House fire victims get support Paul Band pulls together

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DUFFIELD - The Paul Band community threw its support to a band member who

lost everything in a house fire by holding a benefit round dance on February 7, at the community hall. Local residents gave donations to help Edith Paul get started again.

Paul, a young single mother of two and a widow, received the community generosity and donations with sincere gratefulness.

"I'm very proud of my people for doing this. I really appreciate the things they have done and given to me," said a happy Edith Paul.

The inter-agency group, comprised of Native Counseling Services and Social Services department, located on the reserve, organized the round dance.

"There were donations of every kind, from volunteers who gave their time, to preparing food and setting up the hall, to the different donations people brought to the round dance for Edith Paul's family," said Violet Poitras, one of the organizers.

Credit for the well organized community support action, also go to Theresa Paul, director of Native Counselling Services and NCS counsellors Gloria Bearhead, Marie Bird, Mary P. Rain and Doreen Rain, Health services worker.

This is the first time that the Paul band held a round dance for the specific purpose of giving the community members a chance to help one of their own in their time of need according to organizers.

The return to cultural togetherness is just beginning for the Paul band, said Poitras, who is also a counsellor with the NSC branch in Paul Band.

Annabella McNaughton, the former director of the NSC office, was mentioned as being very instrumental in starting a return to traditional practices like a round dance to help in the areas of alcohol abuse, awareness and counselling.

Nelson Adams served as master of ceremonies over the round dance which saw people give away various household items, such as clothing, kitchenware and blankets to the Paul family.

Percy Potts, IAA vice-president for Treaty Six area showed his support to the community effort by signing with the drummers and singers in the middle of the round dance.

Another Paul band community project coming up is the meeting of the Man in Motion world tour by Rick Hansen, to raise funds for spinal research, planned for March 13.

This community shows they can pull together to help their own and others.