[GREN-Exec] Fw: Invitation to Grassy Narrows River Run 2012!

Thu May 24 17:04:10 EDT 2012

FYI

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Adam Lewis <takebackeverythingtheysteal at gmail.com>
To: 
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 4:52:05 PM
Subject: Invitation to Grassy Narrows River Run 2012!

Hello there,

I am writing as part of a network of people who have come together in Toronto to support Grassy Narrows 
First Nation with their ongoing struggle for accountability from the 
province for the mercury poisoning of their watershed and the 
accompanying ecosystems in the 1970s, which has severely limited the 
community's ability to honour their traditional and local food systems. 
Fifty years ago a paper mill in Dryden, Ontario began contaminating the 
Wabigoon River upstream of the Grassy Narrows 
community. The community continues to to be drastically affected by this contamination. Although mercury levels are decreasing, the long term 
exposure has resulted in increasing symptoms of mercury poisoning in the community, including signs of congenital mercury poisoning in young 
children.

We are expecting 50 members of the community to be joining us in Toronto the week of June 4, 2012 to lead the following events: 

River Run 2012 Events 
SPEAKING EVENT WITH JUDY DA SILVA 
Tuesday June 5, 6:30 p.m.  Steelworker's Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto 

FISH FRY 
Wednesday June 6th, Noon. Queen's Park south lawn. 

MARCH AND RALLY WITH GRASSY NARROWS 
Friday June 8, Noon.Grange Park (behind the Art Gallery of Ontario on Beverly)

There will be a free bus going from Kitchener-Waterloo to Toronto for 
the march and rally on Friday, June 8th. The bus will be departing at 
10am from Kitchener City Hall, and will leave Toronto to return to 
Kitchener at 5pm. Email tammy at wpirg.orgto reserve a seat on the bus. 

Please see if you can help us out with either funding, volunteering, in kind donations or just by being there and showing your support. (for info at the end of the email). There is a particular need for donations to help get the folks from Grassy Narrows (which is close to Kenora) here to Toronto for this event and to help them continue to raise awareness about what is happening in their community. Please consider donating or asking friends, family, or business to do the same! Donations can be made at : http://smallchangefund.org/projects/river-run-2012. 

there is further information on how to support this event attached as well in the Support River Run Document. 

If you can't come or are unable to donate, please at least help us spread the word! A flyer and poster are also attached! There is also a Facebook event at : https://www.facebook.com/events/198094780296146/. 

I hope many of you will be able to make it out! 

In April 2010, we marched together as one wild riverflowing onto the steps of Queen’s Park to deliver our demands on World Health 
Day. We ask that you join us again this year to make clear to those at 
Queen’s Park that we’re as strong as ever, and will continue to demand 
justice for our people and protection for our environment. 

Over 40 years ago our people were poisoned by mercury from a paper mill that contaminated our river upstream. Our people are demanding justice because we are still dealing with the 
ongoing health impacts of this avoidable disaster. It’s an inescapable 
truth that this poison will affect everyone if we don’t stand together to protect our water. 

For decades the GNAA community members have been on the front lines of the 
movement to defend the earth and to uphold Indigenous 
self-determination, culture and spirituality. We have kicked out logging giant Abitibi for now, but there is still much work to be done.

Joining inRiver Run 2012 is a great opportunity to show your support and to join us in the fight to protect Indigenous rights and the water, air, land, and creatures 
that we all depend on. 

Migwetch 

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT 
1. Help us spread the word using the River Run poster, flyer, our 
Facebook page, and forward this email callout. 2. Donate directly 
through our Small Change Fund at the Small Change Fund: http://smallchangefund.org/projects/river-run-2012  
3. Encourage your organization to endorse, promote, and donate to the River Run at 2012riverrun at gmail.com. 
4. Volunteer! - We need all kinds of support to make the River Run 
happen, such as cooking, art-making, and postering help.  Any time you 
can offer will be greatly appreciated. Email us at 2012riverrun at gmail.com to get involved, and visit Freegrassy.org and our Facebook page for more info and updates.  

Now is the time to act! Demand justice for our people, and protection for the water!  

Thanks! 

Adam Lewis
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/executive_gren.ca/attachments/20120524/7703f5fe/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: river run poster.BMP
Type: image/bmp
Size: 2966454 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/executive_gren.ca/attachments/20120524/7703f5fe/attachment.bmp>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: River-Run-2012-save-the-date_2 flyer.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 460288 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/executive_gren.ca/attachments/20120524/7703f5fe/attachment.doc>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Support River Run 2012-1.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 739396 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://gren.ca/pipermail/executive_gren.ca/attachments/20120524/7703f5fe/attachment.pdf>