Thousands donated for Tsótewe

A total of $7,000 is being donated to community causes that best honour the life of Tsótewe Stacey, the Kateri Memorial Foundation (KMF) announced this week.

The funds were raised through Tsotso’s Duck Race, an annual fundraiser that was held for its second time on September 14 in memory of Stacey, who tragically passed away after a car accident in 2023.

Before the event became a memorial fundraiser, it had been scheduled to take place the day after Stacey passed away. It was rescheduled and renamed in her honour, and KMF decided that her family should decide where the funds should go.

“I’m so happy that the family has the freedom and flexibility to decide and come together to brainstorm,” said Emily Kane, KMF events coordinator. “These places represent her, it represents her schooling, her family, and her culture.”

The family decided that $5,000 will be donated to the 207 Longhouse to organize the Fall Sing, which will be held at the end of November. And $1,000 will be donated to Karonhianónhnha School, where Stacey was a former student, to help with curriculum activities, while another $1,000 will be donated to Kahnawake Survival School (KSS), where Stacey was also a student, to help with the Spring 2025 graduation ceremony.

“Tsotewe’s legacy will live on forever, and doing this in her memory every year is another way to keep her memory alive, by giving back to her community,” said Stacey’s mother, Jolene Bear.

Bear said the family thought long and hard about where to donate the money, ultimately deciding on these three causes because of Stacey’s passion for her culture and for education. The Longhouse in particular was a deeply special place for her.

“She always took the time to be present in ceremonies and she would barely miss them. She grew up there, so it was very important and meaningful to her in every way,” Bear said. “What better way to give back than to our people, to our young ones, carrying on our ways.”

Kane said she is touched to know that the duck race is going to continue into the future with so much support

“It’s just great, I’m happy to be a part of it and I’m happy the community is so supportive,” Kane said. “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without all the ducks we sold, and we’re only going to grow from it every year.”

Bear said that she is grateful for the support, and glad the community is so committed to keeping her daughter’s memory alive through positive initiatives.

“She was very proud of who she was and where she came from,” she said.

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