In 1965, 12-year-old Susan Paige held something magical in her hands — a glow-in-the-dark rosary mailed to her from St. Joseph’s Indian School. It wasn’t just a gift, it was a spark.
With only babysitting money to her name, she sent back a single dollar. Back then, she could have used it to buy two tickets to a movie, a deluxe ice cream sundae with whipped cream and a cherry on top, or even a brand-new Slinky or yo-yo from the dime store.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she shared it with the Lakota (Sioux) children at St. Joseph’s. It was a small gesture (in today’s value, worth over $10) that planted the seeds of a lifelong connection.
“That glow-in-the-dark rosary was one of my first,” Susan recalls. “It felt special. I wanted to say thank you.”
Sixty years later, that same rosary sits safely tucked away, dimmed with age but still intact.
“It doesn’t glow too much anymore,” she laughs, “but they made them well back then, so it still does slightly.”
For Susan, the rosary is more than an object. It’s a symbol of compassion, faith and connection. It’s one small light that’s lasted a lifetime.
Susan’s giving journey began with heart and heritage. Her Native American ancestry traces back to the Trail of Tears, so her early gift felt more like giving to family than to an organization.
“I’ve always had that affinity with Native American culture,” she says. “It wasn’t so much giving to a place as it was to people. It felt like giving back to my family.”
Though her giving has fluctuated over the years, she has always returned to St. Joseph’s.
Which literally happened in May of 2025. As Susan and her husband, Leo, are retired, they have made an effort to visit all 50 U.S. states. Their trip from their Texas home included a stop in South Dakota.
Leo prompted them to stop and see St. Joseph’s for themselves and if it lived up to what they saw in the mailings they receive from St. Joseph’s, so they did. The visit made such an impression that the couple plans to change their giving from sporadic to monthly by becoming DreamMakers.
“It was a peaceful place,” she says, remembering their tour of the Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel, the Equine Therapy Center, the Rec Center and the joy she saw on students’ faces. “Seeing the kids and getting to ask them questions made it real. Hearing from them was important to me because they represent the actual experience a student receives at St. Joseph’s.”
The trip solidified what Susan hoped to be true — that each dollar she sent, dating back to 1965, was fostering dignity, safety and promise for the Lakota children.
And it all started with a rosary. She happily shared about her collection, which has grown over the years. From Sunday School rope-made pieces to crystal strands from Czechoslovakia and a travel-friendly bracelet that turns into prayer beads, her collection of over 20 rosaries spans cultures, colors and materials.
“Most are blessed but not all,” she says. “But they’re all special.”
Special, indeed, because one such rosary was the spark that ignited a decades-long relationship with St. Joseph’s. We couldn’t be more honored that she chose our mission to join hands with.
To anyone considering supporting the mission of St. Joseph’s Indian School, Susan’s advice is simple.
“It’s money well spent to help brighten children’s lives,” she said. “If that’s your goal, this is a good place to put your money.”
Susan’s journey reminds us that compassion doesn’t fade. It grows. It expands. With every thoughtful gift, it lights the way for the next generation.
Learn more about St. Joseph’s Indian School by visiting stjo.org today!
What a wonderful story! I don’t remember when I first heard of St. Joseph’s. My husband thinks I was first told of it by a teller at our bank. At any rate, it was about forty years ago. We also had the opportunity, in 2019, to visit the school, for the powwow, and it reflected everything we had been shown and told through mailings and emails, and more. When you donate, your money is well spent.