ATFE's Akwesasne Roadside Cleanup Day

Niawenkó:wa Akwesasró:non! Everyone give yourselves a pat on the back. Sonkwaiatí:son (Our Creator) is smiling on us, seeing his children picking up trash and taking care of Mother Earth on April 29th. Akwesasne Freedom School won first place, Akwesasne Soaring Eagles Volleyball Club came in second, Twinleaf came in a very close third. A total of 1,089 bags were picked up along the roads. It was the biggest turnout in five years with 34 groups registering.

The Ahkwesáhsne Task Force on the Environment, the SRMT Environment Division, the MCA Department of Environment would like to thank the following groups and individuals, because without them, our cleanup day would not have happened.

Trash committee: Waylon Cook, Craig Arquette, Loretta David, Amberdawn Lafrance, Jessica Raspitha, and Julia Jacobs.

Donations of Food: Renzi Food Service, Koi Express, Les Benedict, Jay Wilkins, Alice Thompson, Anna Thompson, Sheryl Thompson, Yolanda Cook, Gina Jones-Thompson, Lacey Pierce, Kanastatsi Jacobs, and Truck Stop #9.

Donations of Door Prizes: CRJ Designs, Julia Jacobs, Akwesasne Cultural Center, The Sugar Shack, SRMT Brownfields, CAA Management, Steven Thompson, Emily Tarbell, Lora Lee Lafrance, Florence Phillips, Amberdawn Lafrance, BMO Akwesasne, Can 8, Uniglass Plus Ziebart, Cornwall Square Administration, Shoe Repair at Cornwall Square, Cali Nails, Rayco Team Sports, Pommier Jewelers, Food Basics, Stormont Stationers, The Squire Shop, Fantastic Cleaners, Bulk Barn, Seaway International Bridge Corporation, Kids Korner, Riverside Pizza, Scores, Pizza Hut, Rona, Dairy Queen, Philo’s, Canadian Tire, Your Independent Baxtrom’s, Staples, Le’s Nails, Sunshine Restaurant, Minute Auto Wash, TSC, Farm Boy, Marie’s Westside Fries, Cailuan Art Gallery, Akwesasne Sports, Bicycle World, Cornwall Aquatic Center, and Native North American Traveling College.

Monetary Donations: Akwesasne Community Assistance Fund, CKON Radio Bingo, Ruben Oakes & family, Sons of American Legion, and NYSDOT for paying the tipping fees.

Truck Divers and Helpers: NYS DOT, Taylor Smoke, Dallas Caldwell, April Adams-Phillips, Riccardo Najar, Cornell student volunteers, Coree Phillips, Waylon Cook, Marcus Gray, Curtis Lazore, Seymour girls, Lorna Francis, Dave Arquette, Teres Seymour, Alice Thompson, Jessica Raspitha, Logan Lazore and Jay Wilkins.

We would also like to thank the following departments for the use of their trucks: SRMT Environment Division, MCA Environment, and NYSDOT. We would like to thank D & R Disposal and SRMT Solid Waste Department for setting up dumpsters. Special thanks go to Tarbell Management Group for providing gas for all the trucks picking up trash and to the Senior Center for providing the use of their facilities. We would also like to thank Amberdawn Lafrance, Wendy Oakes, Jasmine Pyke, Bria Cook, Maryann Gray, Hillary Jacobs, Florence Phillips, and Julia Jacobs for organizing the door prizes. If we have forgotten anyone, we are very sorry.

ATFE would like to acknowledge the help and support of the First Nations Development Institute, Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative, ACR Ase Tsi Tewaton Horticulture Program, Akwesasne Freedom School for providing and packaging seeds for the community in our Seed and Tree Giveaway on April 22, 2017.