared from a rest stop on Interstate 90 in

justice system has failed them. “I have really struggled

Montana last January. Her body was later found nearby.

with what I am going to do (for a career),” she says.

The podcast also shared the story of Larissa Lonehill

Durbin and Allen soon decided to extend the popular

of Manderson, 21, who went missing from Rapid

series by featuring a monthly MMIW case.

City in October 2016. She texted a cousin that she was with two male friends, then was never seen again.

“One of our main missions with Crimeaholics is to bring attention to lesser-known cases,” Allen explains. “MMIW typically do not receive the

Another episode discussed the case of Shacaiah

same amount of media attention across the

“Blue” Harding, 19, who was last seen in Billings,

nation as would a white woman who has

Mont., in July 2018, but was not reported missing

gone missing.

until months later. “We want to continue saying the names of these women “We didn’t know how the Native American community

because they deserve justice,” she adds.

would receive it, being that we were both white,” Allen says. “They have been so appreciative because these

Perhaps the most rewarding part of this venture is the

cases just do not get heard. I think those within the

relationships Durbin and Allen have formed with families

community felt that their voices aren’t being heard

they’ve interviewed. They refer to the mother of one

and that they don’t matter. They matter to us and our

murder victim they featured as “Grandma Maryellen.”

listeners.” “These families stay in contact with us,” Durbin says,

In researching cases, Durbin and Allen frequently reach

and pass on any new developments. “It’s been a blessing

out to family members of the missing women. Many have

to have these people come into our lives like this. We

shared their stories, often through tears, Durbin says,

hope that one day something will be solved and we are

but with amazing strength.

just so thankful to be a part of that.”

Women in Business

Missing persons cases where Durbin and Allen have talked

wherever they are. They’re even working with a private

with grieving families are the ones that haunt them

investigator and a former longtime crime scene investi-

most. “Someone doesn’t just disappear,” Allen says.

gator to add perspective on cases.

“Those ones keep me up at night.” “We’re at the point now where we’re in so deep and Early on, Durbin and Allen were told a podcast could be

we’ve had such phenomenal success that we can’t turn

considered successful if it had 10,000 downloads in the

back,” Allen says.

first year. At the nine-month mark, Crimeaholics has already been downloaded almost 100,000 times.

“We just want to keep doing the things that we’re

That success still feels surreal.

doing,” Durbin agrees. “Keep getting more names out there of people that are missing.”

“It feels like it’s just a fluke … like these people are just listening because they feel bad for us,” Allen says with

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/

a laugh. “We say that we just have people fooled really

Crimeaholics.TrueCrime. If you have a story you’d like

well.”

featured on Crimeaholics, you can contact Durbin and Allen through Facebook or at khcrimemedia@gmail.com.

Durbin and Allen hope the podcast will continue to

BHW

grow and evolve, even as their lives change. Allen will graduate from Portland State University in June with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She and her husband and their two sons, ages 5 and 9, will soon be moving to Las Vegas, giving her new cases to explore. Durbin is still working on her degree through Thomas Edison State University, while also parenting 6-year-old and 1-year-old daughters. As of now, they have every intention of continuing Crimeaholics from

Women in Business

“I think those within the community felt that their voices aren’t being heard and that they don’t matter. They matter to us and our listeners.”

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Movement by Heidi Bell Gease

Feature

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement aims to raise awareness of the disproportionate number of Native American women who go missing and/or are murdered every year, activists say. It started in 2015 when First Nations families in Canada petitioned their government for a national inquiry on missing and murdered women. Since then, the grassroots movement has spread throughout the U.S., with activists and Native families working to raise awareness of a situation many describe as a national crisis. Sunny Red Bear, director of racial equality for NDN Collective in Rapid City, has helped organize awareness events and lobbied for federal MMIW legislation, even though she doesn’t personally know anyone who has gone missing or been murdered. “What brought me to it was just seeing the devastation that it brought to so many different communities,” Red Bear says, along with the inequality of justice for Native people. “That’s what really drew me in, is how is this not a big topic?” she asks. “How is this not mainstream news that people know about?” A 2015 National Institute of Justice study confirmed that Native people experience higher rates of violence than the general population. 84 percent of Native women report being The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified murder as the third leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women; on some reservations, the murder rate for Native women is 10 times the national average. Even so, the exact number of women who go missing or are murdered is difficult to pinpoint. Many missing persons cases go unreported. The missing are not always correctly identified as Native. A lack of adequate data and a reliable database has complicated matters. One 2018 study by the Urban Indian Health Institute found that of 5,712 American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls reported missing, only 116 were registered in the U.S. Department of Justice database.

