MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT JACKSON OSBORNE

First, I want to welcome you to the community of Cross Lake, the visitors and the competitors from all over Manitoba, in friendship and in goodwill. The spirit of the 50th Anniversary Trappers Festival comes alive as the community of Cross Lake pull together to organize and coordinate events in the memory of years of tradition, heritage and community values of our people who once utilized the land as their sustenance to achieve and sustain life for all of us since time immemorial. 50 years has elapsed and the Cross Lake community has always herald the celebrations of the Trappers Festival with its humble beginnings of the past Trappers Festival
committee, Annie Ross, Elias Brightnose and the sponsors of the first Trappers Festival, The Hudson Bay Company,
manager Mr. Tielell.
The first queens of Cross Lake make up of different areas of Cross Lake was a distinct part of the fundraising component as many would achieve as much as $24,000.00 for their fundraising efforts throughout the years. In the early sixties the word of the Trappers Festival would travel throughout Manitoba and many people came by bombardier or dog team to enjoy the festival. Communications was not as efficient as today's mediums of newspaper, posters, radio announcements and Television.
The word of the Trappers Festival travelled by word throughout the Northlands and people would come to Cross Lake. One of the first dog musher to win many years of Dog competition is Bonner Ross
who still drives his taxi and his wife Madeline who cooks and sells bread, pastries and pies for years in the Cross Lake area. Throughout the years the Trappers Festival has always run on a volunteer system with very little funds in some years but magically at the beginning of the Festival the funds would come in by the people who seldom receive the recognition they deserve who found funding somewhere. Many of our past leaders were instrumental in achieving a sense of harmony and unity when the Trappers Festival began, the late Walter Monias, late Jonah McKay, late Samuel McKay, late Herman McKay, late Batiste Robinson, George M Ross, Mervin Garrick, George Hamilton, and Alan Paupanekis, the past Chief and councils. The list is long and many have passed on but there will be a time to honor many of those who contributed so much to the Trappers Festival. We hope you enjoy this special program as it is a showcase of our community and years of history from our people. In the short time we have had to fundraise it was an effort by all the volunteers who contributed their time and energy to create a
fundraising campaign and promotional campaign delivering 4000 special edition Newspapers of our 50th
anniversary Trappers Festival, and posters all over Manitoba and spots on the Native Communications. Cross Lake will have many new faces, visitors and families will come together and celebrate this special event in our time. Enjoy yourselves and our community, thank you all for your support and especially the Maytawaywin Committee who believe that this would be possible. To all the people who contributed pictures of the past to make this brochure.
  To the CFNC Radio Station, MCTV communications committee, Cross Lake Health Service, Awasis Agency, CLEA for making their contributions for the events, to the people of Cross Lake for contributing to the bingos and queens. To the community council for taking part in our celebrations and their contributions to the Trappers Festival.
  There are so many things to be thankful for, if we missed anyone please understand that we hold you in our hearts and will remember you in our prayers and your contributions for years to come.
 
God Bless You all,
President Jackson Osborne
and the Maytawaywin Committee
 
 
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