Koeye Lodge internal welcome page

We will continue to bring people from all over to the Koeye so that its base of support continues to grow. As we develop the capacity described above, people will be able to stay linked to Koeye and what is happening there.

This year we hosted groups of international volunteers, young people from across Canada, groups from the Power to Be Adventure Therapy Society, the Healing Spirit Society and the Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects.

1. The Culture/Science Camps have proven beneficial in generating a broad coalition of supporters for Koeye, in keeping our young people passionate about protection it and steering and encouraging young people to enter natural resource streams of education. This is vital work and we continue to work on education and training programs that will insure long term support for special places like Koeye.
2. This year we will attempt to connect Koeye to the young people in the community. This link is essential if we are going to keep youth interested in Koeye and if a broader base of youth are going to see the benefits to having intact systems like the Koeye available to future generations. This will bring Koeye into people’s lives for the whole year rather than as a summer program. Through the use of video cameras, computer linkages and the digitization of Koeye research and information we will partner with the school and college to integrate the Koeye into their curriculums.

2007 QQS Initiatives:

1. We will seek funding to establish Koeye as an educational center by installing monitoring cameras, research data and cultural and archeological data in an interactive website. Cameras will be installed to monitor fish, bears and other wildlife, beach changes through tides and wave action, migrant and resident birds and sea mammals so that students can monitor activities from their classroom. Libraries of research information, ethno botany, cultural stories and history will put on the website. Links to other conservation initiatives and information will be established to keep the Koeye activities in context.
2. We will seek funding to upgrade the Koeye Lodge facilities as outlined in the “Koeye Lodge Infrastructure Upgrading Report” completed in May 2006. The emphasis for this upgrade will be on energy saving initiatives and conversion to wood heat and battery storage where possible. In addition we will seek to improve the dock and access facilities and continue developing maintenance and repair routines for the power, propane and sewage systems.
3. We will raise funds to commission a burial pole to be erected at Koeye next summer. This will be the major cultural event for the summer. The pole will be in honor of our deceased Koeye elder Ed Martin and the many others whose remains were left at Koeye during the small pox outbreak of 1861. During that outbreak numerous passing tribes were forced to leave their deceased behind on the Koeye beaches.
4. We will seek funds to purchase two traditional canoes for the use of the culture science camp. The presence of Ian Reid’s canoe, on loan to us this past summer, has inspired us to commit to this addition to our program.

The contribution to team-building, cultural learning and camp journeys has been an inspiration to many of us. Seeing the canoe in use at Koeye this summer was a very moving experience.