Thank You to Our Community for Supporting Grandma Aggie's Benefit

April 8, 2012

Last weekend, our community was given the great honor to host a
Benefit for Grandma Aggie and the incredibly important work she does
with the 13 International Indigenous Grandmothers. We sponsored a
"dinner, movie and music" evening to raise funds for these precious
elders and their gathering in Montana this coming July. Grandma Aggie
graced the audience with her presence and was able to give updates and
education about the work these Indigenous Grandmothers are doing
around the world to raise awareness of crucially important cultural
and environmental issues that affect us all. The turn-out was even
better than expected! We had a packed house, a wonderful gathering
and we all raised over $1400 for Aggie over the evening.

Whistling Elk Singers kicked off the event with beautiful songs, Dan
Wahpepah opened the evening and welcomed folks, prayers were offered
for a good gathering, a delicious dinner of stew, cornbread, and salad
was served by a happy and harmonious kitchen crew, Grandma Aggie spoke
to the people about her work and the significance of the documentary
about the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, the film was presented, "For the
Next 7 Generations," and more community discussion with Grandma
followed after the film. Antoinette Nora Claypoole, featured writer
and poet, did a reading from her new book, "Ghost Rider Roads," giving
us a poignant history, perspective and reminder of the old AIM
warriors and the sacrifices made by this older generation of
traditional Native people for those of us to be able to gather the way
we do today. A song was presented to Grandma Aggie by the "High
Notes," a raffle was sponsored as part of the fund-raising efforts, a
blanket dance was sponsored by Whistling Elk for added donations, and
by the end of the evening, the funds were combined and given to
Grandma Aggie with happy hands and hearts!

We'd like to acknowledge some special thank you's to the people,
businesses and organizations who contributed to make this event a
success:

Food Angels of Ashland.
Shop 'n Kart of Ashland.
Bellview Grange of Ashland.
Wild Embers Press, Antoinette Claypoole for co-sponsorship.
All our MANY cornbread and cookie bakers and cooks in the kitchen!
Phoenix Sigalove for his music.
Stage-set up by Benson Lanford.
Whistling Elk Singers for their songs and heartbeat.
Children's play area by Carolyn Huft.
Sound and tech support by Rico Herrera.
Our set-up and clean-up crews, from beginning to end!
Jane Ayers and her organization of the Raffle.
Carefree Buffalo Store for their donations of 2 Pendleton Blankets.
Wahpepah Graphix for donations.
Wild Embers Press for donations.
Harmony for the poster graphics and for doing a thousand dishes!
All the other dishwashers and kitchen cleaners for doing such humble work!
Makaya, Tashi, Joya, Eva Rose and the other young girls helping with
kids' area and
blanket dance.
Christine Leonard for 'womaning' the door, welcoming people and
managing the funds.
Irene Kai for 'womaning' the hospitality station all evening.

We are forever grateful to you all and our collective community for
all the support and generosity displayed and given last Saturday
evening. We are certainly able to help send Grandma Aggie and her
family off to the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers' Gathering in a good way.

Piliamaya,

Jaimie
Red Earth Descendants

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To stay up to date with upcoming events and projects, including our
Elder~Youth Conference in collaboration with Grandma Aggie's Salmon
Ceremony June 27 - 30, 2012, keep checking our website calendar!