What's Up Yukon, February 22nd, 2023

YUKONERS AT CANADA WINTER GAMES

Five young Yukon skiers are in P.E.I. for this year’s Canada Winter Games

The 2023 Canada Winter Games, officially called XXVII Canada Games, are taking place Feb. 18 to March 5 and will be hosted in P.E.I. where 3,600 athletes, from all over Canada, will make the journey to compete in the multi-sport event, including five of the Yukon’s very own skiers, all in the 15–17 age range.

“They’ve been training all year for it,” Stephanie Robertson, president of Yukon Freestyle Ski Association (YFSA) told What’s Up Yukon. “Three of them have been with the club for seven years, and two of them have been with the club for four years.”

The extensive training for these athletes currently involves doing trampoline twice a week and dryland twice a week, which they do throughout the year, as well as airbag once a week and training on snow, on weekends in the winter, for full days. They usually hit the airbag, as well, on weekends throughout the year, and water ramps in the summer. Last summer, two of the skiers also trained in Whistler, with Olympians on the glacier for 10 days.

“They’re flipping all four different ways and skiing into the jumps backwards and spinning,” Robertson said. “Usually, the team organizes one or two nights a week for a rail session at our house or someone else’s house on the team, and they all get together and hit a backyard rail setup for three or four hours.”

The athletes heading down to P.E.I. for the Games, this year, are Alex Wilson, Jacob Robertson, Jason McKay, Isaac Maddocks, Charlie Fidler and Dash Provan (alternate), who are working with YFSA coaches Lyndsey Boorse and Chris Arsenault. The team’s trip will start with a training day before getting into the competitions, which generally consist of qualifiers in the afternoons and finals at night. The events will also be broadcast so families, friends and fans can cheer on the athletes from home.

“I think most of them are just excited,” Robertson said. “I’m sure the nerves will settle in, the day of or the day before.”

In addition to their rigorous year-round physical training, YFSA’s athletes are mentally prepared, as well, with frequent conversations about run preparation and visualizing, as well as meet-

ings with Tracey Bilsky, sports psychologist and executive director of Sport Yukon.

“They talk about fear and anxiety and [Bilsky] gives them a lot of tools to work through it, so we encourage them to use those tools,” said Robertson.

Looking beyond this year’s Canada Winter Games, Robertson said she hopes her athletes will be participating in next year’s Canada Cup Series, as well as in a variety of events hosted within the Yukon. As of now, though, the focus is on the P.E.I. trip.

“It’s going to allow them to make new friends and build connections within the freestyle community,” said Robertson. “We’re also going to encourage them to go and watch other sports and support our other Yukon athletes.”

To learn more about YFSA, visit www.yukonfreestyleski.com. n

PHOTO: Courtesy of YFSA

Manus Hopkins is a Whitehorse- and Toronto-based journalist, musician and lover of heavy metal and cats.

Freelance with Manus Hopkins

An athlete trains at Mt. Sima ahead of the Canada Winter Games in P.E.I.

Freelance with Elke Reinauer

Elke Reinauer is a writer, based in Germany, with strong ties to the Yukon. Please email comments about her articles to editor@whatsupyukon.com

SAM McGEE CONNECTS THE YUKON TO B.C.

Storyteller Andre Sutherland Begin will recite Robert Service poems at Yukon Rendezvous

“Memorizing poetry is my daily training and therapy,” B.C. storyteller Andre Sutherland Begin said, adding that he will be coming to the Yukon for performances during Yukon Rendezvous. It will be his fifth Rendezvous performance as “The Man From Eldorado,” reciting Robert Service’s two most famous poems: “The Cremation of Sam McGee” and “The Shooting of Dan McGrew.”

Not only does he perform during festivals and events, Sutherland Begin said it’s very important to show his work in senior homes. “One of my storyteller partners, her mother lived in a retirement residence … so I went there to give them a show.” The performance was followed by many more and he found a home reading to Alzheimer’s patients. Sutherland Begin said Alzheimer’s is his charity (he is dedicated to it). His late father, aunt and uncle all suffered from the disease. Suth-

erland Begin was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018, after answering an article concerning memory loss. “I had noticed at college that I was having problems with short-term memory. After an interview, I was flown to Burnaby for a scan, which showed [the] amyloid plaque in my brain that causes blockage of receptors.”

Sutherland Begin started immediate tests and treatment, as a volunteer, with monthly infusions of Aducanumab (a medication that targets the aggregated forms of plaque of amyloid beta found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease to reduce its buildup). Sutherland Begin is now in his fifth year of treatment and has had 45 infusions, so far, plus an MRI every second month. Along with the treatments, he said he is using his daily recitation of poems as mental exercise.

Sutherland Begin is a member of Moose Cree First Nation and is originally from Ontario. He also happens to be a member of the Storytellers of Canada. He currently lives in Pennington, B.C., with his wife. Sutherland Begin said he has been performing for the last 22 years. Beginning his journey in 2000 when he went back to school, attending college in Nanaimo, B.C., where he took conservation officer training.

When he was asked to memorize a poem for an assignment, as part of his school work, he thought of Robert Service. “I recalled hearing the ‘Cremation of Sam McGee’ in grade school. So I downloaded and memorized the poem.”

Along with the two famous poems of Robert Service, Sutherland Begin is able to recite many more of the Yukon poet’s works.

There is a strong connection that links Sutherland Begin with the character in the Robert Service poem “The Cremation of Sam McGee”: “The Okanagan has a connection with Sam McGee because Summerland is where the real Sam McGee lived after he left the Yukon. Sam McGee came to the Yukon, during the Gold Rush, and Robert Service came across the name of Sam McGee while working at a bank in Whitehorse. The real Sam McGee left the Yukon in 1909 and moved to what is now Summerland, in B.C.” Sutherland Begin is quite busy with his performances these days. He recently lectured at the Penticton OC (Okanagan College) Speakers Series, with coverage by Shaw Cable Spotlight Features.

But heading to the territory is always high on the list of Sutherland Begin’s priorities and he is always happy to perform during the festival.

Andre Sutherland Begin will be reciting poems by famed Yukoner Robert Service, during the 2023 Rendezvous festival

“I will ‘Rendezvous’ as long as my health allows,” Sutherland Begin said.

During Rendezvous Andre Sutherland Begin will perform on Feb. 24 and 25, at 1:15 p.m., at the Kwanlin Dun Center reciting poems by Robert Service. He will also visit Whistle Bend Place, Copper Ridge Place and the Thomson Centre on Feb. 24 and 26 at 2:30 p.m. His final performance will be in The Railwork Lounge at the Raven Inn on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. n

PHOTO: Courtesy of Andre Sutherland Begin

GREY MATTERS

I submit this poem as part of my own journey here in the Yukon. Thankful for living on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, and for their continuing stewardship of this land that I have chosen to make my permanent home. As I come to my retirement and to the decision to stay here, I have tried to express some of my inner journey in this poem.

Over The Water

(A poem in the style of Robert Service)

Beverly C. S. Brazier

We’ve all come from over the water; The question not whether, but when Now me—I am new to the fireweed and gold And haven’t a claim to “back then.”

It’s luck that I am here North of 60, Convergence of chance and intent I wonder—Is this what I’m made for? Is this how my life will be spent?

The colours my spirit inhabits The spectrum that’s home to my soul, Give way for aurora, the way that they dance Till blind, I’m convinced that I’m whole.

“Back then” is what many are seeking, When newly we land on this shore Unpacking our southern-fried notions and dreams That still reek of the past we deplore.

The stream of our hopes fed by rivers That flow with the gold and the sun, And many would voice the illusion of choice That we’re free from the past, and I’m one.

Illusion’s deceptive and daring

It’s easy, up here, to succumb

It lurks and it hunkers down, biding its time In the voices that ask, “Where ya from?”

And that is the question explicit And that is the quest, once you’re here Where IS it you’re from, have you left it behind? Are you settled? A season? A year?

They say there’s a voice and I’ve heard it, And many will swear it is so “I came here,” they’ll say, “for one season—not long, and that was three decades ago.”

The voice that compels may be silent

Or a raven-like cluck, croak and caw The hills, autumn-rusted, are loud in the way that they sing to the newcomers’ awe.

We’ve all come from over some water; We’ve carried packs over some trail. It’s merely a question of chance and of time, What dreams and what visions prevail? n

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Author Bev Brazier reflects on her own journey, which has led her to the Yukon

PHOTO: Pixabay

Beverly Brazier is the ordained minister at Whitehorse United Church. She writes sermons regularly, but also enjoys the writers’ group at WUC that encourages her to expand her repertoire.

PROFILES

Skills Canada Yukon promotes trades and technology careers as a top choice for Yukoners. If you are interested in learning more about the trades and technology sectors, or want to connect with our community, please call 867-332-7446 or email: yukoncommunications@skillscanada.com You can also find us on Facebook and on Instagram @skillscanadayukon.

Interview with Dylan Ponsioen

Skills Yukon Affiliation: Two-Time First-Place Winner Outdoor Power and Recreation (Secondary)

Age: 18

Trade & Certifications: First-year apprentice Outdoor Power and Recreation Equipment Technician

Current workplace: Listers Motor Sports

How did you get involved in Skills Yukon?

I was told by my shop teacher that there was a competition for small engines, and he thought it would be a great idea for me to compete, knowing how much I loved working on small engines.

What do you feel like you have gained from competitions?

The competition, I feel, gave me the ability to improve my skills and challenged what I knew. I gained so much more understanding and knowledge from the competitions.

How did you decide on your trade?

I have been working in the outdoor power and recreation industry for over three years now. I’ve always been interested in the profession, so I decided to get an apprenticeship and make this my career.

Have you always been interested in trades?

I have been brought up in a very trade-oriented family. My grandfather was a machinist and my father is a very talented mechanic, so from a young age, I was learning [about] and fixing snowmobiles and quads. Now I’m working in an amazing industry.

Where do you see your career in five or 10 years?

In five to 10 years, I would really like to see myself teaching shop class, spreading the knowledge I learned (through my mentors) to kids so they can learn and possibly pursue the trade.

Was there anything you did in high school that helped you become better at the work you do now?

I got support from my teachers and employers. They saw the talent I had and supported me to give it my all, helping me to pursue

what I wanted to do. I wasn’t the best or smartest kid in school but all my teachers saw my potential and showed me that anything I put my mind to was possible.

Was there anything you found intimidating about your job before you started? If so, how did you overcome that?

I never really found my job intimidating; I did find that there was a lot of learning involved, though. I have learned so much and I wouldn’t be where I am without my co-workers teaching me and showing me what to do in the industry.

Is there a part of your trade that surprised you to learn?

Working on boats and outboard motors surprised me the most. There are so many little tricks to learn, to make everything run and work as it should.

What does a “normal” day on the job look like for you?

A normal day for me is all over the place. I could come in and work on an outboard in the morning, and after lunch I could be working on a snowmobile or quad— so I am always learning, and most of the issues are not the same, so it really tests your knowledge.

What is the most-interesting thing/project you have worked on?

I would say the most-interesting project I have worked on is stripping and rebuilding engines. There are so many intricate parts and tricks to make a motor run as it should.

Are you eligible for any grants or incentives for doing an apprenticeship in the Yukon?

I know in the apprenticeship program, after every exam, you get a thousand dollars, and what I found awesome is that I can claim my tools that I buy on my taxes. Where will you take your training?

I will be going to NAIT in the spring, for school, because my courses are only offered in Alberta.

What is your favourite part of your job?

My favourite part is that it is constant learning and testing my knowledge. No one will judge you if you mess up; they will teach you how to do it, so in the future you will know. n

Dylan competing at the 2022 Territorials

PHOTO: Donald Fortune Photography

column with Riley Olsen

Competing at the 2021 Territorials

PHOTO: Erik Pinkerton Photography

SEASONAL RECIPES

PRESERVED CLEMENTINES

Preserving citrus is a great way to make the most of the best part of winter produce. Salt-preserved clementines can be mixed into mayonnaise, as a quick dip, or chopped into salads, or as a topping for grilled or braised meats.

Makes 1 jar.

Ingredients

❑ Enough clementines, quartered, to fill the jar you’re using

❑ Salt

❑ Sugar

❑ Juice of 1–2 lemons

Instructions

1. Season the clementines with a good sprinkle of salt. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 parts salt to one part sugar, by weight.

2. Place enough salt-sugar mixture in the bottom of the jar to generously cover it, then add the seasoned clementines and salt mixture, in layers, until the jar is full. Pour lemon juice into the jar and press down the clementines until they are covered. Seal with a lid and place in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks. The clementines are ready when the skins are lovely and soft.

Lemons for lemon juice

Sydney [Oland] Keddy is a recipe developer who lives in Whitehorse. Her work can be found in The Boston Globe, Seriouseats.com as well as in other publications.

Clementines

PHOTOS: Pixabay

SOUP SEASON

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp dried rosemary

• 1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped

• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

• 1 celery stalk, chopped

• 4 cups lamb, chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 cup cooked barley*

• 1 cup cooked lamb or beef

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese and chopped mint for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Soup is welcoming to leftovers and a friend of improvisation; it can shrink or expand according to the number of personnel in the household, can be heated up at short notice, and only gets better with time. Herewith, three soups for the last days of February. Feel free to change them up according to the contents of your fridge.

1. Sauté the onion in oil or butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, rosemary and remaining vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes, until vegetables are beginning to soften.

2. Add stock, cover and bring to the boil, still at medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and add barley and lamb. Sim-

To prepare hulless barley, rinse it well and soak for 8 hours or overnight, before cooking—this reduces the cooking time considerably. Cook 1 cup soaked barley in 3 cups of water, for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and add to soup. (Tip: make more barley than you need for your soup and eat the extra for breakfast or use it as a base for crunchy salads.)

