Heyhey Nya:wëh Sgë:nö’,
It has been a fun couple of weeks on our territories! Last Friday, we celebrated with our dedicated Nation employees at Employee Appreciation Day at the Erie County Fair. Nation employees were able to enjoy some time off and spend the day at the Fair, where we had prizes and fun. This was our way of saying “Nya:wëh” to our employees for all that they do throughout the year to serve the needs of our people. We can’t thank them enough!
This week, we hosted our Elders Retro Beach parties at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. It was great to see so many of our Elders laughing and having fun. The response was so great that we had to have two parties this year! It is always special to spend time with our Elders and it looked like everyone was having a great time!
Now, we are getting ready for the first Jimtown Community Field Day, which will take place tomorrow, August 29, at the ACC. The event runs from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and will have fun activities for the whole family to enjoy, including food and crafts vendors, a live DJ, a baking contest, races, games and more. I hope many of you can come out and enjoy this new community celebration.
Earlier this month, we hosted a delegation of federal state and local officials from throughout the greater Rochester area for a day-long summit at the Ganondagan historic site in Victor. Several Councillors were in attendance and participated in the program, which was designed to continue building familiarity with the Seneca Nation and our history, and to build the foundation for a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with our neighbors in Rochester.
This summit was just the latest step we have taken over the past year to build a strong relationship with our neighbors in Rochester. The summit was well-attended from all levels of government, including by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who represents parts of 14 counties, stretching from the North Country through Central New York, the Finger Lakes region, and parts of Western New York, as well as several members of the New York State Legislature, a representative from Governor Hochul’s office, and city of Rochester and Monroe County officials. Throughout the day, the officials heard directly from Nation representatives on a wide range of topics, from our economic leadership in Western New York to matters of mutual interest, including economic development and environmental stewardship. Any productive path forward for our Nation and the Rochester community has to start with knowing and understanding one another. The summit was an important next step in our ongoing outreach and dialogue with Rochester officials. We plan to have more conversations in the future.
For Nation members interested in pursuing a career in the construction trades, the Training & Employment Resource Center is now accepting applications for the upcoming Construction Technology Program. This is a 12-week, paid training program for people 18 and older, with classes held at our Steamburg training facility starting October 5. Applications are due next week on September 2, so don’t hesitate. Applications for the program are available at both TERC offices. If you have any questions about the program, contact the TERC offices at 716-532-1033 (Cattaraugus) or 716-945-8120 (Allegany).
We are also gearing up for our Fall Healing Conference on September 23 and 24 at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. The theme of the conference is “Harvesting Hope & Healing.” The conference will feature inspiring speakers, workshops, and opportunities to connect with others in a welcoming and safe space. The healing conference is a way to bring us all together to share, learn, and support one another on our healing journeys. Registration is free for all Haudenosaunee community members. Register by September 4 either online at https://sni.org/fall-healing-conference/ or by calling 716-945-1790, ext. 3003. I hope we can all come together to harvest hope, celebrate healing, and strengthen our community.
Finally, next weekend is Labor Day weekend, which means the start of another school year. I want to wish all Seneca students the best of luck for a successful and fun school year. I also want to remind everyone traveling across our territories to take extra care to watch out for school buses on our roads and for our young people waiting at bus stops throughout the community.
I also want to acknowledge all Seneca community members, past and present, who have been part of our labor community. The Seneca people have a long and distinguished history of serving in organized labor, particularly in the construction trades. They, alongside their hard-working union brothers and sisters, have helped to build not only our Nation facilities and businesses on our territories, but important projects in communities across the country. We are thankful for their hard work, skill and commitment.
I hope everyone has a happy Labor Day weekend!
Until next time,
J.C.
