Community, business and city officials form a greeting line and provide a red carpet welcome to arriving teams for this week's LNI tournament.
(City Photo/Darrell Shoemaker)
The 42nd edition of the Lakota Nation Invitational tournament is well underway at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center with some of the best athletic, artistic and cultural talent being showcased.
The tournament kicked off earlier this week with a red carpeet welcome where community residents along with business and city officials formed a long greeting line as teams arrived by law enforcement escort to the Civic Center and were provided with applause and high-fives. Teams were also provided with a pasta feed.
The LNI features individual and team competitions in basketball, wrestling and cheerleading, as well as art, archery, chess, hand games, knowledge bowl, storytelling, poetry, business plans and language bowl. Mayor Steve Allender encourages the community to spend some time at this year's LNI and also declared December 12-15 as Lakota Nation Invitational Week with the following proclamation:
Executive Proclamation
Rapid City, South Dakota
Office of the Mayor
WHEREAS, Rapid City has been proud to serve as the host of the Lakota Nation Invitational for 40 years, which would not have been possible without co-founders Bryan Brewer and Chuck Cuny moving the event to Rapid City in 1978.
WHEREAS, The Lakota Nation Invitational has provided countless opportunities for long-lasting and valuable working relationships and friendships between Native and non-Native people; and,
WHEREAS, This great event brings thousands of team members, parents and fans together every December for athletic competition, cultural events and educational experiences; and,
WHEREAS, The people of Rapid City are extremely grateful for the enormous cultural and economic impact this event provides to our community every year, and we look forward to continuing to watch this event grow in the years to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Steve Allender, Mayor of Rapid City, do hereby proclaim December 12 - 15, 2018 as
Lakota Nation Invitational Week
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Steve Allender, Mayor of the City of Rapid City, South Dakota, do hereby affix my official signature and the Official Seal of the City of Rapid City, South Dakota, on this 11th day of December, 2018.
_______________________________
Steve Allender, Mayor
Rapid City, South Dakota