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Here is the latest Honouring Indigenous People Rotary News and Events, projects, blogs, photos, films, resources, and a letter from Chair, Rotarian Chris Snyder. There are many major initiatives and resources available to you and your Rotary club. From our vantage point, there are many good things happening. If you have a good news story, please send it to us. Click here to get the latest newsletters, information and updates about HIP (Honouring Indigenous Peoples)! As a rapidly growing nation-wide movement, HIP is a partnership between Indigenous Peoples & Rotarians. Each newsletter also contains stories about supporters, just like you, who are making an impact across Canada by taking action to create lasting change! Here are some highlights .........
Be sure to read the brand new HIP Circle Monthly Newsletters for 2019 which will be available soon. Here is the link to the newsletters.
What is your club doing? Please email Julie Dunaiskis (julie@eccgroup.ca) with a brief summary so we can post on the HIP website and provide an update in upcoming newsletters. This will help other clubs and provide a sense of how we are involved. We do not know the precise number of clubs across Canada who are involved in educational and awareness activities, however, our guess is we are close to 175 and growing. Some clubs were involved well before HIP, many on their own and some because of our encouragement and leadership.
Annual Reception and Auction in support of Anishhawbe Health Foundation : We would also like to advise of a GTA event on June 12th. The 3rd Annual Reception and Auction in support of Anishhawbe Health Foundation will be in Toronto. Tickets are $100. Funds will go towards a new health centre as part of a new 2.4 acre Aboriginal Community Hub. Please use the link below to purchase tickets today: https://aht.salsalabs.org/
Regards,
Julie Dunaiskis
Administrator, HIP(Honouring Indigenous Peoples)
Other Happenings
THE HIP CIRCLE - please note, we are now publishing brand new issues monthly. For any back issues of the Monthly Newsletters, please click here.
Request a Speaker - Would your club like to have a Speaker at an upcoming meeting? If so, please check the list of available speakers on our website under Resources/Speakers List. Or contact Julie Dunaiskis (julie@eccgroup.ca) who will pass along to Ingrid Sproxton, our new speakers' co-ordinator to propose a date and a subject you would like the person to speak about i.e. a) about HIP, b) a project, or c) awareness of the issues. Ideally, these talks will inform members and guests and hopefully engage members in becoming involved in an Indigenous program, donating money and developing a relationship with the local Indigenous community. We are happy to help you connect with the community close to you.
Other
A reminder, you can find our slightly revised brochure on our website under Resources (Rotary HIP - HIP Brochure). If you would like to use it, you may print and distribute to your networks. If you need more, contact us and we can send. We have also improved our Facebook page and added a twitter handle. We have over 200 FB followers and 60 twitter subscribers to date. If you would like to be a friend on our Facebook page, click : https://www.facebook.com/HonouringIndigenousPeoples/ to see our new site. You can like, follow and share. We also encourage you to check our website and contents regularly. Encourage your friends too. Also send Julie (julie@eccgroup.ca) the email address of anyone who you think would like to receive our newsletter.
Approved Projects (Rotary HIP - Approved projects) - Check the HIP website to see full project descriptions and updates. We hope you or your club can support any of the projects mentioned as follows. We need much more financial support. Please join in. Not only will you help the project become reality and assist with the educational needs but you will learn a lot as well. We are also reviewing several new initiatives. When approved, we will be providing a brief outline with a link to the project. All of the projects below have been approved by our project committee and have the full support of the Indigenous community.
Blog (Rotary HIP - Blog) - As always, there have been many news and events recently that have been added to our blog.
Resources - Films & Documentaries (Rotary HIP - Films & Documentaries) - If you have recently viewed a good film or documentary or read a book not on our list with an indigenous theme or message, please email Julie Dunaiskis (julie@eccgroup.ca) and Janet McLeod (jmm@nexicom.net) to add to our list.
HIP Membership & Donations - We would like you, your club and friends to become members. You do not need to be a Rotarian to join. You can join today by selecting (Rotary HIP - Become a Member) on the HIP website.
Charitable donations are accepted online through our website (Rotary HIP - Make a Donation) and the donor will receive a tax receipt immediately. You may designate funds to a specific project or to general projects focusing on education. Thank you for your continued support of our projects, in particular, we have had a terrific response to our ask for support for the transportation costs for shipments to the fly-in communities. If you are able to help with this or other initiatives, a tax receipt will be issued. You can also send in a cheque payable to HIP and post-marked to c/o ECC Group, 100 Simcoe St., Suite 110, Toronto, ON M5H 3G2.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
HIP is powered by volunteers. If you are interested in having your name added to our volunteer list, please email Executive Director John Currie at john.currie@pickeringrotary.ca . Currently HIP is seeking the following volunteers: Communications, Wordpress Development, Project Management, Speakers, Event Support.
Message from HIP Chair, Chris Snyder
COME FROM AWAY - Turning Tragedy into an Opportunity to Build New Relationships
The highly acclaimed play “Come From Away” is about how Canadians lived up to the their kind reputation, and opened their doors to the Americans stranded in Gander during the 9/11 crisis. As a result of the detour, 6,759 passengers and airline crew members — plus 9 cats, 11 dogs, and a pair of endangered apes — arrived in Gander, descending on the small northeastern town, nearly doubling its population of 9,651.
Strangers were invited into people’s homes. Meals, beds, and new clothes were provided. Striking school bus drivers put down their picket signs and volunteered to transport people from the planes. Schools were converted into makeshift shelters. Restaurants and bakeries donated food, while pharmacies provided everything from diapers to medication to feminine products.
Every year, about now, because of flooding, hundreds of people are evacuated from Indigenous Communities in Northern Ontario. Most come from Kashechewan a community of 1900 located on the banks of the Albany River close to James Bay. The evacuation is because the community in 1957 was forced by government to move to a flood plain. When the ice breaks they are forced to evacuate. For years there has been much talk of relocating the community again, and in 2017 a frame work agreement was reached with the Federal and, provincial, governments, Kashechewan and the NAN Nation. There has been little progress. In the past the cost of moving a thousand or more people has been as high as $21 million dollars, which does not include the cost of repairing homes. This year, with the heavy snows, it is estimated the numbers evacuated will be at an all-time high.
Evacuees are transported to places like Timmins, Kapuskasing, Cornwall and Thunder Bay. Some people will be away from home for several months. This is very disruptive to their lives, not the least of which is an interruption in education for young people. Services are in place however, the evacuation creates an opportunity for the people in the receiving community to also get involved, like the residents of Gander. The Rotary Club of Timmins-Porcupine, together with HIP, are already working with the Red Cross, the coordinating body, to find ways to assist, build relationships and provide comfort during a difficult time.
There are hundreds of examples of communities around the world coming together during a crisis. The good that comes out of it and the relationships that develop can be life impacting. You do not need to wait for a flood to become involved. Indigenous Peoples are arriving every day to urban communities across the country. Going to the local Friendship Centre to welcome them and offer your support can have an impact, lead to better understanding and build new relationships.
Migwetch (Thank You)
Chris Snyder
Chair, HIP
snyder@eccgroup.ca 416-364-0181 Ext. 2501 905-990-1735
Rotary Club of Toronto