THE SUCCESS OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT WILL LEAD TO CONTINUED GROWTH OF OUR ASPIRING STUDENTS – GRAND CHIEF DANIELS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2022
ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTA TERRITORY, MB — The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) and the Southern Chiefs’ Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) are delighted to announce that our annual fund-raising golf tournament was a resounding success. The 5th edition of this event raised more than $97,000 towards annual and endowed scholarships that will be awarded to students from SCO-member Nations.
“This tournament has quickly become an important source of scholarship funding for southern First Nation students, and a fixture on the summer golf schedule for sponsors and participants, and I am so proud of everyone who helped make it happen once again,” said SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. “Empowering our youth is always one of my top priorities, and I am pleased to know that a fundraiser like this will help bring our students one step closer to achieving their academic goals. I am also proud to partner with Indspire and innovative academic institutions including Assiniboine Community College, Brandon University, and the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, to help create positive outcomes for our students.”
This year, SCO worked closely with the beautiful Kingswood Golf and Country Club in La Salle, to ensure a fun and well-organized event was held while keeping the focus on increasing access to post-secondary education for southern First Nation students.
The golf tournament could not have happened without the generous support from our sponsors and participants. SCO and SCEDC thank this year’s signature sponsors:
Platinum Sponsor: RBC – Royal Bank
Gold Sponsors: Sagkeeng Anicinabe First Nation, Spirit Healthcare Group, and SkyAlyne in partnership with KFAerospace, Canadian Base Operators, and Lockheed Martin
Silver Sponsors: Evident IT, Babcock Leonard Canadian Aircrew Training, and Pratts Wholesale Food Service
Bronze Sponsors: Bird Construction, The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre, and Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT)
Cart Sponsors: CGI and Brandon University
Putting Sponsor: Northern Lights Petroleum
Hole in One Sponsor: Tipi Insurance Partners
Hole Sponsors: All Nations Print, Assiniboine Community College, Bridgeport Office Solutions, Denver Property Restoration Services Inc., Dreamcatcher Promotions, Fillmore Riley LLP, MNP, NCI FM, Rogers Communications Canada Inc., RM of Rosser, and Vincent Design
“Not only was it an honour to participate in this year’s tournament, it was also heartening to meet and interact with businesses and entrepreneurs that share the vision of providing our youth with the opportunity to achieve their post-secondary aspirations,” said Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation Chief, Gordon Bluesky. “It’s not cliché to state that the future of our peoples and Nations rest with our young people, and I am pleased to bear witness to this event that will do just that.”
The golf teams at this year’s event were from the following organizations and businesses, with some registering more than one team:
Assembly of First Nations Manitoba Region, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Corpell’s Water, Dauphin River First Nation, Dreamcatcher Promotions, Ernst Hansch Construction Ltd., Indigenous Leadership Development Institute Inc., Lake St. Martin First Nation, Long Plain First Nation, Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre, Northern Lights Petroleum, Number TEN, RM of East St. Paul, Rogers Communications Canada Inc., Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation, Southeast Child and Family Services, Southern First Nations Network of Care, TD Commercial Banking, Tipi Insurance Partners, Treaty One Development Corporation, and Vincent Design.
At the tournament dinner, inspirational post-secondary students Collette Courchene, Zachary McLean, and Wesley Flett attended and spoke of the importance of education, and how thankful they are for the support of our sponsors and donors.
SCO and SCEDC will be dividing the proceeds between annual scholarships with Indspire, and endowed scholarships with Manitoba post-secondary institutions. Indspire is a national charity that invests in the education of Indigenous people for the long-term benefit of the students, their families, and their communities. Indspire’s North Star vision is that, within a generation, every Indigenous student will graduate.
“I look forward to the continued growth of this event and the opportunities it provides,” concluded Grand Chief Daniels. “More importantly, I look forward to witnessing the academic journeys of our students and watching them attain new heights in their schooling and subsequent careers. Their success will reflect accordingly in our communities, and that genuinely excites me.”
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 34 First Nations and more than 81,500 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
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Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca