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The e-Center staff completed the week's overview of the workshop. The workshop facilitators asked questions such as: What worked well? Who was there? What did we learn? How was the workshop helpful? What can we do to change and improve on the next workshop? Ricardo and Helen were there with Les Meekis to do a summary of the week's events. The e-center staff was asked to monitor the diffferent uses of the technology that is in use today in Keewaywin. The spray diagrams were discussed and the overall week's events were summarized. The Keewaytinook Okimakanak staff located in their offices in Balmertown and Sioux Lookout joined us via video conferencing for the morning session. Before the workshop it seems the community were not clear about what the smart program was all about. Now, after the workshop, people know there is a smart program and what it is suppose to do in our community. The workshop helped explain what the smart program can do and how it is will assist as we enter into the new information technology world. The demonstrations, slide shows, presentations, group sharing and the community feast gave us a new meaning of togetherness and sharing. We were able to look at the direction we want for the future of our community using these communication technologies. The workshop helped us to better understand the technology that is out there and how we might use it to better ourselves.

The Staff of the Keewaywin Administration, other Band staff members, Niska Lake Economic development Corp., Social Services and the public works employees all took part in day four of the Keewaywin workshop. Les Meekis and Raymond Mason opened up with the opening remarks and introduction of everyone in the workshop. Councillor Silas Kakegamic opened the workshop with the a prayer. The day's agenda was introduced. Ricardo and Helen of Telecom Development group started off the workshop developing charts, spray diagrams and a slide presentation. David Neegan also did a slide presentation on forestry and land use. Helen showed a presentation of how other learning centers are doing in other countries. She showed us slides of Peru and other improvished countries showing how technology has changed their lives. The slides showed what they are doing with ICTs and about it. I was surprised at how similiar their community and our reserve are. For instance the phone. They have a place where they have only one phone and they have to share it and buy time to use the phones. That was almost like Keewaywin when we first started the community. There was only one phone for the whole community. North Spirit had only one phone too, a pay phone which was located outside a building. As you can see we have come a long way and technology has just reached us and is going at an extremely fast rate. Jesse Fiddler meanwhile was doing his presentation on scanning, adobe photoshop features and demonstrations with the grades 7 & 8 class. They discussed different ways to use these programs. There were a lot of Keewaywin staff from different areas of employment who participated in the workshop. Everyone was very impressed with the presentations and demonstrations at the workshop. After all the slide presentation were done, Silas Kakegamic said a prayer to close the workshop for the day.

Thunder Bay - "When you graduate from school it will lead you to finding good jobs, and having a good life", said John George Kakekamic, A board Elder for N. N. E. C. During a visit at the Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School on Wednesday, November 21. Elder John George Kakekamic, who has been working for N. N. E. C. for about 10 years, encouraged the students to stay in school. He also spoke about alcohol. He said, "I don't want you guys (students) to use alcohol. Alcohol builds lots of problems and it can ruin your education." "I want you to be happy; happy to be in school. A lot of times students don't graduate, that is one of the greatest thing you can get when you graduate. It will lead you to finding many good jobs, and having a good life. That is my hope, that you would graduate." said Kakegamic. Mr. Kakegamic who has the knowledge, travels to N. N. E. C. locations like Winnipeg, Ear falls, and Pelican Falls First Nation's High School in Sioux Lookout. He talks to students about how life was in his days and that now a days it has changed. Kakekamic said, "Sometimes I weep, because the students don't make it because of the problems they face. Whenever you go through trouble talk to someone, someone you trust. Don't keep it to your self. In the past students that were in trouble just got sent home. Today, it is different. Your parents and your grandparents expect you to stay in school and to finish your school." Kakekamic ended his speech with, "Now a days students everywhere use computers to learn, to get more Information." The school elder Johnny Tait, from Sachigo Lake, also talked to the students about staying in school, He said, "We're here because we care about the students, We want them to know that we're here to help." Tait, Who has been working with the N. N. E. C. since the school opened last year also said, "I don't want students to drink, because drinking ruins your education." Elder Stephen Kakepetum, of Sandy Lake came to check out the students, to see how they were doing. He spoke a few words then closed off with a prayer and blessed the food that the students had after the gathering.

