News Release Archive
COMMUNITY SERVICES--Native Feast Honours Foster Parents
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In Mi'kmaq culture the medicine wheel represents the holistic
aspects of life: mental, spiritual, emotional and physical. On
Thursday, Oct. 23, the wheel, also known as the circle of life,
will be given to foster families who attend the traditional
Mi'kmaq Foster Family Feast.
The feast, part of National Foster Family Week, Oct. 19-25, will
take place between noon and 4:30 p.m. at St. Catherine's Church
Hall on the Indian Brook Reserve.
"The celebration is attended by foster families and service
providers who work with children in our care, as well as staff
and volunteers of the agency and other community organizations,"
said Doreen Bernard, a social worker in foster care who is
helping to co-ordinate the event.
The annual feast is delivered in Mi'kmaq style with moose
burgers, venison steaks, salmon, trout and traditional native
breads topping the menu. The celebration provides an opportunity
for local people to meet with foster parents and agency
representatives in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss what it is
like to be foster parents.
"It's a much anticipated event each year," said Rufus Copage, who
is also helping to co-ordinate the feast. "We have several
volunteers do the cooking, but we all do our part in order to
make the feast a success."
Mr. Copage, who has supplied the moose every year since the feast
began in 1992, said it is the community's way of saying thank you
and giving something back to foster families.
National Foster Family Week is set aside each year to thank those
who have opened their homes to children in need. The native feast
is one of various activities this week throughout the province to
acknowledge the dedication, love, guidance and nurturing that
foster families provide to the children in our communities.
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Contact: Charlene MacLean-Richard
Community Services
902-424-4326
E-mail: macleacb@gov.ns.ca
ngr Oct. 22, 1997 12:50 pm
