Northern Spirits is receiving donations after their annual workshop was postponed because of a lack of funding.
Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne, former Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Chief Lawrence Joseph and FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron are donating $500 each to the program.
Dionne and Joseph made the announcement at the Voices of the North showcase this past weekend.
“I’ve also challenged all the mayors and councillors in the north to match my $500 donation,” Dionne said. “Our goal is to raise $65,000. People don’t understand that it costs $900 to fly these young kids in from the north. That’s how expensive the flights are. We have a suicide crisis in the north because of the depression and the isolation. They think they’re stuck and they can’t get out, so this is a great performance for them to come to and show off their talents. Boy, do they have talents.”
The program also received other donations at the showcase.
Big Drum Media produced the showcase and offered to take $500 off their fee for production.
“Please do your part,” Joseph said “It’s a crisis out there. We need those children alive for the future and we need them today. God bless you.”
Northern Spirits has taught youth skills such as performing, recording a radio commercial and stage design.
(PHOTO: Mercy Glover at this year’s Voices of the North showcase. Photo by Fraser Needham.)