CREAM OF CARROT, PARSNIP AND POTATO SOUP

A celebration of local root vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped (2 cups)

• 6 large parsnips, peeled and chopped (3 cups)

• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped (2 cups)

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 cup 35% cream or coconut milk, extra as needed

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Grated nutmeg, for garnish

Instructions

1. Sauté onion in butter or olive oil in a large pot, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and stir to coat in butter or oil. Add stock, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until carrots, parsnips and potatoes are soft.

the lentils, and good olive oil finishes it off.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 medium carrot, chopped

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained

• 4 to 6 cups water

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 dried prunes, dates or apricots

• 2 to 3 Tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar

• 1 Tbsp olive oil, to finish

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté onion in oil in a mediumsized pot over medium heat, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and carrot and sauté another 2 minutes. Stir in thyme and tomato paste. Add lentils and stir. Pour in water, stir to combine and add bay leaves and dried fruit.

2. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until lentils are soft and soup is thick, about 1 hour. Stir in vinegar, and don’t be shy—vinegar gives this soup its characteristic flavour. Simmer the soup for about 10 minutes more, taste and add salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in 1 tablespoon of good olive oil. Makes 6 to 8 cups. n

SCOTCH BROTH

(Not the traditional version)

This recipe makes soup for four—multiply quantities proportionately, depending on how much leftover cooked meat you have. For a vegan version, substitute cooked split peas or lentils for the meat.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil or butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

mer for another 10 minutes to allow flavours to blend. Serve with crumbled Feta cheese and chopped mint over top. Makes about 6 cups.

*Raw starches, such as barley, rice or pasta, tend to absorb more than their fair share of liquid and turn soup into a thick stew; by cooking them beforehand, you have more control over the right amount to add.

2. Remove from heat and purée, until smooth, with an immersion blender, making sure there are no lumps whatsoever—the beauty of this soup is its satiny texture. Return soup to the burner at low heat and stir in cream or coconut milk, adding more if the soup is too thick. Heat for a few minutes and add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, grate a sprinkling of nutmeg over top and add a dollop of yogurt if you’d like. Makes 8 cups.

GREEK LENTIL SOUP

With crusty slices of bread, this soup is all you need for a warming weeknight supper. The dried fruit and vinegar add sweet and sour notes that work beautifully with

Miche Genest is a Whitehorse-based chef and writer. She is also somewhat of a gardener. Miche has also written two books: The Boreal Feast: A Culinary Journey Through The North and The Boreal Gourmet: Adventures In Northern Cooking.

Soup is just the best for the busy cook, especially in February when the light’s coming back and we’re rushing in from skiing or sledding or long winter walks, with rosy cheeks and an appetite

PHOTOS: Miche Genest

Cream of Carrot, Parsnip and Potato Soup

Greek Lentil Soup

Scotch Broth (not the traditional version)

SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION

SAFE RIDERS You can make snowmobiling safe!

pect the unexpected around each and every corner. Excessive speed and poor operator judgment is a very common theme in snowmobile accidents, which are, in most cases, easily preventable simply by slowing down and being ready to react to any surprises.

Getting out into the backcountry is where some of the Yukon’s best snowmobiling is; however, avalanche terrain poses a whole extra set of dangers to consider. Snowmobilers should never ride into potential avalanche terrain without first attending an avalanche training course and carrying avalanche equipment such as beacons, probes and shovels.

see-obstacles such as hard wind drifts and pressure ridges in the ice, and snowmobiles travelling on ice often take substantially longer to stop or steer than on a trail.

Another often overlooked aspect of a safe snowmobile ride is your survival and a first-aid pack. Every snowmobiler should have a convenient, lightweight survival pack and first-aid pack with them on every ride. If anything goes wrong in the wilderness, it could take many hours for help to find you, even if you are close to town, so having some food, water, fire and first-aid supplies is a must. Consider taking a first-aid course; they’re well worth it and your employer may even help pay for it.

Snowmobiling is a fun and safe activity for the whole family, and riders like you can help us keep it that way. With International Snowmobile Safety Week taking place each January, we thought this would be a good time to remind all snowmobilers of a few basic safety tips:

Every safe snowmobile ride starts before you leave. Always double-check that you have the right gear, inspect your snow-

mobile to ensure it’s in good working order, and always tell someone who is staying in town where you are going, what time you expect to return by and what to do if you don’t return. Carrying a communication device, such as an inReach or a SPOT, is also a good idea as phone service cannot be relied on in most snowmobile riding areas.

Helmets are the most basic snowmobile safety tip. An approved snowmobile helmet should

be worn at all times while riding snowmobiles and is required by law in many areas. There’s a ton of other great safety gear widely available, as well, ranging from avalanche airbags to floating snow suits, so if you ride a lot, it’s definitely worth the time to pick out some additional gear.

Another easy way that you can help make snowmobiling safe is to travel at reasonable speeds, ride within your abilities and ex-

Riding on ice is another area to think twice about. Snowmobiling on frozen lakes and rivers is a highly convenient and usually safe way to get around; however, there is extra risk involved. Riders should consider wearing a floating snowsuit and/or ice escape picks, as well as learn which areas typically have thin ice and avoid them. Also keep in mind that the frozen surface often has hard-to

Our last point, here, should be obvious; however, alcohol and drugs continue to be a factor in nearly half of all snowmobilerelated deaths in Canada. Please ride safe, ride sober—no exceptions.

For more snowmobile safety information, tips, stats, and links to courses, check out our website at ksa.yk.ca/safety. n

A little planning and understanding of snowmobile safety can make a day on the trail comfortable and fun

PHOTOS: James Connor

column with James Connor

The Klondike Snowmobile Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization formed in 1981 to represent snowmobilers in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Our mission is to “protect, develop and enhance the sport and recreation of snowmobiling in the Yukon.”

James Connor clears debris from the trail so other riders can travel safely

THE ‘IMPERTINENT, WACKY DISORDER’ OF WHITEHORSE IN THE ’50S

del] about it, she said it was a big deal in the town,” said Ellis. “She was puzzled that it was just forgotten.”

Though she’s long-since retired, Ellis keeps working hard to keep her friends’ stories alive.

She wants to help people understand what happened in the past and to forge connections to that history through first-person accounts from people who lived it.

“I think people should be asked if they have a story to tell, and those stories should come right from the source.”

When Pat Ellis walks around downtown Whitehorse, she sees evidence of the past because she knows just where to look.

She sees parts of Quonset huts and barracks left behind by the U.S. Army and subsumed into new buildings that are still in use today. She sees remnants of former “squatter” homes that once dotted the riverfront. And she sees the foundations of buildings from the short-lived CANOL refinery, still intact in the industrial area.

“Many people don’t know these parts of our history: there was a major refinery, right in downtown Whitehorse, that smelled like rotten eggs when it was running,” she said. “It opened in April 1944, with lots of fanfare, and then less than a year later it closed. Soon after … forgotten.”

Ellis came to Whitehorse in the mid-1950s. Over the years, she has been preserving, documenting and presenting stories from Yukon’s history, especially ones that she thinks deserve more attention.

For example, she became interested in the CANOL (short for Canadian American Norman Oil Line) project after hearing the incredible story from friends who were involved.

During the Second World War, the U.S. Army needed a reliable supply of oil to fuel the war effort in Alaska. So it constructed a 2,600-kilometre pipeline to move oil from Norman Wells, NWT, to Whitehorse—where a refinery was built to process the oil.

As it turned out, the price of fuel produced was high, and the war ended, so the project was shut down in 1945. The U.S. The Secretary of War later referred to it as “a waste of public funds.”

“It’s kooky,” she said. “The whole thing was approved based on a two-page letter.

Ellis self-published a book called The CANOL Adventures, in 2008. It’s a collection of historical documents and memories from people who were involved with the project in different ways, including Alex Van Bibber, who worked with the team that surveyed the pipeline’s route; and Gertrude Seidel, a refugee from the Nazis who worked in the CANOL’s Whitehorse office.

“When I talked to Gert [Sei -

Lured by the promise of high wages, Ellis arrived in Whitehorse as a “starving art student” looking for a summer job in 1953. She rented a room and quickly got a job as a “sort of scatterbrained secretary” with a busy construction company.

At that time the streets were unpaved and the city was “grey with gravel, but green with money,” she said. “You could make about double what was being offered in the rest of Canada.”

It was nearly a decade after the U.S. Army left. Scrounging for wartime leftovers—such as windows, doors and oil stoves— was a lucrative pastime. Construction was haphazard (Ellis called it “impertinent wacky disorder”), and rent was cheap.

“Without nosy building inspectors, many buildings were several per legal lot, at whatever angle they landed,” Ellis wrote in her first impressions of the city.

After another year of school, she returned in ’54 and found a job at the Taylor and Drury department store, located where Horwoods Mall is now, on Main Street.

She and a friend rented a small cabin in Whiskey Flats, a squatter community located where the SS Klondike National Historic Site and Rotary Park are today.

Built from a cut-down U.S. Army barrack, the cabin was just one partitioned room with a “temperamental wood stove,” a water barrel and a chemical toilet. The door didn’t lock.

After a few months, her friend left to get married in Vancouver. Ellis found another place to live but decided to stay in Whitehorse. And over the years she raised a family of three children. For a while she worked as a stayat-home mom, supplementing her income by selling her paintings. Then she got a job at the Whitehorse Star print shop where she learned “paste up,” a now old-fashioned method of laying out newspapers by hand.

“There were a lot of people coming and going, like Flo Whyard, a very talented editor; and Bob Erlam, a wheelerdealer owner who knew how to keep the business going,” she

said. “It was a very stimulating time in Whitehorse.”

In 1969, she created her own job after hearing that the federal department of Indian Affairs had started collecting local handmade crafts. She helped open a shop, to sell the crafts on Main Street, and stayed on a contract for five years. She bought crafts from local craftspeople who sewed, such as Annie Smith, Sophie Miller and the Chambers family.

“These people were artists: They knew how to cut stuff that fit, and they would come up with the most-spectacular designs for hats and mitts,” said Ellis. “It was all so creative and unique. You couldn’t order a crate of mukluks, and that’s what made them so beautiful.”

Ellis still sees some of the designs that were sold through the shop, still in use on the streets of Whitehorse today.

After Ellis’ contract ran out, Lorraine Joe took over the business and has been running the Indian Craft Shop ever since. The money from product sales was used to fund grants through the Yukon Foundation.

Meanwhile, Ellis used savings from her salary to purchase a small home at the foot of the clay cliffs, but just a few years later, the City of Whitehorse bought her out as part of the escarpment clearance in 1974.

Once her kids grew up, she travelled and found her strengths in writing, drawing and painting. As a member of the Yukon Art Society, she found many opportun-

Park, Copper Ridge Place and a giant 30-panel mural (at the Yukon Transportation Museum) that she drew out with Edith Jerome.

“We never made much money at it, but it was fun,” she said. “You can’t be too serious about art; people try, but that’s just silly and pretentious.”

In 2015, Ellis published a collection of stories and photographs (from former residents of Whiskey Flats, Moccasin Flats and Sleepy Hollow) called The Squatters of Downtown Whitehorse

“I wanted to do it because I was mad: There were lots of convoluted stories about who was living in these squatter areas,” she said. “I wanted to set the record straight: there were really hardworking people living there.”

Throughout the years, she’s also written countless stories for local newspapers and worked on several other projects including a book on riverboats (a collection of stories about the Trump family’s connection to the Yukon) and some research for the Anglican Church in Whitehorse.

In 2016, Ellis was recognized with a Heritage Award from the Yukon Historical and Museums Association. And in 2019, she was one of the first inducted into the Order of Yukon.

ities to use her artistic skills.

“I always enjoyed sketching and history. It all sort of grew out of that—like a mushroom on a manure pile,” she added with a laugh.

In 1992, she published Yukon Sketchbook: A Travellers Companion, a collection of her drawings of historical places and events. Over the years, she’s also painted public murals in Atlin; and in Whitehorse at City Hall, Shipyards

Despite all she has accomplished, Ellis is humble. She would much rather tell a story about history than talk about herself.

Most recently, she has received a heritage grant to work on collecting information about Father William Judge and the former St. Mary’s Hospital in Dawson.

“There’s so much history, and the stories are so interesting; you can just keep going and going.”

At age 88, Ellis has no plans to stop anytime soon. n

For over 70 years, Pat Ellis has been collecting stories from Yukon’s history by going right to the source—to the people who lived it

Artist and historian Pat Ellis surrounded by some of her artwork (2021)

Pat Ellis managed a handcraft shop on Main Street in the late 1960s and early 1970s (September 10, 1970)

PHOTO: Leighann Chalykoff

This series is provided by the Government of Yukon Historic Sites unit. It highlights the people, places and things that contribute to the Yukon’s rich and vibrant heritage.

PHOTO: Courtesy of the Whitehorse Star

BEAT THE HEAT 2023

Become a Wildland Firefighter

Yukon First Nations Wildfire is hosting multiple wildland firefighting training programs this spring, summer and fall!

EARN CERTIFICATES:

☛ Standard First Aid/CPR-C

☛ Wildfire Suppression Training (S-131 Equivalency)

☛ Wildland Firefighter Type II Crew Member

☛ ICS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System

☛ ROC-A: Restricted Radio Operator Certificate

☛ Transport of Dangerous Goods - Aeronautical

☛ WHMIS

☛ Basic Chainsaw Maintenance & Operation

☛ Rotor Wing Operations Training

And more!

