INSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 TERRACE STANDARD The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 28, 2001 - B1 OMMUNITY:2 SECTION B Answering God's call Aboriginal recruits are taking up new posts in the northwest with the Salvation Army. By JENNIFER LANG GITWINKSIHLKW resident Fran Azak, a young mother of four, says she was raised an Anglican, but she mar- tied “in” to the Salvation Army church. That was vlien she married her hus- band, Silas, back in 1982. Silas’s spiritual destiny was more straightforward. His father was a Sal- vation Army Corps Sergeant Major. His mother also held a commission. - As a boy, he formed a vivid mem- ory when the Salvation Army marched through his village calling the faithful to church on Sundays. “The sound of the drum was the most awesome thing I heard as a small child,” he recalls. “E thought, ‘That’s what I want to do.’” On March 17 in a special ceremony - in Terrace, Fran and Silas Azak be- came two of nine people ordained, commissioned and appointed as Sal- vation Army auxiliary caplains. As of July 1, the Azaks head off to Glen Vowell, a village located in the Kispiox valley north of Hazelton. There, Fran and Silas will’ become the leaders of the Salvation Army’s Glen Vowell congregation. St’s hard to believe, seeing their beaming smiles and their neat-as-a-pin uniforms, but Fran and Silas got side- tracked on their way to salvation. “We weren’t active [in the Salva- tion Army] right off the bat,” Fran says, explaining it’s been eight years since they became sober. They: had to hit rock bottom before they cOuld see a way oul. But, as bad as things got, Silas never. forgot his childhood vision of . working for the Salvation Army. _ “= “Most of my life it has been on my heart,”. Silas says. “Through the grace of God, { was able to:change my life.” Fran’s decision to become a leader THIS FULLY enguifed rancher was one of the homes b burned in phase one of the Kemano Public Safety Initative held in the former Alcan company townsite. How you can help TWO NEW FACES of the Salvation Army: Captains Silas and Fran Azak. They were ordained and commis- sioned in a special ceremony in Terrace and are appointed to the Gien Vowell corps, effective July 1. in the Salvation Army came gradually, after she got to know officers more re- cently stationed in. Gitwinksihlkw, par- ticularly one couple who “tore her heart out” when they left the Nass Valley for another posting. 1898, then Port Essington, Port Simp- son, Gitsegukla, Prince Rupert, Cedar- vale, Hazelton, and finally, Gitwink- sihikw, in 1927. Over time, many First Nations Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermu- da division. .Luttrell and a host of other church dignitaries attended the commission- ing ceremony in Terrace. The nine graduates, five of That cycle - church lea- ders coming and going ~ has begun to wear thin to follow- “He recognized the importance of train- ing First Nations people locally here.” whom are First Nations, had just completed the Salvation Army’s special Divisional Access to Recruitment and ers in the small Nass Valley community, particularly among elders, she says. The Salvation Amy began to mini- ster to native people in the Skeena re- gion more than a‘ century ago, found- ing a church corps in Glen Yowell in. people were given commissions in their villages, enabling them to pro- vide spiritual leadership. “We would say today they were trained on the job,” says Commissio- ner Bill Luttrell, who.heads up the When Kemano burns, A change of address will take place next week By JENNIFER LANG YOU WON'T find many people making crafts to pass the hours away at the Adult Day Centre. But you might spot the half-dozen plus regulars playing a hand or two of cribbage, Crafts are fine, if you like that sort of thing. “[ feel our seniors need more mental stimulation,” Training program, an iniliative de- signed to bring training to. the people, and not the other way around, Lutrell says. The army has two training colleges, one in Ontario, the other in Newfound- land. “It’s never seemed to work success- fully for First Nations people,” Luirell said. About a decade ago, the Salvation Army realized a recruiting and training program here in the northwest might enable more people in the north, parti- cularly First Nations, to take an ac- tive, leadership role in the church. Luttrell cites former Gitwinksihlkw corps leader and teacher Don Kerr, now a retired commissioner, with being instrumental in getting the DART program off the ground. “He recognized the importance of training First Nations people locally here,” The graduates have now completed 300 hours of classroum training they obtained in Terrace during 10 five-day sessions held last year. “This program is specifically un- ique because of the significance it has for the peaple and for the onward growth of the Salvation Army in the villages here,” Luttrell says. Debbie McNeil, also of Gitwink- sihlkw, is probably the Army captain to wear a red, yellow and black bea- ded barretie in her hair during her ordi- nation ceremony — a nod to her proud cultural heritage. She’s a third-generation Army member. Her husband, Oliver, was an Anglican who Tater joined the Salva- tion Army. “I would like to see more of our people feeling comfortable with our expression of worship and be themselves,” Debbie says. “I choose to wear this,” she says, pointing to her beads, “to show people yes, you can be who you are!” Oliver would like to see more na- tive leaders