By Bryan Eneas

Tri-Nation Tournament brings women’s group closer to their goal

Jun 18, 2016 | 8:23 AM

The start of the weekend was a perfect, windy day to golf and raise money in Melfort.

The second annual James Smith Tri-Nation Women’s Group Golf Tournament took place at the Melfort Golf and Country Club on Friday, June 17.

Hitting the fairways for charity, the James Smith Women’s group raised just shy of $3,000 towards their own building.

The group raised $2,930 towards their building goal, according to Eldeen McKay, a member of the group. The total is almost exactly $500 more raised than last year. While no fundraising target has ever been set, the group hopes to get their plans in motion soon, said McKay.

27 teams participated in this year’s golf tournament, with their entry proceeds going towards the new building on James Smith Cree Nation. Currently, the women use the James Smith Health Clinic for their meetings held every second Tuesday night.

Vise grip driver

Vise grips not a steering wheel: RCMP

9h ago

Patient supports

'Misuse' of free parking passes attributed to cancellation: SHA

11h ago

Golf season approaching

Local golf courses target opening days following late season snowfall

Apr 20, 2024

The group fundraises for their building in many different ways. Most recently, they raised over $500 on James Smith Cree Nation’s Treaty Day by raffling off a bicycle. On Valentine’s Day the group raised over $800 in a similar raffle. Slowly but surely funds are coming together for a new building for the group.

A new building would greatly benefit the group, according to Florence Sanderson, a councillor at James Smith Cree Nation. More programming directed towards women in need, children, and families on James Smith Cree Nation is what they hope will be the eventual end result.

The group also needs space to set up and use exercise equipment donated to them by a gym which closed in Prince Albert.

Not only focusing on family matters, the group handles some of the more serious situations that can occur within the community.

“They have a lot of important initiatives around suicide prevention, grief and loss, a lot of things to do with personal stuff. It’s an awesome group of women we have,” Sanderson said.

One of the issues faced by many of the members of the group is finding the time between their busy work, and personal lives to put all of their focus on the group. The women are all very active within the community with various volunteer and charity efforts.

They participated in the Coats for Kids program this previous winter, are all members of Mothers and Grandmothers Against Drugs, and participate in numerous activities put on by the band office administration at James Smith Cree Nation.

“They do a lot of work in our community, it is much appreciated, what they do. They participate in a lot of volunteer stuff (in the community),” Sanderson said.

Finding balance can be tricky at times, but luckily they are not alone in handling all of their matters. They have the support from the James Smith Crisis Response Team, as well as support from members of the James Smith Cree Nation Administration when needed.

Being a small group, consisting of 10 to 14 women, they have to make do with the time they’ve got to focus on the group.

“Being staff and having the group, we have to do both… We have our meetings after (band office) hours,” said McKay. “We have a meeting night, then the next meeting will be a circle, and the next one will be a fun night, just so it’s not all work, work, work.”

Looking to the future, McKay was looking into booking the Melfort Golf and Country Club for another year.

“We’re looking to keep this annual event going, it will be booked for next year today,” McKay said.

news@panow.com  

On Twitter: @BryanEneas