STEP OUTSIDE

Larry Leigh is an avid angler, hunter and all-round outdoors person who prefers to cook what he harvests himself. He is a past president of the Canadian Wildlife Federation and retired hunter-education coordinator for the Government

FIREARM CARE AND MAINTENANCE

This is the result of modern engineering and chemistry, which has given us stainlesssteel barrels, actions and anti-rust metal coatings such as Cerakote. Synthetic and laminated stocks are tough and easy to maintain. Current barrel solvents dissolve copper and lead from bullets, preventing pitting and lead/copper residue that leads to inaccuracy and shorter barrel life. Of course, the science behind modern powders and bullets generally results in extreme accuracy and reduces wear on the bore.

It wasn’t long ago that the rule was to clean your gun after every time it was used. This is still a good plan to follow but not as essential. Obviously if the firearm got wet, it needs to get some TLC, as rust or other corrosion can still occur. The treatment is pretty simple: just let the gun dry and then wipe it down with a treated (oily) rag and bore cleaning rod. Surprisingly, light surface rust can be readily removed with (of all things) oil on a small piece of wool felt, as found in winter boot liners. It is

just abrasive enough to do the job and won’t remove the finish on the metal.

Winter hunts, except for ptarmigan, are limited to caribou (in a few locations), and bison. During these hunts, a few steps or precautions can keep firearms problems to a minimum. One of the more easily solved difficulties is the rifle freezing to the point that the action cannot be opened to load or unload. A similar situation can result, with the freezing of the firing pin mechanism, to where it doesn’t release at all; or a worse situation where the freezing causes the delayed release of the mechanism (a hang fire). These can be minimized by removing any oil (lubricant/rust prevention) by cleaning the action with a solvent to remove the oil. Other than oil, moisture also can cause major challenges to be avoided because when it freezes, similar to lubricating oil, it locks the moving parts of the firearm so that nothing moves. Moisture can and should be avoided and it is simple to do so. Unless the firearm has been dropped in the

snow or into water, moisture is im

mediately created when you bring a very cold firearm into a warm environment such as a tent, cabin or vehicle. The moisture appears everywhere including inside the stock where the action and barrel are seated.

A straightforward way to prevent this from happening is to just not bring the gun from a cold environment into a warm one. You can put the gun in a closed case and let it warm up gradually inside the case or just leave the gun in the cold environment outside the warm area. You can put it in an unheated vehicle or locked in a gun case on an ATV or snow machine. Binoculars, cameras and other optics can be treated the same way to keep them working. They all need to be warmed up gradually.

Tape over the muzzle keeps snow and mud out. Carry a cleaning rod to remove an obstruction in the barrel.

My Canadian Tire metal gun box sits on short pieces of two-byfours, to keep it off the cool concrete floor in the basement. n

It used to be that firearm maintenance was more tedious and certainly more frequently needed than it is currently

PHOTO: Pixabay

Good old-fashioned care can keep firearms looking good and operating as they should

column with Larry Leigh

of Yukon.

2023 DAWSON CITY FUR SHOW

Saturday, March 18th from 12PM – 5PM

Robert Service School Gym

Dawson City Thaw-Di-Gras

Spring Carnival Weekend

Free Moose Stew and Bannock!

Best Fur Competition!

Trap Setting Competition!

Amazing Prizes!

• Chainsaws • Skimmers

• Trapping Supplies & More

Fur and Crafters Market!

Skinning Demonstrations!

Free tables are available for Trappers and Crafters wishing to sell. Limited tables are available so please RSVP ASAP. Furs submitted for judging must be received on Saturday, March 18th, from 8AM - 12PM.

All interested Crafters and Trappers are asked to RSVP to dawsonrrc@northwestel.net or (867)-993-6976 by Thursday, March 16th.

SOLO TRAVEL

Tips for your next solitary adventure

Most of the travelling I’ve done in my life has been solo. Sometimes it’s been out of necessity—but most of the time, out of preference. I started travelling by myself at a young age, so it’s probably also become something that I’m just used to. From being smushed in a Greyhound seat for several days from New York to Seattle, to exploring New Zealand alone for a month, to driving down the California Coast and sleeping in my car, to travelling to South America for the first time (without knowing a single word of Spanish). I have so many unforgettable memories of my solitary adventures. While solo travel is becoming more and more popular, for many it’s still something they wouldn’t normally consider.

One of my favourite solo trips was a week-long visit to the Orkney Islands in Northern Scotland. It was short and sweet and completely unplanned. I was already in Europe visiting friends and had a bit of time to go do something on my own. I’d always wanted to visit Scotland, but having only a few days at my disposal, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to do it justice—at least not on this particular trip. I wanted to put some geographical limits in place so that I’d feel less overwhelmed with having to make decisions of where to go and what to do. So I booked a flight to Kirkwall, the largest town on the Orkney archipelago.

Solo trips aren’t always easy … sometimes loneliness creeps in, or anxiety and fear about things going wrong and having to deal with them on your own. But, for me, the trips that I’ve gone on by myself will always hold a special, almost sacred place in my heart. They’ve always been filled with so much freedom, so much peace, so much time to think and remember who I am without the distractions of everyday life.

So, if you’re thinking of going on a solo trip this year, here are a few tips:

Length

If you’ve never done a trip alone, maybe start with a short one. During the course of a month or more, you will have your ups and downs and may very well be tempted to throw in the towel. But if you go for a week or 10 days, you’re more likely to enjoy it without falling too far into a “low” along the way.

Orkney for seven days, I had my backpack and nothing else. Travelling light has the added benefit of making it easier for you to manage your luggage when flying or travelling by train. It means less squeezing your suitcases into airport bathroom stalls, no waiting at baggage carousels and less lugging around bags, by yourself, between trains.

change a tire or jump-start a car. Having your own mode of transportation can offer the opportunity to explore beautiful places off the beaten path, but many of those spots may not have good cell service.

Loneliness

Clockwise from top left:

u The Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae on a sunny November morning

u Exploring Stromness on foot

u Watching the moon rise at the Ring of Brodgar

Eating out

u

There’s no shame in not wanting to eat out all the time. Sometimes you’ll feel drawn to go eat at a table for one in a bustling local restaurant, but it’s alright if sometimes you just want to order room service or pick up something at the neighbourhood grocery store and eat it at your Airbnb, curled up in bed. There’s actually no shame in any decision you make while travelling alone. You don’t have to be accountable to anyone but yourself. You’re free. You can do things exactly as you want. No one is judging you.

Travelling light

If you’re not going for very long, consider travelling with just the basics. When I went to

Tips on transportation

I chose not to rent a car in Orkney because I didn’t want the added cost and responsibility, and so I decided to use public transportation instead (and I did a lot of walking, as well). Do some research before your trip, and if you’re heading to a place with a wide public-transportation system, such as almost anywhere in Europe, consider travelling that way. However, if you’re going to a place (like many parts of North America) that has very little public transportation, it might be a good idea to rent a car or take your own. If you rent a car, many rental companies offer roadside assistance, but it’s a good idea, for your own peace of mind, to brush up on certain basic skills before you go, such as how to

If you’ll be travelling for a while, consider mixing in activities that include other people. Book a day tour somewhere where you’ll meet other travellers, sign up for a week-long language course in a city along the way, or take part in a local cooking class. Travelling alone can be liberating and fun, but most likely you’ll eventually find yourself in a situation where you’ll look around and see only happy couples and families enjoying themselves, and feel a bit lonely. Do something with other people, for a day or two, and you’ll be much more inclined to appreciate your solo time again afterwards.

Nothing is perfect

Understand that no mode of travel is perfect. If you’re travelling with friends and family, you’ll have to make compromises. De-

ciding where to eat or what to do will most likely not be up to only you. Travelling alone comes with its own disadvantages: you won’t have anyone to split the price of a hotel room with, and tours can be more expensive. You may get prying questions or bewildered looks when people realize you’re travelling alone, and you may miss having someone to share certain experiences with. But, on the flip side, you’ll have conversations with other people that you might never have if you were travelling with your partner, your family or your friends. You’ll learn foreign languages faster and you won’t have to worry about an argument with a travelling companion ruining your vacation.

Be yourself

This is your chance—your opportunity—to be totally yourself. No one knows you and you don’t have to be limited by your past. No one will judge you or remind you of who they think you are or should be. Enjoy yourself; do something totally new. Try foods you’ve always wanted to try. Go bungee jumping or spend an hour watching the sunset. Remember what used to make you feel alive as a kid—or a dream that you’ve always wanted to bring to fruition. No one is stopping you and “the sky’s the limit.”

Finding a balance

Be open and flexible. Let yourself be surprised. Let your plans change. No one is waiting for you and you don’t have to run your plans by anyone first. Enjoy the spontaneity. Find a balance between that and planning enough so that you feel safe and secure. Consider booking the first few nights of accommodation so you can relax and enjoy yourself and explore once you arrive, instead of having to immediately deal with finding a place to stay. Do a bit of research and be prepared, but welcome new ideas as they present themselves.

Have fun!

A solo trip will help you grow self-confidence and independence, and give you clarity about what you like and what you want in your life. It will help you to grow as a person. You’ll realize that being outside of your comfort zone can bring all kinds of gifts your way. You’ll discover new things about the world and about yourself. Have fun, be safe, and surprise yourself! n

Whiskey tasting at the Highland Park Distillery in Kirkwall

PHOTOS: Jessica Surber

with Jessica Surber

MORE THAN A ROAD TRIP

C, would mean that the consequences of anything going wrong would be amplified. Unpredictable Arctic weather meant that road conditions would likely be variable, at best, and that the threat of severe blizzards, snow drifts and possible highway closures, due to accidents or passing storms, were all working against us. On top of all this, we had only two days to get it done and over 20 hours of combined driving time to squeeze into that window.

In the Yukon, we are fortunate to be home to one of the largest migratory herds of caribou in North America, the Porcupine caribou herd. Recent estimates suggest that herd numbers are at just over 200,000, but in the last 50 years, these numbers have fluctuated between 100,000 to 200,000 animals. Evidence-based recommendations, from amazing organizations such as the Porcupine Caribou Management Board (PCMB), have facilitated joint conservation efforts between the Yukon, Alaska and N.W.T. and have helped to contribute to the success of the herd in recent years. Porcupine caribou are an important source of food for people who live in the North, and one of the main mandates of the PCMB is to ensure that we can maintain a sustainable harvest.

Despite their populations numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the fact that these animals are typically on the move and cover so much ground makes them tricky to find, let alone hunt. Every year, these caribou participate in a 2,400-kilometre trip through Alaska, the Yukon and the N.W.T. before heading back to their calving grounds on the Coastal Plain of Alaska. With a range encompassing 250,000 square kilometres of largely intact, pristine northern landscape, the only way to hunt them successfully is to be in the right place at the right time.

In the winter of 2020, I set out with three of my good friends, Kequyen Lam, Raphael Pelletier and Tom Craddock, to try to harvest one of these amazing creatures. We had it on good authority that

the herd was passing through the northern Yukon, but we knew that getting to them was going to be tricky. With only two scheduled days off work, I picked the guys up immediately after locking the doors of my day job at the phar-

macy on Friday evening. With a fully loaded truck packed with our warmest clothes, emergency gear and four childishly ambitious grown men, we began the 900-kilometre drive north. Despite having done much big-

ger road trips in my day, I knew this mission was going to be tricky. Covering that much ground in remote country, in the middle of winter, at night, with very few people around and with temperatures dropping as low as -40

Against all odds and fuelled by ample amounts of caffeine and good tunes, we pushed on.

Four hundred kilometres into the drive, the northern lights lit up the sky and, as the show increased in intensity, we pulled over to take it in. As we drove up and down big valleys, we were impressed by the dramatic temperature inversions and watched it go from -34 to as warm as -6, in just a few hundred metres. Although it was the middle of the night, the northern lights didn’t let up for several hours and illuminated the mountaintops and the tundra so that we could still enjoy the views. At 4 a.m. and 10 hours after having left Whitehorse, we reached our destination.

After a quick three-hour sleep, we ate breakfast and jumped back into the truck. It was showtime. We had another 60 kilometres to cover before we got to where we thought the caribou would be passing through, and we wanted to be there before the sun came up. As it got brighter outside, everyone in the truck was on high alert. All eyes were scanning to see if we could spot any lone bulls or smaller groups of caribou. Tom was sitting shotgun, so he and I had a big advantage to see wildlife (over Raph and Keqs, who were in the back). We made a bet that whoever spotted the first bull that was within range wouldn’t have to worry about his next bar tab—a little extra incentive for an already motivated bunch.

As the sun came up over the mountains, we were treated to an absolutely beautiful morning. The temperature sat at a comfort-

cont’d on page 18 ...

In all of the natural world, there are few sights that can match the spectacle of the great barrenground caribou migrations

Casey Donovan is all smiles after a successful caribou hunt

PHOTO: Casey Donovan

Yukon Unguided is a grassroots educational platform that aims to inspire an ethical and passionate community of DIY hunters and anglers.

The Best Things in Life are… Rescued!

Meet GUS GUS!

He is a 14-week-old male large mixed breed.

Gus Gus will steal your heart with his desire to play, and he loves to snuggle up! He will be mediumlarge, and benefit from regular exercise. He is working on house training but will pick it up quickly once in a home environment.

He will need training and socializing as all puppies do. He is a sweet little guy who would do well in a home with children, and with proper introductions to another dog or dog-savvy cat.

If you are interested in adopting Gus Gus, please fill out an online application at humanesocietyyukon.ca. If you already have a pre-approved application with us within the last year, call 633-6019 to put your application towards him.

Shelter Hours:

Tuesdays - Fridays 12pm-6pm

Saturdays - 10am-6pm 126 Tlingit St, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 6J2 | Tel: 867 633 6019

MATINEE SPECIALS

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA (TBC - CHECK WEBSITE) fri-thurs, daily, including matinees Peyton Reed, 125 MINS

COCAINE BEAR (TBC - CHECK WEBSITE)

fri-thurs, daily Elizabeth Banks, 95 MINS

YUKON THEATRE CONTEST

PURCHASE A TICKET TO A YUKON THEATRE SCREENING AND ENTER TO WIN A $500 GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM AIR NORTH, YUKON’S AIRLINE! DRAWS WILL BE HELD EVERY THREE MONTHS

Do you have a fear of PUBLIC SPEAKING?

