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(‘2 + ay wi i ik: Eri k o Coast to coast with Katimavik: Erica Meekes Col.beane emnassiclE â€" Feb {0jos 85 Erica Meekes is a Cramahke helped motivate many _ wl > > Nh. Vn j has surprised our group the most Township resident who has participants to strengthen bonds |__ '3@}- n i1 cro o m i MA 7 is the considerable taken a year to participate in â€" with different individuals. { roall B .0 i § ; % \| supportiveness of the community. the federallyâ€"funded youth This has created a closer . j .. he f * o l t &.‘ . # ;’" _| In Merritt it is rare to walk into a volunteer Katimavik program. group.aseveryoneis makingnew | _ _‘ _ / _ * & _( â€" We mss RRM cafe, or store and not be given a She has agreed to relate some â€" bonds. + E* / waay BC i e 9: Yea it + _ i=_ 0| discount, or free merchandise. of her experiences on this life Personally, I find that my | j "h(f‘ 4 " t ‘ fln s P 3«\9“‘- "I New job placements also journey with us. The following values and attitudes have | | § i. NP %‘33{'{:i s o . x MB introduce new â€"community is the second article she has changed since my initiation into esb @tde) ~ T yE ps ons 1 contacts, as well as life skills. written on her activities. the program. Katimavik has 3 ="}t /s PR 0 s e \ s Most placements are in given me an opportunity to work | _ «e _/ o . M TEM ET BE Amcomcatinc es _ec) Clementary schools; there is also Katimavik British Columbia _ on becoming the person I wish to im‘ t * 4 [ MV .o . § + i ‘a placement at the Merritt â€" welcoming change be as opposed to the person I feel I D\ :o. $ ~ W CA ET ) Humane Society, a Seniors home, Katimavik is a federally have to be. Never having been â€" @@W hi :; Jms U l the local First Nations Indian funded program I joined about â€" exposed to different sthnicities, |ewa B N _ W | s Band, and one placement with a > five months ago. Our group of races, or lifestyles, many . y e *y « N 5) local group that helps all nonâ€" eight participants recently attitudes and opinions I held were F. : ) o Rwae 5 ue profit organizations in the area. completed a threeâ€"month rotation _ adepted from secondary sources â€"| | o . saa, .0 was _ mE _ Our group has also found the in Saint John, New Brunswick. such as people I looked up to, [ CV [ _ i ‘ s * 0| acceptance, and support of a new _ We travelled to Merritt, British â€" influences from my community | [ . ts i4 i4 $\ W T | project leader, and I believe that _ Columbia two months ago. and school, or media influences. f}u‘if'y:"".’ es ... 15 45 N# " _ _\ | without all these new influences Travelling to a new province . Theendresultwas thatIhavenot |____ _ * _ WO .. c l is * B on our Katimavik group, we | and experiencing / a _ new . formed many of my own values _ Memeens or ThE Katimavik TEam in Mennitt, B.C. take a few minutes for Would not be able to sustain ‘ environment has been a positive based on my own exposure to life. _ a group photo. With Erica Meekes,left of the back row, are:Beeka Ourselves within the program. ‘ experience for our group. The _ Since my participation in â€" Huntof Ontario, Holly Lockhart of Alberta, Ray Anthony, Project Leader â€" Some changes are difficult, but in mountains (or what natives call Katimavik, I have been asked a it lumbia. Ri i | the end they are very beneficial. 5 meaguant ; ; ; fromBritish Columbia, Rico Esposto of Quebec, and Blair Barrington of 4 fills) of Merritt are a vast change . very valid question. "What is the â€" Nova Scotia. in front, from left: Gabriells Marandola and Garoline Piche . _ If O# Would like to learn from the relaxed waterside measure of normalcy?" Even fo(\:/)a bco (ournativius f Puoto susumep _ TOre about Katimavik, Erica community of Saint John. now, I cannot personally answer 2 "4C°C° n) CS""C _ encourages you to visit their The rotation from New this question to my own Katimavik I found, and still myself, whoever it is that I may â€" mebsite at www.katimavik.org, j Brunswick to British Columbia I satisfaction, and because of this, I _ maintain this opinion, that the be. or to eâ€"mail her with any found more difficult than . am reâ€"evaluating my opinions o’n person T admire the most is Merrick, B.C. questions at â€" initially joining the program and all issues of â€" difference. Ssomeone who is the least afraid to Merritt has a large and emeekes@hotmail.com. leaving home. It was difficult to Experiences like this have led me be herself. This inspired me. I enriched _ First â€" Nations _ Her next stop is Bedford, | say goodbye to everyone from the . to discover more about myself in â€" wanted that for myself, to dress community that is also assisting Quebec. | ?a;nt JOhl\Ill ar]eaa beCal_lS}?, t11'11ke tl:(lese lasttflve months than at any _ like myself, to laugh and act like _ in influencing our group. What iving in New Brunswick, they other ime in m j â€" NA yen us t Mu6 (ye [ are part of an experience that has . Surprisingly, not becaus?:a ofléffy‘ ended and will likely not be answers I‘ve found, but because ‘ revisited in my life. I made two of all the questions I have very good friends from different . discovered. Katimavik groups. Currently one Media influence has been has rotated to Manitoba, and the i?rgely eliminated from the | other, Alberta. We are still in â€" Katimavik household beca n s a o mm e ~o . Roie "â€"â€"â€"= l & fls & close contact, but nothing can _ don‘t own a television. ’l‘huizehzg 5| £8P59i03 clhwmls hss g T replace physical and visual eliminated a lot of media control 555 o 5$ bo oE 3 ol m 19e tm apo = + contact with the people who over the opinions of participants 5 §] 3 E E $ sheaF _ lc F3 | C o9 f change your life. in the house. Suddenly the T245A 2 °2 5 8 % 3 zPF â€"Q 52 o pressures to be skinny, popular § 5 = &n & m grg / % . 4 12e sa]|°B 2 | Changing values rich and famous have great13; s E850 & 2 m § A 5. ce in cas 8 6 § I have noticed most since our â€" diminished. €.8 8 1w6 $ R z 2\ vauk 2 M & ses?sp 3 arrival in Merritt the change of _ Prior to Katimavik I placed i9 i.2 # 2oo $ s ~ g _ am 19905 =w 3 the group dynamic and personal much importance on physical E 2A 8 3 8 S 22 2 wB e e 56 s2f H 2 changes in myself. During our attributes, the end result being P sc 16w 6 «~IIl 8 §€F 2o2z 3 last rotation, I found smaller â€" that I had become a fabrication of §FSB EEBof s E h m n tlaci! . | ind 55582 a 5 , groups had formed within our our society. It took removing as5 pos 6 4 3. maal) ty w $ss sell|as C larger group. Many people simply _ myself from my enÂ¥ifonment to § § ° wi°G R ; 4 s lloles | 30 § gfi vg 28 Q” rln felt. more comfortable with work on becomimg my own o asee .1 â€"t&F s | 4 i/ ~"ll$3| G . certain participants, and were person. That was when I could \ Ee a5 ? 513 at .. in slhew., 5 ‘less apt to step out of these . set goals toward who I wanted to C(C$§f:: i ft:o Pn ;1|‘ S : comfort zones. Reâ€"forming our be without the media influencing | O mie i &6b &n s “’) " §h . h } § group in a new community my decisions. Upon arriving in ol 3 “___ & m Nao §‘