EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. The Keya (Turtle) Cafe and Coffeehouse
has been a mainstay of the Cheyenne River Youth Project's social
enterprise initiatives since it opened in 2011. In recent years,
it also has led the charge as the nonprofit youth organization seeks
to become more environmentally friendly.
In today's Keya Cafe, customers will find biodegradable to-go
boxes in all sizes, as well as biodegradable cups for both hot and
cold drinks. The cafe already uses biodegradable trash bags, and
as soon as CRYP staff can secure a supplier, it will make the transition
to using biodegradable to-go bags as well.
"Here at our campus, we want to be as friendly to Mother Earth
as possible," says Julie Garreau, CRYP's executive director. "We're
operating a farm-to-table restaurant, so in addition to serving
fresh produce in our meals, we're also processing and dehydrating
various food items to use in the cafe or sell in our Keya Gift Shop.
And, we compost everything we can, so food waste goes right back
into our Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden to nourish our crops."
When CRYP opened the doors to Cokata Wiconi (Center of Life) in
2006, Garreau and her team envisioned that the facility would serve
as more than a teen centerit also would be a true gathering
place for the Cheyenne River community. The addition of the Keya
Cafe five years later helped the youth project realize that vision.
"The cafe has added a vibrance to this building," Garreau says.
"It's feels like the heart of Cokata Wiconi, because this is where
we gather for meals, storytelling, laughter and fellowship. And
those who purchase coffee drinks, smoothies, baked goods and meals
need to know that every penny they spend here directly supports
our ongoing, culturally relevant youth programming and services,
because the cafe is a very important social enterprise for us."
That makes the Keya Cafe different from any other dining venue
on the Cheyenne River reservation. Essentially, it's a dining experience
that allows customers to play an active role in lifting up the community.
Not only does the cafe's revenue stream support CRYP, which has
been serving local children and families for 30 years, the Keya
Cafe also is a dynamic, working classroom for the Lakota teens who
are working toward completing their Social Enterprise, Native Food
Sovereignty and Indigenous Cooking internships.
"The internships give our young people priceless opportunities
to learn critical job and life skills, receive essential training
and certifications, and gain valuable work experience that will
serve them well as they enter the job market," Garreau says. "In
Social Enterprise, they learn how to work as baristas, cooks and
wait staff. They operate and maintain a working commercial kitchen,
and they manage the cash register and e-commerce, conduct inventory,
and create product displays.
"In Native Food Sovereignty, they work in the kitchen as they learn
to process the foods they have harvested," she continues, "and in
Indigenous Cooking, they learn about traditional Lakota foods and
how to prepare them. There's always something happening in the cafe,
and our kids are heavily involved, every step of the way."
To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs,
and for information about making donations and volunteering, call
(605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org.
And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow
the youth project on Facebook
(/LakotaYouth), Twitter
(@LakotaYouth) and Instagram
(@waniyetuwowapi).
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