An Indigenous culture camp is set to roll in Grand Forks next week after it was delayed a year because of flood recovery and smokey air, organizers have confirmed.
The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Aug. 12 to 15 and from Aug. 19 to 22.
The event was meant to run last year and was funded through a provincial grant administered through the Boundary District Arts Council (BDAC), which folded in June.
After a new board took over BDAC last November, they realized that $8,000 of a provincial grant intended for the Indigenous culture camp was payed out, but they said no receipt evidence of the original expenditures were provided.
However, organizers of the camp told the Gazette on Aug. 1 that they fully intend to run the event this month with the money spent last year. That money, they said, has been spent on bringing in a camp coordinator, supplies for art and crafts, and honoraria for elders who will participate in the teachings at the camp.
The memos on three cheques written in 2018 indicate that the payments were for “cultural camp,” “cultural camp facilities” and “cultural camp supplies.” Documents from last year suggest that the camp was to happen in July or August 2018. Organizers told the Gazette Aug. 1 that due to the flood and smoke pollution last summer, the camp was postponed.
Children can be registered for the camp by emailing slmwhite@msn.com.
