Successful Bucket Drive Held to Assist Kanesatake Flood Relief

On Wednesday, May 10th 2017, a couple community members decided to do something to help out our neighboring Mohawk community, Kanesatake. As, many people know, Kanesatake has been hit with the mass flooding going on in areas throughout Quebec and Ontario. The flooding began in the first week of May, and it slowly got much worse. Many Akwesasne community members have family members who live in Kanesatake, and were very aware of how much this flood was impacting their community. The Federal Government sent the military in to aid in the flood relief efforts in Oka, a neighboring town to Kanesatake. The Grand Chief of Kanesatake refused the federal governments offer to help their reservations flood relief efforts.

Instead the people of Kanesatake were left with helping themselves, along with the help of the Kahnawake community. It was noticeable that Akwesasne had yet to make a helping effort, until two young women decided they would be that help. Konwahentawi and Hawi Garrow decided to put on a bucket drive at the four corners in Kawehnoke. It was put together quickly and through their efforts, it all worked out. Konwahentawi contacted someone she knew who could help with the advertising, and had it announced on CKON a day before the event and it was also posted on Facebook.

With the help of many young volunteers, the event was a success. It was initially supposed to run from 11 am to 2 pm, but the organizers and volunteers decided to extend the bucket drive later into the evening. Once the bucket drive was complete, the total amount of donations had reached $4400. It may not seem like a lot to some, but to someone in need of help, it can mean the world. The next day the money was hand delivered to the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake's Chief Victor Bonspille. The organizers of the bucket drive were informed that the community of Kahnawake was also putting on a bucket drive to aid in the flood relief funds in Kanesatake. It is always a great feeling to know that when hard times hit, our people stick together.

In addition, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne donated 5-1,000lb bags of sand to aid Kanesatake as they attempt to recover from mass flooding. Mohawk Council of Kanesatake Chief Victor Bonspille arrived in Akwesasne on Thursday, May 11, 2017 to accept the donation.