2013 AFS Survival Race and Quilt Auction

The annual Akwesasne Freedom School Survival Race and Quilt Auction took place over the weekend, on August 24 and 25. This year’s race saw 13 teams competing in five legs of the race: swimming, canoeing, biking, backpacking, and running. The race is conducted relay style with each participant needing to tag off with their teammate before they can start the next leg of the race. The race was won by Team Rez X, with a time of 2 hours and 48 minutes. Coming in second place was Team La Migra, with a time of 2 hours and 51 minutes. Tippy Toe Lemon Tree was a single competitor team and did the entire race by himself. First and second place donated their prizes back to the Freedom School. Third place received gift certificates and he donated back a few as well.

There were music and entertainment acts scheduled throughout the day, which included people like Bear Fox and the Akwesasne Women Singers, The Little River Mohawk Band, Jeff Doreen, and Big Work and Hunter and many more. There was a game called dunk the local, which had Ernest David dunked by seemingly every little kid in line. Other people hopped in the dunking both too, earning a dollar from everyone who tried to dunk them. On top of the games there was a chicken barbeque for $10 and other food and drink for sale as well. There were crafts for sale as well as many raffles.

Sunday the quilt auction was held, and began shortly after 1 p.m. Up for auction were nearly 40 quilts, all donated by families and friends of the Akwesasne Freedom School. The quilts, some made by families or purchased, are all auctioned off to raise money to help the school operate. All beautiful works of art, at least one of the quilts went for over $1000.

This event would be nothing without parent support. All parents volunteer their time, and a quilt if they can, and help out in many other ways.

Parents like Lorrie Caldwell helped out by carrying quilts around and showing the bidders, as well as during the race, all of the swimmers jumped off their boat. After the race, she collected the buoys that mark the boundaries of the race.

Caldwell said, “I do it for my boys, for our language and our culture. I love seeing all of our community come out.”

Acting ohenten iiete, Elvera Sargent highlighted the efforts of all her summer students, but in particular Adrienne Jacobs whom she said, “has that old time work ethic, where she just gets it done. A lot of times she’s ahead of me.”

When asked why she does it, Sargent said, “I really care about our language. I think it’s important, that’s the key to our survival.”

The results of the Survival Race

Rez X

La Migra

Tippy Toe Lemon Tree

Team Ganienke

Border Patrol

Turtle Strong

Night Hawks

Kawiraksens

Rocket Ronnie’s

Team Magnetic

Thunder Buddies

Tarbell Pilates

Stewart Peters

Thank You

Akwé:kon tekwanonerátens tánon kwah éso ne niawenhkó:wa Akwesasó:ron tánon ionkwatenro’shón:a!

On behalf of the Akwesasne Freedom School students, staff and families of the Akwesasne Freedom School, our heartfelt thank you goes out to each and everyone that participated in our Annual Akwesasne Freedom School Survival Race, Dinner, and Quilt Auction! Our event was a huge success because of each and every one of you.

All Survival Race participants and volunteers

Winners 1st Rez X , 2nd La Migra, 3Rrd Tippy Toe Lemon Tree for donating your cash prizes back to the school, Niawen ko:wa!

Chicken bar-b-que and steak dinners sold out!

AFS families who so work hard to make the event a success!

Ganienke

Twin Leaf

Tarbell Management

#9 Fuels

Sons of the American Legion

Everett Lazore

CKON – Reen Cook, did a great job in setting up Tetewataren, awesome publicity you gave us as well as the remote from here on Saturday.

Indian Time

Jessica Sargent, photographer

Bill Loran

Richard Nolan

George Berke

Buster Benedict

Kahontine Swamp

Bear Fox for setting up an awesome roster of local talent, as well as visitors from our relatives in Haudenosaunee Country, and her father-in-law Alex Fox for mc’ing the entertainers.

All the vendors from near and far.

Community members who donated a dish or came out to volunteer we appreciate you.

If I have forgotten to mention someone it was not intentional. Niawen ko:wa!!

P.S.: check out pictures on FB!