Feature

84%

of Native women report being the victim of violence sometime during their lives.

Lifestyle

The Associated Press says Congress has responded to the MMIW movement with legislation meant to close legal loopholes, improve data collection, and increase funding for tribal police training. South Dakota and other states have passed similar legislation. Savanna’s Act – named for Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was murdered in North Dakota – also calls for improved coordination and communication between agencies. Congress passed it in September 2020. Red Bear agrees that jurisdictional coordination could be better. Historically, if a woman from Pine Ridge went missing in Rapid City, family members seeking help were likely to be referred back and forth between tribal and municipal law enforcement. “It slows down the process of finding these women,” Red Bear says. So does systemic racism and stereotypes. “People tend to label indigenous people [as drunks or drug users] and then because of those titles they don’t think that [missing women] are deserving of immediate action, of resources,” she says. Red Bear says Native women are also more likely to fall victim to crime in areas near the oil pipeline and the nearby “man camps.” Sexual assault and sex trafficking are common problems in those areas, especially for Native women. “I think that it directly impacts Native women more because of the positions that we’ve been put in as far as vulnerability,” she says. “We’ve been targeted because of … the lack of follow-up [on cases].” The result, she says, is a pervasive attitude that there are no repercussions for harming Native women. And while changing that attitude may seem a daunting task, small changes can add up. In November 2019, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a task force, Operation Lady Justice, to address MMIW issues. The second of seven nationwide cold case offices opened in Rapid City in August 2020. At the local level, Red Bear and a colleague have started a new venture working with teenage girls on area reservations on empowerment, including self-awareness and self-defense. “There are a lot of our lessons that focus on being aware of your body, your surroundings and relationships, which I believe truly ties to the root causes of MMIW,” she says. “Our hope is that we create for our girls a solid support system, a life toolkit and safe spaces for them to empower themselves.” BHW

Lifestyle

Traditional Foods of Indigenous Women By Brittany Pruess Photos provided by Kimberly Tilsen-Brave Heart

Cuisine

Food, and the experience of it, brings a culture, and cultures, together. Traditional recipes weave together stories from oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage as memories are exchanged. This exchange is deeply personal and thus, it is truly a cherished gift if another gets to experience the traditional foods of their neighborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture. It is a gift of education, of experience, and of appreciation for the traditions of the cultures coming together in the landscape of community. In the Black Hills, we have the rare opportunity to explore a few of the traditional dishes handed down within the families of our Indigenous community. Each meal has a story, a memory, and honor attached to its significance. Processes are handled with care. Ingredients are tended to with respect. Lives are appreciated and celebrated through the passing of a plate from the hands of one to the hands of another. A meal is a demonstration of love poured out. Here are a few stories behind the traditional dishes cherished by our Indigenous community:

Wasna Wasna is a traditional food made from dried meat cut as thinly as possible. Once the meat is dried, it is then pounded out, and fat, sugar, and dried fruit are added. Wasna is still used today for certain celebrations. In addition to this, it is a dish that can be preserved for days at a time. As a result, Wasna is a source of energy for those traveling an extended distance. For Iris Gay, Wasna was often tied to special occasions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My earliest recollection was mom making Wasna to put in Easter plates to put on graves of our relatives at Easter sunrise services at the church where my dad preached. I started helping when I

Cuisine

was a little bit older. These plates are given to people in memory of our dead relatives. In recent years, I helped mom make Wasna for my cousin to take on his horseback rides to honor chiefs on Standing Rock, and also to Greasy Grass, Little Bighorn, Montana.” says Gay.

Wojapi Wojapi is a traditional berry soup, often made with chokecherries.

Gabubu Bread Gabubu bread is a traditional bread often baked in the skillet. Similar to fry bread, but it is usually made with less oil Noreen Two Bulls reflects fondly on her own experience of Wojapi and Gabubu bread, both staple dishes of her family. “While growing up around my Grandma Dora, she used to have us grind chokecherries, using one of those old metal grinders with a handle. Our uncles, Reggie and Virgil, would bring Grandma buckets of chokecherries, or she would buy them from whoever came to her house selling them. We used to grind them twice, then make patties. Once that was done, we would help her take them outside on her table and line them up on a cotton sheet; then she would cover them with a sheer curtain. Later in the afternoon, she would go outside and turn them over. She would always save some for fresh Wojapi. When there were some cherries left over, she would make cherry jam and we would have hot Gabubu bread with jam. That was so good. After the cherry patties were all dried, she would put them away in a pillow case and we would have to hang them downstairs.”

