LAKE ANDES, S.D. (KELO.com) —
The epic snow and rainfalls that happened in South Dakota hit
White Swan Township particularly badly. That is an area of Charles Mix
County that encompasses the Lake Andes, Pickstown, Ravinia and Marty
areas. The floods quadrupled the size of the body of water known as Lake Andes,
and that water spilled into the basements of hundreds of homes throughout
Charles Mix County, including 65 in White Swan, causing black mold, disease,
and loss of property. Resident Shelly Saunsoci is helping to organize relief efforts
with the Salvation Army and other agencies. She says only individuals received
federal aid in March and neither the tribe nor individuals received federal aid in
October. But she points out that in the last couple of weeks, Governor Noem sent
a letter to President Trump about the tribe’s troubles, and the president included
them in the disaster declaration. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help
with relief efforts in the White Swan Township. It’s called Christmas For The
Children of White Swan: https://bit.ly/2Q9EyIX
(Colin Strombeck of KELO Radio News contributed this report.)