The Keewaywin school closed for the day so the staff could attend the workshop and contribute to the planning for the use of ICTs for education and training in the community. Lorriane Kakegamic, the Education Director said the opening prayer. Education and training was the topic for the day, with the local Kuh-ke-nah staff and K-net on hand to help with the workshop. The same format that was used for the health department was again used today. Everyone present were asked about their expectations for the community. Questions such as what is good education, how to get there (programs), and how can we measure and document how much technology is being used, were discussed. Everyone offered their input and a lot of information was collected for a spray diagram displaying everyone's suggestions. This information was then used to organize and group common themes together. There were a lot of questions and answers throughout the workshop. The session gave everyone the opportunity to ask questions such as the modems, when will the cable system be hooked up and explanations of why the old computers are so slow in getting information off the web. While the workshop was in progress Jesse Fiddler went to the KiHS room to get his video equipment set up. The high school students were on hand to help with the set up of equipment and actually doing the taping. The students were interviewed on how technology has changed their lives and what they think the future holds for the technology that is being used today in their community. Jesse, Blue and I are making out templates for creating a new web site for the information collected which we will be posting at a later date. It will be a web page for all the communities displaying the findings from the community surveys and the workshops that the Kuh-ke-nah project has been doing and will be doing. See the photos at Photo Gallery

Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Kuh-ke-nah Smart program hosted a community feast for Keewaywin. Our councillor Freddie Kakegamic said the prayer for the feast. The whole community gathered together at the Keewaywin School Gym to participate and join us for the feast. We sat the elders of the community at the head of the table. There was a lot of food served, thanks to the volunteer services of the church, businesses and community, who pooled all their efforts to make the feast a success. I was on hand to take photographs. The feast was fun and there was much laughter throughout the feast. Everyone chipped in to help clean up the gym after the feast. There was a lot of food left over and a lot of people were happy to take home a huge doggie bag. The kids were having fun with the demonstration of the camera which was set up. They were having a ball looking at themselves on the television screen. The community of Keewaywin would like to thank the Northern Chiefs Kuh-Ke-Nah Smart Program for throwing this feast together. See the pictures at Photo Gallery

Keewaytinook Okimakanak / Northern Chiefs Council is looking for a Nurse Supervisor for the Home and Community Care program. This is a 40-hour workweek position offering an annual salary of $50,000 - $62,000 dependent on experience, commencing January 21, 2002. The Home Care Nurse Supervisor will report to the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Director of Health Services. The ideal Candidate will possess: - A Registered Nurse Diploma, preferably a Bachelors Degree in Nursing. - Good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario. - Experience delivering nursing care in the home or community setting. - Excellent verbal and written communication skills. - Minimum 2 years supervisory skills preferred. - Skills and experience in adult education training. - Community consultation skills. - Ability to prepare and submit reports. - Basic computer skills. - Experience nursing in remote First Nation communities would be desirable. - Able to speak Oji-Cree, but not necessary. Deadline for Applications: January 8, 2002 @ 4:00 .p.m. Please Forward Inquires or Resumes to: Orpah McKenzie, Director of Health Services, or Linda Kay Peters, Health Programs Assistant Keewaytinook Okimakanak Box 340 Balmertown, ON P0V 1C0 Email: orpahmckenzie@knet.ca or lindakaypeters@knet.ca

Keewaywin's health unit started the workshop this morning (Nov 20) at the Keewaywin school gym. The Kuh-ke-nah Smart Program staff started off the workshop with opening remarks from Les Meekis. Ricardo then made a presentation to the Keewaywin health team on what technology can do to help implement the goals and expectations for the community. Les was on hand to help with the demonstrations. A spray diagram was created on a flip chart paper detailing what the community members felt is good health with ideas on how to get there (programs). The health staff were very enthusiastic and gave a lot of information about what they wanted to see. The KO First Nation Health Directors, attending a planning meeting in Balmertown, came on line via video at four in the afternoon. They were presented with the spray diagram on health. Lawrence Mason and Dorothy Kakepetum presented this information throughout the video conferencing session. That evening Jesse gave a demonstration on the many uses of the computer for graphics. One demonstrated superimposing one of the community member's head and attaching it to the body of different wrestlers. It was a fun night for the kids. Jesse also demonstrated how you can record your own demo cds. Community members were delighted to be included in the workshops. Also on hand were the refreshments, provided by the e-center and the Kuh-ke-nah workshop. See the pictures at Health Workshop Photo Gallery

Pelican Falls Timberwolves Head to All Ontario Championships Sioux Lookout- As a result of the Timberwolves win in Manitouwadge last weekend the boys will now go on to the All Ontario Championships (OFSAA) to be held in Dorchester on November 23 & 24. The team will be traveling to Thunder Bay Wednesday (Nov. 21) from where they will be flying to Hamilton on West Jet. The boys will be attending a practice Thursday afternoon and a banquet that evening. The schedule for Friday is as follows: Game 1 9:00 A.M. PFFNHS V.S. Brampton Christian Academy Game 2 12:45 P.M. PFFNHS V.S. Manitoulin Secondary School Game 3 2:00 P.M. PFFNHS V.S. Lord Dorchester Secondary School The schedule for Saturday’s games will be set according to placing. The team will be returning from Dorchester on Sunday. We wish the Timberwolves the best of luck in Dorchester. The Timberwolves would like to thank their parents, Pelican Falls staff, students, and elders for their support, as well as the OPP (for their pep rally escort), the Lac Seul Cultural Committee for drumming, NNEC for their support, and everyone who has helped out in any way to make their trip to the All Ontario Championships possible.

