Winter Games & Seneca Snow Shoe Run

While I dearly love the quiet stillness that the winter season brings, we all have to get out of the house, move around, and enjoy the crisp winter air. A perfect way to get some winter fun is to visit our Native American Winter Games and Sports event on February 6, 2010, 10am - 4pm.

The event is FREE to the public and features:

• Dog Sledding
• Story Telling
• Food
• Snowshoeing
• Snow Snake
• "Seneca Winter Camp" Demonstrations

See all the Native American Winter Games and Sports event details at our Winter Games web page.

New this year to the Winter Games event, we are adding a Seneca Snow Shoe Run Competition. This three part competition includes a snow shoe run on a course laid out at Ganondagan, an archery shoot, and the snow snake throw. The competition has two levels: The Pro Snow Shoe Run and the Fun Snow Shoe Run.

Please see our Seneca Snow Shoe Run web page for more details and registration information.

I hope to see you there!!

-kim

Giving Thanks for 2009 and All Who Contributed

For Ganondagan, 2009 has been a very busy year! We wanted to share news of some of our accomplishments and the many things for which we’re thankful:

• Green Initiatives – This year, we strengthened the focus on environmental practices at our Native American Dance & Music Festival, implementing the use of solar power for the stage area and a waste station to sort trash for recycling and composting.
• Expanded Programming – Throughout the summer, we offered our new “Savor the Summer” series, which was free to Members. This series was so popular that we’ll be offering many of the favorites along with new events next summer. We also offered a bus tour to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, and hosted a very successful Native American Dance & Music Festival, a sumptuous Native Foods Feast and a Living History event that were offered to members at discount.
• Garden and Trail Projects – Next year, when you visit Ganondagan’s gardens, new signage will identify the various plants. Thanks to Brendan Marozas, Tay House Scout Troupe 19 and Ganondagan’s Steve Richman, a new walkway was added to The Earth is Our Mother Trail.
• Website revamp – We’ve reinvigorated our website. You can now become a member or renew your membership online, sign up to receive our e-newsletter, donate to Ganondagan and discover many new resources such as a more comprehensive online calendar, online videos, a page on wampum belts, a recipes page and more.
• News Sharing – This year, we stepped into the world of Social Media in a big way. In addition to our Blog (http://ganondagan.blogspot.com), we launched a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a monthly e-newsletter. If you would like to receive this newsletter, simply email friends@frontiernet.net with the subject line “Add me to e-newsletter list.”
• Partnering – This year, we have successfully partnered with a number of organizations and would like to thank Wegmans, Nazareth College, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John Fisher College and many of the heritage attractions in Ontario County for their friendship, collaboration and support.
• New Products – The Friends of Ganondagan created new books and booklets, as well as Children’s Discovery Kits that were for sale in our gift shop. Next year, we’ll add a number of new children’s books written by Ganondagan’s Executive Director, Jeanette Miller, and books written through our partnership with Nazareth College. Mark your calendar now to attend Inside/Out Haudenosaunee at Nazareth College Arts Center on February 14 from 2 PM-4PM for the opening of an Iroquois Art Exhibition curated by Peter Jemison and a book signing of all our new releases!

Finally, without our loyal and dedicated Board Members, Volunteers and Staff, we could not have accomplished all that we have done this year, so CHEERS TO YOU!

Website updates & more!

If you haven't visited our website recently, you've missed a lot of changes. We've:

• Reorganized our menu and navigation options

• Added a new interactive events calendar
• Added online payments for new member registration and membership renewals
• Added a holiday membership special
• Added new donation and giving pages, including online donation payments
• Added a volunteering page
• Added electronic newsletter email list sign-up. Our electronic newsletter has different content than our print newsletter.
• On-going effort to add more content including articles, videos, slideshows, and more.

Please come and pay us a virtual visit!


-kim

ps....if you are curious about the corn in the picture above, it is a picture of the Heirloom Native variety of corn I grew in my vegetable garden this year called "White Eagle." It is a Cherokee variety of corn that was carried by the Cherokee people over the Trail of Tears. It is a historic and beautiful corn with a great variety of color as visible above. If you are interested in trying some yourself, this is the place I purchased the seed from. Enjoy!