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Keewaytinook Internet High School recently posted the Grade 9 and 10 courses that will be offered starting in September 2002. For those First Nations with existing KiHS classrooms and for those developing new KiHS classrooms, students now have the option to stay in their own community to get high school credits. The poster announcing the 2002-2003 school year courses can be seen at http://kihs.knet.ca/PosterAd0203.htm

NOTICE: Cory Meekis reports that "Kenny Meekis won the truck ... after he won the truck, he gave it to his grandpa as a reward for paying Kenny's entry into the derby." Deer Lake First Nation invites people to participate in our Annual Ice Fishing Derby. DEER LAKE FIRST NATION TICKETS $100.00 1st-PRIZE: An 89 GMC-Sierra 4x4 Extended Cab (in really good condition) *****AND MANY MORE PRIZES***** FOR MORE INFO CONTACT: Gorby Meekis - 775 2040 Verna Meekis - 775 9359 During Office hours phone the Deer Lake Band Office @ 807 775 2141

The community of Lac Seul First Nation, held their annual Pow-Wow at the Pelican Falls First Nations High School on March 23, 24, 25, 2002 The event bought excitement, joy & Pride. There were also 8 guest drums on hand. to name a few, there were Lac Seul drum group, Fort Francis drum group, Fort Hope drum Group and others. The last night, they gave out gifts of thanks. Pelican Falls High School well also be hosing a Pow-Wow. The date of this event well be announced at a later date. This Article is also being sent to the Wawaay News, for the April 4th Edition.

Two days of high energy, sharing, learning – and some fun – were on the menu for the KO Telehealth Readiness workshops, held in Balmertown March 19th and 20th. The workshops brought together the entire telehealth team – representatives came from Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Thunder Bay Regional Hospital, Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Timmins as well as Community Telehealth Coordinators, Community Health Nurses and Health Directors from the five KO communities. Clinical training on Tuesday was specifically for community telehealth coordinators from the KO communities of North Spirit Lake, Poplar Hill, Fort Severn, Keewaywin and Deer Lake. Training was presented at the KO Balmertown office by Donna Williams, Telehealth Informatics Educator and Christine Penner Polle, Regional Telehealth Coordinator who are both part of the KO Telehealth team located in Balmertown (see photo gallery). After a full day of training, it was off to dinner at the United Church in Red Lake where great food and fun was had by everyone who attended. During the dinner Sam Meekis from North Spirit Lake was presented with a bright, red wagon for his contribution in making telehealth demonstrations such a success (see photo gallery). The evening ended with John Rowlandson, Telehealth Project Manager presenting tie-dyed T-shirts and “goofie” awards from KO Telehealth. Are we ready to begin telehealth services in the KO Region? That was the question posed the following day to approximately 35 participants attending the "Telehealth Readiness Day" workshop at the Campbell Curling Club Lounge in Balmertown. It was roll out day for telehealth to discuss whether our KO communities are ready to begin consultations with medical specialists and other health professionals located in various hospitals throughout Ontario including the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. Participants included our local community health directors, telehealth coordinators, nurses and representatives from NORTH Network in Toronto, Thunder Bay Regional Hospital, Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital, Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre and Red Lake?s Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital. Introduction and presentations were made in the morning followed by discussions in the afternoon (see photo gallery). The workshop was a success and resulted in answering the critical question of the day - are we ready? Telehealth coordinators from the KO communities are trained and ready to operate the telehealth workstations used to communicate with health facilities at a distance. Some of the tools currently used with the telehealth workstation are an otoscope, an exam camera and a document camera. In the near future, KO communities will also have access to a stethoscope. Digital x-ray equipment is also planned for Deer Lake and Fort Severn Nursing stations. The necessary network cabling has also been installed by K-Net and NORTH Network in order ensure secure, private communication possible between patients and doctors by mid-April. More importantly, KO communities and health professionals involved in this project are all on board to start medical consultations, telepsychiatry, and health education sessions. Family videoconferences have already begun in some communities. Poplar Hill just had one recently between a young boy who had surgery at Sick Kids’ Hospital in Toronto and his family from Pikangikum. Thanks to an enthusiastic team of KO community members and health professionals locally and abroad, KO Telehealth IS ready to begin telehealth services in the KO Region in the next few weeks! CHECK OUT THE PICTURES OF THE KO TELEHEALTH TEAM IN MEETINGS Gathering the Telehealth Team together SOME OF THE KO TELEHEALTH TEAM MEMBERS IN TRAINING

