SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A South Dakota non-profit is hosting its first major event this Friday and Saturday focused on constitutional freedoms.
Health Freedom South Dakota formed nearly five years ago but became more active during the pandemic.
“It’s one of our most basic freedoms to choose what we do with our body and our child’s body and as an individual you should have all the information you need to make that choice,” Stacia Buchholtz with Health Freedom SD said.
One of the key issues Health Freedom SD fights for is the belief that no one should be coerced into a medical treatment to keep their jobs, go to school or continue treatment of their choice.
“When I decided to not have that done, I got a lot of push back, I got a lot of bullying within my doctor’s office and I soon started discovering that I wasn’t alone,” Health Freedom SD member Jackie Waldner said.
The group is filled with people who have the same convictions who are now working together to advocate for more medical freedoms in the state.
“We’ve presented bills and we’ve advocated for people for medical exemptions and religions exemptions, especially over the past couple of years,” Buchholtz said.
During the pandemic, the volunteers and members of the group were strongly against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but they say their organization is about more than vaccines.
“We do advocate for any medical procedure that as a parent and an as an individual, you should be informed about, regardless of the medical procedure,” Buchholtz said.
Along with lobbying for more freedom-based legislation in Pierre, the organization also works to help educate others on their rights when it comes to health care.
“To be able to stand on our own two feet and say no, we’re the citizens and we say no right here, and we can, we know we can, because now we’re educated,” Waldner said.
This weekend the nonprofit is hosting the HOLD summit featuring several national controversial constitutional rights speakers, who will discuss health freedoms, gun rights, homeschooling, business ownership, and other freedom-related topics.