New board members come back as old Pow Wow Days executive resign. This year's event will see some changes.
With the future of the 50-plus-year-old summer event in jeopardy, a little life was brought back into the annual Pow Wow Days celebration tonight.
After two failed attempts to raise interest and bring new blood to the organizing committee, a final plea drew a table of people to a corner of the Almac Motel's dining room on Wednesday night. It wasn't a big table - and there were more familiar faces than new ones - but they did pledge to give the big summer event another push.
Last year's Pow Wow Association president Helen Abougouche sent out the meeting request, and was somewhat pleased with the response - especially after two earlier attempts to raise interest in planning for the annual August long weekend celebration had fizzled.
"I've called two or three previous meetings, and nobody has come," said Abougouche, adding that she had also taken her plea for help to members of Lac La Biche County and the local Chamber of Commerce, with little result. "The mayor said perhaps the Chamber could help us, but they said they didn't have the manpower to take this over."
Abougouche said she was pleased that some people had turned out for the meeting, showing that there was still interest in continuing with the event. She also told the group she was resigning as president, along with three other executive members of the association.
Former Pow Wow President Martin Desjarlais accepted a nomination that returned him to the chairman's seat on the board. A vice-president was not selected, but will be sought out in the next few weeks. Doris Burdek, last year's Citizen of the Year, will remain as the association's treasurer, and newcomer Sandra Merchant was voted in as the association Secretary.
Abougouche thanked the board and the community for her years on the executive, saying she will still assist with the planning and volunteering.
Desjarlais said there are a lot of items to deal with - including whether or not the event will again be split between the downtown and the Bold Center as it was last year.
"We've got lots to discuss," said Desjarlais, calling the next meeting for a week's time on Feb. 17.
Although there were no downtown business representatives at the meeting, Rick Nikoniuk a local land developer and director on the Lac La Biche and District Chamber of Commerce did attend, and was encouraged by the small but promising effort to re-build the Pow Wow Days event.
He said that like the community that hosts the annual event, Pow Wow Days must once again build and grow.
"It's like building a house," he said, "You make sure you've got a good foundation and away you go."
This year's Pow Wow Days and Fish Derby takes place July 29 to 31.
