Octavia's Promise

05/22/2026

HOLY SMOKES!

Once again we are amazed at our community coming together!

We had over 60 kids join us for our 2nd Annual Summer Break Swimsuit Bash.

We gave out swimsuits, we had fun, and we continued to be advocates for safe swimming!

Thank you so much to Jeramy and the Deadwood Recreation Center Staff for letting us have this event and continuing to grow our partnership! Your effort and community mindfulness is unmatched and unwavering.

Stay tuned for the next cool thing that we have lined up!

05/22/2026

It's time for the 2nd Annual Octavia's Promise Summer Break Swimsuit Bash at the Deadwood Recreation Center!

We're here from now until 1!

Come on down and get a new swimsuit and enjoy some free pool time!

Whooooooo!

05/15/2026

We are only one week away from the 2nd Annual Octavia's Promise Summer Break Swimsuit Bash at the Deadwood Recreation Center!

Come join us Friday, May 22nd from 10am to 1pm for free swimming and free pink swimsuits while supplies last. Flyers should be going home to kids at the Lead-Deadwood Elementary this week!

This is a for-sure family friendly way to kick off the summer and remind everyone about the importance of high-visibility swimwear in all types of water - pools, streams, ponds, and lakes.

We've also got our first summer CPR Class on the schedule!
Friday, May 29th at 6:00pm at the Lead Volunteer Fire Department. Registration is only $30 and good for two years! Register online or call/text Taylor at (605) 591-9986.

This summer is going to be full!

We can't wait!

05/11/2026

We are so very honored to be selected to be this year's "Arrows for a Cause" during the Jeff Essink Memorial Archery Shoot!

This annual event is sure to be a good time, spanning two days in June for both a fun day and a competition day, there is a little bit for everyone.

We are excited to see you all there!

Thank you to the Essink family for thinking of us and our Mission!

This year, the Jeff Essink Memorial Archery Shoot is proud to announce that Octavia’s Promise⁠ has been chosen as our “Arrows For A Cause” recipient.

We cannot wait for you to hear their incredible story and learn more about the amazing work this nonprofit is doing in ours and surrounding communities. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to check out their web page and learn more about their mission, passion, and impact.

We are honored to partner with such a wonderful organization and look forward to supporting them through this year’s shoot.

https://octaviaspromise.org

05/09/2026

We're officially less than two weeks away from Octavia's Promise 2nd Annual Summer Break Swimsuit Bash at the Deadwood Recreation Center!

Join us Friday, May 22nd from 10am to 1pm for a completely free event. We'll be handing out pink swimsuits again and we can't wait to see you there.

We're asking for your help spreading the word to people who might not have heard of us yet. Like, comment, and share this post to help us reach more families in our community. Every share helps us continue our story.

From Miracle to Mission: Saving Lives, One Lesson at a Time.

05/08/2026

Last week - we learned about a really great cause happening right here in South Dakota - Project Beckett.

Beckett's story isn't too far from Octavia's.

Beckett choked on a piece of mango, something so small, so normal and within moments, he was gone. No sound. No air. No warning that it would turn into one of the most terrifying moments a parent could ever face.

Beckett's parents jumped into action and tried the Heimlich maneuver... it didn't work.

They did everything they could, using a dechoking device while performing CPR and giving Beckett rescue breaths. They were fighting to bring him back.

When the mango finally came out, the fight wasn’t over. They continued CPR for what felt like forever, until finally, he came back to them.

We simpathize and connect with Beckett's family so much because there really are no words strong enough to explain what it feels like to hold your child and not know if they’re coming back and then to experience them taking their second first breath.

Just like Octavia, by another miracle, Beckett has no damage and no long-term effects. That is something his family will never take for granted. Both of our families were lucky. Not everyone gets that second chance.

That’s why we're both speaking up and trying to positively impact our communities.

Choking is silent. Drowning is silent. It happens fast. It can happen to anyone, especially children. Most people think it won’t happen to them, until it does.

Dechoking devices save lives. CPR saves lives. Being prepared saves lives.

Project Beckett has been founded through the South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 020 with a mission to put life-saving dechoking devices into the hands of the people who need them most: Schools, Daycares, Restaurants, First responders, and Families.

If sharing our stories save even one life, it'll be worth it.

