Peta Wakan Tipi

In the beginning, two people of great courage and vision--Sally Auger and John Eichhorn--saw a need for transitional housing for Native people in recovery. From their own experience, they knew that connecting to cultural traditions was essential. With the few dollars they had in their pockets, in 1986 they opened Peta Wakan Tipi (Sacred Fire Lodge in Lakota), a transitional home for Native men in St. Paul. The success of the program convinced them to open a second home for women, Mother Earth Lodge, also in St. Paul.

Their clients began asking for a way to connect with the earth and the foods of our ancestors, rebuilding an essential relationship for Native people. Believing that recovery must include the mind, body, spirit, and emotion, in 1998 Sally and John created the Dream of Wild Health program. They worked with elders in the community, including Bob White, to make sure the garden was begun in a respectful manner.