ASC prepares for annual Spring Pow wow

The Aboriginal Students Council (ASC) is hard at work fundraising for its eighth annual Spring Pow wow to be held on Friday, Mar. 12. Although their request to the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association for additional funding for the event was denied, Pow wow co-ordinator Courtney Berthelette expects to be able to meet the costs of the event.

“All it took was a little reworking of the budget,” said Berthelette, adding that in previous years the UWSA has granted the Pow wow committee $1,000.

Courtney Maddock, UWSA vice-president internal, said the reason the funds weren’t granted was because the ASC was the only student service group that did not receive a budget cut this year.

“We have granted service groups funding requests before, but we felt, for an organization that didn’t receive a budget cut, they should be able to work with what they have,” she said, adding that the ASC currently receives the biggest overall budget from the UWSA out of all the service groups on campus, with this year’s budget totalling $14,888.

Jerry Daniels, the male representative for the ASC and UWSA aboriginal students co-director, said $5,000 of the UWSA funds granted to the ASC are put towards the Pow wow each year, covering a significant portion of the cost of the event, which is around $20,000. So far, the Pow wow committee has obtained about $12,000 for the event and is hoping to raise the rest fairly quickly.

In addition to pizza sales and Christmas decoration sales, the Pow wow committee has sent out funding requests to various businesses and community organizations. As well, the committee is holding a “Spud and Steak” dinner fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 20 that will include a silent auction, a 50/50 draw and door prizes.

Although the event is fast approaching, Berthelette is confident that the funds will come through in time.

“I am not worried,” she said. “We are right on schedule.”

An issue that concerns her more is recruiting volunteers for the event.

“We will need a lot of hands that day,” she said, adding that there will be several events going on throughout the day that will require assistance.

The day’s events will include traditional dancing, hand drum competitions, craft tables and a free community feast.

“There is going to be lots for spectators to do,” she said, adding that audience members can join in the dancing.

Berthelette emphasised the importance the spring Pow wow has for the Aboriginal community.

“It is a way for us to get together and celebrate our culture,” she said.

Daniels said the event is also a unique experience for those who are not part of the Aboriginal community.

“They get a sense of the founding peoples and they get to share in the culture and get an experience they might not find anywhere else.”

The Spring Pow wow will take place Friday, Mar. 12 at the U of W Duckworth Centre. To volunteer at the event, contact Courtney Berthelette at [email protected].

Published in Volume 64, Number 19 of The Uniter (February 11, 2010)

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