Under the black and white decorations lit up by a few white Christmas lights hung around Jubilee hall, more than 200 people came out to celebrate the winners of the third annual Aboriginal Awards last Saturday night.
The Lac La Biche Friendship Centre has organized the banquet for the past three years as a way to thank people in the community and this year was no different.
“It’s a positive impact for a community that has always had negative studies. We are recognizing people who have overcome obstacles, given back to the community and people who are setting a good example,” said Donna Webster, the Executive Director of the Friendship Centre.
There were eight different award categories and 13 award recipients who were nominated by friends, family members or co-workers.
“It isn’t a win or a loss if people who have been nominated don’t win. It’s a recognition,” said Webster, adding that this year was one that saw the largest turnout as well as the most nominees.
Simmone Dequaine was one of the winners of the evening and took the Kookum award, which acknowledges a ‘grandmother’ figure in the community. Dequaine was recognized for being a Northern Lights School Division Success Coach and her work last year with Dr. Swift and J.A. Williams students.
“She goes above and for caring about her relationships with her youth. She is able to develop relationships with youth that have trouble bonding with adults,” read one comment by Donna Webster from one of her co-workers who nominated Dequaine.
Comments after nice comments were read about winners of the different awards that evening, including comments from people in the Beaver Lake community who nominated Violet Cardinal for two awards that evening.
Cardinal was given the Lifetime Achievement award for teaching traditional Aboriginal practices to different communities and people like students at Dr.Swift. She had few words to say and became emotional as MLA Lac La Biche-St.Paul Ray Danyluk presented her with the Lifetime Achievement award.
“I was so overwhelmed,” said Cardinal after her win who wants to continue teaching youth traditional Aboriginal practices like hide tanning and fish scale art. “I want to continue teaching all traditional ways of life that I was taught by my grandparents. It is very important and I want the future generations to learn so they can pass it on for generations to come.”
Any proceeds from the evening will go towards the Friendship Centre to help fund some of their programs. The Lac La Biche Friendship Centre served about 6,000 people last year through their food bank, soup kitchen, youth programs and other services.
