The Rigolet DHSD are also busy offering programs in their department for community members.

We spoke with Team Leader, Lorraine Allen.

She says they will have a community kitchen on Sunday February 19 for anyone who would like to come in and prepare a meal together, please call-in advance to the DHSD if you would like to attend to this community kitchen.

Allen adds that the men’s event will be held on the Monday February 20, for ages of 19 years and older at the community shed; any men interested can contact Lisa.

The Optometrist Eye team will also be going to Rigolet next week from Feb. 21-24.

She says the High school students will be doing their cooking class on Friday February 24; this is held once a month with the Community Health Worker and Aid who cook a dish with the high school students.

Right now, they are preparing for the Seniors meal for any seniors from the age group of 65 years or older.

There will be a women’s spa night on Tuesday February 28 for any women 19 years or older.

The Rigolet DHSD are continuing to offer 2 lunch dinners for school children, and this month, children are asked to pick up their lunch at DHSD; this is done twice a week and are usually held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But for this week, they are offering lunch dinners today and again tomorrow.

There will also be a DHSD Food demo taste test tomorrow at the DHSD office at 3pm.

The Postville DHSD have some activities and programs set for their community.

Jennifer Jacque-Poole is the Mental Health and Addictions Worker.

She says next week is Pink Shirt/Anti-Bullying Day, and they will have bingo planned for a full week.

For the bingo game, participants can make a line or two to get their name entered for a chance to win $500 in gas or stove oil.

Next week, February 20-24, a mobile Trauma and Addictions Team will visit the community of Postville to do a workshop on anxiety.

Jacque-Poole adds that there are plans for a meal for residential survivors, but the dates haven’t been made yet.

If anyone have any questions or like more information, you can call Jacque-Poole at the Postville DHSD at 479-9842.

The Annual Ocean Ranger Memorial Service originally scheduled for this morning in St. John’s has been postponed to tomorrow because of the weather.

Gonzaga High School has hosted the event ever since the first Anniversary of the Ocean Ranger Disaster.

The Drill Rig went down in the hurricane winds and massive waves in the early morning hours of February 15, 1982 – 41 years ago.

The Disaster claimed the lives of 84 crew members, most of whom were Newfoundlanders. A large number of the victims were Gonzaga alumni, which is why the school has hosted the Memorial each year.

Tomorrow’s Service will take place at the Basilica of St. John the Babtist at 10:30 am. The Service will be streamed lined.

The Happy Valley-Goose Bay SPCA are quite busy this year.

We spoke with Bonnie Learning the Vice-president/PR Director.

She says the SPCA Spring break ticket cash draw of $5000 will be drawn this Friday February 17, 2023, via Facebook live from the HVGB SPCA FB group.

Tickets were sold for $5 each Saturday February 11, and 3000 tickets were printed.

The spring break ticket cash draw is to help fundraise for the HVGB SPCA.

Click here to hear more on the SPCA in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

The Northern Lights Academy in Rigolet are excited to hold the Winter Sports Meet for this year.

Steve Brazil is the Principal for the school.

He says the Sports Meet will be from Thursday, February 16, to Saturday, February 18.

The Jens Haven Memorial School of Nain, the Mushuau Innu Natuashish School, the Amos Comenius Memorial School of Hopedale, the J.C. Erhardt Memorial of Makkovik and the B.L Morrison Memorial of Postville, and the Northern Lights Academy are competing in the 2023 winter meet.

The Opening Ceremonies will start on Thursday at 6pm.

The Northern Lights Academy would like to thank everyone for their support for this event to happen.

Brazil would like to add he is excited for everyone to come to the beautiful town of Rigolet, and finally get to host the winter sports meet since 2021, and without the billeting and donations, they wouldn’t be able to host the event.

The OK Radio will keep up with the schedule as the winter meet takes action.

The First Annual Tanya Tshakapesh Memorial Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament went well over the weekend.

Ben Rich is the organizer for the tournament and says he was happy to see all the excitement and the happiness that occurred over the weekend.

He said there were more players in the tournament than he thought there would be with a total of thirteen teams in the tournament.

First place winners were Team Nain; winning the prize of $6000 and a banner with a picture of his late daughter, Tanya Tshakapesh.

Team Natuashish came second and were given t-shirts and $100 to each player.

Third place was Team Hopedale, they were given t-shirts and $50 to each player.

Rich says the second tournament is planned on the same date next year, February 10, 2024.

He hopes to set the prizes up for the first-place winners up to $7000 for first place, $3000 for the second-place winners, and $600 for third place winners for the next tournament.

He adds if there will be more interest, they might be using two gyms; the gym at the school, and the gym at the recreation center.

He would like to thank the people who helped organized and the players who played in the tournament.

The Wooding Program with the Nain DHSD is still on hold as the Kamutet need repairs done.

Rutie Lampe is the Mental Health and Addictions worker.

She says as soon as they can get the Kamutet fixed and repaired, they will start the wooding program again.

They have two big lists and will only do one list each week.

Lampe adds that they have a huge interest in this program and will continue this wooding program hopefully next week.

If you would like more information about this wooding program, you can call Rutie at the DHSD building at 922-2126, ext. 231.

The work in modernizing the Labrador Friendship Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is going well.

Jennifer Hefler Elsen is the Executive Director of the Centre.

She says work is ongoing in the building and the diner and the Hostel is still closed for clients.

Hefler Elson says the building will be so different for people to see, once it opens beginning of April.

Click here when Hefler Elson give you more details on the modernized Centre.

The Language, Culture and Tourism department in Nain will be holding a Terminology Workshop this month.

We spoke with Silpa Suarak who is the Interpreter Translator Coordinator.

She says the Terminology workshop will be held at the Illusuak Cultural Center from Tuesday February 21- February 23, 2023.

Right now, they are looking for drivers to provide rides to and from the airport and to the workshops for elders, and adds that the drivers must have their own snowmobile and they will be compensated for their time.

Suarak says they invited 55 people to attend to the Terminology workshop, including ITK and members from the Canadian Constituency, but only 25 people have confirmed.

They are still waiting to hear back from the invited guests, and it isn’t to late to participate.

During the terminology workshop, they will be discussing about old Inuktitut terms and other terminology.

If you still would like to attend, you can reach out to Silpa Suarak so they can start booking the flights.

If you are still attending the terminology workshop, or if you have any questions about the Terminology workshop, you can contact Silpa Suarak at 922-2942 ext. 273.

And if you are interested in being a Driver, you can contact either Robyn Martin or Shirley Jararuse at 922-2051 or 922-2052.

The Provincial Government is today recognizing February 13-18 as Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Created by the Canadian Home and School Federation in 1988, Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week recognizes the work of teachers, early childhood educators, administrators and school staff who are committed to children and their education.

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to more than 10,500 permanent and casual school staff working as teachers, administrators and support staff throughout the province’s school system.

Supporting teachers and staff is a priority, and is included in recommendations in the Education Action Plan to build an educational community in Newfoundland and Labrador that fosters safe, caring and inclusive learning environments for all children and youth.

Through the Education Action Plan, between 2017 and 2022, the Provincial Government added more than 100 school based reading specialists, approximately 200 teaching and learning assistants to support K-6 students, as well as additional teacher librarians and English-as-a-Second-Language teachers to support newcomers.