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FortSmithcelebrates40thannualThebachaLoppetWhatstartedaspoliticalactivismlivesonasannualfamilyevent20TuesdayMarch32015SPORTSRECREATIONSKIING15031CA0ScanwithyourmobiledeviceThereisstillmoretimetoapplyforPersonalCreditsofupto3000foreducationallanguageorculturalprograms.IndividualswhoreceivedaCommonExperiencePaymentundertheIndianResidentialSchoolsSettlementAgreementareeligibleforupto3000inPersonalCreditsforeducationprogramsandservices.Theseincludecoursesatuniversitiescollegestradeortrainingschoolsorforprogramsandworkshopsprovidedbycommunity-basedgroupsorculturalcentresforactivitiesrelatedtoAboriginallanguageandculture.PersonalCreditscanbeusedbyaCommonExperiencePaymentrecipientsharedwithuptotwofamilymembersorpooledforgroupeducationservices.ThedeadlinetoapplyhasbeenextendedtoMarch92015.HelpwithcompletingthePersonalCreditsAcknowledgmentFormisavailable.Findoutmoreatwww.residentialschoolsettlement.caorbyphoneMaininformationline1-866-343-1858AssemblyofFirstNations1-866-869-6789NunavutTunngavikIncorporatedIqaluit1-888-646-0006InuvialuitRegionalCorporationInuvik1-867-777-7092MakivikCorporationQuebec1-418-522-2224ExpressionsofInterestYoumaybeastudentinterestedinthepossible8-monthcerticateprogramatSALTCollegeinFortSmiththatisaimedatpreparingthestudentforeverydayworkplaceemploymentintheircommunity.CommunityLeadershipandOrganizationCommunitySystemsPersonalGrowthPlanEducationHealthYouthEnvironmentSpiritualetc.AgenciesorganizationsDevelopingleadershipandorganizationalskillsCommunityDevelopmentandInteragencyGroupsPracticumetc.AskforSALTbycalling867872-8151or867872-4632eveningsOrwritetoSALTcoBox1101FortSmithNTX0E0P0SALTisaChristianCollegeadheringtothestatementoffaithofthePAOCByDALICARMICHAELAsFortSmithcelebratesthe40thanni-versaryofitsannualThebachaLoppetacross-countryskijauntbetweentownandtheedgeoftheAlbertaborderresidentsarealsotakingtimetorememberthepo-liticalactivismthathelpedtheeventgainpopularity.In1975residentIbKristensenhis14year-oldsonJackandtheirfriendJerrySchwapspent12daysglidingfromtheirwarmhomeinFortSmithtotheirdesti-nationinFortMcMurrayinthehopesofbuildingmomentumforthecreationofanewroadnorthtotheNWT.ModernFortSmithresidentshadtheop-portunitytoquestionKristensenattheNorth-ernLifeMuseumandCulturalCentrelastThursdayduringthesecondinstallmentofitsnewspeakerseries.Peoplefromalloverwereeagerlypro-motingthisroadtobebuiltKristensensaid.IwasoncouncilatthetimeandIgotanearfulofthatfromeverybody.MayorPaulKaeserwastherehammeringawayatusandsayingdosomethingaboutitandgetthatroadbuiltbutitwasntaseasyasthat.Thereweremanyupsanddownstoit...Agreatmanypoliticiansoutsidesup-portedusbutnoroadcameabout.InadditiontoNWTcommunitiesaskingforanewroad-torelievepressureoffthePeaceRiver-HighLevelhighway-delegatesfromUraniumCitySask.FortChipewyanandEdmontonAlta.metseveraltimesoverthecourseofthelate60stotheearly70storeachtheirgoal.In1975shortlyaftertheFortSmithSkiClubwasformedKristensenandhiscrewdecidedtomakethetrekthelengthoftheroadtheywantedfollowinginthefootstepsofpreviousWalkathonstoraisefundsandawarenessforothercauses.IgottheideathatsomethingwecoulddowastophysicallypromotethatroadKristensensaid.TogetherwithourfriendsSchwapandmysonJackwedecidedtodoaloppetbetweenhereandFortMcMurray.TheytookoffonMar.121975.ThatdaythetriomadeittoaWoodBuffaloNationalParkcabininFortFitzgeraldafterstoppingtotakeabreakwithateamofsupportersatMountainPortage.AgroupofsnowmobilersfromFortSmithhadhumongousparticipactiontakeplaceKristensensaid.InaspecialtoThePilotaformerFortSmith-basednewspaperKristensenwroteabouthisjourneyshortlyafterittookplace.Fornowthestoryhangsonthewallofthelocalmuseum.Inthepiecehementionstheimmensesupportlocalsshowedfortheexpe-ditionintheformofa1000donationfromthetownandaeetofabout20snowmobilersreadytofollowthecrewtoFortMcMurray.Oncetheteamwasoutonthelandthoughtheyrealizedjusthowtoughthenextfewdaysweregoingtobe.Wesoonrealizedthatwherenosnow-mobilehadpassedwehadtobreakourowntrail-andthatwashardworkKristenwrote.Ourskiswerelighttouringskistoonarrowfortrailblazingandwesoonfoundourselvesskiingalongthesideoftheroadwhichforafewmilesworkedne.WhilereiteratingthetaletohisaudienceKristensenfocusedonconditionsthatmadethegoingtoughalongthewayandthegra-cioustrapperswhowould-voluntarilyorinvoluntarily-lendtheadventurersshelterintheircabinsovernight.Itwasatoughgoingnodoubtbutween-joyedithesaid.Withunusuallywarmweatherthecrewfacedice-coveredsnowriveroverowsandfrozenfeet.IntheendKristensensaiditwasallworthit.WedidtheverynaltrekintoFortMc-Murrayandthemayorwastheregreetingushesaid.Newspaperswerethere...Itwasquitetheevent.AcharterwasarrangedfromFortSmithtoMcMurraytollwithrelativesfriendstobethereatthetimetocelebratethearrivalofthesecrazypeoplethatwentontheloppet.Eventhoughayear-roundroadhasyettobecompletedinthatregionKristensensaidheisproudofhisaccomplishmentandthecontributionsmadetoinstallingtheexist-ingwinterroad.ItwasquitetheeventKristensensaid.Icherishthatopportunity.Sometimesyouhavetodosomethingcrazytosatisfyyourselfandthatwasonegreatthing.Idontknowhowwediditreally.Thelegacyoftheloppetnowcarriesonasaclassiccross-countryeventwheredozensofenthusiastsofallagestaketothetrailstherstweekendofMarcheachyear.The2015ThebachaLoppetisscheduledforSat-urdayMar.7.PhotoDaliCarmichaelFortyyearsafterhisgreatskifromFortSmithtoFortMcMurrayIbKristensensharesthestoryofhowheandhisfriendsfoughtforaroadalongthesamerouteusingrecreationasatoolofpoliticalactivism.