Valerie G. Barnes Connell Jordan
Northern Advocate
It was an opportunity to honour women at the 2024 Piwapan Women’s Gala held at the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre (JRMCC) on Friday, Nov. 29
A capacity audience turned out for the event. Chief Tammy Cook-Searson welcomed guests and nominees, thanked the nominators, and the congratulated the recipients of the awards.
She spoke of the two memorial awards, the Louisa Sanderson Memorial Award and the Jean Charles Memorial Award and thanked the staff, board, nominators and award recipients for their work.
“These are women who do their work … they make a big difference in our lives,” she said.
Women were nominated under various categories. The nominees were:
• Business: Lisa Chartier; Connie Brooks; Connie Ross
• Arts and Music: Destiny Schafer
• Perseverance: Angelique Ratt; Connie Brooks; Catherine Thimpsen
• Volunteer: Patricia Howe; Connie Brooks; Debbie Webb; Danielle Debruyne
• Sports: Colleen Sanderson
• Health: Ammarie Clinton; Hailey Cross; Kathleen Boyes
• Education: Sam Sanderson; Tina Halkett; Deborah Gibson Dingwall; Leah McCallum
• Culture: Louisa Ratt; Sally Roberts
• Elder: Jane Kemp
• Leadership: Judi McKenzie.
Angelique Clinton received the Jean Charles Memorial Award for 2024.
Cook-Searson shared her some of her story. She worked at the Kikinahk Friendship Centre for some time. At the time, she was a school dropout, she said and a Residential School Survivor.
“Louisa Sanderson was one of the first women that made a difference in my life. She was very welcoming, warm and she helped encourage me,” Cook-Searson said.
Sanderson encouraged her and introduced her to alcoholics anonymous.
“All of a sudden I was sitting as a participant at those meetings. I was just a teenage girl,” she said.
At the time, Cook-Searson said, she was very shy, and had low self-esteem.
“I thought I couldn’t do anything. That I wasn’t good enough, but it was all (from) not recognizing the intergenerational trauma from Residential Schools, racism that we still continue to face on a daily basis.”
She continued into the process learning the reality of addictions, and she is now 36 years sober.
Even so, Cook-Searson said, she still struggles, but her message is “never give up.”
The Late Louisa Sanderson was one of the founders of the La Ronge Native Women’s Council, which is the governing organization, responsible for the operation of the Piwapan Women’s Centre. She worked with the Centre from much of her life in different capacities, ending her time there as the Elder.
Dianne Patterson was a (LRNWC) long-time board members and Chair of the Board who was honoured for her role in bringing change to the organization. She is the recipient of the annual Louisa Sanderson Memorial Award for 2024.
There was a surprise guest during the evening, Tina Turner impersonator Phyllis Merasty, who brought the house down with her antics, adding cheers and laughter to the events of the evening.
Cook-Searson was honoured with a Leadership Award for her work and support of LRNWC at the end of the event.
