Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin I would like to make special mention of Red Friday, where people wear red to honour the troops.
Mr. Speaker, today’s Member’s statement is to talk about a couple of community grassroots events that will be happening here in Yellowknife. The first one is the Gumboot Rally. It will be happening tomorrow, Saturday, May 24 at 10 a.m. at the Yellowknife Education Board parking lot. It will be the scene of fun, games and a lot of laughs at the Yellowknife Association for Community Living, where they are holding their 16th Annual Gumboot Rally.
The rally is the association’s major fundraiser to maintain programming throughout the year. The YACL is a non-profit organization that supports families, children, youth and adults with intellectual disabilities so that they are included and able to contribute to community life here in Yellowknife. The association provides services in eight different programming areas, including employability, family projects, living and learning with FASD projects, literacy outreach centres, respite, supportive living, skills training and inclusions.
Mr. Speaker, at the Gumboot Rally 15 to 20 teams will don hilarious costumes — and their gumboots, of course — to come out and compete in such games as basketboots, skinny ankles, boot toss and catch ‘n boot. Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of notable prizes that will be donated by Canadian North: two trips, which can be a trip to Edmonton or Calgary. One is for the person who raises the most money, and the other is for the person who gets the most sponsors. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the event there will be a barbecue.
I’m just letting folks know that there are still packages available. Every year teams don funny costumes. In past years we’ve had the Loan Arrangers from the TD Bank, Aurora Jiggers from the college, the Flashers, Sisson Judges and the Hippies. So Mr. Speaker, that community event starts on Saturday. I’m making special note of our sponsors who make sure this event happens. They are Canadian North, YK1, Artisan Press, Northbest Distributors, BHP, and the Gumboots, as well as Coffee Break.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, I had two community events that are important in Yellowknife, and they’re grassroots. Of course there’s the Walk for the Cure of diabetes, which I’ll be attending as well. That happens here at the Legislative Assembly on Sunday, May 25. Registration starts at 1 o’clock. I’ll just say in closing it’s put on every year by the Lions Club. I want to thank them for leading that initiative starting here at the Legislature on Sunday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins, The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
