North recognizes high achievers

Page 7

More than 450 people attended the 14th Annual Regional Aboriginal Recognition Awards 2002, held at the McKenzie Park Inn March 2.

Trapper, Elder, Culture, Male Youth, Female Youth, Junior Achievement, Leadership, Outstanding Athlete, Outstanding Adult Student, Art Award, Volunteer, Female Citizen, Male Citizen, and Lifetime Achievement award winners came from Anzac, Janvier, Fort McKay, Fort Chipewyan, Conklin, Gregoire Lake, and Fort McMurray.

Honouring Our Elders was the theme for the ceremony. Photos of 75 Elders from the seven communities were displayed in various locations at inn.

The theme was chosen because "we recognized that we are losing a lot of our Elders from our communities, " said Nora Flett, the Regional Aboriginal Recognition Awards spokeswoman.

"They have a lot of wisdom to share with us and we as a committee thought that we'd better recognize that," she said.

The awards were initiated in the fall of 1988, after a group of organizations realized that Aboriginal people needed to be acknowledged for their positive contributions to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

"I was not really aware of how special people felt when being honored. People who get awards like this do not know how much of a positive impact they make in their communities," said Flett. "When people made their speeches it was quite evident that they were quite touched."

Local businessman George Tuccaro emceed the ceremony.

Former NHL player Ted Nolan, gave a speech on determination and success.

Entertainer Buddy Big Mountain, a ventriloquist from Kahnawake Que., who now resides in Las Vegas, performed his Native American variety show and kept people well entertained.

"Many of the people who attended said that they enjoyed the entertainment and the speech that Ted Nolan gave. He had a message not just for the youth but for the older people as well," said Flett in summing up the events of the evening.

The highlight of the evening was the Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Bill and Nancy Woodward of Anzac.

Bill Woodward, who fought in the Second World War, and his wife Nancy, who was involved with the Alberta Native Women's Association, were married in 1947.

They had five children, adopted 2, and were foster parents for more than 20 years. They are both willing to share their knowledge and often help out in different events in their community.

Flett said she has lived in Fort McMurray for the past 22 years and "I've never heard anyone say anything bad about them. I'm a firm believer that you reap what you sow. I feel very privileged to know them."

The winners are as follows: Junior Achievement - Savanah Adbey (Conklin); Helene Black (Janvier); Lacey Voyageur (Anzac); Koda Awasis (Fort McMurray); Marissa Marten (Fort Chipewyan); Brandon Wilson (Fort McMurray); Fayth Herman (Fort McMurray); and Marie MacDonald (Fort McKay). The Trapper award went to Larry Marten; Male Youth - Robert Grandjambe; Female Youth - Shannon Loutit; Elder - Jean Powder, Alex Flett, Victoria Flett and Lenora Mulawka; Culture - Clara Wilson; Leadership - Elsie Fabian; Outstanding Athlete - Jeramiah Jones; Outstanding Adult Student - Valerie Morfitt; Art - Kelvin Huppie; Entrepreneur - Consun Contracting; Volunteer - Elsie Cardinal; Female citizen - Donna Cyprien; Male Citizen - Quinn Lizotte; and Lifetime Achievement - Bill and Nancy Woodward.