Fort Severn Youth Planning to run in the Manitoba Marathon
Fort Severn First Nation
General Delivery
Fort Severn, Ontario
P0V 1W0
** Press Release **
May 20, 2003
It’s Official!! Nine intrepid youth from this small remote First Nation on the shores of Hudson Bay are off to challenge Canada and the world in a 21 km (13.1 m) Half Marathon. It will be the first chance for these young people to achieve their dream of competing in a national level competition, the Manitoba Marathon, on Sunday, June 15, 2003.
Rayanne Chapman (13), Hillary Gray (13), Nathan Howson (14), Stacey Howson (13), Bernadette Kabestra (13), Courtney Kakekaspan (12), Kary Kakepetum (13), Isabel Miles (15), and April Thomas (13) will be part of a large group of competitors (more than 2500 for the Half Marathon in 2002) in the 25th anniversary running of the event (www.manitobamarathon.mb.ca/). Several adults have worked with the youth since they began their regular training last fall, but the will to succeed is theirs alone.
There are many challenges facing youth growing up in a small remote community. In addition to the isolation, young people do not have the same educational and recreational opportunities enjoyed by other youth in Canada. Those opportunities can make a huge difference, in personal development terms, when it comes to the ability to set personal goals and live a satisfying and fulfilling life. And, young people need role models, and they need to be able to test themselves against others, both inside and outside their community. These nine youth are already role models to their peers and younger children in their community.
Fort Severn (www.fortsevernfirstnation.com) is inviting others to help support these youth and give them the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Donations to the Fort Severn Team will be recognized in Fort Severn through radio announcements and on community notices concerning the youth competing in Winnipeg. Donations may be made payable to and sent to: Fort Severn First Nation, General Delivery, Fort Severn, Ontario, P0V 1W0.
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For more information, contact Rowena House @ 807.478.2517
Check out the story published in Friday, May 23 issue of Thunder Bay's Chronicle-Journal