On Saturday, March 23, the Honourable Robert Nault and Patti Skillen joined the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Chiefs and staff for breakfast at the Balmertown office. After breakfast, the Chiefs and staff discussed some of the different initiatives underway in the Keewaytinook Okimakanak First Nations. Eight briefing papers were presented outlining the work and requirements for a number of different initiatives being developed in the Keewaytinook Okimakanak First Nations. These included: 1. The All-Weather Road north of Red Lake 2. Health Services (physician, nursing and client services) in Red Lake 3. Water Plant Operators Training Centre in Red Lake 4. Telehealth Services 5. Kuh-ke-nah Network development work 6. First Nations Governance Consultations 7. Economic and Resource development work 8. Keewaytinook Internet High School See the pictures at http://photos.knet.ca/KO-Nault

The proud parents of Aaron Kakepetum (Geordi and Lynda) shared the following news story with me. I want to congratulate Aaron on all the work he does to achieve this level of excellence and thank him for being such a strong ambassador for all Nishnawbe Aski Nation youth. It is through individual efforts demonstrated by NAN youth like Aaron that the First Nations are being recognized and honoured. The following article can be found on-line at in the Bozeman Chronicle. Icedogs' Kakepetum named Defenseman of the Year 03/22/02 By Chronicle Staff Bozeman Icedogs' Aaron Kakepetum earned Defenseman of the Year and All-America West Hockey League first-team honors for the 2001-2002 season Thursday, as selected by league coaches. Kakepetum is a Balmertown, Ontario, native who has dual citizenship in Canada and America. He currently leads all AWHL defensemen in scoring with 10 goals an 26 assists. "All areas of his game are constantly improving, and now he's more of an offensive threat," Icedogs coach John LaFontaine said in a press release. Icedogs center Troy Brummett also earned co-Rookie of the Year honors, and Bozeman goalie Joe Tuset was named to the all-AWHL second-team. Brummett is a Oregon, Ohio, native and currently leads the Icedogs in scoring and is tied as the tenth top scorer in the AWHL with 32 goals and 25 assists. Tuset, a native of Eagan, Minn., has started most of the year for Bozeman and led the league as the top-ranked goaltender for most of the season. Tuset, who signed with Northern Michigan earlier this season, is currently ranked second with a 2.48 goals against average, 893 saves and a .910 save percentage. Fernie, British Columbia, Ghostriders forward Conner Hughes was named the league’s Most Valuable Player and to the All-AWHL first team. He is third in league scoring with 40 goals and 72 points in 44 games. Other multiple award winners, besides Kakepetum and Hughes, are Helena Bighorns goaltender Mike Dowers (Goaltender of the Year/All-AWHL First Team) and first-year Billings Bulls defenseman Brooks Turnquist (co-Rookie of the Year/All-AWHL Second Team). Here are the 2001-02 AWHL award winners: Individual awards Most Valuable Player: Conner Hughes, Fernie, B.C. Goaltender of the Year: Mike Dowers, Helena Defenseman of the Year: Aaron Kakepetum, Bozeman Organization of the Year: Fairbanks, Alaska, Ice Dogs co-Coach of the Year: Brian Meisner, Butte/Rob Proffitt, Fairbanks co-Rookie of the Year: Troy Brummett, Bozeman/Brooks Turnquist, Billings All-AWHL first team Goalie - Mike Dowers, Helena Defense - Robbie Bina, Bismarck Defense - Aaron Kakepetum, Bozeman Forward - Lou Garritan, Billings Forward - Conner Hughes, Fernie, B.C. Forward - John Sullivan, Billings All-AWHL Second Team Goalie - Joe Tuset, Bozeman Defense - Jake Postnikoff, Fernie, B.C. Defense - Brooks Turnquist, Billings Forward - Justin Hauge, Fairbanks, Alaska Forward - Brett Roat, Butte Forward - Jeremy Robinson, Fernie. B.C