Would you like to improve your public speaking skills, build confidence and hone your listening skills?

ü Feel free to attend with no obligation, any Toastmaster (TM) meeting.

ü You can attend 3 meetings as a guest while deciding to join.

ü You can just show up at a meeting before we begin (11:55am).

Actually, great value for the benefit, private public speaking professionals charge hundreds of dollars for courses, TM is much more affordable.

WHEN: Thursdays noon to 1pm (meet at 11:50 to noon at door)

WHERE : Northwestel bldg, Lambert St & 3rd Ave (blue coloured door around back side) QUESTIONS: herbeeking(at)hotmail.com

GUESTS WELCOME

FOSTER FAMILIES NEEDED

As most adoptions happen in the city, YARN relies heavily on foster homes in the city when pups are ready for adoption. We look after all the vet appointments and adoption applications.

YARN cannot continue accepting litters, unless it has foster homes to care for them in the city, while they find their homes. We are in need of some great Fosters Families to help our little fur-babies when they arrive in Whitehorse.

If you are interested and able to help in fostering please get in contact with us via our page @YukonAnimalRescueNetwork or send us a message via Facebook messenger or email: cheryl@YukonAnimalRescue.net

Klondike Institute of Art and Culture Dawson City, YT

ODD GALLERY MEMBERS’

Feb 23 – April 1, 2023

JULIAN FORREST | NEW PAINTINGS

Opening Reception: Fri Feb 24

BANDSWAP @ GERTIES

Fri Feb 24, 8pm

We’re mixing up local musicians into brand new 90s bands who’ll debut on the Gerties Stage!

COFFEE HOUSE & OPEN MIC NIGHT

Sat March 4, 7pm

BUTOH: POST-MODERN DANCE & PERFORMANCE ART CLASS W/ BLACKBIRD

Sun, March 5, 1-3:30pm

MEGAN & AMY CLASSICAL PIANO AND VIOLIN CONCERT

Wed March 8, 7pm

Tel: (867) 993-5005

Email: kiac@kiac.ca Website: www.kiac.ca

Soirée de lancement Réseaud'entraide communautaire

1er mars

5 à 7 avec bu et à Yukonstruct

Gratuit

MORNING PROGRAMS 10-11am

Monday: Baby Sign 0-24 months

Tuesday: Power of Painting All Ages

Wednesday: Construction Zone All Ages

Thursday: Reserved for group use Closed to the public

Friday: Hooked on Stories All Ages

AFTERNOONS & SATURDAYS

PORCUPINE SQUAD

24 – Jan 3.

A weekly, action-focused circle of fire + fellowship for those who identify as male. A safe + brave space for men to share their wins and challenges, dig deeper into what’s really holding you back, have honest conversations, set goals and be accountable.

Call/text Michael at 867-332-4722 or email: mjvernon@gmail.com arkabrotherhood.com

ACTIVE LISTINGS

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Zumba

6:00 PM 7th Ray Studio A fitness program that combines Latin and international music with dance moves. Register online

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Kids BJJ

4:45 & 6:00 PM Eight Days

Martial Arts Children’s classes are focused on self defense Jiu Jitsu. A typical class starts with a warm up game, stretching, technique/ drilling, and ends with more fun games! For kids 4 - 12 years old.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Sass Class

– Drop in 6:15 PM Velvet Antler Productions Some super sassy dance cardio and across the floor progressions, along with tantalizing floorwork and sexy choreography. https://bit.ly/3QqUMMz

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Spirit Bear

Karate The Heart of Riverdale Community Centre 6:30 PM & 7:30 PM Traditional Okinawan

Shorin-ryu Seibukan Karate Do. Adult Class (16 y/o and up) http:// spiritbearkaratekobudo.ca

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Badminton

Adult Drop-in Takhini Elementary

7:30 PM Open to everyone 18 years old and older and all skill levels

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 NO-GI JIU

JITSU Eight Days Martial Arts

7:30 PM This class is very similar to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, only the students typically practice in shorts and a rash guard t-shirt, rather than a Gi. There is also typically a little more wrestling and leg locks due to the rules in tournaments being less restrictive.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Total Body

HIIT 12:15 PM Habit Health and Wellness A 30 minute total bodyweight cardio class. Drop In

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Intro to No Bun Ballet – Drop In 6:00 PM Velvet Antler Productions A low impact, medium/ high energy class. We will strip it all down to the basics while you tighten your core, increase your strength and build on the fundamentals for all VA classes and performances. Register online https://bit. ly/3CucusG

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Zumba 6:00 PM 7th Ray Studio A fitness program that combines Latin and international music with dance moves. Register online

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Women’s Brazilian JIU JITSU Eight Days Martial Arts 6:00 AM a grappling based art that utilizes takedowns, sweeps, joint locks and strangle holds to subdue your opponent or attacker. BJJ emphasizes a lot of drilling and live sparring also know as “rolling”

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Muay Thai

Kickboxing Eight Days Martial Arts 12:00 PM The art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai Kickboxing has proven itself to be the go to striking style of many martial arts champions.

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Badminton

Adult Drop-in Takhini

Elementary 7:30 PM Open to everyone 18 years old and older and all skill levels

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Lunchtime

Mat Class – Drop in 12:00 PM

Velvet Antlers Productions This class will take you through a flowing series stretches intended to increase length and mobility, along with some light core conditioning. A great way to transition from work time to YOU time. https://bit.ly/3jPb9pX

Sun Feb 26 Kick/Grip Waxing for Beginners 11:00 AM Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre In this 1h workshop learn how to prep your skis to ensure the best grip when out skiing. https://bit. ly/3R6qgrv Sun Feb 26 & Mar

5 Kids Muay Thai 4:45 PM

Eight Days Martial Arts Muay

Thai teaches combat skills that are good for self-defense along with positive holistic effects like respect, discipline, focus, and confidence. Open to ages 8 - 12.

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 BRAZILIAN

JIU JITSU Eight Days Martial Arts 7:30 PM a grappling based art that utilizes takedowns, sweeps, joint locks and strangle holds to subdue your opponent or attacker. BJJ emphasizes a lot of drilling and live sparring also know as “rolling”

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 KIDS MUAY

THAI Eight Days Martial Arts

4:45 PM a dynamic and engaging martial art that can be traced to the middle of the 18th century. The sport is also referred to as the “Art of Eight Limbs” because it utilizes punching, kicking, elbowing and knee strikes. Muay Thai teaches combat skills that are good for self-defense along with positive holistic effects like respect, discipline, focus, and confidence. Open to ages 8 - 12.

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Women’s Muay Thai Kickboxing Eight Days Martial Arts 6:00 PM The art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai Kickboxing has proven itself to be the go to striking style of many martial arts champions.

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Muay Thai Kickboxing Eight Days Martial Arts 12:00 PM The art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai Kickboxing has proven itself to be the go to striking style of many martial arts champions.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Kicksledding

Together with Elder Active 10:00 AM Whitehorse Improve your endurance and kicksled technique, including efficient and balanced kicking, turning, and safe downhill and braking.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Kids BJJ 4:45 & 6:00 PM Eight Days Martial Arts

Children’s classes are focused on self defense Jiu Jitsu. A typical class starts with a warm up game, stretching, technique/ drilling, then ends with more fun games! These classes are appropriate for kids 412 years old..

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 6:00, 12:05 & 7:30 PM Eight Days Martial Arts Often referred to as the game of human chess, BJJ is a grappling based art that utilizes takedowns, sweeps, joint locks and strangle holds to subdue your opponent or attacker. BJJ emphasizes a lot of drilling and live sparring also known as “rolling”.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Salsa and Bachata – Beginner and Intermediate Classes 7:30 PM Heart of Riverdale Community Centre A fun and person-centered class, including switching partners will be encouraged to promote

communication & further learning open to couples or singles. Email salsayukon@gmail.com to register and for info

WELLNESS LISTINGS

Elder and Counselor available Emotional and Spiritual support, free to Indigenous women, girls, 2 spirited in Yukon, Northern BC: Phone, video appointments or in person. Call Toll Free 866 667 6162 or visit www.yawc.ca for info.

Monday, Tuesdays & Thursdays

Sally and Sisters 11:30 AM Whitehorse United Church A welcoming environment where women and their children can enjoy a hot meal.

Tuesdays & Saturdays

Counseling Drop-In and Short Term Counselling Service 11:00 AM Canadian Mental Health Association, Yukon Free DropIn counselling is offered every Tuesday 11am - 4pm and Saturday from 11am - 3pm. Call 668-6429 for more info.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly) 8:00 AM 100 Lambert St. Common Room Want to improve or maintain a healthy weight? Join us! Every Wednesday morning. Call or text 867-334-1725 for more details.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Community Kitchen 11:30 AM Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre Hot nutritious meals to-go, a free, low-barrier, program for women identifying individuals and children. Call 667-2693 for more info.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Dads Matter Group 5:30 PM NVD Place A group for dads, grandfathers, stepdads, uncles, foster fathers, all male caregivers are welcome. Join us to talk about parenting and meet other male caregivers. For more info contact 336-0795 or email ante.tokic@yukon.ca

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Arka

Brotherhood Circle: Porcupine Squad 6:30 PM Whitehorse For men eager to identify and move past self-limiting beliefs, stretch beyond their comfort zone and embody the best version of himself. To register email or call mjvernon@gmail.com 332-4722.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Overeaters Anonymous Meeting 7:30 PM Overeaters Anonymous For more information contact oayukon@ gmail.com for more information

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 No Puffin Group (CM) 8:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Beginner w/Experience – Level 1 5:30

PM Alpine Bakery – Upstairs Sun Salutation A+B, foundational standing poses. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Move with Life w/Phillipe – All Levels 7:30

PM Alpine Bakery – Upstairs A condition practice for movers of all types seeking agility, mobility, stamina and strength. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Drop in Morning Practice with Nakai 8:00 AM The Guild Hall gentle and invigorating morning sessions, led by Nakai’s Artistic Director Jacob Zimmer. Drop in, admission by donation.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Hatha Yoga 12:00 PM Grace Space Find alignment mental and physical during this hour of inspiring hatha yoga,. Register online. https://bit. ly/3kFowWQ

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Mantra and Relaxation 4:15 PM White Swan Sanctuary This class is about developing awareness of your inner Light through the practices of chanting mantra and deepening relaxation

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Vitality Yoga w/Nancy 5:30 PM Alpine Bakery –Upstairs Kundalini yoga cleanses and detoxifies the body, neutralizes stress, rewires natural pathways. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@ mac.com

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Family & Friends Support Group 7:00 PM Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) A drop-in support group for family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness. Call 668-6429 or email programs@yukon.cmha.ca for more info.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 KDCC

Walking with Our Sisters Sewing Group 5:00 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Breathe + Stretch w/Carrie 7:30 PM Alpine

Bakery – Upstairs A slow paced class to stretch the body. PreRegister by email wallymaltz@ mac.com

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 AA Polar

Group - O/M 7:30 PM Christ Church Cathedral Join our support group in person or for our zoom room address email aapolargroup@gmail.com

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Yoga wake up flow with Sheila 7:20 AM Online These classes are intended to help you build a consistent and comfortable yoga practice and build a community around that practice! https://www. rootedtreemassage.com/bookonline

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Morning Yoga

Stretch 9:00 AM 7th Ray Studio

Easing into the day with gentling warming up and stretching. All levels are welcome Register online.

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 AA Whitehorse Group (OM, NS) 8:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral Looking for support with your relationship with alcohol? Join the AA Whitehorse Group..

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Men’s Support Group for Indigenous men 18 and over CYFN Council Of Yukon

First Nations Family Preservation Services is hosting a Snaring & Trapping Workshop as part of its ongoing Support Group for Yukon First Nations and Indigenous men. Register now as space is limited!

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Slow Flow

Resto – All Levels 5:30 PM Stretch, flow + restore – a great way to end the week for a better weekend. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 Yoga with Amber 7:15 PM Habit Health and Wellness book online or email habitcommunity@gmail.com for more info

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 Kundalini

Wake-Up with Nancy Alpine

Bakery & Upstairs 9:00 AM Start the day with classic Kundalini yoga sets and meditations that stimulate the mind, activate the body and magnetize your energy. To register email wallymaltz@mac.com http:// www.yogayukon.ca/yogayukon/ Schedule.html

Sat Feb 25 Caregivers Tea 10:30 AM Cornerstone Are you caregiving for a loved one with dementia or a life-limiting illness? Come to connect with fellow caregivers, enjoy your own self-care break, savor tea and treats, connect and relax. https:// hospiceyukon.net/en/2023/01/09/ caregiver-tea/

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 AA Hospital

Meeting 7:00 PM Christ Church

Cathedral

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Vitality Yoga

w/Nancy 9:00 AM Alpine Bakery –Upstairs Kundalini yoga cleanses and detoxifies the body, neutralizes stress, rewires natural pathways. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@ mac.com

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Restorative

Yoga – All Levels 10:30 AM Alpine

Bakery – Upstairs Restorative poses are long holds over supportive props relaxing variations of backbends. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Self-Love

Sunday – Drop In 11:00 AM

Velvet Antlers Productions This class is taught with an easy breezy feel, with a focus on poise and confidence.

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Candlelight

YIN with Caitlyn MacMaster 6:45 PM Habit Health & Wellness Yin yoga is a calming practice, using long holds as an opportunity to journey inward, let thoughts settle, and build self-awareness.

