Edmonton Briefs - July

Boyle Street’s drop-in busier than ever
The drop-in centre at the inner city Boyle Street Community Services was busier this winter than it has ever been since the agency was first established nearly 40 years ago. Statistics recently released show that during the six month winter period, the building was accessed by clients 78,000 times and they ate nearly 150,000 meals. That compares to around 70,000 visits and 120,000 meals during the winter of 2008 -2009. “The numbers reflect the fact that poverty and homelessness are still a major problem in Edmonton. Our drop-in provides a place of warmth and security, where our community members can have hot meals and, if they wish, be supported by the full range of services we provide here.  During the coldest days of December and January, it wasn’t unusual for the building to be accessed by at least 700 different people in one day,”Julian Daly, Boyle Street executive director, said in a news release. Apart from breakfast and lunch, services provided to Boyle Street clients included access to hot showers, warm clothing, transportation, housing information and referrals, emergency medical attention, mental health counseling and referrals, and addictions referrals.

First Aboriginal police officer remembered in run
Close to 1,400 students from City Centre Education Project schools (Delton, Eastwood, John A. McDougall, McCauley, Norwood, Parkdale, and Spruce Avenue) hit the trails at Rundle Park for the 9th annual Alex Decoteau Run on June 3. Alex Decoteau became Canada’s first Aboriginal police officer in 1909. In 1912 he was given a leave to race in the 5,000 metres event at the Stockholm Olympics. He returned to a hero’s welcome parade down Jasper Avenue and was promoted to police sergeant. He maintained his post until 1916 when he joined the Canadian army to serve in the infantry. On Oct. 30, 1917, he was killed by a sniper at the Battle of Passchendaele. He has been named one of Edmonton’s top 100 Citizens of the Century. The Cree athlete is also inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

NAAF launches call for nominations
The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation lauched its call for 2011 nominations in Edmonton on June 7. “We are thrilled to bring the 18th annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards to Edmonton, which is at the crossroads of many Aboriginal communities from the north and west,” Roberta Jamieson, president and CEO for the NAAF and executive producer of the Awards Gala said in a news release. Since the inception of the awards in 1994, more than 240 Aboriginal people have been recognized for outstanding career achievements in Canadian arts, business, medicine, and community involvement. The Fort McKay Group of Companies renewed a two-year agreement to support the NAAA. “Fort McKay fully supports the NAAF’s goal of promoting, supporting and celebrating the achievement of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples and I encourage other First Nation communities and companies to find out how they can work with NAAF to make the dreams of our youth a reality,” said Chief Jim Boucher in a news release. Boucher serves as chairman of the Board of the Fort McKay Group of Companies and is an NAAA recipient.

De Grandmaison’s work exhibited at Provincial Archives
The Essence of his Art: Nicholas de Grandmaison’s Unfinished Pastels runs as an exhibit at the Provincial Archives until Aug. 28. It’s an exhibit of studies, unfinished drawings, photographs and personal artifacts from the archives of Nicholas de Grandmaison. De Grandmaison was one of the most important painters of First Nations subjects in Canada. He painted in Alberta and Saskatchewan from the 1930s to the 1960s, creating exquisite pastel portraits of First Nations and other notable people of the time.

Students recognized for perseverance
The Wahkotowin Society recognized students who have perserved in spite of all kinds of obstacles and are still in school. At a special luncheon at the University of Alberta’s Faculty Club on June 3. Students were accompanied to the luncheon by a teacher advisor, who was allotted two minutes to speak about the student. The Most Improved Student Awards for junior high and high school students at Edmonton Catholic Schools and alternative schools are handed out annually by the Wahkotowin Society. The award ceremony has been held for the last 22 years and is put on by a group of dedicated Elders and volunteers of the Wahkotowin Society. The society was founded by Eva Bereti, who has served on the U of A Senate. She also worked for 27 years (retiring in 2002) as Native facilitator/counselor with Edmonton Catholic Schools.

Compiled by Shari Narine