February, 2011
Mail to Kenya – A New Concept
CES Canada Participates in 2011 Muskoka Dog Sled Mail Run
On February 19 the Muskoka Dog Sled Mail Run celebrated 27 years. The event kicked off early Saturday morning with a fundraiser pancake breakfast hosted by the Parry Sound Muskoka chapter of CES Canada. The idea behind this winter classic is to remember the role of the dog teams that used to carry mail in the far north.
Ten dog teams along with their owners, handlers and mushers arrived just before dawn at the Humphrey Arena. So too did ten CES Canada volunteers. Theirs was the task of serving coffee, pancakes and sausages to 300 people. Sequin Twp. volunteer fire fighters, peace officers, members of Council, and local residents were there to welcome families who had travelled as far as Peterborough, Sudbury and Toronto. The work of CES Canada was highlighted and funds were raised on behalf of the “Orphan Kids of Kakamega.”
Sledvelopes – decorated envelopes with dedicated stamps showing husky dog teams, dog sleds and mushers had been available for purchase. At the opening ceremony the ten “Mushers” each received a Canada Post mailbag loaded with mail. Sledvelopes were addressed to each of 120 CES Kenya sponsored students. Enclosed were greetings and messages of hope and encouragement from CES supporters across Canada.
Mushers carried these over ice and snow and frozen pond, through forest trail and across Muskoka’s rock face en route to the Rosseau Post Office. These sledvelopes are now on the second leg of their journey to 17 secondary schools in rural Western Kenya.
The finish line for the dog teams was at Rosseau Memorial Hall where lunch and fun activities for the whole family were held. This was a chance to talk to the mushers, pet the husky dogs and even get a ride on a dog sled. One of the mushers from the Huntsville area said, “this is no ordinary mail run…my husky team brought some good news to kids in Africa…now that is very special.”
Most Canadian kids never experience these beautiful dogs up close. Few know the historical importance of dog sled teams to native peoples, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Postal Services. By the same token only 120 Kenyan youth will ever have mail delivered that first began by dog sled.
CES Canada is grateful for the support of the Parry Sound Muskoka chapter of CES Canada. Their contribution and efforts to make the day so exciting for all is appreciated. In 2010 the Rosseau Ontario community sponsored a water project and had a well built at Eshitari Primary and Secondary School. Besides sponsoring 14 students in the CES family of schools, this community is raising funds in 2011 to build a new kitchen facility for Eshitari SS.
