Award nominations will close Oct. 10

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There are many ways to honor Aboriginal people, but perhaps the highest honor is a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. Nominations are now being accepted for the 1998 awards to be held March 12, 1998 in Toronto.

John Kim Bell, founder of the awards and celebration night, said each year the awards are drawing the attention of more and more people. About $2 million people tuned in for the 1997 show that aired on CBC last February.

"With $1 million Aboriginal people that means over $1 million non-Aboriginals watch the show," said Bell. "It helps to break down stereotypes."

Bell represents the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, formerly the Canadian Native Arts Foundation and puts the show together. Recently the board of directors re-assessed their mandate for supporting the arts. The new mandate includes support of not only those in the arts, but business and science as well. The foundation does not exist only to hand out awards at glamourous productions once a year. It will also award scholarships and hosts youth career fairs.

One such fair is the Blue Print for the Future. It is an Aboriginal youth career fair. It takes place for the second year during the week leading up to the achievement awards celebration.

Bell is proud of the scholarship program provided by the foundaton. Each year the foundation has awarded scholarships and has increased the number of scholarships it gives out.

"We are building on our success and are hopeful for the future," said Bell.

People can access scholarship applications and achievement awards nomination forms through the foundation's web site at . Nominations for the Aboriginal Achievement Awards close Oct. 10.

If you have nominated someone within the last couple of years, that nomination will be on record and reviewed yearly for up to three years, explained Bell.

The award winners are selected by past recipients and come from Inuit, Métis and Native communities across the country. There are 12 categories, plus one lifetime acheivement award and one youth award.

In the past, people such as actor Graham Greene and film maker Gil Cardinal have been honored. However you don't have to know someone who is a big named star to nominate someone.

"You could be a postal worker and you could still win an award," Bell said. "You'd have to be a very good postal worker," he laughed.