Caledonia Courier, December 31, 2014 by Black Press Media Group

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◆ 2014 at a glance ◆ P.8 Community Builder

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WEDNESDAY, December 31, 2014

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NEWS BRIEFS Keith Gordon to coach at Canada Games JESSE COLE Caledonia Courier

Fort St. James’ Falcons speed skating coach Keith Gordon will be heading to the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George. This will be his sixth time attending. Gordon was one of three people chosen to coach this years short track speed skating team at the games. Other coaches include Erin Copeland of Victoria and Lorelei St. Rose of Prince George. “The Canada Winter Games are often a highlight of a skater’s career and can be an important development meet for top international skaters,” Gordon said in a press release. “The ice at Kin 1 is fast and we should have some personal best times. Although we will focus on our best competitive results, we want to do our best on and off the ice so that all of the athletes and coaches/managers have a wonder Games experience.” No skaters from Fort St. James will be competing in the games this year, but there will be a skater from Vanderhoof, Alison Desmarais, competing.

The countdown is on for the new year as 2015 is just 24 hours away. Will you be celebrating with a night on the town or a quiet night in? Submitted photo.

Stuart Lake Housing Co-op will bring 30 new apartments to Heathmont Street JESSE COLE Caledonia Courier

Fort St. James is one step closer to 30 new housing options after the Stuart Lake Housing Co-op finalized their decision to build a housing complex on Heathmont Street. “We hired somebody to look at properties for us and we’ve made a decision based on that report. We’ve agreed to go with a property on Heathmont Street that is currently owned by Thompson Creek Metals,” Peter Valk, a member of the Stuart Lake Housing Co-op, said. The proposed building would a 30-unit housing complex with five 600 to 700 square foot one bedroom apartments and 25,900-square foot, two bedroom apartments. Valk says that the new building would help to elevate some of the housing concerns faced both by seniors and others in the community. What it may do is compliment the housing situation here in Fort St James. We have quite a few seniors that are in town and would like to remain here but no longer wish to do the upkeep and there’s no place for them to stay here,” Valk said. “Their houses would also then become available when they move.” Started in February of 2014, the Stuart Lake Housing Co-op is in the process of finishing a feasibility report expected to be completed in early 2015.

“The next step is drawing up the business plan, in order to do that you need the concept of exactly where and what you’re going to build,” Valk said. “That’s what we’re doing at the present time.” Initially slated to be a seniors residence the housing cooperative has since opened it’s doors to include anyone seeking housing. Valk said that starting in the new year the housing cooperative will be going on a fundraising drive. “We’re starting a funding drive at the beginning of next year so we have some capitol to begin operations with and get us to the next phase,” Valk said. “…We’ll probably need to raise around $600,000,” he added. Valk says they’ll be soliciting local industry and business to become a part of the cooperative. He said that businesses can view their contributions as investments rather than hand-outs. “They will be invited to help out… If we solicit people we would try to do so in way so that they see a return on their investment. They’d be investing in us not giving us a handout,” Valk said. The 119 member cooperative is also looking to add local businesses to their membership. “At the present time we’re going to ask the business community to become members of this cooperative. They would then be part of the housing solution in Fort St. James and could contribute their ideas and what they are looking for because it’s their employees that live here.”

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Year End Revue - January 2014 First annual night market RUTH LLOYD Caledonia Courier

The first ever Fort St. James Night Market to encourage activity in the downtown in the evenings saw an estimated 400 visitors. Organizers Olivia Mcmahon and Jessica Rasmussen, both working for the District of Fort St. James, said the event had around 38 vendors. Their goal for the event was 25. “So that was a big, happy surprise,” said Mcmahon. Vendors came from throughout the region, from Fraser Lake, Fort Fraser, Prince George, Cluculz Lake, Vanderhoof and Fort St. James. There were a few hiccups in the setup, with the lights for the outdoor stage being left behind then not able to be hooked up in time and the food vendor Spicey Greens getting lost on the way and being over an hour late. “There’s always a few kinks, but we ironed those out,” said Mcmahon. Once Spicey Greens arrived and set up they had a line up until they were completely sold out. In addition to the vendors selling everything from crafts to cupcakes, clothes to food, there were also entertainers performing on the outdoor stage, a portable stage the District of Vanderhoof supplied for the event. There was the Lost and Found Puppet Company,

