Margaret Houben – Barriere Star/Journal
Simpcw First Nation held an open house on Sept. 30 at the Chu Chua Community Hall. There were displays from each of the band's different departments, and many of the band council members and staff were present to answer questions.
There were maps showing the boundaries of the Simpcw traditional area, and information pamphlets at each station, about each component covered in the open house.
One displays was about the Simpcw Cenotaph Project. This project is for the creation of a war monument specifically for Simpcw First Nation. Band members hope to have the marble monument ready by Nov. 11 of this year, with the landscaping of the area around the monument to be completed later.
Some of the other displays included:
• Little Moccasins Head Start Program – a holistic community based program designed to enhance early childhood development, school readiness and overall family health and wellness for First Nations preschool children on reserve.
• Neqweyqwelsten School – this school was established by parents in the Simpcw community in 1983. It delivers program that ensure all students have their learning needs addressed, while setting high expectations for learning for all students.
• Dunn Creek Hatchery – this hatchery is part of the Fisheries Program. The main focus is the conservation and management of fish stock within the Simpcw territory.
• Home Support/Personal Care Worker – this program promotes and maintains the health, safety, independence, comfort and well being of individuals and families. It improves the quality of care to promote maximum independence.
• Simpcw Resources Group is the business side of Simpcw First Nation. Its purpose is to generate income and employment from the use of Simpcw Natural Resources using sustainable and environmentally responsible methods that respect the culture of the Simpcw First Nation.