How to Help Save Lemay Forest
Fundraising
We want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to everyone who has contributed to #SaveLemayForest so far! It is because of your dedication, generosity, and tireless efforts that we have made it this far.
While we have come a long way, the work is not over. When we launched the original fundraiser in 2023, our goal was clear: to demonstrate our financial commitment to purchasing the land and/or ensuring its long-term stewardship. Thanks to your generosity, we have nearly doubled our original fundraising target, and we remain committed to using these funds for their intended purpose. At this time we have paused this fundraiser.
If you’re looking for ways to support the efforts and stay involved, you can:
- Visit the Firekeepers at the Sacred Fire to connect, learn, and support them in simple, everyday practical ways.
- Donate to the Wilderness Committee’s fundrasing campaign.
- Donate to the Firekeepers directly.
- Email savelemayforest@gmail.com for regular updates and how you can help.
- Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news.
About the Sacred Fire
A Sacred Fire is an ancient Indigenous ceremony meant to offer protection to the land and to hold a space and time of prayer to grieve those who have departed. Sweetgrass, tobacco, sage and cedar are some of the local medicines that are offered throughout the ceremony by the firekeepers or Skaabes who dress in traditional regalia. Songs and drumming connect us to the earth and the sky. This fire was blessed on December 27th and the ceremony has been ongoing 24/7 since.
As the other legal and political processes unfold, the Sacred Fire remains an ever-present expression of the near-total cultural genocide that our Indigenous relatives have faced by way of colonization. We see that violence perpetuated in the disregard of the 3000+ deceased children nearly forgotten in the Asile Ritchot graveyard. We are a community of people who believe in Truth and Reconciliation as community action.
In keeping with the tradition of the Sacred Fire, the Skaabe or Firekeepers are to be fully supported by the community.
As we enter our 7th week in ceremony, we have come to realize that we need to expand our community of supporters. The Sacred Fire requires $1200 per week to cover the cost of traditional medicines, transportation, honoraria, propane for heaters for protection from the extreme cold and other practical needs. The local community and supporters from other neighborhoods have been providing 3 meals a day, coffee, drinking water, cold weather gear and supplies and other support services since December 27th.
The Manitoba Métis Federation, the Southern Chiefs Organization and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs have been generously providing firewood and the community has also been providing firewood to bridge the gap between large donation deliveries.
We would like to have a total of $7200 to be able to confirm an additional 6 weeks of full support for the Sacred Fire.
The Wilderness Committee is a federally registered charity and can issue tax receipts for donations. They will be fundraising in support of the Sacred Fire, the teach-ins and town hall meetings to mobilize the public, and the ongoing efforts to educate decision-makers on how to permanently preserve the Lemay Forest and the Asile Ritchot burial ground.
If you are able to make a larger donation and require a charitable tax receipt, please make your donation directly here: https://www.
If you would prefer to donate by cheque, please make cheques payable to the Wilderness Committee, with a memo note “Lemay Forest” and ensure a valid address is provided for the charitable tax receipt. Please mail or deliver your cheque to 553 St Mary’s Rd #2a, Winnipeg, MB R2M 3L6.
No amount is too small! There is also a GoFundMe page located here:
While we have seen positive gains over these past 7 weeks, we still have many obstacles to surmount. We recently participated in a 3-day Municipal Board Public Hearing where the developers continue to appeal the City Council decision to deny larger density housing rezoning. We have an ongoing court case to force the use of the Provincial Cemetery Act which states that it is a crime to cut down trees in a cemetery. We have pushed the city to seriously consider expropriation. And we have progressed with getting federal law to apply to Manitoba with regards to the Migratory Birds Convention Act.
We thank you sincerely for joining with us in this important community action of Truth and Reconciliation.
Attend public meetings or hearings related to land development and voice your support for preserving this vital ecosystem
- When a motion on Lemay Forest is being heard at a council meeting, you can help by submitting comments to the committe, registering to speak virtually as a delegate, or better yet, registering to speak in person. All three have impact!
- Click here to submit a comment.
- Click here to learn how to submit comments or register as a delegate.
Follow us on social media
- The easiest way to help the coalition is to follow us on social media.
- Interacting with posts (like and share) helps spread our message to more people.
- Use the hashtag #savelemayforest when posting about your experiences from the forest.
- Click here to view our social media pages.
Sign our virtual petition
- Click here to sign our petition.
- Contact us to sign our physical paper petition.
Email your elected officials to voice your support for saving Lemay Forest
Join our mailing list
