Timiskaming First Nation (TFN) hosts their Every Child Matters 5K and 10K event in June in conjunction with Indigenous History Month. The run/walk is in honour of the missing children and the survivors of Residential Schools, as well as missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. All proceeds go to the Anishinabe Long Term Care Centre.
I took part in the 5K event for the second year in a row.
This is such a fun and well-organized event! It all takes place at the powwow grounds at TFN in Quebec. Kit pickup runs from 8am to 9am, with the opening ceremony at 9:00; this ceremony features a welcome song and drumming, lighting of the sacred fire, a prayer for the missing women and children as well as the survivors, and a short speech by the Chief. The runs and walks begin at 9:30.
The route is well marked along the paved shoulder of Highway 101 and through the streets of Notre Dame du Nord; there are two water stations on the 5K route, and tribal police assisted with highway traffic control.
The 10K route goes through town and down to the shores of Lake Temiskaming and the Ottawa River.
Once the 5K and 10K events are done there are fun runs for the kids, followed by lunch at 11:30 (lunch is included with your entry), and the awards ceremony. This race gives generous cash awards for the top three finishers in the 5K and 10K events.
Following the awards ceremony, there is dancing and drumming, and then the closing ceremony at 1:00.
I have never been to a more welcoming and joyful event, and two years in a row I have come home having made new friends. I am already looking forward to the 2024 race!
This year’s event raised over $5000 for the Anishinabe Long Term Care Centre.