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Live And

Online Kundalini Yoga 8:00 AM

Online Kriya, mudra, and mantra awaken your body and focus the mind. We will follow one sequence until you are able to find yourself in the flow, before moving on Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Smart

Recovery Addictions Support 6:45 PM Sarah Steele Building.

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Absolute

Beginners – Intro 5:30 PM Alpine

Bakery - Upstairs Introduction to yoga with Erica. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 CRUSH

2023! (or… what can a men’s circle do for me?) 7:00 PM

Inclusion Yukon Meet the men involved and learn more about the two ARKA Brotherhood men’s circles changing lives in Whitehorse. http://www. arkabrotherhood.com

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Hips, Hams Core – All Levels 7:30 PM Alpine

Bakery - Upstairs Fairly vigorous classes with emphasis on breath and slower is stronger. PreRegister by email wallymaltz@ mac.com

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 AA New

Beginnings Group (OM, NS) 8:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Arka

Brotherhood Circle: Grizzly Squad 7:00 PM Whitehorse For men eager to identify and move past self-limiting beliefs, stretch beyond their comfort zone and embody the best version of himself. Register by email or phone bcdrisco@gmail.com/867-3320465.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Drop in Morning Practice with Nakai 8:00 AM The Guild Hall gentle and invigorating morning sessions, led by Nakai’s Artistic Director Jacob Zimmer. Drop in, admission by donation.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Yoga with Barbara – All Levels 10:00 AM Whitehorse United Church All welcome, or register: Call/text 3351996 or email bfraingower@gamil. com

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Sewing Circle

1:00 PM Champagne and Aishihik

First Nations CAFN Sewing Circle is every Tuesday. A gathering space available to work on your projects. Refreshments and snacks will be served.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Men’s Community Group 5:30 PM Mountainview Church We start with a meal and fellowship, then work through a biblical study, and take time to pray for one another, and for shared requests.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Intermediate

– Level 2 5:30 PM Alpine Bakery – Upstairs Explore alignment and form in a wide range of familiar + new poses. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Yoga by Amber 7:00 PM 7th Ray Studio A yoga class that is for all levels and abilities, register online.

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7 Better Backs Hips, Hams 7:30 PM Alpine Bakery – Upstairs Critical alignment therapy and therapeutic work for healing. Pre-Register by email wallymaltz@mac.com

Tue Feb 28 & Mar 7AA

UglyDuckling Group (C/M, NS)

8:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral New members always welcome, this is a non smoking group.

Wed Mar 1 Grief Yoga 6:00 PM Whitehorse A gentle way to rebalance energy, support self-care and gently release the grief we hold in our bodies. Not intended to be a fitness class. Yoga mats are available if needed. Judgmentfree zone. For more info email carlie@hospiceyukon.net orCall 667-7429 https://hospiceyukon.net/ en/2023/01/09/grief-yoga/

Thu Mar 2 Advance Care Planning (& Advance Directives) 1:30 PM Whistle Bend Place Rowena Beckett of the Palliative Care Resource Team to present.

Fri Mar 3 Purple Circle to Heal from Having Harmed 10:30 AM Online For those who have done harm, are willing to take responsibility and seek to explore their healing edge as well as how this harm has impacted their life, and that of others. Email yukoncircleofchange@gmail.com for more info. https://forms.gle/ fpLUKTErqt1ebe9W9

More Than A Road Trip cont’d from page 14

able -16 and there was barely a gust of wind, nor a cloud in the sky. Despite this gorgeous weather, we had been warned about a severe storm that was forecasted to hit later on in the day, so we knew that we would have to stay pretty close to the truck. None of us were experienced in dealing with severe conditions in the Arctic, during the winter, and we certainly didn’t want to push our luck or take any chances. Thirty minutes before we arrived at our destination, I heard Raph scream from the back seat—“Caribou!”

A small group of 16 caribou sat west of us, just 400 metres off the road. Perfect. While the majority of the herd was composed of females and younger animals, there were two distinct, larger bulls in the group that stood out to us right away. We quickly got out our binoculars and spotting scopes to confirm the sex. Because it is illegal to harvest female caribou, and their antlers can often grow quite large, spotting the penis sheath on males is the correct way to confirm a positive ID. Females can be identified by spotting the distinct black vulva patch on the hind of the animal.

After getting a positive ID on the bigger bull, I grabbed my 30.06 and stepped off the road to get set-up for a shot. Despite the fact that I was comfortable shooting out to and beyond 400 yards, this was a much more dynamic challenge than shooting at the range. Rather than sitting still, the caribou were moving around and interacting with one another, weaving amongst themselves, which made tracking the mature bull quite difficult. One second, he was in my scope; the next, he was lost behind a group of females. Not an ideal scenario. I watched the bull for nearly 20 minutes and resisted the urge to chamber a round, as he wasn’t giving me any good looks. In order to get an ethical shot, I would need him to step out and away from the group so that I could make sure there wasn’t any risk of wounding other animals.

When hunting remote areas, sometimes it’s easy to forget there’s a chance you might not be the only person around. Just as the herd was starting to settle down, another hunting party rolled up in their trucks right behind us. Great. Excited and eager to witness the action, they got out to watch, which added to the pressure of an already intense moment and caused the caribou to stir. As if the stakes couldn’t have been much higher, another truck appeared on the horizon—coming from the opposite direction. The classic white pickup with

green stripes, dall sheep emblem and big grill were all hallmarks of a Yukon conservation-officer vehicle. The COs parked back farther, so as to not disturb the scene, and I turned and watched as they pulled out their binoculars.

With a full audience present to watch me take my shot, I made the decision to push in a few hundred yards closer to get away from all the noise. I trudged across the tundra, through the snow and the shoulder-high brush, in search of a clear shooting lane. With limited cover, I did my best to keep my approach hidden from the herd, but the racket back on the road, and the willows slapping against my parka, made this difficult. At 250 yards from the animals, I found a clear, shoulder-high shooting lane. A tricky shot. With the help of my shooting stick, I got set-up and waited patiently for an opportunity.

After 20 minutes, the other sizable bull in the group came over to engage the bull that I had been watching. Much to my delight, they locked antlers and separated from the group. Finally, a chance. As they turned broadside, I did my best to steady the scope while I slowed my breathing and gently began to squeeze the trigger. BANG. A clean hit. Down he went. We waited the necessary 15 minutes, before walking up to the downed animal, and I notched my tag and hiked back to the truck to grab extra supplies. Upon returning to the truck, I received a very warm welcome from the conservation officers who were able to watch the entire scene unfold. It can always be nerveracking when authority figures are present for big moments like this, but, in my experience, when you make sure to keep things by the book and do right by wildlife, these interactions are always very positive. We shared a few laughs before the guys and I hiked back to field dress the caribou.

With only a few hours before the storm was supposed to hit, we got down to business and made quick work of the processing. Kequyen and I had been on hunts together before, but it was Tom and Raphs first experience harvesting a big-game animal. All the guys were keen to learn and to get their hands dirty and, with all the extra help, it took us less than two hours to get the bull quartered up and back to the truck. As we were pulling away, another bull caribou came out of nowhere and passed by us at less than 100 yards. Watching this bull, while the sun was setting over the mountains in the background, is a memory I will never forget.

Twenty minutes into our drive back to shelter, the storm hit and gale-force winds felt like they were going to blow the truck off the road. At times, the snow squalls and whiteouts completely blocked our views and we had to slow down to a crawl to avoid driving into the ditch. We couldn’t have been more thankful for our timing and feared for any hunters that were still out on the tundra. Several friends of ours, who were also in the area that day, were not so fortunate and narrowly escaped with their lives. A few hours later, we made it back to shelter and had a warm meal before calling it a night.

The next day, the storm lifted and we enjoyed a relaxing 900-kilometre drive back to Whitehorse. Once back in town, we hung the animal in our buddy’s garage and spent the next couple of days getting it butchered up and into the freezer. It was very cool to watch Tom and Raph being so engaged in the process, and their willingness to help with every step, despite it being their first big-game hunting experience. Since then, they have both gotten a lot more into hunting and managed to harvest a mountain caribou, together, the following year.

We are incredibly fortunate to be able to hunt caribou in such a pristine part of the world. The gratitude I feel, for opportunities to experience this magnitude of adventure, is difficult to put into words. To this day, the novelty of reaching into my freezer for caribou steaks has not worn off, and I don’t know that it ever will.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone looking to hunt caribou for the first time, it would be to do it in the fall, under safer, more-controlled conditions. Despite the fact that our “Hail Mary” mission was successful, our lack of experience in dealing with Arctic storms, at that time, could have made for a lot of trouble had things gone wrong. While barren-ground caribou tend to pass through only accessible parts of the Yukon in the winter months, their larger-bodied cousins (mountain caribou) can be found all throughout the territory, much earlier on in the season.

It is also important to avoid harvesting caribou when they are in the rut, as hormones in their bloodstream at this time can render their typically delicious meat, nearly inedible. Getting to know the biology of these animals, as well as that of any animal that you plan to harvest, will increase your chances of success and make for a much more immersive experience. n

PHOTOS: Casey Donovan

Casey Donovan and Raphael Pelletier begin field dressing their harvested caribou

Raphael Pelletier gives his approval as the hunters prepare the cuts of meat

COMMUNITY EVENTS WHITEHORSE EVENTS

ART SHOWS

Until Feb 25 Understories by Martha Jane Ritchie Arts Underground Repurposed clothing, relief printing, sewing and a variety of other mediums tell the tales of the magical and ever-changing natural world that surrounds our home in the Yukon.

Until Feb 25 Taught by Moms by Sarah Lennie Arts Underground Highlights the bonds that are built through sewing circles; the hidden labour that goes into crafting clothing for specific northern landscapes; and the voices and lives of the women that echo through the finished pieces.

Until Feb 25 Celestial Bodies Yukon Artists at Work Gallery (YAAW) An exhibition featuring works by Linda Leon and Sandra Storey

Until Feb 25 Archival Gold Favourites from the Vault Arts Underground Held in the Hougen Heritage Gallery, open for viewing Tue-Sat noon to 5 pm

Until April 2023 Dis Orientation: New Acquisitions to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection Jim Smith Building There are more than 500 works by 275 artists in the collection.

LIVE MUSIC

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Whitewater

Wednesday Night Jam 7:00 PM The Local Bar a open mic kinda show and all you have to do is bring in your instrument, find Jack and/or Peggy and we’ll set you up! No need to be shy.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 VVinyl VVednesdays

7:00 PM Lefty’s Well Every Wednesday a local record junkie will be showcasing their collections for you, and maybe sometimes trade or buy.

Thu Feb 23 Yukon Rendezvous Fiddle

Show 6:30 PM YAC Yukon Arts Centre

Featuring dual headliners Calvin Vollrath and Mark Sullivan with special guests The Fiddleheads! This will be an incredible show filled with music, spirit, and Rendezvous Characters. Tickets online. Yukontickets.com

Thu Feb 23 Live Country Music with The Lucky Ones Family Band 7:00 PM 98 Hotel

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Live Music Thursdays 7:00 PM 98 Hotel

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Well Played - Open Mic 7:00 PM Old fashioned drop in Open Mic - Every Thursday - Hosted by Jon Eastlander! - Show up and write down your name, players will be called up in order.

Thu Feb 23 Soir de Semaine with Anneky & Malorie 8:30 PM Lefty’s Well Celebrate Rendezvous with the francophone band Soir de Semaine and Anneky & Malorie, Tickets on Eventbrite and at door.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Live DJs - Thursday Throwdown 9:00 PM The Local Bar

Fri Feb 24 Yukon RendezvousPerformance Stage 10:00 AM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Enjoy free entertainment from local artists and Rendezvous favourites! Streamed online or join us in person. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Fri Feb 24 Yukon Brewing Air Fiddle Contest 12:00 PM 98 Hotel

Fri Feb 24 Live Country Music with The Lucky Ones Family Band 3:00 PM 98 Hotel

Fri Feb 24 Can Can Dancer Show 6:00 PM 98 Hotel

Fri Feb 24 Live Country Music Sour-DoRe-Mi 7:00 PM 98 Hotel

Fri Feb 24 Friday Night Karaoke 7:30 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 The last Friday of the month come practise your high and low notes or just watch! For members or signed in guests. https://bit.ly/3XJbTw4

Fri Feb 24 & Sat Feb 25 Snowshoe Shufflers, Whistling Pygmies and Yukon Jack 7:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 See the classic iconic Rendezvous Snowshoe Shufflers, and listen to local country band Yukon Jack! https://bit.

ly/3RYsZ6N

Fri Feb 24 Yukon Jack 8:00 PM Lefty’s Well

Celebrate Rendezvous with Yukon Jack

Sat Feb 25 Breakfast Club Live Music Show 9:00 AM 98 Hotel

Sat Feb 25 The Bum Bum Review 12:00 PM 98 Hotel

Sat Feb 25 Fiddle Music with the Tetlichi Brothers 3:00 PM 98 Hotel

Sat Feb 25 Yukon African Music Festival 2023 6:00 PM Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre Live music, presentations, workshops, DJ music demo, Kids arts & crafts, drumming, dancing. https://bit.

ly/3Iett5I

Sat Feb 25 Can Can Dancer Show 6:00 PM 98 Hotel

Sat Feb 25 Yukon Rendezvous - A Klondike Dance Hall (19+) 7:30 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Dance your way back in time! Enjoy the music stylings of The Lucky Ones and the Midnight Sons while partying the night away with your favourite Rendezvous characters. Tickets online. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sat Feb 25 Barn Dance 7:00 PM Opening act: The Fiddleheads & Friends Everyone welcome, tickets at the door.