Cuisine

Tatanka WahĂĄnpi Tatanka WahĂĄnpi is a traditional hearty buffalo stew, often made when feeding a large gathering or in honor of a particular individual.

Timpsila Timpsila is a prairie turnip often harvested as a family. Once harvested, the family often spends the day forming long braids with the turnips in order to preserve them to use them throughout the year. The Timpsila is found in many of dishes, including many stews. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My favorite traditional foods are Tatanka WahĂĄnpi, Timpsila, and veggies, says Jackie Solano. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This meal is everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite to have when feeding the community or honoring someone.â&#x20AC;? In their rawest form, the stories that intermingle

with the traditional foods of Indigenous women share a deeper meaning, one rich with history, culture, and the fondest of memories found within a family. As we sit down and digest both the words and the food of another, we begin to see the sweet glimpses of the gift before us; the gift of learning about another as both our hearts and our stomachs are filled. May we always cherish the opportunity of learning about our world in such a tangibly delish way. BHW

5 21 7th Street Rapid City, SD www.etiquettecateringco.com Cuisine

Buffalo Stew Developed & Created by Kimberly Tilsen-Brave Heart & Brandon Brave Heart • Braise 2 lbs. of Buffalo meat (1 inch cubes) with half an onion (fine chop) in warmed stock pot with 3-4 tbsp. olive oil. • Adds spice:1 tbsp. garlic powder, 2 tbsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. turmeric, and 3-4 bay leaves, • After browned, add mirepoix (chopped onions, carrots, celery) and can of diced tomatoes. • Add 2 cups water or stock/broth and simmer on med-low heat for 30-45 minutes or until tender. (Stir occasionally; more water or stock/broth may be needed.) Times will vary with size of meat and location. • When meat is tender, add 6-8 cups of beef broth/stock or water, then bring back to boil. • Add 6-8 Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces or bigger. • Cook an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. • Remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Serve.

Cooking with Bison Tips Remember: because of the lack of fat content in Bison, cook Bison on low to medium heat, and be patient. It will build flavor. Do not cook on high heat, as it will burn and dry out quickly. Think of creative ways to introduce fat, such as adding butter to the dish or injecting rendered duck fat (you can buy at most grocery stores) or mixing pork or chicken sausage with it.

Cuisine

,LLP

Happy Holidays from the OB/GYN Department at Rapid City Medical Center.

Shana Bernhard, MD Angela K. Anderson, MD Marcia Beshara, MD

Jeffrey Bendt, MD

Katherine Degen, MD

Heather Moline, MD

605.342.3280 | www.RapidCityMedicalCenter.com

Sandy Swallow ARTIST 24

Area Artist

Trial and error is how Sandy Swallow came to be an internationally-renowned artist. Almost thirty years ago, Swallow attended an art event in Bismarck, ND; little did she know, this art event would spark her interest in block printing. “The person next to me had block prints and this intrigued me, so I went to the state library to look for books on this technique,” says Swallow. She is mainly a self-taught artist, she explains. Swallow uses different types of mediums to create her masterpieces, the main being acrylic for her paintings and ink for her block prints. “To make a block print, I sketch an image onto artist linoleum and then I carve out that image,” Swallow explains. “Next, I bray on one color using ink with a roller. Sometimes I use blocks and layer on other colors on top of each other.” Sandy has always liked art, but it wasn’t until her forties that she decided to go after her dream of being an artist. Swallow’s favorite subjects to capture in art are Native Americans, she says. She is an enrolled Oglala Lakota/Northern Cheyenne from Pine Ridge. “My great grandparents were present at the 1868 Ft. Laramie treaties. Also, both of my great grandmothers came in with Crazy Horse’s band when he arrived at Ft. Robinson, where he was killed. Consequently Native American subjects are my favorite subjects to portray,” she reflects. Swallow believes that art is a way for cultures to better understand one another. Her favorite project she completed was her painting called “Soaring into the Future” which features the Lakota Sun in the background. She painted this in acrylic and it took her around two weeks to finish it. “This painting was made into a book cover for the USDA American Indian and Alaskan Natives Program,” she says proudly.

