Great Lakes Water Walk this Sunday

Dear JICS Community,

We want to let you know about an event taking place this weekend that Haley Higdon (JICS Program Lead for Natural Curiosity) is participating in: On Sunday September 24th 2017, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people will join together for the Great Lakes Water Walk along Toronto’s waterfront. The aim of this event is to reawaken our community’s commitment to safeguard the Great Lakes through the shared experience of walking for water.

Learn more about why we walk by watching our video at https://youtu.be/gr3FfIKi6QQ.

Anishinaabe Elder Josephine Mandamin has dedicated herself to protecting water by leading Water Walks. These Walks are more than a celebration of local waterways: they are potent ceremonies with the power to change one’s relationship with water.

The Great Lakes Water Walk is a free, public event along Toronto’s waterfront and participants can join or leave at any point. It is not a protest, performance, or athletic competition. In the morning, Elders and participants will meet at J.C. Saddington Park and Scarboro Missions. Throughout the day, they will carry water in copper pails towards the central Marilyn Bell Park. Here, Elders will lead a water blessing ceremony. They will be joined by the Chiefs of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, Scugog Island First Nation, and leaders of cultural and faith groups, government agencies, businesses, youth, and community organizations.

Some members of our community are participating on Sunday. If you would like to participate in this walk for water, JICS parent, Tracy Pryce, has agreed to meet families at Sheldon Lookout at 11:50am (west side of Humber Bay Bridge) and Haley will be on the walk starting at 7:00am from J.C. Saddington Park and will be giving Tracy updates as to where the walkers are located.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/greatlakeswaterwalk/

Twitter https://twitter.com/greatlakeswalk

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/

All the best,

Richard