Members of the Biidaaban Student Leadership Council, along with supporting staff members, attended the Sagamok Anishnawbek Band Office on Friday, December 13, for a special delivery—one that they were giving rather than receiving.
Student Leadership members provided a short speech to Adrienne Eshkakogan. They presented her with a donation cheque for the Ethan Eshkakogan Memorial Toy Drive, the namesake of Adrienne's young son, who passed away in 2005. The donation made by the Student Council was raised from the sale of Candy Cane Grams at the beginning of December at Biidaaban. You purchase a candy cane, attach a heartfelt message, and it gets delivered to the recipient. The Leadership Council unanimously chose the Ethan Eshkakogan Memorial Toy Drive to be the recipient of their fundraising efforts. "It was a chance to give back to their community," they expressed during their meeting with Adrienne. Adrienne accepted the donation graciously and offered each student a warm hug of appreciation. She expressed that in the previous year (Christmas2023), 186 children of families in need in Sagamok received toys. In Christmas2022, 183 children in the community were recipients.
Parents registered for the Toy Drive are invited to awrapping party around mid-December. They are encouraged to pick the toy theirchild would be most excited to receive, wrap it up, and take it home so it isunder the tree on Christmas morning. The wrapping party also allows families tocome together as a community to support their children and be supported by theservices Sagamok offers.
Although the Sagamok Toy Drive had been in operationfor more than two decades, the name changed to the Ethan Eshkakogan Memorial ToyDrive after Adrienne and Robert Eshkakogan married in 2010. In lieu of weddinggifts, they asked attendees to contribute gifts for the community’s children—theToy Drive—in honour of their son Ethan. In 2011, the Community Wellness’s Child & Youth Department requested the event be named The Ethan Eshkakogan Memorial Toy Drive and continues to be held annually, supported by manycommunity businesses and members.
For the past several years, the Child & FamilyAdvocacy Unit has been handling the application process for families wishing toreceive a donated gift for their child(ren). The Memorial Toy Drive is aprogram designed to help families with limited incomes and in genuine need, andfor families of children 0-18 years old.
Adrienne appreciated the generous act of Biidaabanstudents, families, and the Biidaaban Student Leadership Council to give backto the community. She expressed a heartfelt thank you to all who contributed tothe annual toy drive, keeping the memory of Ethan alive in the delight of thechildren receiving a special toy on Christmas morning. Miigwech to everyone fortheir continued support and generosity!