Area Artist

The Brightest Star Cuwe Star may your name never be forgotten, Strong Lakota Woman Star guiding me and protecting me Advising me on life On the darkest night I look to the sky And know you are in heaven With the other shining stars Mother, Sister, Daughter, or Friend There you are brightest star, Cuwe Star, strong Lakota Woman Poem & Painting (below) by Sandy Swallow

about her older sister who was tragically murdered.

Each project is special in its own way, but her project named “Cuwe Star” holds a special place in Swallow’s heart. “In 1968, my beautiful sister Donna Swallow was murdered by her husband,” she sighs. Swallow has been without her sister for 52 years, and it is still difficult for her to discuss. “Cuwe in Lakota means older sister. I created this picture to honor her and all of the other victims,” says Swallow. When asked what she would tell aspiring artist, Swallow smiles, “Try to convey what is in your heart. And don’t give up when the going gets hard.” Swallow’s art can be found in Prairie Edge, located in Rapid City, SD. Visit her website at sandyswallowgallery.com. BHW

Area Artist

Briefly describe the organization and your role. I am the founder of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society

Q&A with Lily Mendoza

(RRSS) located here in the Black Hills, although our membership is world wide. The RRSS is a society founded and led by Indigenous women that promotes awareness and education around the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Children

Red Ribbon Skirt Society

and Two-Spirit (MMIWC2S). As a society, we advocate, support, give voice to, and stand with families whose lives have been affected by missing and murdered relatives. Why did you start the Red Ribbon Skirt Society? As I began to research this epidemic, I began to reach out to families of MMIWC2S and found that many

The Girl Gives Back

of the families were still in deep grief after 30 years or more of losing their loved one to murder and/or having a mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother still missing. So I began my journey with other like-minded women to help those families by educating and hosting awareness campaigns that would give attention to the crisis to make sure that our MMIWC2S are not forgotten and to be bring justice to these women and children. How does your role in this organization impact others? We impact our local community and other communities across the globe by bringing awareness to the crisis by making sure that women will not be silenced about the violence against our women. We do this through awareness campaigns, marches, and mentoring young women to stand up for the cause. We have developed young womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s societies and young women ambassadorships to speak on the crisis and act as role models for other young women. What has been the most impactful thing youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve witnessed at Red Ribbon Skirt Society? The process of healing through prayer and ceremony has been one the most impactful things I and others have experienced. With the creation of the Center for Healing , Prayer, and Remembrance (located in Rapid City at 524 7th Street), we have created a safe and spiritual place for families to visit and pray for their loved one, whether deceased or still missing. It gives comfort to the families to know that somewhere there is a place that remembers their mother, daughter, sister, or auntie and that prayers are given up every day for their loved one. What can people do to help? If you would like to help, you can donate to the Red Ribbon Skirt Society, visit www.redribbonskirtsociety.com. Donations help us continue our awareness campaigns and keep the doors to the RRSS Center for Healing , Prayer, and Remembrance open. BHW

The Girl Gives Back

Lend a Hand and Your Heart By Brittany Pruess

Lifestyle

As the world’s stressors are becoming tiresome and heavy-laden for many, individuals are struggling to gather their thoughts and meet the needs of those around them in a collective community-based way. Many are experiencing a sense of defeat within their own lives and as a community at large. However, wherever there is faith and a vessel willing to serve, hope begins appearing beyond the horizon. Perhaps you are wanting to lend your hands and your heart to service, but you are unsure where to begin.

Here are a few places to consider giving your time and energy to: Feeding South Dakota Feeding South Dakota is an organization helping many who are struggling to put food on their tables in South Dakota. Although an individual can volunteer on their own, there is the beautiful opportunity to volunteer collectively with family, friends, and your company within this program. With the need for food ever increasing during this time in history, individuals can simply schedule a shift and prepare their hearts and hands for service. Opportunities include sorting food items, packaging, and distributing goods to those individuals in need.

Fork Real Cafe Their website says it best: “Fork Real is a non-profit pay-whatyou-can community cafe that offers a welcoming environment and fresh farm-to-table meals dedicated to real people, real food, and real conversations.” Located in the heart of downtown Rapid City, Fork Real Café is truly a unique establishment meeting the needs of the community. Volunteer options for this company are ones you will not find anywhere else. An individual may apply to volunteer as a cook, a host in their café, a local gardener, or a caterer, working alongside their neighbors.