Please take choking seriously. Please take drowning serioualy. Please learn CPR. Consider having a dechoking device nearby.

We appreciate all of your support us as we work to protect others through Project Beckett and Octavia's Promise to make South Dakota a better place.

If you feel led to support Project Beckett and the mission behind it, donating is simple and accessible.

Link to Donate: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BCQYYEJTZYMWN

You can use the QR code attached to give online, or if you prefer, donations made payable to SD FOP Lodge 20 and can be mailed to:

18984 463rd Avenue, Estelline, SD 57234

04/27/2026

Two years ago, on April 14th, 2024, our daughter Octavia took her second first breath.

That moment, the one that stopped our world and then restarted it, is the reason Octavia's Promise exists. It's the reason we show up. It's the reason we talk about water safety when it's uncomfortable, teach CPR when people think they'll never need it, and put pink swimsuits in the hands of kids who might not otherwise have one.

We've been a little quiet this past month, but we haven't stopped moving. We've been working behind the scenes, building toward what comes next because this mission is too important to slow down.

April 14th reminded us why.

So in the spirit of everything this promise stands for, we are beyond excited to announce the 2nd Annual Summer Break Swimsuit Bash!

We're back again in partnership with our friends at the Deadwood Recreation Center!

This is a free event. Free swimming. Free swimsuits while supplies last. Free for every family who walks through that door because every kid deserves to feel safe and confident in the water, and every family deserves a community that cares about making that happen.

Last year we were blown away by the turnout and the love. Over 200 swimsuits have found new homes since Octavia's Promise began, and more than 100 people in our community are now CPR certified. None of that happens without you.

This is us saying thank you and doing it the only way we know how.

What: Octavia's Promise & DRAC 2nd Annual Summerbreak Swimsuit Bash
Where: Deadwood Rec Center
When: May 22nd | 10:00am – 1:00pm

Come make a splash with us. We cannot wait to see you there!

03/31/2026

THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to everyone who came to the Heartsaver class tonight.

It was so nice hearing all the different ways people connected with us — Google searches, Facebook, fire department connections, friend recommendations, and even the newspaper!

This is exactly how we are going to do this — together.

We are going to keep making a positive difference in our community. I look forward to empowering every single person who walks into a class to give someone their second first breath.

Octavia's Promise — From Miracle to Mission: Saving Lives One Lesson at a Time.

03/30/2026

Tonight is the night.

Octavia's Promise is hosting an American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR Certification Class tonight at 6:00pm at the Lead Volunteer Fire Department and we still have room for you.

No registration required. Just show up, bring $30 (or register online), and leave with the skills and confidence to save a life.

What: American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR Certification Class — $30 per participant, includes your AHA Heartsaver CPR Card valid for 2 years and all class materials
When: Tonight, March 30th at 6:00pm
Where: Lead Volunteer Fire Department
Why: So you can be the reason for someone's Second First Breath

Walk-ins are welcome. We would love to see you there.

Octavia's Promise — From Miracle to Mission: Saving Lives One Lesson at a Time.

03/24/2026

We have some exciting news to share before we share even more exciting news.

Over the past year, Octavia's Promise has certified over 100 people in our community in CPR. One hundred neighbors, parents, coaches, coworkers, and friends who are now ready to act when it matters most. We are so incredibly proud of every single one of them and so grateful for a community that shows up the way ours does.

We are not done yet.

We're excited to continue to offer this life saving skill at little cost to those in our community with our upcoming American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED Class! For only $30 you can learn a life-saving skill.

- What: American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED Class
- When: Monday, March 30th at 6:00pm
- Where: Lead Volunteer Fire Department
- Why: So you can be the reason for someone's Second First Breath

Class size is limited to 9 participants. Spots can go quickly — book yours today! An online link can be found in the comments below or reach out to Taylor at (605) 591-9986!

Octavia's Promise — From Miracle to Mission: Saving Lives One Lesson at a Time.

03/21/2026

We're excited to announce that our new and improved website is officially live!

Read about Our Story, Our Mission, Water Safety, the numbers behind CPR, Register for upcoming CPR Classes, or even Donate to our mission.

We'll keep working towards improving our site and we look forward to adding new features!

We'd love to hear what you think!