with a puppet theatre production by Maggie Winston of Vancouver for the kids, Marcel Prince and his guitar, Ditnikwun Drummers did some singing and drumming, Doug Koyama and friends created some on-the spot music, Rosewood’s Diary of Vanderhoof rocked the stage, Barefoot Caravan drummed some beats and Canadian Waste, a four-piece from Fraser Lake, finished everyone off with some originals. While many of the vendors packed up by around 9 or 9:30 p.m., the music went on past 10 p.m.. Some of the local stores such as TRU Value, The Source and the Health Food Store which stayed open during the event didn’t necessarily see a lot of extra business during the market itself, but many were busy with vendors getting ready prior to market hours and Mcmahon said they did find it was good exposure and they were excited for the Love Fort St. James buy local campaign which was launched at the event. The idea for the night market came about in July, and so while things were put together fairly last-minute, Mcmahon said things went well and she thinks they would go smoother with longer timelines and they may have had even more participants. The door prize drawn for visitors to the event was won by Cassandra Hammett and was a stay and play package which included one night at The View Hotel, free passes and lunch at the Fort St. James National Historic Site and a round of golf at the Stuart Lake Golf Club.

Let fly your arrows RUTH LLOYD Caledonia Courier

Two young archers from Fort St. James headed off to the B.C. Winter Games Feb. 2023, 2014 in Mission. Goerz and tra hours of practice under the coachCrook are both 14 years old and have been practic- ing supervision of Kirstin Rudolph ing archery in the Far Fletched Ar- and Phil Smith to prepare for their chers club for five years learning the events. sport. Goerz said he became interested in archery as a re- 527 CARNELL sult of hunting, while Crook 3 bedroom 2 bath home with said he wasn’t even sure why 2 bedroom Spahe became interested in the suite. cious country with sport, but finds it challeng- kitchen center work ising. land accesses covered rear deck overlooking Nahounli Creek. The living Goerz shot a compound the room features vaulted ceiling and a natural gas fireplace. Jacuzzi tub and separate shower in the ensuite, attached double garage, bow during the games, while bi vacuum, ground floor has a 4th bedroom or office. $319,000. Crook shot a recurve bow. You’ll find us at 169 STUART DRIVE, FSJ The two archers put in exlkshore@telus.net 250-996-8618

Lakeshore Realty

District of Fort St. James Calendar December, 2014

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

The District is seeking volunteers to participate in Winterfest 2015!

District Office Closed

Please submit all events by Wednesday for the next Wednesday paper distribution. ofĲce@fortstjames.ca

Municipal Website: www.fortstjames.ca

Please contact Mel at 996-8233 for more info. 1

January, 2015 4

NEW YEARS DAY

District Office Closed

5:30pm Public Skating

11 5:30pm Public Skating

18 5:30pm Public Skating

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Telephone: 250-996-8233

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Year End Revue - February 2014 Fort dances for the middle east RUTH LLOYD Caledonia Courier

