A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
MCA Chief Joanne Jocko, Akwesasne Child and Family Services Billie Joe Phillips, Belinda White, and Wanda Thompson, and from the Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club Leslie Cook, Lyn Thomas, Nikaiataa Skidders and Zack Rogofsky.
Barbecue experts volunteering their time at Joseph Cross’ fundraiser Brandon David Akwesasne Child and Family Services, Everett Lazore of Big E’s, Robert white of Akwesasne Family Wellness Program and PJ Burns of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police.
Front row: Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club President Julia Back Skidders, Joni Cross, sister of Joseph Cross, and ABGC Director Jessica Cree-Jock. Back row: HAVFD volunteer Andrew Lazore, Joseph’s mom Anne Marie Cross and HAVFD volunteer Kevin Lazore.
Sharing the medicine of laughter ABGC President Julia Back-Skidders and Myra Lafrance, in the background Billie Joe Phillips.
Benefit for Joe Cross - Last Friday the Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club sponsored a chicken barbeque for Joe Cross and his family. Joe is a student at Salmon River Central school and a member of the ABGC. Joe is battling cancer and is in CHEO in Ottawa in the hospice unit. Joe is the son of AnnMarie Cross who travels back and forth from Ottawa to be with Joe and then home to be with her two other children. “We contacted AnnMarie and learned how difficult it has been for this family. It has been tough on her to travel to be with Joe and then back home to be with her other children plus the expense of traveling back and forth. We wanted to do something to help this family,” said ABGC employee Ryan King. Sixty-eight chicken dinners were delivered to the Salmon River School by PJ Burns, Daniel Lazore, and Ryan King. They are pictured with high school principal Alison Benedict. Photo by Rachelle Garrow-Hayes.
Akwesasne has a great reputation for helping out a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or one of their own. But most often when someone needs support, an Akwesasronon will help someone they have never even meet. And this past weekend proved no different. The Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club hosted a chicken barbecue for Joseph Cross of Kawehnoke, the son of Anne Marie Cross. Joseph is currently in Ottawa Children’s Hospital of Ontario being treated for an inoperable brain cancer. Board members, staff, former staff and people who have never met Joseph came to help on Friday, November 7, 2012. The Hogansburg-Akwesasne Firemen of Snye volunteered their time transporting the chicken to the club ready to be served. Brandon David of Akwesasne Child and Family Services, Robert White of Akwesasne Family Wellness Program, Everett Lazore of Big E’s and PJ Burns of the St. Regis Mohawk Police, barbecued chicken on the club’s grounds, filling the club with its distinctive aroma. Over 200 dinners were sold before 10 am. Besides the chicken barbecue, the ABGC held a 50-50 raffle. The Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to all who helped out on Friday.
Joseph will be returning back to his home on the Island just before he leaves for Florida. The Ontario Make a Wish Foundation granted Joseph’s wish to visit Disneyland. Joseph and his family will be leaving this Friday. We wish Joseph and his family the best during his visit to Florida.
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