Sat Feb 25 Live Music with the Damn Shames 7:00 PM 98 Hotel

Sun Feb 26 Can Can Panorama

Photoshoot 12:00 PM 98 Hotel

Sun Feb 26 Bass Burlesque Sexy Show

4:00 PM 98 Hotel

Sun Feb 26 Jam Session with Country

Josh 6:00 PM 98 Hotel

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 5 Live Music Mondays at Whiskey Jacks 7:00 PM Whiskey Jacks Pub & Grill Patrick Jacobson at Whiskey Jack’s every Monday with a weekly “feature performer” for the last set. https://www.whiskeyjacks.ca/

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Open Mic Night with Patrick Jacobson 7:00 PM Best Western Gold Pan Saloon Performers are encouraged to bring their own instrument and mic. All are welcome. No cover.

Wed Mar 1 Claire Ness/Etienne Fletcher

7:30 PM Yukon Arts Centre

Wed Mar 1 Bluegrass/Old Time Jam 7:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 A fun and relaxed jam, medium tempos, bluegrass and related genres (old-time, classic country, etc). Lots of opportunities to take a solo if you want, but not at all required.

Thu Mar 2 Jazz in the Hall featuring Heart of Riverdale House Band 7:00 PM Old Fire Hall ‘Learn, listen & jam’ Educational vignette by Steve Gedrose, Yukon jazz aficionado Heart of Riverdale House Band jazzyukon.ca

Fri Mar 3 The Heart Presents: Brigitte Jardin 7:30 PM The Heart of Riverdale Community Centre Brigitte Jardin, Bob Hamilton, Kieran Poile and Lorène Charmetant for a night of music in the Heart of Riverdale’s Black Box Theatre!

Fri Mar 3 Disco/Funk Dance Party 7:00

PM Whitehorse Elk Lodge 306 For all levels! No dance partner needed! Everybody is welcome! Email percheronaudrey@gmail. com for more info.

Sat Mar 4 Rose Cousins 7:00 PM YAC Yukon Arts Centre Rose Cousins in live performance she invites audiences on a journey of raw emotion, embracing sadness, pain and longing. Tickets online. https://bit. ly/3GrPgWI

Sat Mar 4 Folk Coffee House featuring: In Tune with Lorene Choir 7:00 PM Whitehorse United Church Tickets at the door, Choir led by Lorene Charmetant.

GENERAL EVENTS

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Anglican Holy Communion – Whitehorse 12:10 PM Christ the Church Cathedral The Book of Common Prayer, 2nd Wednesday of the month

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Spanish Conversation Group 12:00 PM Whitehorse United Church For more info Louise 867-687-7238 or Michele 867-333-6081

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Texas Hold’ Em 6:30 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 For signed in members and guests. Bragging rights!

Wed Feb 22 thru Sat Mar 4 The Wolves by Sarah Delappe 7:00 PM The Guild Hall This compelling drama play takes an insightful and honest look at the lives of young people. Tickets online. https://bit.ly/40eNeks

Wed Feb 22 Wildlife Trivia NightAdvanced 7:00 PM Whitehorse Curling Club

Test your knowledge of the Yukon’s wildlife in a fun, laidback trivia contest. This “advanced” version is for the keen wildlife-watchers.. Come as a team or solo. Drinks for sale and prizes for the winners! Advance tickets required (but free) and space is limited. https://bit.ly/3H9xbNC

Thu Feb 23 – Fri Feb 24 Yukon

Rendezvous - Public Snow Carving 11:00 AM Shipyards Park You’ll have the inspiration of professional snow carvings and a mentor to help you! Get your team together to carve your vision out of snow. yukonrendezvous. com/2023-festival

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Public Speaking Training - Toastmasters 12:00 PM Northwestel Building Guests are always welcome. There are many roles to learn at Toastmasters. Practice 2 minute table topics to help you with presentations and speaking in front of people.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Anglican Thursday at the Cathedral 12:10 PM Christ the Church Cathedral Bring a lunch (Book of Alternative Services)

Thu Feb 23 Puppy Snuggles with Northern Sharks Working Dogs 4:30 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Presented by Nate of Northern Sharks Working Dogs, an event for Yukonstruct members and the public to come and visit with a bunch of adorable puppies to raise funds for their mushing team.

Thu Feb 23 Repair Cafe 6:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Broken toaster, vacuum cleaner, or other small home appliance? Bring it in and see if it is fixable using soldering irons, multimeters, and other tools

Thu Feb 23 Rendezvous Braggin Rights Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament 6:30 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Sign up in person at the Legion from Feb 6-23rd, everyone welcome, no entrance fee, absolutely no money gambling, medals for the top 3! https://bit.ly/3jVhUXQ

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Prayer 7:00 PM Mountainview Church We take some time to connect with one another to praise God and pray for our church, our leadership, our city, and anything else in our hearts..

Fri Feb 24 - Sun Feb 26 Yukon Rendezvous

- Cultural Craft Fair 10:00 AM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Browse some of the best crafts the Yukon has to offer all weekend long! yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Fri Feb 24 - Sun Feb 26 Yukon Rendezvous

- Snow Sculpture Exhibit 10:00 AM Shipyards Park Open All Day - Come by and enjoy the incredible snow sculptures produced by six teams of local Yukon artists! yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Fri Feb 24 Yukon Rendezvous - Character Snowpad 11:00 AM Shipyards Park You will want to check out this battle as Rendezvous characters battle it out with their snowpad skills! yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 TGIF – For Members and Signed in Guests 6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Tickets available the week leading up to the TGIF. Advance tickets through the legion, NOT for sale at the door!

Fri Feb 24 Yukon Rendezvous - CFTC Sam Can Dance & Sam Knighting (19+) 8:00 PM The Local Bar Wanna know if your favourite Sam Can Dance? They will be showing their moves in the final Call For The Cup event right before the 2023 Sourdough Sam gets knighted! Cover Charge at the door. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 Yukon Amateur Radio Association Coffee Discussion Group 8:45 AM A&W Restaurant Hams from outside the Yukon and those interested are welcome to join us in this casual event.

Sat Feb 25 & Sun Feb 26 Rendezvous

Breakfast 8:30 AM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Its back! Rendezvous breakfast! Get comfy with us, eat some awesome breakfast! Menu on site! https://bit. ly/3RYsZ6N

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 Cribbage - Members and Signed in Guests 2:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Masks are mandatory. Members must have a valid 2021 membership and they may sign in 2 guests MAX. cont’d on page 21

Sat Feb 25 Yukon Rendezvous - Open

Snowpad (Axe Throw, Chainsaw Chuck, & Log Toss) 10:00 AM Shipyards Park If you have always wanted to try your luck at Throwing an Axe, Chucking a Chainsaw, or Tossing a Log, then this is where you want to be! This year, it’s FREE to participate with each turn giving you 3 throws, chucks, or tosses. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sat Feb 25 Horseshoe Tournament 10:00

AM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Sign up in person between Feb 6 & 24 - Outside event, dress for the weather, gloves mandatory! 24 Teams max! Medals for the winners! https:// bit.ly/3xnaJea

Sat Feb 25 Ginger Beer 11:00 AM Golden Age Society Learn how to harness the power of wild yeasts to create effervescent drinks with healthy benefits and amazing flavours! Register online. https://bit.ly/3Ch9K1Z

Sat Feb 25 Camino 101 12:30 PM Whitehorse Public Library A fun info session about the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route across Spain. Slides, hand-outs, stories, great travel tips. Call 335-4512 or email whitehorse@santiago.ca for more info.

Sat Feb 25 Yukon Rendezvous - Pet Parade & Dog Howling 2:00 PM Shipyards Park

“Back To Our Roots”, dress up your dogs as Can Can Dancers, Mad(am) Trappers, Snowshoe Shufflers and more as you put your own spin on your favourite Rendezvous characters and events. Lots of best - prizes to be won! yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sat Feb 25 Dairy Free Cheese 2:00 PM Golden Age Society Learn different ways to culture nuts, seeds, legumes and their milks to make spreads and “cheeses” with satisfying flavours and textures! Register online. https:// bit.ly/3vvxV8O

Sat Feb 25 Yukon Rendezvous PyroMusical 8:30 PM Shipyards Park Witness a spectacular display of pyrotechnic art put on by the internationally award-winning Midnight Sun Fireworks crew! Watch the sky over Whitehorse (across the river beyond the KDCC) and tune in to CKRW The Rush - 96.1 FM for the music broadcast. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Mountainview Church

Sunday Service 9:30 AM Church In The Building 9:30 AM, 11AM or Church At Home 7 AM, 9:30 AM, 11 AM Mountainviewwhitehorse.

ca/Watch

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Clothing Room 10:00 AM Whitehorse Church of the Nazarene Free of charge to anyone and everyone

Sun Feb 26 Yukon Rendezvous - Flour

Packing Contest 10:00 AM Shipyards Park

A traditional Rendezvous favourite is backflour packing competitors carry hundreds of pounds on their back and steadily make their way towards the finish line! This event is open to competitors aged 19+. yukonrendezvous. com/2023-festival

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Whitehorse United Church Worship Service 10:30 AM a caring community of faith, based on a foundation of Biblical teaching and spiritual truth.

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Secondhand Clothing

Bizarre 2:00 PM Whitehorse Seventh-Day Adventist Church Clean clothes needed and donations accepted if in good condition. Please call before dropping clothes off and for more info 633-3463.

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Sunday Gatherings 3:00 PM The Northern Collective Church

Sun Feb 26 Yukon RendezvousRendezvous Parade 4:00 PM Whitehorse Main Street Featuring Rendezvous character floats with highlights from the past! Register your community float and join us as we wrapup the 2023 Yukon Rendezvous Festival. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Euchre - For Members and Signed in Guests 6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Euchre a trick-taking card game for four players, two on each team, As a member you can sign in 2 guests MAX

Mon Feb 27 Blacksmithing Intro the the Induction Forge 6:00 PM Yukonstruct

Makespace Learn blacksmithing on Yukonstruct’s Induction Forge while making a coat hook. Register online

Mon Feb 27 Custom Etched Glasses

– Advanced Laser Cutting 6:30 PM

Yukonstruct Makespace Use our laser cutter to etch your own custom-designed drinking glass! Etch a one-of-a-kind drinking glass in our advanced laser cutting workshop. Register online

Mon Feb 27 Trailer Treasure & Trophy

Dad Comedy Tour 7:00 PM Yukon Brewing Dakota Ray Hebert and Dylan Jay Williamson are Saskatchewan-based comedians, come and listen to their experiences of growing up in the trailer park of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan! Tickets online. https://bit. ly/3WsXjXR

Tue Feb 28 New Member Orientation 5:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Informative & mandatory new member orientations. This is a free but essential session for all new members.

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Men’s Community Group Mountainview Church 5:30 PM We start with a meal and fellowship, then work through a biblical study, and take time to pray for one another, and for shared requests.

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Weekly Shuffleboard

Tournament 6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 For members and signed in guests. A double knockout style competition and games are limited to 6 ends or 15 minutes

Tue Feb 28 CNC Plasma Cutter 101 6:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Learn safety, digital design, and use of the CNC Plasma Cutter at Yukonstruct. Members register online.

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Chess Club 6:00 PM

Titan Gaming and Collectibles Love Chess?

Want to learn? Looking for Competition?

Join us!

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 10 Card Crib 6:30 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 https://bit.ly/3oWjB5W Tue Feb 28 New Member Orientation 6:30 PM Yukonstruct

Makespace This training will take you through the Yukonstruct wood shop and explain each piece of woodworking equipment. Participants will each get handson practice with some of the machines. Members register online.

Tue Feb 28 Brent Butt 7:00 PM YAC Yukon Arts Centre Canadian comedian Brent Butt, best known for Corner Cas, No Clue, and his touring comedy shows! Tickets online. https://bit.ly/3Gtb2Jt

Thu Mar 2 Titan Gaming Night 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles Clarity Club board games night! Who doesn’t love a bit of friendly competition, a great way to meet some new people, have some snacks and have a bit of fun.

Thu Mar 2 Pine Tree Quilters 7:00 PM Whitehorse United Church Monthly retreats, charity quilts, demos, show-and-tells, door prizes, and more! For more information, email cathyrob@northwestel.net.

Sat Mar 4 2023 Yukon Biodiversity Forum 9:00 AM Yukon University A day-long forum on the latest news regarding the Yukon’s natural environment and biodiversity. This event is open to the public and participants will be encouraged to attend, ask questions and learn directly from each other. https:// bit.ly/3XuSpLm

Mon Mar 6 DIW - Woodshop – Choose Your Own Project 6:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Woodshop with Red Seal Carpenter Rebecca as she shows you how to create a woodworking project of your choosing (from a list of 10 projects). Register online or email Kristen@ yukonstruct.com for more info.

Tue Mar 7 Metal Shop Orientation 6:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Get started in the metal shop by learning how to handle the equipment safely, and how to access and put away the gear. Participants will get hands-on experience with some of the machines. New Members register online.

KIDS & FAMILIES

Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays LAB Drop-In 12:00 AM Heart Of Riverdale For grades 8+, make beats, write, eat food.

Mondays Family Drop-In 9:00 AM Polarettes Gymnastics Gym Open to all ages – Children, youth, and teens must be accompanied by an adult.

Mondays Craft & Activities Drop in Partners for Children 10:00 AM Drop in with optional activity and craft. Guest visitors from local organisations

Mondays Whitehorse Go Club 6:00 PM A&W

Tuesdays Craft & Activities Drop in Partners for Children 10:00 AM Drop in with optional activity and craft. Guest visitors from local organisations

Tuesdays Baby Story Time 10:30 AM Whitehorse Public Library Rhymes, music, stories, movement, art & outside time. Ages 6 - 24 months & caregiver, Whitehorse Public Library meeting room. Free drop-in..

Tuesdays Toddler Story Time 10:30 AM Whitehorse Public Library Rhymes, music, stories, movement, art & outside time. Ages 2 - 4 yrs. & caregiver, Whitehorse Public Library meeting room. Free drop-in.

