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Community support makes Sasquatch Days a success

Organizers give thanks to community for Harrison cultural event

Re: Sasquatch Days June 8 & 9, 2013 - Harrison Hot Springs, BC

We are writing to express our heartfelt thanks to all the people who supported this years Sasquatch Days event. There were over 80 volunteers, including a planning committee of various stakeholders including the Village of Harrison Hot Springs, Tourism Harrison, Harrison Festival of the Arts, and the Sts’ailes Cultural Committee who assisted to plan and deliver another exceptional cultural sharing event in the ancient Sts’ailes Village of Qwolts.

Canoe pulling is a healthy tradition that promotes a holistic good lifestyle. War canoe racing is a traditional event that involves a circuit tour and our visitors are treated with hospitality – a special thank you to those local business sponsors who provided food gifts for the Canoe Club Welcome: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company; Back Porch Coffee; Kilby Historic Site; Canadian Hazelnuts; Honeyview Farm, and many Sts’ailes community members for their gifts of traditional foods.

Hospitality is foundational to Sasquatch Days and a necessity for some of the clubs to be able to afford to attend with large groups. A special thank you to the Village of Harrison Hot Springs who generously provided the Day Use RV Parking Area to the visiting canoe clubs to assist with the hosting of many youth.  The campers there this year were youth proudly representing one Canoe Club. This large open space fits perfectly their needs to be near their canoes, and to keep them safe from any damage from close-in camping, and allows safe maneuverability of the larger canoes.

The canoe circuit also promotes healthy life styles and good eating habits and refraining from alcohol, tobacco and drug use. Sometimes this is the only way some children can get to visit other communities.  This option of healthy living has been made available from many Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors: Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC; Berezan/ Hemlock Resort; UFV Alumni Association.  Silver Sponsors: Nations Construction; Sto:lo Research & Resource Management Centre; Stqoya Construction.  Bronze Sponsor: Pretty Estates.  Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa and Sasquatch Signs - in kind sponsors.

Canoe Category Sponsors: Phyllis Stenson; Cranmer-Underhill Family; Dawn Charlie; Tim & Shelly Felix.  22 Artisans and others in the St. Alice Hall Aboriginal Artisan Show contributed items for the Free Draw, which also had donations from Columbia Fuels, and Flora Robertson.  Media Sponsor: Black Press.  Other donations: Garden Back to Eden Heritage Tomatoes.  Tillie Charlie, Monica Joe, Evangeline Point, Cultural Stage MC Nelson Leon, Rocky LaRock, Arnie Leon Family, Eddie Gardner, Alex Wells Family, White Thunder Dance Theatre, Kelsey Charlie, and the Sasquatch Dancers provided exceptional cultural workshops, craft making and spectacular cultural sharing on the stage over the weekend to much applause and gratitude.

In achieving the goal of re-establishing Sasquatch Days as a feature event, it has also increased visitation and brought business and increased recognition to both Harrison Hot Springs and Sts’ailes as tourism destinations in the Vancouver Coast & Mountains region. This community and business support will allow Sasquatch Days to provide a great new local summer event, healthy lifestyle support and cultural strengths to Aboriginal youth and families, and meaningful cross cultural understanding and measurable positive impacts to the local economy. We are thankful for all the sponsors, volunteers, and participants and look forward to hosting Sasquatch Days long into the future.

Yalh yexw Kw’es hoy (Thank you)

Chief Harvey Paul, Sts’ailes

Mayor Leo Facio, Village of Harrison Hot Springs