Horsemen meet at culture camp

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Brian Chalifoux, Leon Chalifoux, and Brian Davis got ready to ride off into the sunset at the Swan River culture camp at mile 8 on Highway #33.

Swan River Band Chief Gordon Courtoreille says the site on the bank of the river has been used by band members for many years, but this year's culture camp is a first.

"It's nice fo rthe kids," Courtoreille says as he looked across the sunny clearing. "And for the grown-ups too."

Swan River's administrator Dustin Twinn says the camp was organized by band workers Steve Sound, April Giroux, and Rose Sound. James Sound also lent a hand.

The Driftpile Band also had a camp underway just a few miles down the road, and a hundred miles down the forestry trunk road to Hinton the Sucker Creek Band ran a similar affair.

Cheryl Goodswimmer of the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council says the bands were assisted financially through the regional child welfare program.