Friendship centre opening welcomed

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For Kelly Good Eagle, managing security and maintenance for the recently re-opened Calgary Native Friendship Centre (CNFC) is like taking care of family.

A photo of his mother-in-law Maggie Black Kettle, one of the centre's honorary board members, hangs in the lobby. Beside that portrait is one of Good Eagle's oldest daughter, Michelle, who was crowned Miss CNFC one year.

His wife, Daphne, works upstairs, while one of his small grand-daughters occasionally pokes her head into his office as she plays around the centre.

Good Eagle became acting security/maintenance manager when the centre re-opened on Feb. 18, after being closed for three months.

"I've been a member for years," says the long-time Calgary resident who was born on Siksika Nation. (Anyone looking in the centre's trophy case will notice Good Eagle won the centre's volunteer-of-the-year award in 1992/93.)

"We have more or less been re-organizing things," he says about his present role at the downtown centre.

The main floor has been renovated to fit the expanded office space of the Calgary Native Disabled Society Resource Centre.

"The (centre's) bus has been certified and the government inspection - we've done that," adds Good Eagle. "We pick up the insurance today."

The bus, he explains, will be needed for the centre's summer camp program and for an elders' visit to Lac. St. Anne.

The friendship centre's services used to include housing assistance, job search, pre-natal nutrition, parenting programs, foster parenting, assistance to the disabled, and addiction counseling.

By 1994, the centre had about 30,000 visits per year with about 75 percent of those visits requiring assistance.

So far this year, the Calgary Native Disabled Society Resource Centre is the only service being offered through the centre.

People are phoning in and dropping by to say they are glad the centre is open again, he adds.

"It's just like everyone is getting back together and uniting," he said. "A lot of people know what the centre can do and a lot of people want those services back."

Acting executive director Guido Contreras says he plans to hire five student summer camp workers to help out in the busy summer months. Some of his other duties are to organize social functions that will bring more people to the centre and increase its awareness and profile in the community. Contreras is currently working on an elders' feast for June 19 and an inter-agency Stampede pancake breakfast on July 3.

During its three-month closure, the centre reorganized its board. Five staff positions are now being advertised. The friendship centre board plans to introduce the centre's new executive director at the annual general meeting planned for Saturday, July 19 at 11:00 a.m.

The centre's new hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.