It's a celebration...
and you are invited
Plan to join us Sept. 19-21, 2025 as we celebrate the completion of the first phase of YMCA Alumni's National Service Project -- Morning Star Village of four tiny homes.
It all begins with a Welcome Reception and dinner Friday night and includes Reservation and Lakota Cultural Center tours, a celebration banquet in Dupree's Pioneer Hall, a community BBQ, official ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony and most meals. The daily events are listed on the form below.
Simply fill out the form below and hit SUBMIT.
We will send you an email about transportation and local lodging shortly.
Built by our members
Learn more about what we do
The Tiny Homes are being built by our YMCA Alumni volunteers using structural insulated panels (SIPS) for the walls. The building site will include four homes constructed in a circular pattern, with a gathering and garden space in the middle, complete with a canopy, picnic tables, benches and fire pit.
The Tiny Homes meet high standards for building insulation, use natural ventilation and solar patterns to reduce heating and cooling demands. This upfront investment in passive house construction will produce significant energy savings and comfortable living.
Built to high standards
Tiny Home village site plan
The site plan calls for a small village of four Tiny Homes around a central courtyard. The front doors of all the homes face east in the Lakota tradition. One leaves the home in the morning and walks into the sunshine.
Tiny Home floor plan
Here is the floor plan (16 x 20 feet) for the lower level of the Tiny Home. An outdoor deck will complement the family living space.
Each Tiny Home has a loft
The living space is increased through a second floor loft. The drawings, as presented by Siris Coombs Architecture , were approved by the YMCA Board and are updated as the construction moves ahead.
Here's what you need to know about becoming a construction volunteer
Here's what you need to know if you would like to join our "Boots on the Ground" team for one or more of our four-week-long Tiny Home "waves" (building sessions) in Dupree, S.D. , in May and September 2025. A construction volunteer registration form is directly below.
Work Weeks:
#1: May 6-13
#2: May 13-20
#3: Sept. 9-16
#4: Sept. 16-23 (SOLD OUT)