Christian Quequish - Special to Wawatay News

The significance of a new community store opening is different wherever you go – a new store in Toronto isn’t going to change the economic backdrop. Travel towards northwestern Ontario on the other hand, where residents of Kingfisher Lake First Nation came together in droves to celebrate the grand opening of the new Omahamo Store. It’s kind of a big deal.
The Omahamo store has been a big part of Kingfisher Lake since the 80’s and was recently upgraded to better serve the community.

Having travelled over 2600 kilometres by bike from the outskirts of Vancouver to Dryden, Ontario, Ida Maye Fiddler and Megan Anishinabie stopped briefly to speak with the media to publicly endorse their cause: Ride for Hope 211.
What is Ride for Hope? The two First Nations women, along with their crew work to bring awareness to prescription drug abuse, and how it negatively affects their community of Sandy Lake First Nation.
There are five cyclists in total with a road crew in a van that holds supplies for the trip.

Having travelled over 2600 kilometres by bike from the outskirts of Vancouver to Dryden, Ont., Ida Maye Fiddler and Megan Anishinabie stopped briefly to speak with the media to publicly endorse their cause: Ride for Hope 211.
What is Ride for Hope? The two First Nations women, along with their crew, work to bring awareness to prescription drug abuse and how it negatively affects their community of Sandy Lake First Nation.
There are five cyclists in total with a road crew in a van that holds supplies for the trip.

National Aboriginal Day (June 21) was a day of coming together for the communities of Lac Seul First Nation, Slate Falls First Nation and Sioux Lookout, when the three communities signed the Friendship Accord.
Sioux Lookout municipal councilor Joyce Timpson called the agreement between the First Nations and Sioux Lookout a formalization of their intent.
“The intent of your elected leaders in Lac Seul, Slate Falls and the municipalities is a promise to work together in the future,” said Timpson.

Dryden Native Friendship Centre (DNFC) hopes to become the gathering place for events in the community with its new facility.
Shelly Ledger, executive director for DNFC, said that the new centre resulted in a need to expand the old friendship centre.
When the costs of expanding matched the cost of moving and renovating an old motel, Ledger said knew what she had to do.
“Our other facility was a very small building, and though it was very useful at the time, it wasn’t accessible,” said Ledger.