Tuesdays Free Super Smash Bros. 5:00 PM Titan Gaming Cafe All skill levels welcome! Please bring your own controller, and if you have a Nintendo Switch and/or Gamecube controller adapter please bring them so that we can have multiple setups.

Wednesdays Polarettes Preschool/ Family Drop In 11:00 AM Polarettes Gymnastics Club enjoy the gym as a giant indoor play space. A great place to practise skills or just play and explore! Open gym is for members only.

Wednesdays Warhammer WednesdaysAge of Sigmar 5:00 PM Titan Gaming Cafe

Thursdays Head, Heart and Hands Drop in Partners for Children 10:00 AM Join us for songs, stories, rhymes, share and learn practical parenting tips for lifes challenges.

Thursdays Family Drop-In 11:00 AM

Polarettes Gymnastics Club Open to all ages – Children, youth, and teens must be accompanied by an adult.

Thursdays Drop-in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 3:30 PM Whitehorse Public Library Open to ages 11-17 to our free drop-in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game program! No experience necessary, supplies and snacks provided.

Thursdays Kill Team Thursdays 5:00 PM

Titan Gaming Cafe 668-5750 Units can be drawn from both the core book, elite book, Kill team annual and white dwarf.

Fridays Standard Format - Magic: The

Gathering 6:00 PM Titan Gaming Cafe

Legal sets = Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria, Core Set 2019, Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance.Banned Cards

= Rampaging Ferocidon

Fridays Family Drop-In 10:00 AM

Polarettes Gymnastics Club Open to all ages – Children, youth, and teens must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturdays Pokemon Saturdays 12:00 PM Titan Gaming Cafe Call 668-5750 for more info.

Saturdays Family Drop In 3:00 PM

Polarettes Gymnastics Club enjoy the gym as a giant indoor play space. A great place to practise skills or just play and explore! Open gym is for members only.

Fri Feb 24 & Sat Feb 26 Yukon

Rendezvous - KIDSFEST Outdoor Zone

11:00 AM Shipyards Park An exciting weekend-long event full of entertainment and activities designed for children and youth to participate FREE of charge! yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sun Feb 26 KIDSFEST Family

Wilderness Challenge 12:00 PM Kwanlin

Dun Cultural Centre Compete in this timed event as teams made up of one Adult and three Children/Youth work together to start a campfire, bring water to a boil, and brew tea using traditional methods. Register online. yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

Sun Feb 26 Yukon RendezvousKIDSFEST Sunday Funday Kids’ Concert & Activities 10:00 AM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Join the Yukon Circus Society as they host the Sunday Funday Kids’ Concert & Activities at the KDCC Longhouse or enjoy the concert online! yukonrendezvous.com/2023-festival

ONLINE EVENTS

Wednesdays Live And Online Kundalini

Yoga 8:00 AM Online Kriya, mudra, and mantra awaken your body and focus the mind. We will follow one sequence until you are able to find yourself in the flow, before moving on. Unfold to your own nature: do what feels good, soak in the good vibes, and watch this beautiful practice transform you. Kundalini has a powerful effect on the endocrine system, improving lymph drainage, hormonal balance, and mood.

Wednesdays Yoga Wake up Flow with Sheila 7:20 AM Online These classes are intended to help you build a consistent and comfortable yoga practice and build a community around that practice! https:// www.rootedtreemassage.com/book-online.

Fridays Yoga Wake up Flow with Sheila 7:20 AM Online These classes are intended to help you build a consistent and comfortable yoga practice and build a community

Fridays AA Yukon Unity Group 1:30 PM Online For Zoom Room address Contact 334-7693

Saturdays AA Detox Meeting (OM, NS) 1:00 PM Online For Zoom Room address call 334-7693.you build a consistent and comfortable yoga practice and build a community around that practice! https:// www.rootedtreemassage.com/book-online

Mondays Yoga Wake up Flow with Sheila 7:20 AM Online These classes are intended to help

Tuesdays Restorative Online Healing Circles 7:30 PM Online Check-in, Q&A, connect and feel the results. No experience necessary. Register online, or call 335-0078 or email alison@alisonzeidler.com for more info.

Tuesdays Mental Health Awareness and Support Online it is essential that people build capacity to support those with mental health concerns. https://bit.ly/3GTz6T5 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/

There’s No Excuse

The Workplace Sexual Harassment Legal Clinic can provide you with free and confidential legal advice on workplace sexual harassment matters

If you are a victim, a bystander, someone who wants to make sure that their workplace is a sexual harassment free zone or someone that just wants some questions about workplace sexual harassment answered, the Workplace Sexual Harassment Legal Clinic can help you.

Contact us to speak to a lawyer:

Workplace Sexual Harassment Legal Clinic

#103 – 2131 Second Avenue, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 1C3 Phone : 867-393-6206 wsh@legalaid.yk.ca

Clayton’s CAR CARE Tips

MAKE IT A HABIT

Having good visibility on snowy roads can make all the difference. You will be able to see things clearly and avoid accidents and injuries. Here are a few tips to sharpen your vision and ensure a safe drive at night. First, check your lights. It is important to check your headlights that includes fog lamps, driving lights and brake lights if they are working properly before heading out. It is also important to visit your local mechanics if your vehicle requires to adjust or change your headlight bulb or if it requires some cleaning in order to have a safe and enjoyable drive.

ROAD

COMMUNITY EVENTS COMMUNITY EVENTS

ATLIN

Fridays Atlin Community Library Atlin Community LIbrary 2:00 PM Open two days per week, Fridays and Saturdays, covid protocols apply.

Sundays St. Martins Anglican Church Sunday Service 10:00 AM St. Martins Anglican Church 10:00 AM Everyone is welcome.

Tuesdays Craft Dinner 5:00 PM Atlin Mountain Inn Craft and eat with good company, special meal discounts for crafters. Finish an old craft or start something new!

Tuesdays 5 Mile Group (OM) 7:30 PM Tutan Hit building Next to Centre for Culture Call 1-250651-7900 Ext. 315

Fri Mar 3 Atlin Cabaret 7:30 PM Atlin BC Globe Theatre Kick of the Frosty Frolics with a fun cabaret full of local talent, whether you perform music, poetry, dance or everything in between!

https://bit.ly/3IgK2Os

Yukon Communities:

Wednesdays Yukon Unity (OM) 3:00 PM Online

Yukon Health Centers, Live Video Meeting Beaver Creek, Carcross, Carmacks, Dawson City, Destruction Bay, Faro, Haines Junction, Mayo, Old Crow, Pelly Crossing, Ross River, Teslin, Watson Lake.

CARCROSS

First Sunday of Every Month St. Saviour’s

Church Services 2:00 pm St. Saviour Church

867-668-3129

Mondays Light Walkers Group (OM) 5:00 PM

Fire Hall meeting room 1137 Austin St.

Sun Feb 26 Yukon African Music Festival

2023 5:00 PM Haa Shagóon Hídi (Our Ancestors House) Carcross/Tagish Learning Centre Live music, presentations, workshops, DJ music demo, Kids arts & crafts, drumming, dancing. https://bit. ly/3Iett5I

CARMACKS

Wednesdays Toddler Time & Indoor Soccer/ Learn to Play 10:00 AM Carmacks Recreation

Centre

Wednesdays Teen Movie Night 7:00 PM

Carmacks Recreation Centre

Thursdays Carmacks Open Gym 5:00 PM

Carmacks Recreation Centre

Thursdays Family Movie Night 7:00 PM

Carmacks Recreation Centre

Fridays CTJS Floor Hockey 5:00 PM Carmacks

Recreation Centre Kids & Youth Floor Hockey (57PM) and Adult Floor Hockey (7-9PM)

Department has a variety of Driver, Fairway, and Putter Discs to use. https://bit.ly/3QIuxAs

Saturdays Drop In Pickleball 3:00 PM Carmacks

Recreation Centre

Saturdays Laser Tag Battles 6:00 PM Carmacks

Recreation Centre Ages 6-11 6PM, Ages 1218 7:30 PM Sundays Toddler Time 1:00 PM

Carmacks Recreation Centre

Mondays Drop-in Basketball 5:00 PM Carmacks

Recreation Centre Ages 5-12 (5-7PM) and Ages 13 to adult (7-9PM)

Tuesdays Drop-in Basketball & Soccer 5:00 PM

Carmacks Recreation Centre Ages 5-12 (5-7PM) and Ages 13 to adult (7-9PM)

Tuesdays Laser Tag Battles 6:00 PM Carmacks

Recreation Centre Ages 6-11 6PM, Ages 12-18 7:30 PM

DAWSON CITY

Mondays Handbuilding Pottery Drop-in 6:309pm Self-guided group studio time for those who have some knowledge and experience with pottery. Newcomers are welcome, though little instruction is provided. KIAC Classroom, back door.

Tue - Thur St Paul’s Anglican Church Evening Prayer 4:00 PM St Paul’s Anglican Church Join us in person at the church, or online (Facebook Live) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4pm Yukon Time for Evening Prayer.

ENTER YOUR EVENTS ON-LINE It’s Free. It’s Fast. It’s Easy.

or email them to: events@whatsupyukon.com

Please visit whatsupyukon.com for up to date event details. Some events may be postponed or cancelled after we print.

Tue - Thu Saint Mary’s Weekday Mass 5:00 PM Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Join Father Emanuel for weekday mass Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Queer Yukon – DropIn 11:00 AM Queer Yukon – Dawson City Wednesday drop-in offers Direct Aid and Harm Reduction services.

Wed Feb 22 & Mar 1 Preschooler Gymnastics with Terrie Turai 4:00 PM Robert Service School Introduce your 3 and 4-year-olds to tumbling and rolling!

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 55+ Free Fit 2:00 PM The Fitness Centre All you need is comfy exercise clothes and indoor only shoes! There will be a trainer on site to help with any fitness questions!

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Hatha Yoga with Blackbird 5:45 PM Minto Park Register online.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Youth Muay Thai Classes 5:00 PM Robert Service School Register online or contact the Rec Office at: 993-7400 ext 299, or recreation@cityofdawson.ca

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Multi-Sport Drop In 6:00 PM Robert Service School Free program, all children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult.

Thu Feb 23 & Mar 2 Drop In Volleyball 7:30 PM Robert Service School

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Queer Yukon – Drop-In 11:00 AM Queer Yukon – Dawson City Open Community Engagement hours.

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Cards & Conversation 12:30 PM Royal Canadian Legion Branch 1 Dawson City Free! Drop-In! No registration necessary. Proof of double vaccination required for anyone ages 12+. For more info email recreation@cityofdawson.ca or call 993-7400 ext 299.

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Adult Rec & Roll 5:00 PM Robert Service School Gym Free indoor roller skating for ages 18+ Helmet required.

Fri Feb 24 & Mar 3 Rock climbing 6:00 PM Robert Service School All Ages, all skill levels, every Friday until March 10 – free.

Thu Feb 24 Band Swap 8:00 PM Diamond Tooth Gerties Local talent from Dawson City and the greater Yukon communities have been organized into never before heard cover bands and will debut live on the Diamond Tooth Gertie’s stage. 19+ event.

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 Under 5 Gym Drop-In 10:00

AM Robert Service School

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 Drop-In Walking Group 12:00 PM Robert Service School Open to all ages, children under 10 to be accompanied by an adult, Parents with strollers are welcome. Set distance goals to achieve or just come for exercise and socialization.

Sat Feb 25 & Mar 4 All Ages Amateur Parkour

12:00 PM Robert Service School Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Call 9937400 ext 299 for more info.

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 AA North Star Group Dawson City 7:00 PM Royal Canadian Legion In person or Videoconference option available Call 867-993-5095 or 867-993-3734 for more

information

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Under 5 Gym Drop-In 10:00 AM Robert Service School

Sun Feb 26 & Mar 5 Yin Yoga 8:00 PM Art & Margaret Fry Rec Centre For a deep stretch and relaxation before bedtime Email recreation@ cityofdawson.ca

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 55+ Stretch & Strong

Fitness Class 2:00 PM Art & Margaret Fry Rec Centre A 6-week strength class for Dawsonites Call 993-7400 ext 299

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Badminton & Pickleball

6:00 PM Robert Service School Open to all ages (children under 10 must be supervised).

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Adult Drop-In Basketball

7:30 PM Robert Service School Gym – Free Call 993-7400 ext 299 for more info

Mon Feb 27 & Mar 6 Young Peoples Talking Circle 7:00 PM Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Youth Centre

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Romp & Run 10:30 AM YOOP Hall Email Jen.Suttis@cdcyukon.ca for more info.

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Preschool Learn to Skate

10:45 AM Art & Margaret Fry Rec Centre Half Hour program for stay at home preschoolers ages

3+. Email recreation@cityofdawson.ca

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Hatha Yoga 5:30 PM Art & Margaret Fry Rec Centre Improve your posture flexibility and strength. Email recreation@ cityofdawson.ca

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 English Conversation Club

7:00 PM YukonU A weekly English Conversation Club for immigrants in Dawson City.

Tues Feb 28 & Mar 7 Magic The Gathering 7:00 PM Minto Park Concession Building FREE Event. Format is commander – Bring your own cards / decks

Fri Mar 3 Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Run

10:00 AM Dawson City 1977 the first Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Race was held to commemorate his legacy and service.

Fri Mar 3 – Sun Mar 5 Hockey Jamboree Email Klondikeicequeens@gmail.com for more info.

Sat Mar 4 Coffee House & Open Mic Night

6:00 PM Klondike Institute of Arts & Culture Community-inspired events to enjoy an evening of entertainment as friends and family take to the stage and share their incredible talents, or strike the courage to perform your talent in this quiet and encouraging space.

