Mother's Day Weekend

The 2010 Heritage Softail Classic that will be raffled off at REZonate on Sept. 11th will be on display May 7, 8, and 9th at Tri-County Harley in Fairfield! Come check it out. Raffle tickets are just $10 each!

Blessid Union of Souls @ REZonate Music Fest

We are happy to announce that Blessid Union of Souls will be performing at the REZonate Music Fest on Sept. 11th @ Keehner Park!

Come out and enjoy a fantastic show and help provide backpacks and school supplies for the children on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Welcome to Jacobs Plumbing and Excavating!

We are happy to welcome Jacobs Plumbing and Excavating as a sponsor for the REZonate Music Fest again this year! Give them a call at 513-895-3166 for all your plumbing needs.

Sponsors Needed for REZonate

We're gearing up for the biggest and best REZonate ever this year but we are in need of sponsors to help make it happen.

If you have a business and would like to make a tax-deductible donation to sponsor REZonate this year we will provide you with a booth at the event, mention you from the stage several times, and put your logo everywhere. :)

Contact Amber at amberburiff@aol.com for info.

We are very grateful to our sponsors Tri-County Harley Davidson and Hauser Heating and Air for their support!

Help Needed

We could use your help. We are still in need of 300 boxes of 24 count crayons for the backpacks that will go to the Rez this year. If you want to help out, they can be brought to the Winton Rd. First Church of God in Fairfield during service times or they can be mailed to

Backpacks For Pine Ridge
6468 Kimberly Drive
Hamilton, OH 45011.

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Welcome to Hauser Heating and Air!

We are happy to welcome Hauser Heating and Air as a sponsor for the REZonate Music Fest again this year. Give them a call for all of your heating and airconditioning needs!

Trax for Backpacks 5k: Pre-register Online!

The Trax for Backpacks 5k will be held at

VOA Park, West Chester, OH

on

Oct. 30, 2010.

You can download our flyer and registration form at our web site Backpacks For Pine Ridge

or you can go to Speedy Feet and scroll down to find our race and register online.

Can't Wait Till We Can Tell You More About This ...

The Name of the 5k is ....

All the voting is in and the name you all chose for the 5k is ... Trax For Backpacks 5k!

We'll have details about time and location coming in the next week or two!

Its Time to VOTE for the Name for the 5k!

Online Surveys & Market Research

Name the 5k!

Here's a chance for you to do something creative and fun! We are considering a 5k Walk/Run to benefit Backpacks For Pine Ridge sometime this fall and we need a name. Put your suggestion in a comment and we'll all vote!

Keehner Park

Check out the venue for the REZonate Music Fest 2010!

We'll be there on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 from 2 - 9 pm

Keehner Park in West Chester, OH is a great place to take the family for a day of fun.

REZonate Music Fest 2010 !!

REZonate Music Fest

will be held at

Keehner Park
West Chester, OH

on

Saturday, September 11, 2010

This year the Cincinnati Teamsters Motorcycle Association

will raffle off a 2010 Heritage Softail Classic Harley Davidson motorcycle at REZonate!

Tickets are just $10 each for a chance to win a brand new Harley!

(Tax, title, prep, extra security features paid by CTMA)

See any Cincinnati TMA member for tickets or send $10 per ticket along with a SASE to: Cinti TMA, 1802 Vernon Place, Fairfield, OH, 45014.

Many THANKS to our friends at Cincinnati Teamsters Motorcycle Association!!

Year-End Report

As we wrap up the 2009 year things are looking great for Backpacks For Pine Ridge. In spite of a rough economy, giving kept pace and even exceeded what we expected. Here are a few of the highlights from the past year.

• In January our friends 8 Lives Spent held a benefit at The Virginia Brewing Company in Winchester, VA with Michael Fath, Tom Fitzgerald, Brent Woodall and Naches Trace for the purpose of raising money to buy electric heaters. Because of their efforts we were able to deliver 50 heaters to those in need on the Reservation.
  
  
• In April we had our “Backpacking Party” where in 2 hours we filled 500 backpacks with school supplies, packed them into boxes and stacked them so they were ready to load onto the truck. 150 were destined for the village of Allen, 100 to the village of Wounded Knee and the remaining 250 to the Calico Community on the Reservation.
  
