Keep the Spirit Strong is a campaign of eaglehelper.org.  Rev. Bryan Eaglehelper, a disabled American Indian traveled to over two hundred federally recognized reservations to raise awareness of the needs of American Indians and tribes.  He visited with Tribal Councils, Tribal Business Councils, elders, youth, Governors, Mayors, Senators, Representatives, artists, clergy, celebrities, athletes, and surrounding communities about issues facing tribes.  Healthcare and health issues are highly important and are costly issues in terms of human life, quality of life and economics.  Individuals and tribes are both weighing options to the myriad of problems they face, from disabling conditions related to diabetes and heart disease to environmental health issues, to addictions: from meth to alcoholism, domestic violence, underfunding and delayed funding in several areas, limits of gaming, common perceptions and relationships of tribes to states, surrounding communities and the federal government.  The American Indian Freedom Ride had Marty Stuart, a Grammy winning musician, as its celebrity spokesman.

Rev. Eaglehelper took a positive approach to seemingly insurrmountable odds - he being physically challenged did this by overcoming his own obstacles and set out to accomplish a dream - to see firsthand what is going on in Indian country and to raise awareness - all done on his wheelchair.  He did it, amassed an amazing understanding of Indian country - what it is facing, its obstacles, and possiblities to overcome its own challenges.  He talked to everyone about these problems - most notably about the huge impacts of disabling conditions facing Native Americans: from diabetes to amputation to heart disease.  Health is only one component to the new campaign:  Keep the Spirit Strong focuses on raising awareness of the needs, of being a positive role model to American Indian youth, and an example to adults that no matter what your position in life you can accomplish your dreams.  Keep the Spirit Strong focuses on several areas in order to nuture individual and community growth.  Strength is not within one strand but numerous strands braided together.  Keep the Spirit Strong speaks to at risk youth, elder programs and organizations, tribes, churches and businesses.  It also is raising funding for assitive technologies for individuals with demonstrated need, as well as looking for partners to build handicap ramps for individuals on reservations.  

The spirit of life - of love - is in all of us.  We must nuture it, allow it to grow,  

Keep the Spirit Strong challenges everyone to participate in helping someone, a family, a community, a tribe.