Latest news with #SeanCovel
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Over 2,000 books given out for Black Hills Reads in RCAS
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) — Black Hills Reads has been reading to kids and giving out books for the past decade. This year Sean Covel and the Porter the Hoarder books return with Monument Health to read to first and second graders. Mallard mom welcomes new ducklings on Mother's Day This week staff from Monument Health and the author of Porter the Hoarder are out reading to students across the Black Hills. 'Rebecca Swift and I created the Porter the Hoarder hospital book to demystify what a hospital is. A child psychologist told us it can be really scary, so we set up games in every part of the hospital to make it fun. And then Monument Health came in to sponsor it. So now providers are going around reading.' author Sean Covel said. Not only are the health professionals reading, they are also engaging with the students. 'Porter the Hoarder gets to like find stuff in there, like finding ambulance stuff, doctor stuff and that's it. I like to read because I like to learn new things.' RCAS second grader Onyx Louder said. These books help kids by showing that hospitals are not always scary as they seem. 'It doesn't need to be as scary as it is, so it's exciting to have Porter, who's a little wild, be able to take the edge off the scariness of going to the hospital. So we're really excited to be able to do that and to be able to engage with our communities.' Monument Health Community Relations Anna Whetham said. Monument Health has read to over 56 classrooms over the past two years, with over 4,000 books given out for the students to take home–with fun homework for the parents. 'Porter the Hoarder began as a family engagement project because its a book but it's really a game. It's a game that happens to be a book. So while we're creating excitement about reading we're also creating connections in the home so when they get their own book, their own copy of parent homework, it's had great success in causing that to to mix around and have fun at home.' Covel said Black Hills Reads has several programs set to help kids and parents engage in reading to provide a fun relationship with books. Mom on Mother's Day: Kids are 'everything to me' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Barn Burner Campaign sets out to protect individuals from roofies
DEADWOOD, S.D. (KELO) — A new strategy to stop drink spiking and sexual assaults kicks off in Deadwood this week. The Barn Burner Campaign aims to empower those out for a night of fun to help those who might not know they need it. Cocaine ring busted in Rapid City This idea started after writer and producer Sean Covel, who's known for films like Napoleon Dynamite, learned what his friends are dealing with in larger cities. 'When I think about drink spiking, I think about some bad guy going in and targeting a woman and spiking her drink. But what I'm actually learning is it's more like a group environment where a guy is going to hit multiple drinks and then sits back to see who will cut off from the group,' Writer/Producer Sean Covel said. While there haven't been problems in Deadwood, the western South Dakota city sees 3.5 million visitors each year. 'And then just our local residents, so for them to have this safety blanket around them, just to feel safe when they're going out and having a cocktail or dinner is very important,' Saloon No.10 Manager Charlie Struble-Mook said. Charlie Struble-Mook, at the Saloon No.10, went door to door with Covel to get other Deadwood businesses involved. 'Over the course of an hour, most of the bars on main street were already on board. It wasn't even a conversation, yeah it looks great, sounds like safety, we'll help you out,' Covel said. These posters are spreading the word to customers. If you notice something suspicious, just say 'Barn Burner' to any bartender or bouncer and they'll take action. 'Most guys are good guys who want to protect and this is an opportunity or a tool to allow them to be that good guy that wants to protect and look out for others,' Struble-Mook said. 'So by starting it here and starting it small, we'll start to hear the stories and we'll start to create momentum and when you have that momentum, then you can scale it out hopefully nationally,' Covel said. Sean Covel is hoping the Barn Burner Campaign can catch on in other cities. If you are interested in getting your business in the program, you can contact Charlie at the Saloon No.10 in Deadwood. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
