KGCFS would like to recognize and congratulate our Cultural Department and Lyle Peltier for being among this year’s recipients of the Greater Sudbury Police Service Community Awards!
Pictured at event (left to right) Denise Morrow, KGCFS Executive Director; Lyle Peltier, KGCFS Family Team Gathering Coordinator; Cst. Darryl Rivers, GSPS Indigenous Liaison Officer.
On May 17, 2023, the Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) hosted the 2023 Community and Police Awards Gala at the Caruso Club in Sudbury, Ontario. The Community and Police Awards Gala provides the Greater Sudbury Police Service with the opportunity to honour police service members, community partners and community members who have demonstrated leadership during incidents that required immediate intervention. They also recognize those who have supported initiatives dedicated to enhancing community safety and well-being.
KGCFS would like to recognize Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services for receiving the Greater Sudbury of Police Service – Community Partnership Award. KGCFS team member, Lyle Peltier who led the KGCFS participation at the annual “Mooz Akinonmaaget Maa Aki” moose camp and Denise Morrow, Executive Director accepted the award on behalf of the agency. We would also like to recognize other KGCFS cultural team members Jim Fox and Tammie Assinewai whom assisted with the 2021 and 2022 moose hunts.
Lyle is the KGCFS team lead in the pilot project “Mooz Akinonmaaget Maa Aki” Moose Hunt initiative alongside Darryl Rivers, GSPS Indigenous Liaison Officer and the KGCFS Cultural Department. This program is a partnership between GSPS, Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre, Niijaansinaanik Child and Family Services, Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services, KGCFS, CAS of Sudbury and Manitoulin District, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The goal of this initiative currently in its 3rd year is to build stronger relationships between indigenous youth and GSPS through mutual respect, cultural awareness, and inclusivity.
The program is designed to promote the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental wellbeing of indigenous youth. Each session, of the 8-10 sessions involved youth learning with their non-indigenous police partner/mentor about cultural teachings and the particular grandfather teachings in relation to a moose harvest. This successful mentorship occurs over a weekend in the fall, designed based on the traditional and Anishinabek values through the 7 grandfather teachings. The program supports Youth with various activities such as hunting education, firearms safety, First Aid, Tactical demonstrations, and cultural teachings.
Moving forward is a legacy component, where previous year’s participants are encouraged to re-attend one session where they’ve harvested a moose and in return plant a tree and provide guidance and mentorship to new participants. The youth that are eligible and participate in the program also earn 2 high school credits upon completion.