• In May we got word that The Cincinnati Teamsters Motorcycle Association would be making The REZonate Music Fest and Bike Ride their “event of the year”.
  
• In June we received a message from Dawn Frank, president of the Calico Community, saying they needed 300 backpacks for the children in her community. The problem was, we only had 250, so the call went out and you all responded with the money to purchase 50 more backpacks and the school supplies to go in them!
  
• In July we delivered 550 backpacks to the Reservation - more than we’ve ever done before! 150 backpacks to the village of Allen, the poorest village in America. 300 backpacks were delivered to the Calico Community and 100 to the village of Wounded Knee! Dawn Frank, president of the Calico Community on the Reservation tells what impact that has on the families in Pine Ridge. (click here)
  
• August was a busy month. In August we held the REZonate Music Fest at the Voice of America in West Chester. REZonate Music Fest is a day long music fest and is our biggest fundraiser of the year. This year we had almost 3 times more people in attendance and made enough money to buy backpacks for 1 village! The Teamsters Motorcycle Association showed up with some beautiful Harley’s and a great attitude. What a thrill to hear those bike thunder out onto the highway letting everyone around know something was up! We were so grateful that Brian White and Karyn Williams could be back again this year and true to form they delivered an amazing performance. New this year at REZonate were The Sonic Sledgehammers who showed the crowd a good time by playing rock hits from the 60’s – today. 8Kount wowed everyone with a kicking performance of rock originals. And Double Cross provided lots of laughs alongside some good old country music. We are also grateful that Dan Tacket could join us again this year to emcee the event! Toby Howell, a local Firefighter and EMT for Fairfield Township was on hand all day long to provide first aid and to let the kids (old and young) dress up in his firefighter suit. B105 and The Wolf were our Media Partners for the event and 96 ROCK had Amber from Backpacks For Pine Ridge and Niki T from 8Kount in the studio for a on-air interview. Yeah, we had FUN! You can still hear it here ...

Also in August, Scot from Pittsburgh held a benefit for Backpacks for Pine Ridge! Its really amazing when total strangers from other cities get involved!

Many THANKS to …
The volunteers who put in LONG hours parking cars, setting up, tearing down, running sound, picking up trash and working booths at REZoante Music Fest. Thanks to the REZonate Team (Brian Buriff, Jessica Neal, Brody Jacobs, Brian Whitlock, Dennis Whitaker, Paula Short, and Tim Hall) for the many hours of meetings and work to make REZonate happen. And thanks again to the local businesses who have generously sponsored REZonate – Hauser Heating and Air, The Rotary Club of West Chester, Ameridian Specialty Services, All Signs, One Stop Tool Rental, Jacobs Plumbing and Excavating, Panera Bread, Kroger, Duke Energy, Majestic Molds, Inc., Papa Johns Pizza

Thanks to the Cincinnati Teamsters Motorcycle Association.

Thanks to Jeff Smith for all the hours of planning and organizing the motorcycle ride!

Thanks to our Media Partners B105 and The Wolf

Thanks to 96 ROCK and WFCJ for the on-air interviews

Thanks to Richard O Jones for running a front page story in the West Chester Pulse-Journal.

It is truly humbling to have so many people sacrifice so much of their time and money to see the kids on the Reservation get the very basic school supplies that they need. Special mention should go to Jessica Neal who as volunteer coordinator for REZonate worked the festival while her husband Wes was in ICU. And mention should be made also that Dennis Whitaker who oversaw the sound at REZonate worked about 20 hours straight. Dan Tacket gave his time emceeing the event just after shoulder surgery and was in much pain throughout the day but never let it show. I count it an honor to have such amazing people on board in the effort to fulfill the need on the Reservation. Thanks to each and every person who gave of themselves so others could benefit. I know God will not forget your hard work (Heb. 6:10).


On a sad note, Pam Nabor, the director of events for West Chester was injured at work and on medical leave just before REZonate. Pam has always served the needs of West Chester with outstanding efficiency and professionalism. To say we missed her this year would be a huge understatement, but even in her pain she came out to REZonate to visit and bring a personal donation.

