A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
Volunteers that worked hard on Sunday to get food baskets ready for Monday distribution. There were other volunteers that helped out on Saturday that are not pictured. Back L-R: Sarah Konwahahawi Herne, Executive Director, Jenny Boots, LeighAnn Huff, Courtney King, Brenda Hathaway, Stacey Huff, David Cree and Bernadine Boots. Front L-R: Asien Lazore, Watenatiiostha Lazore, Kanakwinetha Lazore, Karonhiahawe Lazore, Shannon Cree and Dawn Cree.
Shannon Cree spent her weekend volunteering her time to help others have a brighter holiday.
Dawn Cree counts baskets to see how many were ready. The Akwesasne Basket Drive is expected to give out 1,300 baskets. Mrs. Cree and her husband David and daughter Shannon put in long hours at the basket set-up.
The toy room! If a family receiving a food basket have children they also receive a toy for each child according to his/her age.
Volunteer Jenny Boots sorts and bags the onions for the food baskets.
The term "holiday giving" has great meaning in Akwesasne, and it's something local residents take seriously. If you stopped by the old IGA last Friday for the main day event you saw a building full of people taking time out of their day to donate money, toys, food, or to be put in the " kindness" jailhouse and wait to be bailed out, all for families experiencing hard times. The Akwesasne Basket Drive and Mountain of Toys has been giving out holiday baskets for 17 years with the help of many community members and businesses.
After the main day event is over there is still more work to be done as volunteers spend the next few days preparing the baskets for 1,300 families. "We have amazing volunteers," stated ABD MT Executive Director, Sarah Konwahahawi Herne. "You tell them what needs to be done and it gets done. They are kind spirited and kind hearted. Many put in long hours and a lot of hard work. People get here early and leave late. These volunteers are the heart of the community because they don't want anyone to go without."
Ms. Herne took over the reins of the basket drive from her mother, Sesi Herne, just this year and said that she was nervous about taking it over. "My mother has been saying that she was going to give up being the director but I didn't believe her until this September when she said 'this is what you do'. She is still in the background helping out." Ms. Herne had no need to be nervous, she had things organized and running like she was an old pro.
Distribution of the baskets began on December 16th and ran until the 18th for families that have signed up. "People can still sign up at the IGA and food will be given out until we run out. We don't turn anyone away," said Ms. Herne. "There are no income forms to fill out, all we require is proof of address and a photo I.D. for duplication purposes. We run on the honesty system."
The baskets contain food for a full meal and a $20.00 Hannaford gift certificate for a turkey, if the family wants one, or they can buy something else with the $20.00. "The baskets represent family togetherness," explained Ms. Herne.
The volunteers who helped prepare the baskets were Margie Tatlock, Jeremy Thompson, Margie Skidders, Jenna Herne, Tiio Skidders, Will Laughing, Atohnwa Rourke, Brenda Hathaway, Tim McDonald, Stacey and Leighann Huff, Lazore family- Kahontinekon, Kanakwinetha, Karonhiahawe, Asien, Watenatiiostha, Courtney King, Jenny and Bernadine Boots, Bulla and Joe Herne, and the Cree family-David, Dawn and Shannon. All the boxes were donated by Cary Terrance and the food for the volunteers was catered by Twin Leaf. The Akwesasne Convenience Store Association also helped out with donations.
"It's so nice how Akwesasne pulls together. People take time from their workday and businesses allow their workers to come and help. We have so many hard workers who come together to help others. It's hard not to get emotional when I see that," said Herne.
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