Sing HU for the laughter,

for the love of each hour.

Sing HU in gratitude

To honour your Higher Power.

Sing HU for the healing

Sing HU for its song.

Sing HU for the feeling

It brings to your heart

Sing HU it gets  your day

off to a very good start.

It is a time of rejoicing

all over the earth

a time of laughter,

silly games and mirth.

Tonight in the dreamscape

as I hold you once more

remember the love

of  that far distanct shore:

can be yours each moment,

each hour of the day

when you open your heart

when you sing HU,

when you contemplate

or when you pray.

Sing HU for the laughter,

for the love of each hour.

Sing HU in gratitude

To honour your Higher Power.

Sing HU for the healing

Sing HU for its song.

Sing HU for the feeling

It brings to your heart

Sing HU it gets  your day

off to a very good start.

***for more information eckankar.org

The snow crystals are formed from the freezing rain

They sparkle in the Sunlight of  Spirit inside my brain

The high holy holidays give a reason to rejoice

We unite in love to sing HU with one Voice.

Photo credit Sonny Alfredo Galea   Wild Wilderness Photography      Grande Prairie AB Canada

The snow crystals are formed from the freezing rain

They sparkle in the Sunlight of  Spirit inside my brain

The high holy holidays give a reason to rejoice

We unite in love to sing HU with one Voice.

***for further information contact eckankar.org

This aboriginal artist, George Wabasca, designed  ”Wing Spirit” an original traditional carving of an eagle from Moose horn as  a gift with your family in mind. For a contribution of five dollars per ticket for the Elder’s raffle you are helping the Artists help the Elder’s. What a unique Christmas present this will make. Call the Shelter 780 882 7242 for tickets or drop by t he Elder’s Creative Shoppe (Elder’s Corner)  in the Towne Centre Mall Grande Prairie to view and purchase your ticket. For information call 780 978 1105  Draw date Dec 21st….shop hours 11-9 daily except Sunday. Good luck in the raffle and stop by for other great handmade  Native fine art and crafts for friends and family.

The fullest of moons

The brightest of nights

Fills Soul’s longing for Home

With myriad delights.Photo by Mary Helen Ferris     Sept 08   Jasper National Park Canada

May the Sunlight of the Spirit shine upon your faces

May the Light and Sound of God fill you in all places

May the “road less traveled”  be brightened with joy

May I surrender, be Spirit’s sweet toySpirit’s sweet toy.

“Grand Pa, tell me about the good old days”   Photo credit Sonny Alfredo Galea   Body Soul Spirit Expo 2008

Metis music in the Elder’s Corner Towne Centre Mall – Grande Prairie.   Today during the Gala for young Metis photographer/artist Candi Haugen the Gala will feature the music of  Richard Laboucan, Kayla Laboucan and their  great fiddle music.   Clinton Soto will close the show with his tradiitonal dancing after 6.   Music during the early afternoon  munchies at five  Call 978 1105  for details.   Let’s celebrate the gifts of the Creator with the Elders at the  Gala 1 – 8  Door prizes and fun.  No need to shop till you drop….come in for the music, visit with the Elder’s and celebrate life. You can get in on the raffle for Wings Spirit a hand carved eagle by George Wabasca.  Music will be served Metis style.

New volunteer venture to support Elders Caring Shelter opens

REMO ZACCAGNA – Herald-Tribune staff

Posted 12 hours ago

Mary Helen Ferris and Kayla Laboucan came up with the idea for the Elders Creative Shoppe in the Towne Centre Mall, which will raise funds for the Elders Caring Shelter. Remo Zaccagna

Last winter, Kayla Laboucan and Mary Helen Ferris spent many weekends outdoors selling raffle tickets to raise funds for the Elders’ Caring Shelter.

Mild or cold, sunny or snowy, the duo would be out doing the best they could for a cause they deeply believed in. But Laboucan, 17, thought that there must be a better way to raise money.

