Fun abounds for young and old

Page 5

Terrying About

Tansi!

Sure great seeing lot of my friends and acquaintances while on the road this summer. I hope that you, like I, get home safely whenever and wherever you travel.

o At the tender age of 7, Drew Siltala is already a hero. The Grade 2, Ben Calf Robe School student pulled one year-old Jacqueline Cook from sure death when the toddler fell into a scorching pit fire at a North Buck Lake campground. In recognition of Siltala's bravery and quick thinking, Edmonton Catholic School Superintendent, Jerry Fortin, presented the young lifesaver with commendation certificates.

Here at Sweetgrass, we also salute Drew Siltala.

o Metis Local 87 at Calgary has been running a special needs and cultural enhancement camp at Na-ok-oi which is located between Calgary and Bragg Creek. The first camp, in early July had 28 children between five and 14 years of age. They went fishing, horseback riding and all sorts of neat stuff. A second camp in early August had a 6 year-old girl named Chelsea catch the first fish, a 14 inch Rainbow trout! How about that. The camp caters to children with FAS, FAE and ADHD (attention deficit hyper disorder).

This is the fourth year for the summer camps but only the second in which it has received any funding. The precious dollars come from HRDC's Metis Pathways.

Coordinator Faye Favel-Beazley says the camp staff and councilors are all social work students and grads. Local 87 also operates a four-week day camp during the summer. Favel-Beazley says the camp administration was so pleased with how well the Metis camp was run that they offered two free weeks of service for next summer.

o Our good friends up at Ft. Chipewyan have had something of a hit with the DARE (Drug Resistance Awareness Education) Program which is aimed at Grade 5 and 6 students. Just recently, according to the local RCMP, 23 youth graduated from the program.

The DARE program first started in Los Angeles and migrated northward into Canada where it is being embraced by Native communities. The courses in Ft. Chip run for a one-week period and have been so successful that they may branch out to include kindergarten to Grade 4.

o Zone 2 of the Metis Nation is about to make history. Folks at Ft. Kent, just north of Bonnyville, are really investing in education. Lynn Gauthier Labour Market Development Manager, says the zone is in the midst of a transfer agreement with Alberta Advanced Education and Lakeland College to assume control over the Ft. Kent school which has been vacant for the past year.

"It would be the first Metis-owned and operated institution" of it's kind claims Gauthier. She said the 300,000 dollar facility is a gift that is hard to turn down. The Elizabeth Metis Settlement is also hoped to join the educational arrangement.

o Dust off them boots and hats young cowboys and cowgals. The High Prairie School Rodeo is set for action Sept. 11 to 13 for Grade 9 to12 students who are members of the Alberta High School Rodeo Assoc. Boys can take part in bull and bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, cutting and team roping. Gals can enter pole bending, goat tying, breakaway, barrel racing, cutting and team roping. There's also a Jr. Jackpot category for those in Grade 8 and under.

Here at Sweetgrass, we're certain that our Aboriginal cowpokes will pick themselves up , brush themselves off and walk away with winning smiles.

The chuckwagons were rollin' on the World Pro circuit at Strathmore in early August and, yes, Aboriginal drivers were doing good.

By day four, "Rocket," Glen Ridsdale was sitting fourth overall, Edgar Baptiste 23rd, Leonard Delaronde 26th, Wally and Dave Shingoose were 31st and 35th.

o Metis Elder Alvina Strasbourg (477-0194) has just released Memories of a Metis Woman, a book she wrote and published. So far, it has received good feedback and, hopefully, I'll have a book review for the next issue of Sweetgrass. Always good to see Aboriginal words by Aboriginal people in print.