Boxes Bound for Attawapiskat

Wednesday, November 25, 2009
by Shawna L. Snache

When Cheryle Graham Snache of Rama First Nation got fed up with the stories coming out of Attawapiskat and other northern First Nations dealing with extreme poverty and third world living conditions she asked herself one question, “What can I do, as the average Joe citizen?” Out of that question the Northern Project was born.

The Northern Project has been collecting quality used clothing for distribution for over a year. Through word of mouth donations have been rolling in continuously. “The hard part is getting it there, where it’s needed most” she admits.
Recently an opportunity to overcome that obstacle presented itself and Cheryle was able to connect with like minded individuals Susy Sirois of Brighton, Ontario and university student Lyndsay Brutt who decided to get a truck and take a load up to where it’s desperately needed; Attawapiskat First Nation.
Susy has also been collecting clothing and has over 100 boxes at present. Together with Cheryle’s 60 boxes the clothing will make it’s way to Timmins on November 29th before flying Air Creebec to Attawapiskat care of the church for distribution to the community.
Since 2008 the Northern Project has been able to make shipments of clothing and winter coats to Massey, Bear Island/Temagami First Nation, Toronto to Council Fire and Women’s Resource Centre and the Canadian Diabetes Association. The Northern Project aims to continue to collect gently used clothing donations to send to northern First Nation communities and is interested in becoming a registered charity in the New Year (2010).
If you would like more information about the Northern Project or would like to make a donation please contact Cheryle Graham Snache at cherylesnache@hotmail.com

I think about all the money that we have had here in Rama since the casino. And what we now have, what we could have done with it. What we should have done.  I no  there is more jobs but we have more of our people on part time or on call then ever. There is no job shadowing for our members. And we are spending 27 million on wages a year. With a buget of 48 million a year, the new deal is 30 miilion a year which we had no say in. And we will now be just the landlords. We have 60 milion in the bank how long is that going to last.  We had 172 million ten years ago and what did we do with it ? At the finance meeting we see that our business are not making any money  .All the the band has belongs to all of us we need to have a say in how it is being spent.  cheryle