Alouettes give back
The Montreal Alouettes have raised $4,000 through an auction of warm-up orange jerseys worn in a September 28 game against the Toronto Argonauts, and are set to donate the proceeds to the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) Sports and Recreation Unit.
“It’s an important subject that needs to be addressed, and with our activities and events, we reach quite a large audience, and so we have the opportunity to contribute to raising awareness and getting people to better understand the reasons behind Orange Shirt Day,” said Alouettes president Mark Weightman.
The Alouettes also came to Kahnawake for the second year in a row last month, organizing a football skills clinic for local youth. Last year’s shirt auction raised $6,000, making the total donated over two years $10,000.
“We had a lot of fun with the kids playing flag football, and our players ended up getting into it just as much as the kids,” Weightman said. “We really connected with the people there and I personally had a lot of really good conversations explaining a bit more about what we’re doing and how we want to help.”
The team also sported a special Orange Shirt Day version of the Alouettes logo, designed by local graphic designer, Finnley Montour. The logo has a dreamcatcher design, which Montour was able to see on helmets in person at the skills camp, complete with the words “Tiohtià:ke Alouettes.”
“Seeing our language on a pro football helmet for all of Canada to see was an incredible experience that I don’t take lightly,” Montour said. “I was speaking for a lot of people, and I wanted to ensure that I did my best to represent Kahnawake and Indigeneity in general.”
This year’s proceeds will be used by the Sports and Recreation Unit, in partnership with the Orange Shirt Day Committee and minor sports, who will distribute the cash accordingly.
“If we leave there and even a couple kids end up wanting to try football and go down that path to become a football player then that’s great,” said Weightman. “But if we’re just encouraging kids to have a healthy lifestyle and be active, that’s just as great too.”
