29^th Annual BCFS Golf Tournament
By Mike Pederson

More than 100 golfers played in this year’s 29th Annual BCFS Golf Tournament at the Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club. Present and past employees, retirees, family and friends enjoyed great company, beautiful, mostly sunny Cariboo fall weather and great golf-course conditions.

Saturday night’s banquet was held at the golf course clubhouse, overlooking the city of Williams Lake. The bright lights of the city, good food - probably the best so far, interesting conversation, 50/50 draws and door prizes all contributed to a pleasant evening.

Winners of the individual top scores categories included:

• Hamblin-Wood Memorial Trophy (men’s overall low gross): Brian McNaughton
• Fire-Trol Canada Co. Ltd. Plaque (women’s overall low gross): Rachelle Satrum
• Cariboo Silver Spur Trophy (retiree’s overall low gross): Vince Hernandez
• Northern Mountain Helicopters Trophy (men’s overall low net): Scott Darrell
• Conair Aviation Plaque (women’s overall low net): Jane Spackman
• Denny MacDonald Plaque (retiree’s overall low net): Mel Dodge

The committee is already at work planning the 30^th Annual BCFS Golf Tournament. Let’s keep the spirit alive! Thanks to all who participated in the tournament. We hope to see you next fall.

Every year, on June 21, people all across Canada celebrate National Aboriginal Day in recognition of the diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The June 21 date was chosen because of the cultural significance of the summer solstice, and because many Aboriginal groups already marked this day as a time to celebrate their heritage. This year the Ministry of Forests once again joined in the celebrations, with a host of activities.

In Victoria, Leslie McGarry of the Native Friendship Centre entertained visitors with stories while she demonstrated how to make colourful Potlatch Pouches. The word Potlatch means to give or giving; thus, these pouches are designed to promote the importance of giving as opposed to receiving. Participants were encouraged to give their pouch, along with a personal enclosure, to a friend or loved one.

In Cranbrook, Reuben Blackwater, and Margaret Teneese of the Ktunaxa nation, delivered a cross-cultural presentation. Margaret focused on the local First Nation history, while Reuben delivered a wider perspective of First Nations’ history. This included the Royal Proclamation of 1763, revised Canada Constitution of 1982, and a review of current events. Margaret also brought in a sample of local arts and crafts for display.

Alexis Creek Forest Office hosted 11 artists from the Chilcotin and Carrier Nation who displayed 45 of their paintings, sketches and carvings. The public was invited to the event, which ran from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with the artists dropping in on an informal basis. The district office provided a brochure with a sample of each artist's work, along with coffee and donuts.

Penticton used this poster to promote their Aboriginal Awareness Day activities. The little boy is the nephew of Alvin Frank from the Penticton district office.

Other activities included a first nations cultural presentation by Alvin's wife, Annette. Annette, her mother and aunt also cooked bannock for the district staff.

In Victoria, the Equity & Diversity office distributed Bannock Awareness booklets to all ministry offices. Written by Kamloops Forest Region employee Michael Blackstock, this compilation includes little known facts about First Nations history and culture, as well as a collection of favourite bannock-related recipes. You can find Bannock Awareness at web site http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/kamloops/fnb/fnb.htm. It was this booklet that inspired Fort St. John District to hold a chili and bannock contest on June 15, in recognition of Aboriginal Awareness Day. Teams prepared six different kinds of bannock - everything from basic brown bannock fried in a pan to deep-fried and baked bannock with raisins.

Through all these various activities Forest Service employees had fun celebrating National Aboriginal Day, while getting the opportunity to better understand the history, traditions, and culture of the First People in our communities.

Michelle Mair’s favourite Forest Services recreation site is a tiny campground at Alexander Falls in the Squamish Forest District. She especially likes the bench with a plaque telling of a man who expressed his life-long love to his wife at this very spot.

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Please share your news, events, triumphs, adventures, challenges, ideas, photos, cartoons, helpful hints, trivia—anything you think might interest the rest of us in the B.C. Forest Service.

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Please share your news, events, triumphs, adventures, challenges, ideas, photos, cartoons, helpful hints, trivia—anything you think might interest the rest of us in the B.C. Forest Service.

We publish the FS News four times a year, in mid-January, April, July and October.

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