Hundreds attend 2010 Wellness Fair

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe hosted its annual Wellness Fair this past weekend, providing a place for all community members to learn more about local services and receive an abundance of free merchandise and information. The tribe experiments with different locations for the event and this year it was hosted by the Mohawk International Raceway in Frogtown.

Vendors from a variety of organizations and both tribal and non-tribal agencies set up booths at the event and welcomed the crowds of visitors who braved the scorching heat to learn about a number of different services in the Akwesasne community.

Among those at the fair offering information were the SRMT’s new animal control officer, Jennifer Herne, who provided dog owners with free pet identification tags if they presented their dog’s rabies vaccine. The Akwesasne Eagle Watch set up a table with a sign up sheet for any community members interested in posting an anti-drug “neighborhood watch” sign in their yard. They received a couple hundred names. The IPP Program had a kid-friendly table set up, and the Heart to Heart Fitness Center educated visitors about some new programs they’ll be offering at their facility.

There were activities for children, including a clown and inflatable slides, and actor/rapper Litefoot performed a concert at the grandstand, combining it with his anti-drug messages. Joanne Shenandoah, an award-winning Oneida singer and songwriter, was also in attendance to promote a bone marrow drive.

Guests to the event were asked for suggestions for next year’s wellness fair. In recent years it’s been held at the Buck White ball field and at the First Americans IGA.