“So we were at the Co-op this year with the raffle, and selling angels, and she said ‘You’re not doing this this year. You’re not going to be out in the cold,’” Ferris recalled. “And so I said, ‘now what do I do?’ And she said, ‘find us a place.’”

And find a place she did. On Nov. 13 the pair officially opened the Elders’ Creative Shoppe (Elders Corner) in a former jewellery store location in the Town Centre Mall.

Entirely run on a volunteer basis, the store features numerous handcrafted Métis items – everything from artwork, jewellery, to clothing. Part of the proceeds from the items, all on consignment, will go towards the Elders’ Caring Shelter on 99 Avenue.

“What we needed was a good fundraiser to raise funds for the Elders Caring Shelter, and we’ve done raffles, tickets, and draws in the past, and we thought why not do this?” explained Laboucan, the store’s manager.

The money raised will go towards funding programs at the shelter, which offers transient housing for up to three years for homeless people over the age of 55, many of them Métis.

“Our mandate is to get them back into society, and so what we do is a lot of activities and counselling, and we work on self-esteem,” explained Benita Galandy, the shelter’s manager.

Ferris said they’ve had almost 30 consignors offer items over a five-day span this month.

“Thirty-five years ago I had an art gallery in Spirit River, and sometimes life comes full circle,” she said. “So these are all hand-crafted work from artisans whose stores have gone out of business.”

On Friday the store will host the Butterfly Kisses Gala, which will double as a fundraiser for the shelter and business launch for Candi Haugen, a Métis artist/photographer.

At the gala, Laboucan will team up with her grandfather, Richard, who lives at the elders’ shelter, to perform traditional Métis music.

Overall, the entire experience has been eye-opening for her, she said.

“It’s been exponentially extraordinary, it’s beyond belief,” Laboucan said. “When we first started out we never thought that things could go the way that they had, especially at the rate that it has.”

The Creative Shoppe will be open daily until Dec. 30, when the idea will be re-evaluated, Laboucan said.

“It is when we’ll kind of decide whether we can continue, and if possible, we’d like to become permanent,” she said.

rzaccagna@bowesnet.com

REMO ZACCAGNA – Herald-Tribune staff

Posted 12 hours ago

Mary Helen Ferris and Kayla Laboucan came up with the idea for the Elders Creative Shoppe in the Towne Centre Mall, which will raise funds for the Elders Caring Shelter. Remo Zaccagna

Last winter, Kayla Laboucan and Mary Helen Ferris spent many weekends outdoors selling raffle tickets to raise funds for the Elders’ Caring Shelter.

Mild or cold, sunny or snowy, the duo would be out doing the best they could for a cause they deeply believed in. But Laboucan, 17, thought that there must be a better way to raise money.

“So we were at the Co-op this year with the raffle, and selling angels, and she said ‘You’re not doing this this year. You’re not going to be out in the cold,’” Ferris recalled. “And so I said, ‘now what do I do?’ And she said, ‘find us a place.’”

And find a place she did. On Nov. 13 the pair officially opened the Elders’ Creative Shoppe (Elders Corner) in a former jewellery store location in the Town Centre Mall.

Entirely run on a volunteer basis, the store features numerous handcrafted Métis items – everything from artwork, jewellery, to clothing. Part of the proceeds from the items, all on consignment, will go towards the Elders’ Caring Shelter on 99 Avenue.

“What we needed was a good fundraiser to raise funds for the Elders Caring Shelter, and we’ve done raffles, tickets, and draws in the past, and we thought why not do this?” explained Laboucan, the store’s manager.

The money raised will go towards funding programs at the shelter, which offers transient housing for up to three years for homeless people over the age of 55, many of them Métis.

“Our mandate is to get them back into society, and so what we do is a lot of activities and counselling, and we work on self-esteem,” explained Benita Galandy, the shelter’s manager.

Ferris said they’ve had almost 30 consignors offer items over a five-day span this month.

“Thirty-five years ago I had an art gallery in Spirit River, and sometimes life comes full circle,” she said. “So these are all hand-crafted work from artisans whose stores have gone out of business.”