Lifestyle

Love inc Love INC is a faith-based organization encouraging individuals in their success by showing who they can be in Christ and through the love offered to them. The company offers countless programs, both to the adult and the child, enabling them to grow as members of society, but also in their relationship with Christ. The opportunities to volunteer are vast. Areas to plant your heart and hands in service include, but are not limited to, clothing a child in need, sponsoring a child, data entry, answering phone calls, furniture deliveries, furniture donations, office work, home repairs, teaching life skills, mentoring, etc.

United Way There are many today desiring to lend their heart but perhaps cannot lend their hands or their time. United Way is the perfect organization for the individual who wishes to donate financially in order to provide for the community at large. The organization focuses on the health, education, and financial stability of those in our community, especially during times when individuals need it the most,such as during a pandemic. It works alongside countless organizations in order to create lasting solutions for those in the community, not just Band-Aids for a problem. There are hundreds of ways to lend your heart and your hands in the Black Hills. The organizations presented are just the tip of the iceberg. What heart of service has this stirred up for you? BHW

Lifestyle

When you love where you live, the rest falls into place. Give me a call so I can help get you into a home you can be proud to call yours. Laci Sosa

Mortgage Banker

[M] 605.690.9005

Company NMLS: 227262. Not a commitment to lend. Additional terms and conditions apply. Headquarters: 12140 Woodcrest Executive Drive, Suite 150, St. Louis, Missouri 63141, Toll Free: (888) 250-6522. For licensing information, go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org.

lsosa@usa-mortgage.com lsosa.usa-mortgage.com NMLS: 1110842

Adopt ,

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

Shop

BY Dan ielle Be adle

Animal Kingdom

Are you in the market for a live-in best friend? When shopping for a pet, there are many avenues you can take and many places you can find your furry friend. However, one avenue can help animals in need: pet adoption.

Shelters Around 6.5 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide every year, and 1.5 million of those animals are euthanized. These furry friends end up at the shelters for a multitude of reasons, the two most common being strays and owner surrenders.

Benefits of Adopting Giving an animal a second chance and a forever home has lots of advantages for not only the pet, but for the adopter as well. The most obvious is that you are helping animals in need. When you adopt from a shelter, you are giving a home to a pet that needs one, and you are freeing up the facility to allow for more animals that need help. Another benefit of adopting a shelter animal is that they are normally much less expensive than four-legged companions that come from breeders. They also usually get their vaccines and are a lot of times spayed/neutered before they are put up for adoption, which is great on the pocketbook.

Choosing a Pet When choosing a pet, you have to decide what would fit your lifestyle. If you have more time on your hands or lead an active lifestyle, a dog may be the perfect choice for you. If you have a busy lifestyle, consider getting a cat because it requires less attention than dogs normally do. Next, you would decide what age of companion you are looking for. There is a very wide variety of ages at every shelter, ranging from puppies/kittens to seniors. If you have a pet already in your household, it is ideal to bring your furry family member to the shelter to make sure it gets along with any pet you may want to bring home. Many different breeds are available at animal shelters, so you can find exactly what you are looking for. The shelter employees spend a lot of

Animal Kingdom

time with these animals, so they can tell you a lot about each one and you can find the perfect fit.

Bringing Home Your Best Friend The transition from the shelter to a home can be very nerve-wracking for your new best friend, so keeping it comfortable should be a top-priority for the first few weeks of owning your new companion. Usually, the shelter it is coming from has a routine that it follows, so your new pet is probably used to this. It is helpful to keep the same routine for the first few days and then slowly transition into the routine it will follow in its new home. Lastly, enjoy your new best friend and embrace all of the love it has to offer. Listed below are some local shelters that would love to put their animals in a great home:

Animal Kingdom

•

Humane Society of the Black Hills | Rapid City, SD

(605) 394-4170

•

Western Hills Humane Society | Spearfish, SD

(605) 642-1576

•

Sturgis Animal Center | Sturgis, SD

(605) 347-8310

•

Battle Mountain Humane Society | Hot Springs, SD

(605) 745-7283

Tre y t s & ta

ats

ARE LOADED WITH SUGAR! A LEADING CAUSE OF CHILDHOOD DECAY

STOP DECAY TODAY (6 0 5 ) 3 41- 3 0 6 8

bhpediatricdentistry.com

Resolve to Start Eating Better by Next August

I had an epiphany this past Halloween. I was sitting alone, eating miniature candy

