Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
If asked what kind of summer he is having, Zander Bartlett might say, "a great one."
The eight-year-old, who is originally from Fort Providence, met legend of the ice Wayne Gretzky on July 9, at hockey camp in St. Albert, Alberta.
"He was super thrilled," said Zander's father, Chris Bartlett.
The camp is run by the Gretzky Hockey School, said Bartlett, but a meeting with the man himself is not part of the package.
The Bartlett family lives in Edmonton, which is where Zander became enthralled with hockey.
"He's a newbie to it because there wasn't much going on up North when he was younger," said Bartlett.
"I tease him, I call him Dene McDavid, because he's Dene," he added, referencing the Edmonton Oilers captain, Connor McDavid.
The hockey campers had their helmets on, skates laced up, and were about to hit the ice when they got the news that The Great One would be paying them a visit.
"They were all pumped up and screaming and yelling, 'Gretzky's here! Gretzky's here!'" said Bartlett, who was at the rink with his son at the time.
Gretzky stayed long enough to take pictures with the young players and sign autographs.
Bartlett said his son is having a something of a charmed summer.
The camp recently held a raffle and Zander won the grand prize: an Edmonton Oilers jersey signed by none other than Gretzky himself.
"He's a lucky little kid, for sure," said Bartlett.
Mackenzie Days schedule released
Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
After a four-year hiatus, Mackenzie Days promises to come back with a bang.
Festival organizers have released a schedule for the four-day August long weekend festival, and it is jam-packed with performances, competitions, and Western-themed activities.
The festival in Fort Providence begins in the evening of Thursday, Aug. 2 with a cribbage tournament and a family-friendly scavenger hunt.
The next day's festivities begin with a wild west-themed parade, which starts at noon at the Snowshoe Inn and ends at the Big Rock, where there will be a feeding the fire ceremony to open the festival and a free community fish fry.
From there, the festival kicks into high gear with a cake decorating contest, hand games, a youth talent show and a performance by the Northern Lights Territorial Dancers.
On Saturday, Aug. 4 paddlers hit the water in youth and women's canoe races.
There will also be a carnival that day, complete with cotton candy, clowns, balloons and face painting, followed by a country-western dance, for adults 19 years of age and older.
Festival-goers will wake to a free pancake breakfast on Aug. 5, after which there will be more games, the men's canoe race and an adult talent show.
A full schedule events can be found on the Mackenzie Days Facebook page.
Civilian patrol group starting up in Fort Smith
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Town of Fort Smith, the Fort Smith Metis Council and the Fort Smith RCMP are joining forces on a civilian policing initiative.
The three organizations are seeking volunteers to join their Citizens on Patrol group, which would "extend the eyes and ears of the local law enforcement agencies," reads a July 17 press release from the Town of Fort Smith.
Volunteers will be tasked with looking out for, documenting and reporting suspicious activity in the town.
The group will be trained in crime prevention and community safety.
Anyone interested in joining the patrol group can find an application form at the town office, the Metis office, or at the RCMP detachment.
Volunteers must submit to a criminal record check.
A water-fun day for tots and caregivers
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fort Smith's littlest residents can enjoy water activities geared especially to them during Parents and Tots Water Day.
The event on July 27 is for children ages six and under and includes fun with water, a barbecue and a bouncy castle.
Children must be accompanied by an adult or caregiver.
The free event is taking place from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. outside the Fort Smith Recreation Centre. Should it rain, activities will move inside the Rec Centre gym.
Parents and adult supervisors are encouraged to bring water bottles for their tots.