PAGE 2
V OLU ME 3, ISSUE 1
Message From Shannon Coates: GOSMC Youth Representative Hello, my name is Shannon Coates. I am the new Grey Owen Sound Métis Council Youth Representative. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am twenty-one years old and have lived in Owen Sound for eight years. I attended St. Mary’s High School in Owen
Sound and after graduation attended St. Lawrence College in Kingston for Medical Laboratory Technician. I am currently in third year of Medical Laboratory Science, again, through St. Lawrence College. My third year is placement which I am completing in Owen Sound at the Owen Sound hospital and upon graduation I hope to stay in the area. I am hoping to share my college educational experiences with the youth in our community so that I can help them advance in their education. I have had both posi-
NEW MEMBER At age 81, Mrs. Iowna Swanson has just received her Métis card and is proud to be a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. Iowna is mother to Linda Boyle and grandmother to Matthew and Melissa Boyle. All are active in the Grey Owen Sound Métis Community.
At The Riverside
A
O Creator
s we stand before you, Great Spirit, help us to do our best to become what you wish us to be. Let us learn to take each day as it comes and to treasure each day as though it were out last. We are the proprietors of the most intricate instrument that You have created. We have eyes that can gaze on the beauty or the awfulness of this world. We have ears that hear the beautiful sounds of the birds or sweet music, but they let us hear the sorrowful cries of the downtrodden. We have feet that carry us as quickly or as slowly as we want, where we want/ need to go. We have hands that can sense the softness of a baby’s skin, yet can be calloused with hard work. We have a heart that beats in time with the heartbeat of the world. We have organs that do their own thinking continually. We are beautiful works of symmetry. We are each alike yet different, miracles of creation. Let us appreciate each of these parts of ourselves. This is the timecannot of year for and new “Character be renewal developed in beginnings. This is the time to take stock of the past and look forward to ease and quiet. Only through the future. experience of trialonand suffering canfortunate than We ask your blessing those who are less soulyour be comfort strengthened, us. the We ask for thoseambition who are ill or who grieve. We thank you forsuccess the time achieved.” that we have here on this earth, inspired and and we ask your guidance as we~Helen live dayKeller to day. Migwetch, Marci, Thank you
Inspirational Words
tive and negative experiences from the Métis Nation of Ontario regarding the postsecondary school funding. I would be very grateful to hear other experiences of college students both positive and negative so that we may work together to make the process a better experience. I would like to hear from any and all youth in the community about things they would like to do, places they would like to go, things they would like to talk about, their hopes and expectations for the future. I can be reached at hey_its_me321@hotmail.com Yours sincerely,
Thank You ~ Marcee ~ Miigwech ~ Merci Barrie Kruisselbrink - for roto-tilling our garden to winter rest. Dave Trumble - Labour Council donation of dollars for our volunteer celebration Christmas dinner. James Morton - gifts for party and Canadian Tire dollars for garden fund and wonderful songs. Susan Schank - ongoing, ongoing, s-o-o-o very much. Food and support. United Way loan of dishes etc, dishwasher. Shelley Gonneville - and others for doing the dishes, because we forgot we had a dishwasher! St. John Ambulance for tables. Jackie Brown - gifts for Christmas party and food Adam Brown for your music and patience. Peter Coture - wings and things. Feathers and so very much. Malcolm Dixon - kindness,
insight, support and yummy breads. Sen. Leora Wilson plants, Kefir and Prayer for our beginning. Jackie Ralph - plants and a sweet voice. Wonderful fun activities for our party Tyler - for your singing. Elizabeth Cockburn - ongoing support. Kyler and Andrea - wonderful talented youth volunteers. Marie Monette - for keeping me in the ‘know’ and for keeping our site shiny. Doreen Lenz - pop for centre. The Labour Council - for your generosity in funding our Christmas Feast. Please forgive me if I have forgotten to add your name. Know the Métis of Grey-Owen Sound are blessed by your kindness and friendship. —Diane Owen