Adult director Skye Blue's Digital Blue Studios and Brian Upgraft's TheHardcoreSource.com have partnered up to organize a holiday toy and charity gift drive designed to benefit Indian reservations across the United States.
“There are many, many inner city, county and government programs for kids in local bigger cities and suburbs, but none for the kids here on some of these reservations,” Blue told AVN.com “Unemployment is very high, and there are no Casinos here. Some of the reservations have Casinos, but not all.
"Brian and I share a mutual love and respect for Native American Indian Culture, particularly that of the Eastern and Western Shoshone Indians, and the Northern Arapaho," said Blue in a statement. "He's been doing the toy and gift drive for over 10 years now, and this year I was invited to join him."
Blue and Upgraft are looking for new toys, clothes, shoes, sporting equipment and anything else that may be of interest or use to children under 18 years-old. For those in an extra giving mood, Blue noted that the tribe's elders are in need of blankets, socks, scarves and gloves. Upgraft will deliver the donations to the reservation along with Blue, who is donating her studio space as the drop-off depot for donations.
“Earlier this year, Brian had given me a beautifully hand made Indian beaded belt buckle as a gift because of my love for horses and riding,” Blue recalled. “In my compliments to him about the craftsmanship, he proceeded to tell me that it was made by a woman from this Indian reservation that he had been adopted into from a Crow medicine man.”
"There is much need that is publicized outside of our wonderful Country, which can lead us to forget about the needs here in our own back yards," said Blue. "Most Americans are under the impression that the government pays Native Americans to be on these reservations, but that is very untrue. A lot of reservations have a 75-80 percent unemployment rate, and around the holidays it's difficult on the families because they have to decide whether to buy toys for their children or firewood and coal for heat. Having very little running water on the reservation and having to battle the elements of Mother Nature during the winters by walking to the water pumps and outhouses, the needs here are high and attention from most media and our government very low."
For more information about the Indian Reservation, Blue invites you to visit www.landerchamber.org/RES.htm.
“It is purely personally rewarding to take the time to make a difference in someone’s life who really, really needs it,” Blue told AVN.com. “Brian is known as the Southern California Santa to all the children there. He once told me, ‘Just to see the smiles and expressions of appreciation on their little faces is reward and benefit enough for me.’”
Donations can be dropped off at Digital Blue Studios, located at 6919 Eton Ave., Canoga Park, California, 91303.
