TTHENAAGO/NAHANNI BUTTE - In a reversal of roles, staff and students at the Charles Yohin school in Nahanni Butte have been volunteering their time to help volunteers who want to live in the community.

For the past three months staff and students have been working to renovate the former RCMP building in Nahanni Butte to turn it into a house where Beaver volunteers can stay when they come to assist at the school. Finding suitable housing has been a barrier to bringing in volunteers, said Cindy Buterbaugh, a teacher at the school.

Melvin Vital uses a power tool to attach a hinge to a cupboard door. Students in Nahanni Butte have been assisting in the renovations of a building to house Beaver volunteers. - photo courtesy of Wayne Ingarfield

There have been a few years where plans were made to host a Beaver volunteer but because of the lack of accommodations the person wasn't able to come, said Buterbaugh.

"It's always a problem to try and find a place. There's not a lot of spare buildings around," she said.

The first volunteer to arrive was Martin Pritchett who helped at the school during the last school year. Accommodations that had been made for Pritchett fell through after he arrived. Another location couldn't be found so Buterbaugh and her husband Wayne Ingarfield hosted him in their house all year.

To ensure the continued presence of Beaver volunteers, the school took on the project of creating suitable housing. When asked ,the Nahanni Butte Dene Band donated the RCMP building to the cause.

The small log building housed RCMP officers when they used to stay in the community. The house, which includes a kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom, hadn't been used in a number of years, said Buterbaugh.

"It had just been getting run down and dilapidated," she said.

After a few months of labour the extensive renovations are almost complete. Teacher Wayne Ingarfield with the assistance of some of the older students has done most of the work.

Students have tried their hand at using different power tools, sanding, filling cracks, painting and laying floors. Students will also be helping with the plumbing when that stage of the process is reached.

"They like to get out and hands on," said Ingarfield.

Painting has been Logan Matou's favourite task so far.

"It's the easiest one," he said.

Matou also helped remove nails from the ceiling and install the new doors. A new set of windows and doors were put on the house.

The Dehcho Divisional Education Council has funded the renovations using money that's set aside to accommodate the volunteers, said Buterbaugh.

All of the students at the school have gotten behind the project, she said. The youngest students assisted by washing the dishes found in the house.

"It's been quite a bit of extra work but it will be worth it in the end," she said.

Pritchett is expected to be the first volunteer to live in the house. After a year of travelling, Pritchett plans to return to Nahanni Butte during the next school year. The school's current volunteer is Anna MacLennan from Scotland.

Beaver volunteers are a welcome addition to the school's staff, said Buterbaugh.

"It's such a help especially in the small community," she said.