Nya:wëh Sgë:nö’,
Pictured above: First Lady Nicole Seneca & President J. Conrad Seneca attend the Elder’s Summer Event at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino
I hope this message finds you well. I want to start this message saying Ja:göh to a number of our athletes. As we know, the Haudenosaunee Nationals U20 team recently competed in the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship in South Korea, and the Seneca WarChiefs went to Calgary, Alberta Canada to take part in the Founders Cup for the Junior B championship. Both tournaments were still taking place at the time of our newsletter deadline, but, regardless of the final outcomes, I want both teams to know that our entire community is very proud of them!
I also want to give a warm “welcome home” to our own Zedd Williams, who was our first Rochester Nighthawks player acquisition! I’ve known Zeddy most of his life and it meant a lot to me to be able make the call to notify him of this significant moment.
Speaking of special people, we recently held our annual Elders Summer Event in Allegany. It was great to spend time with our Elders and their families and to thank them for all they have done for our Nation, our community and our families. I was especially happy to see all of the Groovy outfits and I hope everyone who attended had a great time!
This is the last newsletter for August, which means there are a few popular events coming up. Many people from our community and from other Native Nations are traveling to Syracuse for the Great New York State Fair. As always, the Indian Village will recognize Native American Day on Friday, August 29. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and relatives from across Turtle Island and to share in and celebrate the heritage and common bonds that unite us.
Here at home, we are getting ready for the 50th Annual Fall Festival in Cattaraugus! This year’s festival will take place September 12-14. There will be fun, free events and activities for the whole family to enjoy. The Fall Festival is an annual celebration of what makes our Nation special, including our culture, our artwork, and, above all, our togetherness as one community. I hope everyone makes it out to enjoy the rides, the games, activities and contests, and the food!
Of course, if we are talking about the State Fair and Fall Festival, that means back-to-school time is here. As our students head back to the classroom in the coming days, I want to remind everyone to keep an extra close eye out for children waiting for the bus and be aware of school buses on the roads across our territories. Let’s all make sure our students are safely making it to and from school each day. I want to wish all our students and teachers good luck for a safe, fun and successful school year!
Finally, as we all prepare to enjoy the long Labor Day weekend, let’s all give a shout out to the many hard-working men and women of our labor community. The Seneca Nation has a long and proud history of participation and leadership in labor. Our people have had a strong presence in labor unions for generations. As steel workers, iron workers, carpenters, mason workers, plumbers, steamfitters, operating engineers, and more, they have helped build not only our community, but this entire country. To all members of our labor community, nya:wëh for your hard work and dedication! Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our people and Nation.
Until next time,
J.C.
