Submitted by: Richard Cuddy, MNO Credit River Métis Council President
(Left to right) Rochelle Ethier, Stephanie Montague from the Knight’s Table and
MNO Credit River Métis Council Councillor Darlene Lent during the Council’s
Riel Day gathering where 250 pounds of food from the community garden was
donated to the Knight’s Table charity.
Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Credit River Métis Council members embarked on a small venture which has yielded substantial rewards, a community garden.
The Métis Community Garden Project was created by Council members Rochelle Ethier and Councillor Darlene Lent. The Métis Community Garden grew over 450 pounds of fresh produce throughout the season. This fresh produce was donated by the MNO to needy Métis families and to charities such as The Knight’s Table and St. Leonard’s House. The garden also provided most of the vegetables for the Council’s Louis Riel Day gathering.
To highlight the project and its success, Ethier created the short film documenting the garden project that was shown at the Council’s Riel Day gathering. The documentary was created in hopes that it will inspire more volunteers for next season. After the viewing, there was thunderous applause from the audience for Councillor Lent and Either.
“This is a great way to promote one of the positive ways Métis give back to their communities. Not just the Métis communities but to the towns, municipalities and the province we live in,” said MNO Credit River Métis Council President Richard Cuddy. “We are excellent partners and collaborators. We care, we share, and our culture and traditions have so very much to offer.”
Regional Councillor for Wards 3 and 4 in the City of Brampton John Sanderson was in attendance at the Riel celebration and was so impressed with the project and its outcomes that he plans on personally donating to project.