Five people passed away from COVID-19 since after one week of update in NL, bringing the provinces total to 278 since the pandemic started in March 2020.

Two of those people was 80-year-olds from Eastern Health region, and three were in their 70’s from Central health region.

There are 19 people in hospital as of Wednesday afternoon’s weekly report, and six of those are in critical care.

The province also reported 158 new cases over the week, 38 on Thursday, 29 Friday, 17 on Saturday, 15 Sunday, 13 on Monday, 22 Tuesday and 24 Wednesday.

However, those numbers are not indication of the spread of COVID-19 since the province only reports tests administered by its health authority.

A letter was sent to the elders of Labrador by Mrs. Doris Peacock of St. John’s.

She was the wife of the Reverend Fred William Peacock, who served more then 30 years as a missionary.

Peacock wrote a letter from 1986 about how families prepared and celebrated Advent.

She says children looked forward to their napvâgatsat and families would wait to see if anyone from outside the community were able to arrive for Christmas on the newly formed ice.

Click here to hear Peacock’s letter on Advent.

You can start your fundraising project. Here are some fundraising ideas from Janeway’s booklet:

Sell children’s Miracle Network.
Theme Day in your school or office.
Recycling collection.
Tournaments.
Ticket Raffles.
Games of Chance.
Flea market Garage Sales.
Bake sale/Lemon aid stand.
Marathon and Concert.

Once you are ready to start project in support of the Janeway in your community, please contact Phyllis Kinsmen, Janeway Children’s Hospital Foundation and share your idea and contact information with them. They can help you get started and offer some support.

After your event, they kindly ask you to fill out this summary form and submit it with your donations. Fundraising Form.

You can contact Phyllis Kinsman, Manager, Communications and Events by email at phyllis@easternhealth.ca, or call her at 709-777-4264.

Nain Community Shed Coordinator, Susan Saksagiak has partnered with Regional Justice Service Manager to build 4 kamutet; one will go to supportive living, one to the Emergency Shelter, and the other 2 will be built and given out as prizes.

Anyone in the community can go to the shed and learn a new skill or drop in and give a hand.

Nain Outreach worker, Amy Maggo is making plans with Sue Webb for a Pualuk Making Program, so keep an eye out for an advertisement very soon.

Nain Youth Center continue to be open from 8:30pm to 8:30am, and has begun making plans for in December for the 12 days of Christmas events. Once all the events are finalized, the Team Lead Cathy Dicker will post a schedule.

Hopedale Outreach staff Mike Mitsuk has been busy planning with DHSD staff for upcoming Christmas events, and also saws wood with youth volunteers to seniors and single moms.

Rigolet Shed coordinator Waylon Shiwak is working with men’s group this week and has plans for some projects for Christmas.

About a third of the $500 cost of living cheques have gone out with those on the lower end of the income scale receiving theirs first.

Finance Minister Siobhan Coady says the program will end up costing about $430 million. It’s a one-time payment but there is also a one-time subsidy up to a maximum of $500 for those who use oil heat and make less than $100,000.

Minister Coady expects to have all of the $500 cheques out by Christmas.

She says the provincial government has reduced the gas tax to the second-lowest in the country, increased the seniors’ benefit and raised the amount which people on income support receive.

Story courtesy of VOCM.

The Rigolet Inuit Community Government has a few plans for this winter.

We spoke with AngajukKâk Chesley Shepperd.

He says that they are getting their rink on the go for children to play hockey, as well as cleaning up the ski trails.

They will be holding their Christmas tree lighting on Friday, December 2nd.

Shepperd also says that they will have no Community Employment Enhancement Programs this year.

Their Coordinator for the Labrador Winter Games is Tony Wolfrey.

He adds that they are trying to get everyone settled in with their new positions in the office.

The NunatuKavut Community Council is responding to a charge from the Nunatsiavut Government accusing the NCC of cultural appropriation.

The NCC is providing online language lessons in Inuktitut. Nunatsiavut language, Culture and Tourism Minister, Roxanne Barbour, said she was appalled by the latest development. She says the NCC maintains that it represents the Inuit of South and Central Labrador and that they different language system than those in Northern Labrador, something she calls “harmful”, offensive and nothing more than culture appropriation.

The NCC meanwhile, it is saddened by Minister Barbour’s comments and that, as a minister responsible for the promotion of Inuktitut., she would disparage their sincere and genuine efforts of language reclamation in other Inuit communities.

In a statement on the NCC website, the NunatuKavut Community Council accuses the Nunatsiavut Government of relying on, unethical, sexes, Eurocentric and racist opinions to make false assertions about their land claim.

The Nunatsiavut Government says while acknowledges that some members of NCC have some Indigenous ancestry and background, they do not recognize NCC’s proposed land claim.

Story courtesy of VOCM.

The women’s support group is held through Department of Health and Social Development here in Nain, this is a new program and will be held every week.

This program is for women who would like to share their ideas about supporting women, communicate, gather around and have some snacks, their will also be guest speakers, outings.

Elsie Russell is the Mental Health and Addictions worker.

She says this program will start November 30th tomorrow from 6:30-8pm at the DHSD building.

Click here to hear Russell on the Women’s Support Group.

The Labrador Inuit Development Corporation started their second phase of the Caribou Freezer Factory in the Summer of 1986.

They received a grant of $1.6 million from the Federal Government to finish the plant.

The plant at the time, was expected to be completed in the Fall of 1987.

Click here to hear the announcement from November 1986.

The OK Radio called most of the Nunatsiavut communities to see what they have to offer in their community freezers.

In the community freezer Nain have seal and char.

The Hopedale and Makkovik community freezers have char and cod.

The Postville community freezer has whole cod fish, whole char, salmon, and frozen meats from their local store.

We will get the Rigolet community freezer once it becomes available.