The Turners Giving Partnership

Chipco Preserve’s support for Native communities is often built through relationships, one conversation, one need, one box, and one act of care at a time. For Steve and Michele Turner of Chatham, Illinois, that relationship began when Steve was asked to join Chipco Preserve's board.

At the time, Steve said that he knew little about the Rosebud Sioux Tribe or daily life on the Rosebud Reservation. Over the next several months, that changed. Through conversations with Chipco Preserve President Eric Hannel and the tribes Chief of Staff, Lewis Good Voice Eagle, Steve and Michele began to learn more about the hardships many tribal members face. Those hardships are often shaped by circumstances beyond individual control, including rural isolation, limited access to resources, severe weather, and the practical challenges of meeting basic needs in reservation communities.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

Some of the many items donated by Steve and Michelle Turner.

For the Turners, learning about those needs quickly became a call to action.

As colder months approached, they decided to begin with something simple and useful: warm winter gear. They purchased scarves, gloves, socks, knit caps, and other cold-weather items and sent them to Lewis Good Voice Eagle, who helped facilitate getting the supplies to people who needed them.

That first box did not remain a one-time donation.

It led to a second box, then a third, then a fourth. What began as a modest effort to help families prepare for winter became a regular expression of care and support. Each shipment carried practical items meant to help someone stay warmer, safer, and more comfortable during the difficult winter months.

As the seasons began to change, Steve and Michele started thinking about what else they could send once the coldest weather had passed. The next idea came from an ordinary moment: a trip to the dentist.

After getting his teeth cleaned, Steve asked the dental office staff if they could spare any toothpaste or toothbrushes for a donation to the Tribe. The response was immediate and generous. The office provided two boxes containing 96 small tubes of toothpaste. Steve and Michele then went to the store and purchased 96 toothbrushes to go with them, making sure to include both children’s toothbrushes and adult sizes.

That dental visit helped shape the next phase of their giving.

Toothpaste and toothbrushes soon became regular supplies the Turners frequently send. What started with winter gear expanded to include hygiene items, first-aid supplies, vegetable seed packets for home gardens, and even fishing gear. Each donation reflects the same basic idea: useful items, sent with care, can make someone else's daily life a little easier.

For Steve and Michele, the motivation is deeply personal.

They have spent their lives giving back to causes that pulled at their hearts. Their support for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe is rooted in that same spirit. They describe the work simply: it fills their hearts with joy. The most meaningful part, they say, is hearing that the items are helping people, even in small ways. A warm hat, a pair of gloves, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a packet of seeds, or basic first aid supplies may not seem large on their own. But for a family facing limited resources, those items matter.

Chipco Preserve has also seen the Turners’ inspiring generosity extend beyond their household.

Steve is a member of the Marine Corps League in Decatur, Illinois, which has donated $1,000 to Chipco Preserve in each of the past two years. 100% of those funds have been used to help provide firewood and other necessities for tribal members. During the winter months, firewood is not simply a comfort item. For many families, it is essential.

The partnership between Chipco Preserve, the Turners, Lewis Good Voice Eagle, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe reflects the kind of direct, relationship-based support that can make a difference without unnecessary complication. Chipco Preserve helps connect donors with people in need. Lewis helps ensure supplies reach the community. Donors like Steve and Michele respond with practical generosity.

It is not charity from a distance. It is a relationship built through trust, respect, and repeated acts of care.

The Turners’ story also shows that giving need not begin with a large program or a complicated plan. It can begin with one question at a dentist’s office. It can begin with one box of winter gear. It can begin with a decision to help where help is needed.

Over time, those small beginnings can become something steady and meaningful.

Chipco Preserve is grateful for Steve and Michele Turner’s continued support, and for the generosity of the Decatur Chapter of the Marine Corps League and Dr. Chad Burmeister, also in Decatur. Their donations have helped provide warmth, hygiene supplies, first aid materials, garden seeds, fishing gear, and other necessities to tribal members on the Rosebud Reservation.

For those who read this story and feel moved to help, donations are welcome. Monetary donations may be made through Chipco Preserve and directed toward support for tribal members, including firewood and other essential needs.

Useful supplies may also be sent directly to:

Rosebud Sioux Tribe

Attn: Lewis Good Voice Eagle

11 Legion Ave.

P.O. Box 430

Rosebud, SD 57570

The Turners’ giving began with a simple feeling: joy.

That joy has now become warmth, toothpaste, toothbrushes, first aid supplies, seeds, fishing gear, firewood, and a growing example of what practical generosity can look like when people choose to act.