(l to r) Wahpeton Dakota Nation Chief John Waditika, Dr. Braden Sauve, Montreal Lake Cree Nation Chief Joyce McLeod Naytowhow, FSIN rep Dallas Fiddler, Sturgeon Lake First Nation Chief Christine Longjohn, Sturgeon Lake Councillor Anita Parenteau, and Chair of PAGC Women’s Commission Shirley Henderson were all on hand to help hand out winter clothes at the drive on Sunday. (submitted photo/Prince Albert Grand Council)

By paNOW Staff

COATS FOR THOSE IN NEED

First Nations leaders and Knights of Columbus donate hundreds of winter clothes

Dec 4, 2023 | 3:00 PM

Just as winter is creeping its way into Prince Albert, some of the city’s less fortunate got some much-needed clothing thanks to the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC).

Over the weekend, the PAGC hosted a clothing drive, giving out hundreds of items to those who desperately needed them.

“We had approximately over 700 people that came through today (Sunday) and they brought their families,” said Chair of the PAGC Women’s Commission, Shirley Henderson who added that they handed out jackets, as well as toques and gloves.

About 300 of the jackets given out went to adults with the rest going to children.

“We didn’t turn anybody away. Everybody that came through the doors got a jacket or a clothing item,” Henderson said.

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Many of the chiefs from the PAGC were also on hand to give out the donations.

Henderson noted all the jackets were ordered through the Knights of Columbus, which footed the entire bill.

Prince Albert wasn’t the only community benefiting from the Knights of Columbus as the organization also gave about 600 coats to children in Fond du Lac on Monday.

That initiative is part of the organization’s Cloths for Kids program which has been going on since 2009 and has handed out one million coats since.

According to the State Deputy for Saskatchewan, Larry Packett, the event in Fond du Lac came together thanks to help from the PAGC. Volunteers handed out coats to Fon du Lac as well as Black Lake and Wollaston Lake.

Packett said that words couldn’t express what this experience was like.

“But it was absolutely breathtaking,” he said. “I guess to see the smiles and the look of hope and just the act of charity that the Knights of Columbus brought to this area, I don’t know what to say.”

“We were welcomed with open arms in the school, the places we stayed, the places we visited…we couldn’t have had any better hospitality here.”

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panews@pattisonmedia.com