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12TuesdayFebruary122013www.woodbuffalo.ab.caBESTWISHESFROMMAYORANDCOUNCILOnbehalfofMayorandCouncilIwouldliketoextendmyverybesttoallthosegatheredfortheFortChipewyanWinterCarnival.ThetemperaturesarewellbelowzeroandthesnowbanksarerisinghighereachweekbutthatdoesnotstopourresidentsfromgettingoutandhavingfuninthesewintermonthsTheWinterCarnivalisagreatopportunitytodojustthatitsacelebrationoftherichcultureandcoldclimatebutwarmhearts--ofFortChipewyanandWoodBuffalo.MythanksgototheorganizerssponsorsandvolunteerswhomakethisWinterCarnivalpossible.Aneventlikethisbringsthecommunitytogetherandmakesourregionagreatplacetocallhome.IwisheveryonewhoisparticipatingintheWinterCarnivalasafeandenjoyabletimeSincerelyMayorMelissaBlakePhoenixAutomotivesupportsAuroraCollegeWeekFebruary11-152013Bestwishestoallofthestaffandstudents75KingStreetFortSmithNTByRENEFRANCOEURAsKenKrahnofFortMc-Murrayhoppedoffhisorangeside-by-sideATVundertheWelcometoFortSmithsignfortheseventhyearinarowhewasallrosycheeksandsmiles.Wellitwascertainlyawarmerridethanlastyearhesaid.OnceayearKrahnrideshisquadthe440kmfromMcMurrayintoSmithtoraisemoneyandawarenessforhomelessnessontheRideforHope.Lastyeartempera-turesdippedto-36Cbuthov-eredsteadilyaround-13Cforthistrip.AddingtotheheatwasthefactthatKrahn62al-mostcaughtonreafterhisheatedglovesshortcircuitedinhischestpocketsjustbe-foretheyleft.Otherthanthatitwasagoodridehejoked.KrahnOKTiresgeneralmanagerinMcMurraywasjoinedthisyearbyprocessoperatorDrewWilsononanotherquad.Addedtotheirconvoywerethreetruckswithsignsonthefrontgrillscautioningoncomingvehiclesaboutthequads.ItsoneofthosethingsafeelingofbeingcalledtohelpthehomelessandwevebeenblessedwithcooltoysliketheseATVssowemightaswellusethemforaworthycauseWilsonwhomadethesameridewithKrahnacoupleyearsagosaid.ThesepeoplearespendingwinternightsoutsidewerejustspendingonedayKrahnsaid.RentisreallyhighinFortMcMurrayyetanotherissueandareasonwehavepeopleoutsleepingonthestreetsinthiscold.Themenleftat500a.m.andarrivedinFortSmitharound200p.m.notquiteasquickaslastyearKrahnsaid.AllfundsraisedbyKrahnscrewgotowardsoperatingcostsattheCen-treofHopeinMcMurray.SofarthisyearKrahnandhissupportteamhaveraisedaround12000thoughtheyarestilladdingupthenumbers.Wewereaimingfor25000KrahntoldTheJournal.Hopefullypeoplewillcontinuetodonate.Overthepastsixyearstheyveraisedatotalof90000.SixyearsagoIwassay-ingtomysonWhatwouldhappenifweracedourquadstoFortSmithforagoodcauseKrahnsaid.Wellhereweare.TheCentreofHopepro-videsprogramsandservicesMcMurraymentaketoATVstohelphomelessfor175to200homelessin-dividualsperweekthema-jorityofwhomhavebeenhomelessforonetothreeyearsaccordingtothecen-treswebsite.The2012HousingNeedsCountReportrecentlyreleasedbytheRegionalMunicipalityofWoodBuffalosRMWBHome-lessnessInitiativeStrate-gicCommitteestates326peopleidentifiedashome-lessinWoodBuffaloasofOct.122012.Thatisanincreaseofsevenfromtheprevioussnapshotcountin2010butremains41percentbelowlevelsexperi-encedin2008accordingtothereport.AnotherfundraiserinsupportoftheCentreofHopetheSkiforHopeisonFeb.23.RMWBCoun-cillorPhilMeagherwillbecross-countryskiing280kmfromFortChipewyantoFortMcMurray.MeagherwhohadahipreplacementinJune2011isexpectedtotake30to40hourswithoutstoppingtosleep.DonationscanbemadeonlineattheCentreofHopewebsiteatwww.fmcentreof-hope.com.PhotoReneFrancoeurKenKrahnandDrewWilsontakeabreakafterarrivinginFortSmithfromFortMcMurrayontheirATVslastThursday.ofHealthWellnessHomelessness