On Friday the store will host the Butterfly Kisses Gala, which will double as a fundraiser for the shelter and business launch for Candi Haugen, a Métis artist/photographer.

Overall, the entire experience has been eye-opening for her, she said.

“It’s been exponentially extraordinary, it’s beyond belief,” Laboucan said. “When we first started out we never thought that things could go the way that they had, especially at the rate that it has.”

The Creative Shoppe will be open daily until Dec. 30, when the idea will be re-evaluated, Laboucan said.

“It is when we’ll kind of decide whether we can continue, and if possible, we’d like to become permanent,” she said.

rzaccagna@bowesnet.com

In the world there so many blessings

More than my heart can hold

I give thanks each moment

That I do have to live out in the cold.

I have food,shelter, clothing,

My heart is full of mirth…..

I am so blessed I an truly say

I am the luckiest woman on eart.

In my heart it is Christmas everyday.

Thank you Mahanta, Creator, Master, Friend

May I show others this Joy and Freedom

Before my Journey’s end.

-to learn more    eckankar.org

There once was a lady named Carol

Who challenged life with a smile

She championed the old and broken

She made everyone’s life worthwhile.

Well it seems she is having a birthday

Her virtues we would like to address

One wishes her many years happiness

Her age we can only guess.

So it appears her golden years are approaching

At a rate one can only suppose

We wish her youthful spirit has

always the angel’s caress.

So while you are sitting there laughing

At her aging and the distress that it brings

Do you not wish you had her patience

The flair for detail in all things.

Carol, we wish you continued joy in service

And  the rewards that your kindness brings

But most of all we wish we had voices

Your birthday praises to sing.

Since that is not convenient

(Youth had its own demands)

We will wish you a happy birthday

With our continued admiration

For putting up with your man.

Posted in poetry ]]> http://greatpoetrymhf.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/there-once-was-a-lady-named-carol/feed/ 0 greatpoetrymhf http://greatpoetrymhf.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/mother-earths-gifts-served-metis-style-in-fundraiser-by-youth-and-elders-posted-by-patroness-1-day-ago-youth-leader-kayla-laboucan-of-the-federal-committee-for-under-served-youth-serves-as-store/ http://greatpoetrymhf.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/mother-earths-gifts-served-metis-style-in-fundraiser-by-youth-and-elders-posted-by-patroness-1-day-ago-youth-leader-kayla-laboucan-of-the-federal-committee-for-under-served-youth-serves-as-store/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:49:43 +0000 greatpoetrymhf http://greatpoetrymhf.wordpress.com/?p=1807 ]]>

Youth leader Kayla Laboucan, of the Federal Committee for Under Served Youth  Advisory Forum serves as store manager for the Gala November 27th. Combining her talents with her grand-father Richard Laboucan, they will be hosting a  fund raising  gala for Butterfly Kisses Photography at the Elder’s Creative Shoppe.
Events start at 1:00 PM Friday in the Towne Centre Mall’s newest addition and runs until 8:00 PM.
This gala launches the business of a Metis artist/photographer Candi Haugen whose love of the Elder’s at the Elder’s Caring Shelter motivated her to work with local youth and provide this fund raising project.
To provide door prizes or to consign your work to help the artists help the Elder’s call 780 978 1105.
The Elder’s Creative Shoppe (Elder’s Corner) is located in the Towne Centre mall and will be providing a venue for local aboriginal artists, a home for a raffle hand carved antler complete with medicine pipe and display case “Wing Spirit” by George Wabasca, and an exciting opportunity for volunteers of all ages.
Come for the music and stay to visit with the Elder’s.
Refreshments will be served at the Gala.
Youth and Elder’s will be working at this location until December 31 certain.

Support us and we will endeavour to keep this great location open for the Arctic Winter Games

Grand Pa tell me about the good old days

Kayla Laboucan sings with grand-father Richard Laboucan at Body Soul Spirit Expo….photo credit Sonny Alfredo Galea