Lenny Carpenter — Wawatay News

More than 250 people gathered on Sachigo Lake on Feb. 25 to take part in one of the biggest fishing derbies on northwestern Ontario.
All participants dropped their lines into a randomly drawn fishing hole as part of the 9th Annual Sachigo Lake First Nation Ice Fishing Derby, where the first prize was a brand new 2012 Dodge Ram 1500.
When a horn sounded at noon to signal the start of the derby, hundreds lined up to draw a number that determined their fishing hole, which were pre-drilled the day before.

More than 200 delegates took part in the 10th Annual First Nations Northern Housing Conference, which took place Feb. 14-16 in Thunder Bay.
Dale Suganaqueb of Webequie First Nation said he was impressed with this year’s conference.
“I’ve been coming here for past three years and it’s growing every year,” he said.
The event has grown substantially since a handful of participants from the Shibogama Tribal Council communities gathered in a boardroom in Sioux Lookout in March 1999 for the original sessions.

Dennis Franklin Cromarty (DFC) High School Principal Jon Kakegamic has been named one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2012.
The Learning Partnership, a national charitable organization dedicated to championing a strong public education system in Canada, named Kakegamic as one of 41 principals who have had a positive impact in their communities.
The principals were recognized at a gala event in Toronto on Feb. 27.
While Kakagamic said he was honoured to be receiving the award, he deflected credit to others at DFC.

When Michael Tyance was 16 years old, he tried prescription drugs and was immediately hooked.
“It’s just the euphoria that you get from it,” Tyance said. “It felt just right, I wanted to keep on taking it.”
The Pic River First Nation member, who grew up in Marathon and Red Lake, became a drug addict. He was using drugs “pretty much all the time.”
His mother Ella Linklater was unaware of his drug use, but knew he was changing.
“He was getting into trouble, like breaking and entering,” she said.

The federal government and Attawapiskat leaders announced on March 6 that a Manitoba contractor will construct the new school for Attawapiskat First Nation.
Penn-Co Construction Canada (2003) Ltd. is based in Blumenort, Man., and has experience working with remote First Nation communities on the construction of large facilities such as water treatment plants, hospitals, schools, and commercial buildings, according to a press release put out by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC).