College scores for Cat Lake

 
Two Confederation College students are trying to bring athletics back to Cat Lake First Nation.

The community, located 180-kilometres northwest of Sioux Lookout, lost its school to fire a few years ago, and with it much of the sporting equipment used by the community of 500’s youth.

Debora Tew, a student in the Aboriginal law and advocacy program at the Thunder Bay school, said it’s important to create awareness of northern communities in need, none more so than Cat Lake First Nation.

"They lost everything," Tew said of the fire. "They are in need of some sports equipment to start with, and we are attempting to raise approximately 10 bags of sports equipment, focusing on hockey, soccer and baseball."

With a large bin half filled with balls, bats, helmets and skates, and plenty more already stored for delivery at the end of the month, Tew said word of their efforts, part of a class assignment, is spreading.

"It seems to have snowballed. It started off kind of slow, but we’re doing really well right now, and we hope to accomplish this task by the end of February and ship everything up through Wasaya Airways, who have been generous enough to donate the transportation costs up to Cat Lake."

Tews classmate Nicole McKay, originally from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Innunuwug First Nation, said the effort is also about building relationships between Thunder Bay and some of the remote northern communities that surround it.

"It’s very important, because the Aboriginal population is growing in Thunder Bay, so just having that relationship is important."

Equally important is giving kids in those communities something to do, she added.

"It gives them a sense of self-esteem to be out there doing something they enjoy doing," she said.

Donation bins will be located outside the Student Union of Confederation College Inc. offices and at the Sports Dome.

New and used equipment in good condition is welcome.