Thunder Bay – LIVING – The Sweet North Bakery and the Mikinakoos Children’s Fund are partnering to help turn coffee into coats!
To Order: Click Here.
Together, The Sweet North Bakery and Mikinakoos have set a goal to raise $25,000 to help provide the Keewaytinook Internet High School (KIHS) students with warm winter gear. KIHS is a program that allows students to remain in their home community while taking a rich variety of ministry inspected courses toward their high school diploma.
Many of the programs that KIHS supports are land-based activities and with close to 350 students in the program, they want to ensure that all students have the chance to take part in the programs.
KIHS supports students living in the following First Nations communities: Bearskin Lake Deer Lake Fort Severn Fort William Keewaywin KI Mattagami Mishkegogamang Nibinamik North Spirit Lake Poplar Hill Sachigo Slate Falls Weagamow Webequie
About Mikinakoos Children’s Fund: Mikinakoos Children’s Fund is a charity created to address poverty by providing basic amenities, such as food, clothing, and shelter to First Nations children residing in remote First Nations communities. Join us on this journey to create positive change and secure the safety and well-being First Nation children.
The order: $75 each (that’s only $6.25 a person for coffee and a treat!) (1) Coffee crate & cookies: coffee crate with 12 cups of coffee, 6 chocolate and 6 ginger cookies (2) Coffee crate & pretzel bites: coffee crate with 12 cups of coffee and 6 salted pretzel and 6 cinnamon sugar pretzel bites.
The Principal of KIHS states, “KiHS is committed to establishing a holistic program through our Maamow Ochinaakatwopimitiyaak Service Model – “Looking after One Another, Together”. The staff at KiHS work together to develop programming that values the Mental, Spiritual, Physical and Emotional aspects of self. This programming is delivered through land, culture, language, and wellness teachings that lead to academic success.
“Access to warm clothing is limited in our small fly-in communities. Having clothing to protect students from the cold weather is essential for full participation in land-based activities. No students should be faced with a barrier to education, whether it occurs inside or outside of the physical classroom.”
Cathy Rodger, Fort William First Nation Classroom Teacher adds, “Our students spend time out on the land throughout every season. For example, during the winter months, our students go snowshoeing in order to view pictographs. The trek to find these beautiful pictographs takes about a half an hour from the Fort William classroom. They can only be accessed during the winter months because they are located on a cliff on the lake. Our students typically do not have adequate winter clothing. We scramble to collect winter gear so that all students will be able to participate in this activity. Another example is during the winter months we set nets for ice fishing at Loch Lomond Lake, situated on top of the mountain range on our reserve. To access this fishing place, students are transported to the base of the mountain and then snowshoe the remainder of the way. Here students learn how to use an auger to drill holes, set a creeper, as well as how to check the nets for fish. Teachings on track identification and setting snares also occur in the winter months. With warm clothing, students will also be able to collect and chop wood when participating in sweat lodges.”