Issues in the Middle East may seem not only far away but insurmountable from Fort St. James. But for one Fort St. James resident and her family, the issues hit close to home and she is hoping to help make at least some small difference for those fleeing conflict. Fatima Hatamleh is from Jordan, smack in the middle of the ongoing crises in the Middle East, and she will be giving the proceeds of belly-dancing classes she is teaching to help Syrian refugees. Born to an American mother and Jordanian father, Hatamleh considers Jordan her home, even though she spent many years going back and forth between the United States and Jordan while her father pursued his education in sports psychology in the U.S.. But the family settled in Jordan for good in 1994 where her father became a professor at a university. They lived in Irbid, and Hatamleh’s family still lives there, a town only 40 minutes from the border with Syria, a country experiencing a civil war crisis which has led to an estimated 1.1 million refugees fleeing the country with little more than the clothes on their backs. “Our town specifically, took a huge hit because of the refugees,” said Hatamleh. She left Jordan in 2007, moving to Canada with her husband to pursue opportunities here, but the couple returns twice a year TOP: Fatima Hatamleh models the traditional belly dancer veil in front of a Jordanian flag. BOTTOM: The class to visit family. of belly dancers with instructor Fatima Hatamleh (second from left). During their latest visit, she went to the salon where she had Ruth Lloyd/Caledonia Courier been getting her hair cut since she was a girl, and the couple who owned the salon had been offering to help refugees from Syria by offering free haircuts and helping to care for some of the refugee children during the day. The couple also read the newspaper from Jordan to keep LEFT: The Fort St. James Secondup with what is going on, however Hatamleh said she stopped ary School Falcons Senior Girls reading the news from home after the last story she read reBasketball team played at a tournaported snipers targeting young children. One young child was shot at his home, but people were not ment in Burns Lake and won second being allowed to leave their homes as the Syrian government place overall. Pictured back, left to right: Sarah Valk, Hannah Burgart, was attempting to stop the protests and rioting. Because the child’s parents were not allowed to leave they Brooke Dunkley, Hailee Burgart, had to stay in their home with the child’s remains, unable to Sydney Playfair, and Joscelyn Stark. Front left to right: Carmen Bennison, bury the child for over a week. “It just got a little too much for me,” said Hatamleh. “I feel Hannah denEngelsen, and Tacayla Huhn. extremely powerless.” Suzanne Burck photo She said other news stories reported the killing of parents in front of young children in order to instil fear in them. RUTH LLOYD “You would think in this day and age stuff like that wouldn’t Caledonia Courier be happening,” she said. But she also remembers when Syria was a prosperous counIt was a tight tournament for the Falcons try, where Jordanians would go to shop for the best fabric, per- Senior Girls Basketball team in Burns Lake fume or foods. on the Feb. 8 weekend. Her uncle promised to take her shopping in Syria when she The Falcons played three games, beating was a youngster, if she kept up her grades, and she went there to both North Side and Valemount to make it to purchase the fabric for her wedding dress. the final game against Fraser Lake. “I have really good memories of Syria,” she said. They lost the final game to Fraser Lake Nowadays, she said the border is essentially one-way, with with a tight 49-37 final score, taking second Syrians fleeing to find safety in Jordan and other neighbouring in the tournament overall. countries. They managed this even with one player “For us it’s just mind-blowing.” out due to an injury. There are hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria in “They played really well,” said Coach Jordan who have come through the official route and are then Suzanne Burck. processed and sent to refugee camps, the largest being Zaatari, Jocelyn Stark has an ankle injury she which had an estimated population of 144,000 refugees in July ) Fort St. James Secondary received during a practice and it is still not of 2013. known whether her ankle will be good in ) Nominated by But many refugees are entering neighbouring countries illegally, and numbers for those not following the legal channels time for the zones. Ms. Lenore Aspell The tournament had teams from Valeto end up in refugee camps are unknown. Hatamleh said she gets updates on the situation from her mount, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Vanderfriend Nida Yassin who is an internal relations officer for the hoof (Northside Christian School), SmithUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in ers (Bulkley Valley Christian School) and Mount Currie (Xit’olacw Community Jordan. “Jaide is a very mature and The problem of the massive influx of refugees also means School). The teams are getting quite competitive, problems for Jordan, as many jobs are given to desperate refupositive young women,” gees for low wages, creating tension with many Jordanians as said Burck, as they prepare to vie for the Lenore Aspell said. “She gets three slots to move on to provincials. Proa result. vincials will be held in Lumby in the second But Hatamleh said many in the Middle East worry the Syrian along well with her classmates, crisis creates a distraction from what they see as the important week of March. her assignments and projects are Ten teams will be meeting to fight for the ongoing concerns around Israel and Palestine. Her hope is any small donation she can make from the belly three top spots at the zones in Bella Coola exceptionally well done.” dancing classes she is doing through the College of New Cale- starting on Feb. 18, 2014 “I feel fortunate to have her as a Burck said Fraser Lake is the team to donia can help some of the refugees from Syria in Jordan deal with the current crisis situation. beat in the region, and Cedars Christian student.” She also hopes to help foster understanding of Middle East- School of Prince George is the top-seeded ern and Jordanian culture. team in the zones so far.

