The following is a complete text of Ruth Ziolkowski's comments at the anniversary celebration. She was introduced by Rapid City, S.D. Mayor Jim Shaw and received a standing ovation.

Good morning.

I knew you were all hearty souls, but you really have to be to fill this place today. Please be seated. I don’t know whether you are warmer standing or sitting, but hopefully it’s sitting.

It’s amazing to see all of you out there. And, on behalf of our family and the Board of Directors of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, I would like to thank each and every one of you for being with us today.

This project is one that was worked on by a lot of people, it is not a one person affair, it’s each and every one of you that makes it possible.

(She asks the board of directors and members of their families to stand and be recognized).

They have done a tremendous amount of work for us the last 50 years, and from the bottom of my heart we are grateful.

(She then asks her children and their families to stand and be recognized).

And one thing I would like to say to all of you. I’m not going to make a list, I did it last night and it was a mistake. I have never seen so much community cooperation, enthusiasm and help. From the littlest things - Korczak always said, trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle. And from the little things to the big things there are actually hundreds of people who have helped us today and are helping us now, and we are extremely grateful.

As we started getting ready for this fiftieth anniversary program I couldn’t help but look back over the last 50 years, and they’ve been wonderful years. They’ve been years of work; they’ve been years of family and friends, and we are proud to have you here with us to celebrate the accomplishment that has come about in the last fifty years.

But the thing that I want to stress to each and every one of you, much as we are proud of what we have done, we have an awfully long way to go.

We value your friendship and your support and we need it. When we end the program today we will have a blast on the horses head and start the next fifty years, and we hope that each and everyone of you will be with us for the next fifty, as you have been in the past.

Thank you all very, very much.