Elder’s conference planning underway

While the actual conference is not scheduled until next summer, The Kaien Island First Nations Elders are already busy getting things organized so they can welcome the 2500 elders to the city next summer.

The first phase of their preparations involved a weekend meeting at Northwest Community College to form the various committees that they will need to help bring the conference together in a smooth fashion.

There’s a need for volunteers to help get things started and the details of what they are looking for and how you can help could be found in Friday’s Daily news.

Planning already begun for '08 elders gathering
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, September 28, 2007

Page one

Although the 2008 British Columbia Elder's Gathering will not be happening until next summer, planning for the event in Prince Rupert is already getting underway.

The Kaien Island First Nations Elders are holding their first public meeting this Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Northwest Community College, to begin forming committees that will oversee various aspects of the gathering.

"What we're looking for is volunteers to help put together a proposal and a budget," said Friendship House's George Sampson.

"We need to have a gathering of minds to draft up a proposal and decide all the topics that we're going to include in the gathering such as health, justice, Aboriginal Affairs and whatnot."

Once a proposal has been outlined, an operating budget needs to be put in place so it can be forwarded to the federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government, as well as to societies, unions, businesses, churches and all the other organizations that will have to play a role in funding the enormous event.

The dates of the Elder's Gathering have already been decided. It is scheduled for July 7 to July 9, with pre-registration taking place on Sun., July 6. The gathering will be a two-and-a-half day event, with Monday and Tuesday being the main event days, and Wednesday morning serving as a time for closing ceremonies, and an opportunity for giving thanks to all those who were involved.

"If you look at who benefits the most out of this, it's the community that will, more than everything else," said Sampson. "So, we have to get all the stakeholders involved in this, and volunteers for all the various committees that will need to be operating in preparation for the event, and especially while its going on."

This Sunday's public meeting will hopefully decide official financial officers who can take responsibility for operating withing the budget.

A safety and security team will be needed at all the events to assist in any problems and to guard elders who may vulnerable to theft or other crime. A first aid team will operate a station that will address any issues that occur among the elders, such as providing food and water for those with diabetes. Entertainment for the gathering also needs to be organized, as well as transportation services to shuttle people around the city.

Lastly, a billeting committee will be needed to find families that are willing to donate extra beds to visitors, because hotels will only have room to accommodate a portion of the elders expected to be coming.

The gathering's official Master of Ceremonies has also been chosen, and it will be none other than Prince Rupert's own Murray Smith, who has accepted the responsibility of entertaining 2,500 elders from across the province.

"I've done a lot of MCing, weddings and gatherings, and I enjoy doing what I do, there's no tension or pressure for me," said Smith. "When we were at the gathering in Vancouver, what the elders liked was the sense of humour that the gentleman had down there. So, they asked me at a meeting last week if I'd do it, because that is what I present when I MC."

Smith is genuinely thrilled to be able to contribute to the gathering by lending his own sense of humour, since one of the things he enjoys is working with people and getting a good laugh out of them.

"What I usually do is make up my own songs, which is what I did when we were in Vancouver vying to host the next event, and I got their attention," said Smith. "I hope I can do justice for the elders, because they work so hard to raise money and get funding together, and with all their wisdom combined they chose me."