Falcons senior girls basketball

Student of the Week

Jaide Steeves

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 Caledonia Courier

Year End Revue - March 2014 Epic journey take two Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier So why would a dog musher subject himself to frostbite, exhaustion, and dangerously steep terrain not once, but twice? For the adventure of course. In 2011, Jerry Joinson of Fort St. James journeyed to the Yukon to race in the Yukon Quest 1,000, a 1,000mile sled dog race between Whitehorse, Yukon and Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a challenge which resulted in hallucinations, the loss of a dog before the race started and was some of the most challenging weather the race had seen since it began in 1984. So in 2014, Joinson went back, to do the race again, this time from the opposite direction (the race alternates directions, and in even-numbered years, it begins in Fairbanks, Alaska). Joinson had been told the route was easier beginning in Fairbanks, because a musher went over some of the toughest mountains with fresher dogs, before over a week of hard running had worn the team down and the last time, his dogs were not well, having caught a dog flu while they were training. So he and his wife Lisa Joinson, who was going to race the Yukon Quest 300 this time herself, doing 300 miles of the same trail with her team, had trained and planned and saved to make the journey to do it again. The challenges began before they had even left, with the dog handlers who were going to accompany them dropping out, but luckily Lisa had gotten an offer from someone else to come and help handle for her if she needed, so she made arrangements for the new handlers to meet them up north. Then the truck broke down - and the story begins to sound like a bad country music song. Then their dogs became ill, very ill, having picked something up while training on Fairbanks area trails, but they hoped for the best and kept on preparing for the race. “They got so skinny it was unbelievable,” she said. One of Lisa’s dogs ended up having exploratory surgery to find out the

problem, as she nearly died from an infection which resulted from the illness. The dog was on an IV for seven days and cost nearly $2,000 in vet bills to save, after wasting away before their eyes until the vets would manage to figure out the issue. “The stress was unbelievable - before we even left,” she said. All this taking place as the race was about to start and then as the race started, it was still going on, with Lisa thinking most of her dogs were recovering and two of Jerry’s still a bit ill. Lisa started her race with dogs so weak, by 60 miles, they couldn’t even walk up hills, and she had to scratch. “That was just the start,” she said. Lisa said she immediately switched roles to become Jerry’s handler, and began dealing with the logistical side of the race, supporting him at the checkpoints. “I think Lisa had a harder time this time than I did,” said Jerry. “This was no fun for me at all,” said Lisa, of the experience. “This was a big survival event.” But she held it together, sometimes with zap straps -literally. Their bank cards wouldn’t work and the credit cards had been frozen because they had neglected to inform the company they were leaving the country. She could get cash from one machine in the whole town, and with vet bills and vehicle bills in the $1,500$2,000 USD per day range, it was a difficult situation for her. Her handlers, who were volunteering and supplying their own vehicle, ended up loaning the pair money to get them by. Meanwhile, on the trail, Jerry was facing his own challenges. The trail conditions were like racers had never seen before on the Quest, with barely any snow this year, and rain having hardened the snow. “On the road, if you go to a skating rink, they wouldn’t’ have ice as good as that,” said Jerry of parts of the route. Where normally there were frozen rivers and creeks, instead this year,

