鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we hear a lot 鈥� 鈥楳an, there used to be this!鈥欌�� said Jackie Challis, member of the newly formed Inuvik Community Events Society, which seeks to host and support family-friendly events in town.
Jodi Day-MacLeod and Jackie Challis are two members of new community group the Inuvik Community Events Society. Their intention is to host and promote family friendly community events in town, starting with a New Year鈥檚 dance, jig and feast.
People seem to miss events that bring youth and elders together for non-alcoholic fun during the dark winter, she said.
鈥淚 think that tradition is really strong still, especially in the other communities,鈥� said Challis. 鈥淚n Inuvik, it tends to ebb and flow because of volunteers.鈥�
Jodi Day-MacLeod, another member of the group, said the idea started with a desire to revive the New Year鈥檚 old time dance.
From there, a core group of eight community members have been meeting and it has spiralled into forming a society.
The group鈥檚 first priority is hosting a traditional old-time family dance this New Year鈥檚, complete with a feast and jigging for everyone from youth to elders.
鈥淚鈥檓 a parent and a grandparent and there is always adult-orientated events going on for New Year鈥檚,鈥� said Day-MacLeod, pointing to alcohol-based dances and parties.
鈥淭here didn鈥檛 appear to be anything in the community that was offered as a family event that you could go to. I felt that it was something that was missing from New Year鈥檚 Eve, to spend (time) with family, friends, talk about the past, talk about future, get together and have a great evening without alcohol.鈥�
The society will be seeking as much business sponsorship as it can find and assess where it鈥檚 at Oct. 1, which will determine how much more fundraising the group needs to do to pull off the dance members want.
Beyond the New Year鈥檚 dance, the society hopes to host and revive family events throughout the year, such as the much-missed Delta Days.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e great ideas, so we鈥檇 like to get them going again,鈥� said Day-MacLeod.
She said the group鈥檚 intention is not to step on any toes, but to assist wherever possible to increase the number of family events in the community.
鈥淥ur goal is to get as many people together and planning events (as possible) so we鈥檙e not always exhausting the same volunteers,鈥� she said.
The group meets irregularly but is always seeking volunteers and ideas.