By Dorothy Rosby

And so it begins. Friendly people set out dishes filled with candy corn and “fun

bars from a giant bag of about 300. I got my usual number of trick-or-treaters: four. Maybe next year I should leave the lights on. That wasn’t the epiphany, though. I already knew that. What I realized was that the overeating season doesn’t start with the Thanksgiving turkey and end with the New Year’s resolutions, as I had always thought. It actually runs from August to August with a couple of days of healthful eating in early January. That’s because the grocery stores put out their Halloween candy in August. We walk by, think, “It’s too early for that,” and then throw some in our cart. We’re going to need to buy it eventually, anyway. We’re also going to need to buy it again eventually.

size” candy bars, though, if you ask me, a full-sized candy bar is way more fun. Unfriendly people fill their candy dishes with gummy skulls and candy that looks like miniature bloody bones. Those probably wouldn’t be fun if they were full size. Whatever they put in them, I admire people who have candy dishes—full candy dishes. Anyone can have an empty one. If I were going to have a full candy dish, it would have to be filled with something I don’t like. Maybe sardines. You can find chocolate turkeys if you look hard, but Thanksgiving isn’t really about candy. Man—and woman—cannot live on candy alone. We need stuffing, too. And pie. Magically, right after Halloween, the orange and brown candy wrappers are replaced by red and green foil—maybe by elves. And chocolate Santas and candy canes appear. By the way, if you ever give me Christmas candy, which would be a nice gesture, don’t give me candy canes. I haven’t liked those since a Christmas many years ago when I received a candy cane so big I’d probably still be eating it if it hadn’t picked up lint so badly.

Humor

By Christmas, the store-bought goodies are supplemented by homemade treats—except at my house. If we’re going to have homemade treats, someone else is going to have to make them and, thankfully, someone often does. I’m lucky to have several friends who annually complain about holiday weight gain and doing their holiday baking in the same conversation. There are probably still Christmas leftovers in our fridge on New Year’s Day, but we all make another big meal anyway. Then we diet—until January 3. It helps that there are slim pickings for New Year’s candy, though that’s the only thing that’s slim during the holiday season. You can get gummy shot glasses, chocolate champagne bottles, and liquor-filled chocolates, but those aren’t suitable for candy dishes—or children. It’s okay, though. The pink and red candies, chocolate hearts, and heart-shaped boxes are in stores by New Year’s Day. Nothing says “I love you” like a giant box of chocolates, at least to me. Early in our marriage, my husband gave me chocolates every Valentine’s Day. Then one year, he gave me a box of candy he claimed he thought was chocolate. It turned out to be Sweet Tarts. I don’t have to tell you how hard that was on our relationship. St. Patrick’s Day isn’t known for candy. But you can get corned beef and cabbage, which is always a treat. Just don’t put it in your candy dish. The lack of St. Patrick’s Day candy may be explained by the overabundance of Easter candy. Shortly after Valentine’s Day, candy corns go pastel and chocolate bunnies appear. If you plan to give me Easter candy, you should know I prefer solid chocolate bunnies to hollow ones. Apparently, to make a chocolate figure with no innards, you have to make it with brown crayons and I don’t think those are edible. Hardly anybody gives May baskets anymore, but if I ever do it, I’ll fill them with leftover candy canes and hollow Easter bunnies. There are a few sweets that come wrapped in red, white, and blue for Independence Day. And there are some peculiar candies that explode in your mouth, but those aren’t treats as much as entertainment. This is the season for ice cream anyway—and going to the dentist.

Humor

I’m not aware of any Labor Day candy, but no one misses it because the Halloween candy has been up since August. Spread throughout the year are birthday parties, special event,s and the arrival of Girl Scout cookies, which, in my opinion, should be a national holiday. And so it goes. Every special occasion is followed by guilt, then resolve. We admit to ourselves we’ve really overdone it and promise to start fresh on New Year’s Day. Or rather August 1. (If you want to cut back on treats this year, bring yours to Dorothy Rosby.) BHW

Humor

Be Your Own Cheerleader 5 Science-Backed Ways to Boost Your Mood

Health & Fitness

By Sara McEvoy

ou’re not the only one thinking 2020 was a doozy of a year.

According to the American Psychological Association, 2 in 3 adults

reported increased stress during the pandemic. Nearly half say this stress has had a negative impact on their behavior and relationships. And here’s the true trouble with stress: it doesn’t just affect you, but also everyone you interact with. Even your future self is affected by how you feel now, since chronic stress is linked to everything from depression and weight gain to heart disease and memory problems. All this to say: if you’re feeling stressed out, anxious, or simply not your best self, it’s in your best interest (as well as your loved ones’) to turn things around. Professional help helps, of course. But there are also plenty of things you can do on your own to start feeling better— sometimes in a matter of minutes.