Today Keewaywin started their Community ICT Strategic Planning workshop as part of the Kuh-ke-nah Smart First Nations Demonstration Project workshop. These workshops are being coordinated by Les Meekis and will be happening in each Keewaytinook Okimakanak First Nation. On hand for the workshop from KO are Les Meekis, Lars Dixon, Jesse Fiddler and Dan Pellerin. Helen Aitkin and Ricardo Ramírez from Telecommons Development Group are here providing facilitation and training support for the workshop. The Keewaywin workshop started on Monday, Nov 19th. The first meeting was held at the e-center where all the staff discussed the format that they will follow over the next few days. Roles and responsibilities were clarified for everyone to make sure the workshop is successful. Monday's community meeting was planned for that evening. The community meeting was to inform the community members of the workshop agenda and to give everyone a chance to meet each other. The meeting started with Lorraine Kakegamic doing the opening prayers. Raymond Mason began the meeting by introducing the staff, members of the Smart team, and K-Net staff to the community members. Les Meekis then made some opening remarks about the Kuh-ke-nah workshop, explaning the workshop agenda and the format for the workshop. He discussed everything regarding the community services such as health, education and the local gov't/economic development and recapping upcoming events. Helen gave a demonstration using powerpoint slides to show the community the surveys that were done two years ago and again this year. These slides showed a dramatic difference over these two years in the changes in the use of technology in Keewaywin. Ricardo was also on hand to share in the discussion about some of this information. There were questions about the surveys and what the surveyers did to collect this data. They explained that Keewaywin and the other KO First Nations are like ambassadors to the other countries where they also work where many are just now beginning to explore the use of this technology as it becomes available worldwide. Dan made a presentation about the work that K-net is doing. He explained using a flipchart about the K-Net connections and how modems are used. He was very impressive and impressed a lot of people with the information about the upcoming cable hook ups to the houses. He estimated that this work should be completed in about five weeks or more. He also stessed that there will only be twenty modems available for the community through the project. That got a lot of people's attention with many already vying for one of the twenty modems that will be available. Raymond Mason asked Lorraine Kakegamic, the Education Director for the Keewaywin School. to close the community meeting with a prayer. Keewaywin's Kuh-ke-nah Smart First Nations Demonstration project workshop photos

Pelican Falls Timberwolves Head to All Ontario Championships Sioux Lookout- The Pelican Falls senior boys volleyball team won silver in the NorWOSSAA playoffs held in Kenora on November 8 & 9. On Thursday, Nov. 8 the boys played Atikokan, the 2nd-ranked team in NorWOSSAA, and defeated them in three straight sets. “The team played an energetic, high-spirited game against Atikokan.” said coach Leon Peddle. Friday, Nov. 9, the team advanced to play Thomas Aquinas. Unfortunately they lost three straight against the top ranked team. “They played well and never gave up.” remarked coach Peddle. The Timberwolves then went on to represent NorWOSSAA at the NWOSSAA finals in Manitouwadge on November 16 & 17. The boys played Manitouwadge, the winners of the NSSAA division, beginning with a 7:00 P.M. game on Friday and one game on Saturday. The boys defeated Manitouwadge in two straight sets and brought home the gold. Stanley Fiddler said that he was very proud to be representing Pelican Falls at the NWOSSAA finals “because representing Pelican Falls, which is an all Native high school, is like representing my Native peers.” Team mate and captain Leon Fox agreed, adding “[to me] representing Pelican Falls First Nations High School is like representing all Nishnawbe people, and I am proud to be Nishnawbe.” As a result of their win in Manitouwadge the boys will now go on to the All Ontario Championships (OFSAA) to be held in Dorchester on November 23 & 24. The students and staff of Pelican Falls First Nations High School are very proud of the Timberwolves’ accomplishments this season. Congratulations to the Timberwolves: Leon Fox, Captain (Mishkeegogamang), Howard Moose, Assistant Captain (Poplar Hill), Stanley Fiddler (Keewaywin), Durrell Gray (Mishkeegogamang), Adam Kakepetum (Keewaywin), Jack Rae (North Spirit Lake), Zack Suggashie (Poplar Hill), Dennis Turtle (Poplar Hill), Mr. Leon Peddle, Coach, and Mrs. Monique Mousseau, Athletic Director.