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there were gravel bars and open water sections in between iced sections. Several times Jerry was up to his knees in water. Temperatures would fluctuate widely, meaning he had to adapt and try not to get too hot, as later on the sweat would make it hard to keep warm overnight. One morning, the temperature was -47 C when he left the checkpoint, by 10 a.m., he was down to his long underwear, that night at the next checkpoint, the temperature had dropped to -58 C. This year, while not as cold for as long, he ended up with frostbite on his nose, hands and Jerry Joinson tends to some of his dogs at his truck during toes. He finished the a stopover. Photo courtesy of the Yukon Quest race on February 14, “That was a challenge,” the sled. 2014 when he spoke to Jerry had to go back to The Courier on March 19, he said. The sled would come to the highway, wait for eight 2014 he said he was just beginning to get the feeling a sudden stop when the bro- hours, and was given anken runner dug in, sending other sled and sled bag, back in his hands. “It was really damp, I him and the dog on the sled this time he had to take the flying. eight-hour penalty. couldn’t dry out,” he said. He was really tired and “There again I was ready But this was not the when he arrived at the next to scratch,” he said. worst of it for Joinson. Lisa, another sleigh and The toughest challenge checkpoint, he said “I’m done.” the dog truck were brought were the sleds. But with the encourage- to where he was. At Eagle Summit, the She reassured him the toughest and steepest of the ment of an official, he tradpeaks the dog teams have ed his sled out for Lisa’s, dogs were healthy and fine to go over, he came up over and decided to keep going. and he was doing well. There was some confuBut despite the frostbite, the sharp ridge and before he could begin to prepare sion over the time penalty crashes and broken sleds, for the descent, his dogs for trading out the sled, he said it was less difficult had turned down the steep and in the end, the officials in some ways than in 2011. dropped the penalty. “Actually I had a much face. “When you’re tired, you better time this time,” he “I had no problem going up,” he said. “Lots of fun don’t always know all the said “I think I slept more rules,” said Lisa. during the race than I did coming down though.” Then, a reroute to avoid during the training season.” In seconds, Jerry’s sled During training, he was was flying through the air an open river led to a corner with a steep hill, and getting about three hours of over top of his dogs. “I could see my wheel Jerry’s wheel dogs were sleep a night, but during the dogs down below me,” he going down the other side race, waiting for his gear before his sled was even up to dry, he would get about said. fours hours, and he took Then he tumbled with the hill. “Being as nimble as I better care of himself. his sled, over and over “He was really severely again and ended up on his am …” he said, describside, sliding down the hill, ing jumping from his sled dehydrated during the race and being flung into a tree, in 2011,” said Lisa. holding onto the runners. In the end, Jerry finished “I could have swore I breaking off a two-inch diwas still holding onto my ameter tree and then hitting the race second to last, but with the addition of his time handlebars … I have no a 10-inch diameter tree. “And that’s where my penalties - one for dropping idea how that happened,” sleigh stuck, about six feet a dog with not enough food he said. because he knew the checkThen, near the Alaskan off the ground,” he said. While he was able to point had food and he needborder, going over some hummocks, on the hard pull it off and get his dogs ed to keep enough for his trail, Jerry broke one of the back together, then another dogs on the trail and one for 90-degree corner caught changing sleds - his official runners on his sled. place was last, winning him Not realizing right away him off guard. He slid down on his butt, the Red Lantern Award. it was broken, he kept goAnother epic journey, ing, and ended up having his sled was stuck in anothto limp the sled to the next er tree, destroying the sled and one he said he won’t be checkpoint, with one dog and tearing his sled bag, repeating. which holds all his gear on But he said that last time. loaded in the sled.

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Year End Revue - April 2014

Town rallies against Enbridge Northern Gateway RUTH LLOYD Caledonia Courier

The Fort St. James Sustainability Group pulled together a small rally on Sunday, April 6, 2014 with only two days notice and during spring break. It was â&#x20AC;&#x153;quick and dirtyâ&#x20AC;? according to organizer Brenda Gouglas of the Sustainability Group. It was â&#x20AC;&#x153;a great opportunity to get together face to face in the real world outside of our computer terminals,â&#x20AC;? said Gouglas. She said about 20 people came out to Spirit Square for the rally and she talked about the Joint Review Panel (JRP) recommendations for the Northern Gateway Pipeline, pointing out the 21 references which relate to Fort St. James. Gouglas said she has been going through the 209 conditions stipulated in the JRP report and looked for anything of importance or relevance to Fort St. James and the proposed pump station. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was quite interesting to see us in there,â&#x20AC;? she said. She said the rally also offered the group a chance to discuss the plebiscite going on in Kitimat, a non binding vote to determine support for the project going forward based on the 209 recommendations of the JRP report. Residents of Kitimat will have voted on the project on April 12, 2014. She said the gathering in Spirit Square offered people a chance to share their own thoughts and ask questions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not always so much what I have to say,â&#x20AC;? she said. She said there were some new faces out and the crowd consisted of teachers, business owners, retirees, seniors and landowners who may be impacted by the pipeline. Gouglas said the Sustainability Group was not necessarily surprised at the decision of the JRP, as it seemed like a foregone conclusion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a disappointment yes, but not a shock,â&#x20AC;? she said. The final decision to approve the pipeline still rests with the federal government, and while she said most who are listening to what Minister Joe Oliver (Oliver was the Minister of Natural Resources until early this year) and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have said about the project assume it will be approved at the federal level, they are waiting to see what happens with the First Nations opposition before the courts. There is pressure on the federal government to delay their decision until after the court makes their decisions.