Health & Fitness

Here are five research-supported ways to boost your mood today.

Go for a Walk

Even just a 10-minute brisk walk can boost

your mood, according to studies. Walking increases blood flow to the brain and releases feel-good chemicals in your nervous system. Walking can even enhance creativity and prevent rumination, which is what happens when you press repeat on your negative thoughts. Optimize your walk by bringing a friend along or heading out into the beautiful Black Hills.

Give Something to Others

Giving to others—whether it’s your time,

your money, a well-meaning compliment, or a helping hand—stimulates the release of hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin in your body. These hormones are the molecular building blocks of a good mood. Need some inspiration? Volunteer or donate to an area charity, such as the Black Hills Area Community Foundation or Working Against Violence, Inc.

Do Something Challenging

Doing something challenging or creative on a

daily basis has been shown to enhance well-being and promote positive emotions like excitement, enthusiasm, and energy.

Health & Fitness

This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean you have to write a novel, run a mile, or start taking cold showers, by the way. Even trying a new recipe, journaling for five minutes, jotting down a gratitude list, or working on a jigsaw puzzle can be effective.

Pet an Animal

When you pet an animal, the amount of stress hormones in

your body goes down. This can have an immediate effect on mood and inflammation levels. Do you have a pet-free house? Good news: watching those cute cat memes and dog videos has actually been shown to have a mood-enhancing effect, too. Consider re-vamping your social media feed so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re following more feel-good animal accounts.

Health & Fitness

Go on a Date With Your Spouse

Spending quality time with your partner is

an effective way to stimulate the release of those important mood-enhancing hormones we know and love, like oxytocin and dopamine. Plus, setting a formal date can graciously guide you and your partner out of your normal routine in a way that invites a little excitement into your relationship. To make the most of it, dress up, offer compliments, hold hands, and be sure to spend a few conscious moments at the end of your date sharing what you’re thankful for. This list isn’t exhaustive by any means. The point is to find a strategy or two that works for you and keep doing it. Even if your mood goes from bad to better (but not quite great), you’re still taking a huge emotional step in the right direction. BHW

Health & Fitness

SDPB Early Learning Initiative SDPB

South Dakota Public Broadcasting

SDPB Early Learning Initiative is an avenue for ongoing conversation between caregivers and SDPB. Sign up for weekly newsletters with links to new material, focus areas, ways to connect to other ELI users, and offer feedback.

SDPB.org/ELI/connect

SDPB is partnering with Bright by Text, a national parent texting program, to put expert tips, games, and child development tools directly into the hands of parents and caregivers.

Free activities, games and resources for people who care for children prenatal to age 8.

Have older kids? SDPBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got you covered! Each week, Monday-Friday from 11am-4pm CT (10am-3pm MT), SDPB2/World has educational programming and documentaries for grades 6-12 with additonal PBS Learning Media content (lesson plans, videos, discussion guides, and worksheets). Get a schedule with live links to take you straight to the resources for each program at SDPB.org/learn/worldschedule or visit SDPB.org/learnersconnection for all SDPB distance learning links. 47

Beauty Watch 2021 By Jessie McGriff

Beauty

Many people are looking forward to this New Year and a fresh start. After a year of hunkering down at home, the types of skincare and makeup products women are buying have shifted. Full on glamour is not the look that women are reaching for these days, since perfectly-polished features are not required for at-home meetings. The beauty trend for 2021 has been dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Natural Glamâ&#x20AC;? and it is a spin-off of a minimalistic look with some glamour tossed in. Women are opting for great skincare with a few complementing cosmetic products in tow. Here are some exciting new products to help you look and feel your best for this coming year.

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide $45 This moisturizer is made of natural ingredients that help give your skin a soothing boost of moisture. Our skin gets wear and tear from environmental factors and the fruit-based antioxidants in this formula help to repair and protect against those damages.

Versed Silk Slip Tinted Lip Oil $9.99 Mask wearing over the past year has made lipstick applications few and far between. Lip oils are a new trend that keep your lips hydrated and plump with a splash of color. This lip oil contains a soft tint of color and Vitamin E oil to make sure your pout is at its best.

Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm SPF 40 $39.00 This beauty balm is packed full of anti-aging ingredients and also contains skin-perfecting pigments as well as sunscreen. BB creams were designed to be a one-step face perfector and this balm is just that.

