I’m sad to report that the White Plume family, featured in Standing Silent Nation, one of this year’s POV films, lost their home in an electrical fire last week. Thankfully no one was hurt, but according to this report on Daily Kos, “[Debra White Plume] only had time to snatch her grandson, pipe, purse, and cellphone & get out the door. Everything burned. Total loss. All papers even computers. ‘It all happened in a half hour,’ she said.” (link)
Tom Murphy, the Daily Kos blogger who wrote about the fire last week, is accepting donations for the White Plume family. Although they have found a place to stay, they are in need of financial support.
Update from Alex White Plume:
I send this message to all my kola. We went through a house fire and lost everything we owned, we are all alive, and coming out of shock now. Thank you for your prayers and support, we want to remain on the land. We appreciate the generosity of everyone but we cannot accept donations of old clothes. We are going to rebuild and need financial support. Our mailing address is PO Box 71, Manderson, SD 57756 or PO Box 535 Manderson, SD 57756. Every penny will be appreciated, we can go use a friend’s computer occasionally so I am checking my email sometimes. The house burned to the ground so we are starting now to work to clear the rubble and prepare to rebuild. — alex
Find out more about the White Plume family at the POV Standing Silent Nation website.