Brenda Gouglas of the Fort St. James Sustainability Group had a dramatic costume as an oil spill cleaner as part of a rally the group did in Spirit Square on April 6, 2014. Photos courtesy of the Fort St. James Sustainability Group

Celebrating northern animals Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier What do you do when your son falls in love with a book full of foreign animals and you want to offer him a chance to do the same with more local animals, but you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find the right book? You make a book. Or you do if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Kristen Cooper, one of the most creative and crafty people I have ever met. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wanted him to see animals that he would actually see around here â&#x20AC;Ś so I just started painting them,â&#x20AC;? said Cooper, describing how her son Kesten had received an animal book full of exotic jungle animals for Christmas which became one of his favourites. But she wanted him to get to know the animals around Fort St. James as well, and so she started a project with the paintings. Cooper had not done a lot of painting since she took a few classes at university, but she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let that slow her down. Cooper compiled 27 paintings and information she researched into a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book titled My Northern Animals, which she has now selfpublished through the website Blurb.

The book is 30 pages, with each of the 27 animals having been painted by her and accompanied with some interesting facts on each one and the Dakelh (Carrier) word for each animal as well. Cooper, new to the north, has been fascinated by the wildlife in the area, which is so visible in small communities like Fort St. James, and she said the northern animals often donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the spotlight they deserve. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re raising (our son) in the North and we want him to have an appreciation for the land and the environment he lives in,â&#x20AC;? she said. Researching the animals was a fun job for Cooper, who said she could have written a book about each one, and there were so many animals she couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include them all. Some of the facts she includes in her book are details like how the boreal owl uses its hearing to hunt under the snow, and how cougars can jump nearly as high as a twostory house. But she said there were plenty of things she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to include which were just as interesting, like the fact adult wolves will leave their pups with â&#x20AC;&#x153;babysittersâ&#x20AC;? in the pack when they

go out to hunt and the seven-year population cycle which connects the snowshoe hare and the lynx, something documented since the early days of the fur trade. Cooper used some local knowledge as well to help with the book, consulting Guy Prince on the Dakelh spellings and names and she spoke to

Sandra Sulyma, a local biologist, who helped her select some key animals in the area to include. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having only been here about four years, I have been so fascinated by the abundance of new wildlife that I have seen,â&#x20AC;? said Cooper. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Writing and painting the book has been a great way for me to personally learn more

about the local animal life and to have a deeper appreciation of it.â&#x20AC;? She said the project has inspired her to take up the hobbies of snowshoeing and tracking animals tracks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that in writing this book that I can share some of that wonder with others,â&#x20AC;? she said. Cooper spent about

one hour on each of the paintings and countless hours researching the animals thanks to her fascination. She began the project in January of this year and just recently published the book. She has also published a painted alphabet book for children, a project she started after she got married and only re-

cently completed, taking her five years. But she wanted to finish it for her son Kesten. Cooper and her husband David Nutbrown are expecting their second child very soon. To preview the book, go to: www.blurb.ca and search for A Painted Alphabet or My Northern Animals.

THE DUCKS UNLIMITED FORT ST JAMES CHAPTER WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE DONARS FOR THEIR GENERIOUS DONATIONS TO OUR LAST DUCKS UNLIMITED FUND RAISOR. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.

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Year End Revue - May 2014 Appreciation Day for the Hospital Auxiliaries was May 10, 2014 May 10, 2014 was Appreciation Day for the Hospital Auxiliaries though-out British Columbia. During the Farmers Market held on May 9, 2014 in the Spirit Square between 12 and 4 pm we showed appreciation to the community who have supported our auxiliary by providing money and or donations, so we could in turn purchase items that provide comfort and care for patients in Stuart Lake Hospital. Your donations also provide money for students interested in the medical field. Without your support we would not exist! Back: Marie Foisy, Bonnie Kozley, Bea Barnes, Jacquie Dagenais, Fran Porsnuk, Front: Margaret-Ann Houghton, Dianne Vinnedge, Gail Dean, Julie-Ann Mortenson.

Year End Revue - June 2014 Fort St. James rugby team played Burns Lake LAKES DISTRICT NEWS

The support from the community and school has be enormous for the team. Spectators have come out in larger numbers for the first two home games of the season, and the high school funded the purchase of brand new uniforms for the team. The team hopes to payback this support by continuing to play with class and sportsmanship. The biggest thing Gooding has been teaching his players is why they should be playing rugby. “You play rugby for the enjoyment and fun of the sport and to improve your personal skills and play to the best of your abilities,” Gooding says. A further example of rugby’s camaraderie, Gooding says, is the tournament held in Vanderhoof at the end of the June, 2014 where all the teams camped out together, getting a chance to meet players on other teams. “It’s not about winning,” Gooding said, “it’s about camaraderie and competing and having fun.”

