Club Visits New Rejuvenated Dryden Native Friendship Centre

Sally Ledger, Executive Director of the DNFC introduced herself as “that biker girl”. She originally came in 2008 on a three month contract to see if the Centre was worth saving as it was deep in debt and without viable leadership.

After finishing her contract, she left but on her way back on her bike, she called on of the members of the organization and was advised the person who had been appointed the Executive Director had quit and was then asked if she would be interested in the job.

Since accepting and taking over, she has taken the organization almost out of debt, into new premises and started a number of promising programs to help the urban aboriginal. or as she says: "Anyone else who needs help".

Our meeting opened with a smudging ceremony - which is a sacred ceremony that is conducted at the beginning of an event to cleanse the area and participants. Normally , the conductor of the ceremony will bring around a bowl or shell with one of or a mixture of the Four Sacred Medicines (Tobacco, Cedar, Sage and Sweetgrass). The medicines are burned and each participant will use the smoke from the burning medicines to cleanse themselves. 

We were then treated to a wonderful lunch including some traditional food fish and bannock.

After lunch, we were provided with a powerpoint presentation on the activities of the Friendship Centre by Sally and then a tour of the building and met some of the other
employees.

There are over 25 community volunteers helping out with a number of them helping with lunches and soup that is served daily except weekends. If you wish to volunteer, you must go through a criminal records check