Beauty

Dr Barbara Sturm Glow Drops $145 This product boosts your complexion while also preventing wrinkles. Designed to go on top of your moisturizer for a healthy radiant glow, it is highly concentrated so a little goes a long way. If you want a natural looking skin regime that also improves your complexion, this is it!

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Hot Air Brush $59.99 Multipurpose hair tools are in! This brush allows you to dry your hair while giving you maximum body and style and shine. The selling point on this product is that, unlike a conventional hair dryer, this brush can get close to the scalp and offer lift right from the root for lasting volume.

Light-Therapy Golden Facial Treatment Device by Dr. Maryam Zamani $625 This device is a combination of spa treatments all wrapped up in one mask. The multicolored LED lights in this mask have multiple benefits including, reducing redness, treating acne, lifting the skin, stimulating collagen, healing sun damage and broken capillaries, and improving scars. Although this device is a bit pricey, customers have given it rave reviews, and the best part is that you can reap these benefits in the comfort of your own home. BHW

Beauty

Too Cool Local Fashion Finds

Fashion

Pure Fox 605 Main St Rapid City

SoleMate Shoes and Uniform Center 719 Main St Rapid City

Real Deals 2020 Deadwood Ave #101 Rapid City

Fashion

Wear It Again Sam 402 E Fairmont Blvd Rapid City

O & A Farmhouse 320 7th St Suite C Rapid City

Fashion

2021 Interior Design trends By Kristin Stephenson

Home & Garden

ow we use our homes has changed dramatically over the last

year. It is no surprise that we are feeling the need to refresh our surroundings by creating practical and comfortable spaces now more than ever before. Here are a few trends that you will see popping up this year and fresh ways you can incorporate them into your environment while remaining functional.

CELEBRATE INDIVIDUALITY AND UNIQUENESS As some may be tiring of a neutral color scheme, you will see people using their spaces to express themselves and reflect their personalities. Eclectic styles help to create a home that has a bit more flare. Mixing new materials, textures, and fabrics, adding a statement piece of furniture, or diversifying your art collection will help create a tasteful and exciting environment. Making your home a reflection of you and your personality builds a deeper connection to your space.

Home & Garden

EARTHY GROUNDED SHADES With inspiration being sourced from our surroundings, you will see emphasis being placed on an earthy color palette. It is easy to get design influence from the beautiful Black Hills; from the Badlands to Sylvan Lake. Go out into nature, and get inspired! You will begin to see more color used inside of homes on walls,and soft surfaces. Featuring dark rusts, warm greens, deep reds, and rich browns, these colors are both comforting and welcoming. Go bold by adding a colorful tile backsplash in your kitchen, creating a textural feature wall, or by painting a few rooms in your home. Before adding color, make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thoughtful about which room and what color you choose. Not feeling like a big change? Subtly incorporate these colors with an area rug, peel and stick wallpaper, or a few throw pillows.

Home & Garden

EMBRACING LIGHTER WOODS & COMFORT Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scandinavian blonde or a more rustic light oak, we are seeing lighter wood options replace darker shades. These softer tones are uplifting, airy, and easy to design around, creating a slightly more modern look. You can mix these lighter elements into your space with comfortable, rounded furniture featuring wood accents on cabinetry, or in new flooring. Incorporating lighter wood features can make a room seem larger, as the hues create the illusion of a bigger room. Adding texture with organic materials such as wool, jute, leather, and stone helps your space feel in-tune with nature and can have a calming effect. These elements, combined with light wood tones, will make your home both cozy and aesthetically pleasing. BHW

Kristin Stephenson is an interior designer and the showroom manager at Flooring America. She follows interior design trends closely to provide customers with the best design advice.

Home & Garden

TAKE CONTROL. WHEN ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH, CONSIDER ...

A DIFFERENT KIND OF MEDICINE.

LIFESTYLE MEDICINE 82% of disease and illness can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. We understand that making those choices arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always easy. Monument Health is now offering lifestyle medicine, an evidence-based approach that focuses on preventing, treating and potentially reversing certain health conditions through healthy lifestyle choices. Our health coaches and physician-led team of experts will take the time to provide you with an individualized lifestyle plan designed to promote your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

www.monument.health/lifestylemedicine

Lifestyle Medicine Monument Health Rapid City Clinic 640 Flormann Street Rapid City, SD 57701 605-755-3300