FARO

Wednesdays & Friday’s Seniors Games & Walks

1:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre Walk or play cards, engage in healthy living.

Wednesdays and Fridays Seniors Yoga 2:00 PM

Faro Recreation Centre

Wednesdays Public Skate 3:30 PM Faro

Recreation Centre

Wednesdays and Fridays Basketball (Open Court) 4:30 PM Faro Recreation Centre Shoot some hoops, practice your skills on the open court. Call 994-2375 or email recreation@ faroyukon.ca for more info.

Thursdays & Fridays Youth Group 7:00 PM Faro

Recreation Centre

Fridays Volleyball 3:30 PM Faro Recreation Centre

Fridays Kids Floor Hockey 6+ 7:30 PM Faro

Recreation Centre

Fridays Public Skate 3:30 PM Faro Recreation Centre

Fridays Junior Shooting 7:00 Faro Recreation

Centre

Saturdays Public Skate 2:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre

e 2023 Spring Sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly will convene on ursday, March 2, 2023. e Assembly sits Monday to ursday 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

2071 Second Avenue, Whitehorse, Yukon

e rst hour of the proceedings is telecast the following day on Northwestel Cable.

Live audio is available on 93.5 FM and yukonassembly.ca

Saturdays Open Gym 3:30 PM Faro Recreation Centre Unstructured activity time where the gymnasium is available to students, families, and/ or community members to play pick-up sports. Call 994-2375 or email recreation@faroyukon.ca for more info.

Saturdays Pickleball 1:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre

Tuesdays & Thursdays Parent & Tot 10:00 AM

Faro Recreation Centre

Tuesday & Thursdays Carpet Bowling 1:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre

Tuesdays & Thursdays Kids Club 3:30 PM Faro Recreation Centre – Must be pre-registered, for more info call 994-2375

Tuesdays Archery 6:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre

Tuesdays Adult Floor Hockey 7:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre

Fri Mar 3 – Sat Mar 4 Ice Worm Squirm 10:00 AM Town of Faro Live Music, Fisheye events, coffee house. Call 994-2575 for more info.

HAINES JUNCTION

Wednesdays Adult Volleyball 16+ 7:00 PM St. Elias Community School Meet in the school gym

Wednesdays Village Council meetings 7:00 PM St. Elias Convention Centre Village Council meetings are also held the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. [Remote attendance only]

Wednesdays Boxing Classes Bill Brewster Arena 5:30 PM Reach your fitness goals by joining this boxing program! Participants must complete out a waiver provided. Call 634-2012 or email dgraham@cafn.ca for more info. https://bit.ly/3mGYALy

Thursdays Step It Up with Shelby 5:00 PM

Bill Brewster Arena Cardio Aerobic Step Class is a classic cardiovascular workout, using a 4 or 6 inch step platform.

Fridays HJL Story Time 10:00AM Haines Junction Library Registration is required but the program is still run as a drop in. There is no commitment to come each week. https://bit. ly/3KmBdBC.l

Saturdays Step It Up with Shelby 7:00 PM Bill Brewster Arena Cardio Aerobic Step Class is a classic cardiovascular workout, using a 4 or 6 inch step platform.

Mondays Public Skate Bill Brewster Arena 9:00 AM & 2:00 PM

Mondays Step It Up with Shelby 7:00 PM Bill Brewster Arena Cardio Aerobic Step Class is a classic cardiovascular workout, using a 4 or 6 inch step platform.

Mondays Smart Recovery Meetings 8:00 PM Munku Hall Everyone welcome, call 334-5688 for more info.

Tuesdays Girls Club 6:00 PM St. Elias School Held in the art room, open to Girls and identifying as Girls from Grade 8 to 12.

Fri Mar 3 & Sat Mar 4 Glacier Nights Snow Festival St. Elias Convention Centre A community-focused snow sculpting event. This family-friendly event will be held on the grounds and inside and will feature snow sculptor Joshua Lesage.

MARSH LAKE

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays Jackalope Open for drinks and snacks 5:00 PM Marsh Lake Community Centre

Thursdays North of 60 Seniors Coffee and Chat 2:00 PM Marsh Lake Community Centre

Thursdays Shuffleboard Marsh Lake Community Centre 6:00 PM

Saturdays Knitting Circle 11:00 AM Marsh Lake Community Centre Everyone wielding a hook, needle or pin is welcome.

Saturdays Pickleball Outside Marsh Lake Community Centre 12:30 PM

Saturdays Family Playtime and Open Gym 3:00 PM Marsh Lake Community Centre

MAYO

Mon thru Fri Morning Video Workout 6:15 AM Mayo Recreation Centre

Mon, Wed & Fri Teen Workout 12:00 PM J.V Clark School Weekdays Lunchtime Lengths 12:00 PM Mayo Recreation Centre Weekdays Mayo Mornings Parent and Tot Time 10:00 AM Mayo Recreation Centre

Mondays Art/Entrepreneur Club 3:30 J.V Clark School Held in the Lunchroom

Mondays Video Yoga Classes 5:15 PM Mayo Curling Arena Yoga Videos are used for leading each class. Bring your own Yoga mat or borrow ours. Drop-ins are welcome. For more info call 996-2043 8979962043

Mondays Dinner and Movie Night 5:00 PM Mayo Community Hall And Recreation Centre

Mondays Yoga 5:15 PM Mayo Community Hall And Recreation Centre

Tuesdays & Thursdays Tabata Training 5:00 PM Mayo Recreation Centre

Tuesdays Youth Archery 3:30 PM MMayo Community Hall And Recreation Centre

Tuesdays Disc Golf 7:00 PM Mayo Recreation Centre And Recreation Centre

Tuesdays Curling 7:00 PM Mayo Recreation Centre And Recreation Centre

Tuesdays Drop-in Art Night 7:00 PM Mayo Curling Lounge If you can bring a photo that you would like to work from that would be great. No experience necessary.

Wednesdays Pottery Class 3:30 PM J.V Clark School

Wednesdays Volleyball 7:30 PM J.V Clark School Held in gym

Thursdays Elementary Soccer 3:30 PM J.V Clark School

Thursdays Teen/Adult Floor Hockey 7:30 PM J.V Clark School

Sundays St. Mary’s Church Service 11:00 AM St Mary’s Church (867)667-7746

Sundays Communion Service St. Mary with St. Mark Anglican Church 11:00 AM where village members come together to worship and offer service to their community and the world.

MOUNT LORNE

Thursdays Parents and Tots Playtime Group 1:00 PM Mount Lorne Community Centre

Thursdays Community Drop-In 1:30 PM Mount Lorne Community Centre Play games, craft, chat walk, snacks, coffee & tea provided.

Fridays Drop-In Adult Hockey Lorne Mountain Community Centre 7:00 PM For members or nonmembers (for a small fee)

Mondays Drop-In Yoga Lorne Mountain Community Centre 7:00 PM By donation all levels welcome

Sun Feb 26 LMCA Ski Loppet 1:00 PM Mount Lorne Community Toddlers to Masters, -20 temp cut off, Food available. Register at the centre.

cont’d on page 23 ...

La séance du printemps 2023 de l’Assemblée législative du Yukon  est convoquée le jeudi 2 mars 2023.

L’Assemblée siège du lundi au jeudi, de 13 h à 17 h 30.

2071, 2e Avenue, Whitehorse (Yukon)

La première heure des travaux est di usée le jour suivant sur le service de câblodistribution de Northwestel

Di usion audio en direct au 93,5 FM et au yukonassembly.ca/fr

Adult Sewing 6:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre

Tuesdays Youth Gym 6:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre

SKAGWAY

Wednesdays Women’s Morning Worship 7:00 AM First Presbyterian Church of Skagway All are welcome. Part of the Alaska Presbytery and the PC U.S.A.

Wednesdays Windy Valley Babies 10:30 AM Skagway Public Library Stories, Songs, and Fun with Ms. Anna! Designed for ages 0-3.

Fridays Skagway Teen Night 6:30 PM Skagway

Public Library

Sundays Sunday School 4:00 PM First Presbyterian Church of Skagway

Sundays Sunday Worship 10:00 AM First Presbyterian Church of Skagway

TAGISH

Wednesdays Tagish Library 12:00 PM Tagish Community LIbrary Tagish Library is an active and bright addition to our community. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon

Wednesdays Yukon Learn at Tagish Library

1:00 PM Tagish Community LIbrary Targeted literacy programming by Yukon Learn at the Tagish Library. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon.

Wednesdays Intro to Yoga 4:15 PM Tagish Community Centre

Wednesdays Beginner and Intermediate Yoga 5:45 PM Tagish Community Centre

Wednesdays Coffee And Chat 2:00 PM Tagish Community Centre

Wednesdays Tagish Country Line Dancing 5:30 PM Tagish Community Centre For members and non members, beginners at 5:30 PM and Intermediate at 6:30 PM Email recreation@ tagishyukon.org

Thursdays Tagish Library 12:00 PM Tagish

Community LIbrary Tagish Library is an active and bright addition to our community. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon

Thursdays Carpet Bowling 10:00 AM Tagish Community Centre

Thursdays Tagish Local Advisory Council Meeting Tagish Community Centre 7:00 PM .

Saturdays Tagish Library 12:00 PM Tagish Community LIbrary Tagish Library is an active and bright addition to our community. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon

Mondays Tagish Butt Kickers Tagish Community Centre 11:00 AM Everyone

Welcome, Biking, Hiking, Skiing Snowshoeing, Kicksledding, Ping Pong, Pickleball, Dog Walking & Morer

Sun Mar 5 Annual Tagish Run 10:00 AM Tagish Community Centre For more info email recreation@tagishyukon.org.

TESLIN

Wednesdays Pickleball 12:00 & 7:00 PM Teslin

Recreation Centre

Thursdays Group Fitness 5:30 PM Teslin

Recreation Centre

Thursdays Youth Club 7:00 PM Teslin

Recreation Centre

Fridays Young Explorers 3:15 PM Teslin

Recreation Centre For those who like outdoor adventure.

Fridays Public Skate 5:00 PM Teslin Lake Recreation Complex

Fridays Badminton 6:30 PM Teslin Lake

Recreation Complex

Fridays Basketball Drop-in 7:00 PM Teslin Lake Recreation Complex

Saturdays Parent & Tots 12:00 PM Teslin

Recreation Centre Saturdays Volleyball 7:00 PM Teslin Recreation Centre

5:30 PM Teslin School Tuesdays 3D Archery 5:30 PM Teslin Recreation Centre Tuesdays Group Fitness 5:30 PM Teslin Recreation Centre

Feb 27 Regular Council Meeting 6:30 PM Teslin Village Office Spectators welcome in person or by zoom.

Sat Mar 3 & Sat Mar 4 Teslin Lakespiel Teslin Lake Recreation Complex Family friendly event, curling on the lake, lots of games, soup contest, food vendors, prizes for the best tailgate setup! To register or for more info call 390-2530 or email teslinrec@teslin.ca

Sat Mar 3 & Sat Mar 4 Tailgate Party! Teslin Lake Recreation Complex Family friendly event, curling on the lake, lots of games, soup contest, food vendors, prizes for the best tailgate setup!

WATSON LAKE

Daily Public Skate Watson Lake Recreation Centre 8:30-5:30 PM, Wednesdays 7:30 – 9:30 PM and Saturday 10:00 – 6:00 PM

Sundays St. John’s Church Service 10:00 AM St. John’s Church Service (867) 536-2932

Wednesdays Drop-In Ninja Tumbling 5:30 PM Watson Lake Secondary School All ages welcome. Adults are welcome too, come to do some stretching or try some handstands etc.

Fridays Friday Night Lanes 7:00 PM Call 3357979 to register

Saturdays Baptiste Power Yoga 7:00 PM Fees apply. A muscle-shaping and mind-sculpting workout, work at your own level and ability, set to electronic music.

Sundays Sunday Nite Volleyball 11:00 AM

Watson Lake Secondary School

Mondays Learn to Skate Watson Lake Recreation Centre Sign up at the Rec Centre

Tuesdays Pickleball & Badminton Watson Lake Secondary School 7:00 PM

COMMUNITY

First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun Council Tour the Eagle Gold Mine

On January 17, Victoria Gold was pleased to host representatives of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun Council (FNNND) for a tour of the Eagle Gold Mine.

The visit consisted of touring the Open Pit, the Primary Crusher and the Secondary/Tertiary Crushers. Following lunch prepared by NND Summit Camps and Catering, the group continued to tour the Heap Leach Facility (HLF) and the Gold Recovery Plant where they learned about the mine’s gold recovery process and viewed a gold pour. The mine site tour concluded with a visit to the newlyconstructed and energized Water Treatment Plant.

“Victoria Gold was honoured to host members of FNNND Council and provide them with a tour of the Eagle Gold Mine,” says Victoria Gold President & CEO John McConnell. “Our partnership with FNNND is very important to our team as we collaborate to help ensure that the mine benefits FNNND citizens today and for decades to come.”

February 14 will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow; when in 1973, Elijah Smith and a delegation of Yukon First Nations Chiefs met with then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in Ottawa with this historic document in hand. With it, and their determination and courage, they were able to convince Canada to begin negotiations that paved the way for Yukon First Nations Final and Self-government Agreements.

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun signed their Final and Self-government Agreements in May 1993; one of the first four Yukon First Nations to do so. Today, 11 of 14 Yukon First Nations have signed such agreements with Yukon and Canada.

L-R: Chad Erb, VGCX GF Mine Operations; Mark Ayranto, VGCX COO; Helaina Moses, FNNND Liaison; Roberta Hager, FNNND Deputy Chief; John McConnell, VGCX President & CEO; Barb Buyck, FNNND Councillor; Carolene Lucas, FNNND Youth Councillor; Sharon Peter, FNNND Councillor; and, Irene Johnny, FNNND Councillor.