Eight Canadian Rangers have become the first Canadian Rangers from Northern Ontario to leave Canada for training. They completed a week of advanced training at the U.S. Army's training facility at Fort Knox, Kentucky, which has some of the world's most sophisticated battle simulators and about 5,500 troops. The eight were Master Corporals Matthew Gull of Peawanuck, Joseph Lazarus of Kashechewan, Craig Moore of Constance Lake, and Rangers Redfern Wesley of Kashechewan, Derek Moses of Moose Factory, Barry McKay of Kitchenuhmaykoosib, and Richard Mekanak and George Tait of Sachigo Lake. At the request of the U.S. general commanding Fort Knox, the Rangers set up a tipi at the main entrance to Fort Knox and they became headline stars when the media learned about their presence. They received a full-page report in The National Post, appeared on CTV's main newscast, were reported on by CNN, and featured in special reports by CBC-Radio in both Ontario and Quebec. The Canadian Rangers astounded both Canadian and U.S. troops with their competence, including their shooting, rappelling and their expertise during a day-long combat exercise at Fort Knox's artificial town, where soldiers learn to fight in the world's most advanced urban warfare training facility. the Rangers played the role of local partisans assisting the Canadian troops. On March 13, 2002 the National Post carried an article about this Canadian force. Read this story

The dog sled expedition arrived in Keewaywin just this morning. They will be camping here overnight and tomorrow the kids at the Keewaywin School will be getting a special treat. They also did a little rescue as my cousins were leaving to go to Sandy Lake by skidoo, their machine broke down almost half ways. They were stranded. Then they saw something coming over the horizon. At first they thought it was wolves running in packs but upon closer inspection they saw that it was the dog sled expedition. They were rescued and brought home by dogsled. Now that was something quite unexpected and also a little adventurous.

The Keewaywin winter road is now open. People who were travelling from town going home to Keewaywin were left waiting for the road to open. The equipments were constantly gettting stuck, breaking down or the fuel just ran out. About seven vehicles travelled home, the going was not easy and had to rely on each other to pull each other out. Today is the first day it is open, the road is still not complete but they made a one way lane for the seven vehicles that were stranded, so they can get home. And we are also thankful for the people of Weagamow for helping with the clearing of the winter road from their end and Koocheching. It was a joint effort to get the winter road open.

Keewaywin winter road is progressing very slow due to the machinery getting stuck in the high snow and the equipment breaking down. The winter road crew is working on the portage near the Weagamow Lake junction. The road is very steep with snow and only has a one way lane. On the other side of the portage on the ice, it is very slushy. There were vehicles parked on the ice, due to the fact that the winter road is not opened yet. Most of the Keewaywin people who were stuck on the other side had someone from the Keewaywin community pick them up by skidoo and traveled to the other side of the portage where they are picked up by vehicles. We are anticipating the road to be finished by this Friday. One person got stuck in the high snow going to Weagamow Lake. He didn't make the trip and got stuck on the ice. He stayed there for hours and his battery gave out too. He had no winter clothing and almost froze to death. It was a good thing someone was driving around, checking up on the road. Remember to take warm clothing when travelling on the winter road. Take a lighter, matches, and warm blankets with you. A little axe would be great to put inside your vehicle for protection and also for survival.