embracing Christianity. Their appointment to Gitwinksihlkw is effective July 1. Seniors find a home away from home at day centre SITTING POSITION: playing hot potato with a sofl rubber ball (visible in low- er right corner of the frame) is a surprisingly fast-paced and challenging game. says program coordinator Paulette Stuart. zelle Ave,, permanent, it will be fully furnished HANDS UP anyone who’s thinking about getting a head start on their spring clean- ing, Well you can hold off any trips to the dump you were planning to toss aut old stuff you don’t want anymore. ‘Firefighters fram across the province want to use your old couches, TVs, cur- tains, lamps and. mattresses in a unique, live burn training exercise when the Ke- mano Public Safety Initiative resumes next month, ; Forty homes in the former Alcan Ke- mano townsite: south ‘of Kitimat will be refurnished for live burn training exercises that are expected to attract 500 career and volunteer firefighters starting in late April. They'll spend several days on site fighting fires in real conditions. The Office of the.Fire Commissioner, through the: support of Alcan Inc, :and other public safety agencies, have orga- nized an extensive research and training program for B.C.'s emergency responders al Kemano, a company town that-was closed down last summer, The tive burn. program is a key compo- nent of the project. It gives firefighters a: chance to fight real fires: in real buildings... — the former homes of the workers at Ke-." mano. More than 20 jocal firefighters joined 300 firefighters who took part in the the first phase held at Kemano Sept. 25 to Nov. 9. The homes are furnished as realistical- ly as possible because house contents in- fluence the nature and spread of a fire, says project coordinator Theresa James. That's why the call is going out for do- nations of.used furniture that can be burned in the exercise. “This is an important initiative for all of B.C. and furniture donations will help make sure it’s as valuable as it can pos- sibly be,” James said. Everything that furnishes a home — sofas, coffee tables, lamps, televisions, stoves, dryers,’beds and even wall de- corations like pictires or shelves — is needed, Terrace is one of nine communities in B.C. that are collecting donated house- hald items far their local fire departments "in preparation for the training sessions. Williams Moving and Storage will ‘ship all the donated items to Kemano for: the exercise. ; To. find out how you can n donate: your second-hand goods, ‘call the Thornhill -Fite Department at 638-1466 or. the -Ter- race Fire Department at 638-4734, ity” “mental” games «45 designed to. "Cards, crib, Scrabble - those are far more mental- ly stimulating.” So much so, she says, the games can spark hea- ted conversations about re- ligion and politics. And what family doesn't argue around the table? The adult day centre, operaled under Terrace Home Support in the base- ment af the Terrace Pente- costal Assembly, is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It offers people who need care because they've - ‘been slowed down by a stroke, Alzheimers or a hip injury a homey place lo hang out. “It gives them their own space and it promotes self esteem, It means they're still part of the commun- The daily agenda. -—a morning exercise program, aerobics » and. bring people out of their shell. “We've had people here who were so house- bound and within days the family noticed such a dif- ference,” she smiles. And it gives their main care giver — often a spouse or other family member - It's going to make a world of difference, “A basement is a base- ment is a basement,” Stuart says. “The Pentecostal Church has been very good lo us, We do appreciate everything they have done. But unfortunately, they respite. weren't able to take out “['ve really strived for a one wall and put in win- family en- dows for vironment, : " because ‘l’ve really strived milleally, we are for a family environ- she'd tike your fami- ment, because we are the centre ly. To me, family.” to be lo- we are a cated on family. the bench between Terra- It makes that person leaving the person behind feel so much better.” The centre is now fa- cing one.of the biggest ‘changes ever in its history ~ it’s moving locations, ‘On April 2, the centre is packing up and maving into a:smailer, sun-filled space-at.the Knox United Church, “where ~ sliding glass- doors” open onta: a small patio,’ ceview Lodge, the exten- ded care facility fur se- niors, and the new seniors supportive housing initia- tive. So far, that’ idea has been. “nixed,” but Stuart hasn't given up. “] haven’ t put that one to bed’ yet," she laughs, but her resolve is evident. “In the meantime, she’s | considering. the move to Knox United, at 4907 La- The one downside is that it’s only accessible by stairs. That's why the centre is now sceking community Support to purchase a $15,000 stair lift for people with mobility problems. A few. weeks aga, the City of Terrace loaned the centre a stair track, a wheelchair-tike contrap- tion that can haul someone up a Aight of stairs, but it rides a litle rough, ~ The clientele, described as guests by Stuart, are -mostly over the age of 49 in their senior years. She's not sure why, "Right from ‘day one it’s been that age bracket.” She hopes the. move will also raise the centre’s profile in the community, “They think the Adult Day Centre is the: Happy Gang Centre. and: ‘we are nat.” ‘An open. house at the new location is planned for ater this spring,