Backpacks For Pine Ridge is a strictly volunteer organization. No one is paid a salary so that 100% of the funds raised can go directly toward the purchase of backpacks and school supplies for the children on the Reservation.

It is now the end of October and we already have 600 backpacks and the school supplies to take to the Reservation next summer! This year was a record-breaking year and it’s looking as if next year will beat that!

Of course, its never too late to get on board. To make a tax deductable donation just make your check out to Backpacks For Pine Ridge and mail to:

TheCommunity Foundationof West Chester / Liberty

5641 Union Centre Dr.
West Chester, OH 45069

Or give with a credit card on our web site at http://www.backpacksforpineridge.com/

Needed: A Venue

Unfortunately there is a good possibility that we will be unable to have the REZonate Music Fest at the Voice of America next year. We are not giving up on the idea but are checking into some other possibilities. To date we are considering Barn and Bunk and The Butler County Fairgrounds. City parks are difficult because the openness makes it difficult to charge an admission to the event. The event has grown and we believe will continue to do so and will bring significant foot traffic to the area that hosts the it which could be good for surrounding businesses. It is also good for the community to be involved in a unique charity event that benefits Native Americans since there is so much Native history in Southern Ohio. If anyone has access to a large chunk of land in a centrally located, high traffic area, please feel free to contact me at amberburiff@aol.com.

School Supplies

Its the time of year when the school supplies start piling up for next year's trip. These pics really don't do it justice but at least you can get an idea of what's happening. This winter we'll have a backpack packing party and fill and pack the backpacks so they're ready to go to the Rez next July.

Thanks! We did it!

BIG THANKS to everyone who helped out and to those who lent their support by coming out to the REZonate Music Fest! We made enough from the REZonate to provide backpacks and school supplies to one village on the Rez.!!

Thanks to our sponsors:
Ameridian Speciality Services, Inc.
Hauser Heating and Air
The Rotary Club of West Chester
Jacobs Plumbing and Excavating
One Stop Tool Rental
Panera Bread
Majestic Mold Making, Inc.
All Signs
Kroger
Duke Energy

Also Thanks to the GREAT Bands that Gave of their Time and Talent:
Brian White
Karyn Williams
Petes Sallis
8KOunt
The Sonic Sledgehammers
Double Cross
Gary Hitsman and Band

Thanks to the Sound Guys
Dennis Whitaker
Chris Hauser
Brian Whitlock

Thanks to the Food Vendors
Papa Johns Pizza
Rib City Barbeque
Little Jimmy's Italian Ice
T-Bird Designs for doing Indian Tacos, Fry Bread and t-shirts

Thanks to Dan Tackett for emceeing the event and delivering a very professional and heartfelt job!

Thanks to Toby Howell (Firefighter and EMT with Fairfield Township) for providing First Aid all day and for letting the kids (big and little) dress up in your firefighter suit

Thanks to all the Volunteers - too many to name who make this event happen. We can NOT do this without you! You are defiantly the unsung heroes to the kids on the Rez.

Thanks to the Team who put in months and hours of hard work to make this event possible.
Jessica Neal
Dennis Whitaker
Brody Jacobs
Brian Whitlock
Brian Buriff
Paula Short
Tim Hall

Thanks to the Teamsters Motorcycle Association and Jeff Smith for organizing the Charity Bike Ride!

Thanks to Pam Nabor for her months and hours of putting up with us and giving EXCELLENT direction. Your service and kind heart will not be forgotten.

Thanks to B105 and 96 ROCK for the air time and support in getting the word out about the event.

Thanks to WFCJ for the on-air interview and your help getting the word out

Thanks to Richard O Jones of the Hamilton Journal for the front page story

And thanks to everyone who came out to show their support! You all ROCK ... every last one of you!

Pics from REZonate!!

Toby Howell letting kids try on his firefighter suit - they ate that up

TODAY!

Keep it tuned to 105.1 fm today to hear live breaks from REZonate Music Fest on B105! They will be on site between 5-9pm! Listen online at www.wube.com but better yet - come on out and enjoy the event LIVE!

In the Studio of 96ROCK with Niki T from 8KOunt