Submitted

For the first time ever, rugby is being played in Burns Lake, as the LDSS fields a boys rugby team. The team began its inaugural campaign in April, and played only its second home game ever last Thursday night May 29, 2014 against Fort St. James. The idea for a rugby team came to life last year when now head coach and LDSS teacher, Jeremy Gooding started a rugby club at the high school. The idea was well received by students, where 12 began to show up regularly, and many of whom had never played high school sports before, and before long a decision was made to form a team for the upcoming season. Initially, Gooding held practices in the school gymnasium where he taught his players the game and basic skills, such as, passing, rucking and perhaps most importantly, he taught them proper tackling technique. Being situated in a Northern community, the team has been at a small disadvantage in that they’re only able to use the outdoor field for a small portion of the season, yet that didn’t stop the team from taking shape. After getting down the core skills the team started to play in exhibition games. During these games Gooding let each player play in each position to get a feel of where each would be most comfortable, it has led to Burns Lake having a solid starting lineup, and team, even though most lack experience playing the game. He also isn’t bothered by the lack of experience, he has been impressed with how his team has committed to learning the new game, as well as how they have presented themselves both on and off the field.

OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

The LDSS boys rugby team competed against the boys rugby team from Fort St. James Thursday, May 8, 2014. The team tied 12-12 in what was only its second home game of the season. Submitted Photo.

“I took them down to play a AAA team in Kelowna, and they beat us around 50-0,” Gooding said, “but our boys had such a fun time, and they learned that rugby is more than just what’s on the field.” That is what Gooding, a former player himself in high school in Kelowna and in college, hopes is players take home, that rugby is about sportsmanship and family. He says that once you’ve played rugby you become a part of the rugby family. In total, 56 players have tried the sport, and the final squad this season has 32 players on it, comprising students from Grades 8-12. A common misconception about rugby,

Gooding says, is that it’s a sport that injures players frequently. Gooding says that although rugby is a rough sport, he says there are less injuries than in soccer, hockey and football. The respect factor is huge, especially since rugby players wear little to no protective equipment. Players are taught to properly tackling, where to place their head while tackling to avoid neck injuries, and they must make an attempt to wrap the player. Gooding says a rugby tackle is more like a player trying to wrestle another player to the ground, rather than trying to lay him out with a hit.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 Caledonia Courier

Brought to you by your MLA John Rustad

Pioneers Courageous Battles

Athletes

Achieving

Human Interest

Serving the community of Fort St. James

Featuring the spirit of the local people

Team spirit in sport and in life JESSE COLE Community Builder

Kristi Howell knows that in Volleyball you have to play as a team in order to win. Team playing is an ideology that Howell embraces not only in sport but in life as well. Born and raised in Fort St. James, Howell has been the embodiment of community in her town. Throughout her life and the brief time I’ve known her, she has been persistently involved in community projects, fundraisers and initiatives. Howell, a lifelong player of volleyball, brought her love for sport and community together when she began coaching the girls volleyball team. Under Howell’s guidance the team managed to win a gold medal at the North American Indigenous Games in 2014. However, her involvement goes well beyond sports. When a community members son was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, Howell immediately got involved, setting up a fundraising dinner, auction and concert to help raise money for the boy and his family. Through her efforts she managed to raise $5,255 for the family; money that has been instrumental in allowing treatment and care for the young boy to go forward. There are also areas where her passions overlap, most ostensibly in her work with the Kora Lee Prince Memorial Tournament. The KLP, as Howell refers to it, started 10 years ago when Howell’s twin sister Kora died in a snowmobile accident on Stuart Lake. Since then Howell and her family have worked to organize the event putting hundreds of hours of work into it and countless dollars. While the KLP may serve as a healing and memorial event to Howell and the Prince family, it has also been a community building event in the truest sense. The KLP has drawn players from throughout the region from as far as Terrace and Prince George. Its had such an impact on people that some players who have since left British Columbia have come from as far as Quebec to take part. These are by no means Howells only contributions to her community, to list them all would take too long, but perhaps her greatest contributions lay in the warmness she brings with her. Her inherent ability to make people feel not only like neighbours but like family as well.

Kristi Howell stands with the gold medal she coached her team into winning in the 2014 North American Indigenous Games. Howell has been a integral part of her community throughout her life, organizing numerous events and going above and beyond to help out her neighbours and friends. Photo by Jesse Cole.

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