Cosumnes River Flowing
CCaWW.org – A Worthy Cause
The first non-profit I’m profiling hits all my joy buttons because their work educates people, preserves culture, protects fragile environments, has a lot of fun, and altruistically collaborates with other worthy organizations! Go, CCaWW!
What does this non-profit aim to do?
Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays (CCaWW) promotes, preserves, and stewards the Indigenous Culture and waterways of the Cosumnes River and surrounding lands in Northern California where ancestral Native/Indigenous Peoples lived.
Kim ShiningStar Petree, Director CCaWW.org
Why do they do it?
CCaWW Director, Kim “ShiningStar” Petree, started CCaWW because she loves her culture and the land that gave life to her ancestors. She is a Miwok Storyteller (Culture Keeper) with broad skills in Native culture, crafts, Spirituality, plant use, and toolmaking. She contributed to a children’s book on California Indians and is an educational presenter to school groups visiting the California Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma Calfornia. When consulted by American River Conservancy regarding an undeveloped river corridor where grinding rocks and other evidence of Native presence were found she felt a deep, personal connection to the land, sensing that her ancestors walked there. Now they work hand-in-hand to restore the area’s indigenous plants and purpose in this beautiful and pristine riparian ecosystem.
What makes them remarkable?
CCaWW holds traditional and educational events practicing cultural skills such as:
- drumming
- plant gathering
- pine-needle basket making
Beginning a basket.
- stone napping
- leather work
- and many land-based events of significance to the Miwok, Maidu , and Nisenan peoples.
Stories, songs, and Spiritual practices are passed along experientially to descendants and invited friends. CCaWW also participates in Inter-Tribal community events such as sweats, pow-wows, conferences, celebrations and gatherings of many kinds. These are the ways this culture has always been kept alive. A Living Village is CCaWW’s ultimate goal, where people can see and participate in how Native Americans lived in ancestral times.
How, exactly, can we help today?
To help Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays today, like them on Facebook, add yourself to their mailing list, share this post around, donate money, participate in a CCaWW event, or invite Kim ShiningStar to speak at your event. (email her at waterlover4life@yahoo.com)
Non-profits like CCaWW are exactly how I get inspired to do good, so if you like my style of Do-Gooding by promoting praiseworthy non-profits – like and share me too!
Grinding Rock – Ancestral Kitchen!
Webbing Do-Gooder 