The Métis Federation of Saskatchewan has rescheduled a fundraiser that was slated to happen on March 9, due to the recent snowstorm.
The fundraiser will now be held on May 5 at Estevan Elks Hall. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and there will be a dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a dance later in the night. The main entertainment is going to be Saskatchewan singer and songwriter Donny Parenteau.
The tickets cost $40 per person and need to be purchased in advance. Those wanting to attend are asked to contact Linda Sopp at 306-421-1199.
Sopp is the president of the Métis Federation of Saskatchewan and is a long-time resident of Estevan. She wants to do something for the Métis population in the city.
“We are trying to raise money so we can open an office in Estevan, so we can start communicating with the community. Its education for Métis people looking to gain information about their identity and help out the elders,” said Sopp.
“When I was growing up in Estevan, to me it seemed that at least half of the population of Estevan was Métis. I feel that a lot of Métis don’t acknowledge that they are because of the way they were raised and their identity of being Indigenous was taken away,” she added.
Parenteau, who is providing the entertainment for the evening, is also Métis and he also does a lot of work for Telemiracle. Sopp said he would be playing the fiddle and singing while in Estevan.
Sopp hopes the event is very successful like the others the federation has held in the past.
“This isn’t the first Métis event we have had in Estevan, I know we had a new year’s bash and two dances before, and I hope this event is going to turn out to be very successful,” said Sopp. “The fundraising will done through the purchase of tickets and if anyone wants to donate any money, that of course would be very appreciated.”
Sopp believes that having a Métis office in Estevan would be good for the community and the Métis people that live in the local area.
“The value I think of having a Métis office in Estevan would bring Métis to the community and help them connect with each other. I also think having an office would let people know we are serious about preserving Métis culture,” said Sopp. “We want Métis to have a neutral spot to meet and get organized and reconnect with their past.”
