Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Friday, December 15, 2023
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Delivering News to the Nickel Belt since 1960
Volume 63 • Issue 47
MKO gives 700 food hampers to Thompsonites Giving ease to the holiday financial crunch
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN
Change can be stressful at times, especially when we find ourselves peering at a possible future that gives no certainty making us watch our income deplete with the cost of grocery bills. Most of us despite various income levels have been tighter financially through current inflation, but that shouldn’t cause us to fear when we see the extended hand of the community fighting along side our personal struggles helping to maintain steady living. On December 7th and 8th the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Food Bank lightened our load immensely giving over 700 represented households much needed food hampers and Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham Turkeys exclusively Addictions Foundation offor Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. Thompson residents. This incredible turn out had far to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather surpassed expectations as to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET only 400 hampers food when Though she’s nowof written I get through.” needcare to capture them for thought that was exciting just findpublicity, somewhere bears, deMeulles if it the seniors making special Itook of all delivery lets of potatoes, 1 pallet of should reach beyond to weeks if neededsaid while were a bookoriginally about her prepared, experien- setDeMeulles said dedicated she wrote my really until plane and easier to live. had been viable shepeople would aside baskets needsgrandchildren delivering all loaded fries, the a pallet oflanded vegetables them the need is obvious, Non-Indigenous causing MKO from her ces growing up to in pull Churchill, in because will and be lost if they the and “To say,the ‘Those people living have moved back to Churchto bebook, sent titled out toWhispers the elderly Safewaythey pallets even and started a palletthrowing of cheese given opportunity in Thompson can overstock and give to every Addictions Foundation of the following Wind: Stories the Ileaving don’t.” the trailer on site fuel and I realized, ‘Holy choose liveimmediately there. They receive ill in a heartbeat. day.from 41 SenfromoffHarvest Manitoba, to help to was a monthly food person they possiblydirector could! North Manitoba northern - Life in Churchill for forShe alsotohas reputation I was probably sitting leave,’ is quite “I miss Ifthe shoreline, ior residents made it on the MKO usea as storage. cats, an organization that was should seized just as the passion of package. this is a needI “This was a lot bigger Gisele deMeulles said writ- a of reasons. a storyteller herself. a bomb.’” quitefurther disre- miss the then rock, don’t I misshesithe listcouple and were personally de- as“We didn’t have enough on recently partnered with simplistic. Helgason It’s was of yours thenwasn’t I was expecting” ing somethingstatshe livered “I justlarge sort hampers of thought, “I had suchbuilding! a varied hisAnotherNorth thing that spectful. If we were in the polar even (1-800though of space in our The Gardewine to deliver expressed; tate tobears call MKO ed Catherine always thought Helgason; she would you know this food his- tory and I had would tell people on was anotherfrom area they’re very dangerous goodies andwhat, essential donations exceeded our spurred monthly her donations to the same “Weboat sawinpeople 970-5559) or drop byand at MKO Food Bank Super- tory, do. that’s in my stories I think weincome would scream miss the You Hudson andStated they Helgason, would go, hard needsthis forstuff the Hollidays. capacity” MKOtimes foodfacing bank. Churchill different levels, I31really Nelson Road. can visor, who tirelessly “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone not true,tremendousis it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Railthathouseholds, so why don’t athey she “When I go Helgason expressed that ‘That’s “So it worked Helgason highly ac- about different lot Bay,” register bysays. email (appointgathered a writing,” large group felt good at she if I don’t it down,” she ‘Yeah true.’ They’d thedifferent option totypes do that? home, standing on the suspended operations have this was write probably the bigly for it’s Gardewine to letgo, us way claimed RA Distributing of just of back ments@harvestmanitoba. of faithful volunteers said. “But when I moved said. didn’t do all did north “My kidsshe arehad notever go- ‘You of Gillam last spring. think right now in they’re Bay looking out on gest giveaway use their trailer forthat, storage Ltd. with Gardewine North Ifamilies that come need Hudson ca) or online at (www. within and outside to Thompson to getMKO into ing get it if I in, don’t do it you? You’ve got todays” be really for“Itgoing used above to be and a really like they’re pawns bay, it just gives you an beentoinvolved saying for those couple be- feeling of the food bank. We do the harvestmanitoba.ca/needstaffschool such as Lutheran the of the social work, and it’s news something I’ve al- old.’ I wascorner like, ‘No, actually largea community political gamethis andathat’s sense. You feel so that the on this giveEvery along with thriving yond being simple de- in oura best to make safe incredible food/need-food). Hours of United Church whotobaked at that point I had write ways my wildfire mom to I12did all that before I deep was and it’sservice, just dwindled sad for them because and you great.”to away wanted spread like massive industrial livery statingdown that really and non-judgmental place.I small operation are feel Monday a plethora of and fresh goods do. for university realized, My mom’s an shares elder and and were they went ‘What?’” such a small population the people of ChurchNow 8:30am–4:30pm. that she’s got having over 200 on 27,’ freezes filled to the to “Gardewine was very on think We know everyone needs Friday in addition to the ‘Holy, I’m not bad grocery at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so max, deMeulles says. sure ill book under her belt, Looking back, of now,” really to thrive. Facebook. as every bit some of what the ball with making help once want in a while, and one ~Matthias J. Johnson is hampers. right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those are things weThough she’s not there built we theirare worlds says she may try Help came from many was experiences stored completely had everything we They’ve help is what here deMeulles a Local Journalism InitiaTheof Lutheran United cause a lot skill in university she always tellssuch her she might going not doout again. longer, her parents and there. produce another. community outlets depleted, to the any needed” to do.”How would we feel to tive reporter who works Church also came in a large and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in needs “I didof some bizarre herIt’s sister family to you and out“I of have book in as Safeway, which donatthepretty Thompson clearand to other see the pas- if someone But the came giving doesn’t the another Thompson Citnumber of helping to Churchill a very strong skillhands in my always like fuel hauls into the members sorry, have to me,” “It’sJournala darker still are. ed a totaland of I’ve $12,500 in stuff residents. sion of each and every said, limit ‘I’m to this oneyou occasion, izen. she Thesays. Local deliver the baskets. writing andElder confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at North -35,” also said one “My cousingathered owns the your home community more about Turkeys along with helpGardewine of these in- leave Indigenous people living story, ism Initiative is personfunded Priorwriting. to the massive my I write givevery put on tape, I will it brought deMeulles.in“It5 didn’t dawn store there,” she and we’re goingcan to displace and struggles. ing itcoordinate thewrite event pallets of hardware dividuals and corporations, in Thompson receive al by growth the Government of awayand MKO reached to for clear that’s it. It’s out there. you because yourNorth story on me until after.lbs.), That2was somewhere else and all in the next five years as well. Gardewine turkeys (6000 pal-a says. making clear their goals you a food package every 2 Maybe Canada. Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”