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The School had a Christmas Concert last night. Barney and I went over there to take some pictures. Be sure to check them out in the photo gallery at http://photos.knet.ca

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Business Award Winners Honoured The 11th annual Nishnawbe Aski Nation Business Awards event was held at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay on Thursday, November 29th, 2001. Hosted by Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF), the event honours the year's outstanding Aboriginal entrepreneurs, businesses, partnerships and organizations across northern Ontario. This year's winners are: Youth Entrepreneur of the Year (Award sponsored by FedNor) Alanna Toset, Anishinabek Computer Services, Muskrat Dam First Nation Business Man of the Year (Award sponsored by Wasaya Airways) George Whitehead, Owner, Chipia Lynx Head Camp, Webequie First Nation Business Woman of the Year (Award sponsored by Hydro One) Laureen Wassaykeesic, Laureen's Grocery and Gas Store, Mishkeegogamang First Nation Building Communities Award (Award sponsored by CMHC) David Winters, Mishkeegogamang First Nation Executive of the Year (Award sponsored by Bearskin Airlines) Albalina Metatawabin, Wakenagan CFDC Development Corporation of the Year (Award sponsored by Bell Canada) Moose Cree First Nation Development Corporation, Moose Factory First Nation Partnership of the Year (Award sponsored by Indian & Northern Affairs Canada) Kathy and Ryan Brady, Northern Outposts, Landsdowne House First Nation Over 400 people attended the awards dinner and ceremony to honour the winners. The event is also a fundraising effort for the Dennis Franklin Cromarty Memorial Fund. The fund was established in memory of a past Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation and President of NADF following his untimely death in 1993. The fund awards bursaries to young Native people to encourage them to strive for high academic standards in order to achieve their true potential. Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund is an Aboriginally owned and controlled organization delivering business and financial services and programs to the member First Nations in the Nishnawbe Aski region and northern Ontario. For more information concerning the awards event and the winners, please contact: Mr. Harvey Yesno, President, NADF at (807) 623-5397 or toll free at 1-800-465-6821. Email: hyesno@nadf.org or check NADF's website for more information www.nadf.org

Northern Chiefs put in a float for the Annual Red Lake Parade of Lights. After a brief moment or two of panic in the afternoon when we realized the converter wasn't working... we managed to find a generator and all was fine once again. The Parade of Lights started right after our Kids Christmas party, and ended with ANOTHER visit with Santa at the Community Rec Centre. Fun was had by all the kids and staff who participated!! http://photos.knet.ca/album03

Keewaytinook Okimakanak hosted a Kids Christmas party for the staff's children on Friday December 7th. The kids enjoyed "The Grinch", hot chocolate, hot dogs and a visit with Santa. http://photos.knet.ca/album01

The fourth annual Pikangikum Youth Hockey challenge is all ready to go on December 18, 19 and 20. Featured in this year's tournament is the all new ladies broomball challenge. Both events are still accepting entries. To date we have 7 confirmed teams. We are still hoping to have a couple more teams. Along with the tournament we have a couple of concerts, featuring "Metallica" and "Freebird" and a local band opening for the both of these headlinders. To top things off a "much music" dance for the community, and a couple of monster bingo sessions will be held. There will be other events going on around the community throughout the tournament. For more information or if you would like to make a financial contribution to this worthwhile cause, feel free to email me or call me (calling is better) @ 807-773-5578 (band office) or @ 807-773-5491 (home) after 4 pm. thank you Samson Keeper

On November 30, DFC ThunderHawks Hockey team were scheduled to play at the Pelican Falls First Nation's High School. But a traffic accident happened along highway 11/17 closing the highway and prevented the team from DFC to reach Sioux Lookout. Another date for this hockey game will be set up later.

The series of Smart Community Planning workshops for North Spirit Lake got underway this week. The weather and other happenings provided the North Spirit Lake staff with several challenges. The Monday evening planning and introductory session had to be done using video conferencing because none of the Keewaytinook Okimakanak staff could fly into North Spirit Lake. KO staff in Balmertown and Sioux Lookout were able to connect with community members in North Spirit Lake to provide everyone with an overview of what was to happen over this week. Day one of our workshops were very promising. Community members participated in workshop activities such as discussions, exchanging ideas, and asking questions about the SMART project. Click here to see the pictures of the workshops from Day's 1, 2 and 3.

Well, yesterday was our first senior and junior volleyball games over at our neighbour's gym (Churchill). I'll start with the junior's because they did very well and I'm, as a senior, pretty much happy for their victories over their opponents. They won three games straight and it leaves them with their three points. Their Captain Vietta Morris, congrats for taking them to their wins. As for the us, the seniors, we did good although we had ONLY the two weeks practice and the getting use to positions. We won the first game with a few girls that we completely nervous. Their hands shaking, their faces going red from shyness and the butterflies in their stomach's, all because of wearing shorts. But girls, we're up for a long season of volleyball and we have to show what we got as legs. Just kidding! But we have to get use to the topic of wearing shorts everygame. My Captain, who is also the smallest girl on the team, Stacey Fiddler, congrats for the one win. But we'll get back on top and we'll take back the games we lost, right? But anyways that should be all for now. Our next game is tomorrow and please people that go to school here in Thunder Bay, come and cheer for us. We need fans. Haha! For the rest of you not here in the area to come and watch us play ball, wish us luck.

The K-Net local and out of town staff got together with the people of Deer Lake to talk strategy for economic development. Community members who were present had a lot of ideas on how the SMART project would be able to make a difference in the development of new opportunities. The day's agenda was introduced. Ricardo Ramirez and Galin Kora of Telecommons Development group started off the workshop by developing charts, spray diagrams and showing a slide presentation. We talked about visions for new initiatives, and how SMART could change the face of existing ones. Ricardo showed a presentation of how other learning centers are doing in other countries. He showed us slides of Peru and other improvished countries, and how technology has changes lives. The slides showed what they are doing with ICTs and about it. Deer Lake community members from different sectors gave a lot of input on potential strategies for developing our economy. The presentations and workshop brought out ideas for new Economic Development planning. Check out the pictures

Education and training was the topic for the day, with local and out-of town Kuh-ke-nah staff on hand to help with the workshop. The entire school staff attended the SMART Project Planning Workshop (made possible due to rumours of a hydro power outage). Teachers, Teacher Aides, Tutor Escorts and many others were all able to add their ideas and concepts for what SMART could do for their communities. Following the format of the previous day, everyone offered their input and information was collected for a spray diagram displaying everyone's suggestions. This information was then used to organize and group common themes together. The staff of the David Meekis Memorial School has had broadband access for awhile, and so has already learned some of the ways that technology can benefit them. New ideas for traditional cultural programming through the Internet and Video Conferencing came up as one of the priorities. The K-Net Internet High School is also one area that the school and community see as an area of opportunity. The community of Deer Lake is progressive and understands how SMART can benefit them, but the vision has grown and broadened after yesterday’s workshop. The Community Feast, hosted by the Deer Lake Smart Project staff and all their helpers, was a great way to finish off a very business day.