Quebec Cree community sends donations and letters of hope to Attawapiskat
'Working together this way ... will awaken our greatness and keep our nations strong'
Youth from the Cree community of Wemindji along the Quebec coast of James Bay are sending letters and drawings of hope to their counterparts across the bay in Attawapiskat, Ont.
The letters and drawings will accompany 170 boxes of donated clothes and other household items collected for the people of Attawapiskat.
"I feel like [our youth] are walking a little prouder because they did something good with no kind of pay in sight, they just did it out of the goodness in their hearts," said Bradley AJ Georgekish, one of the volunteers who helped pack boxes.
The remote Cree community of Attawapiskat in Northern Ontario declared a state of emergency in April after a spate of suicide attempts.
When the community declared a crisis, many were moved to offer support, including the Wemindji local youth department who organized the donation drive which Georgekish said was an overwhelming success.
"It was a great chance to sit down with [the youth] and remind them when we listen to the Cree legends ... we come from that greatness. That greatness is inside of us," he said.
"And it's actions like this and working together this way that will awaken our greatness and keep our nations strong."
The box of letters and drawings of hope are part of a letter-writing campaign launched last month by several Quebec Cree organizations.
Local company Kepa Transport drove the donations from Wemindji to Timmins, Ont., for free. Once everything has been repackaged, the Cree-owned airline Air Creebec will fly the items to Attawapiskat, also at no charge.
"The greatest thing they can do is to take care of each other, to trust each other, to share, visit one another, encourage one another," said Georgekish.
"And that unity, that strength, that's what is going to keep us going. Everything else will fall into place as long as our spirits are connected, and we're taking care of each other."
Upon arrival in Attawapiskat, the local co-ordinator will then sort out the donations and distribute them to community members.